Damon slung out a cloud sword nearly stabbing two at once, but a third one swung its bushy tail, knocking his attack back at him.
Fang launched ice sickles while jumping over one impaling its back, but that didn't slow it down as it sprinted towards a few of its pack members.
Calvus took out his war hammer throwing it to a image that was in pursuit. Swapping and catching the hammer he swung down missing one panda fox by a hair.
The beasts grouped up surrounding them on all sides slowly walking in. They stopped every few feet paying attention to all their movements.
"They're working as a team. We have to split them up. Try not to get scratched, their claws are poisonous." Damon said.
Fang looked at Damon for moment, but ignored his thoughts, Instead he stomped the ground multiple times creating six ice walls, that were 4 meters long and 3 meters high splitting the beasts up in three's.
He didn't know how long they would remain separated, but he did his best to give them a advantage starting off at least.
They each took a side facing their opponents separately, Damon held his hand up as clouds spiraled and shaped into a trident. He had only performed it once, it took longer to shape it last time, but with cumulus cloud at level 2, it was much faster and easier.
He casted recovery mist just in case anyone got hurt, their wounds would began healing the moment it occurred. Pushing off with a twist he swung the Trident horizontally, grazing one and missing the other two completely.
The second he began pulling the Trident back in, to reposition. one of them was already at his arm biting down, it was too fast and too close for him to evade.
The other two swept behind him getting in his blind spots,he punched the panda fox multiple times making it let go just as the other two went for his legs.
Swinging it low he managed to knock them back and jump out the way. Twisting the Trident he thrusted it forward and with a sweeping motion pinned one of them down by its tail.
Five small clouds turned into daggers and with a snap of his fingers they shot down piercing its body from multiple angles. Its tail sprung up pushing the Trident in the air, as it was falling down, another jumped and hit the trident with its tail like it was swinging a bat.
It spun like a drill nearly taking Damon head off as it shot by. His eyes widened, he couldn't believe how smart and strategic they were. His attack hit its mark, but didn't keep it from making its next move.
Lost in thought for a second he lost sight of the third one and the next second it was on his back digging its claws through his armor while trying to bite down on the back of his neck. He spun in circles while grabbing its face pushing it up away from his head.
The other two charged in with open jaws, but Damon crouched down with the beast still on his back and pushed off as hard as he could, jumping a few meters up. He snatched and pulled until the beast was off, reaching out his hand as they were going back down, the Trident surged up going straight through the one in the air and Into his hand.
Twisting it around he stabbed through its head as he landed on top of it. Ripping the Trident out he dispersed it and forged two small tomahawks instead.
He didn't know why ,but he felt more comfortable fighting with something shorter rather than something to help with distance.
"Alright two more."
Ding!
[You have been poisoned. The poison effects will be active in two minutes. Defeat the remaining beasts before it reaches your heart.]
Damon faced one of them as the other circled. He rushed in swinging wide, the panda fox had no issue dodging. The one circling pounced half way in and out trying to gauge their distance. Noticing what it was doing Damon smiled.
"I'll focus on one of them and the other will come right to me. It can't dodge in the air." He thought.
Going after one he swung an uppercut followed by multiple slashes. Cloud daggers formed above the panda fox that was watching his movements for an opening. Damon swung wide and slow intentionally and the beast took off running preparing to pounce.
Soon as it completely left the ground it was riddled with small thumb sized holes. Damon stopped his false pursuit and turned around throwing a cloud tomahawk nailing it in the head. He then turned back and threw the second cloud axe right between the last one eyes as well.
"Surprise." He mumbled to the beast as its body hit the ground. He wisped all three bodies away in his storage thinking how much easier they were to defeat than he originally thought. Seconds later the ice walls crumbled, Calvus and Fang were done as well.
Ding!
[3 mid matured beasts killed.600exp gained.]
[Exp-980/1200.]
[Objective completed.]
[Passive skill obtained]
[Antivenom level 1- your body has developed a low tolerance to low level poison.]
Damon smiled inwardly, he had begun to feel the effects of the poison from the black claw panda, but they immediately vanished after reading the notification.
"That wasn't so tough. I thought mid matured beasts were stronger than that." Calvus said.
"Most are, but when it comes to some beasts being powerful doesn't make them mid matured. Sometimes it's their nature, those things fight, hunt and live in a pack for a reason. Their cunning and smart, remember intelligence is the real maturity in a beast and power is just a bonus." Fang said.
"You've been pretty knowledgeable and good with making decisions" Damon said.
"That's only because I have a big sister that pounds that knowledge stuff in my head. She swears everything you need in life is in a book."
"Same here. My father is always on my case about strength, power and loyalty." Calvus said with a annoyed tone as if he could hear his father lecturing him.
Damon twisted his lips in thought, sometimes he wished things were different for him. It wasn't anything he could do about the past and he was aware, but it was still a thought that crossed his mind from time to time.
They talked for little while coming up with a routine and plan. Fang pulled out the satellite device and pressed a few buttons, he then took off his coms device placing it in a slot, It beeped revealing multiple locations.
These are all the locations we can go in order to contact Mr. Bell. I say we move out every morning to contact him for an update and return back here by nightfall. The closest area is here he pointed out on the survey.
Fang sealed the cave after gathering their tents and they headed northwest. The wild life was active as always. So many noises were heard throughout the forests that kept them on guard.
Some smaller beasts where up in the trees watching them or either getting out of their way. Different small flying and crawling insects where everywhere which the swatted every chance they had.
They had made it 2 kilometers away from home base and was roughly three hours away from their destination.
While walking Damon noticed a large rodent type beast. It had yellow fur with red dots everywhere. The beast looked at Damon with its three eyes and sniffed the air.
[Oversee]
[Sting tail Rabbit- A beast with incredible jumping ability and a thin needle shaped tail.]
[Strengths- it's ability to jump several meters in a single hop with it's flexible feet and legs that allows it to bypass standard projectory. It's needle tip tail has a phantom effect when striking that causes slight paralysis.]
[Weakness- is easily detected due to its inability to move quietly.]
The sting tail rabbit moved with its kangaroo like hind legs slightly jumping with every step. Making small thuds with every movement. Suddenly a huge spider the size of a great Dane descended down from a nearby tree. It was quick and precise, in no time it made the rabbit defenseless.
Damon grabbed Calvus shoulder out of reflex gripping it tight. Looking back Calvus followed Damons eyes.
"Looks like somebody got themselves dinner."Calvus said looking at the spider wrap up the rabbit in its green forest like webs.
"Wanna kill it, first one to land the killing blow
Wins." Calvus said.
Hearing no response and the way Damon was looking he asked if everything was ok.
Damon then pointed up slowly, The top of the trees were covered in thick green webs that mirored the color of the leaves.
They could see many spiders in different colors and sizes running along the webs, moving fast and quiet.
"Ughhh, Fang, I think we should run." Said Calvus having a change of heart about killing the spider.
Turning around to see what was going on fang heart dropped as multiple spiders came down on a single thread. Many more crawled down sitting on branches and the base of the trees all around them.
[Oversee]
[ Leaf arachnids mid matured beast -A spider beast that uses its tree and leaf like body to blend with forestry. Very aggressive, territorial and have undying loyalty to its queen which are usually one or two matured levels above the nest. ]
Damon didn't even try to look at its weaknesses as his attention was elsewhere.
One of the spiders crawled towards them picking up its front long tree bark legs and barred its thorn like fangs while moving its pincer jaws.
"Ruuuuuun"