Chapter 97: 97:The Gloomy Captain’s Lesson
Gianna and Seon were taken aback by the sudden appearance of plant-like monsters who had immediately begun dealing with the incoming creatures efficiently.
The Dryads charged aggressively into the front lines, slamming into the horde of beasts without hesitation. With their huge, bulky bodies, they grabbed monsters one after another and brutally smashed them into the snow-covered ground.
Every strike carried immense force, leaving the shattered bodies scattered across the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the Splash Shooters went into a complete frenzy as Reigns released all of them at once.
The monsters’ level was not the problem. Rather, it was their sheer quantity. Their numbers were simply too vast.
However, Reigns’ summons managed to create a breakthrough. They relentlessly pushed forward, pummeling their way through the horde and opening a path where none had existed before.
This battle also proved to be a great opportunity for Reigns’ Splash Shooters to level up.
Duster, who was standing at the back, felt slightly flustered as he watched the scene unfold.
"No matter how many times I see it, I can’t wrap my head around it."
Reigns turned toward him with an inexplicable gaze.
"Did you even see it last time?"
Duster immediately straightened up and grabbed his blade.
"I can’t let you take all the glory. I need to contribute too."
With those words, he rushed forward without waiting for another word, as if trying to run away from embarrassment.
While Reigns contemplated whether he should step into the sight as well, he suddenly heard Hex’s voice nearby.
"Does keeping them summoned exhaust your mana?"
"Not that much."
Reigns didn’t elaborate much.
The fact that he could summon creatures with almost no mana expenditure might deal a severe amount of damage to everyone’s mentality if they ever found out.
Hex stared at him for a moment before speaking.
"Manage your mana reserves well. Anything can happen unexpectedly, so it’s prudent to conserve your mana."
"Also..."
He paused and glanced around at the team.
"In an uncharted territory like this, make sure to keep a few stat points unspent so you can put them into mana if a perilous situation arises."
"Roger that."
The squad shouted in unison.
It didn’t take long for them to finish the battle.
While Reigns barely leveled up, all of his Splash Shooters had successfully advanced to Tier 2.
"Reigns, you were really awesome."
Seon cheerfully walked up to him with a bright smile.
"If not for you, we might have been in big trouble."
"Thanks, but you were also equally amazing, Seon."
Reigns smiled back.
"What about me, man? Don’t forget this handsome guy!"
Duster said while dramatically flicking his hair.
"Of course you are..."
Reigns replied with a helpless expression.
Afterward, Reigns stood atop a small snowy mound and quietly surveyed the brutal destruction spread across the area.
Broken corpses, severed limbs, and mangled monster remains littered across the white snow. The battlefield resembled a graveyard of twisted carcasses.
Even after killing close to a hundred monsters, Reigns hadn’t found a single drop. Most of the time, valuable drops could only be found inside Zones.
Skills and other rare resources could be found only from dungeon gates or Zones. The difference in available resources could prove extremely crucial in the future.
That disparity was already becoming apparent.
"Aren’t we going to collect the cores?!"
"No!"
Hex firmly shook his head.
"We don’t have time, and staying here would be dangerous. The smell of blood will attract more monsters."
He glanced across the battlefield before continuing.
"And we’re not on an extermination mission."
His stern voice echoed across the area.
The group soon moved toward the APC, but unlike before, they sat atop it instead of going inside.
Reigns quietly stared at the barren, snowy landscape stretching endlessly ahead.
The world around them looked lifeless.
Cold winds continuously swept across the open plains, carrying fine snow through the air. Vast fields of white extended beyond the horizon, while dead trees stood scattered throughout the region like skeletal remains from a forgotten age.
The forest in the distance was completely dried out.
Its black, twisted branches stretched toward the gray sky like countless claws.
No birds sang there.
No animals moved among the trees.
The entire forest seemed frozen in eternal silence.
A gloomy feeling lingered around it.
The deeper parts of the woods appeared almost completely swallowed by darkness, and even during the day, they looked unsettling. It felt as though something could be hiding within those silent trees, watching from beyond sight.
The world was simply too big.
Protecting such a scattered human population was close to impossible, which was why humanity lived within massive enclosed cities known as Citadels.
The place where Reigns currently lived was called the Bastion of Dawn, which was considered the Capital of the World.
And now they were several thousand kilometers away from it for god knew what reason.
His mission had been briefed very simply:
Follow Hex and represent the Federation during talks with Zonal Transfer.
Reigns looked at the endless snow for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
They still had miles to travel before reaching their destination.
For his first mission, he had hoped for something light.
But alas, it seemed he had hoped for too much.
Along the way, they encountered even more monsters.
In fact, the path ahead was literally infested with them.
Groups of beasts constantly emerged from the snowy plains and dried forests, forcing the squad to remain vigilant at all times. Sometimes the monsters attacked in small packs, while at other times dozens would emerge together from the wilderness.
They even encountered a Tier 1 Gate breakout.
While the group handled the smaller monsters and sprouts, Hex went ahead and personally dealt with the boss monster. The fight barely lasted long enough for anyone to properly witness it.
By the time the others arrived, the boss had already been killed.
The monster dropped a few miscellaneous items, which Hex casually passed to the team.
They might not have been particularly useful to him, but they were still valuable rewards for the younger members.
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