With the Curse of Wrath corrupting all monsters—being the source of their uncontrollable rage and hatred toward humanity—an expedition consisting of more than five hundred individuals is bound to attract their attention.
After traveling for an entire day, and upon entering the southern forest road—just before sunset—which marks the boundary of the capital's territory, the Annual Caravan finally encountered a group of monsters who dared block the path of their grand and glorious tour.
A swarm of kobolds, led by multiple werewolves and numbering nearly a thousand, had gathered to match—or even outnumber—the Annual Caravan's fighting force.
Kobolds are low-level monsters with strength comparable to that of goblins. They have the humanoid appearance of canine-type monster, standing at an average height of one and a half meters. While they lack the ability to use magic, they are skilled enough to learn, and in rare cases, even master, the use of multiple weapons. Some have even learned to craft them.
Werewolves, on the other hand, are mid-level monsters with strength equal to that of orcs. But compared to the slow-moving orcs, werewolves boast incredible speed. They have the humanoid appearance, standing over two meters tall or even larger, depending on the amount of prey they had devoured.
Unlike goblins—who suffer from an insatiable lust due to the Curse of Lust—and orcs, who bear unquenchable hunger from the Curse of Gluttony, the savage cruelty of kobolds and werewolves is said to be the result of the Curse of Greed corrupting their monster cores.
Considering not all members of the Annual Caravan can fight well enough to defend themselves—roughly 70 percent fighters to 30 percent non-fighters—the battle against the swarm of kobolds and werewolves became a 1-to-3 ratio in favor of the monsters.
Giving the inexperienced fighters, mostly students from the Magic Academy, a bit of a challenge.
"Hey, hey, hey... Is that all an elite party of mage students can do?!" Lynn shouted from the carriage driver's seat, encouraging them—but at the same time, mocking the four students struggling to fight off a dozen kobolds.
Meanwhile, Arezu and Beatrix, having already finished dealing with their share of monsters, simply watched. Following Lynn's instruction not to interfere, they stood ready to step in should the students' lives fall into danger.
"You sure about this, Arezu?" Beatrix asked, clearly concerned about the consequences of Lynn's antics as she wiped the kobold blood from her warhammer.
"Just let her be for now. I'll do something if things start to get unreasonable," Arezu muttered, resigned to his role as Lynn's caretaker during the Annual Caravan Quest.
"So you really are her loyal follower, just like the rumors say."
"Wait… You mean there's more than one rumor?"
While she was clearly eavesdropping on Beatrix and Arezu's conversation, Lynn continued to roast the struggling mage students.
"Whirlwind"
"You call that a Whirlwind mystic spell? It's more like a Weak-wind!" Lynn teased, seeing Leo's wind blades shoot from the cyclone around him.
Though the blades struck three incoming kobolds, they merely cut through leather armor, failing to pierce flesh—causing no real damage.
"Obelisk"
"Are you blind, or did you close your eyes when you cast your mystic spell? Because those rock spikes are as useless as dust and dirt if they don't hit anything!"
As Lynn said, the spikes invoked by Cliff didn't even graze the three kobolds charging straight at him.
"Waterjet"
"Ooh! Now here's someone a bit impressive… If only the fools had the eyes to see past ignorance. Right, Ms. Casey?"
Hearing Lynn's remark, Casey responded with a bitter smile. After all, she'd received her fair share of mockery for her below-average mana capacity.
Only a few, like Lynn—who could truly sense the flow of mana—recognized Casey's skill. With precise control over mana, she obliterated the heads of three incoming kobolds using a high-pressure water blast from the rifle-sized floating water sphere above her.
"Fireball"
—"GAHHH!"—
"You're doing it, Ms. Senna! Use your unique bluish-white flame to burn those monsters… and your teammates as well!"
Though her Fireball mystic spell was clearly more powerful than average, Senna's control over her flames was, as Lynn hinted, awful. She accidentally launched an explosion of flame toward Leo and Cliff, setting their robes ablaze and sending them screaming.
Regardless, unlike the others who endured Lynn's criticism quietly, Senna dared to talk back.
"If you really think you're better than us, then show us what you're capable of!"
Obviously, Lynn wasn't going to let that challenge slide.
"Hey… do something now, Arezu," Beatrix said nervously—not because of the kobolds, but because of the glint of danger in Lynn's eyes hidden behind her sweet smile.
"Not yet… I don't think she's going to shoot them in the face with a block of ice," Arezu replied, carefully observing Lynn.
"Gust"
As soon as Lynn stepped down from the driver's seat, she cast her mystic spell, blasting a violent burst of wind that knocked back the remaining kobolds Leo, Cliff, Senna, and Casey were still fighting.
Striding forward proudly and confidently, Lynn walked past the students and stopped further ahead of them.
"Search"
Activating her scouting skill, a wave of mana rippled through the ground. Not only did it reveal every monster within a hundred-meter radius, but it also agitated dozens of kobolds—pulling even those fighting other adventurers to rush her way.
Once those bold enough to accept her challenge crossed into a fifty-meter radius, Lynn unleashed her trap.
"Obelisk"
Dozens of blackened rock spikes erupted from the ground, precisely impaling dozens of kobolds. Their bodies were suspended on the spike tips, blood dripping down the shafts into a growing pool below.
Those unfamiliar with the infamous Lady Impaler trembled in fear. Among them were the four mage students—not only terrified by the carnage, but by the madness reflected in Lynn's eccentric blue eyes as she turned back to glare at them.
While her dramatic display had thinned the number of enemies surrounding them, it also attracted stronger foes.
Two werewolves charged toward her as she looked back at the students.
—"Behind you, Ms. Lynn!"—
Though clearly aware of the incoming opponents thanks to her scouting skill—and not the students' warning—Lynn didn't turn around. After all—
'Cleave'
Arezu dashed forward faster than the werewolves could reach Lynn. Expanding his mana through his massive halberd-axe, he activated his combat skill, sharpening its blade.
With a single, sweeping slash, he cut both werewolves in half, splitting them from the stomach. Their lifeless bodies hit the ground with a thud in front of the terrified students.
"Now you know what we're capable of," Lynn said, as Arezu stood behind her. "So next time, think twice before talking back to me—ouch!"
Her playful taunt was abruptly cut off by a light smack on the head—courtesy of Arezu—followed by a lecture.
"You've already scared them enough for one day, Lynn."
"But I haven't had enough fun yet, Mr. Arezu!"