Chapter 473 I May Be A Beast
Upon hearing the woman's warning, Archer smiled excitedly as he entered the forest's edge.
Activating his Aura Detector, he quickly honed in on the bandits. In a matter of minutes, he pinpointed three separate camps.
Turning to Valeria, he shared his plan, "There are three camps. I'll send my creatures to attack the two smaller ones while we tackle the largest."
She nodded in agreement. Archer took the lead, navigating through the dense Suncreek Forest.
They continued deeper into the Suncreek Forest. A hush enveloped them, interrupted only by the rustle of leaves under the layer of snow.
Usually bustling with life, the forest was covered in snow, and the air was cold. Archer observed the surroundings.
The snowy blanket covered every branch and leaf. However, beneath this frozen landscape, signs of life persisted in countless trails left behind by many beasts.
Diverse imprints adorned the snow, each telling a silent tale of the forest's inhabitants.
He recognized the traces of various beasts, from the tracks of small prey to the more imposing marks of predators that prowled through the wintry landscape.
The quiet forest seemed still, but underneath, a lively ecosystem thrived. Walking with Archer, Valeria observed the tracks, her eyes moving from one set to another.
The duo continued their journey, silently immersed in the beauty of Suncreek Forest. Archer stopped walking and opened a portal before summoning a large group of Chulls.
Lobster-like creatures emerged through the portal, and Valeria, standing beside Archer, gazed in complete astonishment as these colossal beings entered.
The Chull Warriors were adorned in formidable chitinous exoskeletons that glimmered in the morning light.
Their colossal heads swiveled in perfect unison, surveying the surroundings with restrained power.
They stood nearly twice as tall as Archer, but she quickly noticed how submissive they were when they bowed to him, which shocked her.
That's when Archer issued a command. "Attack the two smaller camps. Retrieve the bodies and any treasures they possess, then bring them to me."
After speaking, he pointed in the two directions, and they rushed off to complete their orders while Archer led the female knight toward the largest bandit camp.
As they traversed the forest, the older woman spoke, "These bandits have been wreaking havoc in the eastern region for weeks. The local baron dispatched his men, but they fell into an ambush and were eradicated."
Archer nodded as she continued, "The Duke hasn't been able to deal with them as he's focused on the Duchy's reconstruction. The emperor assigned him the task, but he must rely on his soldiers to repair the towns and villages."
"Why are you telling me this?" Archer inquired with a curious tone.
Valeria stopped and spoke. ''I know why you're doing this. It's for Sia to help with her mission. But I'm just letting you know when we deal with these, you will be heavily rewarded.''
Upon hearing the mention of a reward, Archer's eyes gleamed with interest, causing Valeria to shake her head before resuming their journey.
After ten minutes of walking, they reached the massive clearing where the sight of a sprawling bandit camp unfolded before them.
The camp sprawled across the forest, revealing a chaotic mix of makeshift tents, haphazardly constructed structures, and scattered bonfires.
The air hung heavy with an amalgamation of scents, wood smoke, the metallic tang of weaponry, and the underlying musk of too many bodies congested in one place.
Archer's eyes swept across the expansive scene, noting the disorderly layout of the camp and the crude defenses erected.
In the distance, he could hear the bandit's muffled sounds, the low conversation hum, and the occasional laughter punctuating the tense atmosphere.
As they got closer, Archer spotted bandits standing guard at the entrance, resembling a makeshift gate—the sole access point due to a small river obstructing any other approach.
He surveyed the camp, his eyes narrowing with focus. Activating his Aura Detector, he extended his senses to gauge the presence within the ramshackle structures.
The magical resonance revealed a surprising number, close to eight hundred bandits hidden within the confines of the forest camp.
An excited glint sparkled in Archer's eyes as he turned to Valeria. "There are nearly 800 bandits here," he announced.
Valeria's expression shifted to one of shock, her features mirroring disbelief at the magnitude of their adversary.
Unbeknownst to her, Archer found a peculiar satisfaction in how her button nose scrunched up when she was astonished.
That's when Archer got a good idea and summoned nightmare Gnolls from the domain, their grotesque forms stepping through the portal.
Pointing toward the front gate. "Charge and create chaos!"
Fueled by dark energy, the nightmare Gnolls snarled and surged forward, their twisted shapes blending with the shadows as they approached the camp's entrance.
Their eerie howls echoed as they charged toward the unsuspecting guards. As the nightmare, Gnolls thundered toward the front gate.
Archer turned to Valeria. ''Let's go.''
He grabbed her again before taking off, flying over the river and landing in the center of the camp.
Once they were there, Valeria took out her spear while Archer summoned his claws before the bandits spotted them.
With a sudden burst of energy, he lunged at the nearest bandit, his movements fluid and precise.
Archer executed a swift, decisive slash with flawless fluidity using his claws, cleanly decapitating the bandit attempting to raise his shield.
In perfect synchronization, Valeria confronted the assailants with her spear, seamlessly integrating it as an extension of her form.
She moved through the chaos, skillfully dispatching foes with lethal precision.
Each calculated strike found its mark, and with a dancer's grace, she moved between opponents, leaving a trail of defeated bandits in her wake.
As the skirmish unfolded, Archer and Valeria fought in tandem, their movements synchronized.
Archer's close-quarters combat complemented Valeria's finesse with the spear. Together, they formed a formidable duo, dispatching bandits with speed.
The bandits, taken aback by the sudden onslaught, struggled to counter the sudden assault they faced.
Archer and Valeria pressed forward while cutting through the ranks of bandits that recklessly charged at them.
The clash of steel, grunts of effort, and blood painted a scene as they cleared out the bandit camp in the Suncreek Forest.
Pressing on with their assault, the bandits were engulfed and swiftly dispatched. Archer's razor-sharp claws skillfully severed limbs and slit throats with ease.
Meanwhile, Valeria drove her spear through the nearest bandit, leaving punctured gaps in their ranks.
The sound of weapon clashes and the wails of the outlaws reverberated across the camp as Archer's claws and Valeria's spear moved in a synchronized dance through the chaos.
With each precise strike, the bandit numbers dwindled until, finally, the skirmish ended.
The once large and bustling camp descended into silence, interrupted only by the crackling of embers and the distant calls of creatures.
Just as the last bandit fell, the Chull Warriors returned, hauling the lifeless bodies of their fallen prey and the wealth of the bandit camps.
Dumping everything in the center of the camp. But when Archer saw this, he summoned the Stone Men and ordered them to loot the hearts.
As Archer performed this task, he instructed the Chull to wait. The Stone Men swiftly looted the hearts and presented them to Archer, who stored them in his Item Box.
Once the Stone Men completed their task, Archer directed the beasts to take the bandit bodies back to their nest, making them very happy.
With a coordinated effort, they seized the lifeless forms and dragged them through the portal Archer had opened.
Valeria, who has already grown used to all the weird stuff Archer did, approached him while cleaning off her spear.
She remarked, "You fight well, yet your style lacks finesse. It's more akin to a beast than a skilled combatant."
Archer looked at the woman like she was an idiot before commenting. ''I am a beast, remember?''
Smiling, he stepped back to clear some space between the two, which confused Valeria until he whispered. ''Draco.''
A bright light blinded her until it died, and she saw a massive white dragon standing before her.
She stumbled back and fell on her ass which caused Archer to chuckle as he looked in his Item Box and saw that he had three thousand eight hundred and thirty-three hearts.
With a smile, he summoned all over them about him, and they dropped into his mouth. Archer felt the experience flow into his large body.
Reverting to his humanoid form, he approached Valeria to engage in conversation. "You see, I may be a beast and not entirely human.
However, that doesn't hinder my capacity to learn. My girls, along with Sia, are instrumental in teaching me."
Valeria, taken aback by this revelation, widened her eyes. Archer, noticing her reaction, inquired, "What's wrong?"
Shaking her head, the older woman responded, "I'm surprised that a dragon would be open to learning from someone else."
''Why not? I enjoy learning.'' He answered with a smile.
That's when the Gnolls were busy eating the bandits at the entrance but he told them to take as many bodies as they could before opening a portal.
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