Chapter 23: Meat Wall

Eon flew around for hours, watching every movement of monsters beneath, looking for any opportunity to get. The inhabitants of the forest began to move as the sun rose higher in the sky. The entire area was filled with monsters fleeing from Peasant armies in order to save their lives.

As he looked around, he noticed a noticeable change in the monsters lurking on the Red Island. Many of the lost and trapped monsters who had been stranded on the island for weeks had been eliminated. It was a foregone conclusion on an island populated by Peasants in large numbers with impressive hunting abilities. The number of monsters was rapidly dwindling, and soon the only monsters left with the Peasants would be the Slugs, which could reproduce almost as quickly as the Peasants hunted them down.

Because not all monsters could reproduce as quickly as the Peasants and Slugs, they were being annihilated before they had a chance to reproduce. Soon, the monsters on the island would be insufficient to feed the Peasants' massive colony, and they would attempt to cross the river to support their colony. And every time the Peasant colony attempted to cross, it always ended in a large-scale war.

There were only a few survivors left, but it also meant that those who made it this far were strong enough. Unlike the first ones who were eliminated as soon as the Kanundra Hell's Gate closed, those who remained and struggled were the most powerful and fit of all. They were stronger and more capable, and they survived by killing peasants and other monsters. This also meant that the colony's most powerful peasants were coming out to hunt those whom the weaker peasants couldn't handle themselves.

Powerful monsters began to swarm everywhere. It was the most dangerous time to be on the Red Island for monsters lurking in the land. When the weak were eaten or killed in order to survive, and the strong were constantly fighting to live another day. It would end in one way or another, just like the previous monsters who tried to survive here: they would be exterminated by the never-ending army of Peasants. It was a common occurrence on the Red Island, and every time it occurred, the trapped monsters were almost always wiped out.

However... It was the best time for a bountiful harvest in Eon's case.

Eon waved his wings as he followed a herd of Small Higante Boars fleeing from a horde of Peasants on their way to apprehend them. Hundreds of peasants focused their attention on the massive walls of meat as their target. A group of Small Higante Boars who had survived this long and crushed every army of Peasants who tried to kill them.

***

Race: Small Higante Boar [Level: 7/10].

***

HP: 61/70

MP: 47/70

Top Speed: 14 km/h

Defense: 0

***

A group of seven Small Higante Boars, one of which was level 7, three of which were level 6, and three of which were level 5. Outside of the Red Island, they were feared and awed as one of the most dangerous monsters in Kegali's great forest. This was not surprising given how devastating their attacks could be, and they could evolve into one of the largest monsters in this forest. However, it was not entirely the same in the Peasant evolution line's territory. Because on this infamous island, they could only be seen as exceptionally difficult to catch tasty food, nothing else.

***

Race: Peasant [Level: 9/10].

***

HP: 90/90

MP: 87/90

Top Speed: 18 km/h

Defense: 0

***

One level 9 Peasant led a swarm of level 1 red knights. Over 300 of them banded together and worked under the command of one of the colony's most powerful peasants. Because level 2 and higher peasants had their own group to lead, powerful peasants tended to bring an army of Level 1 peasants. However, with their overwhelming numbers, level 1 Peasants were more than enough.

Their main goal was to become pawns to wear down their opponents, specifically forcing them to use all of their mana so that their leader could easily take them down. Those who survived and managed to land even one attack would level up, while those who died trying would be easily replaced.

The seven Small Higante Boars gradually reached their limits after minutes of running around. The massive and heavy bodies of the Small Higante Boars had taken their toll; unlike the Peasants, who would have no problem engaging in a long winding chase, they were already exhausted after that long run. After all, they were designed to be heavy-hitting, powerful walls rather than runners. Although the Peasants were slower, the ones who could keep going in a chase won.

When they ran out of strength, the seven muscular giants built a barricade out of their tough bodies to serve as their final haven and line of defense. As the massive army that had been relentlessly pursuing them arrived, they watched with bated breath. The red knights marched out of the trees, led by their level 9 leader.

Eon landed on one of the trees while watching the event that was about to happen. His gooey eyes scrutinize the two warring factions. Even at first glance, the battle's outcome was predetermined; it was seven against 300, and quality over quantity would not apply to the battle's impending outcome.

Eon's gaze was drawn to the Peasant leader. The army it led easily surrounded the Small Higante Boars, who appeared to be floating in the middle of a red ocean. There was no way out. Eon's head extended when he saw the level 9 Peasant's mandibles close and open, sending a visual signal for everyone to see. Eon growled and spread his wings, flying around and watching the battle from above.

The Peasant army charged and threw their heads toward their prey, beginning a brutal battle. The corpses of the peasants who died as a result of the destructive attacks of the Small Higante Boars followed. The Small Higante Boars easily thrashed the Peasants in terms of power. However, their mana had a limit, and the Peasants' main goal was to wear it down, which they were doing admirably, despite dying in the process.

While everyone else was fighting and all eyes were on the Small Higante Boars in the middle of the battlefield, Eon flew stealthily and as fast as he could. He swerved around the trees and descended his talons for a quick grab, his gaze fixed on the level 9 Peasant standing away from the danger, waiting for the enemies to exhaust their MP.

[Lethal Augmentation has been activated.]

Eon swooped in from behind the level 9 Peasant and grabbed its massive head with his talons.

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

The level 9 Peasant shook for a split second before attempting to break free from Eon's grip. Although the Peasant was much smaller than Eon, its strength was far superior to his. It easily pushed Eon's talons away from its head by simply using its powerful legs. Eon lacked the strength to defeat, let alone fight, a level 9 Peasant one-on-one. If he did, he would lose.

He, on the other hand, had no intention of fighting it.

Eon threw the level 9 Peasant into the middle of the formation of the Small Higante Boars before the Peasant could finally escape his weak grip and retaliate against him. And as the level 9 Peasant charged into the Small Higante Boar's barricade, Eon flew above to divert the Small Higante Boars' attention and dived right in the middle of them. It was a quick motion. By hurling the strongest Peasant right in their faces, all attention was diverted away from him.

[Lethal Augmentation has been activated.]

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

[Lethal Augmentation has dealt 20.2 damage.]

The Small Higante Boars roared in response to the pain. The strongest of the Small Higante Boars attempted to retaliate against Eon by waving its tusks with its skill, Tusks Strike. However, as it shifted its gaze, Eon was already soaring in the air, and a powerful mandible of death grabbed it. The attack was launched by a level 9 Peasant. The strongest Small Higante Boar was killed in one strike by the level 9 Peasant.

The other Small Higante Boars then retaliated by concentrating all of their final attacks on the level 9 Peasant. A barrage of Tusk Strikes from level 6 and 5 Small Higante Boars was too much for even the level 9 Peasant to handle, thanks to their racial exclusive skill, Heavy Hitter.

Before dying, the level 9 Peasant managed to land a Savage Bite and eliminate one of the Small Higante Boars, while the other 300 Peasants finished off the remaining five in one fell swoop. At the same time, the level 9 Peasant and the seven Small Higante Boars died.

The battle had ended almost exactly as expected, with the level 9 Peasant among the dead, which should not have happened. The level 9 Peasant should have been the one to finish off the seven Small Higante Boars after causing them to lose all of their MP, but it was thrown right in the middle of the danger and died as a result.

The battle was over, and neither side could be considered a clear winner.

Because the true winner of this battle was Eon, who was flying around and watching the battle from a safe distance.

It was a successful harvest.

[You have received 10 experience points.]

[You have received 6 experience points.]

[You have received 4 experience points.]

[You have received 4 experience points.]

[You have received 4 experience points.]

[You have received 2 experience points.]

[You have received 2 experience points.]

[You have received 2 experience points.]

[You have gained a level.]

[You have increased your Strength stat by one.]

[You have increased your Agility stat by one.]

[You have increased your Intelligence stat by one.]

[You have been awarded two skill points.]

[Your HP and MP have been replenished.]

Eon took off from the scene. It was pointless for him to fight an army of Peasants, including newly leveled ones, head on. His mission accomplished, it was time to look for another opportunity on the other side of the Red Island.

***

Race: Lesser Teplonide [Level: 5/10] [Exp. Points: 11/25].

***

HP: 50/50

MP: 50/50

Top Speed: 10 km/h

Defense: 0

***

Stats:

Strength: 5

Agility: 5

Intelligence: 5

***

Damaging Active Skills:

Lethal Augmentation [MP Cost: 9] [Level: 9/20].

[Imitation] Savage Bite [MP Cost: 18] [Level: 9/20].

**

Non-damaging Active Skills:

Deceitful Shapeshifter [MP Cost: 1]

**

Passive Skills:

World Conqueror's Perception.

**

Skill Points Available: 2

***