The Hong Patriarch (Lia)

Although I said I'd help, in reality, I'm not actually doing all that much. Ever since I became a Scion, I never really had much of a chance to get EXP for myself. This isn't really a problem since I get Cory's EXP for myself, but we never had many chances to truly grind out experience and the bits we did get weren't enough to push me past level 1. But being a Tier 10 monster, my level 1 stats are still higher than the random guards.

But my weakness isn't a problem since Wanjing is a pretty good deterrent when it comes to avoiding close combat. The guards and even those arrogant Hong brats have started keeping their distance from us after realising that Wanjing is a Taotie. And even the people that have a bit more guts and stick around, they get to meet the feet of one of the Burning Metal Dragons.

In all honesty, compared to everyone else here, I'm taking it quite easy. Wanjing is trying to absorb as much as she can to get stronger while I just follow along under Cory's protection while the Burning Metal Dragon gives me EXP.

Yue, together with the other two Burning Metal Dragons, are fighting the two Hong elders. Having looked at their stats, the two of them should have actually been a fitting match for the chicken slayer. But Cory's Burning Metal Dragons completely tip the scale in Yue's favour. Seriously those things are a bit over the top, I don't think Cory completely realises just how strong those are, but that's fine, she's still my cute little Dragon...

"If you're done daydreaming, how about a little help?" Wanjing asks.

"You say that like I haven't done anything at all. I threw out a few spells here and there," I say.

"If you mean throwing an ice spear at a tree, then yes you did something, but how about you throw them at the people running away and firing crossbow bolts at us?"

"There was someone at that tree, you were just too inexperienced to notice," I say lying as naturally as I breathe.

"I get the feeling-," *whoosh* "-that you're bullshitting me, but-" *whoosh* " can you please help me with those crossbowmen!? And why isn't anything flying at you, you're just following me around standing still!?" Wanjing cries out while dodging several crossbow bolts that fly her way.

Channelling my mana, I throw out an ice spear in the general direction of the crossbowmen and say, "you know, I have to wonder, with all the benefits that monsters have, like casting spells without a chant, why is it the humanoids and not them who rule the planet?"

"What does that have to do with anything right now!? And why did that hit!? You didn't even aim properly!?" Wanjing yells.

"You shouldn't ask so many questions on the battlefield, it might get you killed," I say while throwing out more ice spears.

"But you weren't even... actually nevermind, I wanna go back and take a nap when this is all over," Wanjing says before chasing after some guards with both me and the Burning Metal Dragon following after her.

We spend the next fifteen minutes fighting the guards and talking about random things that have nothing to do with the current situation since messing with Wanjing is the only fun thing to do without Cory around. Much to my own surprise, I actually levelled up, but seeing the EXP requirements for the next one partially answers why monsters aren't very dominant, levelling takes a damn long time compared to humanoids.

Taking a good look around since I have the chance, most of the fodder has been taken care of with minimal casualties on our side, courtesy of the giant metal protectors we brought along. And Yue has brought the two elders down to their last leg, in a literal sense, she actually ripped off one of the legs of the elders, Hong Li.

"Huh, well that was easier than I thought it would be," Wanjing says, looking at the devastation we brought to the place.

"How lamentable, you two said you could take care of this, yet my courtyard is almost entirely destroyed," says a deep voice from behind the two elders.

Suddenly appearing behind the two elders is what appears to be a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and short red hair. His frame is large and muscular, carrying an oversized sword on his back.

"We apologise for our failure, patriarch. I assure you it won't happen again," Hong Yi says, ignoring his wounds as he kneels before this new arrival.

"Indeed it won't, the family has no need of failures," the man says, drawing his blade and cutting off the heads of both Hong Yi and Hong Li.

As I inspect him, Yue confirms his name, Hong Huo, the Hong Family Patriarch. There is only a three level difference between him and Yue, yet the stat difference couldn't be more apparent. Compared to Yue's 2 million STR, this guy has 3.6 million, how in the world are we supposed to compete with that!?

"Lia, now would be a could time to call Cordelia over, I've already filled her in on how to handle him so get her over here as soon as possible. I'll try to stall him for as long as possible, but if we're going to make it out we need her here now," Yue says as takes a fighting stance.

"So you have been expecting me, no matter, whatever it is you have planned will fall before my blade," Hong Huo says as the two begin their battle.

If I'm being honest, I don't really want to call Cory over, that guy is clearly dangerous but she's been watching this whole time and she's already on her way.