The entire treeline had these little balls rolling out, only to stop for a moment when they used their observe skill before moving forward once more - towards the fleshy beings.
The crossbow and archers on either side of Jay’s V-formation were already firing as mobs came out of the woodline. They thinned down the numbers of enemies on the sides to take pressure off the axeman and the maceman.
Anya found that if she crouched and fired low, the bolt would keep travelling and could take four enemies out before losing momentum and getting lost in a pile of sticks.
Finally the wave of wood elementals reached the two adventurers standing at the top of the V formation.
*Swoosh!~*
With a giant cleave, the axe guy took out three of them at once; meanwhile the mace guy crushed one with his shield before swinging his mace, taking out two with a single swipe.
Pointy sticks were flying everywhere.
“Make sure you save your skills for later,” Jay instructed.
Anyone trying to show off while killing these level one mobs would simply be wasting their mana, they weren’t worth it.
For a moment, Jay regretted bringing the dagger girl back near him, she would probably be much more efficient at dealing with the smallfry.
“Oh well.” he shrugged, it was too late to change things up now anyway.
The glaive-guy was behind the mace and shield guy, while the sword and shield guy was behind the axeman. Both sides made effective combos.
It was good to have two people with shields on their sides along with two 2-handed weapon wielders.
All four of them were now putting in the work, slicing, snapping and cleaving sticks in half with ease.
So far, Jay didn’t even have to lift a finger, being at the back of the formation. They were all dying before they even reached him.
Slowly though, a barrier of the dead sticks formed on the side of his allies, causing the wood elementals to roll into a channel towards him.
Looking over at the field to the side, he peered at the 10 adventurers who weren’t in any formation - for a moment he thought that perhaps they even had it better; each one of them was getting a little piece of the action.
As Jay slashed at oncoming elementals, he thought this was much better than simply standing around being bored, so he quickly pushed that thought aside.
So far, no one had even taken a hit - it seemed that the wood elementals would only activate their frenzy ability after taking some damage, but they were simply getting obliterated in one hit. They had no chance.
Each of them rolled forward, waiting to sense the enemy with their spiky bodies - only to suddenly die and retreat back to the elemental-spirit realm.
Meanwhile the broken sticks piled up, acting as a barrier of sorts and stopping them from taking any damage - it would be hard for the balls to even roll over their fellow slain companions.
“I guess I should be glad it’s not that dangerous.” Jay pursed his lips, watching the battle. It was all feeling pretty casual so far.
Anya was reloading her crossbow while she noticed Jay; he seemed to even looked a little sad, a little regretful. She could tell that he was bored and wanted to fight, a challenge. This was simply a waste of time.
Focusing back on the battle, she noticed movement - large shifting shapes in the forest, getting bigger as they rushed forwards.
“Jay, look!” Anya said, pointing to the forest.
Something different to the stick balls slowly marched out of the forest now.
It was about the size of a wolf. Its body looked like a large cockroach while its head was like a deer (without antlers); both completely made from thousands of tiny twigs, somehow all interwoven and working together to form these creatures.
As it got closer, Jay noticed a strange tormented-looking wooden hook under its head, it seemed that it was there instead of a lower jaw bone.
“That can’t be good,” he thought, squinting at it. The hook was spined, sharp and menacing.
It was much faster than the stick-balls, travelling to them at the running speed of a human.
In a matter of seconds it was close enough to analyse - but before, he decided to give some orders for the protection of his team.
He did analyse both the axeman (Dan) and the swordsman (Conroy) before barking out orders at them - lest they get confused.
“Dan, switch out with Conroy!” Jay yelled before analysing the new enemy - it was a little safer with the swordsman in front as he had his own shield; hopefully it would provide some safety from whatever the mouth-hook was.
<[Nestling Gatherer (Wood Elemental) - Level 5]>
[HP 32/32]
[Damage]
- 5 (Hook)
- 10 (Pincers)
<[Skills]>
[Lofty Collector]
- The nestling launches its hook high up into the treetops to gather that one perfect, pristine stick. It reels it back into its internal pincers for either consumption or storage.
- 5 piercing damage
- 10 crushing damage after reel-in
- The nest must grow
<[Description]>
[The worker of an elemental nest. Its head comes in many varieties depending on the elemental type, but all of them have the same bug-like body.]
“Careful of its ranged hook attack from the bigger ones, don’t let them pull you away!” Jay warned the others, having to yell over sounds of clanging metal, rolling balls and snapping sticks. For a moment he was tempted to step out of formation and help them - in case this new enemy was too much.
Fortunately, they were doing just fine. They didn’t need help at all. Jay simply underestimated them.
*Twangg~*
The mace guy deflected a hook, his shield vibrating while sending it flying - coincidentally the hook landed right next to Jay - a segmented-vine connected the hook back to the throat of the creature.
With a menacing grin, Jay slashed with all his might, chopping the strange segmented wooden cord between the hook and the creature’s maws.
Jay hoped to hear it squeal in pain, but it seemed these creatures didn’t have the capability to feel. Instead, it seemed confused.
“Nice one.” the sabre girl added, seeing Jay’s decisive attack.
*Dwoosh~*
Anya released a powerful bolt, ending the creature’s silent suffering with a single hit.
Jay ignored the exp notification, it would be a long battle so that would just be an annoying distraction.
He was getting a slice of the exp from each monster killed since both he and Anya were in the same party - though the other adventurers syphoned some if they landed an attack on the same creatures.
The swordsman, Conroy, was about to be attacked by one of these hooks flying straight towards him, however his sword suddenly glowed a faint yellow as it filled with energy.
Jay was a little disappointed seeing him use an ability so early, but he didn’t mind - he was curious about his ability.
“Full counter!” he groaned as an immense amount of power coursed through his sword, slashing at the incoming hook.
*Crack!~*
It was sent back at a frightening speed, travelling twice as fast as the hook initial attack of the nestling gatherer.
“Well damn…” Jay had to pause for a moment, seeing his powerful ability.
He took zero damage and instead dealt even more back to the attacker - despite being a swordsman it was like he used a ranged ability. Technically he didn’t, but still.
The hook whistled through the wind and implanted right into the creature's own head.
Naturally, the creature began to reel in its ‘prize’, only to start ripping twigs and stick out of its own body. It was its own worst enemy.
Everyone grimaced slightly while seeing this; it seemed these elementals truly didn’t feel pain.
It then began chewing on the sticks pulled from its own head; quite a grotesque sight - it wasn’t just cannibalism, it was self-mutilation.
The tall lanky guy with the bow frowned before sending an arrow its way, finally ending its life.
Unknown to the self-mutilating wood elemental, it had engaged in psychological warfare. All of them were thrown off for a moment.
The distraction of the Nestling gatherers has allowed the smaller stick-ball elementals to do some damage now - though not much.
It was only one damage, but if it was allowed to go on, it would add up after some time.
“AHHH!” an adventurer screamed in the field nearby.
A hook was pierced in his shoulder, and he was slowly being dragged towards the sea of spiky stick balls. The more he tried to resist, the more the hook painfully dug into his flesh.
“Hm, probably should have made a formation huh.” Jay shrugged with a head shake before focusing on the battle in his own field once more.
