Chapter 166 Attack

Chapter 166: Chapter 165: Attack

Bruce lay at his feet, seemingly dozing, but his furry ears twitched alertly from time to time, keeping watch over the surroundings for his master.

Hesia centered himself and cast [Mage’s Hand]. Several pieces of firewood, all of different sizes and weights, wobbled into the air.

With a thought, he withdrew the Magic Power supporting them.

Instantly, the firewood lost its support and began to fall from their various heights.

The moment the first piece of firewood began to fall, the Magic Wand in Hesia’s right hand was already raised—WHOOSH! A fist-sized Energy Ball, shimmering with a faint blue glow, shot out and struck the falling piece of wood.

BANG!

The firewood exploded into splinters and dust.

Immediately after, Hesia made a swift adjustment with his wrist, flicking the Magic Wand repeatedly.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Several more Magic Missiles followed in quick succession, streaking through the air and leaving blue trails of light.

Wood splinters rained down.

[Magic Missile Proficiency +1, (9/10)]

The information he’d previously obtained from the *Personal Monster Quick Reference Manual* about certain Undead Creatures had made him realize that different types of damage had vastly different effects on various Demons.

And Force Field Damage was generally considered one of the most widely applicable and reliable types of damage.

Creatures with significant resistance or complete immunity to Force Field Damage were extremely rare. Furthermore, the Magic Missile spell itself, with its impressive range and properties, was well worth the immense amount of time he was investing in practice.

Not to mention, mastering Magic Missile was one of the strict requirements for truly advancing to become a Professional.

Hesia had heard Grek and Logan’s earlier scorn.

’It’s pointless to waste my breath arguing,’ he thought. ’Improving my strength is the only thing that matters.’

Moreover, his previous experience traveling with Hulk’s Dragon Fang Squad had given him a firsthand understanding that only a united and well-coordinated team could achieve a synergy where the sum was greater than its parts.

Therefore, as long as they didn’t cross his bottom line, he was unwilling to proactively sour the relationship.

Of course, if they really didn’t know what was good for them and insisted on pushing their luck, Hesia wouldn’t mind using a language they’d understand to teach them a lesson they would never forget.

...

Inside the Gray Mist Forest, even during the day, the sunlight was sliced to shreds by the dense canopy, only managing to cast mottled pillars of light onto the forest floor.

The mist in the air had not completely dissipated. It had merely thinned from its nighttime thickness, allowing one’s vision to barely extend a few dozen meters away. But beyond that, everything was still a hazy expanse of gray and green.

The slightly chubby merchant caravan owner was currently gripping his reins for dear life.

Cold sweat trickled from his forehead down his greasy cheeks, but he didn’t even think to wipe it away.

His head, usually filled with calculations of cargo costs and profits, was now gripped by pure terror.

Normally, hiring Adventurers was just an extra precaution to ensure a caravan’s safe arrival, more like an insurance policy for peace of mind.

This was especially true around Rose Town, where smaller, less-capitalized caravans rarely hired Adventurers as guards.

After all, the caravan’s own guards could handle the common goblins and Kobolds of the Gray Mist Forest with just their basic training.

However, the current situation was clearly not "normal," and what they faced was nothing like a goblin.

At the edge of the mist and forest shadows, several tall, hunched figures stood ahead of the convoy, radiating a predator’s oppressive aura.

Even hunched over, they were generally over two meters tall, their heads nearly reaching the top of the cargo crates.

Their forms were a cross between a man and a giant hyena. They stood upright on a pair of gnarled, muscular hind legs, but their forward-jutting necks and hunched shoulders gave them a particularly savage posture.

Long snouts protruded forward, their black noses stained with some unknown filth, twitching constantly as they greedily sniffed the air for the scent of prey.

Their lips couldn’t completely cover their interlocking fangs. Viscous saliva dripped from between their teeth, creating a soft, disturbing patter in the quiet woods.

Their small eyes were set deep in their faces, glinting with cruel, mocking light from the shadows as they openly sized up the "fresh meat" that had just delivered itself to them.

One of the most experienced old guards in the caravan instantly turned deathly pale. His lips trembled as he stammered, "G... Gnolls!"

Surrounding the caravan were six of these monsters.

It was no wonder the old guard was so terrified.

An adult Gnoll’s Adventure Level was typically around thirteen or fourteen, a world apart from those lowly goblins.

They were not only cunning and cruel, but also possessed Power, Physique, and agility far beyond that of an ordinary person.

Before them, any ordinary human was nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter.

Even a typical low-level Adventurer Squad would choose to avoid a pack of Gnolls if they encountered one in the wild.

And that was assuming the beasts decided they weren’t worth the trouble and were willing to let them pass.

The caravan owner was feeling conflicted, unsure whether he should be grateful he had uncharacteristically hired Adventurers, or curse this sudden misfortune.

"Miss Hayley! Be ready to heal me!"

Outside the carriage, Grek, who had long grown impatient with the tedious journey, let out a roar as if he’d finally found an outlet for his frustration.

He gripped his Wide-blade Greatsword with both hands, pushed off with his feet, and charged the nearest Gnoll.

His studded fur coat rustled noisily as he ran, making him look like an enraged bear.

"Hold the formation!" Hayley’s clear voice rang out, instantly cutting through the chaos.

She first gave orders to the panicking caravan guards, then turned to the carriage behind them. "Mr. Hughes, please prepare to heal!"

With that said, she followed right behind Grek.

With a low, rapid prayer, a warm, bright orange glow spread from her palm to the head of her hammer.

By now, Grek had already engaged one of the Gnolls.

The Gnoll let out a hoarse howl. It didn’t lunge forward to bite and tear like a low-level Demon, but instead took an agile half-step back and to the side, simultaneously thrusting its crude wooden spear toward Grek’s ribs like a striking viper!

The strike was fast, vicious, and aimed at a tricky angle.

"Hmph!" Grek clearly hadn’t expected the beast to be so agile. His charge had too much momentum, so he could only twist his body and block with the flat of his Greatsword.

CLANG!

The spearhead scraped against the sword, sending a shower of sparks.

The immense force made Grek’s arm go numb, and he staggered.

Another Gnoll seized the opportunity to attack from the side, thrusting its spear straight at his abdomen.

Just then, a figure wreathed in orange light cut in.

"Get back!"

Hayley shouted, her warhammer whistling through the air as it smashed precisely onto the shaft of the incoming spear!

CRACK!

The seemingly sturdy wooden spear was snapped in two by the enchanted warhammer!

Orange Divine Energy coursed along the broken spear, frightening the Gnoll so much that it shrieked and pulled back its claws.

But the Gnolls had the advantage in numbers.

The one that had first engaged Grek saw its comrade falter. It retracted and then thrust its spear again, this time aiming for Hayley’s shoulder, which she couldn’t defend in time.

The spearhead found the gap beneath her pauldron and plunged in.