Chapter 4 Whirlwind Slash
Maji clearly remembered that afternoon a few days ago.
When he and Aier Ji and the others came to the Adventurers' Association, looking for suitable missions on the public notice board in the hall.
That shy-faced farm boy who was led over by the guide.
Although the other party said he had mastered a professional 'battle technique', Maji didn't really take it to heart.
He had seen too many greenhorns like Xia Nan, whether in the mountains on the kingdom's border or in River Valley Town now.
They would imagine themselves in the heroic epics sung by bards, learn a few moves casually from the village militia, and then think they were qualified to go on adventures.
Then, with unrealistic fantasies, they would plunge headfirst into the major forests and dungeons across the continent.
Finally becoming nutrients in the soil to nourish plants.
'Battle techniques' are one of the essential conditions for becoming a professional!
Even an 'old guy' like himself, who had been adventuring outside for many years, had only learned a move or two. How could this young kid in front of him, who couldn't even plow the land properly, learn it just by spending some time looking at a few scraps of paper?
You know, even those noble scions from the city.
Their families would spend a fortune hiring professionals who had already mastered battle techniques to train them from a young age, and even supplement it with expensive medicinal herbs and equipment.
Only then could they barely achieve a professional rank.
Although Maji thought this way at the time, supported by his extensive experience, he didn't show it on his face.
On the contrary, he very enthusiastically welcomed Xia Nan, who joined the team as a temporary member, and even spent a 'huge sum' to treat him to a portion of Gray Rat meat fried rice at the White Mountain Finch Tavern next door.
After all, given the intensity of the missions their team usually took, their own three members' combat strength was already sufficient, but they still needed a member who could do some of the dirty and tiring work.
Furthermore, if they encountered any sudden situations, a novice unfamiliar with the forest terrain could, to some extent, buy them some time to escape.
They just didn't expect...
'Whoosh!'
Maji suddenly released his hand, and the wooden arrow instantly disappeared from the bowstring.
Accompanied by a brief tremor from his fingertips, a sharp scream rang out from the ground beneath the tree canopy.
He recalled the flash of silver that had just vanished in the forest.
That level was definitely a battle technique!
Could it be... this kid really stumbled upon some incredible luck and managed to learn it?
Regardless, Xia Nan had truly mastered a style of 'battle technique'.
Then perhaps his position in their small team should also be changed?
Drawing the bow, releasing the arrow.
Maji's hands didn't stop, but his mind had already begun contemplating.
'Aier Ji is dead, and the team happens to be short of a direct combatant.'
'After this mission is over, I'll pull this kid into the team.'
...
...
His chest rose and fell.
Xia Nan slowly exhaled a long breath.
His arms trembled slightly from overexertion, and the solid feel of the sword hilt came from his palm.
He recalled the feeling of instinctively using 【Spinning Slash】 just now.
It was hard to describe.
After countless practices over the past few years, this move seemed to have become his instinct.
Charging, aiming, swinging the sword.
It wasn't until the sharp wails from the Goblins reached his ears that he realized what was beneath his blade this time was not straw, but real flesh and blood.
A pool of blood gradually spread on the meadow, with scattered severed limbs lying on the ground.
Xia Nan felt a slight urge to vomit, but after all, the gruesome scene before him came from Goblins. Even though they were also intelligent creatures, the difference in height and build was too great.
There wasn't such a strong sense of déjà vu, so the discomfort in his stomach was barely tolerable.
Roar--
The sound of fighting came from behind him, pulling him back to reality from his reflection.
The battle was not yet over.
Although Xia Nan was new, he had no intention of retreating.
Perhaps that sword strike just now had dispersed the fear in his heart caused by Aier Ji's death.
Without thinking too much, he tightened his grip on the sword hilt and quickly moved towards Gagu's direction to provide support.
Roars, sharp wails, arrows piercing the air, blades entering flesh...
The battle came suddenly and ended just as quickly.
It didn't even last ten minutes in total before silence returned to the forest.
Only leaving a very strong smell of blood in the air.
The Goblin's ambush could be said to have been very effective.
Immediately after the battle began, they successfully reduced the 'Stinky Fish and Rotten Shrimp' team's numbers, causing them to lose a primary combatant.
But subsequently, they showed their true nature as low-level monsters.
Facing the resistance of the other members of the team, they gradually fell into a disadvantage.
Especially after Xia Nan split two Goblins in half with one sword strike, the situation instantly collapsed and tilted towards the team's side.
Without the added courage of 'group crime', even though the Goblins still held weapons, their combat strength plummeted sharply.
Gagu stood at the very front, wielding a two-handed axe with fierce might; Xia Nan moved on the flank of the battlefield, finishing off enemies and supporting teammates; wooden arrows occasionally shot out from the dense canopy overhead, though not hitting every time, each arrow still had an effect.
There were a total of sixteen Goblins.
Xia Nan dealt with five of them, and Maji shot and killed six with only his bow and arrows.
Gagu was covered in blood, looking incredibly tragic, like a fierce warrior on the battlefield.
In the end, he only managed to chop down five Goblins in total, the same as Xia Nan who had just joined the team.
Cleaning up the battlefield.
Following Hunter Maji's actions, Xia Nan stepped on the Goblin's head with his foot and cut off its left ear with his one-handed sword.
This was his trophy.
Although the process made him feel a bit uncomfortable, when he thought about the bounty for just one Goblin being as high as nearly four silver coins, which was almost two days' pay for a laborer in the city.
Xia Nan's movements became unconsciously lighter and more forceful.
'Here, take it!'
A blood-stained Goblin ear was handed over.
Xia Nan looked at Gagu in front of him and felt a little surprised.
If he remembered correctly, although he was the one who finished off this Goblin, it had actually been hit on the head by Gagu's two-handed axe before he even made his move, practically half-dead.
He had thought this should count as the other party's kill and hadn't bothered with it, but he didn't expect this Half-orc to actually help him cut off the ear and bring it over.
'Kid's got some skill, I'll treat you to a drink later!'
Gagu patted Xia Nan's shoulder with his blood-stained large hand and said in a rough voice.
Actually, before this battle, the two hadn't had much interaction.
One reason was that Xia Nan had been acting muddled while trying to process the memories in his mind.
Another reason was that Gagu actually looked down on this newcomer a bit.
Possessing Orc blood, the concept of 'strength is respected' permeated almost all of his understanding.
Unlike Maji, he didn't think deeply about it; he just felt that Xia Nan joining the team was just to drag them down and had no value whatsoever.
It wasn't until just now, when Gagu personally witnessed the other party's performance in combat, that he was truly convinced.
He then regarded him as a member of the team.