“Have you ever encountered such bizarre monsters?” Lanas asked with a hint of perplexity in his voice.
“Unheard of!”
“Yes, such strange monsters, I’ve never even heard of them before.”
Despite most of them possessing considerable influence and having many powerful families backing them, everyone’s faces were shrouded in bewilderment at this moment. .
Atael, noticing the expressions of the people around him, couldn’t help but offer a wry smile.
“I know you might find it hard to believe, but I swear on my honor, there’s not a single false word in what I’m saying! Those monsters, they’re truly odd. If you don’t keep your eyes on them, they become incredibly swift, appearing behind you in an instant to launch a surprise attack.”
“We swear on our honor as well!”
After a careful glance at Atael and his companions, Howard spoke up, “Besides that, do they have any other peculiarities?”
“Nothing more,” Atael shook his head and said, “Before they make their move, they’re just like ordinary humans. We only learned of this because our mentor mentioned that there were many people in the nearby base. That’s how we mistakenly assumed their identities, allowing them to get close to us. By the time we realized it, it was already too late.”
“They disguise themselves to approach you?”
Howard sensed something problematic in this.
“Yes, exactly! They can even speak, though somewhat awkwardly!” Atael recalled for a moment before speaking earnestly, “It’s like listening to a child who has only recently learned to speak!”
“…”
Upon hearing this, a sudden conjecture sprang into Howard’s mind.
Perhaps, what Atael and his group encountered were not mere monsters, but beings from an Extraplanar realm!
Monsters that descended into their world either lacked the capacity to speak or were more eloquent than humans themselves.
The awkwardness in speech suggested something else entirely.
This thought cast a solemn shadow over Howard’s expression.
Compared to mere monsters, Extraplanar beings were known to be far more vicious.
Any encounter with them was a matter of life and death – an inescapable fight to the end.
“Our adversary might hail from the Extraplanar realms!”
As Howard’s voice echoed with this revelation, a wave of panic swept over the other students.
“We must find the space rift first!”
“If the space rift remains open, more Extraplanar beings will pour in, making them harder to combat.”
“Hisss, if they are indeed Extraplanar beings, their strength must be at least at the LV30 level. We can no longer afford to split our forces!”
“Should we call for help from our mentors?”
Quickly, the students’ thoughts turned towards seeking assistance from Tana and Wales.
“It’s necessary!” Howard nodded in agreement, not letting pride hinder them from calling upon their strongest allies.
After all, the level of the impending enemy remained an enigma to them all!
Although the Extraplanar beings had not been slain by Atael and his group, suggesting their strength wasn’t overwhelming, it’s said that even a lion must use its full strength to catch a rabbit.
And in this case, they were far from being lions in the eyes of these Extraplanar entities.
“Let’s split into two groups,” Howard suggested. “One to seek help, and the other to find and destroy the space rift. If we don’t act quickly and the space rift fully forms, the increasing number of Extraplanar beings might become an overwhelming force, perhaps even beyond the capabilities of Ms. Tana and her team.”
After assessing the situation, Howard decided that the injured Atael and his group, along with some of the less powerful students, should return the way they came to seek help.
He, along with Lanas, Maithus, and other relatively stronger students, would venture deeper.
Under normal circumstances, students like Lanas wouldn’t have listened to Howard’s commands so readily.
But in this crisis, they all looked to Howard as their leader, their anchor in the chaos.
Time gradually slipped away as they explored and advanced.
As night fell, darkness enveloped the entire forest.
Just as Howard hesitated over whether to stop for rest, a sudden blaze erupted in the distance, its flames piercing the sky.
The intense heat not only raised the temperature in the vicinity but also dispelled the surrounding darkness.
“Why would there be such a fierce blaze in the middle of the night?”
“Could it be that the Extraplanar beings have found the base and started a massacre?”
A student exclaimed in shock upon considering this possibility.
“Don’t jump to conclusions!”
“There must be strong protective measures at the base. It can’t be so easily breached.”
“But if it’s not the base being attacked…”
At this point, the students dared not continue their speculation.
Howard’s eyes flashed with resolve as he spoke in a cold, commanding tone, “Stop dawdling. Two of you stay behind to wait for our mentors, the rest, follow me! We’re heading straight for the source of the flames!”
“Whether it’s Extraplanar creatures, monsters, or humans causing this havoc, we need to get to the bottom of it!”
Decisive and fearless, Howard had recently gained a significant boost in his combat abilities and was not intimidated.
He led his group of students charging towards the inferno.
His confidence was not without reason.
The cover of night was his ally.
Howard was equipped with gear that could withstand several attacks and had unlocked all abilities of the ‘Solitary Stellar Marksman’.
Additionally, after a period of rest, his ‘Soul Fusion’ skill was ready to be deployed again, leaving him undaunted even by unknown monsters.
He was certain of victory.
Guided by the flames, Howard and his group sped towards the source, covering the distance in just about a quarter of an hour.
As they approached, the sounds of frantic combat, the incessant crackling of flames, and numerous cries for help assaulted their ears.
“There’s definitely trouble!”
“Maintain formation! Maithus, stay at the front with me!” Howard commanded, quickening his pace and taking the lead.
This sight left many of the tank-class awakened in disbelief.
As physical, close-combat specialists, they were astonished to find themselves outpaced by Howard, a supposedly fragile magus.
It was an utterly surprising turn of events.
Maithus, having previously been taught a lesson by Howard, was well aware of Howard’s formidable physique and showed no surprise.
Instead, he hoisted his greatsword and followed closely behind Howard.
The other students arranged themselves according to their classes.
Magi and archers took positions at the rear, warriors flanked the sides, and shield-bearing awakened protected their class professionals from behind.
And the assassins?
Some followed closely behind Howard, acting as scouts to survey the situation, while others prowled the flanks, guarding against any monster ambushes.
In battle, there were so many considerations to take into account!
The responsibilities of the awakened were manifold.
Meanwhile, Howard had already charged to the forefront. Through the myriad of flames that blazed around them, he saw everything clearly.
In an instant, his pupils sharply contracted!
Before his eyes, numerous eerie silhouettes flickered.
They moved like mantises, each flicker positioning them behind a human.
In the next moment, their sharp arm-blades descended, severing human bodies or limbs, and thick blood sprayed forth.
Of course, not all monsters flickered. Some became even more terrifying.
Their mouths howled, their heads undergoing bizarre transformations, losing their eyes and noses, leaving only rows of blood-red, razor-sharp teeth.
Their limbs scurried frantically on the ground, strangely yet with astonishing speed.
As they neared their human targets, they thrust their heads forward.
Then, those rows of blood-red teeth, like saws, mercilessly sawed through human flesh and bone!
This bizarre spectacle served as a corroboration of Atael’s earlier statements.
The monsters were indeed unique. When under human scrutiny, they lost their space blink ability and had to rely on their physical oddities for combat.
If unnoticed, they could traverse space and materialize behind people for stealth attacks.
After a moment of careful sensing, Howard understood that their strength was not overly formidable.
It was their peculiar abilities that were daunting.
Coupled with the fact that most people in the base were around level 10, far inferior even to those in smaller cities like Saint City.
Their panic and inability to find the right countermeasures led to their tragic end, which was quite expected.
Yet, the weakness of these people was no justification for their slaughter!
Witnessing fellow humans being mercilessly killed by Extraplanar beings, a surge of intense anger welled up in Howard’s heart.
With a steely gaze, Howard’s mind flickered, and he swiftly pulled out the Bow of the Songweaver from his Storage Bag, nocking and drawing the bowstring to its limit.
“Celestial Descent!”
With a roar, Howard released the bowstring, and an arrow whistled forth, striking directly into the starry sky.
Boom!
A crisp sound echoed as the night sky seemingly exploded, transforming into countless stars that rained down, bombarding the bizarre monsters amidst the flames.
Simultaneously, the special skill Stellar Realm of the Supreme Treasure – Starry River Map was activated!
The previously dim space suddenly twinkled with countless stars, enveloping Howard, dozens of students, and all survivors and monsters within the flames.
The entire area was shrouded in a celestial spectacle.
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