Chapter 239: Tower Defence - 1 Chapter 239: Tower Defence - 1 "Get that stupid snake!" a man who looked to be in his early 30s shouted, pointing straight at Bigfoot’s summoned beast. He wore medium armor, his build well-balanced, standing close to 6 feet tall. The massive python coiled and uncoiled as it darted between trees and jagged rocks, using every scrap of cover available. Fireballs scorched the bark around it, shards of ice shattered against stone, and arrows whistled through the air—but the snake weaved through them with grace, its scales flashing as it evaded each strike. "Brother! Let’s declare the territory occupied already. I really like this place."Karen revealed herself from behind a tree, loosing a poison-tipped arrow toward the python. The snake twisted mid-motion, the arrow grazing nothing but air. Karen clicked her tongue sharply in annoyance. "No, not now," Vorin replied, his voice steady but tense. He stood at the rear, directing nearly 15 to 20 people as they tried to box in the agile beast. "That junior Instructor warned me—if that boy comes back, he can summon a wave of low-leveled golems. At that point, occupying the territory and holding an advantageous position will become troublesome." Suddenly, the python snapped its tail. The thick, muscular limb slammed into 2 sword-wielding close combatants, sending them flying like ragdolls. Their screams vanished as they disappeared into the trees. "O-one hit?!" one member blurted out in panic, his voice cracking. "Leader Vorin! The snake is at least a Pseudo 3-star beast!" an archer shouted from his perch atop a tree. He released another volley—some arrows missed entirely, some clanged uselessly off hardened scales, while a few struck the ventral side, piercing cleanly into the softer flesh and drawing dark blood. "Tsk." Vorin clicked his tongue and reached over his shoulder, pulling free the greatsword slung across his back. "No wonder those bumpkins dared to touch Karen," he said coldly. "They were confident because of a puny tamed snake." He charged straight at the python. Swish! Clank! The greatsword slammed into the snake’s scales, only to bounce off harmlessly, sending vibrations up Vorin’s arms. The gap in strength was obvious—Vorin was lower-ranked. Still, he didn’t stop. Taking a step back, he shifted his stance, muscles tensing, then lunged forward in a precise thrust— Puchi! The blade plunged into the softer region beneath the scales. "Hiiissss~!" The python hissed violently, rearing back as a thick green mist of poison burst from its mouth and surged toward Vorin at terrifying speed. Vorin yanked his sword free and leapt backward. The poison splashed onto the ground where he had just stood, the earth bubbling and melting like foam. As he retreated, attacks poured in from the opposite side. Spells detonated, arrows struck true. There were no beasts summoned since then, the sensor on the beacon would detect them and inform the territory leader. The python’s movements slowed, and its massive body got riddled with wounds within moments. "Haha, good! Kill it quickly," Vorin said triumphantly. Karen approached from the side, slinging her bow across her back. Her eyes flicked to the struggling snake, already convinced of its imminent death. "But brother," she said casually, "will you really give that Treasure Beacon to that instructor?" Vorin frowned. "He was clever," he said grimly. "He made me sign a mana contract before revealing their whereabouts. The conditions were clear—first, I can’t disclose that he provided the intel about that fresher’s territory. Second, I must hand over the Treasure Beacon." "But can’t you just break it?" Karen asked. "It was a simple mana contract. At best, you’ll be weakened for a day." Vorin shook his head. "That instructor is Low-3-star in personal strength. Only my beast and I can fight him evenly. If I get weakened, he could snatch it away. Better to maintain a good relationship with a junior Instructor." Karen nodded, then glanced around, eyes narrowing. "But the mana density here is very good. If even the outer regions are this dense, I wonder what kind of treasure lies at the center. Tsk... how did those bumpkins even get it?" "Probably someone from the academy helped them," Vorin replied with a chuckle. "Still, the instructor said they also obtained another treasure—Low-blue quality—and I get to keep that. I suppose I should be satisfied." "Brother!" Karen snapped, her face twisting with anger. "Don’t tell me you’ll forgive that girl!" At the mention of Lily, Vorin’s expression turned solemn, his eyes darkening. "Don’t worry," he said quietly. "No one hurts my little sister and walks away. You said she looked proud of her body, didn’t you? I’ll see for myself just how good it is before completely destroying it." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮 An evil smirk spread across his face, earning a satisfied nod from Karen. "Good, brother! I’m telling you, you’ll enjoy defiling her," Karen said with an innocent smile. "And I’ll take care of that punk of a boy—just make him immobile for me." Vorin pulled out his phone and quickly typed a message. >Did you find the entrance? He was referring to a passage through the earthen wall separating him from the territory’s center. The approach was already difficult—uneven mounds, dense trees, and tangled roots—but beyond that stood a raised central plateau nearly 100 meters wide, sealed off by a 4 to 5-meter-tall earthen bricked wall. While dealing with the python, Vorin had dispatched a group of 10 people to circle the plateau and search for an entry point. 1 minute passed. No response. Vorin frowned. The snake was on its last breath, yet it had taken down 2 more members. His forces had dropped from 30 to 26. He had nearly half the manpower of his territory—all brought here to seize Leo’s land. Suddenly, a distant shout rang out. A bird beast swooped overhead, carrying one of his men, then dropped him nearby. "Leader! Golems are blocking the way!" the man shouted, scrambling to his feet. "There are nearly 15 of them!" Vorin’s face darkened. "Shouldn’t that boy be participating in the competition?" he muttered. "How are his golems here?" His jaw tightened. "Did that instructor give us wrong intel?" he hissed. --- A/N: The month finally comes to an end! Thanks to everyone who have been supporting my work till now, I am very grateful, truly. As for tomorrow, I will do a mass release of 8 Chapters along with a new privilege tier. I tried making it 10, but I couldn’t...