Blood streaked like a red crystalline liquid as it shone by the strong moonlight. A monkey slammed into a thick trunk, and its body exploded with a loud pop. Rue watched as its brain exploded like a balloon. A bear managed to push against the Kobold blobbing body, and Salar still towered over the huge bear somehow in a contest of strength. The bear was knocked off in a shoulder charge, throwing the huge creature off.

  Salar spun, both talons raked three horses that were pincering him, with Koala and two monkeys on top of them also caught in the sudden parting of flesh. Yet, after such a display of power, the animal did not relent.

  The lion, Musa, gathered dark mana around his claw. Fire blazed around its feet as it jumped, charging at the Kobold. Salar is able to block the lion’s swipe at the very last second. The Kobold got faster and faster as time went by. Musa whipped his tail down – propelling his body up and landing a raking slash across the Kobold's chest.

  Rue almost leaped in joy as he saw blood fly from the Kobold. The wound is not deep by any means, but it’s a sign the Kobold can be taken down.

  Salar swipes at the lion as it is still airborne. With no way to dodge, the lion tried to block with its leg. But then a stag gallop with that familiar glowing white antler. Cel rammed the Kobold back – pushing it forward, almost making the creature fall. His antler gore into its golden body – again, not deeply, but the blood is unmistakable.

  With sudden free space, the lion manages to get away. It howled loudly to the night – its cries picked up by various howls, hoots, and growls around Rue. The sound of pure anger of the animal resounded through the forest, their home. As if the forest approved, wind swirled around them, and leaves flew to the battlefield that was still ongoing.

  Cel had managed to deliver another wound, but before he could back away as the King almost pierced the stag with that tail of his. A Koala rider stabbed deep inside the wound the lion had created, the spear stab had serious momentum as he and the horses had galloped straight. The king howled, no doubt now feeling the pain, it claps the Koala along his horse and they exploded into red liquid.

  “They’re winning, right?” Rue asked Flan, who insisted that they find Eve and get a health potion from Rita.

  Eve is beside him, in her hip is a blue wand she had gotten from the frost chest. Beside her lay a shield that almost looked like glass, but if you touched it, it was cold like touching an ice-cube; this shield is Yom's reward. Yom himself, on the other hand, is awake now, with his hand slowly glowing with green ambience Mana. He had drunk five health potions, and Rue had to shut his mouth from asking why they didn’t just rely on Eve's healing. This seemed so… wasteful.

  “This is the last one we had, Rue.” Rita handed him a red vial.

  “Last one?” Yom perked up, his face still wretched from sweat and the mere horror that was very apparent. “I-Im sorry, we use all of that”

  “It's fine, really,” Yomi said from behind Rita. “It's only the right thing to do,” The HuGoblin finished.

  “Thank you seriously, both of you,” Yom said to Rita and Yomi. Rue just now noticed Yom and Yomi had a very similar name.

  Huh, funny.

  “Both of us need to help them,” Rita said. She gazed across the bloody grass filled with animal bodies. “This is what we’re here for.”

  “Paxwell calling us up above,” Yomi said, “Emily, Paxwell wants you to climb up to where he was, with Clerence.”

  “Climb up?” Emily gulped. The Flamingo around her was still pecking at her neck and hand.

  “Yes, something about him wanting to participate and coordinate with the monkeys for a ranged attack,” Yomi said. “Rita and I will be on melee.”

  “I will be joining Yomi,” Benedict said. He had been observing the battle, but Rue did not know what went on inside his mind. “They clearly won’t be able to win; they all will just get slaughtered.”

  “Are you sure, Ben?” Yomi asked. The sudden nickname drew Rue and Emily's attention. Rino, too, let out an accidental snicker at Benedict.

  Benedict coughed, clearly embarrassed. But Yomi just tilted his head, confused.

  “I think the animals will eventually win out,” Yomi pointed out.

  “It just doesn’t sit right with me,” Benedict said, pushing himself off the trunk. “ And I got a class change quest riding on this, too.”

  “You what?” Rue asked, a bit too loudly. How come he didn’t know about this?

  “Oh, yes, Paxwell mentioned something about that,” Clerence muttered.

  “I shall join too!” Gilbert grinned. He hefted up a mace that seemed to be wrought from a combination of silver and ice. The blue-haired man was clearly eager to test it. “Right? Alquin. He patted the old man on the back.

  Alquin sighed and plopped down in a sitting position beside Rino. “I’m not going. It's not needed, and I ought to watch for Yom, my fault he got hurt,” The old man said. Just like Gilbert, Alquin had an identical blue shield that rested against bushes..

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  “I told you, I’ll be fine,” The young man grumbled. But Alquin just straight-up ignored him.

  “Here, Gil,” Alquin handed over his shield to Gilbert. “I’m lending it to you.”

  “Perfect, Perfect!” Gilbert's grin got wider. “Alright, come on, Benedict.”

  “All of you with your fancy weapon,” he grumbled, following Gilbert, along with Yomi and Rita. Benedict got a small blue knife, not any taller than a finger. He, undoubtedly the unluckiest one.

  “Careful, Gil!” Clerence called out, earning a dismissive handwave from Gilbert. She hefted up a bluish Robe in her hand, donning it, the robe extended to her uncle with fancy golden engraving. “Let's start climbing, Em.”

  Emily grunted, “I’m still-“

  “My sons and daughters can stand on you as you climb, it's no problem,” Flan announced with an exaggerated pose.

  “No way–that too dangerous”

  “They can slow down their descent with their wings if they fall, besides the other mage also needed healing, so only Rosetta and Billymurry will accompany you, the other will start working on him,” Flam pointed at Rino with his leg.

  “Great, so I’m the only one in danger.” She grumbled. Emily stood, slinging his blue bow across her shoulder. Rue wondered if Paxwell got the same bow. He hopes he does, that will be very useful for him. “Fine, I will go. Don’t be too reckless once you recover, Rue,” She added before beginning to climb, following Clerence.

  The tree is tall, very terrifying when it looks up from down here. “Don’t fall!” Rue shouted once she was far up, earning a flinch from Emily, who must’ve tried to turn to glare at him.

  “Right… You will fight again,” Yom muttered. He bumped Alquin on the old man's shoulder, motioning for him to pick up his shield. “Rue, want to trade this one for the Long Bone? You had a bunch of them anyway, right?”

  Frost Enchanted Steel Shield (Uncommon) – With the blessing of frost itself, this shield receives enhancement of absolute ice. Blessed and favoured by frost, this is no longer a mere shield. With a bash – deliver frost property upon your enemy. This shield of frost will respond easily to any frost-related manipulation.

  Rue blinked. This sounds very powerful, especially if combined with his Time of Obsidian Ice. And in the future, he will have more skills that involve frost manipulation, no doubt. This shield will be an amazing weapon to have in his arsenal.

  “You sure? This thing reads better than the Long Bone.”

  “To you, maybe,” Yom said. “To me, it’s a shield that mainly too cold to wield. The sword will fit me more. Besides…” Yom paused, scratching his head. “I’ve been in your debt since you saved us.”

  Seeing no reason to turn him down. Rue accepted the trade. His eye went to the Golden Long Bone that lay on the grass beside him.

  Akansa’s Bone Wrought Sword (Rare) – Shaped by the Master Smith Ordeil. This sword originated from Akansa, the golden dragon ribs. Twelve ribs have been sent to Enemphyr planet, all twelve meant to be delivered to Ordeil, yet only one of them made it. With such precious resources, Ordeil works day and night entire month to craft this sword, wrought with the golden dragon spirit.

  How did this sword get into the Kobold's hand? And did this description actually happen?

  “So,” Eve spoke suddenly. “He will be fine, right? In whatever you will do to him,” She eyed Flan, who had been examining Rue with those glowing eyes of his

  “Human, why do you think he requires a health potion and your healing? Whether he will be fine or not is entirely up to you!” The Flamingo flaps his wing.

  “We’ve done this before, cleaning magic Vein, Clerence does it.”

  “Rude! How Rude! Don’t compare me to a new fledging Mage that just gets a healing skill!. I’m the real deal. The mad healer Flan!” He flapped his wing again, like a butler tries to be courteous.

  “Mad healer?” Rue said. Then he turned toward Eve. “Did he just say mad healer?”

  “Yes, he certainly did.”

  “How did you get that nickname-“

  “No important,” Flan screeched. “Get ready to heal him, long-hair! What I’m going to do is thoroughly cleanse your Magic Vein, not the trickle that red hair mage did to you.”

  “Cleanse?”

  “Yes, Yes! Imagine branches of wood stacked to prevent a river from flowing! Only a trickle manages to get through. And that river is the flow of your Magic Vein regeneration. What I will do is forcefully remove that wood.”

  “Is that safe?” Rue asked.

  “Of course not, hence we need the healer and potion! Stupid Human! But, your high mind stat will also offer you protection.”

  “Hold on-“ Eve stood, she scowled at Flan. “Is this necessary? Why forcefully remove them? Can’t you just well, remove a bit”

  “Don’t you want to ascend to Stone Magic Vein?” Flan asked, craning his head.

  “Ascend? You mean like upgrading it? Wait – it needed to be cleansed instead of used repeatedly?” Rue asked.

  “Yes, usage of course plays a factor, generally the more you use your Magic Vein healthily, keeping it at around 50% not more. Slowly, the flow of the river will be faster and faster and eventually break the wood apart, before meeting the rock barricade, and then another cleansing began, but by this point, your Mana usage will be more efficient as you had more natural access for it.”

  “There’s another blockage?”

  “Yes! Of course, all the way to Obsidian, to Star Metal, to Elchaium!”

  “What the hell is Elchaium?”

  “Anyway!” Flan ignored the question. “I’m a strong enough cleanser to force someone from Wood Magic Vein to even Steel Magic Vein. But, with your stats, you're barely safe enough to ascend to the Stone Vein. So, are you doing it or not? I can also do it to you, Long-hair,” Flan offered. “Your Mind stat is not as high as his, but you’re a natural healer, so you will be able to grit through it.”

  “I can too,” Eve muttered, almost in disbelief. She looked at Rue, and he gave her a nod. “We will do it. But, please do Rue first, he will be needed in the fight.”

  “Perfect! Perfect! Now, just stay there, you will faint from the mere pain- I mean effect. “

  “Wait, before we do this…” Rue muttered. He tries to trick his brain into ignoring what Flan had just said. “I should lend this golden sword to someone who won’t be able to use it with a shield anyway.”

  “Hmm,” Flan crosses his wing in deep thought. He then perked up and stayed silent for a couple of seconds. “There he is! The best swordman of the Monkeys!”

  Behind Flan, an oversized Monkey appeared. His tail alone is as thick as Rue's arm.

  Eve beside him gaped openly. Rue realised he did the same.

  “What am I seeing?” Rino muttered beside him.

  “Human,” The Monkey bowed, its brown fur whisked away by the night wind. “May I have the honor to wield that sword for this fight? On my honor, I shall return it to you.”

  “Uh–the honor is mine…” He lifted the sword, handing it over to the monkey.