MTLNOVEL Chapter 266: Finding Success
The Mercenaries still living caught sight of the command cuff so, of course, they lunged for it but before any of their hands could make contact, a watery tentacle wrapped around the limb and pulled it toward Henry who quickly pulled it off and held it tightly in his hand.
"What—?" One mercenary started to say before a Y'Nth metal arrow was plunged deep into his heart by a serious-looking Andor.
Before another Mercenary standing nearby could wonder what the hell just happened, it was cleaved in two by an Ax he was too distracted to parry or avoid.
Meanwhile, Henry called to the command cuff in his hand,
"Release!"
With multiple clicks that were drowned out by the ongoing battle, the Cuffs on the wrists of every slave on the battlefield unlocked and fell to the ground. Immediately, they were all filled with a wave of freedom.
They could again have their own thoughts without being jolted by electric currents forcing them to comply with their slavers' wishes.
The joy they started to feel at their freedom cost them. They were already barely fending off attacks all around and getting teary-eyed at their good fortune didn't help with that.
Fortunately, before any attack could hit them, Nyx returned. She pivoted on a spot with her front hooves and used her body to smack them away from the line of fire before promptly returning to the safety of shadow just in time to avoid the attack herself.
*BANG!*
When the enemies' Axes hit the ground and before they could lift them and attempt another attack, Nyx returned and stabbed one with her <Dread Horn>. Killing it instantly before charging at the next with her head down like a bull. She gorged that one almost as soon as she killed the first, gaining the Exp rewards almost simultaneously.
[Nyx has received 1100 Exp]
[Nyx has received 1100 Exp]
Consistently improving, killing Orc warriors was now rewarding Nyx with even more Exp.
Meanwhile, with the Slaves freed, one part of the Quest was over and the rest involved the death of all the Slavers. Another fell to an Orc's attack while Nyx was saving the now Former-slaves and Andor, parrying an attack from an Orc, stabbed a second Y'Nth arrow into a second Mercenary.
Grouped together and witnessing both of Andor's 'sneaky' kills, the Mercenaries were now aware Andor was an enemy but he didn't care. His use of the Y'Nth arrow and his sneakiness were not for their benefit. It was for him and Henry to have deniability when it was all over.
Thanks to Andor's smart attacks and the use of the Orcs to their advantage along with no slaves to absorb damage and their best Fighter already down and out, the Mercenaries were soon all dead. Either by an Ax attack or by an arrow stabbed into their hearts.
[Quest Completed!]
[You have received 5000 Exp]
*[Nyx has received 2500 Exp]
[You have Leveled Up!]
[You are now Level 38]
[Hit Point Maximum increased to 380]
[Hit Points: 380/380]
[Mana Point Maximum increased to 490]
[You have received 6 Stat Points to Allocate]
[You now have 24 stat Points to Allocate]
[Nyx has leveled Up!]
[Nyx is now Level 21]
[Nyx's Hit Point Maximum increased to 335]
[Nyx's Mana is now 350]
[Strength: 145 ———> 150]
[Speed: 270 ———> 280]
[Stamina: 140 ———> 145]
—————
[Name: Henry Morgan]
[Level: 38 (30% Exp)]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Gunslinger]
[Title: Death's Bane, Vyker-Killer, Infernal Partner, Dungeon Raider <Novice>, Hunter]
[Hit Points: 340/340]
[Mana Points: 450/450]
[Strength: 31]
[Agility: 138]
[Stamina: 80]
[Perception: 80]
[Skills:
{Marksmanship Lv. 6 <Active Sub Skill: Quick Thinking> <Active Sub Skill: Reload> <Active Sub Skill: Guiding Shot>}
{Taming Lv. 2 <Active Sub Skill: Bonding>}
{Insight Lv.5}
{Raider's Intent}
{Hunter's Instinct}
[~Arcane Tapestry~:
Imprinted Spells: -Shocking Grip-. -Extra Arms-. -Witch's Hold-. -Kroa's Bolt-.]
[You have 24 Stat Points to Allocate]
—————
—————
[Name: Nyx]
[Creature: Shadow Mare]
[Breed: Valaeren Night-Mare]
[Level 21 (20% Exp)]*
[Hit Points: 335/335]
[Mana: 350]
[Strength: 150]
[Speed: 280]
[Stamina: 145]
[Skills: {Shadow Dash Lv.3} {<ShadowScape>}]*
—————
It turned out the 'System Upgrade' Nyx's system had undergone was the same as his own with the ambiguous Exp counter but it had worked well for Henry so far with numerous Level Ups (aided mostly by the environment and the constant supply of kills with robust rewards) that he couldn't complain.
With the Quest that convinced him to come along on this Expedition in the first place finally done, Henry felt a wave of relief. Like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He fully dashed into the battlefield with a spring in his step.
Literally, he seemed to spring with every movement. Flitting faster than the eyes of some Orcs could follow which helped in picking them off one after the other.
He became a target of multiple Archers and baited them so when they let their arrows fly, he leaped up and the arrows sailed past and stabbed into Orcs behind him.
While in the air, Henry aimed his guns, firing mana-infused slugs from 'Violent Retort' and 'Hydra's Tongue' bullets from 'The Hydra's sting', his once most used revolver that had been outclassed in firing power by his two more recently acquired weapons.
However, what 'The Hydra's Sting' lacked in attack power, it slightly made up for in its other effect. As such, when the slugs of 'Violent Retort' broke through skulls, netting Henry two kills, the shot from 'The Hydra's Sting' caused the target's head to swell to twice its side before it exploded in a garish blast of acidic spittle that splashed on at least five Archers close to the target.
That was the beauty of 'The Hydra's Sting'; The element of surprise and banking on the stupidity and dull instincts of the targets.
None of the Orcs had ever seen the gun or knew of its effects. For all they knew it killed as well as the other ones Henry and used so far. But the moment the head turned a horrid green and began to swell should have been their first clue to get away but they stayed within range. Well, five of them did.
The thing was though, their skins were thick. The acid burned and sizzled but they mostly endured. But then came the second effect and another benefit of 'The Hydra's Sting'; The Numbing Gas.
While the acidic spittle sizzled and they managed to shrug it off with a few winces of pain, they sniffed in the green gas. Even some of those who avoided the acidic spittle didn't think to avoid the gas.
They sniffed the odorless gas into their bodies and by the time Henry's feet hit the ground, their muscles began to seize. By sheer force of will, they resisted the paralysis and managed to twist their limbs but the movements were far too sluggish for Henry to even be in too much of a rush.
He switched both 'Violent Retort' and 'The Hydra's Sting' for 'Cudgel' which he cocked and pointed, firing each shot until all seven paralyzed victims were dead.
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
As he struck a bullet into the skull of his seventh victim, Henry became a target of more arrows which his Precognition helped him avoid as he dashed toward his attackers, retrieving 'The Hydra's Sting' and making a shot with it.
When the explosion happened, there were attempts to escape but Henry cast [Extra Arms] and used the tentacles to wrap up five Orc Archers and pull them into the field of the green gas.
As he was holding 'The Hydra's Sting', he was immune to the paralysis but his wrapped-up targets were not. They ripped the tentacles apart while smartly holding their breath.
But then…
[Acrivating <Raider's Intent>]
… The wave of fear only effective on Dungeon inhabitants gripped them. It was only for a second but turning stuff in fear held two of them in place long enough for Henry to kill them.
The other three struggled against skill and broke free from its grip quickly. Alas, their agitation and struggle caused them to huff puffs of 'Numbing Gas'. Just one puff for each but it was enough to paralyze them and essentially turn them into sitting ducks.
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[Kill-Reward: 1000 Exp]
[You have leveled Up!]
[You are now Level 39]
[Hit Point Maximum increased to 390]
[Hit Points: 390/390]
[Mana Point Maximum increased to 500]
[You have received 6 Stat Points to Allocate]
[You now have 30 stat Points to Allocate]
While Henry was finding great success, Nyx was finding even more. She darted all over the field like the reaper's stead and claimed more lives than anyone on the field, bar a couple few, most notable of which were the Squad Captains, Sir Boyle, and Sir Doran and their talented second-in commands, Eloise and Aurelius.