When The Cute Godkiller Opens A Tavern [OP Mentor, SoL, LitRPG]

"A monster's level progression is a lot different from a Class holder. The three of them should be able to handle a noldzwjak. Barring any complications, of course." ~Shallies Mythernal

"So let me get this straight, a noldzwjak is technically a beast-type monster?" Grace asked as they walked their way to the edge of The Great Wilds. "I thought it was a stone-nightmare-type thing?"

"They're pseudo-dragons," Ren clarified. He was leading the way, hacking and slashing through thick leaves and branches. "Half-golem and half-dragon. Dragons aren't classified as beasts, but as mythical beasts. Unless we find a noldzwjak that has its dragon half integrated with the System, they're still technically beasts in a broader sense. Shallies ought to know that, so we won't have issues with selling it to her."

"There's a thing like that? Noldzwjaks getting integrated by the System, I mean."

"No," Tayin replied while walking beside Grace. "Only actual dragons can be System-integrated, which exempts them from all the monster classifications. They're still technically mythical beasts, just not monsters, so we can't hunt them. But that's beside the point, since we're not dealing with pure dragons anyway."

Grace felt a shiver. Somehow, the conversation reminded her of Arun'dul's cursed form. She pretended like nothing happened and kept walking.

We'll be fine. If there's an emergency, Stachie will help us.

Despite this, the image of the menacing white dragon conjuring the snowstorm kept showing up at the back of her head.

"You, alright, Grace?" Tayin asked. "You're breathing a little deep over there."

"Just trying to relax," Grace replied. "I'm a little under-leveled."

"We have a Food Buff," Ren started, still slashing away. "And you have your Battle Elixir. Use it when we fight. That would technically net you probably ten or fifteen levels, temporarily."

Grace intended to do so. They had spent the entirety of yesterday gathering all ten different ingredients Shallies required to complete her quest. The noldzwjak was a bonus and thus saved for last, since they didn't know if it would be edible in the first place, even after its poison was purified.

"Do you want to review the strategy?" Tayin suggested. "We're still a few minutes away from the swamp."

"That would be helpful, yes."

"Alright. First, let's discuss everything we know about noldzwjaks."

"On two legs, they can reach up to six meters tall, have a three-way jaw, wings, a large, spiked tail, and the ability to spew acid or breathe fire. The horns would indicate which. Two horns for fire, one horn for acid. Three horns for both."

"Their wings are mostly for balance and gliding," Ren continued. "Their true strength comes from ambushes with their powerful legs. Not to mention their ability to blend with their surroundings."

"That's why our first goal is to chip and burn a part of its skin as soon as possible," Grace added. "That portion will lose its ability to camouflage. Then we'll keep chipping away at it."

"That's where it'll use its ranged attacks," Tayin said. "Including spikes from its tail."

"Then we'll back away defensively while keeping its attention to us, so you can blast it at range. Ren will keep most of the attention, while I make sure we're in an isolated operation."

"Hmm…" Ren paused. "The strategy's pretty simple, but it's important to know that it'll most likely not go that way. What if it catches us off-guard?"

Grace thought for a moment. "Like, if it ambushes us first?"

"Yeah."

"If we can't handle the ambush, we'll have no choice but to retreat and heal our wounds. We'll abandon the attempt, and make it a priority for all of us to escape. We don't have to do this in the first place."

Ren nodded at that. "Good, you remember everything. Let's go with that."

"Oh, you don't have to be so tense, Ren," Tayin said. "I'm sure we can handle it. We never really had a problem with it in the first place. We just didn't know their blood was poisonous."

"And now that we know, we can completely prepare for it," said the Shield Knight. "Still, overconfidence will be our downfall."

"Alright, alright. I agree with that one. We'll be as cautious as possible." With that, the Chronospark pulled out a Preparation Scroll. Grace observed the halfling use the item.

Tayin ripped out one of the sheets, wrote the incantations for Fire Lance, and ran her mana through it. The scroll dissolved into residues of light while she glowed. Then she observed her mana-flow and even checked her System Console before giving a nod.

"Alright, three Fire Lances at the ready with maximum power," she began. "I won't hesitate to cast one if I have an opening, but I'll hard-cast my cover fire instead."

"I should check my equipment as well," Ren followed, pulling out all three Instant Repair Tools. He gave them one each. "Just to be safe, let's repair everything."

Ren and Tayin's shields were damaged while Grace's Mana-Edge +3 showed signs of overuse without proper maintenance. The repair tool quickly made short work of mending them back into pristine condition.

"It's like Phey'lan saw it coming," Ren said. "I shouldn't have talked too soon about them being useless."

"Technically, they would be if we just go home now," the half-orc started, readying her Basic Battle Elixir in her pocket. "But I get it. If not for these, we would be more hesitant to try in the first place."

"Did you get your Skill, by the way, Grace?" Tayin asked. "Do you need time to sort it out?"

Grace had earned a level earlier when they were gathering the rest of the ingredients. She was now Level 15, and had an available Skill Point. While she would've wanted to save the point to see Shallies' opinion first, the fact that they were about to face an enemy, and one that was at least twice her current level, had made her choose one of the more familiar Skills she wanted to get.

"I took Mana Slash," the half-orc replied. "It was the next recommended Skill provided to me by the Academy after Parry."

"Do you need some practice with it?" Ren asked.

"I did some before breakfast. Had nothing to do, so I made a few swings." Grace held her Mana-Edge +3 in reverse grip, remembering how to do Mana Slash. "It's a little heavy on my mana reserves, so I'll only give it a go when I know for sure it'll work."

They resumed their march, and not long after, they found the edge of The Great Wilds. The woods simply suddenly cut off, and the land transitioned from vibrant green, to deadly ash. Bogs and marshes overlapped one another, filled with what little green was present and camouflaging as false ground by staying completely still. If not for the reflection of the sun, they would have been almost impossible to identify.

Actual patches of ground were still present, though narrow and slippery. Further past the bogs were trees that signified the actual swamp, thin and black with roots coiling around what ground or water they could reach. No leaves, only spiraling branches. No fruits either.

The animals were different and scarce. By and large, insects were more predominant. There was a giant dragonfly not too far away. It sized almost as large as Shallies, if Grace were to estimate for the distance. It snapped its head towards her, as if sensing her stares. Then it flew away quickly.

That was when the smell hit the half-orc. Pungent was an understatement. It was like a gathering of garbage, wet and hot garbage. Sickly sweet, masking the odor of real repulsive refuse to no avail. As if things had died in this place, but the decomposition never finished.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The mana was heavy. Not repulsive, but it was overpowering. They clung to the senses like inanimate hands trying to drag Grace into one of the bogs. There was a constant challenge to ignore their temptation, but nothing she couldn't handle with a clear mind.

Tayin tapped her arm, passing a cloth. The halfling was already wearing one around her face, covering her nose and mouth. "For the smell," she said. "Welcome to the Foul Wetlands."

Grace took the bandana and wrapped it around her face. Immediately, she felt the swamp's effects mellow down. That was no normal cloth.

"These got some mild protection enchantment," Ren explained. "Danilo made it for us on our last quest. He also refilled their mana before we set out on this one."

"This was Gar's, I assume?"

"Yep," Tayin replied. "Don't worry. I washed it."

"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. Just curious." Grace looked around some more. With the bandana mask protecting her sense of smell, she could feel the oppressive effects of the swamp also subsiding away. "This place… I can't believe it's just across a forest from our town."

"The forest itself acts as protection," Ren explained as he looked around. "It filters out the miasmic mana and the smell. And the natural predators take care of intruders if they meander too far from the swamp."

"Even noldzwjaks?"

"Noldzwjaks hate forests," Tayin explained this time. She was also turning left to right, trying to find something. "They detest anything with vibrant life, so you won't find them trying to cross at all."

Noticing the two's vigilance, Grace started scanning her side of the swamp. She had seen some images of a noldzwjak, considering what she had witnessed from Gar's affliction. So, at the very least, she had an idea what to look for. The problem was that this monster was known to blend with its surroundings too well for her to spot.

"I don't think I'm seeing anything near us," she said. "I'm not certain, though."

"We can't move until we're sure," Ren said. He had his shield raised slightly, ready to act in an instant.

Tayin had both hands on her wand, placing her shield arm strategically to cover her side as well. "I'm sure there's a Magic Skill that can help with detecting invisible enemies. I should probably get that next."

Grace held her Mana-Edge +3 at the ready. She didn't ignite it right away, opting to use it as a surprise tactic. Instead, she raised her armguard close to her face.

They stood back-to-back in a triangle for a few seconds. Three lone adventurers in the middle of the Foul Wetlands. Nothing touched them.

"Okay," Ren said finally. "We'll move slow. Once we enter the swamp proper, we ought to spot at least one noldzwjak."

They moved as a unit. Shoulder to shoulder, scanning all around. When one signaled to stop, so would the rest. It didn't matter if it was a false alarm, so long as they were sure they were safe.

Grace spotted a blur from far away, just within the trees they were about to enter. She halted the group and pointed silently.

Ren and Tayin turned and nodded. It was just a little blur, but they saw and confirmed the rising and falling movement.

A noldzwjak. Almost imperceptible, sleeping underneath the roots of a gigantic dead-looking tree. It was curled like a cat, long neck wrapped around its body away from them. Large, draconic wings covered most of its back, while its spiked tail completed the circle.

Grace looked to her companions, trying to ascertain their thoughts. They gave her a silent nod, understanding her desire to move closer stealthily. Ren made an attempt to Scan. Her currently heightened senses felt the mana-flow and she immediately stopped him.

She desperately shook her head, unable to verbally say her reason. If it weren't for Valor'el's lessons, she wouldn't have known that a Scan could cause others to detect the touch of mana. On the account of their stealth, she expressed how risky using the Skill would be on a monster, even if it was sleeping. She doubted Ren or Tayin knew how to be subtle about it.

Fortunately, it seemed her panic caused the Shield Knight to follow. They couldn't argue with words now anyway. Grace decided to explain fully later.

They were now within Tayin's long range, which meant Ren and Grace could close the gap in an instant with their speed-enhancing Skills. The group knew what they had to do. They had practiced their strategy numerous times, and Shallies had even commended them for the amount of surprise damage they could deal.

Even then, Grace couldn't help but feel nervous. It wasn't as large as Arun'dul's draconic form, but the mere figure of the monster itself resurfaced the awful memory. Her mind started racing…

No. I need to get a grip.

Grace smiled. Not a confident one, she would admit. But it calmed her knowing that she could still afford the expression despite her internal struggle. Ren and Tayin caught on, giving her an affirming nod.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Nothing lost, nothing learned.

The half-orc took a deep breath. Slow and silent, she opened her Basic Battle Elixir and drank its contents, making sure that she placed the container back into her Class Inventory. She felt her mana swell, but not out of control compared to when she felt the effects of The Perpetual Method. She felt ready to fight, that was for sure. There was no time to check her System Console exactly how much she had improved.

After one last look around their vicinity, making sure there weren't any hiding ambushers, Grace signaled to Ren that she was ready.

They all took their positions. Tayin even understood to hold her incantation, since the Scan was prevented. She signaled for her prepared Spell instead.

The Shield Knight raised his sword, then swung down pointing at the sleeping noldzwjak.

Due to their lack of the Focus Attribute, they couldn't wordlessly use their Skills. So when all three adventurers declared their own Skills, the noise it made was akin to a glass window suddenly shattering. And almost immediately, the noldzwjak jerked awake.

It didn't matter.

Due to Shield Charge and Haste, the speed at which Ren and Grace arrived at the shimmering scales of the pseudo-dragon was like a snapping spring. The noldzwjak made a mistake by suddenly moving in panic. It gave them the needed moment to aim at its shoulder. It was a weak spot, an obvious crease where the rock-like scales relaxed and adjusted for better movement.

The Shield Knight didn't miss it, knowing full well where to hit based on experience. And Grace followed perfectly, doubling down on the opportune moment with Mana Slash. Compared to the drillbull the other day, they had caught this monster completely by surprise. Their attack ripped open a gaping wound.

And then came Tayin's Fire Lance.

The lance of flame detonated on contact, and immediately the shimmering visage of the noldzwjak completely vanished. Grace also didn't miss the fact that they had completely severed the creature's left arm.

Confidence swelled within the half-orc. Their surprise attack was a huge success. With one arm down, the noldzwjaks strength was greatly diminished. But she reeled herself back, knowing full well that it had more to its arsenal than just brute strength.

She could see the three horns on the monster. Their next challenge was fire and acid, and the noldzwjak's three-way jaws were already opening to show both at high activity. Combined, both these elements would create an entirely different scale of conflagration when compared to a two-horned variety. On this, Grace was sure. She had read it before, and she already assumed that it had mastered this combined breath attack.

Ren used Taunt, and Tayin began her incantations for Time Stop.

That brought Grace back to her senses. She quickly disengaged, allowing for the Shield Knight to take the full brunt of the breath attack, while she maneuvered to flank. She was worried, but this was exactly how they had drawn out their strategy.

Ren stood valiantly, holding out his shield. His facial expression hidden underneath his helm, but he was still standing. He was still yelling.

But something felt off.

There was a sudden swirl of mana.

Grace turned with urgency. Because she had run to the side, she had a better view of the noldzwjak, specifically what was rising from the back of its head. Two more horns. She saw them spark and rise to join the first three, like gears settling into place. Lightning flashed, then a sonic boom assaulted her ears.

"Ren!" Tayin screamed, pausing her incantation. She rushed towards the embers and smoke.

Grace went into crisis mode. The noldzwjak was still reeling from the impact of its own attack. Certainly, a move that powerful would come with its own drawbacks. While she wanted to help Ren right away, it would be dangerous for all three of them to gather in one place. She had to take his role until Tayin verified his condition.

A leg. Joint by the hips. Just like the shoulder.

With Haste still in effect, the half-orc moved in a blur, closing in on the gasping pseudo-dragon. She quickly found the spot in between the scales of its hip joint and leg, and dashed towards it with Mana Slash at the ready. When it didn't move to retaliate, she unleashed the Skill.

Sparks flew out of her Mana-Edge +3, as the blade made of mana collided with stone scales. It was like a hatch that suddenly closed, blocking her weapon entirely.

The moment gave Grace pause. And she realized too late that she had made a mistake, as a giant, spiked tail lashed out at her. Stone scales clashed with metal as Ren suddenly appeared with Shield Charge's help. He blocked the spike, but the force threw him into the half-orc. They crashed right in front of the turning noldzwjak.

It might not have the capability to launch that devastating ability again yet, but its jaws were open wide, ready to rip them apart.

"Flame Lance!"

A second explosion hit the pseudo-dragon right in the face, giving the two time to make distance.

How? Grace stopped herself from asking Ren, paying close attention to their enemy instead. There would be explanations later.

"What now?" Tayin asked.

Grace did her best to assess the situation. She could see Ren was doing the same. He was clearly hurt, covered with burns, and parts of his armor were cracked. He was bleeding too, but he didn't seem to care one bit. Tayin had used two of her three prepared Spells, and couldn't get the chance to finish her Time Slow. She expected the halfling to keep providing cover fire.

As for her, she could probably do Mana Slash two more times. One if she had to use Haste again. It was almost running out, even with the Battle Elixir's bonuses. Their engagement hadn't even lasted for five minutes…

Grace was the last to notice. She turned to where the other two were looking, and she felt like her breath was caught in her throat.

"Is that…?"

The noldzwjak was assessing the situation as well. It had lost a limb and had suffered burns twice. Upon closer inspection, it looked like it was bearing old wounds from whatever skirmish it had suffered through the Foul Wetlands in order to survive. But what truly shocked Grace wasn't the calculating stares of the pseudo-dragon. Rather, it was what was happening on its head.

She could hear Ren take a nervous gulp.

"Sixth horn." He turned towards her and Tayin. "Level 50."

Grace couldn't help but swallow down her own nervousness. "We're putting that in a Container?"