Jack didn't hesitate to act. The [Hypnotic Soundwave] and the [Entrancing Gaze] of the Otherworld Gazer, the eyeball creature, was too troublesome.
He lined up his spyglass and fired another deadly slug from his sniper rifle. The bullet struck the monster's sensitive part. Right as it tried to unleash its mental power.
The melody died in a gurgle of psychic agony.
The Serpent didn't waste the opening. It coiled its massive, muscular body around the spherical monster. Its scales were grinding against the Otherworld Gazer's slick surface. Emitting the sound of tectonic plates shifting.
The One-Horned Serpent sank its fangs deep into the creature's 'eyeball flesh'. A thick, neon-violet ichor sprayed into the air.
The struggle was visceral. The Eyeball Monster lashed out with pure mental energy. Cracking the serpent's black scales. Assaulting its mind.
But the snake didn't let go. It was a grudge match of atmospheric proportions. The serpent hissed. Its horn began to glow with a dull, white light.
With a violent wrenching motion, the Serpent began to drag the Eyeball Monster downward. The Eye let out mouth-less shriek one last time. A mental soundwave that seemed to boil the swamp water.
And then, both titans vanished beneath the surface of the swirling purple vortex.
The swamp surged violently. A massive wave of swamp water slammed against the roots of the titan trees. Making the entire forest edge groan.
Then, as quickly as it had begun, the vortex started to slow. The purple neon glow began to fade. Returning to a bubbling, stagnant bright orange.
Silence returned to the northern swamp. But it wasn't the peaceful silence of the trance. It was the heavy, exhausted silence of survival.
Jack lowered his rifle. The barrel was glowing cherry-red from the heat of the runes. He exhaled a long breath. Relieved.
"Is everyone alright?" He asked. Looking at the other expedition members. "Reina?"
Reina took a deep breath. "I'm fine, Dear. My head still feels weird. But it would be okay in just a moment. But, if those monsters come back up..."
"They won't." Jack said. Looking at the ripples on the water. "The serpent was very determined to take that eyeball thing to the bottom to finish it. But indeed, just in case, we should leave this village."
He turned to the group. The students were shaken. Some of them were still paralyzed with fear.
Nick was holding Allena's hand. Both of them were staring at the spot where the monsters had vanished. Harold was not far from them. Trying to control his breath.
The teaching staff members and hired guards were in much better situation.
Professor Enderson and Dr. Crafton were frantically scribbling notes. Their hands were trembling so much that the ink was smearing.
Leon Drake and the other guards were holding their weapons tight. They vigilantly observed the surrounding. Determined not to be caught off guard again.
"Alright everyone... Let's pack up!" Jack said. His voice was not loud, but it was audible enough in everyone's ears. "We're leaving in ten minutes. It's too dangerous here at the moment. We're moving east."
"East?" Leon Drake asked. Raising his eyebrows. "Toward the Crystal Hills? There were crystal monkeys there, you know? their leader could be as troublesome as those two monsters."
"We won't enter their territory." Jack said. Checking the map in his mind. "We'll stay in the outskirt of the hills. At the border between the forest and the hills."
Reina began to coordinate the students. Packing up everything that could be packed up. She worked with a grim efficiency. Pushing the students to also quicken their packing efforts.
Jack disassembled his sniper rifle. Returning the additional components to his [Space Belt]. He kept the base, his steamrune shotgun, in his hand though. Ready to be used any time it was required.
Rune hovered near his ear. She glowed a soft green color. Showing that there was no immediate danger around them.
"Stay vigilant, Rune." Jack whispered. Mentally instructing her to keep monitoring the surrounding.
He looked one last time at the orange swamp. He could still feel the phantom vibration of that melody in the back of his head. It was lucky he had the overpowered [Mythical Adaptation] trait.
The Purplesky Realm turned out to be more dangerous than he had expected. He reminded himself that it was still the world where the mountain sized hydra were sleeping. He had loosened his vigilance when he realized they were in a separated island. Nowhere close to where the hydra was sleeping.
His intuition had known that these few days were the calm before the storm. He had felt that danger was approaching. But he didn't take it seriously. Too confident of his own abilities. It was a... poor negligence.
Jack took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to be negligent anymore. He needed to trust his instinct and intuition more. This was the zone where ancient, troublesome creatures might hide.
He adjusted his jacket. Looked at the spot on the swamp where the monsters had vanished one more time.
"Let's move!" Jack commanded. His voice cut through the lingering unease that clung to the air.
The expedition team was still shaken by their near-death experience. The sudden appearance and disappearance of the colossal eyeball and horned serpent were still heavy in their mind. The order snapped them to attention.
Jack set a brisk pace. Leading the group eastward. The decision was born of intuition and practicality.
Further north was the swamp. The domain of the single horned serpent. Obviously, it was too dangerous to visit.
West were where they had come from. The red grassland. The easiest landscape to survive. But it had the eerie Shadow Mansion that could be great potential for disaster.
South was the central amber-leafed forest. Another easier stage for survival. But the students had collected enough samples and recorded enough mystic power signature there.
Further south would be the field of stone golems pretending to be ruins. Dangerous. Risky. And pretty pointless location to visit.
East would lead them to the crystal hills. The domain of the crystal monkeys. It was also dangerous. And Jack had no intention to trespass there and cause trouble. Staying on the outskirt where the hills bordered the forest was his intention.
The team continued their journey. The strange floral fragrance of the swamp began to thin as they moved deeper. Back into the amber-leafed forests.
Jack moved at the head of the column. His senses and instincts were extended. A web of perception reached out. Regularly, his [Eyes of Judgement] were activated. Scanning the irregularities of the surrounding.
Reina was beside him. Her eyes were also scanning the deeper shadows of the trees. Her hands were never far from the holsters of her twin handguns.
Rune, the tiny fairy guide, flitted ahead in front of them. Notifying them the result of her scouting with the colors of her glow. Most of the time, it was a 'safe' green color and a 'vigilant' orange color.
The first day passed with relative quiet. The students was still shaken and nervous. But they managed to maintain their formation.
Dr. Crafton and Professor Enderson, despite their academic curiosity, didn't complain against their swift departure. In fact, they seemed to be ager to leave their elven village basecamp.
The other hired guards, including Leon Drake, were all on high alert. Their weapons were held tightly in their hands instead of being tucked in their bags or their sheathes.
On the second day, the forest decided to test them... again. Rune glow changed into red color.
Right afterward, Jack caught the scent of blood and something acrid. His hand went up. A silent command. The column froze.
Five great lynx monsters, their fur a patchy mix of orange and black, burst from the undergrowth. They were large. Each was almost as big as an adult ox. Their eyes were glinting with predatory hunger.
"Students! Handle them!" Jack's commanding voice was low and calm. "Guards! Get ready to interfere if needed."
Harold Mason was the first to react. His grimoire was flipped open. Instantly, a [Magic Missile] zipped and struck a lynx's eye.
Just a fraction of a second afterward, Nick Glaiver's [Magic Missile] hit the same spot. Followed by the barrage of similar spells. All targeting the eyes of the lynx monsters.
The lynx beasts snarled. Their painful cries echoed through the rapid magic missile barrage. They hadn't even started attacking but they had already been severely struck.
"Good! Don't break formation!" Jack called out.
His eyes were sweeping over the students. He watched for openings. For signs of panic. But there were none. The previous days of brutal encounters and near death experience had forged their mental fortitude greatly. They were no longer the green academics who stumbled into this realm. They were tough survivors now.
One lynx lunged at Chloe. But she disappeared into the shadow and appeared several meters away. Before it could do anything else, Alenna's [Magic Missile] struck its eye. Blinding and damaging it severely.
Chloe, without hesitation, cast similar [Magic Missile]. Striking right at the lynx's opened mouth. Searing its throat.
The battle afterward was swift, brutal, and efficient. The students were working as cohesive units. Four against one target. They fiercely cast basic spells against the predators.
Jack observed. His gaze was sharp. Ready to intervene if any student faltered.
Reina stood beside him. Her hands were holding a air of handguns. Ready to interfere when needed. But the students didn't give her the chance.
Within minutes, the five great lynx monsters were all dead. Despite their weak destructive power their spells had, the students managed to kill the predators. They were using overwhelming quantity to compensate the lack of quality.
The students were breathing heavily. But each of them had a fierce light in their eyes. They had truly transformed into capable survivors.
"Good work!" Jack praise them. "Maintain vigilance. We move."
They pressed on. The forest was growing denser. The amber-colored leaves of the trees were sometimes so thick overhead that they blotted out the violet sky entirely. Plunging them into a deep darkness.
Several students took out [Self-illuminating Orbs] from their spatial bags. The orbs gave them enough light to help them move safely through the dark forest. But, they also attract danger...
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