Boom—!
The supporting pillar shattered under the impact of the explosive arrow. The wooden structure groaned as if in agony, then the roof and walls collapsed with a thunderous crash, filling the air with dust and smoke.
Veyra’s team of four shielded Barton and barely managed to dash out through a gap in the ruins.
“Cough, cough… good job, Phylline!” Veyra waved away the dust before his eyes—but in the next instant, his heart sank again.
In the open yard of the farmhouse, more enemies were closing in from all directions, while behind them, Gavin and his men had already smashed through the fallen beams and climbed out.
Nearly thirty against the four of them—and that was not even counting their burden, Barton the employer.
They barely managed to find a spot with their backs to a wall, forming a line of defense around Barton against the enemy’s assault.
Veyra moved like the wind. His curved blades drew arcs of silver light—sometimes retreating to parry, sometimes darting forward to counterattack—constantly breaking the enemy’s formation.
Fein crouched in the rear, her magic shield blocking most of the incoming arrows and spells.
Sirian chanted softly, reciting a prayer of nature. Vines would burst from beneath the enemies’ feet at critical moments, and the elf would seize those openings to step forward and stab with precision.
Meanwhile, his healing magic kept the others from bleeding out from accumulated minor wounds.
Yet the one contributing most at the moment was Phylline, who had drunk the Wind Whisperer’s Brew.
Her arrows, wrapped in pale cyan air currents, targeted the archers and mages positioned on rooftops and platforms first—some were struck down, others forced to leap away.
The four-person team fought in perfect coordination, but facing foes of equal skill and several times their number, the situation grew grimmer by the second.
Suddenly, Veyra caught sight of an enemy silently scaling the wall and dropping down, his blade cleaving straight toward Fein.
“Fein, duck!” Veyra shouted, spinning and kicking the ambusher away.
But in that instant of distraction, a poisoned bolt shot through the crowd, finding the gap in his defenses just as his momentum faltered!
Veyra felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder; a wave of numbness spread instantly through his body, his movements seizing up—leaving him open to a fatal strike from the nearest foe.
“Veyra!” Phylline cried out. Without a moment’s hesitation, she turned her bow and loosed an arrow wrapped in roaring wind, forcing the attacker to retreat in panic.
But that left Phylline herself wide open.
Gavin, who had been waiting on the edge of the battlefield, finally moved.
“To risk your life for your comrades… what a noble child! You deserve redemption!” He lunged, his clawed sword thrusting straight for Phylline’s back!
Phylline felt the killing intent at her back, but there was no time left to dodge or nock another arrow—she could only twist desperately to the side.
Clang—!
【Acceleration LV9】
【Scale Armor LV9】
【Physical Resistance LV10】
【Flowstep LV5】
Norris’s figure swept across the battlefield like a phantom, crossing paths with Gavin in a blink before flipping and landing lightly on the wall.
Gavin didn’t chase. Phylline had already recovered her stance—and besides…
He looked at his claw blade, now chipped at the edge, and narrowed his eyes at the newcomer’s gear.
No shield. Only a dagger, and that wasn’t even drawn until now. Then what in the world blocked my strike?
A minor question perhaps, but Gavin had already gauged the man’s strength—about gold rank. What truly worried him was that frightening speed.
That kind of movement—faster than even an orc’s reflexes—meant that if this man wanted to leave, they would never catch him. In that case, retreat would be their only option.
While Gavin plotted how to deal with this new threat, Norris was checking the scratches on the scales of his forearm, listening to Lin Jun’s shared intel in his mind.
“The guy you just crossed blades with—level 52, diamond rank. Prefers close combat, has several burst skills. Don’t go head-to-head. Oh, and behind that busted door on the left? There’s a sneaky crossbow bastard hiding there…”
Useful info—if only the boss didn’t sound like he was chatting over drinks at a tavern…
“Futile struggle!” Gavin roared, and the assault on Veyra’s group intensified.
Veyra saw Gavin’s intent. Parrying blows from all directions, he shouted toward Norris, “Friend! Thanks for the help! But don’t come down—he’s aiming for you first! Go to the city and call for reinforcements, forget about us!”
“Then you’re all dead?” Norris frowned. He didn’t know Veyra well, but this was the first time he’d seen someone ask to be abandoned like that.
“They’re too many! No choice!” Veyra blocked another strike, gasping. “I won’t drag you down with us!”
“That might not be necessary.”
“What?”
Before Veyra could understand—
“What’s that? Aaaah!”
The man hiding behind the door—the one firing sneak shots—suddenly fell out, then was yanked back into the room. A brief, sharp scream followed… and then silence.
“There’s someone else!”
Gavin tensed—but then relaxed when he heard the next sound.
Pujji—
No one in Mushroom City could mistake that noise.
Nothing serious. Just a Puji Master.
It must be one of the intruder’s pujis, then.
A golden-ranked Pujis Master wasn’t exactly common—but not unheard of, either.
Footsteps echoed. And sure enough—pujis appeared.
One, two, three…
As the yard filled with countless pujis surrounding the farmhouse, everyone shared the same thought: How many people came here?
But as the pujis charged, Gavin and his men quickly discovered—most of them were illusions, shattering at a touch.
“Don’t panic! They’re illusions!”
Yet before Gavin could even finish the order, he slashed through three incoming pujis—one of which turned out to be real!
And not just his. Across the field, others struck down real pujis that burst open—spilling a faint red mist of poison.
Realizing the toxin, Gavin and his men covered their noses—but it was already too late.
【Dermal Absorption】
After opening the passage between the Divinewood Dungeon and his own domain, Lin Jun had naturally made sure to acquire this skill.
At that same moment, a hand landed on Gavin’s shoulder. “The most terrifying thing is not illusion or truth—but when you can’t tell which is which. Burn.”
Flames engulfed Gavin. He roared in agony, turning to strike back even as his flesh charred.
A crystal shattered behind him—and Aiden’s body faded away.
One of Gavin’s subordinates splashed him with water magic, dousing the flames and catching him. “Priest, what now?!”
The battlefield had turned. Though many had swallowed antidotes in time, Veyra and Norris had already seized the opening to finish off several foes.
The worst blow, however, was to Gavin himself—wounded by someone he knew.
“That was Aiden, Fahl’s right hand! We’re in trouble… retreat to the basement!”
Not only Gavin but all his surviving men were dragged with him into the underground chamber.
Veyra and the others didn’t pursue—they were already at their limits.
Looking toward Norris, Veyra said sincerely, “Friend, thank you for saving our lives. It’s our first meeting—how should we address you?”