Chapter 144 - 143: The First Principle
Chapter 144: Chapter 143: The First Principle
"Their entire bodies are nothing but weak points."
Zelir chuckled softly.
"They’re just creatures of flesh and blood. They stand no chance against the power of Magic."
"Even the most basic Wind Blade Technique, Ice Cone Skill, or Rock Bullet Skill is enough to take their lives."
"Is that so..." Leiden was taken aback.
"That’s right."
Zelir nodded.
"If you don’t have practical combat experience, go read more of the *Adventurer’s Association Universal Monster Atlas*. That can also help you accumulate experience."
"Demons like Gnolls with their ferocious appearances can easily intimidate inexperienced newcomers, but as a Mage, you only need to understand one thing."
"And that is that the Power in your hands can easily be their doom."
"No matter how ugly the Demon’s appearance, how cruel its actions, or how horrifying its cries, it doesn’t change the fact that you can obliterate its head with a single Arcane Missile."
"Once you understand the difference in strength between you, you’ll find their fierce appearance laughable."
"Then you won’t make mistakes out of fear, like you did against the Cystic Poison Frog."
"Calmness is always the first principle of battle."
Zelir’s words sent Leiden into deep thought.
A moment later, he looked up again, much of the confusion in his eyes having dissipated.
"I understand...!"
The other members of the Third Squad also felt their fear and tension ease considerably after hearing Zelir’s words.
A moment later, Rivaya, who was in charge of scouting, reported back.
"There are about forty-something Gnolls in the camp. Among them are a dozen or so Jackal Wolf Hunters, three Jackal Wolf Barbarian Soldiers, and the rest are ordinary Gnolls."
Ordinary Gnoll, [Tier Six], [Simple] rating. They are the most common Demons in a Gnoll colony.
They are savage and cruel by nature, adhering to the most extreme law of the jungle.
It’s fine when food is plentiful, but once it becomes scarce, their weaker kin become their primary food source.
Jackal Wolf Hunter, [Tier Eleven], also with a [Simple] rating.
Compared to the bipedal ordinary Gnolls, Jackal Wolf Hunters are more accustomed to moving on all fours.
They possess more developed leg muscles and have a fast charge speed, making them akin to cavalry units.
Jackal Wolf Barbarian Soldier, [Tier Twenty-Two], [Difficulty] rating.
They have taller bodies, greater Power, and are the undisputed rulers of the Gnoll colony.
Furthermore, Jackal Wolf Barbarian Soldiers can emit a special roar in battle that can stimulate the potential of Jackal Wolf Hunters and ordinary Gnolls, causing them to erupt with even greater Power.
"Does their camp have a back entrance or anything like that?" Zelir asked.
"I checked. It doesn’t."
Rivaya shook his head. "Just the main gate. It’s the only way in or out."
"Then it’s simple. A frontal assault will do."
Zelir began to assign tasks.
"Marcus, you’ll hold the frontline. Rivaya, you and Gray take the left and right flanks. Don’t let the fast Jackal Wolf Hunters circle around and charge into the squad."
"Valles, you’re responsible for supporting Gray and Rivaya. Help whichever flank is under more pressure."
"Looks like I’ll be helping Gray the whole time, then." Valles began to draw a Feathered Arrow from his quiver.
"Riley, Isaac, Mili, you three as well. Watch the flanks and make sure no Jackal Wolf Hunters break through, or they’ll be a direct threat to your safety."
"Understood." They all nodded.
"As for those three Jackal Wolf Barbarian Soldiers, Leiden and I will handle them."
Zelir glanced at Leiden beside him. "No problem, right?"
"No problem!"
"Try to aim your Arcane Missile this time," Zelir said with a smile.
Leiden’s face flushed slightly. "I won’t make that kind of mistake again."
...
Atop a wooden watchtower in the camp, a Gnoll sentry was listlessly scanning its surroundings.
The strange fluorescent glow from Moon Bay shone on its filthy fur, making the Gnoll feel a little drowsy.
It rubbed its shriveled stomach, which rumbled in protest.
Lately, the colony had been hunting less and less food.
’If this keeps up...’
An idea couldn’t help but surface in the Gnoll’s mind.
’I’m afraid the old, weak, and sick in the tribe will end up as emergency rations.’
’Who knows when it’ll be my turn...’
’Sigh...’
The Gnoll yawned and turned its head to look at another watchtower.
The other sentry was just as listless, lacking energy from hunger.
Suddenly.
WHOOSH!
A sharp sound of tearing air rang out.
The Gnoll clearly saw the sentry in the watchtower next to it. Its head snapped back, and a Feathered Arrow appeared right in the center of its forehead.
Its body swayed, the light in its eyes quickly faded, and it toppled over, crashing to the ground.
"GULUWAGA!!!"
The Gnoll immediately opened its mouth wide instinctively, letting out a warning cry.
Only after hearing the Gnoll sound the alarm did Valles release his second arrow.
He wanted the entire Gnoll colony to know they were here.
The Feathered Arrow pierced through the forehead of the roaring Gnoll, killing it instantly.
The inside of the camp instantly erupted into chaos. All sorts of sharp cries rose and fell, followed by the clash of weapons and the sound of hurried footsteps.
The entire camp was in an uproar!
"Get ready!" Marcus shouted in a low voice.
The squad stopped hiding and emerged brazenly from the bushes.
The log gates of the stockade swung open, and a thick, foul stench washed over them.
Dozens of Gnolls poured out from within.
Their appearance was utterly ferocious.
Their facial structure was long and protruding, forming an exaggerated snout. The Gnolls’ mouths couldn’t close completely, always revealing a row of thick, sharp, yellow canines.
Their small eyes, glowing with a faint yellow light, were filled with cunning. Murky saliva dripped from the corners of their mouths, and every breath was like a baring of fangs in a show of aggression.
Upon seeing that their attackers were a group of humans, the Gnolls’ expressions grew even more excited and agitated.
It was perfect timing; the camp had been short on food lately.
This group of humans who had delivered themselves to their doorstep... were prime emergency rations!
"ROOOOAR!"
"WURUWA!"
The Gnolls charged toward the squad, wielding crude weapons and letting out cries filled with bloodlust!
"Engage!" Zelir commanded sharply.
Marcus’s Fighting Qi erupted around him in an instant, covering his body like thick Armor.
Facing the surging tide of Gnolls, he showed no fear and was the first to charge into their ranks!
His signature taunting Battle Cry rang out again, instantly drawing the attack of a large group of Gnolls at the forefront.
The physical attributes of a Middle Level Warrior were overwhelmingly superior when facing Gnolls.
Their Stone Axes and Stone Rods smashed against Marcus’s Shield, completely unable to break through his defense.
Marcus seized an opportunity, smashing them with a powerful Shield Strike and cleaving with his Battle Saber, taking the lives of several Gnolls!
After the most common Gnolls charged out, a dozen or so swifter figures appeared. Like arrows loosed from a bow, they swiftly entered the battlefield from the sides.
The Jackal Wolf Hunters!
Their bodies were leaner and more muscular. With their forelimbs on the ground, they sprinted on all fours, possessing extremely developed hind leg muscles.
Kicking up dust, the Jackal Wolf Hunters’ charge speed was astonishingly fast!
Just as Zelir had predicted, the Jackal Wolf Hunters ignored Marcus at the front and chose to cut in from the flanks, clearly intending to divide the battlefield and eliminate them one by one.
Zelir sneered.
’So these Demons do have some brains after all.’
Rivaya and Gray, who were already waiting on the left and right flanks, joined the battle.
Rivaya was extremely agile. A hazy Fighting Qi coiled around him, making his movements erratic, like a phantom.
Facing the fierce pounce of a Jackal Wolf Hunter, he dropped low, dodging it with a deep backbend.
At the same time, the sharp blade in his hand slashed upward, disemboweling it. Blood and entrails gushed out!
The Hunter didn’t even have time to understand what had happened before it lost all its strength and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
As for Gray, he could handle one or two Jackal Wolf Hunters by himself, but when their numbers increased, he became overwhelmed and found himself attacked from both front and back.
A vertical slash of his Longsword!
After chopping off the head of one Jackal Wolf Hunter, he followed up with a reverse Vortex Slash!
He lopped off the foreleg of another Jackal Wolf Hunter that was pouncing through the air.
But a third Jackal Wolf Hunter had already circled behind Gray. Just as it was about to launch a sneak attack on his back, a Feathered Arrow came whistling through the air.
WHOOSH!
The immense force pierced its head, pinning the Jackal Wolf Hunter firmly to the ground.
"Thanks, Valles."
Gray didn’t even turn his head, continuing to charge toward the next Jackal Wolf Hunter with his sword.
Riley, Isaac, and Mili were also in the rear, continuously providing Magic support.
Among them, Riley was the most efficient.
After knocking over two Jackal Wolf Hunters with Rock Bullet Skill, he grew more and more excited, at one point even leaving the rear area and rushing to a more forward position.
The tip of his Magic Wand lit up with a sky-blue glow. Water of Cutting burst forth!
It sliced a running Jackal Wolf Hunter in half at the waist!
After casting the spell, Riley’s face was noticeably pale.
Casting Magic spells one after another, in addition to the Water of Cutting, had consumed a lot of his Magic Power.
This somewhat reckless action immediately brought consequences.
Two Jackal Wolf Hunters targeted Riley. They bypassed Gray and charged toward him!
A Thunder Arrow streaked past his ear, blowing the front half of one Jackal Wolf Hunter to smithereens!
Such terrifying destructive power immediately stunned the other Jackal Wolf Hunter nearby, and Riley used this opportunity to return to a safe position.
"Ha... these little ones have gotten a lot bolder under Zelir’s leadership," Lena couldn’t help but chuckle upon seeing the scene.
"It’s finally having the desired training effect." Manlin also showed a satisfied smile.
"Zelir, maybe I should also..." Leiden was getting excited seeing the carnage around him.
"Don’t worry about them. The rear line doesn’t need your help yet."
Zelir placed a hand on Leiden’s shoulder.
"Your mission is to eliminate the Jackal Wolf Barbarian Soldiers as quickly as possible when they appear."
Leiden took a deep breath.
"Understood!"