Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

"Are you looking for another member to form a party?"

Ari asked while looking at the close combat expert.

The close combat expert had something special about him that Ari couldn't quite put a finger on. It appeared that he was in charge of the small group based on power dynamics.

It took another moment for Ari to realize why that was the case. The close combat expert was an Adept ranker. Although it looked like he had just broken through into the D-Rank, he was still a rank ahead of her.

The close combat expert looked Ari in the eyes before nodding.

"We are indeed looking for someone to join a party. You are a knight, I take it?"

Ari nodded at the young man's question before adding up.

"That's right. I specialize in medium-range spells. Do we wait for more rankers to join us?"

The close combat expert shook his head in denial before speaking up.

"There's no need. This old man here is a tank who can cast healing spells just fine. I know just enough ranger-specific spells to be able to help us in our hunts.

Since you are a knight, I assume you'd be able to do a variety of roles yourself. We are more than capable of challenging the test of courage. Any more, and the test would lose its meaning."

The scoring system of Minerva's Utopia was automatic and impartial. It would consider even the smallest aspect of performance shown by the rankers to judge them. Usually, bigger groups would have lower personal scores because of this system.

Because of that, it was suggested that the rankers taking the test seriously should assemble a team with minimal numbers and enter the monster Canyon. Otherwise, no matter how well they had performed while being part of the larger group, their score would not be satisfactory.

Arizihana could understand why the close combat expert wanted to keep the group's number to its minimum. But she still thought they would at least include one more member to have a balanced team.

But before she could suggest anything regarding the inclusion of one more ranker into the group, the young close combat expert spoke first.

"That settles it then. My name is Bert Chu. You can call me Bert. This old man is Romel. What is your name, Miss?"

Roman was a bit angry when he was referred to as an old man by Bert a second time. But he had learned his lesson not to piss Bert off even before he had stepped foot inside the separate dimension.

Roman was a swindler who looked for opportunities to make quick money. And he had been quite successful in his endeavors after entering White Raven city. He had started selling counterfeit potions to rankers before changing his identity.

Of course, Romel was vigilant in who he was swindling. He wouldn't have tried to swindle someone like Bert had he known he was an Adept ranker.

Just like Arizihana, Romel was unable to tell what Ber's rank was until he allowed him to know. But by the time Bert spread his mana signature to let Romel know that he was a D-Ranker, he had already sold him a bunch of potions most of which were counterfeits.

Bert didn't punish Romel with a heavy-handed approach. Instead, he just made him come with him into the separate dimension. Bert's cold eyes and his bloodthirsty air didn't allow Romel to say no to him.

And now, Romel was stuck with Bert for who knows how long. He started to regret coming to White Raven city to look for swindling opportunities.

Arizihana pursed her lips and sighed in her mind before telling Romel and Bert her name. They introduced themselves a bit more before coming up with a simple battle strategy.

The trio soon entered the Mini Monster Canyon.

***

Shambling mounds.

These were the type of monsters Arizihana, Bert, and Romel were up against. They were large, animated plants with predatory tendencies. They were also known as shamblers.

These plant-based lifeforms were moving, vaguely man-shaped monsters of rotting vegetation. They fed off of the flesh and blood of living creatures they had engulfed and crushed within their bodies.

Arizihana, Bert, and Romel were sent near a swampy region. The surroundings had a foul odor that wasn't immediately apparent. The plant-based monsters around the area were used to trap mana beasts. The dead mana beast bodies would rot inside the plant monsters' partially see-through bellies. This was the origin of the rotting smell.

Shambling mounds had plant-based bodies that looked to be made of the tree trunk, vines, and green leaves. Their bodies were also covered with flowers, which gave off an alluring aroma. The flowery aroma masked the rotten smell the monsters exuded. The monsters would then camouflage into trees, before attacking the mana beasts who came into the area due to their aroma.

It had been around 20 minutes since the fight had started. There were tens of Shambler Soldiers and Slambler Leaders lying on the battlefield. All dead and waiting to be claimed as rewards.

Arizihana and Romel had fought for the most part. Bert was supporting them whenever possible while trying to conserve his mana.

There was a reason for him to do so.

Arizihana was fighting with a Shambler Leader and four Shambler Soldiers at the same time. Her ice-element spells had created chunks of ice on the battlefield that were scattered all around her. Her ice-element sword had red and green colored gooey stuff attached to it that could be called the Shamblers' blood.

Romel was defending the fort against two Shambler Leaders. He was a tank with heavy defense armor and defense-oriented spells. Thus, he was tasked with only keeping the Monster Leaders busy. He was to make sure they didn't interfere with Arizihana's fight.

These monsters had a set pattern of attacks. They would extend their limbs like vines and try to capture their opponents in their grasp. Their touch was acidic and they had durable bodies that resisted most sharp objects.

The only way to kill them was to crush their head-like matter that was inside their bodies sitting over their torso under the protection of vines and wood-like skulls. Ari had to close the distance between the monsters and attack them using her sword. Her sword needed to penetrate deep into the monsters' skulls for her attack to work.

Just when Ari was done taking care of two more Shambler Soldiers, she felt a distinct mana signature from behind her.

Bert smiled and disappeared from his place when he felt the mana signature of three Shambler Lords coming at them. He appeared 50 meters away from his previous position and took out his two D-Ranked daggers.

Bert didn't stop there. Fortunately, these plant-based monsters lacked the brain to coordinate like normal monsters. They had approached the trio from the same direction. It allowed Bert to cast his spell on them all at once.

Lightning Vines!