Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 336 Cautious Finishing Moves and Easy Healing

"laugh."

The gray-black straight sword swung through the air, its extremely sharp blade almost forming a blur.

As the juices splattered, the thick vine in front of them, which, even after being detached from its body, was still wriggling and entwined, was broken into two even more fragmented pieces.

After the battle ends, naturally... the first thing to do is to finish them off.

As the saying goes, "A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit," and Xia Nan's experience in Ember Valley instilled in him the good habit of finishing off enemies.

After cleaving the deformed plant monster, mutated from a fog lamp grass, in two with a full-force attack under normal circumstances, he did not hesitate and immediately stepped forward.

一剑一剑，仿若屠夫般将雾灯怪原本还算完整的身体，从原本的1/2，进一步切割成1/4、1/8……

Anyone who can still move will get a sword strike from him.

If it weren't for the desire to maximize profits and the fact that Xia Nan had deliberately kept some ingredients that might seem valuable, he would have even had the patience to slice and finely chop them into a sauce.

It's no wonder he overthinks things.

After all, plant-based monsters are naturally considered by adventurers in this world to be of relatively strong vitality.

The vines that had detached from the main body of the fog lamp monster did indeed twitch, giving the impression that they were about to burrow into the ground, creating a strong sense of déjà vu.

If he were to give the opponent the opportunity to enter the second stage because he was too greedy for gold coins... his [Echoes] cooldown wouldn't be over yet.

Therefore, no matter how uncertain she was, fearing that she might accidentally destroy valuable materials like she had done with the previous Armored Monster, Xia Nan still suppressed her heartache and wielded her straight sword, trying her best to make every vine and tentacle of the Fog Lantern Monster lose its ability to move.

This makes it take even longer to finish off an enemy than a normal battle.

Perhaps because its body had been further decomposed, Xia Nan felt something was strange about this monster made up of a large number of fog lamp grass.

He knew, of course, that in this world with supernatural powers and magical particles filling the air, it was perfectly normal for monsters to have different body structures than ordinary creatures from his previous life, and he had hardly ever encountered this type of plant-based creature before.

But the twisted and deformed thorny vines on the Fog Lantern Monster's body, the strange mist that quietly dissipated, and the Fog Lantern grass lamps embedded in its body like energy sources, always made him feel that something was wrong.

It's as if this didn't evolve naturally, but rather is a deformed mutant forcibly created using special methods.

"pat, pat..."

As I pondered, the sound of muddy, sticky footsteps rose from the mist beside me.

His gaze unconsciously glanced in the direction from which the sound came. His exceptional perception had already detected the newcomer's movements, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

It was Fuyuki and Lillie.

Faced with the battle between Xia Nan and the Fog Lantern Monster, it very sensibly took the initiative to retreat to the rear, not wanting to be a burden, and leaving enough room for Xia Nan to make his move.

After the battle seemed to be over, they wisely refrained from approaching and instead watched Xia Nan deal with the battlefield from a distance until he completely stopped and wiped his straight sword. Only then did the two of them cautiously approach.

"Mr. Xia Nan, you..."

Dongshu stood still, his gaze sweeping over the shattered body of the monster on the ground. He then raised his head slightly and looked at Xia Nan in front of him.

The expression of utter astonishment on his face at Xia Nan's sudden appearance had been replaced by a more complex look, tinged with longing and anticipation.

He witnessed the entire battle.

When the other party rescued him from the goblin siege, the overwhelming scene made the boy guess that Xia Nan must be a veteran adventurer, or even have already obtained a professional level.

But unexpectedly, it seems he still underestimated his opponent...

The fleeting image from just moments ago subconsciously flashed through my mind.

Completely beyond the range of visual perception, its exaggerated speed and explosive power, leaving only a fleeting afterimage in the air as if it had teleported; that enormous black wolf, seemingly an illusion yet undeniably real, inspiring fear; a perfect arc of light, like a streak of light, streaking through the air, wreathed in flames and an unknown ochre-red energy…

"So this is what adventurers are like..."

Dongshu murmured to herself, her longing almost overflowing from her face.

Having studied hunter knowledge and skills for so many years, he clearly realized that even if he went all the way to the end of this path, reaching Brother Aspen, or even higher positions, he would still be a threat.

It is also impossible for them to possess even one-tenth of the power that Xia Nan previously displayed.

"If... if I could be as powerful as Mr. Xia Nan, would the village chief and the others consider my opinion, and Lillie wouldn't have to..."

His thoughts began to wander, and before he could get completely lost in a rut, he was interrupted by the girl behind him.

"Mr. Xia Nan, thank you very much for your help!"

Lillie, barefoot in the mud, took two steps forward, lifted her plain white dress which was already covered in mud, and thanked Xia Nan.

After all, she was just an ordinary girl who had lived in a remote village since childhood. No matter how prepared she was to die after being chosen as a sacrifice, or how calm and composed she appeared.

When the terror of life and death befell her, she found it difficult to suppress the turbulent emotions within her.

Xia Nan felt both awe and gratitude towards the two of them who had been saved from the powerful monster.

Waving his hand to indicate that he didn't care about these things, Xia Nan glanced at the scattered corpses of the fog lamp monsters on the ground, his brows furrowing slightly:

"So, this is what your village calls the 'Spirit of the Canyon'?"

Upon hearing this, Lillie and Fuyuki froze on the spot, their faces revealing a very complicated expression.

Could it be this?

This monster, now chopped into tiny pieces, has caused countless precious lives to be buried in the depths of the sunless canyon over the years.

This ferocious beast, devoid of any divinity, was given the title of "great," causing generations of Fog Lantern Village to endure profound and agonizing bloodshed and pain.

"I...I don't know."

Speechless for a moment, Lillie couldn't say a word.

The winter tree beside him remained silent, staring blankly at the monster's corpse, its eyes red-rimmed, its thoughts unknown.

Xia Nan was confused.

Although the battle was brief, he had roughly figured out the range of the fog lamp monster's strength.

It has a certain level of intelligence, but it probably hasn't reached the level of an intelligent being.

His physical strength is roughly between that of a petrified lizard and an owl bear. Even with the addition of his special mind control ability, which is countered by his own [Looking into the Abyss] feat, his challenge level is probably only around "3".

It's not particularly strong, but it's certainly not weak compared to ordinary adventurers and villagers.

But here's the problem. The Fog Lantern Monster is powerful enough to flatten the entire Fog Lantern Village. If it wants to prey on humans, no one in the village has the ability to stop it.

However, if the pressure is deliberately maintained for the purpose of raising humans and harvesting them regularly, with the intervals for sacrificial rituals... for a monster of this level, trying to fill its stomach with one or two humans is a complete fantasy.

Xia Nan had a vague suspicion in his mind.

There may be some connection between the fog lamp monster and the sacrificial ritual, but it is certainly not as close as one might imagine.

The truth... may completely overturn the perceptions of the vast majority of villagers.

"Mr. Xia Nan, what should we do now?"

With so many unexpected events occurring at the same time, Fuyuki and Lillie were both at a loss, unsure of what to do next.

Only regarding Xia Nan, who had saved them from the monsters, as their pillar of support, they asked in bewilderment.

After a moment's thought, Xia Nan gave the two a slight nod:

"The situation inside the canyon is still quite complicated, and it will be difficult to figure it out in a short time."

"You two go back to the main gate first. I've checked everything, there's no danger."

"I'll be there in a bit."

The canyon is towering, and the gate blocking the entrance is equally tall, but it is clear that the villagers of Foglight Village do not have the ability to build large doors that can completely seal off a space. Instead, it is a heavy wooden door made of oak from the forest.

For Xia Nan, who possesses outstanding physical abilities and multiple special skills such as [gravity control] and [tidal shaping], even with two more people, crossing the chasm would not be difficult at all.

Since he was already here, he couldn't possibly leave the two of them in the canyon like that; taking them out was just a convenient thing to do.

Given how things have developed, even if Lillie had once mentally bound herself to the idea of ​​sacrificing her life for the entire village by her family and villagers, she could no longer foolishly demand that the sacrificial ritual continue.

I have a vague feeling that things might be taking a turn for the better.

After asking him a few more questions about the canyon and the ceremony, she wanted to drag Dongshu, whose eyes were red and who hadn't recovered yet, away from here as Xia Nan had suggested.

"Um... wait a minute."

His dark eyes shifted slightly, his gaze sweeping over the blood-soaked bandages on the girl's arm.

Xia Nan suddenly recalled the rusty, dull scythe that had left a wound on Lillie's arm during the previous ritual.

Of course, infectious diseases such as tetanus also exist in this world.

Given the conditions in Fog Lantern Village, it's clear they wouldn't have the capacity to treat this type of wound.

It would seem absurd if the girl survived the sacrificial ritual but died from the subsequent infection.

After a moment's hesitation, Xia Nan beckoned to the other person, signaling them to come closer.

He then extended his right hand and gently touched the wound bandage with his fingertips.

hum-

Hidden beneath the chainmail and lining, a teardrop-shaped, crystalline pendant swayed quietly, magical particles undulating rhythmically in the air.

A cluster of emerald green light, radiating rich life energy, suddenly burst forth from Xia Nan's fingertip, causing the girl's body to tremble involuntarily.

Like a small cloud made up of countless emerald light particles, life energy seeped into the wound.

Lillie felt a tingling, warm sensation spread through her arm, as if her entire arm were immersed in a hot spring.

By the time I realized what was happening, the waves of pain that had been emanating from the wound had already disappeared.

With a look of surprise, she moved her arm and unwrapped the bandage. What came into view was her completely recovered, smooth skin without a trace of scarring.

— [Secondary Healing Technique].

A first-level healing spell, from the rare blue accessory, the [Tears of Spring Breath].

It can be used three times a day, but for various reasons, it has been benched by Xia Nan, and its usage frequency is even lower than that of the fourth-circle spell [Spring Pulse Healing], which has a cooldown of 7 days.

Right now, it has demonstrated its special ability as a healing spell against Lillie's ordinary lacerations.

He waved to the two surprised and grateful people, signaling them not to waste any more time and to leave quickly.

Xia Nan remained calm, his gaze returning to the two figures that were gradually disappearing into the darkness ahead.

The reason he sneaked into the canyon before the time agreed upon with the village chief and others was twofold. Firstly, he had discovered Fuyuki's actions and had indeed made a good impression on him and Lillie. Secondly, and most importantly, the information he had gathered in the village over the past two days had made him increasingly aware of the strangeness and irrationality of this so-called "sacrifice ritual."

Those impoverished villagers... were as if they were deceiving themselves.

Xia Nan is by no means a saint who is perfectly virtuous and pure.

It is impossible to give up one's life for villagers one has never met before, simply out of a little sympathy.

Even if he admires Fuyuki and Lillie the most, if the beings in the canyon truly exceed his ability to cope, he will not hesitate for a moment when he turns to leave.

But if it were just a casual act, it could help these villagers escape their tragic fate passed down through generations, allowing the two people to continue living...

He will not hesitate to use his strength.

After all, one of the reasons he trains hard day and night to improve himself is so that he will have the power to choose when faced with such situations.

Instead of just sighing and turning away helplessly.

Not forgetting his mission, Xia Nan glanced around and found that there was still plenty of fog lamp grass, enough to complete Ms. Edwina's request.

However, they were in no hurry to collect them, thinking of making the most of the time before they rotted and deteriorated, and then pulling them out of the mud when they were really ready to leave the canyon.

Xia Nan bent down and gathered the few pieces of what appeared to be valuable loot he had deliberately left behind when he dismembered the fog lamp monster into a compartment of his backpack.

These are the core of a fog lamp grass flower, located at the very center of the monster's torso, almost crystallized and still emitting a faint blue-white fluorescence even after death, and several clusters of the toughest purple-green thorny vines that the monster has taken root deep in the mud.

Judging by its condition, it might fetch a good amount of gold coins at a herbal medicine shop.

Xia Nan tightened his backpack and glanced around at the fog, which had thinned considerably after the Fog Lantern Monster's death.

The sense of danger I felt was much weaker than when I first entered.

With the goal of maximizing benefits, we will maximize our perception capabilities.

Concealing their presence, they cautiously made their way deeper into the canyon.

(End of this chapter)