Cherreads

Chapter 20 - The Hunt (1)

───────────────────────────

Status Window.

Ding!

> You have vanquished [2] Goblins.

- You have gained + 2 Exp!

- You have gained + 3 Exp!

Ding!

> You have vanquished [2] Kobolds.

- You have gained + 1 Exp!

- You have gained + 1 Exp!

Ding!

> Class Proficiency [ Magic Spearman] has increased slightly.

- Magic Spearman LV.1 (12.2/100%)

───────────────────────────

[Ah, such a trashy Exp pay off.]

[Considering the amount I need to reach the next level, I'd have to repeat this at least three hundred more times.]

[But...]

His lips slowly perked up into a proud smirk.

[This is it! These are the mechanics that I created, leveling up shouldn't be so damn easy!]

[You should struggle and pour your heart into the game, Bloodbound Ascension!]

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips.

[Hm?]

Robbing his attention away from the interface was a figure veiled by a cloud of smoke, perhaps it was attempting a sneak attack?

The figure's efforts were...

<□ Kobold — LV. 7

Class: Assasin LV. 7□>

... Utterly futile before Kaelen's discerning eye, but for some reason, he only spared the assassin one glance before returning his gaze to the interface.

[Now let me see, I think we should go northeast of here, that's where they mostly went....]

[Ugh... I hope they're not heading for the mountains.]

Clink clink!

[!!]

Suddenly, a chain violently tore through the plume of smoke and coiled itself around the Kobold's neck.

Step!

"Gargh!!"

Thud!

Veylity stepped on the chain, drawing it taut, forcibly yanking the Kobold from the air and violently crashing it into the charred earth.

"Growl! "

The Kobold, a humanoid that was essentially a bipedal dog—but not to be mistaken for the superior Lycanthrope—instantly freed itself and bared its teeth at Veylith and the members of the Decadon behind her.

They all drew their weapons and prepared to attack, but...

"No, stay back."

Her cold voice instantly stopped them in their tracks, she could tell at a glance that they were no match for the Kobold.

[She's right... They're all so weak right now.]

[Not including the Captains and Veylith, I'd say that overall, they're the second weakest out of all the Homonculi.]

He mused, his pink eyes reflecting the information floating above their heads.

"Growl! "

The Kobold suddenly lunged at Veylith, its sharp claws bared and threatening to puncture her being into the likeness of Swiss cheese.

Ta! Clink! Fwosh!

She performed a fluid sidestep and swung her chain violently with both her arms, the sharp sickle at its end slicing through the air like a reaping crescent.

[!!]

The Kobold assasin urgently bent his posture and the sharp sickle blew above his head, almost clipping the tips of his canine ears.

"Grr!"

He grinned seeing the opening created by dodging her long range attack, he would most definitely reach her before she could withdraw her chain.

Ta! Ta!

He wasted no time and continued his charge, his movements nimble, befitting that of one who possesses the assasin class.

However, unbeknownst to him...

Clink!

The chain that blew past him arced around the strong trunk of a tree, drawing itself taut by performing a single rotation around the trunk and unleashing the sickle as a result.

Fwosh!

[!!]

The Kobold's ears twitched and his sharp hearing alerted him of the sickle threatening to dig into his liver.

Clang!

He quickly parried the sickle with his claws, albeit at a cost of a few of his fingers and...

Clink!

Fwosh! Fwosh!

... Veylith pulled the chain to propel herself forward and began swinging the other end on of her chain which was a metal ball riddled with spikes, resembling a morning star.

"Hoooowl! "

The Kobold let out a cry of despair, between the intense pain of losing his fingers and the oncoming attack, he felt utterly helpless.

"Growl! "

But you know what they say about a cornered dog, and so his despair turned into a rabid courage, allowing him to charge headfirst toward Veylith.

"..."

Her expression remained as cold as ever as she swung the spiked fundo above her head.

Crackle!

She drew her Mana, and her movements instantly became indescernible to the Kobold, allowing her to completely blitz it.

SPLAAAT!

She crushed not only its head, but its shoulders, followed by its spine as the steel ball—the fundo—tore the Kobold's body until it exploded, scattering blood and bits of flesh.

[Seriously, why is she so proficient with that weapon?!]

[I saw her looking at that tree, she purposefully used it as a pivot for her chain?]

Kaelen smiled bitterly and moved out of the way so as to not get sprayed by blood.

The gore was honestly something he could barely stomach, but he had long resolved himself to get used to it.

Veylith however, just sat there and allowed the crimson downpour to drench her frame.

And in that moment, Kaelen caught a glimpse of her genuine smile for the first time, and he wasn't sure which one was scarier — the crude attempts he'd witnessed before, or this.

"..."

[Ah, right there should be one more...]

He snapped out of his daze and turned his attention to the branches of the tree that Veylith wrapped her chain around.

<□ Kobold — LV. 9

Class: Archer LV. 5 □>

[When did he....]

Snap!

"Gargh!"

A pale-skinned figure stealthily appeared from behind the hiding Kobold and wrung its neck with his bare hands.

Thud!

Its limp body collapsed beside the grotesque pile of flesh that was Veylith's victim.

[... Get up there?]

[I guess I was too quick to judge them because of their low levels, there might be some promising talents here.]

Kaelen smirked, the Homunculus who had escorted him in the morning, staring down at him form the branch with a blank expression.

//

*A few hours earlier.*

"Oh, come on! More woods?!"

Arthur cried out and clutched his long blond hair.

"Would you shut the fuck up already, the hell were you expecting? A five star inn?"

Margaret grappled with the urge to strike him with her staff.

"Be alert, this is no time for banter."

Igor warned and stepped forward with his shield, assuming his position as tank.

"Mr. Igor is right you two, we need to —"

"Shh! Something is coming."

Julius covered his wife's mouth and quickly glanced around, attempting to pinpoint the exact location of the approaching threat.

"Are you sure, Lead? I don't see anything."

Arthur inquired, of all party members, his vision was the sharpest.

"No, he's right... I sense something too."

Hank confirmed, slowing unsheathing his twin daggers.

[!!]

"Up there!"

Julius's senses finally pinpointed the location of the threat and he gestured at the sky, to a large, falling creature.

"Arthur!"

"Got it!"

Shik!

He drew a single arrow and strung it on his long, silver bow before loosening it.

"Everybody make way! Igor, prepare to draw its attention, Hank assume your position at the flank!"

"Magaret, begin chanting a piercing spell and aim it where Arthur's arrow struck!"

"Helena, stay at the rear and prepare buff spells for both me and Igor!"

Julius barked his orders before the unknown threat could land, and they all followed his words to a T.

CRAAASH!!!!

The earth shook as it landed, upheaving the bed of grass they stood on as well as a miniature plume of dust.

"..."

They all waited in silence and prepared for a fight to the death, but...

...

Nothing happened, and as the dust settled, they saw a creature lying motionless in a crater made by its impact.

"Hey Lead, I didn't know pigs could fly."

Said Magaret as she peered into the crater, the crystal embedded to her staff losing its radiance.

"Did I kill it?"

Arthur wondered as he studied the bloodied creature.

"Nah. Your arrow barely pierced into its skin, let alone its skull."

Hank pulled out the arrow, and they all saw that although Arthur's aim was perfect—in that he delivered a headshot— but it would not have been fatal.

"Its jaw is completely shattered, I am assuming that this was the initial cause of injury."

Igor chimed in.

"But it must have been alive before it landed, otherwise you would not have been able to sense it, right dear?"

Helena looked up at her husband with a worried expression.

"Yes. That's right, the fall must have killed it."

Julius answered with a stern voice, his equally stern gaze peering deep into the endless forest that lay before them.

[What kind of a monster could have sent an Orc flying so high in the air?]

[... And this is just the first floor?]

[I have a bad feeling about this.]

Julius chewed his lips raw, and clenched his jaw so that his emotions would not show.

───────────────────────────

Status Window.

 

Name: Kaelen.

Race: Homunculus.

Level: 5 (Exp: 128/2500)*

Class: Magic Spearman- Lv1.

 ──────────────────

Core Stats.

STR: 54 INT: 59 LCK: 0

AGI: 56 MP: 60 VIT: 55

%##%: ???

 ───────────────

Derived Stats.

HP [VIT + Gear Value+³]: 58*

STA [VIT + AGI(30%)]: 71.8

ATK [STR + Weapon Value+⁴]: 58*

EVA [AGI + LCK(50%)]: 56

CRIT [(LCK(20%) + ATK)/100]: 0.58*

─────────────────

Skills.

Mana Sensitivity: S- Rank

Low-level Regeneration: C- Rank

Creator's Eye: S- Rank.

#>@$: SS+ Rank (Sealed)*

Monarch's Aegis: A Rank.

────────────────

Attribute Points: 29

Alignment:Chaotic Neutral.

───────────────────────────

More Chapters