Chapter 94: Surrounded
"Alright."
"When one falls, I’ll activate Minor Necromancy on the body so it reanimates and attacks the others. Apparently Necromancy operates on post-mortem bodies regardless of the original physical resistance. Apparently we turn one of their own into our ally."
"Alright."
"And when the rhythm stabilizes, I’ll activate Death Pulse to paralyze the remaining ones. The paralysis effect probably works even with the feedback blocked because it operates on the nervous system, not on kinetic energy."
"Alright."
"Ready?"
Liaraen nodded.
"Ready."
Nathan took a breath.
And with a smile, he thought:
*I’m going to test all the theories over the next few minutes.*
He activated Pale Rider at maximum intensity.
---
Pale Rider at maximum intensity multiplied Nathan’s speed by approximately eight times.
He lunged forward.
The first Drakain tried to hit him with its right claw.
Nathan passed beside the arm with approximately ten centimeters to spare. The Drakain turned to follow him. Nathan was already behind it. He extended his left hand. Applied Tactile Entropy to the rudimentary structure on its back.
The skill activated.
And the rudimentary structure began to age.
In approximately two seconds, it dried up.
It broke.
And the Drakain, with its magical core damaged, staggered.
Nathan kept running.
Toward the second Drakain.
And on the way, he shouted.
"Sprout! The first one! Attack it!"
Liaraen lunged.
With the green sword toward the creature—just before contact, the sword glowed and seemed to automatically adjust its direction and position to deliver a precise strike.
The sword penetrated the first Drakain’s neck.
Approximately two-thirds of the blade’s length.
The Drakain let out a cry.
It fell.
Nathan, while Liaraen attacked the first, had already reached the second. He applied Tactile Entropy to the rudimentary structure. The structure broke. The Drakain staggered.
"Sprout! The second one!"
Liaraen ran toward the second. Executed the same attack. Cut the neck. It fell.
Nathan checked Soul Sense while running toward the third.
Eight Drakain remaining, distributed around the clearing but converging toward the center with coordination—they had identified the strategy and were adjusting.
Apparently eight organized Drakain were worse than eight surprised Drakain.
*Good.*
*Change of plan.*
Nathan stopped in the clearing’s center.
He activated Minor Necromancy on the first fallen Drakain’s body.
The body vibrated.
It stood up.
The rudimentary structure was broken, apparently with no possible feedback. But the physical body responded to necromantic reanimation. The empty eyes glowed with the characteristic pale green light.
*Surprising—I thought it would only work on remains, but it seems as long as the creature is dead, I can use its body... good.*
Nathan pointed his finger toward one of the approaching Drakain.
The reanimated Drakain ran toward its former companion.
It attacked with its own claws.
And the two began to fight with the ferocity of creatures that no longer recognized side distinctions.
Nathan also reanimated the second fallen Drakain.
Another simultaneous fight began.
Now they had two allied Drakain against two hostile Drakain.
And with the other six Drakain apparently confused about how to process that two of their own were attacking them.
Nathan took advantage of the confusion.
He extended both arms.
Activated Death Pulse at maximum intensity.
The circular detonation expanded.
Four of the six remaining Drakain fell within the pulse’s range.
They were paralyzed.
Liaraen ran toward one of the paralyzed ones. Cut its neck. It fell. She ran toward the second. Cut. It fell. The third. Cut. It fell. The fourth. Cut. It fell.
Four Drakain eliminated in approximately twenty seconds.
Nathan reanimated two of the four with Minor Necromancy through the chain.
Apparently now he had four reanimated Drakain.
Apparently his limit was three simultaneous, but apparently with bodies already defeated by his Class, the limit applied differently. Nathan quickly checked.
Three reanimated. The fourth didn’t respond to Necromancy.
*Good.*
*Three reanimated.*
The three lunged at the two remaining hostile Drakain.
And in approximately thirty more seconds of chaotic combat, all hostile Drakain were eliminated.
Nathan lowered his arms.
The three reanimated Drakain stood in the clearing. Without hostile targets. Waiting for orders.
Nathan looked at them for a moment.
Then he ended the reanimation.
The three collapsed simultaneously.
Nathan breathed.
And with his cynical smile at maximum, he turned to Liaraen.
She was standing in the clearing’s center. Breathing heavily. Her travel dress stained with the Drakain’s black blood. And her pale green eyes fixed on Nathan.
Nathan approached.
"Sprout, I told you everything would be fine—that was... fun."
"Nathan, you’re insane."
"Approximately four minutes, and maybe you’re right."
"Of course I am."
"But hey, ten Drakain eliminated."
"Correct."
"High B-Rank empowered."
"Correct."
"This is going to be considerably lucrative if the guild verifies the bodies."
"Yes—if they do?"
Silence.
Liaraen sheathed her sword.
Nathan checked the System mentally.
```
COMBAT RESOLVED.
Eliminated: Empowered Lesser Drakain x10.
Level: 22 average (empowered by external
aura).
Total EXP: +6,500.
Status: Fragment absorption complete.
Derived skills: total consumption 1,800.
LEVEL UPDATED: 9.
```
*Level up confirmed.*
Nathan wiped the blood from his face and lowered his arms.
He wiped his hands on his pants.
He turned to Liaraen again.
And Liaraen just watched him for a moment.
---
Liaraen approached.
She stopped two meters from Nathan.
And with a calm, calibrated voice:
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"You change considerably when you’re in fights."
Nathan looked at her.
"I change?"
"Yes. You change. In normal situations, you’re cynical, evasive, and apparently careless about the consequences of your decisions. In fights, apparently you become efficient, specifically cold, without any qualms about killing in considerably drastic ways."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Apparently those Drakain were eliminated in ways that no elven aristocratic instruction would have authorized."
"I don’t think it’s that big a deal."
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"That difference between your two versions is specifically considerable."
Nathan looked at her for a full moment.
Then he spoke with a smile.
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"Honestly, when you have a Class whose name includes SSS Extinction, I honestly don’t think I should worry about technical refinements during combat. Apparently the Class exists specifically for major elimination. I just use the Class for what the Class exists for. Apparently the result justifies the methods."
Liaraen looked at him.
"Nathan..."
"Yes."
"Seriously, is that your justification for not training formally?"
"It’s good, isn’t it? I’ve been thinking about it all night."
"For not developing systematic strategies."
"That’s nonsense."
"Apparently for operating from permanent improvisation."
"Apparently."
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"Apparently that’s specifically irresponsible."
"Sprout."
"Nathan. Listen to me."
Liaraen stepped closer.
With her posture restored to full critical aristocratic mode.
With her pale green eyes specifically fixed.
"Nathan. I’m going to speak to you with considerable clarity. Your ’go with the flow’ strategy has worked for you so far. Apparently. But it has also led you to be approximately about to die on multiple occasions over the last three months. Apparently the dungeon. Apparently the river slug. Apparently what happened twenty minutes ago with the Drakain. Apparently each of those situations brought you specifically close to a point where your Class apparently wouldn’t have been able to save you."
"Understood."
"And apparently the only reason you survived is because the Class wanted to and specifically responded when you needed it. That is specifically lucky. Apparently it’s not specifically sustainable."
"Understood as well."
"Apparently if one day the Class doesn’t respond with the magnitude you apparently expect, you’re going to die. And when that happens, you’re going to be remembered as the Hunter who operated with the logic of letting himself be carried away and paid the inevitable price."
"I understand your point, but don’t worry?"
"Nathan."
"Yes."
"I’m going to scold you for approximately the next hour on this topic."
"What? Why?"
"Shut up now—you’re going to listen without interrupting."
"..."
"And you’re going to consider during the return trip to Greywall whether you’re going to modify your tactical approach."
"Okay..."
Liaraen straightened.
She began.
And for approximately the next hour,
Liaraen delivered a considerably complete speech about the specific reasons why Nathan apparently needed to start training formally, developing systematic strategies, and apparently respecting instruction when it came from whatever master he ended up with.
Nathan listened.
With his head slightly bowed.
With his cynical smile completely faded.
With the posture of a "scolded dog."
And with the silent feeling, deep down, that apparently Liaraen was considerably right.
And that the coming months were going to include considerably more formal training than he’d anticipated.
---
Approximately an hour later, Liaraen finished.
Nathan looked up.
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"I’ve learned my lesson."
"I don’t really believe you, but I hope so."
"I’m going to train formally with whatever master."
"I hope so."
"I’m going to develop systematic strategies."
"Yes, also."
"I’m going to respect the instruction."
"Yes, you should also always do that."
"Acceptable."
"Acceptable."
Nathan looked around the clearing.
The Drakain bodies distributed across the ground. The black blood staining the ash. And the meat tree intact at the area’s edge, with impact marks on the bark but apparently still viable as a resource.
He turned to Liaraen.
"Sprout."
"Yes."
"The meat tree."
"Yes."
"Can we still extract something?"
"Apparently yes."
"Let’s do it."
"Acceptable."
They began examining the tree again.
And approximately thirty minutes later, with the calm efficiency that had characterized the rest of the journey, Nathan and Liaraen had extracted approximately twelve kilograms of meat from the tree and located a seed at the trunk’s base that they could apparently take back to Greywall.
They packed everything carefully in their travel bags.
They tied the Drakain bodies to the horse to carry evidence to the guild.
And with the last hours of afternoon light, Nathan and Liaraen began the journey back to the settlement.
With the investigation mission apparently completed.
With considerable anticipated economic resources.
With the information about the unknown major creature apparently pending to report to Selene.
And with Nathan, in the quiet part of his mind, considering that the coming months were apparently going to include considerable internal work in addition to external work.
*Apparently Sprout is right.*
*Apparently I’ve been operating on luck more than strategy.*
*Apparently that’s going to change.*
*Good.*