“Hana, on your left!” I hear Blossom call out to our frontliner, who might’ve not been aware of the new arrival due to all the chaos that surrounds her.
With a nimble sidestep, Ayame evades the axe’s path, her body bending like a reed in the wind. She counters with a quick slash across the Orc Berserker’s exposed side, drawing a howl of pain from her foe. Her nimble movements allow her to strike quickly before retreating out of reach.
Seeing the Orc Berserker stagger, Blossom and I seize the opportunity. We move in from opposite sides, using Ayame’s distraction to our advantage. Blossom leaps from the shadows, aiming her dagger at the creature’s throat, while I thrust my spear low, targeting its unprotected flank after activating [Power Strike].
Man, I really do need some new abilities.
The orc roars after getting caught off guard by our sudden assault. Blossom’s dagger finds its mark, and my spear pierces through its side, the combined force of our strikes bringing the mighty foe to its knees. Glancing over at Blossom, I watch as she ruthlessly exploits the opening.
She becomes a whirlwind of motion, her dagger darting in and out of existence as she stabs her foe numerous times with lethal intent. The blade first slashes across the monster’s throat, releasing a spray of crimson that splatters against the forest floor. Without pausing, she shifts her position, her eyes locked onto the beast with a predatory focus.
With precision and speed, Blossom drives the dagger into the orc’s eyes, each stab accompanied by a wet, sickening crunch. The creature howls in agony, its flailing arms unable to catch the blur that is Blossom.
Undeterred, she continues her ruthless assault, the dagger plunging repeatedly into its face and neck. Each strike is calculated, driven by a ruthless determination to bring the creature down for good. Blood pours from the orc’s wounds, turning its once-fierce visage into a mask of pain and horror.
Blossom’s relentless barrage doesn’t stop there. Her blade slices across the orc’s back, severing tendons and rendering its mighty limbs useless. The orc is reduced to a quivering mass of flesh, unable to properly defend itself against her ruthless onslaught.
How is it still alive after all that? Sure, Blossom only has a rather average knife but still… This Berserker type must have some insane Vitality, and probably some damage reduction abilities as well, otherwise this just makes no sense.
Anyways, with this, I’m more determined than ever to buy her some fancy new dagger. My woman simply can’t have this much issue taking down a mini-boss.
Though, to be fair, she didn’t use the OP poison ability that had the war troll’s system shut down, completely preventing it from regenerating its HP.
Finally, Ayame finishes the job with a swift, decisive strike, her sword slicing through the air in a gleaming arc that separates the creature’s head from its body.
Blossom steps back, her breath steady despite the brutality of her attack. The ground around her is slick with blood, a testament to her lethal efficiency. She glances over at me, her eyes still reflecting the cold focus that drove her actions.
I’m once again faced with the sheer, overwhelming awesomeness of my girls. I’ve already known Ayame to be one badass warrior, but Blossom’s ruthlessness wasn’t as evident in my mind before this bloody display of hers. She is usually so adorable, so ditzy, that I can find myself forgetting that she is a Phantom Canine, a rogue-type assassin, which is a Rare class to boot.
It is only natural that she shows no mercy to her opponents.
[You’ve assisted in slaying Orc Berserker (Level 13). You’ve gained 127 XP.]
[The XP is stored until the Rank Up Mission is completed.]
With this, the group’s leader has fallen. When the orcs’ morale should’ve wavered but the exact opposite happens. They let out a mighty roar which alerts a part of the horde that were focused on the mithril duo. Dozens of green-colored, tusk-adorned heads snap in our direction in an instant.
“We need to move, now!” I shout to my team, the urgency in my voice clear as the ground shakes beneath the approaching orc horde.
Thankfully both ladies follow my lead as we bolt toward the forest in the next moment, ducking under branches and leaping over roots. The orcs roar angrily at our shameless attempt at fleeing, their heavy footsteps thundering behind us as they begin their pursuit through the trees.
“Luna, it’s your time to shine. Let’s lose the horde from our tail!” I decide to use her new alias just to be safe, even though I’m confident we’re out of earshot of the two mithril adventurers.
She nods eagerly and dashes ahead of the two of us. “Leave it to Luna!”
Ayame and I follow closely, trusting Blossom to find the path that will give us the upper hand. She leads us through a series of twists and turns, her instincts guiding us toward safety. The dense forest provides ample cover, and we use every shadow and thicket to our advantage, slipping away from the orcs’ line of sight.
The orcs, driven by anger and bloodlust, crash through the forest in pursuit, their numbers slowing them down in the tight quarters of the woodland.
Blossom’s senses are our lifeline as we continue to put distance between us and the orc horde. She picks up on the faintest traces of scent, guiding us along paths that only a creature attuned to the wild would be able to find.
We move swiftly and quietly, our footsteps muffled by the forest floor. The orcs’ roars grow fainter, though we remain vigilant, aware that we can’t let our guard down just yet.
Once we’ve gained enough distance, Blossom signals for us to stop, her ears twitching as she listens intently for any signs of pursuit.
“They’re still looking for us, but have lost our tail.” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves.
I nod, considering our next move. “It’s finally time to farm some XP in earnest, ladies. I want to level up my Assassin and Slave Master class, so let’s search for the ones that have wandered off from the main pursuing unit to search for us in the forest far and wide. Those orcs should be the easiest pickings.”
Ayame and Blossom exchange a glance, understanding the simple plan. With the main group momentarily diverted, we can use our hit-and-run tactics to pick off the orcs that have become separated in their pursuit.
“We’ll circle back and take them out one by one,” I say, gripping my spear tightly.