Chapter 132: Only a Dozen or So?

Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Only a Dozen or So?

His expression was perfectly calm.

He didn’t even bother with the Gnoll charging madly toward him. Instead, with another fluid motion, he quickly drew his bowstring.

The bowstring hummed.

An arrow instantly tore through the air as if it had eyes, burying itself directly in the eye socket of the Gnoll attacking Fibi.

Bright red blood and brain matter splattered out.

The Gnoll, sent reeling by the immense force, fell backward onto the muddy ground, killed on the spot.

Just then, the other Gnoll lunging for Lance reached him, its gaping, bloody maw wide open.

It was right on top of him.

Lance’s eyes, hidden beneath his hood, flickered toward the monster.

He didn’t retreat a single step. Instead, he swung the hard hazelwood longbow in his hand like a club, smashing it down hard on the Gnoll’s head.

The monster was dazed by the blow.

Lance seized the moment, grabbing the monster’s shoulders with both hands and driving his right knee up in a powerful strike.

CRACK!

The dull sound of splintering bone echoed through the woods.

The strong Gnoll’s sternum caved in completely. Its arms dropped limply to its sides as it died right in front of Lance.

Watching this from a distance, Fibi couldn’t help but click her tongue in astonishment.

She had originally thought he was a master Archer who specialized in ranged techniques.

She never would have guessed his close-quarters combat skills were even more ferocious than his archery.

It was only then that she was struck by the realization that he was operating alone.

In this world, a Lone Wolf who dared to operate solo in dangerous areas was often someone with no weaknesses.

They were, without a doubt, among the most formidable Adventurers of their tier.

With the addition of this mysterious powerhouse, the tide of battle instantly turned.

But just as Fibi thought her small team was about to be saved from a desperate situation...

...a chorus of Gnoll howls rose from the depths of the gloomy woods, one after another.

Hearing those sounds, only one thought flashed through Fibi’s mind.

’We’re screwed.’

’The Gnoll party must have used their distinctive howls to call for nearby allies the moment they first spotted the three of us.’

This was the core reason the Adventurer’s Guild deemed Gnolls to be extremely dangerous.

If you couldn’t eliminate them all or successfully escape in a very short amount of time, they would use their howls to summon their entire tribe.

Because, completely unlike other creatures with strong territorial instincts...

...Gnolls would hoard Intelligent Species like humans as food for the winter.

Once they set their sights on prey, they would never give up easily.

By now, Lance had walked over to Fibi’s side, his feet crunching on the fallen leaves.

"Are you all right?" he asked calmly.

Fibi shook her head vigorously, her forehead slick with cold sweat.

She gripped her longbow tightly and said, "We’re in big trouble now. Based on those howls, there are about a dozen Gnolls surrounding us."

"Only a dozen?"

Lance muttered to himself, his head lowered.

His tone held a hint of undisguised disappointment.

Fibi froze, even wondering if her extreme tension was making her hear things.

’These are over a dozen bloodthirsty Gnolls we’re talking about!’

During their brief conversation, hearing the approach of their kin, the three surviving Gnolls in front seemed to be instantly filled with limitless power.

Their eyes began to glow with a terrifying red light as they all passively activated their Racial Talent: Bloodthirsty Hunting.

The monsters’ attack rhythm grew even more ferocious.

With astonishing agility, they coordinated their attacks to forcibly separate the Shield Guard from the Swordsman beside him.

This isolation was extremely dangerous for a Swordsman who lacked heavy defenses, especially when facing a group of Gnolls with high offensive and defensive attributes. The slightest misstep could get him torn to shreds.

"Damn it! Finn, you bastard, be careful!"

The Shield Guard, Toby, gritted his teeth, desperately holding back the frenzied snapping and biting of two Gnolls while shouting encouragement to his brother-in-arms, who was locked in a bitter struggle.

"If we make it through today, I swear to the Goddess Aretia! I’ll never again chase after some stupid Witch legend! I’m going home and learning how to kill Iron-skinned Wild Boars from my old man!"

But anyone could see that Finn’s swordsmanship was completely outmatched, his parries barely holding.

"Fibi! And you, big bro who’s passing by! Help!"

Toby wailed, struggling to maintain the crumbling defensive line.

"If you don’t start shooting soon, the bad breath from these two dog-faced bastards is gonna knock me out! These sons of bitches definitely ate those Goblins raw for lunch!"

Just then, in the forest in the distance, the faint, blurry shapes of more Gnolls began to appear.

Just as the heavy shield in Toby’s hands was about to give way completely, Lance shot forward like a cheetah, reaching the front line.

He put immense force into his right leg, his body twisting rapidly in mid-air.

He fiercely unleashed the Azure Dragon Extreme Intent Style’s [Dragon Leaping Tail].

Lance’s right leg, whistling through the air, viciously whipped across the spine of one of the Gnolls.

With the crisp crack of breaking bone, the strong Gnoll was sent flying like a broken sack of grain, slamming hard against a distant tree trunk before sliding to the ground.

The sheer ferocity of the blow was so great that it startled Toby, who was right beside them.

"Holy crap! He just snapped that dog-faced bastard’s spine with one kick!"

Toby couldn’t help but yell.

His over-the-top reaction made several dark lines instantly appear on the face of Fibi, who was in the back, drawing her bow to support Finn.

"Toby! Shut your damn mouth!" Fibi roared, exasperated.

"Sorry, dear!"

Toby ran his mouth while adjusting his shield’s position. "I was just trying to say, compared to this hooded bro, your usual level of violence makes you look like a gentle noble lady!"

Facing the frenzied claw strikes of another Gnoll, Lance didn’t even try to dodge.

He shot out his left hand, grabbing the creature’s furry arm in a death grip, and thrust his right fist upward.

[Top Dragon Horn] activated.

The fierce punch accurately shattered the monster’s jaw, and another Gnoll died instantly.

In the instant they clashed, Lance had already made an accurate judgment in his mind.

’An ordinary Gnoll’s Strength Attribute hovers around seven points. Their constitution, however, is about the same as my own right now.’

Toby, shield raised, was completely dumbfounded.

’So terrifying!’

He watched, wide-eyed, as the man killed Gnolls in just a few moves, as easily and casually as squashing an ant on the roadside.

’This mysterious hooded big bro has to be a Professional, right?’

Toby guessed wildly.

But he had never seen a Professional at the Guild with such a ferocious fighting style before.