Chapter 243: The Long March

เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 มี.ค. 2569 07:24

Leona huffed, forcing air from her lungs. She knew she had to keep her breath steady if she wanted to keep up with their relentless march. Even so, she felt her lungs burning, her legs itching with strain. She had been using magic to enhance her body, but even with that, they had been running since before sunrise. The terrain was rough, the forest riddled with rocky slopes and uneven ground. The faint morning breeze brushed against her skin, but noon had never felt farther away. She tightened her grip on her supply bag, adjusting the weight on her back as she vaulted over a shrub. "Faster… the first wave of goblins is catching up to us," Damon's cold voice cut through the sound of their hurried footsteps. He led them at a relentless pace, carrying an extra supply bag over his shoulder. His gaze flicked toward the sky, where Matlock, the fairy, hovered just above the tree line. Though his wings had recovered, he dared not fly too high—predators lurked in the skies. Damon drew his bow, nocking an arrow in a single, fluid motion. "Matlock, get back down here—we've got a swarm of air wasps incoming." Matlock dove, his delicate form weaving through the branches until he floated beside Damon. Sweat beaded on Damon's forehead as he kept his stride, his breathing controlled but strained. "How far are the goblins?" he asked between breaths. Matlock nodded, his lips pursed, voice as androgynous as ever. "They got caught up in the wild bear cave, just as you planned. Leaving behind a false scent worked—they were slowed down, but…" Damon cut him off. "Judging by the dying roars, the trolls must have killed the bear. Which means they're back on our trail." Matlock nodded grimly. Damon's gaze snapped to Sylvia as he vaulted past a tree stump. "Sylvia, have you charted our route?" The elf girl huffed, sweat beading on her forehead. "Based on the map you made of the region, we can't avoid the monsters ahead. We could run past the murky quicksand, but the sand crawlers might attack us. Other routes are feasible, but risky." Damon shook his head. "No. We take the sand crawlers. We'll move through the trees—it's safer. Any other route would take too long, and we risk the trolls catching up. It's better for goblins to catch up—we can kill them." He turned to Leona, who was running slightly behind, keeping pace with Xander. A heavy sword was strapped to her back along with her supply bag. "Did you pick up any scents in the wind?" She gave a breathy, confident smirk. "Nothing much—just the stench of dirty goblins. Their scouts are close. They've been through here before, so they know how to navigate the obstacles and monsters." Damon nodded. Without hesitation, he fired his omnidirectional gear into a tree, pulling himself up in a swift motion. Perching on a thick branch, he took a deep breath, holding his side as his chest rose and fell heavily. "Evangeline, Xander, take point. We've got monsters incoming. Matlock, fall back with Sylvia. Leona—protect them." Damon swung into the trees, his voice cutting through the dense canopy. "It's an Earth Boar! Don't fight it—our goal is to evade!" His command was sharp, practiced. "Use the usual tactics. Ready—contact in twelve seconds." "Got it!" the others answered in unison. Damon nodded, launching himself over the treetops with precise, fluid movements. As he spun through the air, he drew his bow, eyes locking onto a seemingly unremarkable boulder on the forest floor. But he knew better. The arrow he pulled from his quiver was hollow-tipped. As he nocked it, the wind howled past him, and his Dead Eye skill activated—his target marked instantly. He released the arrow. It whistled sharply through the air before striking true. A monstrous growl erupted from below. The "boulder" had never been a rock—it was the Earth Boar itself, a beast over four meters tall, its thick hide camouflaged to blend into the terrain. The arrow had buried itself into its eye, and now it thrashed in agony. Damon remained calm even as he plummeted toward the ground. Before he could land, Xander burst from the treeline, spear in hand, gravity magic pulsing around him. Without hesitation, he slammed the weapon into the boar's head, the impact so powerful it lifted part of the beast's massive body off the ground. In that instant, two more arrows shot into its remaining eye, followed by an ice blast slamming into its nose, freezing part of its snout. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶 The boar's enraged roar shook the trees. Then— A heavy sword carved into its side, forcing its enormous body downward, toppling several trees in the process. Damon landed on a thick branch, already assessing their next move. "Hurry! Keep moving while it's disoriented!" His voice was firm, urgent. "I'll leave the goblins' scent here—once it recovers, it'll slow them down." Leona's sword crackled with electricity, her eyes flashing with battle hunger. "We can kill it!" Damon shook his head. "No. It's not that damaged, and we need to conserve our strength. This is an endurance run. We have to reach the Duhu Mountains before noon tomorrow. Keep moving—now hurry!" Evangeline grabbed Leona's wrist, pulling the battle-thirsty beastkin forward. As Damon leaped down, he casually dropped a goblin's severed ear near the blinded, enraged Earth Boar. A cold smile tugged at his lips as he watched birds scatter from the distant trees. The goblin scouts were close. When they caught up, they'd be greeted by an angry, wounded Earth Boar. A beast of its rank would recover quickly—and then it would rampage. Damon exhaled and leaped from his branch. Midair, he took a sip from his water pouch, activating his [5x] Skill the moment its cooldown wore off. The effect surged through his body, enhancing his endurance fivefold. The moment his feet hit the ground, he took off at full speed, catching up to the others. "Keep moving! We rest at noon! We're almost there—just another half-hour!" He pointed toward a massive tree canopy in the distance. "We can make it there—it's secluded enough to hide us while we recover!" They pushed forward, morale barely holding. They were being hunted. But Damon would make sure they survived.

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