Adventurer Green Rank Examination – Encampment Section, Enemy Attack
The adventurers, who had been shuffling around when they got up, rushed out at the first sign of an enemy attack.
However, most of them had only their weapons, and even those who should have had shields didn’t bring them along.
I wonder what these large monsters are, are we really going to be okay?
“Hey, are you guys fine with such equipment!? Especially you, shield bearers! Go back and get your shields quickly!”
“Yes!”
Oh, they were scolded by the examiner and went back to get their shields.
Meanwhile, the presence of the monsters was getting closer and closer.
Talat’s alert sound was getting higher pitched.
We’ll be in contact soon.
“Listen up, I’ll teach you a way to find the enemy’s position in times like this.”
The examiner started to give us instructions.
Even in this situation, they seem to be quite composed.
“Faintly release your magic power over a wide area. The monsters will react for sure since they have magic stones. Even wild animals should be able to sense it slightly. However, the drawback of this method is that it also reveals your own presence to the monsters. Only use it when you’re sure the opponent is already aware of your presence.”
Faintly release magic power over a wide area, huh? I tried it, but it disappeared quickly, and it didn’t work well.
Maybe it’s because I’m trying to push my magic power out.
What if I let the magic power flow like waves?
“I see it! We’re surrounded!?”
“Mhm, good observation. Yes, we are currently surrounded. If we panic and try to escape, we’ll be easy prey.”
I understand the situation, but what should we do?
Talat was on alert but didn’t move.
That means the monsters on the other side were coordinating and aware of Talat, so they were probably on guard.
In other words, if I make Talat move carelessly, we might get attacked all at once.
Talat is up in a tree diagonally to the left of where we’re gathered.
The monsters are avoiding that area and seem to be peering at us through the gaps between the trees, forming a triangular formation.
However, we can’t see them from here, so we don’t know what kind of monsters they are.
Now, how should we respond?
“SWISH!”
“Oh damn, the campfire!”
A huge shadow rushed out from between the trees and knocked the campfire away.
As a result, the camping site was plunged into darkness.
Talat tried to entangle the monster that rushed out by shooting threads, but it seems he missed.
“… Can’t be helped. We can’t fight in the dark, even if it’s us. Bring a light source here, Light!”
One of the examiners used a light source spell, and the campsite was illuminated once again.
The light revealed the floating shadow: a bear with an elongated tongue.
“An Anteater Bear? The recommended hunting rank is Blue; why would such a monster appear here?”
“Rather than that, what should we do? It’s impossible to protect the examinees and take on three bears while surrounded.”
“Yeah… Lily, can you use your familiar to spread spider cobwebs around this area? They don’t need to be too sturdy. Prioritize speed of the thread spreading.”
“Talat, can you do it?”
(Leave it to me. I’ll try.)
“It seems we can do it.”
“Good. You stay with us and reinforce the defense of the examinees until the spider cobwebs are completed. It might be tough, but if you could handle Ogres, this should be possible too, right?”
“I’m not confident, but I’ll do my best.”
“That’s a good answer. But don’t push yourself too hard. Those monsters will try to entangle you with their long tongues. If the tongue gets near quickly stab it with your spear.”
“Yes!”
“Alright, let’s do this!”
Talat began to weave his spider web around us, and the monsters attacked all at once.
Most of the attacks were deflected by the examiners, but occasionally, the claws and tongues of the monsters managed to reach the examinees.
I followed the examiner’s instructions, focusing on defense and counterattacking only when the tongue reached me.
The Anteater Bears seemed unable to stand on its hind legs, and its attack patterns were charging, claw attacks with its front legs, attempting to entangle us with its tongue, and stabbing with its needle-like tongue.
Dodging the charging attack was honestly tough, but I could deal with the claw attacks.
As for the tongue attack, as long as I stayed behind the shield, it wasn’t much of a threat, since they couldn’t extend the tongue straight with the needle at the tip.
So, I only needed to be cautious about the entangling attack and could easily defend with my spear.
After a few minutes of such back-and-forth, suddenly a large amount of spider threads rained down on a Anteater Bear from behind. Of course, it was Talat’s attack.
The Anteater Bear that had been solely focused on me was ensnared by Talat’s cobweb and couldn’t move.
Talat wrapped his threads around the bear’s mouth, and I pierced its eyes with my spear to finish it off.
The first Anteater Bear was defeated.
With one down, the rest quickly fell apart.
As I and Talat became free to attack, Talat’s threads attacked the Anteater Bears.
Although we couldn’t immobilize them immediately like the first one, their movements were slowed down whenever the spider threads entangled them.
As their movements became sluggish, the examiner’s attacks reached them, and the second Anteater Bear was defeated.
The last one, the third Anteater Bear, tried to escape when it saw the situation turn against it.
But it got caught in the spider cobweb that Talat had set in advance and got slowed down.
Then, Talat’s additional spider threads attacked, rendering it completely immobile.
The immobilized Anteater Bear was dealt a final blow by an examiner, and somehow, we managed to overcome this night’s attack.
Phew, I’m exhausted.