I am the Enchantress!

Chapter 36 Underground Hunter

"Burning Hand!"

The ruby ​​at the top of the oak staff suddenly lit up, and blazing flames shot out and flew into the sky.

Using a staff allows for more freedom in choosing the angle of release when casting spells.

This is good news.

Afterward, Wilder spent an hour charging the [Magic Missile] into his staff, preparing for tomorrow's mission.

He returned to the Colt Inn in the evening.

Talia was having dinner on the first floor when Wilde sat down opposite her and ordered a set meal with fried fish.

"How did the mission go today?" he asked.

"Successfully." Talia nodded. "I gathered fifteen clumps of Ancient Beard Grass and received seven silver coins."

Wilder paused, sensing that something was amiss.

"Isn't each Ancient Beard Grass worth fifty copper coins?" he questioned. "You should have received seven silver and fifty copper coins, so why are you short fifty copper coins?"

"Oh, I almost forgot."

Talia reached into her pocket, took out a plant with fluorescent white patterns, and handed it to Wilder.

"What is this?" Wilder asked.

"Ancient Beard Grass." Talia tilted her head. "Here you go."

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Didn't you say this kind of grass is pretty?"

She blinked her pale blue eyes and asked.

"Well……"

Wilder took the herb and remained silent for a long time.

She actually remembers?

"Did you meet up with friends today?" Talia changed the subject.

"Yeah, we're going on a mission together tomorrow."

"How much is the fee?"

"Two or three gold coins each."

"So many!" Talia's eyes lit up. "Can I come along?"

Wilder shook his head.

"Let's wait a while, until you've mastered the combat skills to deal with monsters."

Taking Talia now would not only be useless, but would also distract her from protecting her.

Talia rested her long, slender index finger on her snow-white chin, as if trying to recall whether she possessed that ability.

Finally, she bit her lip.

"All right."

Then she continued eating, head down.

After dinner, the two went upstairs to their respective rooms.

The meeting time is very early tomorrow, so Wilder quickly washed up and went to bed early.

……

The next morning, Wilder got up very early.

Not finding Talia on the first floor of the tavern, he found a single table and enjoyed a bowl of sweet oatmeal porridge and two freshly baked rye breads.

He paid with half a loaf of bread, patted the head of the calico cat in the shop, and then left the hotel satisfied.

Half an hour later, at the entrance of Tiewen Town.

Cyrion and Gru stood together.

"Has Joffrey not arrived yet?" Wilder asked as he walked over.

"He went ahead to scout ahead," Gru yawned, clearly still half asleep. "A competent wanderer."

"Who knew he was going to scout ahead..."

Cyrion gripped the hilt of his sword. "Or did you just circle around and plan to follow us?"

"Then I don't want to be at the back." Gru immediately perked up and strode forward.

Wilder shook his head with a wry smile, intending to walk at the very back.

Cyrion patted him on the shoulder and raised his chin, indicating that he, a mid-level warrior, should cover the rear.

D.9 is located northeast of the town, about half a day's walk away.

They walked along the main road for more than an hour before turning onto a forest path.

The trees on both sides grew denser, the light dimmed, and the air was filled with the scent of pine resin and raw grass.

Around noon, they finally arrived at area A.9.

Joffrey had already arrived.

He crouched behind a rock on a low slope, his black leather armor covered with fallen leaves and cobwebs.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around and made a "shh" gesture.

Cyrion and the others walked quietly, bowing slightly as they approached Joffrey.

"It's just ahead."

Joffrey lowered his voice.

Wilder peeked out from the edge of the rock and looked in the direction Joffrey was pointing.

Ahead was a relatively open space with sparse trees. Sunlight streamed through gaps in the tree canopy, illuminating a raised mound of earth in the center of the open space.

Look at it more closely.

That's not a mound of earth.

It was a huge, grayish-brown back, with thick, cracked hides, like a weathered clod of earth.

The gaps in the leather armor were filled with soil and fallen leaves, blending seamlessly with its surroundings. If it weren't for the slight undulations caused by its breathing, one would never have guessed that it was a living creature.

Shark Lizard Beast.

With half its body buried in the soil and only its protruding back exposed, it gives the impression of a colossal creature whose size is only partially visible.

Wilder swallowed hard.

"This beast is bigger than a giant spider," Gru muttered to himself.

"Now, let's set up the tactics."

Cyrion picked up a twig and sketched something on the ground.

"I'll draw the Shark Lizard Beast's attention with my shield, Gru will attack from the flanks, and Joffrey will provide mobile support. Don't let that beast get away."

Joffrey nodded.

"Wilde, your command spell is key." Cyrion looked up at him. "When the shark-lizard beast shows itself, you're responsible for keeping it still."

"I'll follow you," Wilder said.

"Yes, after you cast the spell, I'll jump onto its neck and deliver the fatal blow!"

As he spoke, Cyrion planted the branch into the ground.

Tactical arrangements are complete.

"Let me find a suitable spot first."

Joffrey disappeared into the bushes with lightning speed, barely disturbing the leaves.

"Gru, I can take the hit head-on, you don't need to attack from the side," Cyrion suddenly said.

"Then what should I do?" Gru asked.

"Keep an eye on that loiterer and watch out for his sneaky moves."

Gru paused for a moment, then immediately understood what Cyrion meant.

"Got it, that guy should be easier to kill than the Shark Lizard Beast."

The battle begins.

Cyrion raised his oak shield and walked step by step toward the open space at the bottom of the slope.

Gru followed behind, keeping an eye on the massive gray-brown back while keeping a watchful eye on the wanderers in the canopy.

Wilder walked at the very back, his right hand gripping his staff tightly, surging magical power flowing through his body.

Fifty feet.

Forty feet.

Thirty feet.

The ground suddenly shook.

It noticed.

The grayish-brown back lifted up.

The soil fell off the carapace, revealing the complete body, which was more than twenty feet long.

Its head is triangular like a shark's, with an extremely wide jaw, a very long and deep mouth, and layers of conical sharp teeth arranged inside its mouth.

"Waaah—"

It emitted a low hum.

Wilder instinctively gripped his staff tighter.

The animal language that others couldn't understand clearly sounded like two words to him:

"food."

Cyrion took a step forward and began his sprint.

"It's in!"

Wilder followed closely, and to give Cyrion enough time to swing his sword, he had to use the [Command] at close range as much as possible.

Ten feet.

The fishy smell emanating from the shark-lizard beast grew stronger.

Cyrion's veins bulged, his round shield in front of him, and his long axe in hand, as he charged out with a whoosh.

Wilder was completely absorbed.

He was ready to freeze the beast in place if he took just a few more steps closer.

Just then—

"boom!"

A loud bang.

The shark-lizard suddenly turned its head towards the ground and slammed it in.

The next second, its entire body stood upright, and like a shark entering the sea, it burrowed into the ground along with its head, leaving only a deep pit on the ground.

Cyrion paused, frozen in place.

Did it run downstairs?

How do we fight this?

The wind rustled through the trees, making a soft, eerie sound.

Suddenly, a figure darted out from the treetops and pounced straight at Cyrion.

The dark leather armor slammed into him, sending him and Cyrion tumbling several feet away.

"Joffrey, I knew it..."

Cyrion's face hardened, and he gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, ready to strike.

"boom!!!"

An even louder roar made him stop abruptly.

Right where Cyrion had just stood, the ground suddenly collapsed, and rubble flew up.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, the shark-lizard beast's head emerged from the ground—

It opened its blood-red maw as if to devour everything.