"Let's get out of here, quick!"
After a moment of contemplation, Roy decisively spoke up.
He realized that their luck had finally run out, as they had inadvertently stumbled into the lair of that monster.
The others were of the same mind, and for safety's sake, they chose a path close to the hills in the Gale Hills.
The Wizard Tower had taught them about various magical creatures and beings from other realms. Fishmen, being common low-level magical creatures, were something even novice apprentices were familiar with.
They all knew that these creatures were relatively short compared to humans and not suited for long-distance running on land, so they never ventured far from the water.
Unless they were migrating along a river.
But just as they had traveled several kilometers east, about to leave the river behind, a menacing figure suddenly appeared on a high slope in a small valley ahead.
Following closely were over a dozen Mutated Fishman Elites with colorful scales.
Roy, with his stronger mental power, immediately sensed a chilling surge of magical energy, with high-voltage currents swirling ahead.
Goosebumps rose all over his body. "Why isn't that monster by the river? It's on the hillside!"
They had run this way to avoid it, only to end up walking right into its trap!
Without hesitation, he pulled on the reins, also tugging Niya, who was a bit slower to react, to turn around and retreat at full speed.
The others, as if waking from a dream, quickly followed suit.
But Chad and Shanlu were a step too slow, caught in the area where the Lightning Beam struck.
The sizzling sound of electricity filled the air as a thick white light, sharp as a blade, pierced through their bodies.
The powerful magical energy spread in all directions, and in an instant, the two were charred, smoking, and collapsed to the ground.
The Undead Warhorses beneath them also lost the Wizardry Energy that sustained their movement, instantly falling with them.
"Help... help me!"
Thomas, though he dodged the first attack, was also paralyzed by the surging currents, lagging behind the group.
Over a dozen Bone Spears whistled through the air, piercing him with a whooshing sound.
His body stiffened, blood spilling from his mouth, and soon he was lifeless.
"Help!"
Andov and Tigro screamed in terror as they fled in panic.
Fortunately, the Fishman Warlock's spellcasting required intervals, allowing them to escape.
"Why are there Fishmen ambushing us here? We didn't notice them before!"
Roy's heart pounded like a drum as he spurred his horse with all his might toward another slope, only daring to look back when he felt they had put some distance between them.
The menacing figure made him hold his breath instantly.
"That monster... it's definitely a Lord-level magical creature, not something ordinary advanced apprentices can handle!"
It was several times larger than a typical Fishman, with a golden-green body, scales as if cast from exotic bronze, and shark-like teeth and spines covering its back.
Even more striking was the Fishman Lord's palm, where a crimson eyeball was embedded, exuding a menacing aura.
Surrounded by lightning, the terrifying Lightning Beam had been unleashed from it.
Seeing this, Roy was momentarily stunned, feeling a faint sting in his brow.
But he didn't dwell on it, quickly calling out to Niya and the other survivors to continue their escape.
"Don't go back to the river! Let's climb over this small hillside, it'll be faster!"
"I remember there's an exit over there. We'll be safe once we escape outside!"
At this critical moment, Roy felt that his thoughts were still clear and rational.
At least...
He didn't get lost!
"Emer! Emer, run!"
Suddenly, Tigro sensed something was wrong. He turned his head and shouted in alarm.
Everyone looked back and realized that Emer had fallen behind at this crucial moment.
He was so nervous that when he turned to flee, he lost control of his Undead Warhorse and was thrown off the saddle!
The Fishmen behind had already caught up.
Helpless, everyone could only watch as he was surrounded by several elite warriors.
Emer let out a roar and began to fight like a cornered beast, but he couldn't break free from the elite warriors' entanglement.
"We can't save him. Let's go!"
Roy growled decisively and led the way.
Soon after, the group reached the open terrain on the hillside and finally found safety.
Looking back, they saw that Emer had already been killed. The mutated lord-level Magic Creature was furiously gnashing its teeth in their direction, seemingly frustrated at letting them escape.
"That monster! Damn it!"
Tigro was trembling with anger.
He had lost Emer, a close companion, here.
As for Chad and the other two, they were completely wiped out.
Roy could only express his helplessness in this situation.
At the critical moment, he could only pull Niya beside him and couldn't afford to worry about Chad and Emer.
This was the difference between closeness and distance.
"We absolutely can't stay here any longer. Let's take a detour to the other side and hurry back.
The Gale Hills are already a place with many dangerous mission locations. We must stay alert and guard against other Magical creatures, even attacks from Warlock Apprentices!"
Under his reminder, everyone could only suppress their grief and fear, put on a cold and serious demeanor, and left the area.
...
"Finally, we're back!"
"So tired..."
Two days later, the group returned to the Wizard Tower and finally let go of their tense nerves, heaving a long sigh of relief.
During this time, they had indeed encountered other teams venturing into the Gale Hills and faced probing words from those with ill intentions.
Fortunately, Roy was a genuine advanced apprentice with considerable deterrence. The others around him also appeared to be elite warriors, so no one dared to make a move against them.
"Everyone, come to my place. I'll distribute the spoils from this trip as promised."
Roy looked around and saw that everyone seemed utterly dejected, so he decided to lift their spirits with some good news.
Upon hearing this, their expressions finally improved slightly.
With only six people left in the team, Roy generously divided five Sorcerer Fish Pearls among everyone except Celine. The other spoils were distributed as much as possible to the injured, ensuring everyone got a share.
Celine's status was special, so she didn't need mission quotas or promotion materials. Thus, she was compensated with some Magic Stones.
Even so, everyone still received gains worth at least 2000 Magic Stones.
Roy himself obtained materials worth over 5000 Magic Stones!
Even though they had anticipated during the journey that this adventure mission would yield considerable rewards, when the gains were finally secured, everyone couldn't help but feel a bit dazed.
So, with fewer people to share the spoils, the final share could be this much larger?
When the divisor decreases, the quotient increases...
A simple math problem, yet a life-and-death question!
For a moment, no one could decide whether to consider this luck or misfortune.
(End of Chapter)