The Third Guest in Gorge
(10 points...?!)
Tyler was quite astonished by the benefits brought by skill upgrades. You see, before the upgrade, his total Dexterity points were only 12. However, "Heart of Focus" increased by 10 points just by going from level 1 to level 2, almost doubling his points!
Compared to the slow accumulation of 1 point at a time when leveling up a profession, the benefits of skill upgrades are truly remarkable!
(Understood, now let's start grinding skill proficiency.)
However, despite saying that, magic energy is still limited. In this Sandrift Gorge, Tyler must use magic energy with a plan.
Otherwise, if he runs out of magic energy at a critical moment, the loss would be irreparable.
He who has magic energy has hope.
·
Afterward, Tyler systematically executed the still-living spotted hyenas on the ground.
Tyler had seen in "Natural World"(documentary) that spotted hyenas are highly intelligent and excel at teamwork.
If he allows them to escape, they might bring more spotted hyenas tonight and surround him in the dark, leading to his demise.
Extermination is the way to survive in the wilderness.
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Spotted Hyenas
Life Energy: 3/26
Endurance: 2/29
Magic Energy: 0/0
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Tyler glanced at the status information of the last spotted hyena and ended its life.
Through this encounter, Tyler gained some new information.
Firstly, wild creatures have individual differences. The values of spotted hyenas vary, whereas in a game, there would be copy-pasting.
Secondly, the damage caused by each arrow shot by Tyler would change depending on the hit location. For example, a headshot can instantly kill a spotted hyena, while hitting the leg would only cause around 5-8 points of damage.
The final point is that battles in this world will never be purely about numerical comparisons. Skills, equipment, tactics, and other factors greatly influence the outcome of battles.
In this encounter, although Tyler's values were not much higher than those of the spotted hyenas, he was able to fight eight of them alone, relying on superior equipment and the right tactics. However, if the situation were to change and Tyler were ambushed by spotted hyenas at night, the outcome would likely be different.
(Even if I encounter enemies with values far stronger than mine, I must never give up thinking...)
·
After finishing touches, Tyler gazed at the lifeless bodies of eight spotted hyenas lying on the ground and let out a sigh.
In terms of quantity alone, Tyler could be considered to have had a bountiful harvest, but these hyena carcasses were of no use.
Not only did hyena meat have a dry texture and a pungent taste, but due to their frequent consumption of decaying flesh, their meat also harbored a plethora of pathogens. If Tyler were to consume their meat, it would be nothing short of inviting trouble upon himself.
Therefore, Tyler merely retrieved the arrows he had shot and continued on his journey.
Along the way, Tyler encountered numerous wild animals intermittently. After parting ways with the caravan, the frequency of wild animal encounters noticeably increased.
(Something is amiss...)
(This phenomenon cannot be explained as a mere "coincidence.")
Tyler pondered for a moment and concluded that the root cause behind this difference lay with Granny Kasi.
When he was with the traveling merchant caravan, it was due to Granny Kasi's presence that he enjoyed a safe journey.
As a level 67 Mercenary Sage, Granny Kasi might have quietly utilized some skill that deterred animals and monsters from approaching.
With this in mind, Tyler suddenly realized!
(Perhaps... the target of the mountain collapse was not me.)
Tyler speculated that the assailants attacked him because they dared not provoke Granny Kasi. Now that Granny Kasi had been "invited" out of the gorge by the attackers, Tyler's situation was likely to become perilous.
·
As the sun rose and set, darkness descended once again.
After a day of travel, the Gudetown Cavalry had entered the Sandrift Gorge. Avril and Rhode still remained with the troop.
Throughout the day, Laidell led the cavalry unit in searching for demons in the gorge, but they yielded no results.
Similarly, Avril and Rhode did not find the sandrift flowers they were looking for.
In order to achieve their respective goals, the group had no choice but to continue deeper into the gorge.
Now, nightfall had arrived, and the cavalry unit made camp in place.
The gorge was fraught with danger, and the identity of the nocturnal assailants remained unknown. Although the cavalry unit was far from being exemplary, they could still be considered allies on the same front. With this thought in mind, Avril abandoned her initial intention to leave the group and decided to stay with Rhode.
"Avril, I'll take the first half of the night shift, alright?"
"Yes, I'll leave it to you."
Avril didn't expect much from Rhode's watch, but having a fellow villager by her side brought her a sense of tranquility.
Moreover, only by keeping Rhode close could Avril ensure the protection of Elle.
·
Soon, the midnight hour passed, and Avril slept soundly, knowing she could rely on Elle.
Within the camp, the crackling of the bonfire provided a lulling white noise, interrupted by an eerie hiss, repeating the same strange sound from the previous night.
Yes, the same eerie sound had returned once again.
Elle immediately awakened from her shallow slumber, feeling a shiver down her spine caused by the sound.
(It's that creature from last night! It has come again!)
Elle tightly gripped her weapon, holding her breath in anticipation. To ensure Avril's safety, she chose to hide inside the carriage rather than take the initiative to confront the threat.
From Elle's perspective, the soldiers outside were merely "human shields," and she wished they would engage the "enemy" rather than her risking her life to protect these foolish soldiers.
As time passed in this wait, the hissing sound gradually approached the camp and then slowly receded.
The camp once again returned to its calm state.
·
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〖Prison Star Calendar〗
〖Year 187, May 25〗
〖6:11 AM〗
〖Countdown to Confession Death: 26 days〗
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After two days of arduous travel, Viviana finally arrived at Sandrift Gorge.
She dismounted, soothing her sore butt from the jolting journey, and instructed her horse to wait nearby. Then, she proceeded on foot into the ravine.
Throughout most of her time, Viviana had been engaged in battles with demons on the frontlines. She had grown accustomed to the relentless onslaught of these creatures rushing towards her.
But now, as she gazed upon this nearly desolate gorge, as she realized she had to seek out the demons herself, a sense of excitement stirred within Viviana.
(Will the Rock Shadow Demon be a creature resembling a stone demon? Since the Gudetown Cavalry had come three times to exterminate it without success, it must possess exceptional camouflage skills.)
Viviana approached the base of the rock wall, summoning forth her Floating Crimson Sword. With the sword's assistance, she effortlessly ascended to the pinnacle of the wall, surveying the overall panorama of Sandrift Gorge.
(A winding and narrow terrain...)
(One side of the rock wall is perpetually shrouded in shadows...)
(Rock Shadow Demon... shadow...)
Though inexperienced in worldly matters and susceptible to deception by "certain: scumbag, Viviana possessed unparalleled combat expertise and battlefield acumen among her peers.
Within half an hour of arriving at Sandrift Gorge, she had already gained insights into the possible hiding places of the Rock Shadow Demon.
At that moment, Viviana suddenly detected an unusual presence behind her. Swiftly, she lunged with her sword, aiming to strike at the unseen threat...!