Chapter 16: Beast Hunter

Chapter 16: Beast Hunter

The players in Odin's party didn't pause like the NPCs acting as observers to the show and instead took on some Wild Beasts by themselves as their party leader instructed them.

Only Eve remained in the back, watching the spectacle Odin was placing, waltzing left and right, ensuring that his Zephyr's Swiftness wasn't wasted by chatting with the soldiers confused by their intervention.

Zephyr's Swiftness had transformed Odin into something otherworldly, a Demonic Reaper that crawled his way out of the Abyss and was hellbent on killing anything in his path. 

The Soulrend Blade glinted in the dim light, mincing the flesh of the Wild Beasts, with Odin doing his attack rotation, his Mana never-ending.

Odin's attack rotation was simple but deadly, starting with his 'Swift Charge', a bootleg version of his Knight charging skill 'Courageous Charge' that made the starting combo easier to pull as it had a short 0.5-sec stun that worked like a charm when combined with 'Precision Thrust'.

His strike accuracy was reminiscent of a doctor performing surgery, as he found the mark in the throat of the Mutated Wild Beast. 

The creature can barely register the attack before collapsing in a heap. He didn't pause, immediately transitioning into 'Rapid Assault'. Four quick, successive strikes cut through the thick hides of two more beasts, their green blood spraying the ground as they crumbled under the sheer force of his attacks.

The soldiers, now transfixed, could only watch as Odin seemed to dance through the battlefield. 

His movements were so fast that they left afterimages, confusing the beasts that tried to track him. Every time they thought they had him pinned, he was somewhere else entirely, his blade slicing through the air with a sound like a whisper.

"Corporal Austen, who are those outlanders?" one of the soldiers asked, his voice tinged with awe. "The one leading them… he seems stronger than Sir Grigory."

Corporal Austen, a grizzled veteran with a keen eye for battle, squinted at Odin as he deftly dispatched another wild beast with a swift slice to its spine. The corporal had seen his fair share of skilled fighters, but this was entirely different. 

Odin's movements were too unnatural. There were certain times when he slowed down and saw the footwork of a Master Knight, but the window was too small for him to guess accurately as if he were playing a game that no one else understood.

"I don't know who he is," Austen replied, his brow furrowed in concentration as he watched Odin. "But he's no ordinary outlander. Look at how he moves, how he strikes. I've seen how those bastards fight against monsters and only rely on their 'Skills', so I find it hard to understand this individual."

"He's rarely using those 'skills' and instead fights them like us warriors. His strikes are also precise, which requires years of experience and a non-stop repetition of the movements."

Another soldier, a younger man with a nervous demeanor, chimed in, "What about the others? They don't seem nearly as strong as him. They're struggling just to keep up with those beasts."

Austen nodded, his gaze shifting to the rest of Odin's party. It was true.

While Odin seemed to cut through the beasts effortlessly, the other outlanders were having a much harder time. They fought valiantly, but it was clear they weren't on the same level as their leader. Their attacks were less precise, their movements hazardous and uncoordinated. 

In the chaos of battle, they were just barely holding their own. Only four individuals showed clarity in their actions. The blonde woman holding two daggers, a trademark of a Rogue, along with the Bard in the back rows, was raising the morale of his group with his inspiring hymns. 

Then there was the Druid using his Entangling Roots to slow the beast's movements and offer his healing.

"They're not bad," Austen observed, "but compared to him… it's like night and day. It's almost as if he's carrying the whole group on his back."

Another soldier, a stocky man with a deep scar running down his cheek, pointed toward Eve, who stood back from the fray, her arms crossed, making her large bosom be highlighted naturally as she watched the battle unfold. "What about her? She hasn't lifted a finger to help her comrades. Just standing there like she's too good for this fight."

The soldiers turned their attention to Eve, who remained still, her expression calm and detached. Despite the chaos around her, she showed no sign of concern or urgency. It was as if she knew that Odin could handle the situation on his own and that her intervention wasn't necessary.

"Maybe she's the leader?" the younger soldier suggested, his voice uncertain. "She's just watching, like she's judging how they're doing."

Austen shook his head. "No, she's not the leader. Look how she watches him. That's not how a superior looks at its subordinates. Just now I got a chill after she shifted her eyes at us. There's an immense amount of mana inside her."

"... She's a Mage, no doubt." Austen added, his voice carrying a hint of caution

"My guess is that she's just waiting for something bigger to appear. You know how some mages are, saving their mana for the real threats."

The group of soldiers murmured in agreement, but their curiosity was far from satisfied. One of them, a braver soul, decided to approach Eve directly, hoping to get some answers. As he neared her, he cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to catch her attention.

"Excuse me, miss," he began, his tone respectful but tinged with the boldness of a soldier used to direct communication. "Are you—"

Eve didn't even turn her head. Her gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, where Odin continued to carve through the wild beasts with terrifying efficiency. The soldier's words seemed to fall on deaf ears, as if she were in a world of her own, far removed from the chaos around her.

Undeterred, the soldier tried again, stepping closer this time. "Miss, we were wondering—"

This time, Eve's eyes flicked toward him, just for a brief second. The look she gave him was cold and piercing, sending a shiver down the soldier's spine. He froze in place, the question dying in his throat.

Without a word, Eve returned her attention to the battle, her expression unchanged. Now feeling more than a little foolish, the soldier backed away slowly, returning to his comrades with a sheepish shrug.

"She's not interested in talking," he muttered, clearly embarrassed by his failed attempt.

Austen, having observed the interaction, simply nodded. "Figures. She's got no reason to explain herself to us. But whatever's going on, she's not just standing around for no reason."

The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Odin continued his ghostly dance, spinning in place as he unleashed Whirling Blade. 

The wide, sweeping arcs of his sword created a deadly vortex, an AoE attack that cut down several beasts at once. The creatures were too slow to react to this storm, their bodies torn apart by the relentless force of the strikes. 

There was no stopping for Odin, whose MP barely reached the 50% mark after constantly spamming skills. This was all thanks to his high-rated accessories that would make even the biggest hater squirm in hatred. 

The Mana Regeneration, along with a decent level of INT points attributed to his character, made him a well-oiled machine. Usually, a Warrior/Swordsman/Knight Class would have trouble handling more than a handful of monsters at once because of the low Mana Resources, and this came to bite many people's butts with unwilling deaths at the hands of packs of mobs. 

This is not the case for Odin, who felt high on Zephyr's Swiftness. He felt unstoppable, his blade cutting down beast after beast effortlessly, his attack speed making him do double-hits in the spam of what usually was one blow.

As Odin approached the 24th wild beast, his movements slowed, not from the fatigue caused by a depletion in his Stamina Energy but instead from the ending of the Blessing of Wind. 

This was when he decided to end the spectacle and approach the NPCs while Noah, Alysha, Malfurion, Purphoros and the rest handled the remnants of the wild beasts that escaped his blade.

With two more beasts to entertain, he ended one with a Precision Thrust + Rapid Assault combo, while the last one, more vicious than others as it got in an Enraged State, charged at him with a feral roar. 

Odin met its charge head-on, his blade held high as he prepared his final strike.

Without any dramatics from him, he activated Mighty Strike, his sword descending with the force of a hammer. 

The blade cleaved through the beast's skull, splitting it clean in two. The ground trembled beneath the impact, the sound of the beast's death throes echoing across the battlefield. 

[You have slain the 'Mutated Wild Beast (Elite)', gaining the following rewards: 6,000 EXP, Beast's Claw (1x), Mutated Beast Hide (Rare), Corrupted Beast Blood (2x), 28 Silver Coins]

[You have leveled up! Congratulations on reaching level 28.]

Odin stood over the corpse of the 24th wild beast while in his ears was a mood booster, a folk metal instrumental song from his grandfather's era. He was more of an old-school guy who liked to listen to the music of the 2020s, unlike the cliché AI-assisted songwriting that made all of the popular songs have the same style.

Lowering the volume of the music in his ears to a dim level, he inspected the battlefield and a proud smile of his carnage couldn't be contained, all his eyes could see was littered with the bodies of the mutated creatures, expect for the pocket chosen by the newbies who didn't want to disturb him from his 'Zone State.'

'My head hurts a bit from all the activity that went on. Spamming Sovereign Insight isn't that 'smart' since I never knew you would get flooded with so many insights based on the monster type.'

'Whoa, I got so much junk in my inventory from those beasts. I'll need to sell them in bulk to the Adventuring guild when we return to Fullbaz City.' 

Checking his inventory, it was brimming with the bio-products of the dead Mutated Wild Beasts, and some Rare Equipment that he was keen on donating to the party members based on their performance. 

With this pause, he also took time to observe the newbies' teamwork, and it didn't take long for him to grasp their situation. 

'Hmm, they lack firepower against level 50 mobs, but props to them, they managed to kill 3 Wild Beasts by themselves and now are about to do it with the 4th one.'

'Let's leave it at that, and take care of the Soldiers and maybe proceed with the Villager's Rescue Quest before I search for the Goblin's tracks.'

[Quest in progress (Mutated Wild Beasts(A): 24/50)]

'The Quest is halfway done. I might struggle with the last monsters since this zone is cleared of Wild Beasts.'

As Odin walked towards the soldiers, already contemplating his next move and his team's progress, a sudden warning shout from Alysha cut through the air. "Fuck, Purphoros, you dumbfuck, use your Taunts!!"

"They are on cooldown, you annoying bitch!"

"Odin! Watch out!" warned Alysha from her battlefield, clearly angry that someone was missing a beat in his job.

Without missing out this looming presence, Odin prepared himself to counterattack. His hand instinctively moved toward his sword, ready to strike down the creature. However, before he could react, a familiar and hot breeze pulsing through the air passed by, causing him to pause.

Eve, who felt like a third wheel in the hunt of the 'newbies' finally moved a finger and acted to protect Odin. 

With a calm and collected expression, she raised her hand slightly, her fingers curling around the glowing Verdant Sphere that floated around her like a guardian deity. The artifact hovered around her, glowing with a deep, fiery crimson.

These spheres were a Unique-Rated Magical Artifact she earned from doing her Pyromancer Class Quest, a reward the Magician King, Borrel himself gave.

As she focused her mana, the spheres responded immediately, their glow intensifying to a fierce, molten red. They crackled with the raw energy of fire, each one humming with barely contained power. It was as if they were living embers, waiting for her to direct their fury.

With a casual flick of her wrist, one of the spheres shot forward, trailing a line of searing heat through the air. Eve's voice was cold and precise as she uttered the spell's name. "Scorch."

Instantly, the sphere erupted into a concentrated beam of fire, a lance of intense hot flames that streaked toward the charging Beast. 

The air around it shimmered from the sheer heat, and the very ground beneath it scorched and blackened as the fire cut through the space. 

The Wild Beast had no time to react, no chance to escape. It was completely engulfed in the scorching flames and incinerated within a second, reduced to a pile of smoldering ash.

Eve, watching the destruction she had wrought with a detached air, almost bored, lowered her hand as the Verdant Spheres, now dimmed slightly after releasing their power, returned to their orbit around her. They still glowed with the subdued heat of cooling embers, ready to be reignited at a moment's notice.

[Quest in progress (Mutated Wild Beasts(A): 25/50)]

"This is not fun," she remarked, her voice carrying a hint of disappointment. "They die too quickly even when I use the most basic level of Scorch. Shouldn't we do something grander before I go to sleep?"

The soldiers watching in awe and fear stepped back even further, their previous curiosity about Eve replaced with a palpable sense of dread. 

The ease with which she had dispatched the Wild Beast was nothing short of terrifying. They realized that she could have wiped out the entire battlefield in mere moments if she had wanted to. The thought sent shivers down their spines.

Odin, however, remained unfazed by the display of power. Instead, he smiled, a impish glint in his eyes as he looked at Eve. 

He reached into his inventory and pulled out a small vial filled with a dark, swirling liquid. It was the Magical Monster Bait he had bought from the Apprentice Alchemist back in Fullbaz. "Where would my fun go if we finish too quickly?"

Eve's expression softened, and she let out a melodious, almost villainous laugh that echoed through the hunting grounds. "Hohoho! Great minds think alike, love. But let's hurry it up. My game time is running out."

Odin nodded, his smile turning slightly bittersweet as he glanced at the in-game clock. "I'll ensure I'll not keep you from your beauty sleep."

As Odin reached Eve's side, he gently stroked her cheek, the gesture filled with affection. Mi-Jung, in turn, held his hand, showing her own affection for Mathias. However, their brief intimacy was interrupted when Corporal Austen, the soldier in charge, mustered the courage to approach them, followed closely by the other seven soldiers in his squad.

"Excuse me, sir," Austen began, his voice shaky, still reeling from what he had just witnessed. "I—"

Odin turned his gaze to the soldier, a calm yet commanding presence. The words died in Austen's throat as he found himself face to face with the tall man with intimidating crimson eyes as if he was a Legendary 'Night Creature'. 

"Go ahead, soldier. I took a pause to listen to your story."

"Who are you folks? Are you adventurers sent by the City? You even brought a powerful Mage with you. Would you mind explaining your mission? Are you the advanced ground of those arrogant outlanders who boasted of us begging for their rescue?"

Odin frowned momentarily when he heard why those NPCs were so skeptical of them as 'Chosen Ones' or 'Heroes' summoned by Goddess Rebecca to help the people of Nihilaine.

'I swear, if those maggots are messing the game's Main Questline in the future, I wouldn't mind forming an alliance with the main guilds and then placing a Ban on the low-lives from exiting their Graveyards.'

'Hah, forget it. You can't change a bunch of pigs regardless of how much you try to explain that these NPCs have human schematics and are akin to real human beings.'

Corporal Austen felt a chill when staring at Odin's crimson eyes, which turned icy for a brief moment, but they soon regained their calmness as he replied to the inquiry.

"We're not with the rest of the Chosen Ones. As for our mission? I think it's quite clear why we're in Madelaire Farmlands. To clear the monsters and earn some favors from the Marquis in the future. Besides, we're under the directives of the Adventuring Guild and carry the Greed Flag from Knight Aldric Valens."

"You've met with Sir Valens?" Austen's eyes widened slightly, his tone shifting to one of respect when he learned that Odin met the Commander of this campaign of cleaning the Monster Horde.

"If he allowed you to be here, my apologies for reacting in a hostile way. I didn't know. Usually, when 'outlanders' like you come to us, it is for suspicious reasons."

Odin nodded, acknowledging the soldier's words. "No offense taken. I understand your caution. But know that we're here to help, not to cause trouble. The situation in Madelaire is dire, and it's all hands on deck to handle the monster infestation. However, I would appreciate it if you gave me a rundown of how this mess happened."

As Corporal Austen gathered his thoughts, Odin's intense crimson gaze seemed to weigh on him, urging him to speak. The soldiers behind Austen shifted uneasily, still recovering from the awe-inspiring display of magic power they had just witnessed from Eve.

"Sir Odin," Austen began, trying to maintain a steady tone despite the palpable tension in the air, "the situation in Madelaire is worse than we initially thought. The monster attacks started just a few days ago, out of nowhere. First, there were just a few Wild Beasts here and there, nothing out of the ordinary. But then… the Horde came."

Odin's eyes narrowed slightly. "A Horde? What kind of Horde?"

Austen exhaled heavily, his expression grim. "A mix of creatures, Beasts, Goblins, Orcs, and even some monsters we've never seen before. They've been pouring out of the forests and swamps surrounding the farmlands, attacking everything in sight. It's like they've all been driven mad, attacking with a ferocity we haven't encountered before."

"The villagers… they didn't stand a chance. Most of them fled deeper into the countryside or tried to hide in makeshift shelters. Others weren't so lucky."

Odin listened intently, his expression unreadable, but his mind was racing. All the leads he had picked thus far pointed to some darker being corrupting those monsters who otherwise wouldn't have dared attack the Human settlements.

'Could it be that this is the hand of Yatan Church? Might be.'

"The Marquisate sent us to reinforce the defenses and evacuate the survivors," Austen continued, "but we've been overwhelmed. There are too many monsters, but thankfully, there are adventurers like you who can come to the rescue."

"However, matters took for the worse. We've spotted Goblins moving in organized packs, something they don't normally do. It's as if someone… or something is commanding them."

Odin's gaze hardened at the mention of Goblins. 'Goblins are always tricky as enemies. They can be low level cannon fodder or high-level mobs, depending on what scenario the developers envisioned when creating the content. Still, the Adventurer's Quest states that their upper limit would be at 100.'

'Who knows, quest details can be misleading at times.'

"And what about the village? How bad is the damage?"

Austen shook his head, his expression bleak. "Madelaire is in ruins as you can see. Most of the houses are destroyed, and those that remain standing are barely habitable. The villagers who didn't flee are likely trapped in their homes or hiding in whatever shelter they could find. We've tried to get to them, but the monsters have made it nearly impossible. Every time we try to break through, we're pushed back."

Odin nodded, taking in the information. Clearly, the situation was dire, but he was already formulating a plan. "The Horde… where are they coming from?"

"Mostly from the north," Austen replied, gesturing toward the treeline. "The Goblins have been using the forest as cover, while the Wild Beasts have been emerging from the swamps to the east. We've also had reports of other creatures, larger mutated things that have been attacking from the west but the Knights handle them under the Magrave. It's like we're being surrounded."

Odin considered this for a moment, then looked back at his party. Alysha, Noah, Malfurion, and Purphoros were still engaged with the remaining beasts, holding their own but clearly struggling against the higher-level enemies. 

Eve stood nearby, her Verdant Spheres still glowing faintly, with a look of mild impatience.

Turning back to Austen, Odin made a decision. "Corporal, here's what we're going to do. My party and I will handle the monsters. We're better equipped to deal with them, and frankly, we've got the firepower to take them down quickly. Your priority should be the villagers. Focus on finding them and getting them to safety, we'll pave the way to safety for them.."

Austen hesitated. "But, sir, with all due respect, if we leave you to handle the monsters alone, there's a good chance you'll be overwhelmed. We've seen what these creatures can do."

Odin's expression softened slightly, but his tone remained firm. "I appreciate your concern, but we can handle it. The more people we have searching for the villagers, the better their chances of survival. Time is of the essence, Corporal. Every minute we delay could mean the difference between life and death for those people."

Austen looked conflicted, torn between his duty to protect and his instinct to fight. But Odin's confidence and the power he had already displayed made it clear that this was the best course of action.

"Understood, Sir Odin," Austen finally agreed, his voice resolute. "We'll focus on the villagers. There are a few places they might be hiding… the church ruins, the old mill by the river, and some of the larger farmhouses that are still standing. We'll split up and search every corner of the village."

Odin nodded in approval. "Good. Move quickly, and don't take unnecessary risks. If you encounter any monsters, don't engage unless absolutely necessary. Your priority is the villagers. Once they're safe, we can regroup and deal with the Horde together."

Austen gave a crisp salute, his resolve strengthened by Odin's leadership. "We'll do our best, Sir Odin. Good luck out there."

"Same to you, Corporal," Odin replied with a slight smile. "Now go. The sooner we act, the better our chances."

'Ahh, persuasion is so overpowered when it comes to Role-Playing. I can't believe how smooth it was to convince those soldiers to work for me.'

With that, Austen turned to his squad, barking orders as they prepared to search for the villagers. 

The soldiers saluted Odin, who they now found was a Black Knight, after Austen whispered to them, and swiftly moved toward the ruined village, confident that Odin and his party would hold the line.

As they disappeared into the village ruins, Odin turned back to Eve, who was watching him with an amused smile. Her lips curved into a teasing smile, and she spoke in a light-hearted and flirtatious tone. 

"You're so handsome giving orders to others, you know? Watching you take charge like that, so commanding and confident... it's quite a turn-on ~" She let her gaze linger on him, her eyes trailing appreciatively over his figure.

Odin raised an eyebrow, caught slightly off guard by her sudden shift in tone. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

It was unfortunate that they were on a hunting ground and not close to an inn, so they had to make sure to catch up entirely from the missing skinship that was lost in his journey to Gravelmark.

Eve's smile widened, her lips curving sensually as she stepped closer to him. "Oh, absolutely, baby. "

Odin chuckled, shaking his head. "Someone has to keep things moving. Besides, I'd rather not spend all night in this hellhole."

"Also, we're in the middle of all of this, Mi-Jung. I know we've done it often after finishing dungeons, but we got those kids not far away. It's not exactly the best time for an interlude."

Eve laughed softly, her voice a low, sultry whisper. "Fair point. I know, but I can't help it. I've missed you a lot in the past week. No. Considering Satisfy World's timescale, it has been around a month since I've last felt you inside."

"Ahem, we're professionals here," Odin replied, his tone light but firm. "We can't exactly indulge in this hellhole. Lucky for you, I'm a professional, otherwise I'd have done it right here."

"Haha, moments like these make me wish we were back in an inn somewhere."

Eve playfully pinched his chest, her cheeks flushing slightly. "You pig, you said this, but we've done it in the airport's bathroom after you landed in Seoul to visit me." her voice was laced with affection and a touch of exasperation, clearly flustered by his thick-skinned bullshit.

Odin laughed, his eyes full of amusement. "Oh, how can I forget that? I wouldn't trade those moments for anything. But, let's take care of the monsters here. Let's do something grand, before I release you."

Eve sighed dramatically "I know, I know. Let's finish this quickly, then. I've got a beauty sleep to get to, remember?"

Odin grinned, his earlier intensity giving way to a more relaxed demeanor. "Right, mommy needs her sleep. It's time to test this bait from that kid."

"Heh, I got no reason holding back from luring all the mobs in this zone. They almost fucked up this entire episode by backstabbing the NPCs. They can flame me all they want on SkyNet."