The ground beneath me exploded, and I barely managed to Quick Step out of the way as the centipede burst from the earth, striking at where I had stood just a second ago.

  In hindsight, I should have expected this to happen.

  I didn’t wait for it to retreat again.

  Activating Nature’s Howl, I felt a surge of power rush through me as my attack speed and power increased. I fired three arrows in rapid succession, each one hitting its mark in the centipede’s exposed underbelly.

  The second shot had already finished the centipide off, but regardless, the third found its way into its lifeless body as well.

  I crouched down to process the creature, my fingers brushing over the glistening chitin of its corpse. Unlike the beetle, this one was available for processing.

  The plates coud most likely be used to craft heavy armor, which might not have been of much use for me, but they might be starting to be sought after materials soon.

  As for the mandibles and the venom gland, I will have to ask an alchemist about them. However...

  I had exactly zero silver as of now, and I was owing Stone one gold coin, so I needed to find a way to make some money again.

  With that thought in mind, I tightened my quiver, adjusted my bow, and pressed forward. Carpa wasn’t far now.

  On my way I have killed all the centipedes and beetles I encountered. Interestingly enough, I haven't seen these creatures in the morning, when I went from Carpa to Riverhead.

  Maybe they only appear around dusk.

  As the last Burrowing Centipede collapsed, its segmented body convulsing in the dirt before going still, I checked my experience bar.

  EXP

  9,400/25,000

  I still had a long way to go.

  I crouched beside the carcass and inspected my loot, my heart rate beginning to settle. The forest was quiet now. In fact, it was almost too quiet. The usual ambient sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal cries were gone.

  Something's wrong.

  I wasn't sure if it was due to my high dexterity stat, but I felt the change in the evening air; something, or someone, was watching me.

  The slight snap of a twig gave away their position. Behind me!

  I turned sharply, flawless reflexes, but even then it was almost too late.

  THUNK!

  An arrow streaked through the trees, faster than I expected. I twisted at the last second, but the projectile aiming for my head still grazed my shoulder, a shallow cut burning across my skin. I leapt backward into a defensive stance, nocking an arrow as my eyes searched the treeline.

  Figures emerged from the shadows. The first one was a familiar face. His hawk-like features twisted into a grin beneath the hood of his hunting cloak. His bow was drawn, another arrow already nocked and aimed at me.

  Three more surrounded him. A rogue, daggers spinning between his fingers, a druid in moss-covered robes gripping a wooden staff, and a lancer with a long, wicked-looking spear resting against his shoulder.

  A balanced party. A ranged specialist, a melee damage dealer, a healer, and a frontline fighter. This wasn’t a random encounter. This was an organized ambush.

  Lorrando smirked. "You are hard to surprise, aren't you, Orion?"

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  "I'm not keen on surprises usually," I answered. "Can I help you, guys?"

  "Try helping yourself first," The ranger said, his grin turning into a pressed line. "You think you are so great, huh?"

  "I usually like my achievements to speak for me, Lorrando," I said, appearing calm, but deep down I knew that I almost definitely don't have a chance against a party of four on my own. Not to mention, my opponent was not someone to be taken lightly. "That's why, unlike you, I came in first at the archery competition."

  I still decided to try and get him angry. Anger was not a helpful companion, and if I could throw him off balance with some badmouthing, I was all for it.

  "You embarassed me back then, you know?" Lorrando barked, his attitude not matching his calculating appearance. "But fine, you won there. Let's see how you fare in a real fight, though!"

  "Of course, you want to prove something," I deducted. "Whether it is to me, to your mates or to yourself, I don't know. Nor do I care, to be honest."

  As I said that I immediately used Flaming Arrow, targeting the druid. If they have a healer, I have to take him down first.

  My attack almost hit but the lancer used a skill unknown to me, spinning his spear and redirecting my attack towards the treeline.

  The rogue laughed under his breath. "Well, mate. We figured a good old-fashioned beatdown would be a lot of fun."

  He vanished in a blur, activating some kind of stealth ability. Lorrando loosed another arrow, but I Quick Stepped sideways, the projectile barely missing me.

  The druid chanted, slamming his staff into the ground. Vines erupted from the earth, snaking toward my legs, but he was too slow. I jumped backward, nocking another arrow. Piercing Shot!

  The empowered arrow tore through the air, striking the druid square in the chest. He staggered, his health bar dropping by one third.

  SLASH!

  I barely dodged in time as the rogue appeared from nowhere, one dagger slicing across my ribs. My health bar dipped dangerously. He followed up with a second strike, but I rolled under it, creating distance.

  "Nature’s Howl!"

  A surge of power rushed through me, my attack speed and power increased, and I planned to make use of the sustain the skill and my bow's passive gave me.

  Lorrando’s next arrow struck my shoulder, but I landed two arrows in the druid, healing me for a nice amount.

  The rogue and the lancer attacked me simultaniously, while the druid started channeling a regenerating spell to save his life. I couldn't let him heal up, otherwise all my previous effort would have been in vain.

  I activated Catapult Legs just as the two melee fighters tried striking me with their skills, jumping straight ahead, dodging them and decreasing the distance between me and their healer at the same time.

  All of them were surprised. Even if they scouted ahead and tailed me for a longer time, it looked like they were still not familiar with Catapult Legs.

  Flaming Arrow just came off cooldown, and I used it to finish the druid. Shooting him from a point blank range, he had no time to react, and nobody could save him either.

  As he collapsed to the ground I felt a surge of pain in my back. Lorrando's Piercing Shot had connected.

  I had about half of my health remaining and I was still facing three opponents at the same time. Healing for them was not an option now, but I still didn't like my odds.

  They didn't let me catch my breath. The lancer used Spear Rush, catching up to me and although I dodged the initial strike, I was hit by Sweeping Strike, forcing me off my feet.

  The rogue used Eviscerate, but he was a little late. As he was about to sink his blades into me, I activated Quick Step once again, dodging both his daggers and the sneaky Flaming Arrow that was sent my way by Lorrando.

  Nature's Howl's duration has ended, and it was still on cooldown for quite a while, just like Quick Step and Catapult Legs.

  I started running, creating some distance, but their teamwork was pretty good and I found myself quickly cornered. I kept dodging the arrows and the daggers from the rogue, but the Lancer had appeared behind me and used a terrifying skill.

  "Vortex Lance!"

  As the skill hit me from point blank range, it pulled me towards their group and continously drained my health as well.

  Lorrando nocked an arrow and as he was aiming, his arrow turned pitch black.

  "Black Bolt!"

  Just before the skill hit me, the CC effect from the lancer's skill wore off and I activated Leap Attack just in time to dodge, firing an arrow at the rogue.

  This took them by surprise as they were certain this was the end of it, and by the time they realized the fight was still going on I activated Piercing Shot, hitting both the rogue and the lancer at the same time.

  The rogue tried to use his Vanish skill once again, but he was in melee range, and with minimal health left. I quickly pulled my Goblin Knife and planted it in his neck. It didn't do too much damage, but my strength stat was already pretty high, so it did just enough to finish him off.

  Two down, two to go.

  This thought might have sounded appealing, but in reality, I was out of skills, out of mana and had about 10% of my health remaining. I kept dodging, but both Lorrando and the lancer were pretty good at keeping up with me. I couldn't afford to make a mistake.

  I kept evading their attacks and fighting back for as long as I could, occasionally the healing effect of my bow proccing and saving me from certain death. My life was quite literally hanging by a thread.

  Lorrando nocked an arrow, determined to end the fight. At the same time, the lancer's Spear Rush came off cooldown. They used their skills simultaniously, and soon after I realized that I didn't have enough mana to use Leap Attack.

  I put up a good fight, I thought. I just hope I'm closer to Carpa than to Riverhear. I don't want to start the journey back home from the beginning.

  I couldn't dodge.

  But I didn't have to.

  Another Deus ex Machina, huh?, I thought.

  Spear Rush was intercepted by a swordsman in scaly medium armor and a black helmet, and while Lorrando's Piercing Shot connected, I was already getting healed by the Cleric skill, Mend Wounds, keeping me at a steady 5% health pool after suffering the shot.

  At the same time another rogue, in forest green attire and a dark hood had stepped out from behind Lorrando, putting his right blade pointing right to his neck.

  For a moment, everyone was standing still.

  "Would you look at that, guys? It's our old friend, Lorrie!" the rogue said sarcastically. "Long time no see, pal!"

  "Scale..." Lorrando gritted his teeth, but he didn't try moving. "What are you fuckers doing here?"

  "Minding our own business, as usual." A girl said behind me, and when I turned I saw another familiar face: Alysanna, from the same archery competition I have met Lorrando at. "Too bad you're just always precisely in the way, isn't it?"

  "Shut up, bitch!" the lancer said, but just as the words left his mouth, flames engulfed his whole body and flame-like serpents appeared out of nowhere. He still had about 60% of his health left from our encounter, but the spell wiped him out instantly.

  "You're foulmouthed as always, Caine."

  A mage stepped out of the treeline, standing next to Alysanna. "I guess it was time we taught you a lesson once again."

  "Why are you interfering with our things, Cyrus?!" Lorrando asked furiously. "You have no business here, get out!"

  "We would, with pleasure," the mage named Cyrus said. "It's just, you know... we still have quite a lot of unfinished business with Crimson Court. And..." he added. "I really don't like you ganging up on someone. It reminds me of the old days, you know?"

  "Fuck off," The archer said, veins popping up on his forehead. He started channeling a Flaming Arrow, but the rogue used two skills in quick succession, chipping away at his remaining health.

  "We will come for you once again, Cyrus. We will destroy whatever pathetic guild you make once again, just you wait!" Lorrando said before he hit the ground, dead.