Unexpected Ambush and the Confrontation with the Gnoll Leader

"As big as they are, their strength is no joke. I blocked it with my shield, but the impact was significant. If I hadn't leveled up enough, it could have been a disaster," Ethan said, still catching his breath.

Justin nodded in agreement with both of them. Frankly, he was also surprised to see the gnoll's head still intact after being hit by Black Missile. If they had come to hunt gnolls earlier, as previously planned, they would have had to run away.

The unexpected difficulty made Justin smile.

"It's a relief that it's challenging," Justin said.

"What?" Derek looked puzzled.

"Think about it. Among the Pioneers, aren't we the strongest team?" Justin asked.

"That's true," Derek agreed.

"But if we have this much trouble dealing with them, how about the others?" Justin pointed out.

"...!" The teammates exchanged glances. The other groups had always been more negligent about leveling up compared to them.