Free Web NovelChapter 26: Luring The Guards Away
’That settles it.’
Nobody voiced any objections to rescuing Joseph and Yulia. Even so, Alex decided there was something else they should do first.
"Let’s kill the guards before we enter."
Sarah’s eyes widened immediately. "No. That’s far too dangerous. We should avoid fighting whenever possible."
"Fighting isn’t necessarily that dangerous. Petra is a Priest. If someone gets injured, she can heal them," Alex replied.
Sarah shook her head. "It’s not that simple. Petra’s healing uses [Faith] stat as fuel. Once her Faith runs out, it recovers at unpredictable intervals. We can’t rely on having unlimited healing available."
Alex found that information intriguing. The fact that Faith recovered at seemingly random intervals was interesting.
He doubted it was truly random. There was probably some hidden rule governing the process that nobody had discovered yet.
Before he could respond, Emma spoke up. "Do you have a plan for dealing with the guards?"
Alex glanced at her. Unlike Sarah and Frank, she wasn’t trying to talk him out of the idea. She seemed genuinely interested in what he was planning.
"I have some Sweet Smelling Biscuits. We’ll lure the monsters into the forest. The rest of you can focus on one Titan Reef Crab together, while I deal with the second one."
Sarah stared at him as if he had said something ridiculous. "I don’t think you understand how strong those things are. They’re Level 8 or Level 9 Titan Reef Crabs, and they specialize in defense. We could barely damage them before. You can’t fight one alone."
Frank quickly nodded in agreement. "I have to agree with her. That sounds too dangerous."
Petra remained silent, though she looked uncertain. Emma, however, continued watching Alex calmly. She had seen him fight before, and more importantly, she could the confidence behind his decisions.
"It’s fine. Alex already defeated a Level 7 monster that fought alongside a pack. He’s leveled up several times since then. If he says he can handle it, I believe him," Emma said.
Sarah looked surprised by Emma’s confidence. Her gaze shifted between the two of them several times before she finally let out a long sigh.
After several more minutes of discussion, she reluctantly agreed. The group quickly began preparing their ambush while there was still time to rescue Joseph and Yulia.
Frank’s backpack contained a length of rope, which Alex borrowed. He tied three Sweet Smelling Biscuits to one end before carefully throwing it into the clearing. Almost immediately, the scent began spreading through the area.
Both Titan Reef Crabs reacted. Their massive bodies shifted as they turned toward the source of the smell, their attention completely captured by the unusual bait.
"Get ready," Alex said.
Everyone moved into position. Emma took hold of the rope while Alex hid among bushes on one side of the clearing. Sarah, Petra, and Frank moved to the opposite side and waited quietly.
The monsters followed the scent. The process took almost a minute because of the crabs’ slow movement speed, but eventually they were far enough from the dungeon entrance that the group could act without attracting unnecessary attention.
Alex gave a small nod, signaling the start of the ambush. Frank was the first to move. He lifted a large stone and hurled it toward one of the crabs with surprising force.
The projectile struck near the creature’s eye. The Titan Reef Crab immediately raised a claw to protect itself and released an angry screech before charging toward Frank’s group.
The second crab started moving as well. Before it could follow its companion, Alex stepped out from the bushes and threw a stone of his own.
The rock bounced harmlessly off the monster’s shell, but that was enough. The Titan Reef Crab immediately turned toward him, its attention shifting away from the others.
For a few seconds, man and monster stared at each other. Then Alex bent down and calmly placed his sword on the ground.
The group fighting the first Titan Reef Crab looked at him in shock and confusion.
Even Emma frowned slightly as she watched him walk forward with empty hands. Sarah looked as though she wanted to object again, but the battle had already begun.
Alex ignored their reactions. He could defeat this monster. Although it appeared roughly as powerful as the Ironclaw Badger he had fought earlier, it lacked the badger’s speed. That difference gave him a considerable advantage.
But victory wasn’t his real objective. They were about to enter a dungeon filled with unknown dangers, and nobody knew what waited deeper inside. If he wanted to enter with confidence, he needed to become stronger first.
His Body Reinforcement Spell was already approaching Level 10.
Once it reached that threshold, there was a good chance the spell would evolve into something stronger.
If his prediction was correct, evolved Spells were significantly more powerful than their original forms.
To reach Level 10, however, he needed pressure. Real pressure. A battle where mistakes had consequences and where he was forced to push the spell beyond its current limits.
That was why he had set his sword aside.
It was a handicap, and Alex knew it. As the Titan Reef Crab charged toward him, he couldn’t help but question his own decision. A sane person would have used every advantage available instead of deliberately making a fight harder. Yet here he was, preparing to challenge a monster with his bare hands.
’Dammit, I’m really crazy,’ Alex thought.
His heart pounded loudly in his chest. He was about to fight a monster whose greatest strengths were power and durability, and he was doing it at close range without a weapon.
Yet despite the danger, a faint smile appeared on his face.
He was excited. The possibility of evolving his spell excited him.
The possibility of surviving a dangerous battle and coming out stronger excited him.
Even the levels and rewards he might gain from this fight were enough to make his blood race.
It felt far better than his old life. Back on Earth, he had spent countless days studying from morning until night. Even after all that effort, there had never been any guarantee that a bright future awaited him. There was always another exam, another competition, and another hurdle standing in the way.
Things were different here. This world was dangerous, unfair, and brutal, but the path forward was clear.
If he took risks, survived, and continued growing stronger, then his future would improve.
The Titan Reef Crab rushed forward, pulling Alex out of his thoughts. He immediately flooded his legs with mana and dashed toward it.
The giant monster responded by swinging a pincer directly at him, and seeing that massive claw from up close was far more intimidating than watching it from a distance.
He knew exactly what would happen if it connected. Even with Body Reinforcement active, a direct hit would cause serious damage.
Despite that knowledge, Alex didn’t dodge. Instead, he poured mana into his arm and back before throwing a punch.
A loud boom echoed through the forest as fist and pincer collided. Pain exploded through his hand, making it feel as though several bones had cracked from the impact. Alex slid backward across the ground while mentally reviewing the mistake.
’I should have reinforced the fist more heavily.’
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