Chapter 343: Grinding Monsters
"Alright, the meeting officially begins now."
I turned back helplessly, clapping my hands towards the Three-No Princess and Little Ghost, the two members who were free to participate.
"Phoenix is gone. What's our plan next? Everyone, offer some suggestions and let's brainstorm."
Just as I finished speaking, with a "whoosh," Dead Dog, who had been sent flying by the Little Mermaid's strength despite her small size, zipped past me, bringing a gust of Gale.
"I suggest we all sleep until we wake up naturally." Little Ghost was the first to raise her hand, proposing a suggestion that perfectly matched her Personality. Good, at least it proved she wasn't an imposter.
"Rejected."
I replied immediately. Then, a Golden flash, and another gust of Gale swept across my face. Dead Dog, ever more persistent despite setbacks, was once again kite-flown by the Little Mermaid.
"Level Up." Three-No Princess simply said two words.
"Oh, that's a good suggestion."
I clapped my hands. My current Level was lower than the Adventurers in Kurast. Three-No Princess, who was only Level 22, was probably more eager to Level Up than I was. The worst part was, there was also a Little Healer who was only Level 13 but had no sense of Crisis whatsoever.
"Alright, our next Target will be Leveling Up, and we'll make time to complete the Quest Ormus gave us."
With one hand, I pushed away Dead Dog, who had charged forward repeatedly despite being defeated, only to be thrown out like a pile of withered grass by the Little Mermaid's explosive ultimate kill Technique—Helicopter-style Great Vortex Throw—not long after. Under my intentional or unintentional application of Strength, Dead Dog's trajectory changed by a subtle angle, shooting straight towards the Tent entrance, then disappearing like a meteor under our Gaze.
It was Leona who provoked me first, it has nothing to do with Eriya.
Meeting my Gaze, the Little Mermaid shyly put away her Trident and grabbed the hand I extended. She gently rubbed her smooth, cool little face against it, rubbing and rubbing, making one's heart itch.
I wondered how far the Little Mermaid could throw me if she grabbed my finger now and threw with all her might? A drop of Cold Sweat suddenly appeared on my forehead. I felt it was best not to delve deeper into such paranoid thoughts.
Thus, this meeting, which lasted less than a minute from its official start to reaching a conclusion, consisted only of a piece of Nonsense from Little Ghost and two simple words from Three-No Princess before the curtain fell. Speaking of which, the original intention was actually to create a strange, dark meeting Atmosphere, like the villain Bosses' meeting that suddenly appears halfway through a manga. Wouldn't that seem both profound and give off a sense of unfathomable depth?
Sighing, I looked at the Little Mermaid, who was gazing at me with Expectation. I casually took out a Fruit with some name or other—it was time to showcase my perfect knife Effort again. Cruelly licking the sharp Blade of my Dagger with my tongue, I chuckled sinisterly. How about that? Doesn't it give off a cold-blooded killer vibe?
"Little Fan, you're bleeding!" Little Ghost pointed at my tongue and said.
"..."
Soon, the entire Fruit was divided into dozens of uniform pieces by me. Gently pinching a piece between two fingers, I offered it to the Little Mermaid. Perhaps because she had just thoroughly abused Dead Dog, the Little Mermaid's Appetite was very strong now. She had been impatient on the side for a long time. Instead of taking the Fruit piece from my hand, she stretched out her swan-like graceful neck and took small bites, looking like she was feeding a baby. In response to the Little Mermaid's Act Spoiled, I gently tapped her cheek with the tip of another finger, feeling both pity and love. This earned me a string of cooing sounds.
After eating twice the Size of her Body in Fruit, the Little Mermaid Content/Satisfiedly patted her smooth belly, which showed no sign of bulging. She grabbed my finger and gently licked the residual Fruit Juice on it with her tiny tongue, even holding it in her warm, tender mouth. For some reason, this behavior always gave me a very *that* Feeling...
Just then, Dead Dog wobbled in from outside the Tent. His Golden curly fur was covered in Tree Branches, Tree Leaves, and Spider Web. He was dragging a fist-sized green Spider behind his Tail, looking utterly pathetic. As if sensing something from our Gaze, Dead Dog looked back and immediately became furious. Hmph, how dare a lowly little Spider bite his noble Dragon Tail? This was simply pulling Teeth from a tiger's mouth... no, pulling Teeth from a Dragon's mouth. It clearly didn't know the meaning of death.
So, it started chasing its own Tail in circles. Anyone who has raised cats or dogs can surely imagine that comical scene...
After tidying up the Tent, we said goodbye to the two Sorceresses at the Waypoint and embarked on our "Family Journey" again. Following Three-No Princess's Suggestion, I planned to experience the exhilaration of Rocket-style Leveling Up, which was the Monster Grinding Leveling method Three-No Princess had used.
Originally, I was somewhat resistant to this Leveling Up Method. After all, I had only been in Diablo for four years, a world of difference compared to Adventurers who had undergone arduous Training since childhood. In my understanding, my Technique was at most on par with the Rookies in the Rogue Encampment. However, after Phoenix's words, I gained a new understanding of myself. It turned out that without my knowledge, my Experience and Technique had already reached a considerable Level, especially in Magic attainment. As a Magic Idiot, I had actually mastered Magic Techniques that only Level 40+ Druids could grasp. Conversely, my Melee Fundamentals, which I had always thought were progressing well, were now estimated to be slightly inferior compared to Adventurers of the same Level. This completely subversive Fact almost made my Brain unable to process it for a long time.
Now, even without relying on the Stats of the Bugged Amulet, without relying on the convenience of the Redeemer, and without relying on the Advantage of Equipment, I wasn't far behind the Adventurers in Kurast. In a one-on-one fight, the outcome was uncertain. Having reached this Extent in just four years, shouldn't I take a break from Technique Cultivation and focus on raising my Level first?
With these thoughts in mind, I finally unlocked the shackles that had weighed on me for four years—the worry that I had only reached this point by relying on the Protagonist's Halo, without any technical skill. Compared to that vague and uncertain thing, I believed more in the solid sense of Safety brought by Technique and Experience. The Goal of surviving on this Crisis-ridden Continent even without relying on the Protagonist's Power constantly spurred me on, transforming me from an Otaku who had never even killed a chicken to my current state. Taking a slight break wasn't excessive, was it?
With this thought, we left this Spider-infested Forest. Actually, when it came to Grinding Monsters, the Spider Nest not far from the Waypoint was definitely a good place to go. However, considering the Environment, I decided to give it up. Those who think that as men they should face difficulties fearlessly and shouldn't be scared by a few Spiders, those who talk without feeling the Pain, please try putting a thumb-sized Spider on your anus and letting it crawl for a few minutes. If you can still say such things, I'll be impressed.
A few days later, on an open Riverbank near the River, various Monster Shouts echoed. Their Quantity and variety were so vast that they could make even the most Elite Adventurer Team change Color upon hearing them. Yet, surrounded by such a terrifying Monster Army, one man, two women, and various Summons stood Leisurely on the Riverbank, watching with Excitement as various Monsters poured out of the Forest and surrounded them.
Needless to say, this was me, Little Ghost, and Three-No Princess. The Formation was me taking the front, Three-No Princess staying back by the Riverside about ten meters away. Not only was she blessed with an "Eggshell" (the Cleric Tier 2 Demon Slaying Skill Holy Shield, which can be bestowed upon oneself or teammates), but she also had two Ghost Wolves protecting her. As for Little Ghost, I wasn't worried. If she encountered Danger, she could instantly hide inside her Necklace with her flying Ability. Besides, at Level 13, she could already wear many pieces of Equipment picked out from Lin Ya. In terms of the Excellent Grade of her Equipment alone, it might be even better than mine.
At this moment, two Crystal Balls were floating beside me. These two Crystal Balls were what I bought from Fara, Magic Items with the "Full-Screen Taunt" function. The Side Effect was Light Radius. Mm-hmm...
"Chirp chirp—"
The short-tempered Little People were the first to lose patience, surging towards us like a tide. Good heavens, there were hundreds of them! There were Projections and Entities corrupted by Evil Force. These two types of Little People, who usually fought to the death upon meeting, were now cooperating with great Tacit Understanding.
Could I be so handsome that I could make them abandon their racial Hatred for each other?
Following above the Little People were Leeches, a type of Monster that all Adventurers detested. Simple-minded, they seemed to think the Little People were numerous and powerful, and following them would definitely be profitable. Seeing them buzzing and charging forward as if victory was assured, a Sense of Superiority in Intelligence arose within me.
Thornwood Fiends and Forest Hunters were probably bigger in Size and Brains, thus a bit smarter. They stood far behind, watching. If the Little People vanguard won, it would naturally be a Good Thing for everyone. If they lost, they would have consumed some of the enemy's Strength. Damn it, they were practically becoming spirits!
"Boom—"
The Little Person charging at the very front was like stepping on a landmine. A Volcano erupted from beneath its feet, shooting up into the sky. It was burned to Ashes before it could even let out a cry of Pain. Over a dozen Little People and two Leeches around it also suffered the same fate.
The improved Volcano Skill not only had fast Spellcasting but also a Cooldown of only a short second, less than half of the First Tier Firestorm. It was simply the perfect Skill for continuous targeted strikes.
Thus, my finger became a death warrant, continuously pointing at the densest areas of Monsters. Each time I pointed, a Fireworks display erupted within the Monster group, instantly taking the Life of over a dozen or even dozens of Monsters. Before long, the Little People vanguard, which had surged forward like a tide, was burned into pits by Volcano, while the Leeches received my special attention. Of the dozens of spirited Leeches, only five or six remained.
At this point, the closest Little Person was less than ten meters away from me. And the Firestorm I had begun to Charge Up long before casting the improved Volcano was already ready. The rolling crimson Fire Ball floating in my palm was pressed down into the Ground by me.
Triple Firestorm. Modified Version 1.
The Firestorm that sank into the Ground did not erupt upwards in the form of a Fire Pillar in a certain spot like the previous times. Instead, it formed a Fire Wall over one meter high on the Ground, then extended in an arc towards the Monsters. The Little People at the front were startled when they suddenly saw a Fire Wall several times taller than themselves rushing towards them like a tsunami. They immediately panicked, but there was no time to escape. After the roaring Fire Wall swept over them, only charred Corpses were left behind.
After the Baptism of the Triple Firestorm, only a few dozens of the original hundreds of Little People remained. Taking a deep breath, I continuously gulped down several Mana Potions without Pause, taking advantage of this Opportunity to recover. Little Snow and the others didn't need my Command; they had already charged forward. The continuous stream of small Ice Arrows that followed closely behind them even overtook them, killing several already dying Little People first.
Ice Arrow Splitting Magic, a Magic Technique I learned from Tia. A few days ago, out of boredom, I taught it to Three-No Princess, who happened to be an Ice Mage. What I didn't expect was that a Technique I couldn't even use proficiently was learned by Three-No Princess in less than half a day. Now, she has surpassed her teacher, setting the fastest record for becoming proficient that I have ever seen.
That's why I hate high Intelligence children; they're too discouraging...
Next came the combination of Thornwood Fiends and Forest Hunters. Hundreds of massive Thornwood Fiends charged together, their enormous Bodies shaking the nearby Ground. The Forest Hunters constantly weaved between the massive Bodies of the Thornwood Fiends, using them as shields as they charged forward.
I sneered. Being a bit bigger in Size and having a slightly smarter Brain wasn't necessarily useful.
Thinking this, I quickly switched to a Staff. A basketball-sized Fire Ball arced through the Air with a red Tail, shooting towards the Thornwood Fiend group with a whistling sound.
Why didn't I use the improved Volcano? After several days of personal Experience, I found that the Molten Lava sprayed by Volcano was very fierce, but it was simply too fierce. It instantly roasted the Thornwood Fiends into charcoal, failing to achieve some of the better effects. Skills like Fire Ball and Firestorm were different.
"Rumble—"
The Fire Ball that just touched the Thornwood Fiends immediately exploded. The compressed High-Temperature Flame instantly enveloped the Space within a two-meter radius. After the explosion, the burning Thornwood Fiends let out painful Wails, constantly struggling. The raging Great Fire on their Bodies spread through contact, causing Serious Damage to the adjacent Thornwood Fiends. The Forest Hunters dodging within had no choice but were forced out of the Thornwood Fiend group, exposed nakedly to the Air.
See, this is an effect that Volcano cannot achieve. Sometimes, a Skill isn't necessarily better just because its Power is greater.
Seeing that the Forest Hunters had lost their protective umbrella, I wouldn't miss this Opportunity. I Commanded Little Snow and Poison Creeper to cut them off from the Monster group, then surrounded and Annihilated them.
"Whoosh whoosh—"
Just as the Thornwood Fiend ranks were thrown into chaos by the Great Fire and the unprotected Forest Hunters were screaming under the Ghost Wolves' assault, the situation seemed to have completely shifted in our favor. Just then, dozens of water pillars suddenly erupted from the River, and a large group of red Swamp Dwellers leaped out from within.
A Sneak attack from behind? I had considered this possibility when choosing the Riverbank as the Battlefield. Without rushing, I Commanded the two Ghost Wolves protecting Three-No Princess to meet them, and then called back the other two Ghost Wolves from the front, leaving only Little Snow and Poison Creeper. Then I focused on slowly roasting these Thornwood Fiends. Four Mutated Ghost Wolves dealing with dozens of Swamp Dwellers – if they couldn't win like this, then I should just buy a piece of Tofu and smash my Head against it. Ah, it seems there's no Tofu in Diablo...
Three-No Princess's Cold Magic wasn't very effective against the Thornwood Fiends, so she turned to help the four Ghost Wolves deal with the Swamp Dwellers behind us. With her exquisite Magic Technique and incredibly high calculation Ability, she quickly controlled the Battlefield, making the bodies of all the Swamp Dwellers turn red and blue alternately, their Speed sometimes fast and sometimes slow, making them utterly pathetic. Cold Magic is renowned for controlling the Battlefield, and combined with Three-No Princess's computer-like calculation Ability, it was simply like a tortoise matching... oh, wrong. Like a wolf... also wrong. Forget it, everyone understands...
Little Ghost didn't fall behind either. Healing Spell, Strength Art, Life Recovery, Holy Shield, Cure Poison – she cast these incredibly useful Skills effortlessly, bestowing them upon us, making the entire Team – especially the Ghost Wolves in Melee Combat – feel as if they had been injected with stimulants. Now you know why the Ghost Wolves listen to Little Ghost the most besides me, right? Besides this, she could also spare time to tease the Monsters with Exorcism.
The role of a Cleric in a Team is to amplify the Team's overall Strength/Power. This means the stronger the Team itself is, the greater the Cleric's role. Undoubtedly, if I didn't have the abnormal Ability to use Other Class Skills, Little Ghost's role in the Team would be much more prominent.
When the last Thornwood Fiend crashed to the Ground, burning with raging Great Fire, I let out a long breath and sat down limply. This wave was the third one. Dead Dog should calm down now, right? Seeing the Ground covered in Golden light and the soaring Experience, I couldn't help but feel happy again. In a normal Trial, it would take at least half a month of Effort to gain this much Experience.
But before I could rest for a while and clean up the Gold Coins, Potions, and Equipment scattered all over the Ground, Dead Dog's strange roar came from the Forest again. Damn it, didn't I tell it to calm down? Does it want to exhaust me to death?
Speaking of Dead Dog, I only discovered a certain Ability of its a few days ago, an Ability that wasn't really an Ability: Monster Luring, invincible Monster Luring. It was practically a walking Full-Screen Taunt machine. Even Fara's Crystal Ball paled in comparison to it. Basically, wherever it went, Monsters followed. It was even more popular than Tang Sanzang.
And in the Team, there happened to be an Existence that was the complete opposite of it: Three-No Princess, a Character whose Presence was zero when she wasn't speaking. That sense of Void was even effective on Monsters. Several times, I noticed that as long as she didn't actively Attack and provoke Hatred, most Monsters simply acted as if she didn't Exist, walking right past her and charging towards me, who was further away.