Chapter 111: Getting Ambushed (part 2)

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Getting Ambushed (part 2)

Their elongated jaws were filled with jagged fangs, and dark death energy seeped from the gaps between their ribs and limbs. Some had broken horns protruding from their skulls, while others possessed unnaturally elongated forelimbs that scraped against the ground as they moved.

Their eye sockets burned with an eerie, dim light, and their mouths hung open as they released another series of guttural growls.

They resembled the remains of monstrous beasts that had crawled out of their graves, not living animals.

One of the Mad Wolves stared at the creatures with disbelief.

"What the hell are those things?"

Nobody answered him.

Even the mages, who had spent years studying magical creatures and memorizing the characteristics of monsters found in different dungeons, couldn’t identify them.

They had encountered ordinary undead, skeleton warriors, ghouls, and various other creatures, but none of those monsters looked quite like the abominations standing before them.

One of the mages quickly raised his staff, his expression turning grave.

"Everyone, be careful! I don’t recognize these monsters, and we have absolutely no information about their abilities. They could possess some kind of poison, curse, or other ability that we haven’t encountered before."

"Understood!"

The Mad Wolves immediately tightened their formation.

The three Guardians moved closer together, raising their shields and preparing to activate their defensive skills. Behind them, the mages began gathering mana, while the ranged fighters drew their bows and prepared their crossbows.

Kyle remained at the forefront, carefully observing the twenty monsters.

’Twenty enemies, and they’ve already surrounded us before we noticed their presence.’

He had been on high alert since entering the second floor, yet the creatures had managed to approach without making enough noise to reveal their positions. The thick mist and the unnatural silence of the Dead Forest had clearly worked in their favor.

More importantly, Kyle couldn’t determine their levels just by looking at them.

Until he understood what these creatures could do, he couldn’t afford to let his teammates become careless.

"Just wait!" Kyle warned. "Let them make the first move. I want to see how they attack before we commit to anything."

The monsters seemed to understand that the adventurers were preparing to defend themselves. Instead of immediately charging, they spread out among the trees, their glowing eyes fixed on the living intruders.

Then one of them opened its enormous jaws.

"GRRRRRAAAAAAAHHH!"

A terrifying howl erupted from its throat.

The sound was accompanied by a wave of dark energy that swept through the forest. The surrounding mist trembled, and several adventurers felt a sudden chill spread through their bodies.

One of the ranged fighters flinched, his fingers loosening around his bowstring. Another adventurer instinctively stepped backward, while a mage’s spell faltered as his concentration wavered.

"What was that?!"

"Stay focused!" Kyle roared, forcing himself to ignore the uneasiness crawling through his chest. "Don’t let the sound frighten you! Maintain the formation!"

The adventurers quickly steadied themselves, but the disturbance had already accomplished its purpose.

The twenty monsters charged.

Their movements were far faster than their decaying bodies suggested. They rushed through the mist with their claws scraping against the ground, attacking from multiple directions in an attempt to overwhelm the Mad Wolves before they could reorganize.

"Guardians, activate your barriers!"

The three Guardians slammed their shields into position.

"Shield Formation!"

"Guardian’s Wall!"

"Fortress Barrier!"

Three defensive skills activated almost simultaneously. Layers of magical energy spread outward, overlapping to form a protective barrier around the party just as the first monsters reached them.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The creatures crashed into the barrier, their powerful bodies shaking the defensive wall. One of them dragged its claws across the magical surface, producing a harsh screech as sparks of energy scattered through the mist.

Another opened its jaws and bit down on the barrier.

Crack!

A sharp fracture appeared across the surface.

The Guardian responsible for maintaining that section of the formation immediately widened his eyes.

"These things are strong! One bite nearly cracked the barrier!"

"Don’t let them concentrate their attacks on one spot!" Kyle ordered. "Mages, use area attacks to push them back! Ranged fighters, target the ones trying to break through!"

The mages responded without hesitation.

Fireballs streaked through the mist, followed by bursts of wind and earthen spikes that erupted beneath the creatures’ feet. Several Gravefang Beasts were struck directly, their decaying bodies thrown backward by the combined attacks.

However, the adventurers soon discovered that injuring the monsters was not as straightforward as they had expected.

One Gravefang Beast took a fireball directly to its shoulder, burning away a large portion of its decayed flesh. It staggered sideways, but before the mage could celebrate his successful hit, the dark energy lingering in the surrounding mist began flowing toward the wound.

The damaged flesh slowly regenerated.

Cracked bones shifted back into place, and the creature’s injured shoulder gradually recovered enough for it to resume its attack.

"What?! It can regenerate!"

The mage’s expression changed.

"That wound was severe enough to cripple an ordinary monster, yet it’s already recovering! These things are undead, and they can use the death energy in this forest to repair their bodies!"

Another Gravefang Beast suffered a deep wound from an arrow that pierced its skull. It collapsed briefly, only to rise again after the dark energy surrounding its body began repairing the damage.

The Mad Wolves finally understood that these creatures were far more troublesome than their level suggested.

They possessed powerful jaws capable of crushing bones and piercing armor, their howls could disrupt concentration and courage, and even injuries that would cripple ordinary beasts could gradually heal as long as death energy remained available.

Worse still, the twenty monsters were attacking together.

They weren’t simply throwing themselves against the barrier. Some concentrated their bites and claws on the Guardians’ defenses, while others circled around the formation, searching for weaknesses. Their constant growling and occasional death howls made it increasingly difficult for the adventurers to concentrate.

Kyle’s expression grew serious.

If they allowed the battle to continue without adapting, the Guardians’ mana would eventually run low, leaving the entire party exposed.

Kyle raised his greatsword and stepped toward the nearest Gravefang Beast.

"Everyone, keep the formation intact! I’ll test their defenses. Don’t waste your mana trying to kill them with ordinary attacks. We need to find out how much damage they can withstand!"

His teammates immediately understood his intention.