Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 196 Peppermint, Healer, and Spellcaster

The outer edge of a misty forest.

"boom!"

Fragments of leaves mixed with grass seeds fluttered and fell, and the unique fragrance of plant sap in the air was masked by a rotten, foul stench.

As tough and unyielding as steel wire, it easily crushes and pulverizes the bushes and thorns that make it difficult to move, leaving only a mess.

hold head high--

A furious roar, filled with bestiality, echoed through the forest, its terrifying sound waves causing even the dense canopy above to tremble and shake.

This is a huge wild boar that is nearly nine feet long and almost as tall as an adult's shoulder!
Its entire body was covered with coarse, brownish-brown mane, and parts of its body were covered with a layer of solidified mud that resembled armor; it exhaled scorching breath from its nostrils, and two fangs curved upwards from its snout, their sharp tips gleaming, leaving no doubt about its destructive power.

Thick, muddy mane, thick, tough skin, sharp fangs, and bulging, powerful muscles...

In addition, wild boars are known for their strong aggressiveness.

Even the predators at the top of the food chain in ordinary forests would rarely provoke such a frenzied and enraged creature unless they were extremely hungry.

Under normal circumstances, wild boars of this size would rarely encounter any danger that could threaten their lives, unless there were special circumstances.

But now, the wild boar looks rather bad.

A large chunk of fur on its back was shaved off diagonally, revealing the tender pink muscles writhing beneath; two deep, "X"-shaped wounds overlapped on its sides, and as the limbs moved, blood gushed out, revealing the outlines of the internal organs.

As for the source of these horrific wounds... it was not from those ferocious monsters with exaggerated strength in the Misty Forest.

Instead, it was chasing a gray-black figure.

"despair!"

The thick, tough leather boots slammed onto the ground, and a faint metallic clanging sound could be heard above.

The weight of his body, combined with the heaviness of his equipment, almost instantly created a small crater in the soft, damp forest floor.

But those legs, which weren't particularly thick compared to the short limbs of a wild boar, seemed to contain a kind of explosive power far beyond that of ordinary people.

With just a little effort, he vanished from his spot.

"boom!!!"

Like a bullfighter in an arena, once the target disappeared from sight, the wild boar, with its small tank-like body, couldn't stop charging and, due to its inertia, crashed straight into a tall, thick oak tree.

Two sharp fangs sank into the tree bark almost instantly, and it roared and twisted its body, unable to break free.

Just then, several tender green thorns with barbs broke through the soil beneath it, winding upwards around its four legs and entwining it.

The wild boar's massive body seemed to be suddenly subjected to some invisible pressure, causing it to sink and slow down.

The iron-gray blade reflected the emerald green and blood red in front of it, and the cold touch of the hilt was felt in my palm.

The opportunity was fleeting, and Xia Nan did not hesitate at all.

Before his body could even release the force after moving, he was already leaping high into the air towards the wild boar.

The balance bonus from 【Tidal Shaping】 and "Bone-Binding Iron Legs" makes the leather boots landing on the wild boar's uneven back feel as solid as stepping on a flat brick surface.

His calm, dark eyes focused on the vital point, and he held the longsword upside down with both hands.

A sudden downward thrust!

scoff-

The mane and fat were instantly pierced by the sharp blade maintained daily, and the tip of the sword passed through the spine through the pre-planned gap and pierced the back of the neck.

Just a gentle stir.

"boom!"

The incessant, piercing howls that had been echoing since the start of the battle ceased in an instant, and the massive body crashed to the ground with a thud, crushing countless thorny bushes.

The blood-stained blade was pulled out with force.

The grass clippings and blood droplets that had been faintly swirling around the sword tip in the air due to the dissipated invisible force fell imperceptibly and returned to normal.

His chest rose and fell slightly, and there wasn't a single drop of sweat on his cheeks.

Xia Nan casually twirled his sword, flicking away the blood that clung to the blade.

A thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

Three days have passed since he joined the "Seathorn" team as a temporary member, left River Valley Town, and entered the Misty Forest.

We've been through several battles.

And it was precisely because of this that he felt the deeper changes brought about by those three perception attributes.

The most obvious of these, and one that Xia Nan had not anticipated, was—

Gravity Control

Several days have passed, and the proficiency level of this combat skill has not changed at all, remaining at (5/100), which is quite far from being upgraded.

But in the recent battle, he discovered...

The precision, range, and even the force of manipulating gravity have all been significantly improved.

Clearly, as a primary attribute of the [Meteor Blade Hunter] class, the enhancement of "Perception" can also provide a bonus effect to [Gravity Control], which is the core skill of the class.

It is foreseeable that when I upgrade my combat skills to level 2, 3, and even higher in the future, my perception attributes will also be improved.

The two complement each other.

"Roar!"

From the nearby woods came a roar filled with pain, followed by another heavy thud.

I know my teammates have already taken care of the enemy.

Xia Nan withdrew his gaze, bent down, and picked up a pig's leg.

He nodded to a figure standing a little distance away.

Then, dragging the wild boar's enormous body, they walked back to the camp.

……

Perhaps it's because the battlegrounds are closer together.

When Xia Nan returned to the camp, Cash was already squatting on the ground, dissecting the carcass of his prey.

Look at that yellow fur with dark brown spots, neatly peeled off the body and temporarily laid flat on the meadow.

I guessed in my mind that the other party's prey was probably some unlucky jungle leopard.

Meanwhile, Kash, upon seeing Xia Nan and the wild boar carcass behind him, couldn't help but show a hint of joy on his face.

"Great! I thought we'd be eating dry rations tonight, but we've got an unexpected bonus!"

"I've eaten wild boar meat a few times before, and the taste..."

Hearing what the other party said, Xia Nan couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

He glanced at the mangled leopard carcass beneath the other man and asked:
"What, you don't like leopard meat?"

"That's definitely not as fragrant as wild boar meat! It's firm and flavorful, and if it's prepared well, you can even taste the aroma of nuts and pine."

As if recalling his wonderful past experiences, Cash's rough face, weathered by the wind and sun at sea, revealed a look of reminiscence.

“I remember catching one when I was adventuring in the Falkor region before, and I even asked the locals to cook it using their local methods.” “Slow-cooked in an iron pot with bay leaves and rosemary, and then poured in half a bottle of the leftover red wine from the tavern, the taste… tsk tsk.”

"It's a pity I didn't prepare anything today, otherwise I would have definitely made it for you to try."

As he spoke, Cash patted the leopard's carcass on the ground, his words tinged with regret.

"Actually, the meat of this kind of forest leopard is quite good, very chewy, and you won't get tired of eating it occasionally."

"only……"

His gaze fell on the side of the corpse's neck, where there was a tiny wound about the length of a finger.

It was clear that a thick, dangerous purple aura had seeped into and spread from the wound into the surrounding flesh.

Even the saliva dripping from the leopard's teeth had a faint purple tinge.

"After so much time, even its tail is probably contaminated with toxins. If I actually eat it, I'll just have to lie here with it."

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan understood.

In a few days, he gained a general understanding of the fighting styles and skill levels of the team members.

Cash, who appeared to be a sailor, was initially thought by Xia Nan to be a ranged attacker who primarily used spears as his means of attack.

But after observing them for the past few days, I've noticed that they clearly prefer close-quarters combat.

Use the spear to control the distance and launch thrusting attacks.

Only once.

He witnessed Kash, like a fisherman on a ship, hurling his spear at a moving antlered deer.

Then he burst forth with an extraordinary speed, almost like being drawn to the spear by a magnet, and used the momentum to finish off his prey with the dagger in his hand.

It should be some kind of movement-based combat technique developed using spears.

As for the other teammate, the drow half-elf "Veris".

His fighting style was just as Xia Nan had predicted.

A nimble assassin who prefers to use daggers in combat.

However, it's worth mentioning that, perhaps due to the nature of the "Drow" subterranean race, even with only a portion of her bloodline, Veris is still adept at using various poisons.

They never shy away from it.

Every night while on guard duty, Xia Nan could see the other party smearing a purplish-green poison onto her dagger in front of everyone.

If there is a possibility of future hostility, then we must be careful.

“This isn’t my fault.” Hearing Cash’s regretful yet somewhat complaining words, Veris, sitting on the other side of the camp, showed some resentment on her face and said in a high-pitched, sarcastic voice:
"If someone hadn't accidentally stepped into the air and almost put their neck under that leopard's teeth, would I have needed to intervene?"

"It's so dark in the forest. My ancestors for three generations were purebred humans, so it's normal that I can't see clearly. You used to live in those caves every day, of course..."

Ignoring the argument between the two, Xia Nan turned her gaze to Veris.

Unlike himself and Cash, who were able to fight head-on without getting hurt, this assassin, who should have been lurking in the shadows on the edge of the battlefield, was now slightly injured.

On his left arm was a rather gruesome wound.

Judging from the shape of the wound, it was most likely left by the jungle leopard during the battle just now.

The wound was very deep; you could almost see the flesh and blood on both sides inside.

But by this time, the bleeding had stopped.

It can be clearly seen that granulation-like muscles are struggling to move, reaching out to each other on both sides of the wound.

Healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This is certainly not because she has any extraordinary physical constitution, or because she drank any medicinal potion.

Instead, it originated directly above the wound, released by a pair of fair hands, a ball of emerald green light brimming with a rich life force.

My gaze followed the palm upwards.

Slightly trembling slender arms, a fragile neck that seemed capable of being broken with a single hand, and thin lips tightly pursed together from intense concentration while casting spells…

This is a frail girl whose appearance has nothing to do with the so-called "adventurer".

She had short, flowing hair that fell to her shoulders, and her face was pretty, but her overly pale skin, which made her look sickly, and her frail body, which seemed as if a gentle breeze could blow her away, robbed her of the healthy beauty that should have radiated from her.

A light green, teardrop-shaped earring hung from her left earlobe, swaying gently in the air.

Her simple, plain-colored robe trailed on the ground, the hem still stained with dirt and grass clippings. There wasn't a single piece of armor on her body that could protect her from attacks by monsters in the forest. Oh, perhaps the small leather pouch at her waist could offer some protection against a claw.

Whether judging from her clothing, appearance, figure, or temperament, a petite and frail girl like her should not appear in this dangerous place filled with deadly monsters that has buried countless adventurers.

But all the incongruity, all the doubts.

When she saw the green light blooming in her hand, which healed the wound on the drow half-elf's arm in just a few minutes, she was immediately struck by it.

They all vanished without a trace.

Mint,

The last member of the "Seathorn" team.

He is also a spellcaster.

Yes, spellcaster.

Since his transmigration, over two hundred days have passed. After encountering numerous powerful enemies such as petrified lizards, bear goblins, and beastmen, Xia Nan has, for the first time in history, gained a proper spellcaster teammate.

According to the thin girl named "Mint," her job should be a special profession under the category of "Druid."

Its main abilities are healing and control.

Regarding the former, the green light in her hand at this moment is enough to demonstrate it.

Although Xia Nan had drunk healing potions before, he had never experienced this kind of magical healing.

So far, the mission has not resulted in any injuries.

Looking at that green light, I can't help but feel a little itchy, wondering what kind of experience it would be.

Judging from Vera's strong voice as she argues with Cash while receiving treatment, the emotional impact shouldn't be too intense.
As for the latter—"control".

While I was dealing with the wild boar, green thorns sprouted from the ground and entangled its limbs.

Although the wild boar's movement is restricted, it mainly relies on its own [gravity control].

But to some extent, it was a helping hand to him.

The healing process quietly came to an end.

Noticing that the pain in her left arm had subsided, Veris warmly pulled the girl into her arms:
"My little mint, what will I do without you!"

Deeply trapped in the softness and unable to break free, Mint forced a smile onto her face. After casting the spell, a layer of fine sweat had already seeped out on her forehead.

Xia Nan also turned his gaze away, pondering the information he had observed over the past few days.

Compared to Cash and Veris's exceptionally enthusiastic behavior towards him.

This girl named Mint, on the contrary, is quite normal.

Or rather, it's a bit too normal.

(End of this chapter)