The surrounding forest was filled with the rustling sound of snakefolk scales rubbing against dry branches, accompanied by a chorus of low, rising and falling hisses. The members of Gray Fang pressed back-to-back, their eyes constantly scanning the shadows shifting between the trees.
“They want to surround us completely before they strike,” Nasha said first.
“It'll be trouble if we let them close the circle,” Marcus whispered.
Lilith had already raised her staff, the fire elements at its tip crackling in the air. Without waiting for Marcus's command, she thrust her staff forward, sending several fire arrows trailing streaks of flame into the thickest patch of bushes directly ahead.
With a loud bang, that section of the forest instantly ignited.
The flames spread rapidly along the dry vines and lichens. A dense, scalp-prickling chorus of hisses erupted from the thick smoke, interspersed with the sharp, shrill shrieks of snakefolk in pain. They had originally planned to steadily close their perimeter, but scorched by the fire, they completely abandoned their formation, rushing out from the burning thickets and flailing away from the blaze.
Most of the snakefolk who burst out were still on fire, their grayish-green scales curling from the heat. Yet, this only stoked their savagery as they hissed and lunged forward, brandishing spears and short blades.
Nasha was the first to engage. Her short blades danced incredibly fast, but with the snakefolk on fire, sparks and heat waves blasted toward her every time she closed in. This severely restricted her movements, and against a swarm of enemies, close-quarters combat was simply too slow to cull their numbers.
Watching the dense swarm of snakefolk, Erich gripped his sword with his right hand and swept it horizontally toward the charging monsters.
Several pale-green wind blades flew from the blade, slicing precisely into the front row of snakefolk and forcefully halting their charge. Even better, the sudden gust acted like oil on fire, causing the flames on the snakefolk to surge violently. The burning creatures rolled on the ground, completely stripped of their ability to fight.
Lilith, who was raising her staff to prepare her next spell, caught a glimpse of this stunning chantless magic from the corner of her eye. Her mouth fell open in shock, and she forgot to lower her staff.
“Stop daydreaming,” Erich said, tapping her on the head.
Lilith snapped out of it, her face still wearing a look of utter disbelief. However, she still released the spell in her hand. She didn't ask any questions, but her cooperation became visibly more uninhibited. Her fire spells were no longer aimed solely at the snakefolk themselves; instead, she specifically targeted the areas Erich's wind blades swept through. With the wind feeding the flames, they cleared out large swaths of snakefolk.
Grace stood behind Marcus's shield, casting a succession of buff spells on everyone, paying special attention to Nasha at the front. Marcus acted like a moving wall, blocking whichever direction the snakefolk charged most fiercely. The recoil force of his shield slammed the burning snakefolk back, sending them tumbling into the fire, never to rise again.
The surrounding snakefolk were quickly cleared out.
Only the crackling of the flames remained, along with the occasional dying hiss from deep within the fire. A large section of the forest had been charred black, with thick smoke rising toward the cavern ceiling, turning the glowing moss at the very top dark with soot.
“Let's rest a bit,” Marcus said, planting his shield into the ground and magnifying a long breath. “Check yourselves for injuries.”
The group silently checked their wounds and mana. But before they could even catch their breath, rustling noises echoed from the forest once more. Out of reflex, Lilith raised her staff again, flames dancing at its tip.
Marcus pressed down on her wrist and shook his head.
Before long, three figures emerged from the edge of the still-smoldering forest. Leading them was a stout human man wearing leather armor and carrying a broadsword on his back. Behind him was a tall, thin man who appeared to be a mage based on his attire, followed by a shield-bearing warrior. All three bore the travel-worn look of seasoned adventurers.
The leading man spotted Marcus, and the wariness on his face instantly dissolved. “Marcus! It's you.”
Marcus recognized him as well. Taking two steps forward, he opened his arms and gave the man a firm hug. “Bryant, what are you doing here?”
“The guild sent me to lead a team to rendezvous with you,” Bryant said, releasing Marcus as he scanned the scorched devastation around them. “We were heading along your projected route, but midway we noticed the fire and the commotion of a fight. We took a detour to check it out, and we happened to run right into you.”
He looked at the people behind Marcus, nodding in greeting to Grace, Lilith, and Nasha, before his gaze lingered on Erich.
“And this is?”
“Met him on the road. A student from Morningstar Academy, traveling with us,” Marcus introduced briefly.
Bryant nodded in greeting, his expression turning serious. “Now that we've met up, we should leave quickly. These snakefolk have been acting strange lately; their range of activity has expanded significantly. While Corrosive Fang City is still relatively stable, the surrounding areas are a mess. On our way here, we've already cleared out several wandering packs of snakefolk.”
Marcus didn't waste any words, calling for everyone to pack up.
“Let's go. We can talk on the way.”
With their party expanded, their traveling speed actually increased. Bryant was highly familiar with the forest's paths and guided them along routes where snakefolk activity was sparse. Whenever isolated snakefolk squads ran into them, they were swiftly dispatched by a pincer attack from both sides. Erich didn't easily show his hand again, choosing to stick close to Nasha in melee combat. Since no one brought up his wind blades, he acted as if it had never happened.
Along the way, they culled many more snakefolk. The harvested scales, venom fangs, and several decent-quality mana stones carried by the snakefolk were divided and packed into Marcus's and Bryant's bags. Lilith murmured under her breath, “Well, we definitely don't have to worry about our travel expenses after this trip.” Beside her, Erich nodded in agreement, only for both of them to receive a gentle swat on the back of their heads from Grace.
After walking for nearly half a day, the trees ahead began to thin out, and a city wall constructed from a mix of thick timber and stone blocks came into view.
The wall was not particularly high, but it looked incredibly sturdy. The wood was a dark hardwood, and the stones were neatly piled, with sharpened wooden stakes protruding outward from the wall. The city gates were wide open, revealing a bustle of snakefolk and humans walking to and fro. A few snakefolk guards stood at the entrance holding spears, their glossy scales indicating they were far healthier and sturdier than their wandering kin outside.
Bryant walked at the front and raised a hand to the guarding snakefolk, speaking a few words in a language Erich couldn't understand. The snakefolk guards flicked their tongues and waved their spears, granting them passage.
Once inside, Erich finally got a proper look at Corrosive Fang City.
The buildings in the city were mostly low wooden structures, the tallest being only three stories high, with roofs thatched with grayish-brown straw. The streets were narrow, filled with snakefolk and humans walking side by side. The air was thick with the faint, ever-present musky scent of the snakefolk.
The most conspicuous structure in the entire city was the temple situated right in the center.
It was built on a high artificial platform, with a wide stone staircase on each of its four sides leading straight up from the ground. The platform was ridiculously tall, hoisting the temple high above the city's skyline, making it visible from any direction. The temple walls were constructed of dark red stone, a far cry from the low wooden houses of the city.
Bryant led the group through the city, eventually stopping in front of a three-story building.
Hanging by the entrance of the building was a soot-blackened bronze plaque bearing the large characters: 【Adventurers' Guild - Corrosive Fang Branch】.
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