Southern forest of Stromhall. A little past eight o'clock.
Dorian walked at the very front, followed by dozens of other adventurers. Their formation was neat, yet their faces were full of vigilance. None of them wanted to be careless, because this mission was dangerous.
The wave of Gorthaks should have already appeared, but even after they had gone quite deep, not a single one of those creatures showed up.
Dorian raised his hand. "Stop!"
The group immediately halted. The crunching of dry leaves still echoed under their boots, then silence enveloped them. The atmosphere grew tense after Dorian's command.
"What's wrong?" one of the adventurers asked.
Dorian simply raised his hand again without answering.
His sharp gaze swept across the surroundings. Towering trees stood close together, sunlight barely able to pierce through the canopy. The atmosphere was far too quiet for a forest that usually brimmed with beast noises.
"This is strange," he muttered softly. "Usually, the moment we go in just fifty meters, a Gorthak will attack. Why is this Gorthak wave so silent? What could be..."
An adventurer behind him, a burly man, stepped forward half a pace. "Guild leader, could it be the wave has already ended? Or maybe they changed direction?"
Dorian shook his head quickly. "No. I've led expeditions like this three times. The wave never ends this quickly. If it did stop, then who stopped it? The Gorthak wave can only be ended by killing as many Gorthaks as possible. Yet, the Adventurer Guild branch in Stromhall hasn't even moved yet."
The adventurer nodded. "You're right."
Tension rose higher. Some adventurers gripped their weapons tightly, while others cast protective magic. After Dorian's explanation, they too felt the oddness in the air.
"Could there be something..."
Suddenly, the bushes to their right shook violently.
"Close in!!" Dorian shouted.
From behind the trees, three massive creatures emerged. Gorthaks. But their appearance made everyone freeze.
Triple horns branched from their heads, bulging veins crawled across their entire bodies, drool dripped endlessly from their mouths, and their glowing red eyes blazed wildly.
"What in the world...?" one of the adventurers muttered in horror.
Dorian carefully observed their bodies. Something strange had clearly happened to these Gorthaks. Their aura... was far denser and heavier than that of ordinary Gorthaks. Even stronger than a King Gorthak, a beast of rank B.
"Their forms... have changed." Dorian tightened his grip on his weapon. "Everyone, don't act rashly! Form a defensive line!"
But before that order could be properly followed, the first Gorthak opened its maw wide.
Whoooosh!
A massive ball of wind gathered in its mouth, spinning at terrifying speed before being launched directly at the group.
[Wind Blash]
"Cast defensive magic!" Dorian roared.
Too late.
BOOOOM!
The huge blast struck the front line. Several bodies were flung like ragdolls. Two adventurers were hurled against tree trunks and went limp instantly.
Agonized screams burst into the air.
"AAAAAARGHHHH!!!"
One woman who had been thrown earlier had only half her body left. Her lower torso was destroyed by the direct impact of the Wind Blash. Blood gushed violently, soaking the ground. She screamed for a brief moment, then her breath ceased.
For a split second, Dorian froze. The sight crushed his chest. "Damn it! This is worse than I expected!"
Before he could give another command, the second Gorthak fired another Wind Blash.
BOOOM!
Five more adventurers were swept away. One of them screamed in despair, his body shattered and twisted. Two others could only groan weakly before life left them.
"Everyone, GATHER! Form a defensive circle right now!!" Dorian shouted, his voice hoarse and tinged with panic.
This was nothing like previous Gorthak waves. Clearly, something unusual had happened. But Dorian had no idea what.
"GATHER, FORM DEFENSE!!" he shouted again.
But the formation was already in chaos. Adventurers ran in every direction, some tried to fight back by hurling magic, yet their faces were full of fear. Their movements were uncoordinated. They were too panicked, making foolish mistakes.
"Damn it," Dorian cursed under his breath.
Panic threatened to take him too. He inhaled deeply and shouted even louder. "Everyone, GATHER! Form a defensive circle now!!"
The panicked adventurers finally began to hear his words. They obeyed, helping to form a circular formation, protecting one another.
"I know this situation is bad, but running around without order is suicide. That's why, follow my commands!" Dorian urged.
The remaining adventurers nodded. They steadied themselves. Now, they would fight those three mutated Gorthaks under Dorian's lead.
The true battle was just about to begin.
**
At the same time, in another spot.
Crowne had been thrown back violently. The Wind Blash had struck him at very close range, but he managed to channel mana into both of his hands.
He had conjured a mana shield. It was enough to block the worst of the Wind Blash, though it didn't prevent him from being injured.
Blood dripped from Crowne's hands. His face looked pale, and his arms trembled under the pain.
"Are you alright, sir?" Ronan called out, rushing toward him.
Crowne nearly cursed at that question. His hands were torn and bleeding, yet being asked "are you alright" sounded like mockery. But he didn't waste time complaining.
"Be careful! They're incredibly fast," Crowne warned.
Ronan nodded. "Let's work together!" he suggested.
Crowne agreed with a nod. He pulled out a healing potion, gulping it down. Slowly, the wounds on his hands began to knit, but very gradually. It would take several minutes for full recovery.
"I'm ready," Crowne said firmly.
Ronan nodded. Both of them planted their stances, preparing to fight. Their opponent was only one of the infected Gorthaks, because the other two were being dealt with by Sylvara and Velrisa.
The two women needed no worrying. It was impossible for them to lose.
"Let's go!" Crowne urged.
Ronan nodded again. They split, running in different directions, attacking the Gorthak from opposite sides. That forced the beast to lose focus for a moment.
When the Gorthak opened its maw to unleash a Wind Blash at Ronan, Crowne reacted swiftly with a slash of his wind magic.
He stomped hard on the ground, his body dashing to the other side. Mana flowed into his blade, wrapping the steel with a sharp wind aura.
"Now!"
Slash!
The strike landed on the Gorthak's back, though its tough hide prevented deep damage. But Crowne didn't stop at just one attack. He had already learned from his past mistakes.
A second slash followed, then a third, fueled with all his strength—finally tearing through the beast's back. A horrifying roar burst from its maw.
"GRRRAAAOOOHHHHH!!!"
The massive creature staggered, but it didn't fall. Its red eyes burned wilder, as though it had lost all reason. Its breaths came in ragged bursts as it turned toward Crowne.
Ready to unleash another Wind Blash.
Crowne narrowed his gaze. "Come at me, you bastard!" he taunted.