Back to New Herbal (part 3)

"..."

Vernlily glared at the notification while finishing the maintenance of her equipment and returned to her post at the gate to inform the hunters that it was okay to go out and salvage whatever materials were left after the onslaught.

"Good job, as always. Go get some rest at the inn; tell your aunt that your drinks are on me today."

"Sure, I'll do just that."

The unofficial leader of the village hunters called out to her as the group ventured out, and the black-haired girl nodded at them without much enthusiasm.

Instead of doing what was suggested to her, Vernlily leaned against the gate and tilted her head so that she could glance outside.

"She gives me shivers."

As she expected, the hunters began talking behind her back after only taking a few steps outside the village's wall.

"With that Class of hers, she's basically a monster. She even has her own territory – how is that different from monster spawning ground?"

"And she doesn't say the names of her skills out loud, too, just like monsters."

"That's precisely why it's stupid to get on her bad side. What if she stops considering you or me an enemy? Do you want to try your luck with that monster girl?"

The hunters talked amongst themselves while approaching the fresh corpses.

"You'll end up like this thing."

"System almighty...! I've seen week-old carcasses in better condition than this."

The man called Callum pointed at the remains of the Stone Fang wolf that got hit with Vernlily's chain skill, and another hunter scoffed with disgust.

"It actually makes sense that Victor's savage foundling is so smitten with her. He was found in the woods, so she must remind him of the monsters that took care of him until then."

"Pfft! That's a good one~!"

"..."

The hunters worked while mocking not only Vernlily but Zorey too, and the black-haired girl gritted her teeth, glaring out of the gate and staring intently at the man who dared to speak like that.

[Villager – unable to target]

Shockingly enough – for Zorey witnessing the vision – a rather outrageous notification has popped up in Vernlily's vision.

"... if I get a quest that will require me to help any of you, I will gladly f..."

Verily started muttering to herself, but the vision cut off and was replaced by another one even more abruptly than the previous one.

*khhhhhhing* *khhhhhhing* *khhhhhhing*

It was a dark starless night with thick clouds covering the sky, and Verlily was sitting cross-legged on the ground outside the village wall with her back against the closed gate.

*khhhhhhing* *khhhhhhing* *khhhhhhing*

She was using a fresh whetstone to treat her shortsword, and her silence, coupled with her burgundy eyes glowing in the darkness and the sound of sharpening the tired metal, made for an eerily menacing scene.

As for the reason why she was even putting on a show like that...

[Defend the village's gate from the 4th monster wave – 0/9 -]

The notification on the upper side of the girl's vision explains everything.

It was the fourth day – or more precisely, night – since the original quest mentioning the monster wave appeared. Each day a new guest would appear, but it would never take the black-haired girl by surprise.

After all, Vigilance never deactivated even for a second.

The girl wasn't saying anything, but this time her thoughts were shared with Zorey.

| It's good that since it's pointed out in a quest, the monsters will attack the gate and the gate only, so I don't have to worry about defending any other spot. But if it's like that, then why can't it also specify the time that the attack will begin?|

Verblily thought while her glowing eyes were scanning the area in front of her.

...she obviously had the night vision skill – and apparently, it was a reward for taking care of the 2nd wave...

Actually, judging by the rewards being bonus status points and skills, for Vernlily, it appeared that the System itself was far setting her up to win and get stronger.

But why...?

|Wait...! I get it...!|

The black-haired girl perked up and thought to herself with excitement.

|My Zorey must have received some amazing Class, and he will make New Herbal his base of operations, and the System is making sure that I will be able to defend him from the shady competitors trying to use underhanded methods to prevent him from succeeding!|

She thought to herself in a take that any third party – anyone besides Zorey, at least – would consider a delusional one.

"We will make such a perfect pair! Ehehe~!"

Without letting go of either the whetstone or her shortsword, Vernlily pressed the bases of her palms to her cheeks and fidgeted, giggling happily at the prospect.

"Grrrr...!"

"...!"

[Race: Iron Fang wolf

Rank: D

Level: 23

Stats: (High-level Appraisal skill necessary for viewing)

Skills: (High-level Appraisal skill necessary for viewing)]

In response to the girl's voice, a monster's growl came from the right, and as soon as the Vernlily glared that way, a Status Window of a beast just like the one that almost ended Zorey's life popped up in her vision.

And it was not only a higher level than the one that Zorey encountered, but it was also a completely healthy one – at least, that's what it appeared like.

"Tsk. Boss monster of the 3rd wave appears as the mob right at the start of the 4th one?"

Vernlitly clicked her tongue, standing up and taking a battle stance with her shabby shield raised and her shortsword prepared.

The monster and the girl charged at each other.

"GRAAAAH!"

*WHAM* *WHAM* *SLAM* *CRACK*

The beast took a leap at the girl to knock her off balance but instead got a few of its teeth broken when it got countered by a well-aimed shield bash.

*THUMP*

"..."

*SHING* x33

Not giving the creature a chance to recover, Vernlily's eyes shone even brighter as she activated her chain skill and unleashed a series of slashes.

Even though Iron Fang wolves weren't defense-oriented, it was clear that despite connecting, the attacks dealt the minimum damage of 1 HP for each hit, still ending up being quite a good result altogether, but not sufficient to...

"Hmph."

*SHING* x264

[You defeated Iron Fang wolf]

[EXP points granted]

[Level 20 → Level 21]

[All base stats incressed]

[Your skills have leveled up]

As if it was nothing unusual, the girl scoffed with annoyance and linked together at least eight Skills, fully using the opportunity she created for herself, and despite dealing the lowest damage possible, she killed the monster that would prove a challenge to an adventurer who managed to advance to C rank.

"Eight more to go."

Vernlily said coldly, shaking off the blood and scraps of meat and fur from her sword that gained a few additional chinks, and returned to her spot by the gate.

She didn't sit back down but instead was looking around, scanning the area for the rest of the wave...

But the 4th wave turned out to be different than the previous es in which the monsters would come in bulk like the proper tidal wave.

There was a certain amount of time that had to pass from the appearance of one creature before the next one showed up.

[You defeated Iron Fang wolf]

[EXP points granted]

[Defense quest – 4th wave – completed]

[Quest reward granted]

+20 HP, +4 DEF, +3 MDF]

[EXP points granted]

So despite the fact that the first one showed up at night, it wasn't until the daybreak of the new day that the ninth creature was slain.

[Vigilance]

"...tsssss..."

Vernlily breathed out through her teeth, seeing the quest update change back into the name of the Skill that was keeping her functioning.

She wasn't expecting the series of quests to be over, but she wasn't able to stop herself from hoping that the 4th wave would be the last...

...but of course, the Vigilance Skill remaining active extinguished that light at the end of the tunnel...

The black-haired girl didn't need rest or even a break, but the same couldn't be said about her equipment.

Whenever she was unsuccessful with blocking or parrying the monster attacks, her rusted chainmail and thick gambeson would take the brunt of the hits rendering them useless at the cost of their durability and didn't have that much left in them.

Similarly, the makeshift shield made of planks could have used some replacement components as the parts used for the shield bash that was Vernlily's opening for most encounters were getting mushy and, , therefore, had reduced damage even though the stopping power didn't decrease all that much.

Not even mentioning the poor shortsword that already had so many chinks alongside its blade that it wouldn't be odd to mistake it for a blacksmith's first attempt at forging a saw.

"Better wake that old goat up."

The black-haired girl sighed, beginning to unlock the gate to enter the village and drag the local blacksmith out of bed for the much-needed maintenance and...

[You received a new defense quest]

[Evacuate the villagers before the beginning of the 5th wave]

[06:59:59]

"...eh...?"

But before she could even take one step inside the walls, a new quest announced itself to her, causing her to let out a shocked gasp.

Evacuate the villagers.

Not – protect the villagers.

Not – fortify the village.

Not even – prepare for the 5th wave.

Evacuate the villagers.

"!!!"

The chill of realization went up Vernlily's spine, and she bared into the village, running full speed to the elder's house.

The vision changed once more.