Chapter 75 - 76 – Extermination Squad meeting.
So, with no option left we decided to hunt monsters non stop in order to level up as much as possible.
It may seem simple enough, but…. After we got past level 200, our leveling speed got decreased by a lot.
First thing first, we did manage to find a solid hunting ground with some high level monsters wondering in it. They were not exactly extremely strong monsters, like the monsters from the swamp but they did had a much higher level than us.
But…. Em…. The most of the time we would manage to level up to 3 times and we also somehow leveled up 4 time one day.
Before, we would be able to level up even 5 times in the swamp or more in a single day and if not we could even level up bit more, but now even after securing a solid hunting ground, we are still not leveling up as much as before.
Honestly, what we need is a hunting ground like that swamp that not only had high level monsters but also had each one of them being extremely powerful. We would be somehow able to level up just a little bit faster.
But obviously don't have the time to find one nor we know where to look. So, we will have to deal with just hunting monsters that are just have high level monsters.
Anyway, before long, the day when the extermination squad move out has come.
All the members of the squad were order to gather at the city garrison, this obviously included us. So, we headed to the city garrison as instructed and waited for rest of the members of the extermination squad to show up.
[ClownFrog]
[Level 252]
[Status]
[Basic Stats]
[HP: 7410/7410] [MP: 16830/16830] [SP: 6110/6110]
[Health: 721(+20)] [Mana: 993 (+700)] [Stamina: 591(+20)]
[STR: 338(+20)] [AGI: 562(+20)] [INT: 728(+835)] [VIT: 597(+20)]
[Extra Stats]
[Undead Mastery: 1466{+5080} (+1640)]
[Unspend Stat Points:0]
[Advance Necromancy]-[LVL7] [Undead Record]-[LVL7]
[Create: Lesser Skeleton Servant] – [Level 10] [Skeleton Servant – Basic Upgrade]-[LVL10] [Skeleton Servant – Bone Weapon]-[LVL10] [Skeleton Servant – Basic Weapon – Shield]-[LVL10] [Skeleton Servant – Basic Weapon – Spear]-[LVL10] [Skeleton Servant – Basic Armor]-[LVL10] [Bone Darts]-[LVL10] [Necro Shot]- [LVL 10] [Create: Lesser Skeleton]-[LVL10]
[Create: Skeleton Servant]-[LVL10] [Create: Zombie] –[LVL10] [Create: Skeleton]- [LVL 10] [Skeleton Servant – Upgrade]-[LVL10] [Bone Arrow]-[LVL10] [Necro Bomb]-[LVL10] [Dead Reinforcement]-[LVL10] [Skeleton Servant – Standard Weapon – Spear]-[LVL10] [Skeleton Servant – Standard Weapon – Great Shield]-[LVL10] [Skeleton Servant – Standard Heavy Armor]-[LVL10]
[Create: Bone Construct]-[LVL5] [Create: Flesh Construct]-[LVL5] [Create: High Skeleton Servant]-[LVL7] [Summon: Skeleton Servant]-[LVL4] [Bone Arrow Barrage]-[LVL4] [Necro Eruption]-[LVL4] [Create: Skeleton Mage]-[LVL4] [Create: Ghoul]-[LVL4] [Skeleton Servant – Power Up!]-[LVL3] [Bone Trap]-[LVL3] [Necro Shot – Upgrade – Aim]-[LVL3] [Necro Shot – Upgrade – Barrage]-[LVL3] [Bone Dart – Upgrade – Gatling]-[LVL3] [Bone Arrow – Upgrade – Homing] –[LVL2] [Bone Arrow – Upgrade – Power] –[LVL2] [Necro Bomb – Upgrade – Extra]-[LVL2] [Skeleton Servant Master Heavy Armor]-[LVL2] [Skeleton Servant Master Weapon - Spear]-[LVL2] Skeleton Servant Master Great Shield-[LVL2] [Haut Barrage]-[LVL3] [Master Over The Undead Control]-[LVL4] [Undead Maker]-[LVL2] [Power Of The Element: Necromancy] -[LVL4] [Undead Command]-[LVL2]
[Burning Necromancer]
[Advance Burning Necromancy]-[LVL1]
[Undead Evolution: Lesser Fire Fusion]-[LVL10] [Burning Skull]-[LVL10] [Burning Ribcage]-[LVL10]
[Summon: Burning Head]-[LVL10] [Undead Evolution: Fire Fusion]-[LVL10] [Burned Hand]-[LVL10] [Necrotic Flame]-[LVL10] [Unliving Flame]-[lvl10] [Summon: Bruning Heads – Upgrade – Numbers]-[LVL10]
[Create: Burning Skeleton Mage] –[LVL2] [Undead Evolution: High Fire Fusion]-[LVL2] [Necrotic Flame Zone]- [LVL 2] [Create: Burning Skeleton Servant]-[LVL3] [Burning Skull – Upgrade – Extra]-[LVL2] [Burning Ribcage – Upgrade – Sphere]-[LVL2] [Necrotic Flame – Upgrade – Burst]-[LVL2] [Burned Flesh]-[LVL1] [Twin Elemental Control – Necromancy / Fire]-[LVL1] [Hound Attack]-[LVL1]
[Blood Necromancer]
[Standart Blood Necromancy]-[LVL6]
[Create: Lesser Blood Dead]-[LVL10] [Blood Bone Arrow]-[LVL10] [Necrotic Blood]-[LVL10]
[Create: Blood Dead]-[LVL10] [Create: Blood Hound]-[LVL7] [Necrotic Blood Aura]-[LVL7] [Unliving Blood]-[LVL7] [Necrotic Organ]-[LVL8] [Self Sacrifice Shotgun]-[LVL6]
[Unspend Skill Points: 310]
[Tittles]
[Rare]
[Necromancer Over Necromancer] [Amaran Helper] [Chaos Maker – Tier 1] [The Slayer Of The Forgotten – Tier 1] [The Friend Of The Sand Cobra Tribe]
[Epic]
[The One Who Sabotaged The City Of Trade] [The One Who Helped The Crushing Hooves Tribe]
(We level up as much as possible and grew our classes as much as possible as well.) – though ClownFrog.
(However, leveling any of my necromancers class takes a lot of time now, even after getting every necromancer class skill possible. I don't have yet any 4th form class skills unlike the others.)
(My necro mastery stat right now has reached 9188. It may like a lot, but undeads do end up using a lot of these points so I can either summon as many weak monsters as I can, or just summon only my strongest undeads.)
(However, the problem is with my attack skills.)
(Necromancer skills focus on the long range, while the burning necromances focus on the close range and the blood necromancy is something like a hybrid that can provide heals and deal damage.)
(It may seem like a good balance and all, but it's not at all.)
(I need a long range attacks and not short or mid-range ones.)
(Should I try to get a mage class then? It could help out in building my arsenal.)
(Should I go with the fire mage? The burning necromancy is linked to it, so I will be able to level up both the burning necromancy faster and the fire mage class.)
"…"
(Nope. Oron is already using a fire mage class.)
(I'm not saying that having multiple people with same class is a bad thing, but maybe I should pick a different mage class, since it would allow us to way more different tools at our disposal and it may end up unlocking a rare class that is connected to the necromancer class.)
"…"
"Fuck me… What class should I learn?" – said ClownFrog to himself.
"Hm? What's up man?" – asked GreyHunt.
"Nothing. It's just that I lack in long range attacks and I think its time for me to try and get a mage class, but I still don't know what kind of class should I get?"
"But aren't your necromancer classes provide you with attack spell skills?"
"Yea, they do, but- "
Before ClownFrog could answer GreyHunt questions, suddenly all the guards as well as mercenaries went silent.
The sudden silence instantly catched the attention of both GreyHunt and ClownFrog and making them curiously look around, in order to find out why everybody went silence.
However, it didn't took long at all to find the reason.
All the guards as well as the merceries were looking directly towards the main entrance of the garrison building where a tall man was standing.
"…"
(A man with well build body and body covered in scars from countless battle.)
(A short brown hair.)
(A tattoo of two bird on the chest.)
(And two sabers that he carries around his waist all the time.)
(There is no mistaking it. This guys is O'a!)
ClownFrog and rest of the party instantly realized that the man just entered was none other than O'a "The Twin Sword Of Journey".
"…"
(In the instantly this guy entered, everybody went silence.) – though GreyHunt.
(Not only that, but some of them seem to be worried while others have a very serious look on their faces.)
"…"
"Okay! By the look of things, everybody arrived!" – said the man with the beard.
Suddenly, a man with a long black beard that was standing on top of the stairs began clapping his hands in order to get attention of the everybody present in the room.
"Greetings to the everybody gather here!"
"My name is Olaf and I'm the leader of the Green Sand city guards as well as the current leader of the extermination squad."
"As you may know already, the harpies had been killing way too many merchants as well as the mercenaries."
"Not only that, but even people near the settlements are not safe."
"Before its too late, it was decided that the Green Sand city shall exterminate the threat of the harpies once and for all before any more victims pops up!"
"Our goal is to get rid of the harpies that are hunting nearby and afterwords we will try to find their hideout so we can once and for all put the end to their madness!"
"All the participant in the operation shall be rewarded for just participating, but for each harpies you will hunt down, you shall be rewarded and if any of you by any chance manage to find their hideout and report its location to the guards, then you will be rewarded with even more gold!"
As soon as the man stopped speaking, a whispers between the guards as well as the mercenaries began regarding the reward.
However, suddenly Oron had raised his hand.
"Hm?"
"Yes?" – asked Olaf.
"I have a question regarding on how we will hunt the harpies." – said Oron.
"It was said that the harpies are not only able to fly but are also quiet fast."
"And from what I also know, the area where we have to deal with the harpies is in the middle of the dessert with no cover what so ever."
"Some people may posses means of attacking the harpies that would be flying above us, but what about other people that does not possess any range attacks?"
"Won't those people become easy targets to them?"
"…"
"You don't need to worry about this." – said O'a suddenly.
"?!"
"The harpies we are up against are the volute harpies."
"Unlike the regular harpies, they do not specialize in magic and instead fly straight at their enemies."
"There are some mages harpies, but most of the vulture harpies are the fighters that will attack the enemy head on."
"The harpies will obviously end up targeting our men that specialize in long range, but if we surround them and put a solid defense around them, the harpies will be helpless." – said O'a.
"…"
"But what if the harpies decide to run away? What if they realize they have no chance of winning and instead try to get away from us?" – asked Oron.
"There is no need to worry about that. If by any chance they try to run away, they may end up leading us straight to their hideout." – said O'a.
"So, letting some of them escape won't be the bad thing."
"…"
(Fuck. This guy is smart.) – though Oron.
(Not only that, but these people seem to trust his judgment and none of them seem to questions his course of action.)
(Even that Olaf guy seem to shut up in order not to interrupt O'a talking.)
(I can see him sweating. I guess he is nervous because he doesn't want to get on his bad side or something.)
"…"
"Ekehm!"
"Yes. We will do just do that." – said the guard leader after the O'a stopped speaking for some time.
"However! The harpies will obviously be on their guard if a huge group of armed man suddenly enter their hunting grounds. They may think that this is a trap."
"So, we will dress up as the merchants and have most of the people hide inside the caravans while the mercenaries will play the role of the bodyguards."
"We will catch harpies off guard and create an opening that will allow us to kill as many of them as possible."
"Meet up at the south gate. Me and the other guards will have to dress up and bring the caravans with us."
(Hm… That isn't a bad idea. We even used the fake merchant plan when we wanted to meet up with lamias. But there are several problems with his plan.) – though ClownFrog.
(There is 40 merceries and 40 guards participating in the operation, including the guards leader as well as O'a guy and us. That is over 88 people participating in the operation.)
(Around half of the merceries are scout while the other half are long range attacks.)
(The long range attacks will stand out with their bows and mage staffs.)
(And on top of that, he wants to put all the guards inside the caravans, meaning there will be multiple caravans that would be filled with people.)
(A multiple caravans had accidently entered the harpies hunting ground while being guarded by a group of merceries that specializes in long range attacks? A literally line of caravans entering a harpies hunting ground that entered a harpies hunting ground that was active for more than 19 days???)
(If harpies are not dumb, they will realize that something is off about the situation and may decide to just ignore us if not just run away instantly.)
(Then plan may appear smart, but in reality, it's very dumb. Was that leader guy a person who came up with it?)
(Honestly, I would been surprised if it would work out or anything.)
"Anyway! The meeting is over! When you are ready, head straight to the south gate where we will meet up."
After the meeting was over, all the merceries left the city garrison while guards started preparing.
We also left the garrison and headed straight to alchemy shop to restock our potions.
But before we do that, we approached the O'a.
"Hm? What do you want?" – asked O'a after while walking through the town.
"You did realized that the plan of his is stupid, right?" – said ClownFrog.
"…"
"Yea. Its stupid and honestly it shouldn't work at all."
"But the plan will definitely work."
"?"
"How can you be so sure?" – asked ClownFrog.
"Simple. Its because of the harpies."
"True. Harpies will probably not fall for our trap at all, since they are not total idiots, but there is a reason why I think they will go ahead and attack us."
"Their hunting grounds are way too close to the settlement. They are not exactly very close or near settlement, but they are still located quite close to the settling and it's quite weird no matter how you look at it."
"Why would they do that? They probably did realize the danger, but then why would they go ahead and still make their hunting grounds there?"
"Simple. There maybe two reason why they may be doing this.
"First reason is that they maybe starving."
"The vulture harpies are man eating monsters, but also, they can eat anything that regular humans eat. So, the reason why they attack the people is to just fill their stomachs."
"However, there is another possibility."
"Why would they take such a risk to hunt near the settlements?"
"Maybe they are hunting for the food so they can feed their young? There is a chance that harpies had their breeding season and they laid their eggs, if not their young had already hatched and do not have enough food for everybody."
"It's probably one of these reason or if not both." – said O'a.
"Either way, that stupid plan will definitely work out."
"…"
"I see…" – said ClownFrog.
(He is right.) – though ClownFrog.
(Why would harpies start hunting near the settlement now of all the times?)
(The two theories he just said may be both true.)
(So that is the reason why he didn't objected that guard leader guy plan, since he knew that the harpies would still attack us regarding on how suspicious we looked.)
(And since he didn't objected the plan, all the merceries decided to not speak up.)
(Reputation. Intelligent. Power.)
(I can already guess that dealing with this guy will be a giant pain in the ass.) – though ClownFrog.
(And we still have to see him in the bloody action!)
(For fuck's sake. I'm getting bit nervous.)
Afte a while, both the merceries and guards were ready.
The caravans dragged by the sand running lizards arrived.
The guards boarded and some merceries boarded the caravans while the rest of the merceries would play the role of the escort.
Our party was splitted, with me, Oron and Shri being hidden inside the caravans while the rest were assigned to be the escort.
The O'a guy was also put inside of the carriages and unfortunately for me.
HE WAS SOMEHOW PUT INSDE THE SAME CARRIGE AS ME!
Just my fuking rotten luck.
Anyway, with everything ready, the fake merchant carriages left the city and began heading straight towards the harpies hunting grounds.
