Hit and Run
We left the gate and turned to our left on the path of where I found Santrasa, Groza, and Saeva. I also saw the path where it leads straight to the mountain, but we'll be fighting them head-on which is not an option.
The yellowed grass and the chopped trees made it obvious, like a guideline for them, but a warning as they'll kill anyone on sight if they don't have the red claw insignia anywhere.
We go where there are trees around and hopefully we don't attract too much attention.
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We travel through the woods as Zala weaves through the trees with ease. The monsters in or near the woods are low-ranked and not worth our time. We climbed the gradual incline and then the incline became steep.
Zala's speed slowed down, but not to a crawl as the terrain wasn't too rough for her yet. I looked to the side and saw the bandits by the hundreds. Tents, yurts, campfires, horses, weapon racks, they have it nearby.
Let's not forget that Schwarze, Groza, Vampa, and Burya are flying above us and scouting the area while following us.
*Kiiie!*
[Groza has found the entrance of the cave.]
Once I got the message, we reached the rocky terrain where it surrounds the entire mountain.
"Groza, Burya, fly around the mountain to see if there are any more bandits surrounding it." I said.
Groza and Burya began to scout around the mountain to make sure no bandit or monster catch any of us lacking, because I am about to plan for a hit and run. Hyoran and I got off of Zala and put her further in the trees.
I looked out to see the bandits numbering in the hundreds, spread out. I also see the watch towers and bells so they can alert the other bandits and Zaneth.
*Caw!*
Burya and Groza returns to me to give a report after their scouting.
[Burya and Groza has detected no bandit activity around the mountain except the entrance.]
"How many bandits out there?" I asked the system.
[There are 1000 bandits outside the cave. The amount inside is 1500.]
2500 in all!? That is almost triple than the bandits and mercenaries I fought combined! Deciding to stall them was the best call.
"Our focus now is to block the entrance." I said. The reason is that is to stall the bandits and that mountain cave only has one entrance. It has many paths, but all of them are dead ends.
How I'd know is because, I've been there and has many uses from hiding from players wanting to run my pockets to do a little trolling.
We put on our hoods to further conceal ourselves and slowly began our plan.
"Gris, Noire, get ready to attack when I use Lightning." I said.
"I'll call you when the bandits get suspicious." Hyoran said. I nodded.
I began to charge Lightning Magic.
*Bzzt!*
*Voom!*
The lightning soon formed into a ball and began to charge gradually. All the while, I have to evolve Burya and Vampa.
I immediately began choosing the evolution paths for Vampa and Burya.
[Flare Crow > Blaze Crow > Inferno Crow > Sunny Crow]
I noticed the Sunny Crow path is where the monster uses Fire and Light. Doesn't hurt to have two monsters using Light.
[Thunder Crow > Storm Crow > Voltaic Crow > Plasma Crow]
Plasma Crow uses Lightning and Fire. If strong enough, it can vaporize water on contact.
I accepted it.
I did not accept it right away as I am still charging my Lightning Magic.
*Kzzzt!* *Bzzt!*
The lightning began to shoot snakes of voltage, biting anything that goes near. Each strike mixes with the popping and electric sounds, indicating the increase of power. With each passing second, the lightning began to grow louder.
"Huh? You hear that?" one of the bandits said.
"Hear what?" said the other.
"Like a popping sound." he answered.
"Eh, it's the firewood popping as it's cooking meat." the other bandit replied, dismissing the suspicion.
*BZZT!*
Lightning shot through the air, alerting them again. They turned around as a response.
"That sounded like lightning."
One of the bandits began to notice a yellow light slowly growing in the thicket of trees.
"Is it a monster evolving?"
"I dunno, I never heard its cry."
"Hey! What's going on over there!?"
The two bandits began to walk towards us where the light is. That's when Hyoran find the opportunity.
"Kain, they're getting suspicious!" She whispered. That's the signal.
"Gris, Noire, Mavros, attack!" I commanded.
*GRAWWR!*
Gris and Noire snarled and growled as they dashed forward to kill the two bandits. The bandits saw the two wolves jump out.
The bandit pulled out a horn, but before he is about to blow it...
*KRRNCH!*
Noire ripped it off with her jaws.
"Aaa--!" the bandit tried to scream, but...
*SLICE!*
Mavros severed the bandit's head, silencing the noise completely.
Gris on the other hand sunk his jaws on the bandit's throat, killing him quickly after. Gris, Noire ran out into the open and began their attack.
"What the hell!? Wolves!?" the bandit yelled. The wolves began tearing through the masses as the
"Let me appraise..." one cat beastkin said. Her face became pale the moment she got the skills of Gris and Noire.
================================
The cat beastkin's mouth trembled at the sight of the Silver Wolf and a Black Wolf killing the bandits with ease.
"Hey, what did you see!?" one of the bandits yelled to get her out of her daze.
"Silver Gale Wolf and Black Shadow Wolf...both at Rank V!" the cat beastkin yelled. "And they're named!"
"We're under attack! Sound the alarm!" a human bandit yelled to the goblin. The goblin scurried to the ringing bell, but I commanded my next wave.
"Groza, Viri, Schwarze, attack!" I commanded and they rushed out to add another wave of attack.
For my end, I launched my Tier VII Lightning Spell, Electric Viper above the cave entrance.
*BZZAAAK!!*
I fired and the spell barreled towards the top of the cave in the shape of a venomous snake. This spell is explosive enough to shatter rock and cause a rock slide.
*BZZ-ZAKOOM!!*
The spell exploded on impact, leftover sparks of lightning shoots out of the impact zone, shooting chunks of rocks out of the side of the mountain.
*RRRUMBLE!!*
The shockwave from the spell shook the side of the mountain, causing rocks and trees above to shake and slide down to the base. The bandits who saw that began to run.
"It's a landslide! RUN!"
The bandits began rushing out of their tents, screaming for their lives as the harmless landmass decided to choose violence. Even though I caused it to fall on them.
Gris, Mavros, and Noire quickly escaped before a single pebble ever touched them and watched with me as the bandits scurry like rats in a sinking ship. Viri, Schwarze, and Groza was unaffected since they can fly to safety.
*CRASH!!!*
A wave of rock, wood, and dirt crash down to the ground, billowing a massive cloud of dust and debris. That cloud is thick enough to block out the sun only to reveal the destruction it has laid.
Tents, yurts, watchtowers, bell towers, all destroyed and buried by the landslide.
Especially along with the unfortunate souls who couldn't escape.
[943 hostiles outside remain.]
Off to a good start. I looked at the entrance that was being shrouded by dust, but it didn't block my vision completely. The entrance is completely blocked. I saw a chance to press on the attack.
"Gris, Noire, Mavros, Viri, Schwarze, Groza, resume attack." I commanded.
*Grawr!*
They dashed back out to the bandits who recovered from the landslide since it wasn't a huge one. However, it's enough for me.
"Vampa, Burya, come on out." I said. They flew out of there to fly over to the bandits. I had the evolution paths ready for them too.
"They're coming out again! Ready yourselves!"
"Hey, there's more!"
[Thunder Crow > Storm Crow > Voltaic Crow > Plasma Crow]
[Flare Crow > Blaze Crow > Inferno Crow > Sunny Crow]
"Vampa, Burya, evolution!"
[Acknowledged, now evolving...]
*FWO-BWOOM!!*
*BRA-KZZZT!!!*
Vampa became a raging fireball as soon as I used the keyword for them where Burya also became a raging ball of electricity.
"What the hell!? The crows are evolving!?"
"Arrows! Magic! Don't let them evolve!"
The bandits try to fire as many projectiles as possible, but...
*AWOOOO!*
*BWOOOOSH!!*
Gris howled and summoned a tornado. Blowing away the projectiles.
"Crap! Whats the situation?!"
"Some kind of Lightning Magic went out and destroyed the entrance!"
"Then that means we're cut off! Shit, Zaneth is in there!"
I can see that the bandits rely on Zaneth a lot. But now that he's cut off for now, I will deal damage and pull out. But first...
"Gris, Noire, Mavros, Groza, continue attacking. Viri, Schwarze, protect Vampa and Burya." I commanded.
Time to cause some terror up in this bitch.