Chapter 104: Forming a team for an adventure
“We’re actually not holding out too much hope on finding the ‘Fruit of Dagmar’, and are just trying our luck in the depths of the southern parts of the Dark Forest. We only know that someone has once seen this fruit somewhere, but we’re uncertain if that was the ‘Fruit of Dagmar’, or if it’s been taken by others already. Have you really decided to join us on this expedition to search for the unknown?” Odysseus looked at Han Shuo and explained seriously before asking him.
Han Shuo knew that this group of people didn’t have much surety after hearing Odysseus’ words, but he thought about it, and felt that he didn’t seem to have much to do temporarily, and would just be returning to the cemetery of death to engage in endless rounds of training to improve himself. If he was lucky enough to obtain the “Divine Brain Fruit”, then Han Shuo’s “molded spirit” realm would be greatly enhanced.
Increasing his realm meant that this would also benefit Han Shuo’s mental strength. Therefore, Han Shuo gravely considered and felt that the risk was worth taking with them.
Nodding, Han Shuo looked at Odysseus and said firmly, “Yes, I would like to go with you into the depths of the southern part of the Dark Forest, but if we are truly able to discover the ‘Fruit of Dagmar’, I wish to receive one as well.”
“Since you insist, we’re very happy to have you join us. I’m just trying my luck for the ‘Fruit of Dagmar’, so don’t have high hopes. Our main goal is to venture into the Dark Forest because it’s said that there’s even more tempting items hidden in its depths. Heh heh, if we do discover the ‘Fruit of Dagmar’, we only need one to fulfill our mission, you can take the rest, no problem.” Odysseus smiled.
The further one delved into the Dark Forest, the greater the danger became. The real danger would only be slowly revealed. There were even stronger magical creatures within, some mystical races, and all sorts of lethal plant species.
But various alluring riches and fortune could also be found amidst the danger. Some exotic plants would grow only in the deeper parts, and many would fetch high prices. There were also many things that could be sold from the bodies of level one, two, and three magical creatures, but the caveat was that you had to kill them first.
The two sides reached an agreement and didn’t continue tarrying. Odysseus introduced Han Shuo to his other companions and the group of seven set off deeper into the area.
The sacred ground that the forest trolls were protecting was not too far up ahead. The forest troll warriors were standing guard over the area. Although there was still some riches within the sacred grounds, Han Shuo already viewed it as his personal property. So under Han Shuo’s purposeful guidance, the band of people avoided the area and continued forward after making a small detour.
They didn’t run into much danger after walking for a day, and everyone made camp on the banks of a river when it was nightfall. They shoveled out some of the luxuriant growth of shrubbery in the surroundings and Aphrodite took out some tents from the space ring that she wore on her hand, similar to Han Shuo’s. Everyone set up their tents, made a bonfire, and started cooking food.
There were fat fish swimming about in the clear river waters on the side. As a water adept mage, Aphrodite cast a minor water magic and caught roughly ten fish. Everyone used their self made wooden forks to spear the fat fish and start baking them.
After everyone had eaten the fully cooked fish and talked for a short while around the bonfire, everyone headed into their own tents to sleep. The female elven archer and the water adept mage Aphrodite slept in one tent, while the four males slept two to a tent. Han Shuo eagerly volunteered to take the watch, and found an isolated place to train his magical yuan when everyone had entered the tents and settled down.
With three originals demons by his side, Han Shuo didn’t need to pay much attention at all, but training his magical yuan was the foundation for Han Shuo’s future development, therefore he couldn’t slack off for a single second. He held up beneath the onslaught of sudden pain and pleasure in his mind and silently sank into his training.
It wasn’t until the second half of the night when a sudden strange sound startled Han Shuo out of his training. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat away from his brow as everything his three original demons was observing fell into his vision. One of the original demons left its post and flew out towards the source of the sound, quickly approaching the origin in the night.
A twin headed dragon was staggering in from the distance. Fresh, green blood was flowing from one of its necks and it seemed to have suffered from heavy injuries. It flew swiftly, heedless of direction, towards their location. Although a twin headed dragon wasn’t really a true dragon, it was still a strong level two magical beast. Han Shuo didn’t know why it was so bedraggled and had fallen to the straits of fleeing for its life.
One of the original demons kept an eye on the twin headed dragon’s movement, another split off and sped back in the direction that the twin headed dragon had come from, attempting to see what was out there that’d made the twin headed dragon run off, injured. It was a pity that Han Shuo didn’t discover anything after the original demon had flown a certain distance.
Upon seeing the disoriented twin headed dragon was headed in their direction, Han Shuo immediately stood up and swiftly sped towards the people’s tents, shaking their tent poles and calling out loudly, “Wake up, something’s happening!”
Deeply asleep, the adventurers all groggily heard Han Shuo’s shouts and swiftly put on their clothes, walking out of the tents within ten seconds. It was about to enter wintertime and the temperature at night was exceedingly cold. The six adventurers were solidly wrapped up with only their faces peeking out.
Because Han Shuo’s surveillance had been conducted through the original demons, the six people still couldn’t detect anything out of the ordinary, even though the twin headed dragon was speedily approaching. Odysseus looked in confusion at the surroundings and then back at Han Shuo, “Everything seems very orderly, where’s the situation?”
“A twin headed dragon is five hundred meters north of our position and is quickly approaching. I believe he’ll be of danger to us and we need to prepare immediately.” Han Shuo didn’t have time to explain much to them and immediately voiced the truth.
Gordon didn’t seem to believe Han Shuo’s words and was about to open his mouth in doubt when Odysseus suddenly said in a low voice, “If this is the case, we’ll make preparations immediately. A twin headed dragon’s temper is violent and is not kindly disposed towards humans. I think it will bring trouble to us if it discovers our presence.”
The female archer took out two arrows and said with some concern, “A twin headed dragon is a level two magical creature. Not only can it spray poison, but the two heads can attack directly with sharp teeth. It will be a difficult fight for us!”
Han Shuo took out his crossbow and climbed onto a nearby big tree, saying rapidly, “Don’t worry, this twin headed dragon has already been injured. It can’t even fly now. If we prepare accordingly, it won’t be able to escape at all.”
The band of people looked at each other in the eye after Han Shuo had spoken and all displayed expressions of surprise. If the twin headed dragon hadn’t been injured, it would’ve been difficult for the team of adventurers to fight against, but if it couldn’t even fly after being injured, this meant that the twin headed dragon was injured quite heavily. This was a heaven sent opportunity that they wouldn’t let slip away.
Full of overjoyed surprise, some of them climbed up into tall trees like Han Shuo while some others hid in the shadows of the trees. They all took out their weapons or concentrated their mental strength to ready themselves to handle the twin headed dragon with a horrible sense of direction.
A rustling sound came from the shrubs that it swept past, and the injured twin headed dragon finally appeared in everyone’s vision amidst great expectation.
Gordon, who had been doubtful of Han Shuo’s judgment earlier, flashed him an admiring glance in the distance and gripped his longsword with excitement, intending on hitting the twin headed dragon with a swift attack.
The twin headed dragon with a bad sense of direction finally slammed headfirst into the wall of water that Aphrodite had set up. The enormous impact caused Aphrodite’s wall of water to turn into numerous droplets in the air.
At the same time, Han Shuo and Nia (the female elven archer) attacked at almost the same time. Han Shuo couldn’t fire the crossbow in quick succession, so the bolt he shot out landed on the back of the twin headed dragon’s neck. Nia sent out three arrows, and apart from it dodging the first arrow, the other two were all nailed to its forehead.
The thunder journeyman mage within the group shot out a ring of lightning to attack the twin headed dragon’s back. The three warriors who’d lain in wait for a while took advantage of this opportunity to rush out and dash towards the twin headed dragon, releasing their fighting aura to attack ferociously.
Up in front, Aphrodite created another two beings of water to attract the twin headed dragon’s attention and create more opportunities for Han Shuo and the archer Nia to attack.
In this way, the level two magical creature, the twin headed dragon, didn’t even have time to spray out poison under the heavy barrage. He’d already been injured and finally fell down listlessly in its blood.
The adventurers were incredibly excited when they saw that they’d killed the twin headed dragon and walked out cheering from their places of concealment, preparing to strip the trophies from twin headed dragon’s body.
Han Shuo’s face suddenly twisted drastically at this moment and he suddenly yelled fiercely, “Hurry up and leave this place! The person who had been pursuing the twin headed dragon is heading this way and we have no chance of winning a fight against them!”