CHAPTER 74: SLAUGHTER

Max and Stelle stood close to each other with Charlotte in between, as they awaited more attacks. They should have hidden themselves but couldn’t because of Charlotte.

She was chanting some strange words as mana swirled around her to take shape in a Spell Circle below them. It was complex, making Max guess that it was probably a higher-rank spell.

As for what it was, they didn’t know.

Surprisingly, they didn’t hear any more of those strange sounds, making them wonder if the forest was just messing with them.

"Are you hurt?" Max asked, while looking around.

"Just a light cut on my neck. Otherwise, my Greyscale can defend against these monsters," Stelle replied, having her hand on her hammer.

She thought of something and asked, "Do you know their weakness aside from their core?"

"Be careful of their Shadow Step and phasing through the trees. They have a similar skill to ours," Max said. "As for their weakness, it’s the sound of the forest."

"Huh?" Stelle grew confused.

"They can subconsciously affect the sounds of the forest and use it to their advantage—not only to distract the opponent but also to hide their own sound for sneak attacks."

"Yeah, but how is that a weakness?"

"It is because we have a healer," Max grinned. "Just hold your ground until she finishes her spell. I don’t know which one it is, but it’s powerful."

"Heh, how about a competition?" Stelle asked, sensing some presence nearing them.

Normally, it would have been tough, but it seemed like the blood of their brethren had driven the other Duskwither Wolves insane to the point they forgot to hide their presence.

"I’m all ears!"

"Whoever defeats more can order the other for a day—and they can’t resist," Stelle couldn’t hide her evil smile as she thought of the things she would do to Max, though that also made her ears red for some reason.

"Don’t regret it later, brat," Max said, cracking his neck. "Because I’m going serious this time, all because of that bet."

For some reason, Stelle felt a chill and thought, ’Show off all you want. You’ll have to do everything I say later. Hehe... I can’t wait!’

Their smiles dropped when they heard a chilling howl reverberating around them. It shook their hearts, as bells began to ring in their minds, bringing despair with it.

"Isolation!"

Following the howl, a sweet, warm, but powerful feminine voice sounded as if commanding the world to follow her whims.

Instantly, their minds felt liberation as all thoughts of despair and the ravaging sounds vanished from their heads, replaced by a calm, soothing melody.

’Ah! So she also prepared for this.’

A smile formed on Max’s face as he looked ahead with murder in his eyes. Though, he was forced to change the target of his gaze as there were just too many pairs of eyes looking down at them.

"Ehehe," Stelle laughed nervously and said, "I may have spoken a little too much. Are you sure we can even escape this now?"

"Why? Are you despairing?" Max mocked and leaned forward. "Just protect our healer then."

"You two can go and fight," Charlotte said in her usual relaxed voice. "I prepared for this long because of my protection. There’s no need to worry."

Max raised an eyebrow and was going to reply, but he stopped and swept his blade in a horizontal arc, earning fountains of blood.

He didn’t stop at that and continued his assault on the wolves. Probably because there was fresh blood, it had attracted too many of these predators.

Worst of all, he could see the Alpha of their group standing in the distance, watching him slaughter its pack. Max could see the anger in its eyes, yet it didn’t interrupt their battles.

’Is it stupid?’ Max wondered, as he danced amidst tens of Duskwither Wolves who were as fast as he was—and sometimes even faster because of their Shadow Step.

He couldn’t even use the trees for protection because they could phase through them. He could do the same, but didn’t want to because of mana consumption.

There was no need for any skills, though.

"Heh, do you really think just because you’re in a group you can defeat me?" Max smirked and sliced open a wolf’s head with his sword.

It was a Peak-Silver Rank sword, so how could these mere Early-Stage Second Grade Monsters withstand it?

’My training with Harley was really helpful,’ Max thought, as he nimbly dodged a powerful bite that might have taken a huge chunk of his flesh.

He was going to retaliate, but another wolf tried to go for his groin, making him shiver in fear as he swiftly jumped away.

Landing on a tree’s thin branch, he looked down and thought, ’Phew! That was a close call. Groin protection enchantment on the list.’

[...]

Taking a moment to breathe, Max observed the battlefield... and was a bit disheartened because in the distance Stelle was practically on a slaughter streak of the Duskwither Wolves.

It was as if some ghost had possessed her as she was smashing everything in her way. Now that she was a Silver Rank Hunter, she had access to the Skills provided by her Clan.

A huge explosion swept away a few trees as Max watched everything with a speechless look. He thought, ’Did she even remember our agreement or what? I was supposed to kill them!’

Just then, he looked down and clicked his tongue seeing a Duskwither Wolf flying toward him. It had apparently used Shadow Step to increase its speed and jump.

Sadly, it forgot it couldn’t change its trajectory and was impaled on a dark sword that awaited it. But it didn’t die or even stop because the sword never touched its flesh.

"Bingo!" Max winked at the wolf as the sword materialized once again after phasing. As he had angled it properly, it ended up materializing right onto the wolf’s core, shattering it.

[You have slain an Early-Stage Second Grade Monster. Gained 8 EXP.]

[You have leveled up!]

’Nice!’ Max was happy with it, but he was still a little afraid.

All because the Alpha was still watching everything. Sadly, though, it didn’t know that it was basically helping Max level up.