Chapter 66: Fire and Wind
"In a jungle pursuit, I am an expert. Wang Lin, keep your communication card ready and stay in touch with me." The Wolf King concealed himself even earlier than us. I dragged Maki Shinpu along as we sprinted for our lives. Fortunately, the speed of these small demons was not as grotesquely fast as that of the Cave Hounds; otherwise, I would have had no choice but to unfurl my magical wings and escape to the skies. However, such a retreat would make it exceedingly difficult to track these small demons, and it would be a pity to lose sight of our hard-found quarry.
Maki Shinpu used a healing card, and the sickly green hue on his face finally faded. Yet, still shaken, he whispered to me, "Thank goodness it was a poison spell; if it had been a fireball or ice spike, I would have been finished." I infused him with a touch of White Radiance, casting a holy shield around him, and then murmured, "Under the onslaught of small demons, this shield can hold for no more than ten minutes. Be cautious and avoid getting hit!" Maki Shinpu nodded and promptly dismounted from my back, unhesitatingly veering off in another direction.
We fought separately, maintaining contact through our communication cards, a tactic we had long since devised. Although small demons possess intelligence comparable to that of humans, they have not had the opportunity to attend military academies or learn from the wisdom of countless predecessors from ancient times. We maintained a triangular encirclement; no matter which of us was attacked, the others would strike from a different angle, and my holy shield frustrated the small demons, causing them to focus their assaults primarily on Maki Shinpu.
These small demons are cunning creatures; they cast spells from a distance and scatter at the first sign of danger, excelling in their ability to conceal themselves within the dense foliage—true masters of guerrilla warfare. Fortunately, we had prepared long-range psionic sniper rifles and communication cards for real-time coordination; in this battle, the importance of our equipment was paramount. Warfare often hinges on resources; while tactics are crucial, in this instance, both factors tipped the scales of victory in our favor.
Once again, I employed the perfect accuracy card to lock onto the small demon that had previously deflected my special psionic annihilation projectiles. This time, I did not rush to fire; instead, I launched a silent Void Claw. Although the attack range of the Void Claw is limited and its power modest, its silent and elusive nature often catches many off guard.
The small demon had been keenly observing my movements, but the disruption caused by the Void Claw diverted its attention. As a gust of wind swept through its disheveled fur, startling its grotesque head, I gently squeezed the trigger. Through my scope, I witnessed a brilliant and sinister bloom of crimson. "This troublesome one is finally dealt with," I thought, channeling my psychic energy to retrieve three cards that the small demon dropped. I was momentarily taken aback; the four small demons I had just slain had yielded no cards, yet this one gifted me three. It seemed that luck varied even among small demons.
A Level One Wind Blade Card, a Level Six Wind Blade Card, and a Level Two Whirlwind Card. "Ah, it appears it possessed quite a repertoire of spells, and I now have a complete set of Level Three Wind Blade Cards!" At that moment, the Wolf King's voice boomed through the communication card, "Wang Lin, I have secured my achievements as well. Maki Shinpu, how fares your end?" Maki Shinpu's voice was urgent as he exclaimed, "I still need one more, but I'm currently besieged by four small demons! Hurry and assist me!"
The Wolf King and I acknowledged him and immediately dashed toward Maki Shinpu's location. However, upon my arrival at the battlefield, I discovered that others had reached it before us. The group of warriors we had encountered earlier had also arrived at this juncture. I had previously sown discord, allowing Maki Shinpu to bear the brunt of it, and now, relying on their numbers and teamwork, they had swiftly dispatched all four small demons before the Wolf King and I could intervene. The individual who had warned me to keep my distance even took a moment to gloat in my direction.
The Wolf King licked his lips and murmured, "These fellows are quite arrogant; should we deal with them?" Their battle against the small demons had relied entirely on teamwork, and their average combat prowess was likely equivalent to our strength prior to receiving support from the Locke Group. The Wolf King had identified their weakness, hence his suggestion.
"Let it be; they just saved Maki Shinpu. It would be unwise for us to turn against them now, and having more humans around is preferable to an influx of small demons," I replied. Maki Shinpu chuckled wryly, "I still need one more small demon for my record; it seems we must endure a bit longer."
After pondering, I produced three Fireball Cards, one Ice Spike Card, and one Whirlwind Card, softly stating, "Let's share our spoils; if we can gather a complete set, it will greatly aid us in the upcoming battles." The Wolf King grunted in agreement and revealed his own loot: three cards—one Level Two Ice Spike Card, one Level Three Poison Spell Card, and one Level One Wind Blade Card.
Without hesitation, Maki Shinpu discarded two cards, handing one each to the Wolf King and me. "I want the Wolf King's Poison Spell Card and Wang Lin's two Fireball Cards; I believe you both will find them useful." He offered the Wolf King a Level Three Ice Spike Card and me a Level One Fireball Card. Though exchanging one for two seemed disadvantageous for me, in our context, such trade-offs were of little concern; we were not merchants. While our camaraderie was not exceptionally close, we were still partners in arms.
The Wolf King casually placed the Wind Blade Card in my hand and took the Level Two Ice Spike Card, chuckling softly, "Wang Lin, you seem to have drawn the short straw; the Wind Blade is of little use to you." I raised my hands in indifference to our exchange. The other warriors observed us with envy, yet upon witnessing the Wolf King's menacing aura, Maki Shinpu's concealed prowess, and my earlier display of skill, they wisely abandoned any thoughts of robbery.
All were seasoned fighters, keenly aware of the dire consequences that unnecessary conflict could bring in a forest rife with monstrous threats.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone