Chapter 51: Marshbear
"I’m cold, and these swarming river snake bites hurt. They don’t know I’m immune to venom and poison," Gabby thought.
He added, "I swear, I’ll kill them when I get the chance."
He grabbed two sea snakes by the head and crushed them, their blood rising to the river surface.
Gabby swam underwater toward the nearest bridge shore.
"I hate this survival class. All the food, supplies, and the swordsmanship book I borrowed are soaked," he muttered.
He thought, "I can’t properly track them, because the Thrixell is stalking them too. It’s drawn by the scent of the thrix markings left on one of the squad members who died. That person’s belongings were marked, and the Thrixell has an extremely sharp sense of smell from far away, but its ability to detect scent weakens up close.
I saw the map. I can reach the teleportation portal using shortcuts, but I’ll have to fight powerful monsters along the way. I’d prefer to get through with minimum effort, but it looks like I have no other option."
Gabby climbed the uneven, rocky terrain.
He spotted deep claw marks—five massive gashes carved into a large tree.
He thought, "The surroundings are unnaturally quiet. Monsters are hiding, watching. That can only mean one thing. I’m in the territory of a powerful beast."
A low growl rumbled from the shadows below.
Gabby spun around.