Chapter 275: Chapter 214: Art is an Explosion_1
Unlike the other mushroom creatures, this leader was humanoid, clad in a tattered black robe. Its entire head was covered in coarse linen, save for a slit that appeared as a profound blackness under the bright sun, completely concealing its face.
It stood over one meter eighty tall but was emaciated. Its exposed arms resembled withered branches, devoid of any semblance of muscle—only a layer of dry, wrinkly skin peppered with mushrooms of various sizes.
However, this was still within the typical appearance of a monster. The most significant difference was the White Bone Mask made from an unidentified exotic beast’s skull atop its head. Two curved horns reached skywards, adding to its stature and menacing aura.
In one hand, it held a bizarre straw effigy; in the other, a uniquely shaped flame-like Dagger.
The familiar figure reminded Lance of an Elite monster known as the Forest Wicked Woman from the game.
"Take it down!"
Lance only gave it a quick glance, not bothering to figure out what exactly it was. It just needed to be dealt with, so he charged, swinging his sword.
They had attacked Hamlet stealthily while he was away, showing no honor and almost destroying everything he had poured his heart into; they couldn’t blame him for what came next.
Perhaps the team’s pressure indeed affected the Forest Wicked Woman. As the squad approached, the creature opened its mouth, spewing a dense, yellow-green breath from between the linen and the mask.
It was a visibly acrid yellow cloud, clearly nothing good.
"Careful, it’s poisonous!" Lance, who had been advancing, didn’t dare to proceed recklessly. If poisoned, he couldn’t save himself and was forced to retreat.
Dismas waved his torch, intending to dissipate it, but quickly realized it was futile.
"Get back! This isn’t spore; it’s a pestilential breath formed by miasma," Lance added promptly upon seeing this.
Just then, the mushrooms on the Forest Wicked Woman’s back puffed out spores as if breathing, and all the nearby fungal parasites consciously swarmed over.
Only then did Reynard understand how it controlled those monsters.
This is bad, we can’t delay. It must be killed quickly. Lance raised his hand, cleaving a monster in half with a swing of his sword. Before he could react further, another charged at him.
He was somewhat in disarray, to say nothing of the others, who also faced an intense onslaught.
Dismas, in particular, lacked a heavy weapon. His Short Sword, slashing only through fibrous bodies, inflicted no critical damage, forcing him to rely on waving his torch to fend them off.
There were thousands of monsters surrounding them. Though they had fought their way in, withstanding such a relentless siege was another matter.
Not to mention, the Forest Wicked Woman wouldn’t just let them slaughter the fungal parasites at will.
The creature raised the straw doll in its hand, and an unsettling aura emanated from it. The unseen force clearly targeted Lance, the strongest in the squad.
The fluctuations of Spiritual Essence in the air diverted Lance’s attention just in time to see the monster plunge the Dagger into the effigy.
At that moment, an inexplicable force descended. Under that sinister Curse, Lance felt... absolutely nothing. Not even the sensation of a mosquito bite.
Lance knew it was definitely some sort of vile Curse, but such soul-targeting abilities were utterly laughable against him.
"I’m going in; stay alert and protect each other."
But Lance obviously couldn’t let a "Mage" hide in the back Casting Spells insidiously, so he charged at it again.
The Forest Wicked Woman seemed puzzled as to why its Curse was ineffective. Even without a visible expression, the frantic stabbing motions with the Dagger revealed its agitation.
Lance could feel the Curse laid upon him, but it had no effect against "Sanctuary." On the contrary, he was getting closer.
Sweeping through the enemy ranks!
The greatsword swept through. Any fungal parasite standing taller than the Sword Blade was cut down. A backhand swing then chopped that biological turret in half, keeping the unreleased spores and mucus contained within the mushroom.
With a kick, he knocked the neck of a charging mad man askew, simultaneously clearing the last obstacle.
With a ferocious expression and using every ounce of his strength, Lance’s next strike was aimed directly at the hag.
But just then, the Forest Wicked Woman plunged the Dagger into the effigy once more. This time, Lance didn’t feel a thing, but a scream echoed from behind him.
"AH!"
Barton, who was hacking away at enemies with his saber, suddenly felt his body stiffen. It was as if his brain could no longer control his body, and his consciousness detached. In his blurred vision, he seemed to become the doll in the monster’s hand, his eyes fixed on the relentlessly enlarging Dagger.
The sensation was fleeting. Before he could react further, an excruciating pain pierced his abdomen, as if a real knife had been thrust into him, compelling him to cry out.
Although the Forest Wicked Woman had stabbed the doll, Barton, some distance away, felt genuine pain.
Moreover, the strange Curse did more than just inflict pain. Barton felt his body weakening, and even his saber swings went wide, their aim uncertain.
Fortunately, his combat-experienced companions were beside him. Balistan bashed an enemy away with his shield, protecting Barton behind him.
Dismas, having no other choice, had to use the bullet he had saved for the leader, firing a desperate shot at a monster lunging towards them.