Chapter 274: Quantity is not a problem
The situation was worse than Rhodes had expected. The rats were bold enough to attack a creature as large as a Scuttle Crab, and if that was the case, they might even try biting people on sight.
To be safe, Rhodes summoned a defensive perimeter of summons: three Murk Wolves, six Raptors, a pair of Krugs, and two Gromps to form a circle around himself and Mira.
He wasn't afraid of rats, but getting bitten by one of those filthy things was the last thing anyone wanted.
When they reached the spot where the crab had been attacked, the culprit was still there, clinging stubbornly to the crab's leg. The chitin on its leg had been gnawed away, leaving a raw, vulnerable patch.
The crab couldn't defend itself properly. Its claws were too short to reach behind.
With a quick gesture, Rhodes ordered a Murk Wolf forward. It lunged and clamped its jaws down on the rat in one clean bite, then gave it a shake to end it quickly.
"It's huge," Mira muttered, frowning as she looked at the carcass.
Rhodes scanned the surroundings. "Don't you think it feels... too barren around here?"
Mira nodded. "Yeah. This time of year, the crops around Magnolia are already sprouting. But here, it's all just... empty."
It wasn't just the crops. Even the grass had vanished. The fields looked freshly plowed and weeded, but there were no signs of planting. Just turned-up, dead earth.
They continued forward, their path protected by summoned monsters. The closer they got to the village, the worse the signs became. The bark had been chewed off many of the trees. They passed several rats scurrying across the road, pausing only long enough to glare at the humans before fleeing, probably intimidated by the magical creatures flanking them.