Jungle Expedition Part 5

Chapter 63 - Jungle Expedition Part 5

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The tension of the air starts to drastically change, as the pressure—unbeknownst to everyone but me—starts to creep up to everyone. As if, I was being stared daggers in all of my surrounding.

After a moment, a myriad of exotic flowers starts to sprout—both the ground and the walls, transforming into an insect eating bug which is horribly the same height as half the person.

The plant then starts to sprout and bloom at a ridiculous rate which means... It's coming!

"Everyone! Prepare yourselves!" I commanded, shouting at my loudest. "This is the worst outcome possible! Follow my words if you want to survive!"

""!!""

A cloud of green smoke started to emerge from the ground—forming into an appearance of a woman. After a brief moment and its cloudy appearance who looks like a spirit starts to solidify.

A pure green sprit woman menacingly stood at the center of the cave, emanating a spine-chilling aura that unusually didn't fit its manner.

That's right, the 『Boss』 in from of me is one of the 『Four Elementals』 in this world. And is the 2nd Strongest of the 『Elementals』—Alas, the monster I'm supposed to fight in order to survive.

Its name is called the 『Dryad: The Elemental of Nature』.

Finally starting it's move, the 『Dryad』 slowly rose its hand. At its obvious gesture, the bug eating plants starts to aggressively attack me by extending its stem towards my direction.

I immediately swung a two intersecting slash, creating a cross arc projectile that hovers in the process—slowly moving forward as it gets bigger at the same time.

The bug eating plants was halted on its movement due to my cross-slash arc knockback which keep them from moving forward—while damaging them at the same time.

I distance myself by grappling upward—then shouted at the girls who was currently stunned at the moment, looking at me split into concern and anxiety.

"Everyone, aim your weapons at the plants and make sure it doesn't get near me!" I shouted, bringing the girls back to earth. "Understand?"

""Y-yes!"" Everyone shouted simultaneously.

With the combination of "Grappling" and ⟨⟨Dash⟩⟩, I approach the 『Dryad』 by swinging myself into the walls of the cavern.

I then showered the 『Dryad』 with my sword's projectile once I close myself into the exact range of my slash.

[Elemental of Nature: Dryad (Corrupted): 51,845/53,550]

Tch! It will take me forever until I beat it. Just how long will I be able to hold this one off...

With total concentration, I drop into the ground and aggressively closed the distance between me and the 『Dryad』 then rapidly slash it with the sword's projectile while swiftly encircling myself into it.

My worries slowly start to fade as I only need to focus on the 『Dryad』 since the girls had started to snipe the plants that attack me.

Barrage of Arrows, A wave slash, Rain of Bullets, and a Black Laser we're showering my surrounding.

The girls who finally regained their composure calmly attacks any monster who gets near me with astounding precision. I'm really glad to the growth of these girls.

Furthermore, the 『Dryad』 was in stationary, so I don't really need to bother at anything other than attacking it while dodging in bare minimum.

[Elemental of Nature: Dryad (Corrupted): 48,476/53,550]

As expected, my sword was too underwhelming for this...

It is suggested to fight this monster, your damage would have to be at least ranging from 200-300 Damage Per Second (DPS). Unfortunately for me, all of my arsenal doesn't meet the requirements.

Not to mention this 『Dryad』 has a 2nd phase which is going to be a pain in the ass later on.

It's really regrettable, I had just gotten this sword then I got immediately slapped by the difficulty of reality...

"Master! Here!"

While I was left pondering amidst the most dangerous fight I've ever fought against, Luna loudly calls me and drop something pointy in my direction.

When I caught it, I widened my eyes in realization. What Luna dropped into my location—is the 『Gleam Sword』 that Luna is currently carrying. Good Job Luna!

"Thank you, Luna!" I shouted in gratitude. "I'll give you a pat to the head later."

I took a deep inhale and began to concentrate on my strength. I then activated the ⟨⟨Adrenaline⟩⟩ and starts to whack the 『Dryad』 with all my might.

""Guh?!"" The girls were struck in surprise when they saw me rapidly hit the 『Dryad』 which looks as if, I'm in a rampage.

Thanks to the ⟨⟨Adrenaline⟩⟩ and the 『Dryad』 HP was drastically diminished in numbers. Immensely dropping until it reached 75%.

It was at that point that the 『Dryad』 starts moving from its stationary position. It was finally starting to get aggressive.

My ⟨⟨Adrenaline⟩⟩ also unluckily run out and my Mana was fully exhausted, leaving me completely vulnerable in the process.

(Guhh...! Mana exhaustion feels like the same as being Mentally Exhausted... My body don't want to move at all...!)

"This is bad!" Akari stated, which alerted the trio. "Aruji-sama's Mana was fully exhausted which left him unable to move in repercussion. Everyone, focus on fending all the monsters that come to Aruji-sama no matter the cost!"

The girls' attack became fast and aggressive for some reason. Akari must have mentioned something to them. Ugh...! This is the worst timing possible!

The girls tried their best to fend off the insect eating plant like monsters, but one manages to slip past their barrage of projectiles and attacked me.

It didn't directly eat me—instead, the insect eating plant like monster charge itself and rammed at me—forcefully knocking me back and brutally hitting the walls of the cavern.

"Guha—!!" I forcefully spew out blood in my mouth as the pain also kills me throughout my body.

『Sai Crimsonheart HP: 489/800』

300 Damage?! You're kidding...! All it took was a desperate ram to harshly diminish my HP in an instant...?!

""Sai!!""

"Master!"

"Aruji-sama...!"

The girls voiced out their fear and concern seeing the horror of me being severely knocked away in quite a distance.

"Don't falter!" I kept my composure and took a breath to voice out a reassurance. "I'm okay! Just do your best and keep the plants away from me!"

The backlash from exhausting my mana has finally ended. So I took a [Potion] and rose into the rubble and ⟨⟨Dash⟩⟩ into the 『Dryad』 who was also approaching me with snail speed.

[Elemental of Nature: Dryad (Corrupted): 40,162/53,550]

I change my posture and strongly swung the 『Gleam Sword』 while stopping my movement at the same time before making contact with an enemy.

My momentum abruptly stops and my large swung directly hit the 『Dryad』, dealing a critical damage which dished out a huge quantity of 『Dryad』 HP.

One more time, I swung another round of slash to the 『Dryad』 while dodging some few monsters that manage to pass near the girls.

Using a two-handed sure is hard, and very heavy. Mostly using it against a 『Boss』 that deals high damage which is especially very risky.

Then suddenly, the barrage of projectiles that's protecting me by shooting it at the plants before had started to aim at the 『Dryad』.

When I check my surroundings, it seems that they've finally killed every existing of plant monsters that sprouted in myriad quantity earlier.

Now that the plant monsters are gone, it's time for the girls to focus their attacks at the 『Dryad』 who has no more minions helping it.

Big numbers were being diminished at the 『Dryad』 HP as we showered it with our attacks. It tries to spawn a small number of plant monsters, but it was being killed in an instant as it gets entangled to our range of attack.

Though, as much as I want to shout in relief, this 『Boss』 won't be killed pretty easily. And just like I anticipated, when the 『Dryad』 had reached the HP certain margin, it's demeanor change.

[Elemental of Nature: Dryad (Corrupted): 26,775/53,550]

"Eh...?"I can't help but let a voice out in utter surprise when I saw its next phase which I'm supposed to already anticipated.

The dryad shouted a deafening screech, causing us to instinctively cover our ears.

Not only another myriad of insect eating plant, large mushroom spore, and a bulb started to sprout all over the cavern. It was so fast that we cleanly saw the cavern turning into green in an instant.

"No way..." Lily who was seeing the sight of a terrifying occurrence can't help but utter a hopeless word, her eyes—along with the other widened as fear crawl up into their body. "How are we supposed to beat that..."

I'm currently hanging on the grapple as I watch the pure horror happening within my sight. Although I already anticipated this, I didn't think the real-life sight of it would be this frightening.

When the plants and mushrooms had reached its growth, the army of insect eating monsters starts to extend its stem towards me in haste—while the mushroom, who sprouted all over the place starts to release a thick fungal gas that hovers around the cavern—leaving me with few spaces to move into.

Lastly are the bulbs who started to shoot some seed bullet at high velocity in which I was forced to instantly dodge—barely hitting me as I grapple as fast as I can all over the place.

I let out a timid laugh, as I dodge everything with all my strength. "You've got to be kidding me..."

I grapple to walls and roof to keep myself midair while using ⟨⟨Dash⟩⟩ and ⟨⟨Double Jump⟩⟩ to change my position dodging for an upcoming attack. It was very hard for me to move thanks to the hovering gas that is starting to spread all around the cavern, let alone attack the 『Dryad』 whose following me in full aggression. It's also a bit faster than before.

"Everyone!" I shouted at the girls who's looking at me despondent. They can only watch me as I hopelessly grapple all around the places as not to hit by anything. "I'll keep the 『Dryad』 in bay! Meanwhile, focus your attacks at the 『Dryad』. Trust me!"

""!!""

The girls who heard my reliable tone of voice started to attack the 『Dryad』. I guess a catalyst of hope is all everyone needs to keep their courage in check. That's right! don't lose hope girls!

[Elemental of Nature: Dryad (Corrupted): 22,585/53,550]

Good, it's working. Now I'll just need to stall and dodge everything with my power. I know it's very coward of me considering I want to be the strongest, but this boss is currently too overwhelming even for us right now.

It will take us forever to beat it considering the lack of damage the girls can dish out against the 『Dryad』. Can I really keep dodging projectiles for a long time? No matter how good I may be, there would still be a chance that I get hit—considering I'm not a perfect human who can do anything without fail...

(A weapon, who can dish out a large quantity of damage. Anything as long as it can defeat the 『Dryad』 quickly)

Then suddenly, I remembered an item that fits the requirement possible. An item that can overwhelm anything, albeit that can defeat even a 『Boss』 stronger than the dryad.

"Haha... Hahaha.... Hahahahahahaha!!!" I can't help but let out a hysterical laugh. Perhaps I'm starting to go crazy due to the stress I accumulated fighting this 『Boss』 whose giving me the hardest time I've ever experienced in this world.

"Akari!" I called Akari which immediately shifted her attention to me. "Craft the 『Ricoshots』 and toss it into me. I trust you with this."

Akari who also realized this Gun's power immediately stops attacking the 『Dryad』 and starts to rummage through her inventory.

I know it's a bit underhanded but you're too strong even for me as for the moment. I'm sorry but I'm cheating my way to you—in order to survive along with the girls.