Bran led the group, moving swiftly. As a leonine champion, Bran, along with the Warrior of Doom, Eren, belonged to a unique class, which gave them an advantage. Their stats were generally higher, and by the time all three reached level 5, Eric was struggling to keep up. Eren, noticing his friend's difficulty, tried to slow the pace to accommodate him.
Bran glanced back, "Eren, I think there's a horde of Ravagers up ahead. I can smell their rotting guts."
Ravagers were long-taloned birds with their entrails hanging out, which moved like tendrils to wrap around their targets and drain them to death. As flying enemies, they were not only fast and agile but also incredibly difficult to kill. Many Ravagers would take flight if they deemed their target too strong.
Eren glanced back and asked Eric, "What do we do?"
"Let's split up. Eren, you go right. Bran and I will take the other side," Eric replied. The plan was straightforward: Eric and Bran would move to the left while Eren went right. If the Ravager noticed Eren, his speed would allow him to escape. If the Ravager came after Eric and Bran, they would fight it together. It was simple—if one group was caught, the other could get away.
Earlier, they all shared their classes with one another, except for Bran, who had already done so earlier. Eren was a Warrior of Doom, a unique class that, ironically, had stats focused on agility and dexterity rather than strength and endurance. Despite being a unique class, its strength and endurance stats were lower than Eric's Guardian class. While Eric excelled in strength and endurance, his other stats were noticeably weaker compared to Eren's.
There was no rebellion against the decision; fighting a ravager head-on was an option, but they preferred to conserve their energy. Who knew what might happen when they finally reached Mount Obelisk?
Eren nodded and slowly changed direction to the right, planning to circle around the horde. Bran and Eric followed suit, moving in the opposite direction.
Fortunately, during this ordeal, no ravager managed to spot them. Perhaps the goddess of luck was on their side this time.
They bolted deeper into the forest.
---
The terrain grew more uneven as they ventured deeper into the forest. The dense vegetation blocked out the midday sun, leaving the ground shrouded in darkness and shadows. Vines and tree roots seemed to stir at the sight of the three creatures approaching. They lunged toward the man in front, but instead of entangling him, they were swiftly devoured.
Name: Bran Smith
Level: 5
Class: Leonine Champion
Equipment: Lionheart Armour, Greatsword.
Tutorial Status: Active
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STR: 30 (+14)
AGI: 9
END: 25
INT: 7
WIS: 8
DEX: 17
LUK: 6
Skills: Lion's Roar, Predatory Gaze, Track, Fang Render.
New Level 5 Skill: "Fang Render"
Description:
The user harnesses the wild spirit of a lion, their aura taking the form of spectral fangs. With a powerful close-range attack, they shred through armor and flesh, leaving deep, bleeding wounds. If the target's HP falls below 50%, the damage is doubled.
Fang Render stormed through the jungle of vines, an unstoppable force and untamed ruler of the wild. His sheer power sent terror rippling through the grotesque forms of the twisted trees, their ranks collapsing as he tore through them with unrelenting fury.
Eren and Eric stayed back, conserving their energy while the brute crushed the monstrous vines with ease.
Sometimes, a few vines manage to get through the Bran, but Eren easily takes care of them.
Eren Walker
Level: 5
Class: Warrior of Doom
Equipment: Metal amour, Saber, Amulet of Magus Indica.
Tutorial Status: Active
-----------------------------------------
STR: 20 (+3)
AGI: 25
END: 19
INT: 20 (+10)
WIS: 14
DEX: 19
LUK: 2
Skills: Plotter, Murderer gaze, Troublemaker, Doom Brand.
New level 5 Skill: "Doom Brand"
Description:
Marks a target with a cursed sigil. The marked enemy takes increased damage from Eren for a short duration.
Vines marked with the Doom Brand took extra damage from Eren's strike, withering away in seconds as the Walker's saber sliced through them.
Eric was offering support as the vines stretched further toward them.
Name: Eric Worth
Level: 5
Class: Guardian
Equipment: Leather amour, long sword.
Tutorial Status: Active
-----------------------------------------
STR: 27 (+3)
AGI: 8
END: 27
INT: 10
WIS: 7
DEX: 10
LUK: 17 (-3)
Skills: Boulder head, Stone heart, Greater Vitality, Fortune Trade.
New level 5 Skill: "Fortune Trade"
Description:
Permanently lose 3 LUK stats to reduce damage taken by the user and their allies by 25%.
Eventually, the vines retreated back into the shadows of the forest floor. Bran let out a sigh of relief; his mana usage from Fang Render had almost drained him completely. If not for Eric's damage reduction, he might have been seriously injured. Fang Render was a powerful ability, but it left the user vulnerable as it charged into the horde of enemies.
Unfortunately, their team relied entirely on close-range combat. They had wanted Elisa to join them, but she refused as she had another important hunt coming up. Despite this, the three pressed on with their plan. It was a foolish idea, something their previous encounter might have already warned them about.
"Damn it. We're struggling against mere vines," Bran snorted, his anger evident in his tone.
"Eric, are you alright?" Eren asked, glancing back at his friend with concern.
Eric confirmed he was fine, explaining that Bran had borne the brunt of the attack, while Eren managed to handle anything that got past him. Bran's ability seemed to have a fear-inducing effect, even though it wasn't explicitly mentioned in its description. Observing the retreating vines, Bran theorized that their fear might have been the cause.
"The vines must have been frightened by my new ability, or else they'd still be attacking us." Bran paused before speaking again, glancing at Eric this time. His eyes seemed to convey something unspoken—perhaps he wanted to retreat. "I think we've made a mistake. The monsters here are stronger. One-eyed Orc would be worse."
Maybe it was the instinct of a beast, but Bran was beginning to doubt his chances of survival if they ventured to Mount Obelisk for treasure.
Eric glanced at his friend Eren, but his expression was unreadable—there was nothing there. For a moment, it felt like he was looking at someone entirely different.
Then a voice whispered,"The treasure will make us stronger. Don't you want to be strong? We can't always tuck our tails between our legs when facing Jonathan. And what about that kid, William? What if he comes forward with the truth? What happened that day? We left him to die. Who will protect us now, from Jonathan and his crew?"