Chapter 101 Chapter 101-Standoff and Generous Rewards
With Mighty Thunder activated, Howard seemed as if possessed by the Thunder God himself, making a beeline directly for the Werewolf Guard.
Without Mike's control, the Werewolf Guard finally broke free from its uninterrupted subdued state, its animosity firmly fixed on Howard, the one with the highest damage output.
As Howard lunged forward, the Werewolf Guard, brandishing its sharp claws, slightly bent its legs. In the next moment, it leapt powerfully, swinging its claws repeatedly.
Clang!
However, before the Werewolf Guard's claws could reach Howard, bursts of lightning erupted, instantly paralyzing the airborne creature in place.
Immediately after, Howard swung his wand, and as the fireball detonated, his wand struck down, summoning a burst of lightning.
It unleashed a formidable force that sent the Werewolf Guard flying.
This sight left Judy astounded, exclaiming, "A melee magus? My God, is the lineage of the melee magus still alive?"
Perhaps the legends of the melee magus were so abundant that even Judy overlooked the fact that Howard's core strength was in his spells, not in combat.
His ferocious appearance was purely due to the skill effect of Mighty Thunder.
Random attacks producing powerful bolts of lightning -- how could that not appear fierce?
Under the suppression of an SS-level skill, the Werewolf Guard was steadily pushed back by Howard.
Coupled with the amplification from skills like Radiant Flame, the rate at which the Guard's health dropped accelerated.
Yet, the Werewolf Guard, being a BOSS, boasted an impressive HP of over 240000.
Even if it stood still, allowing Howard to assault it, it wouldn't perish easily in a short span of time.
As the Werewolf Guard's HP dwindled to around 20,000 points, the horde from the Mercenary Guild arrived.
Their numbers were staggering, roughly a hundred strong.
Each one exuded a palpable intent to kill, their gazes particularly fierce.
Upon spotting the Werewolf Guard, exclamations rippled through the mercenaries, "Damn it, someone else discovered this dungeon?"
"Damn it! Move quickly! We need to land a hit on the Werewolf Guard!"
No sooner had the words fallen than the mercenaries either drew their weapons, rushing towards the Werewolf Guard, or waved their wands and nocked arrows, locking their skills onto the beast.
Witnessing this, Judy's brows knitted slightly in consternation, and Howard looked on in utter astonishment.
It seemed these mercenaries were well aware that they needed to partake in the defeat of the Werewolf Guard to gain entry into the dungeon.
They must have known about this place for some time.
But Howard was no saint!
In this dog-eat-dog world, possession of a map didn't equate to ownership.
Strength mattered most.
Judy and Abby, well-aware of this, quickly sheathed their weapons and moved closer to Howard.
Nick, clutching his shield, watched the approaching mercenaries with a hawk's eye, allowing Howard to continue his assault on the Werewolf Guard.
Seeing the mercenaries drawing near, Nick's eyes flicked with an idea.
He shouted assertively, "Who are you lot? I'm from the Alliance. If you don't want to die, get lost now!"
Normally, the Alliance exerted considerable influence over other provinces, even within city walls.
But these mercenaries were like starving wolves!
Within the cities, they might bow to the major families.
But out here in the wilds?
This was their domain, their paradise.
Why would they give a damn about any family within the Alliance?
The leader of the group sneered, "The Alliance? What of it? Judging by your age, you're nothing but a junior member of your family. Even if I kill you, what could your clan possibly do to me? I don't believe for a second that those old bastards in your house would risk a feud with us mercenaries over some greenhorn."
At these words, Nick's face darkened.
As much as he hated to admit it, he knew there was truth in what the man said.
The Mercenary Guild was a vast, intricate power. Without an immediate catch, even great families would not dare to demand someone from within the Guild's ranks.
Unless, of course, they had undeniable evidence and could identify the perpetrator.
"Such young ones, managing to get this far. Quite impressive," the leader said with a smirk. "We of the Mercenary Guild aren't always thirsty for blood. Cease your actions and leave this place, and I, Barnus Douglar, will see to it that you're spared."
Even though he made this offer, the Mercenary Guild would avoid clashing with major families unless absolutely necessary.
Even uncertain of Nick's identity, Barnus chose to provide an avenue for escape.
Yet, Barnus Douglar wasn't a fool. Even as he spoke, he gestured for his men to attack, a rain of arrows filling the sky.
As the arrows descended like a storm, Abby, Judy, and Nick swiftly retreated, dodging the barrage.
Howard, however, driven to defeat the Werewolf Guard and still under the effects of Mighty Thunder, stood his ground.
Whiz, whiz, whiz--
In the next moment, the arrows fell like torrential raindrops, either hitting the Werewolf Guard or targeting Howard.
But before they could inflict any damage on Howard, the arrows were split in twain by the surging lightning around him.
Witnessing this spectacle, Barnus Douglar's pupils constricted, his gaze upon Howard suddenly taking on a solemn weight.
Even for someone of his caliber, facing a barrage of nearly a hundred arrows unscathed was no mean feat.
In that brief moment, in the eyes of BarnusDouglar, Howard's standing had elevated to that of a master.
But then again, what of it?
With swift purpose, BarnusDouglar lunged forward, his longsword dancing in his grip, a crimson radiance converging around it.
As the blade descended, that ruddy gleam manifested into the form of a dragon, viciously lunging at the Werewolf Guard.
Indeed, Barnus Douglar's intent wasn't Howard - it was to gain access to the dungeon.
Almost instantly upon contact, the crimson dragon seemed to come alive, its talons raking and rending the Werewolf Guard's form.
With the Werewolf Guard's HP plummeting dramatically, Howard's eyes sparkled. Seizing the moment, he stepped forth, and as his fist swung, a surge of thunder rumbled straight into the Werewolf Guard.
A thunderous boom resonated, and the Werewolf Guard's form, like tattered cloth, was torn asunder, splattering blood, its body segmented into multiple parts.
[Ding! Congratulations to the awakened Howard for successfully defeating the Diamond-grade BOSS, Werewolf Guard. All awakened participants will be rewarded based on their contribution.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the awakened Howard for earning 150,000 experience points.]
Indeed, the rewards from such high-tiered challenges were remarkably generous.
Coupled with Howard's significant contribution, a staggering 150,000 experience points boosted his progress bar substantially.
Silver coins littered the ground, hinting at more spoils of battle.
However, in that moment, not one among the awakened, including Howard, spared a thought for the loot; their expressions were all of grave seriousness.
"Ha ha ha!" Before long, Barnus Douglar erupted in hearty laughter. "There's an old saying: heroes emerge young. Today, it seems that saying holds true! Who would've imagined, you youngsters managed to fell an LV50 Diamond-grade BOSS!"
In reality, had it not been for Barnus Douglar's decisive strike, and the collective onslaught of the archers and magi, Howard might not have defeated the Werewolf Guard so swiftly.
Furthermore, while Barnus Douglar may not have landed the killing blow, he still reaped a portion of the rewards, including the right to enter the dungeon.
This likely stayed his hand from turning openly hostile.
Members of the Mercenary Guild might be fierce, but they aren't rabid dogs who bite every hand they see.
Barnus Douglar was no fool. Judging by the age and capabilities of Howard and his companions, he surmised that they either hailed from a formidable backing or possessed astounding talents.
Why risk animosity unless absolutely necessary?
And if hostility was on the cards, the open wilderness was no place for it.
After all, the wilderness is accessible to everyone.
Should the forces backing Howard and his group possess the ability to trace back events in time and space, any aggression shown, if proven, could spell doom for the aggressors -- even if they succeeded in eliminating Howard and his friends.
Any confrontation would have to take place within the dungeon.
Dungeons are ever-shifting realms.
Even if one were to commit a crime, once the dungeon resets, the most adept would find it challenging to trace back through space and time to identify the culprits.
Had the Bat Cave dungeon not been teeming with students at the time, Howard would've acted immediately, instead of waiting to emerge and expose his identity.
Fortunately, Howard's acceptance into Holy Abyss Academy provided a deterrent to potential adversaries.
"You flatter us; we were just fortunate," Howard replied with a soft chuckle. "From the looks of it, you don'y hail from Adia City."
Fierce Wind Valley borders several cities. While it's not a central area, it's still a fair distance from the outskirts of Adia City.
Coupled with the fact that they didn't recognize the emblem of Holy Abyss Academy, Howard quickly deduced that these mercenaries likely came from another city.
Of course, with this remark, Howard also inadvertently revealed their identity -- a bait he willingly dangled.
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