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Chapter 545 Hunting
🕑 Added 2020-08-22 12:45:47 +0000 UTCAuthor's note: Hey. Another chapter. Let me know what you think.
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Chapter 545 Hunting
Something big and furry, Ilea thought as they walked through the small patch of forest. She hadnt scanned the area from above and hadnt used Monster Hunter to challenge anything inside. It would be more interesting to rely on Sentinel Huntress and her other abilities.
Ilea didnt exactly expect a four mark creature to be hiding in the area. Not at ground level at least.
If it was that strong, she was sure it would find them quickly enough anyway.
You dont look like a tracker, the woman said.
Yeah, Im not really, Ilea admitted.
The group had accepted her help and even offered their names. The old man was called Horace, the woman really went by Pain. Baleron was the name of the handsome mage.
Why didnt you bring one? she asked, checking the ground with her sphere and enhanced eyes.
Im like a super fucking computer at this point. Just need some laser guns for the Terminator aesthetic, or a bunch of shotguns.
Getting distracted again. Man I suck at tracking.
Tracking wont help you when it comes to a fight, Pain said.
And a fight there will be, Horace confirmed.
Yeah but tracking would allow you to find its lair, set traps, prepare for whats inside, maybe get something to counter its strengths, something to use against its weaknesses, she said.
Horace chuckled.
What? Ilea asked.
Spoken like a noble, Baleron said with a tinge of disdain in his voice.
Dont have to be a noble to get a tracker into your team, or to consult local libraries. Shes right. But this is what we have. Were not exactly from around here, Horace said. Searching the beast is just one part. I dont want to kill it with poison or smoke it out. I want to face it.
The man gripped his axe as he stared forward, his jaw clenching slightly.
I see. Why are you two here then? Ilea asked.
Is this an interrogation? Pain asked, checking a few scratches on a nearby tree before she grabbed a few berries from a nearby shrubbery.
Cinderberries. Theyre poisonous, Ilea said helpfully.
The woman threw them to the ground after sniffing on them.
Horace is experienced. Weve worked together for a while. Its only natural that Id support him in this personal quest, Baleron said, the mage wary of his surroundings, turning at every noise.
Hmm, Ilea said as they walked deeper into the forest.
Talking to a minimum now. Were getting closer, I can feel it, Horace said.
Ilea didnt disagree with the man. She casually summoned Quiet from her necklace and let it rest on her shoulder. She got a few glances but the group refocused on their surroundings again quickly, the matter at hand more pressing.
As they went on, she noticed a few smaller tracks, even a few empty homes of various birds and smaller critters.
Ilea made sure her Veteran extended to her allies, just in case the creature was above two hundred.
They reached a small creek flowing through the forest about twenty minutes later.
Thats it, Horace whispered, crouching down where a few sticks had been broken, the moss pushed a tiny bit inward.
Ilea raised her brows. I didnt even notice that. Guess the Huntress skill isnt quite that amazing.
Or is it?
The wind had changed and now she smelled something that made bells ring in her mind. Hmm. That should be it.
The trees are marked, Pain said, tapping one.
Thats pretty high up, Baleron pointed out.
True, Ilea thought, looking at the deep gashes. Not healthy for the trees either, Id imagine.
She squinted at them but the only thing that appeared was [Tree].
And if I get it to the second tier, its going to be Battle Tree? Birch?
Ilea turned her head slightly, hearing a noise coming towards them. Quick steps, something small.
Horace reacted a few seconds later, ice forming on his body as the vegetation around him slowly froze. He made a hand gesture and a clicking noise.
Baleron turned towards the noise as a shield formed on his body, his spear poised and thrumming with power.
Pain remained in a mostly relaxed pose, power emanating from her as she took an obvious central spot between the four.
Ilea stayed behind her, the hammer resting casually on her shoulder.
No shout or cry yet, Ilea thought. The smell isnt getting stronger either.
Her sphere picked up the critters a moment later, small salamander like beings with forked tongues and three eyes. They moved quick and somewhat quietly too. Not enough for her ears and the senses of the other adventurers.
There were eight of the cat sized beings, circling around to surround the group in a quick fashion.
Pretty impressive, she thought and watched the adventurers.
Ilea assumed the monsters werent super dangerous but was ready to intervene a bit more directly if she was wrong.
They emerged nearly as one from the various trees and shrubberies, hissing at the group as they spit a clear substance at them.
[Velean Lizard lvl 58]
Hmm, she exclaimed and held up a hand to catch the liquid. It didnt even sizzle on her skin.
ding You were poisoned by Velean venom You resist its effects
Ilea licked the substance, finding its taste a little spicy. Not quite as interesting as Helenas creation.
I wonder what the meat tastes like, she looked at one of the creatures. It stared back before it hissed.
She noted that Baleron had already skewered one of the critters, his arcane shield holding off the substance with ease.
Pain had climbed one of the nearby trees, her armor covered in spit as she rushed after one of them.
Horace avoided them mostly, moving around the trees to stay in cover and using his icy aura to slow down the monsters that got too close. His axe finished them with precise strikes.
Ilea displaced the monster ahead into her hand. A small spike of ash formed and slashed through its brain, killing it instantly. The heat in her body and ash grew, kept in check by her Lava Magic Resistance. She removed the creatures head when it was about to burst, cooling herself down a little more to cook it more steadily as it was surrounded by ash.
When she thought it done, she skewered it and added a bit of salt.
The three adventurers stared at her with a mix of expressions as she took the first bite.
Not a lot of meat on this thing, she thought but kept eating anyway. Compared to Keylas cooking, it wasnt even worth calling it food but she had to keep her addiction in check.
What is it? she asked.
You cooked it with ash? What? Pain asked.
Yeah. I can generate heat, and regulate it with a third tier Lava Resistance. Its more difficult than I thought. A little overcooked too, Ilea said.
Third tier resistance, thats a thing? Baleron asked.
Oh sure it is. The requirements were pretty steep though. Lots of resistances. I wouldnt recommend it if youre not a healer or enjoy pain. The latter can be fixed with a second tier Pain Tolerance, Ilea said.
What do you mean? Pain asked.
You can turn off your pain perception, Ilea said, taking another bite out of the lizard.
What?? Pain exclaimed with wide open eyes.
Ilea snickered. With a name like that. You should really know about that.
The woman squinted at her. I inflict pain.
More benefits from enduring it, Ilea said.
The woman nodded with a thoughtful expression.
Horace glanced between them but didnt comment on it.
Anybody injured? he asked.
My health took a hit but Ill be fine in a few minutes, Pain said.
Baleron walked up to her and touched her face, checking her right arm and her back. He used a spell and pat her shoulder. That should do it.
Youre a healer? Ilea asked the man.
He smiled. Not exactly. A field healer. Has some offensive and fighting capabilities too. Better at stabilizing than full restoration.
More useful in life threatening situations, Pain said and rolled her shoulder. Normal healers often get overwhelmed with real injuries, failing to patch up the damage and just letting their spells do what they can. A bit of health doesnt help much when youre bleeding out.
Hasnt been my experience. Maybe I only met capable healers, Ilea mused.
Lucky you then, Pain said. It didnt sound like she was mocking her either.
Sounds like youre a medic, Ilea said to Baleron, throwing away the meatless lizard.
Whats a medic? he asked.
Combat healer, Ilea said.
Pain chuckled at that.
Ilea didnt try to convince the woman. She really didnt mind. The Medic Sentinels would make a name for themselves. She didnt have to force the idea into peoples minds. Especially not someone who still refused to take it seriously, even though her teammate was one.
Dont get me wrong, Lilith. I know it works. I just always picture a bunch of girls in robes, beating the shit out of each other in training, Pain said with a smirk.
Pretty much, Ilea said, happy to have misjudged her.
The group continued onward, the smell getting stronger. More trees were marked too and even Ilea manged to spot the tracks at this point.
She could see the ruin long before the others, stone pillars and decrepit walls overgrown with vegetation. The distance would make it difficult for the others to spot, the natural camouflage similar to the lizards they had encountered.
Few other animals here, she thought, the tracks leading them towards the ruin.
No birds, Pain noted, jumping down from a nearby tree.
Few tracks too, Horace said. Something is ahead.
Exciting! I hope its a Basilisk or maybe a Trakorov?
Nothing roared as they got closer.
Ilea sadly didnt feel the presence of a four mark either.
Wouldve been annoying too if I got my four mark kill here. At level four o one.
The group slowly made their way towards and into the ruins.
This is it, Horace said, grabbing a few brown hairs he found on the ground.
An ancient stairwell led down towards a broken entrance that now more resembled a cave. Rubble covered much of the ground and stairs, the edges had smoothed out from years of use or something deliberately doing so.
Vegetation grew down into the entrance, little light reaching into the tunnel beyond.
Ilea could see inside with her sphere but couldnt spot anything living. There were a bunch of skeletons, but what ruin cavern didnt have a few of those?
Its down there, Horace said. I can feel it.
How? Ilea asked. She couldnt hear a heartbeat. The smell was obvious but that didnt mean the creature was here right now.
Heat, he said.
Aha. Makes sense.
Could be a fire or something else, she said.
Id notice. Its more faint, the man said, obviously not comfortable with answering questions right now but doing so anyway. He had been the first of them to understand that Ilea wasnt just some random traveler and he had remained cautious around her.
Baleron didnt really care and Pain just didnt mind being offensive.
Ilea assumed the woman would react the same way when facing a Trakorov. She liked that quality in a fellow adventurer. It was very stupid of course but a lot of risks were necessary to reach Ileas heights in power. Either that or an insane amount of time, preparation, knowledge, and training. And who really has time for that? Or the patience, for that matter.
I lead, Ilea said and walked down the stairs, her footing sure on the rubble, twigs, and smoothed stone. Her ash armor was hidden under her shirt.
The others didnt complain, following in a small formation behind her as they prepared their torches.
She didnt need the light, reaching the large entrance a few moments later.
Ilea gripped her massive hammer and stepped inside.
The hall beyond was spacious, at least sixty meters in length. Dozens of decrepit stone pillars stabilized the ceiling, some of them already broken down, others showing cracks.
Skeletons of various animals and people lay scattered on the ground, most showing bite or claw marks. It wasnt exactly a tomb of a necromancer but whatever had brought their prey here to eat had certainly been doing so for a long time.
The stench was quite overwhelming but nothing that came into the top ten for Ilea. She grinned when the adventurers behind her recoiled, their torches bringing both light and attention into the place.
It didnt matter much, as the only other occupant was currently asleep.
A man. He lay curled up at the end of the hall. He was naked, his thick brown hair grown to his lower back, his chest and nether area quite generously covered in hair too. Half his face was covered by a beard. It looked like he had tried to rip off a part of it.
Ilea estimated him to be around two and a half meters tall, his arms as thick as her thighs and then some. He still somehow managed to look wiry, not an ounce of fat on his massive body.
She motioned to the others but Horace had already signaled them to be quiet, the group carefully stepping over the soft earth, avoiding the bones and pieces of rotten gear strewn throughout.
They prepared their spells and weapons, slowly approaching the man until Ilea could identify him.
[Werebear lvl 320]
Does that mean hes going to turn at night? At full moon? Or does he just look like a hairy man in the first place?
Ilea didnt know. Is there a curse or something we can break? Wheres Henry when you need him?
She focused back on the task, momentarily distracted by the dazzling image of a silver haired actor.
Setting a trap would likely be the best for the group. They had little chance facing a level three hundred creature as they were.
Horace hadnt signed to retreat yet but he still seemed to be assessing the situation.
Pain looked excited to face the creature while Balreon didnt reveal anything on his face. His shield was active however.
Lets see what they do, Ilea thought with a grin, slowly moving closer.
A gust of wind moved in from behind, the flames of their torches flickering slightly.
The man stirred.
He sniffed the air. His eyes opened.
Dude woke up, Ilea said in a whisper.
The others looked at her but prepared to fight.
Spread out, distract him when one of us gets caught. If he overwhelms us, lead him into a corner, collapse the ceiling. Baleron, you think you can take the weight? Horace said.
For a while, Baleron said.
Well dig ourselves out. Just slow the stones, Pain said.
A chilling aura formed around Horace, the air freezing as the moisture in the area was collected by his magic. Ice walls formed behind him, likely the place they would retreat to in case the creature was too much.
Spells activated around her, mana enhancing the bodies of the adventurers.
Ilea kept her eyes on the man, his gaze now focused on her alone.
His eyes showed some cunning, understanding of a sort, but that of an animal, not a man.
How much do you get? Fight or flight?
Ilea thought and smirked.
The adventurers spread out, Horace and Baleron to the sides while Pain walked past Ilea in the center.
I dont think its a good idea if you attack it, Ilea said.
This isnt the first high level creature we fought, Pain said. Watch and learn.
Hes at three twenty, Ilea said.
Horace stopped in his tracks, glancing her way for a moment. Then youre right. We should-
A horrible sound of cracking bones resounded, followed by a beastly screech that shook their very core.
Or it would have, had Ilea not extended her Veteran.
The sight alone however froze them just as much as the scream would have.
Ilea watched with horrified fascination as the already tall man burst out in a bright magic light, blood magic flowing freely before it congregated within him once more. His size swelled up to four meters, long claws forming on both his arms and feet. Fur grew near instantly, patches of his skin still bare but most of it was covered.
His head looked horribly distorted, his teeth sharpening and growing out as his skull was forced into a flatter shape, growing still.
Bone magic? And blood?
Maybe a Class that took over? A curse, or just madness?
She didnt know. What she knew was that the man was lost, a monster born through whatever had caused this change.
His form now resembled a massive but somewhat thin bear, his shoulders slightly touching the ceiling of the hall, scraping against it as he moved.
Ilea felt a primal fear within her, telling her to run. It was a ludicrous instinct of course, her skills immediately quenching it. Bears. How did anybody ever thing of making cuddly toys of something this horrifying.
It moved. A wild stride fueled by rage, lunacy, and incredible muscle shot the creature forward.
Pain could hardly get her arms up in a defensive gesture when the bear swiped his large paw at her tiny form.
She wasnt hit, instead appearing near the door with Horace. She blinked a few times before she realized where she was.
Baleron had resisted her displacement somewhat, either his shield or a resistance leading to him appearing halfway to the exit.
The bear howled and charged, its size and weight probably comparable to a large truck.
Ilea gripped her hammer and waited, her precognition letting her know about the coming attack. She swung sideways, her body moving in turn just like she had learned in her hammer lessons.
The hammer connected with a dull thud just when the bears head came into range. Its momentum continued as it barreled to Ileas left, staggering a few times before it hit the wall.
It turned slowly, half its head flattened. Pieces of bone stuck out as dark blood soaked its fur.
Ilea blinked in front of it and lifted her hammer.
The Werebear swiped its claw at her, a wing of ash materializing to block the attack.
The hammer came down, shattering the monsters skull before pushing deep into its neck.
Ilea waited but there was no notification.
Were. Regeneration? Or do I need silver or something?
She doubted the latter. She would simply have to overwhelm its regeneration.
Are you alive?! Horace asked from behind the entrance.
I am, Ilea said.
The three adventurers had retreated but remained close to the exit. An unnecessary risk, she thought.
Good people though, she smiled to herself.
She stored her hammer, not about to turn this hall into a smithy.
Ash formed around the bear as its skull slowly reformed.
Rest now, Ilea said, a pale white flame illuminating the hall.
Comments
Phaeth
her hammer
Lommel
> She (Ilea) casually summoned Quiet from her necklace and let it rest on her shoulder. What is "Quiet"????
Phaeth
I have no idea what you're trying to say, ever heard of punctuation ?
Andrew
oh yeah I love it thank you for the chapter
Andrew
can't make the characters to Broken or Elsa lit runs the story and there always needs to be a counterbalance and there's that we saw and more badass than you so whatever she comes up with this probably someone come up with something even scarier there's always a higher Mountain when you start turning it into a cultivation novel thing where the movie was just start getting ridiculous
Robert
I think he’s doing a great job as is her skills are all ready really good
quantumsoma
Ilea needs to make better use of her weapons skills (and needs better range). [Armor of Ash] evolves to [Armory of Ash]. Problem solved. Also, [Sentinel Sphere] should gain the attribute that anything within it counts as physical contact. She would no longer need to use tentacles because all ash constructs in the sphere would get the physical contact bonus, plus she gets ranged healing and anti-healing, plus she should be able to redirect certain attacks using 3rd tier resistances (lightning and heat, for example)
lenkite
It's a bit of a pity that Ilea will never adopt a [Giant Hammer] as her main weapon. Frankly, I think she needs a bit of range against high-level warriors with pole-arms like that Queen who could avoid all her short range attacks and just cut through her Ash tentacles
lenkite
Good to know Ilea is not slacking on her [Vacation]. Dear Author, please setup Round #2 between that [Werewolf] that kicked Ilea's ass when she was in her 220s. Wanna see Werewolf howl.
Barrett Hess
The side quests are lovely. My favorite part of DBZ is the Sayaman saga. I love this shit.
Last time was in dawntree after she killed the Praetorians, as far as I remember. The guy with the huge rocket sword.
carebear90
When we were told, that Ilea takes a short "vacation" I thought at first, she'd fill up on nice food and booze and looks for someone to get laid again... I mean... it's been a pretty long time since that elf, hasn't it? But no... her vacation is basically roflstomping around in the noob zone. ^^ I hope she'll still look for these deserters and their captives afterwards though.
Chase Clawson
An awesome chapter! Really loving her hanging out with some normal people who also act reasonably normal around her. Respect but not groveling, able to make jokes and stuff, but not dicks (looking at you Destroyer xD)
Ivactheseeker
... writing? :D
Atlas Dwarf
So if Werebears exists then ManBearPig is pretty much canon now.
The fact that Illea's "vacation" involves rescuing children, interrogations, and fighting werebears with a hammer really makes me wonder what the author is doing on his own "vacation"...
foldedcorners
Ilea power leveling adventures is pretty fun. I bet she's gotten quiet good at it at this point from training her sentinels
kjoatmon
Especially with them all wearing the bones of a dangerous critter....
Martin
Nice to see Ilea doing a public service by eliminating werebear. Group got Ilea's seal of approval despite Pain being somewhat obnoxious. Wonder if they will ever quest together with medic sentinels so Pain's image of bunch of girls in robes will be shattered :-)
fbt
ty for the chapter
M. Gunnarsson
Schrödingers now.
Andrew
Thank you!
ShadeByTheSea
there becomes a point where madness is the healthy normal state.
Straven
Thank you for the chapter and sorry I've not commented on many others, usually at work when I find them up.
Bobby B.
I'm a bit surprised she didn't try to heal his mind with arcane healing
Alsia
Thanks for the chapter! I'm quite enjoying the vacation arc for Ilea. I hope you're having a wonderful vacation yourself :)
Acquiles Vitorino de Melo Graça
I'm pretty sure either something would come to stop her or the creatures would continuously loose levels. Maro's undead all became like that, and although death spirits have the same levels as when alive, there's clearly something more than just dying involved, while the corruption couldn't be said to kill the creatures it infected as much as changing them like the We're bear now or that blood priest she killed in the descent.
Shukketsu
Books are from the 90s so it could be she read them instead of playing the games of seeing the series
MountainFox
...and the vacation arc continues...
Michael C
Ilea is auch a powerful healer and actually understands.the human body. She might be able to manipulate the system. She is awarded experience immediately after her opponent dies ( she uses the ding to know they are dead) What if she brings them back to life and kills them again?. She could easily use her skills to trap a powerful creature in some freezing trap. She freezes the creature, the second it dies, she gets xp, the uses her skills to warm them up and repair their health. Zap the heart, creature legally dead less than 20 seconds. Now imagine she setup a factory with the sentinels where 100s of creatures are trapped in metal.tubes and frozen, killed, revived...25 times a day. Imagine if she automated iit and the freeze spell that kills is considered a trap. So the group gets experience 247.
Bunny Waffles
Since you apparently are incapable of shame, I shall feel shame for you. That was bad and you really should feel bad for typing that out and making me see that with my poor innocent eyes.
Michael C
I always get chills from your writing and combat. You write combat so well. You can write suspenseful life and death, grindy sonwell. You even make lopsided fights interesting. Really love it. The ONLY thing that would make this story better (for me) is if Illea started a lesbian harem. Hear me out. She rescues a pleasure slave. This female slave has an assasin tupe vlass based around pleasure magic She can kill with pleasure. Charm, put people to sleep etc. Some nobels pet project to make a new type of assasin. Illea wants a 3rd tear resistance. So the slave girl gets 3 friends to go around with her and Ilea. They trade resistance for healer training. Tbey become the spies of the Medic Sentinals. Bonus if you .toss in some fetish stuff like.smelly socks or feet (okay.. That last bit was too far..lol)
Enif
She's from the ambiguous present.
Is Ilea from the future? (Our world's future) since she is referencing the Witcher series which came after the author started writing this novel (probably even announced after that)
Cadastral
Thanks for the chapter, but make sure to enjoy your vacation, too.
Lowe K. Lyesmith
Illea is on holiday herself, so that's only fitting.
Michael C
Sweet
Vegetables
I really appreciate the chapter, but remember you're supposed to be on holiday ;)
Alexander Dupree
Combat tree LOL
Falxie
Ty 4 chap! Loved it! Typo: Bears. How did anybody ever thing of making cuddly toys of something this horrifying. —> think instead of thing
White fire seems like it should be a good substitute for silver metal.
