Chapter 20 – A Tough Battle

'Level 20 Wizard Lizard and six level 18 Elite Lizardmen.'

Atlas studied the situation calmly and analyzed it as best as he could. Dealing with the Wizard Lizard would be their priority because it had higher Intelligence compared to Elite Lizardmen and could cast powerful spells.

On top of that, it also had a shielding skill that would deflect 25% of magical and physical damage taken. In short, it was troublesome.

But it also had a high HP for a Lizardman. The environment was also not ideal for a fast-speed combat.

"We should've learned a new skill, At. Now I kinda regret it." Ferin mumbled under her breath as she took out her spare HP potion from the inventory and kept it in her mouth, ready to drink it.

"I agree with that." Atlas sighed and readied his staff. "The wizard first, then the elite. Do that move Breeze taught you in the past. We don't need to worry about stealing his spotlight since we're not recorded."

"Gotcha!" Ferin replied and took a stance with her sword, "Protect me in case they counterattack."

"You can count on me."

Ferin's trust in Atlas was unconditional, and Atlas always trusted Ferin too.

'Let's kill them.'

As a starter...

"[Mana Bolt]"

A blue bolt shot out from the tip of his staff, aiming toward the Wizard Lizard who was preparing to cast a spell. The mage didn't have a chance to react to the sudden attack and was hit directly in its face.

The Lizardman was thrown back against the tree behind it and fell down on its bottom. It was still alive with 84% remaining due to the shielding skill it possessed. And it was even a critical hit.

'That was just 16%. A wizard has more HP than a Mage or even a Warrior. It's a second class, after all. The boost is massive.'

"Here I come!" Ferin dashed forward while shouting. She appeared in front of the Wizard Lizard within a blink of an eye with her sword raised for the slash.

An Elite Lizardman blocked her sword with its own, clashing against Ferin's weapon. It hissed while pushing Ferin's blade away with brute strength alone.

The other lizardmen prepared to join the fight by moving closer to her with their weapons drawn. However, Ferin was too quick for them to catch up.

"Whoa!" She yelled loudly as she jumped back to dodge a swing from an Elite Lizardman. Her bunny ears twitched left and right while she landed on the jutting root behind her. 

By now, all Lizardmen were grouped in one place.

"At!" 

"Got it!"

Atlas thrust his staff forward and a large ball of fire shot out from the tip of his staff toward the Lizardmen group. The fireball traveled through the air in a blink of an eye, exploding at the center of them and burning everything in its radius.

Elite Lizardmen and the Wizard Lizard were caught in the explosion. Their health dropped greatly from being caught in the open area.

The couple's strategy to hunt Lizardmen was simple. Ferin would be a vanguard, taking the aggro of her target and buy time for Atlas to shoot them with his skill while Ferin dodged their attack and killed them with her fast-speed technique.

However, the Wizard Lizard's HP wasn't affected by their initial attacks at all. It only decreased to 71% as it cast another shield.

Still, the other Lizardmen's HP was reduced to 40 to 50%. Seeing that, Ferin kicked out the tree and jumped to another before kicking the trunk even before she fell down. It was a double jump that was taught by their friend, Breeze, in their first run.

Another kick on the trunk. 

She appeared behind the Elite Lizardman and stabbed her sword into its neck before slicing its throat. She couldn't get closer to the wizard situated at the back of the group, so she chose one with lowest HP to decrease their fighting force.

Hissing, the five Lizardmen jumped at Ferin while aiming their weapons at her. But...

"Oops~!" Ferin jumped onto the ground and dashed backward instead. The Lizardmen's attack missed and they were left confused and open for another attack.

But, the magic Wizard Lizard prepared had finished charging. It aimed its staff at Ferin and released the spell.

"Hisss!"

A green blob was shot out from the staff's tip. It traveled through the air toward Ferin in a straight line. At the same time, a fireball was launched from Atlas' staff and headed toward it.

Green and orange magic clashed against each other midair before exploding and disappeared in a puff of green smoke. Ferin was launched aback from the shockwave while her HP was reduced by 30% by the residual damage from the clash.

"I told you to be careful of them! They can cast high level skills at us." Atlas reminded her before he launched a [Mana Bolt] at the Wizard Lizard to interrupt its spell. "That thing is the main target, Fer. Just focus on it. Don't mind me at all. I can hold on for a few seconds again the Lizardmen even if they get close."

"Sorry~ I was careless, At." Ferin drank the potion in her mouth and her HP recovered slightly, increasing by a few percent each tick and ending at 73%. "Leave this to me!"

With a bright smile on her face, Ferin ran toward the Lizardmen's group again, her speed doubled by activating her skill, "[Dash]!"

"Hiss!"

The Elite Lizardmen raised their swords again. Two of them moved like trained soldier and rushed at Ferin while raising their shields to block her attacks. They were acting like a wall between their Wizard and Ferin.

But it wasn't enough to stop her. She ducked and slid down below one Lizardman's shield with her sword stretched out. Her blade stabbed into its waist and cut through its thick skin smoothly before the light reflected on her weapon.

As if predicting it, Atlas' spell already hit that Lizardman straight on its face. Its HP reduced to 8%, and Ferin gave it the final blow by stabbing her sword into its face and ending its life.

[Ding! 1x Level 18 Elite Lizardman has been defeated!]

[1x Elite Lizardman Hide obtained.]

Ferin breached their defense. Only 5 Elite Lizardmen were left, one with a really low HP from getting attacked by her at the initial clash. It only had 5% remaining HP.

'Get him, Fer.' Atlas smirked at the sight and shot a fireball at the Wizard Lizard at the back again.

Noticing his smirk, Ferin nodded and ignored all the Elite Lizardmen. She focused on taking care of the most troublesome one that could do a lot of damage to them.

Naturally, the Wizard's guard turned around to protect it. But, not all Lizardmen went after Ferin. 3 out 5, with one having 5% HP left, rushed toward Atlas. They understood that he was dangerous.

Atlas waved his staff and sent a [Mana Bolt] toward the Lizardmen with the lowest HP. It dodged the bolt easily.

It was perfect. Now, the three were grouped close to each other.

Grinning evilly, Atlas pointed his staff at the ground, right between them. A fiery ball appeared in front of it and grew rapidly. Within seconds, it was big enough to engulf them.

"Goodbye." He thrust his staff forward and launched it at them, "[Fireball]!"

The ball traveled through the air in a straight line, creating a wave of fire behind it, burning everything in its path. It exploded in the center of the Lizardmen group and raised a big cloud of smoke into the air.

A direct critical hit.

[Ding! 3x Level 18 Elite Lizardman has been defeated!]

[1x [Uncommon] Broadsword obtained.]

[2x Elite Lizardmen Claw obtained.]

[1x [Common] Adventure Boots obtained.]