Archer's Adventure Manual

However, at that moment, a figure landed in front of everyone.

"Don't be afraid, everyone! It's time for us to fight back against these wild boars!" A handsome figure landed in front of the villagers.

The man carried a longbow that gleamed with light, and had a pair of pointed ears and flowing long hair.

"You...you, you are...the ranger from the Great Blade! Elfin!" An adventurer in the crowd recognized him.

Elven rangers are already rare, and given the small size of Rockfall Town, it's rare for adventurers not to know Elfin.

Vance was also utterly astonished. This long-lost elven ranger had actually returned? And at such a crucial moment?!

Elfin smiled confidently. "Not bad, but I no longer belong to the Blade of Excellence squad. Now, I am simply Elfin, the Elfin who punishes evil and promotes good!"

"Now, let us sound the clarion call for our counterattack!"

Before he finished speaking, the longbow in Elfin's hand was already rippling with a captivating azure light. With a flick of his wrist, he moved so fast that only a blur remained. The bowstring trembled, and countless arrows of light shot out, piercing the sky!

Once the arrows reached the highest point in the sky, they all changed direction at once, whistling through the air, precisely locking onto the location of the mountain wild boar, and then cascading down!

"This is...magic?! Elfin can actually combine archery with magic!" Vance stared in disbelief, a glimmer of hope suddenly appearing in his eyes. "We might be able to defeat this ferocious beast!"

Ding Ding Ding Ding!

The arrows, like meteors falling to earth, struck the wild boar repeatedly. The seemingly indestructible layers of rock-like skin were shaken open, cracking in a spiderweb pattern. The cracks were spreading rapidly along the arrow marks, and the boar was about to break apart!

People who witnessed this scene were utterly astonished. Was this... magic?!

Their defenses, which had left them helpless, were so easily breached by the onslaught of magical arrows!

"It's the Venerable Master! We're saved!"

"It's the legendary Elf Ranger!"

"Counterattack! Charge, everyone! Take back our village!" In the pouring rain, the hearts of the people rallied once more, and they rushed into the village together, launching a counterattack under the leadership of Elfin.

......

Lorraine's breath almost stopped.

Before my eyes, the wild boar was neatly split in two, and the texture of the bones and internal organs could even be seen.

Blood gushed across the withered leaves; it was a sickle that sliced ​​open the wild boar.

A deep green glow rose from the blade of the scythe, flickering like the breath of some living thing.

It was held by a headless body.

The monster stood there, its neck surrounded by empty darkness, yet Loran could sense that it was "watching" him.

It moved, walking towards him with steps so steady they were almost elegant, yet it made no sound as it stepped over the pool of blood; the silence of death enveloped the entire woodland.

Loran stood frozen in place, unable to even tremble at the tips of his fingers.

He had experienced the urgency of battle and the crisis of life and death, but he had never felt such a bone-chilling pressure, like an ant looking up at a mountain.

The monster passed by him and stopped.

A hand covered in old bandages reached into his backpack.

With a rustling sound, it pulled out the "Adventure Handbook".

The sound of pages turning slowly was exceptionally clear in the deathly silence.

Loran didn't know where that empty "gaze" landed, or whether it saw anything.

"The power of runes?" A deep voice suddenly rang out, its resonance echoing through the air, carrying a chilling sneer. "A laughable little trick."

The manual was carelessly discarded, like throwing away a piece of trash.

The hand reached into the backpack again, paused for a moment, and the sound seemed to carry a subtle, unreadable fluctuation.

"That's really... baffling..."

The monster turned and walked towards the boar's carcass. With a flick of its scythe, the boar's head fell to the ground.

It bent down, cupped the hideous head in its hands, and then firmly placed it on the empty space in its neck.

A sickening wriggling sound came from where the skin and flesh met, and then they were perfectly sealed together.

Pig Head's eyes snapped open, his murky pupils darting around before finally locking onto Loran.

The rough pig snout slowly opened, revealing a twisted and chilling smile that was completely unlike that of a wild beast.

"Hmm...it feels pretty good." The voice came from the pig's head, a mixture of the wild boar's rough growling and the hollow emptiness. "You think so too, right, friend from the Numbered World?"

Loran's throat tightened, and he suppressed all his turbulent emotions, tensing every muscle as he silently observed.

"Haha, hahaha!"

The pig-headed creature suddenly burst into a sharp and manic laugh, the sound echoing through the woods and startling several birds in the distance.

"Ah, this feels so good! It's that familiar feeling!"

As the laughter subsided, the monster with the pig's head gave Loran one last look before turning and stepping into the deeper shadows of the forest.

The eerie green halo of the scythe gradually dimmed and faded into the distance, along with its suffocating presence.

After a long while, Loran took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

All around, there was only the strong smell of blood and a deathly silence.

"Survival Guide: You have witnessed a 'miracle,' gaining 100 Adventure Points; this may be a height that mortals can never reach | Unlocks the talent 'Shadow of Death'"

Talent - Shadow of Death Lv.1: When you kill or witness the death of a creature, your mental strength will be subtly enhanced. (I see the shadow of Death...)

A light drizzle began to fall from the sky, and Loran slowly came to her senses, managing to move her stiff limbs with difficulty.

He took a deep breath as he slowly picked up the adventure manual from the ground. He couldn't understand the headless monster's intentions or what its words meant, and he had no time to think about anything else.

All he knew was that he had survived...

Now, he has to check on his partner's situation.

Loran first went to the crater that had been smashed open, the spot where Brian had been thrown down, and also the closest point to him.

What was expected to be a bloodied and mangled scene didn't happen. Brian lay there quietly, his body seemingly unchanged from before...

Could it be the state of rigor mortis after death?

Loran's hand trembled as he reached towards Brian's nostrils, a gentle breeze passing between his fingers.

"Brian...is not dead?!" Loran looked at Brian in disbelief, while an indescribable joy welled up inside him.

Perhaps during the impact, Brian, the clever little dog, shifted his position slightly and wasn't hit in any vital areas, but in any case, it's a good thing.

"Handbook, is Brian alright?"

"Survival Guide: Your partner 'Brian' appears to be asleep and is unharmed."

Having received a reassuring reply, Loran hurried to check on the others and found Lin Wen unconscious in a clump of grass.

Lin Wen's face was pale, her clothes were soaked by the rain, and there was congealed blood on her hands and feet from her falls, but there was a peaceful smile on her face.

Loran checked Lin Wen's breathing; it was very weak.

Loran opened Lin Wen's backpack and saw two small red potions inside. She quickly opened one and sprinkled it on Lin Wen.

"Handbook, is Lin Wen's condition alright?"

"Survival Guide: Your partner 'Lin Wen' is rapidly recovering her life force, her condition is stable, and she is out of danger."

Having confirmed Lin Wen's identity, Loran quickly ran to the other side of the mountain wall and came to Noah's side.

Noah's injuries were much more serious, with bloodstains almost covering his body. Without hesitation, Loran poured the recovery potion on Noah.

"Handbook, is Noah alright?"

"Survival Guide: Your partner 'Noah' is seriously injured and is slowly recovering. Further treatment is recommended."

"Survival Guide: You have spent 20 Adventure Points to master the ability 'Basic Herbalism Crafting Lv.1'."