Chapter 64: Gusto

It didn’t take long.

Only a few minutes after their run-in with the Gusto Larvae, they came across their first Gusto... and their second and third. Two of them were Gusto Pricklers, melee monsters like the Larvae, while the third was a Gusto Thornthrower.

The three gangly leaf monsters immediately gave chase. Ralph ordered a retreat, leading the group into a small, open clearing before turning to face their pursuers and ordering everyone to stop.

The Thornthrower decided to live up to its namesake, unleashing a torrent of minuscule thorns at them.

Ralph stepped in front of the others and raised his tower shield. The barbs pattered against it like raindrops.

As the Pricklers closed in, Peace suddenly felt it...

’Resonance...’

He didn’t know how he knew, but it was the same feeling he’d gotten when Dita had used the Resonance she’d obtained from the Venti.

Ralph began banging on the face of his shield with the metal pommel of his sword. Each dull clang echoing through the Bright Forest.

"Come at me, rubbish!"

Making noise, especially in a zone where the monsters weren’t deaf, was typically something to avoid. Unless a Resonance called for it. In this particular instance...

’Audacious Challenge?’

It was the Resonance from the Wisp of a Tier 9 B-class Skeleton Knight. The more noise its user made while casting, the higher the Threat Level it amassed. The higher the Threat Level garnered, the greater the strength and vitality bonuses it granted for its duration. ℴ

Instantly, all three monsters responded to his challenge, turning the tops of their leafy mounds towards Ralph.

Planting his sword into the ground, Ralph braced his tower shield with both forearms. As a Prickler slammed its pointed branch arm into his shield, he screamed:

"Stop dawdling, kids! Pariah, take Thorn. Yulis, focus right Prickler!"

From behind Ralph, Yulis shouted:

"Right!"

Immediately, Peace sensed the activation of yet another Resonance.

A second later, an arrow flew inches over Ralph’s shoulder and into one of the leafy mounds. A second arrow followed, then a third. All tracing the same trajectory.

’Woah! Talk about precision and speed!’

However, since the damn things didn’t bleed, it was kind of hard to tell whether the arrows did anything.

’I guess it’s high time I join in...’

Seeing Ralph act like a proper tank, Peace could only honor the dishonorable man’s efforts by doing his part.

Well...

’Doing my part against a monster I definitely shouldn’t be fighting alone.’

Veering around Ralph and the two Pricklers, Peace broke into a sprint toward the Thornthrower hanging back behind them.

The monster kept hurling thorns at Ralph, only switching its target to Peace when he closed the distance. His intent and proximity were enough to draw its attention away from Ralph.

As Peace thrust his sword toward the retreating monster, a cluster of thorns shot out from its leafy coat.

Most of the thorns bounced off his armor or failed to pierce his cloak and the clothes beneath. A few, however, found exposed skin.

’Eugh, damn!’

[You have been poisoned!]

Still, Peace followed through with his attack, driving his sword into the leafy mass. He heard a faint crack as the blade struck a thicker branch beneath the foliage.

’I figured...’

The Thornthrower fled, and Peace gave chase.

With the day biome debuffing him, he could barely match its pace. It was almost pitiful.

However, the moment it stopped to fire again, Peace caught up.

Planting his foot, Peace twisted into a wide swing, completely disregarding defense and trusting his armor to take the hits. The blade once again cut through the leafy mass and struck the main branch while another volley of thorns rattled against his armor.

’Still not enough.’

Ralph shouted from behind him:

"Hurry up, Night Elf!"

Peace winced and sighed as the Thornthrower began to flee again.

’Screw it.’

Before it could escape, Peace lashed out with his gauntleted hand, plunging it through the foliage and seizing the thick branch that served as the monster’s spine.

’This is much more comfortable!’

Sure, he’d been practicing with the sword against Captain David, but as a little monster, he’d developed some barbaric proclivities.

Ralph called out:

"The hell?! Dumbass, don’t you know what—"

Peace shouted back:

"I do!"

’Why the hell is he even expressing concern?’

Shouldn’t he be happy Peace was being dumb?!

’He gave me this mismatched assignment in hopes I’d die, right?!’

A moment later, countless thorns pelted his clawed gauntlet as smaller branches curled around his forearm.

The Gusto was trying to trap his arm and drive its poisonous thorns directly into his skin.

Little did it know the savage it was dealing with.

Tightening his grip, Peace pulled himself closer and drove his free fist into the foliage. Ignoring the thorns piercing his skin, he began hammering the same spot his sword had struck, aiming for the damaged branch beneath.

Only when it wrapped his second arm tightly did his assault relent.

However, Peace then threw his trapped hand around where he’d been punching and squeezed.

A loud crack came from within the foliage, and the monster began to wobble.

’A little more!’

One more contraction, and the Thornthrower’s branch splintered.

Then...

[You have slain a Tier 9 C-Class, Gusto Thornthrower]

[+2 EXP]

’Haha!’

Sadly, this wasn’t even a victory he had the right to celebrate.

If he’d tried that against a Prickler, he’d likely have been skewered and killed instantly. But the Thornthrower... well, it just shot thorns. By closing the gap before drawing its attention, he’d already negated much of its range advantage.

Turning back toward Ralph, Peace prepared to help with the Pricklers, only to see Maura cleave straight through one as the other fell to Yulis’ arrow.

[You have slain a Tier 9 C-Class, Gusto Prickler]

[+2 EXP]

[You have slain a Tier 9 C-Class, Gusto Prickler]

[+2 EXP]

From behind the others, a triumphant Giant who’d done his duty perfectly cheered:

"Friend, you’re super weak!"

Breathing a little hard and sporting a few new cuts on his face, Ralph said:

"That he fuckin’ is! How did it take you that long?! And why the hell did you grapple with it! Just keep slashing! ’Something’ up your sleeve, my hairy ass!"

Peace wiped at the cuts on his cheek and shrugged.

"It’s dead, isn’t it?"

[Your body has resisted the poison!]

After a second of silence, Peace added:

"Besides, I doubt you could’ve killed one of those by yourself when you first entered the dungeon, even given an identical opportunity."