Various skills followed quickly. Liam positioned himself between the enemies, a wave of holy light emitting from his body. His swords fshed, targeting two boars. Unfortunately, his luck was rather bad. Only a single holy mark exploded, triggered by [Double Ssh].
Still, it was enough to send the first boar to the afterlife, making Radiant Shield’s life easier. The tank dug his feet into the ground, blog two attacks.
[Stance -14]x2
“Haha, watch this, Radiant Shield, offense is the best defense!”
Final Fend spoke in a joking voice as he swung his sword. It drew a graceful arc, sshing at two enemies and causing them to stagger.
The boars huffed angrily but were kept at a distance by Final Fend.
Radiant Shield answered with a roll of his eyes.
“It saddehat your armor is so brittle you ’t even front a few boars.”
While the two frontliners were bickering, others didn’t stop their attacks. Especially the newly joined brothers were eager to show their prowess.
Silent Acacia ged silently as the mages annouhe names of their skills.
“Fme Sword!”
“Ice Sword!”
Overbearing Zen waved his two-handed mage staff, targeting the boar. A sword made of fire appeared above the animal’s head, striking down like aioner’s bde.
His passive triggered, causing fmes to burn on the monster’s fur, which tinuously chipped away at its HP.
[-248!]
[-35!]
Instantly following the fming sword, a bde made from sharp ice sshed down, the mage’s passive synergizing, causing a small explosion of boiling hot steam.
[-229!]
[-43!]x2
“Good job, keep it up!”
Liam enced the newers generously while his own swords never rested. The whole party tinued dishing out damage.
The two boars fag Radiant Shield didn’t st much longer uhe relentless attacks. Afterwards the entire party went to assist Final Fend. The young man behaved leisurely although the boars had mao take some of his HP.
“You don’t look too well, youngster.”, joked Braag with his much younger friend.
“Hey, I’m fighting one against two while you guys take your time in a nine against three. Tell me who doesn’t look good.”
“Haha, you got a point. Let me help you!”
The two men’s banter was drowned out as deafening explosioed amongst the boars. Four bombs had left Braag’s uncher, emptying the monsters’ HP bars.
“Ok, not a bad start guys.”, ented Liam as his eyes swiped over the dead boars.
“Well, it would be sad if we struggled against some obs.”
Quickstep nodded, agreeing with her boyfriend.
“Right. Let’s not dwell here much longer. Braag, you do the looting.”
“Sure.”
The dwarf didn’t make a big show out of it, only toug the boars to make use of his wealth stacks. He received a few materials for bcksmiths albeit low quality ones.
Moving on, the party entered a few more boars in the forest but they also found some useful herbs.
Liam had almost sidered gathering them when Radiant Shield reminded him that they had a guild now. Thus, they created a task for their members to gather herbs here.
The majority of the early pyers had passed level 15 by now and Dream Avenue had mostly recruited outstanding talents. They should have no problems dealing with the level 23 boars.
Thus, the embers could be relieved of some burdens and take on other tasks like recruiting NPd fighting bosses.
Most of Liam’s friends were silently rejoig as they left those herbs behind. They followed Liam until the party entered a rge clearing.
[Discovered Teunaoh’s grove of life. Reward: 120EXP]
[EXP: 3.510/9.300]
Liam g the message and noticed the difficulty of leveling up. But he wasn’t intimidated. Their party could always gh a power leveling session if necessary.
“Wow, so beautiful.”
A quiet excmation diverted Liam’s thoughts. It came from Melodious Edelweiss, who sed the clearing with wide eyes and a happy smile.
The others were amazed by the view as well. The clearing was filled with colorful flowers and all kinds of animals. Boars id peacefully below a tall tree, not minding the chipmunks scurrying over their bodies.
Rabbits nibbled on some grass, observed by rge birds resting with their sharp cws deeply etched into a branch.
Two huts made from pnts ied perfectly into the enviro.
Liam gave the others a moment to savor the sery. It wasn’t that this pce wasn’t to his liking, but he had already visited it quite a few times. Teunaoh was a famous healer and served as a mert for the pyers.
Seeing that everyone was doh being amazed, Liam approached the hut to the right, knog politely. A subdued otion could be heard from withi before someone opehe door.
It was a tall wood elf, green clothes which appeared to be a mix betweeher armor and robes. A brown tattoo adorned his face, the various symbols emitting a mysterious aura.
A simple green cap sat on his long brown hair.
[Bleary Mirage: Hey, Braag. Your time to shine.]
[Braag the Virtuous: What? What should I do?]
[Bleary Mirage: That guy is only ied in mory to get us a low price.]
[Final Fend: Haha, great. Didn’t you always brag about getting your css through bribery?]
Braag rolled his eyes ign the jab.
[Braag the Virtuous: What is oal?]
[Bleary Mirage: Get him to let us in.]
[Braag the Virtuous: Ok.]
Braag straightened his back, moving towards the front and fag the wood elf.
“Hello, sir. We are here to firm something and would like to enter your hut, please. Would you be willing to let us through?”
The wood elf kept his indifferent face as he mustered the dwarf.
“It’s not impossible. If the price is right.”
“Sir, we are here in the name of the kingdom. Lives are at stake. Isn’t it a bit vulgar to put a price tag on the lives of i citizens?
However, to not hurt your principles I would be willing to hand over one bronze as a token of gratitude.”
All the party members were taken aback, looking at Braag as if getting to know him for the first time. Liam had already made it clear that the wood elf was only ied in money and Braag offered a single bronze ? Wasn’t he afraid that Teunaoh would sm the door in his face?
In fact, the elf pted doily that. Braag noticed the subtle hints in his expression, and quickly tio talk:
“Don’t be quick to refuse. This is not just money, but it symbolizes the gratitude of the Southern Light Kingdom. I am certaiizens, maybe even the king, will be more willing to visit you iure.”
“I am the most aplished healer in the surrounding kingdoms. Whenever an uncurable illness brakes out, people e to me. Do I need yratitude? I would rather repce it with solid silver. At least 500 s.”
“My friend, you surely didn’t bee a healer simply to earn money. You want to help others. Every healer has a heart of gold which ’t be measured in . Why don’t you tell me why you are so eager for . Maybe we find a solution together.”
Teunoah sched his nose, looking down at Braag, his lips sealed. Obviously, this topic was not something he wao disclose.
[Bleary Mirage: He needs money because his tribe isn’t well off. They don’t have good retions with other wood elves and live in a less favorable region.]
A grin fshed ’s face, quickly disappearing.
“Elf. You should think about my offer once more. If you cooperate with us, we will praise you before the kingdom’s guardian and the king! I am certain with their gratitude you egotiate for support for your tribe! Perhabs open trade. What do you think?”
“You!”
Suddenly the wood elf inhaled sharply, his face painted by surprise. Braag ughed inwardly, knowing that he had hit a ot.
Teunaoh pondered for a few seds before fixing his eyes , trying to see through the dwarf.
“ you promise to hold your word?”
“Of course! The word of a businessman is his most precious good. I won’t let it be tarnished!”
“You speak well, dwarf. I will trust you.”
Teunaoh’s face returo its indifference as the wood elf held out his palm.
Braag smiled triumphantly, filled by a feeling more pleasant thaing the end boss. He g Teunaoh’s palm, then at Liam.
The tter was amazed by Braag’s talent when he felt a pair of eyes on him. Looking back, he noticed Braag hinting something with his head.
Liam was astounded. He moved his head as well, silently unig with the dwarf.
But Braag remaiubborn, moving his eyes between the palm and Liam.
Eventually the tter had to let out a sigh, taking out a single bronze and handing it to the wood elf, earning him a pleased nod fr.
mykrail
