Demon Ambush

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Imps are a vicious species of demons, they're natural invaders that are well-organized and also highly social with one another, they also hold strong grudges and often forge strong companionship bonds, unlike the savage and barbaric goblins, Imps do care about one another, and when one of their tribe members die, they make sure to find the culprit and kill it at all costs.

When they heard the Imp, we found crying in fear, the bastards immediately moved here. It appears that this entire forest, specifically speaking, the second layer that we had to cross to reach the third layer where the Giant Wild Boards unhabituated, was already filled with Imps to the brim.

This was bad, it means that they're multiplying faster than I had originally thought. We had come here to hunt Giant Wild Boars, but they might had as well gone extinct if they were already hunted down by these many demons.

"More Imps?!"

"Wait, four?!"

"No… five!"

The group of hunters quickly reassembled together around me and Gradus, as they glanced at the Imps emerge from the bushes they were holding rusty weapons and had angered expressions in their faces, looking down at the corpse of their friend, their faces grew constantly bitter.

"Blake, stand behind and heal whoever is injured…" said Gradus.

"Okay, I'll let my spirit participate in the fight, is that alright with you?" I asked.

"Ah… Yes, well, okay." Said Gradus.

"Then I am in your care." Said Eleanora with a smile.

Despite her form resembling a little vampire girl with a cute dress, she was deadlier than they could ever imagine, and I was about to showcase them what my spirit was truly capable of.

For the moment, I had thought about using the x10 EXP Card I had acquired to get a lot more of EXP, if there were five Imps here, that would be 2000 EXP, but if multiplied by x10, that would be 20000, enough EXP for me to level up again.

Should I do it or save it for later?

I don't think there is any better time than now that I am being helped by other Hunters, by myself I wouldn't be capable of fighting five at the same time, if not more to come soon, although the card only works for an hour, it is enough for me.

I quickly took the card out of my bag and used it with a simple thought, the card turned into bright green light, but because it was inside of my pant's pocket, nobody saw what happened]

[You have activated the X10 EXP Card]

[You will gain ten times more EXP for an hour!]

[Your spirits will also be benefitted]

Whatever Lucifer was thinking by gifting me this, I don't care, I will use this to my heart's content and level up again! And there was something else I had not known before, apparently spirits can also gain x10 EXP from this glorious item, meaning that Eleanora will most likely level up at the same time as I would, excellent.

"Eleanora, use Shadow Sneak and your Blood Thread to trap the Imps! Behind their backs, and then attack them lightly, while letting the other Hunters finish them off. As long as you participate in the fight, we'll get the EXP!" I said to her through telepathy.

"Understood!" she said through telepathy as well.

FLASH!

Suddenly, Eleanora shrouded herself in shadows and dived into the shadows of all the hunters, and then jumped around, reaching the shadows of the trees nearby. This was her strategy; she had the ability to turn herself into shadows and attack from behind! The other people watched in surprise at what she did, but I knew that Eleanora was someone amazing already.

"Where did she go?!"

"She disappeared!"

"What kind of magic was that?"

"Don't worry about it, she'll help." I said.

"Men! Don't let the Imps get the first blow, fight!" roared Gradus, at the same time as the Imps jumped towards us, all five of them circled around us.

They coated their weapons with Demonic Energy and viciously began to clash against the hunters, while one of them stayed in the back and suddenly began to fire Demonic Flames at them.

BOOM! CLASH! CRASH!

Luckily, most of the hunters were carrying wooden shields and were able to protect themselves from the fireballs being fired occasionally, all while resisting the clash against the Imps as best as they could.

"RAAA!"

Gradus roared furiously as he shrouded his spear with mana and then flames lighted up from the element of his spirit, the flames shaped as a furious dog as I saw something I had not seen before, his spirit was nowhere to be seen… it had fused with his spear.

"Spirit Weapon Infusion!" he roared, as he clashed against one of the Imp's shields, and his spear attack unleashed an explosion of flames, blowing the Imp away through the air.

BOOM!

"Gryyarrr…!"

The Imp clashed over the floor and tried to crawl back, but I held a big and round stone I had in my bag and fired it straight into his forehead, striking him down.

CLAASH!

"GRYAR…!"

One down.

Gradus looked at me with surprise. The stone I had fired was infused with my Qi and that was why it was so powerful and fast, but he didn't knew this truth, even less that I had a Skill that helped me at throwing things and increased the damage of impact they caused.

"I-Incredible, Blake!" he said.

"It is nothing! Let's concentrate in the fight, sir!" I said.

Gradus nodded strongly as he agreed with me, the battle was still on and there were another four Imps to fight, they were viciously attacking the other Hunters, who were notably weaker than Gradus, they were all mostly in defensive stances, giving openings to the Imps from left and right.

Three of the Imps were unleashing weapon techniques infused with demonic energy, while another was attacking from the back with magic, pressuring the group.

But then, Eleanora attacked.

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