Monster Jousting Book 3 - Chapter 26 (Patreon)

Noah, Gluttony, Thraz, Pillow, Yidos and her soldiers, stalked through the jungles.

Yidos Sunwhisper (Level 105)

Noah inspected the archer walking by his side with grace. She seemed to be at one with the jungle. Her every step was careful and calculated. It looked like she was gliding across the jungle floor. It was mesmerising. 

She was a higher Level than he had first thought. Noah wasn't arrogant, well, maybe a little. But he felt the difference in might between them. Perhaps so did Yidos, and that was why she wanted his help. 

The archer commander had, before they left, sent a detachment of troops back to the city Namuris. With the Hub’s opening, it was obviously of great importance to the people of this world. She kept on asking him all about the people that would enter through these Hubs. But Noah assured her that the only people coming through would be regular citizens–weak.

And that led Noah to think about why this was happening in the first place. Everything the system did, whether it was giving them seemingly impossible missions, or sending them to this place, was all for one simple reason. Entertainment. 

“What entertainment could they get from Level 1 civilians?” Noah mumbled aloud. Yidos heard it. She looked at him with pity.

“I still can’t believe that you are forced here to participate in a gods sick… game,” She said, ducking under a low hanging tree branch.

“I can’t say much about that,” Noah said with a wry smile. “I volunteered myself.”

“You–” Yidos looked shocked, then shook her head. “Yes. I can see you doing that.”

Noah smiled in response. 

“Where is Krall, anyway?” Pillow asked as he trailed behind. He still reeked of medicinal potions and ingredients–like burnt grass.

A twig snapped in the distance. Everyone tensed. Yidos commanded her soldiers to spread out. From the tree line ahead, around 25 metres away, a strange goblin type creature emerged from the darkness. Noah had never seen it before. With tall pointed ears, tall, hunched over frame, and a sturdy bow in hand–it looked incredibly fearsome. It bore its fangs, sharp, like daggers. They were covered in dripping green and yellow slime.

Darkstalker Goblin (Level ???)

Noah walked forwards without a care in the world. As long as the enemy in front of him was a monster, he wasn’t worried. His eyes bore into the creature in the distance. At first, it struggled, it clenched its putrid teeth. Then, its shoulders shivered as it gazed into Noah’s eyes. 

The goblin felt the difference in bloodlines. 

Now, Krall.

Almost immediately, the ground erupted. Soil and tree roots exploded. The terrifying shadow of an enormous monster emerged from the dense, hot smoke rising from the earth. Raging flames chased a terrifying howl that sent shivers down Yidos’s troops' spines. The goblin disappeared, and all they heard was a sickening crunch.

You defeated a - Level 146 Darkstalker Goblin

…
| Extra experience is rewarded for defeating an enemy beyond your Level.

You have Levelled up!
| Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 109 -> Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 112

Krall, the Scourge of the Jungle has levelled up.
| Krall level 109 -> Krall level 112

Gluttony has Levelled up.
| Gluttony level 108 -> Gluttony level 111

As quickly as Krall appeared, he vanished back under the earth where he reigned supreme.

The soldiers looked around, terrified. They hadn’t even detected him. And given the sheer size of Krall, to them, it didn’t make sense.

Sending words of praise to his companion, Noah returned back to the topic at hand. Why was the System introducing new participants?

Noah could only come to a single conclusion–the watchers were bored. Noah was too strong, far stronger than the other participants. When there was no longer any competition, what was the point in watching? 

So that meant that they were planning something. What that was, exactly, Noah wasn’t sure. But he had a bad feeling about this whole thing. It wasn’t going to stop at just the Hubs, Noah was at least certain of that.

As they continued deeper through the jungle, the monsters were increasingly getting stronger. However, none of them managed to put up much of a fight. With Krall lurking down below, and Gluttony dashing through the shadows like a phantom, Noah and the rest continued at a steady pace.

After 6 hours of quickened travel, the jungle changed. The surrounding trees grew savage spikes in the thousands. The bush at their base created thick, impenetrable walls that even grew deep underground. The entire area was like a natural defence that wasn’t meant to be crossed. Instead of dense grass, the land was being replaced with sand.

Noah detected magic within.

Yidos stared at the scene. “It is the remnant magic from the lost Ixtalian Mages.” Her words were tinged with awe.

“Well, we need to get through,” Noah said.

“Just be careful. Here, even the plants are alive, and they won’t take kindly to outsiders destroying them.”

“Noted,” Noah said.

Krall, rise, Noah thought, and the moment his order finished, Krall broke out from the jungle's dirt. Dark grey and green smoke coiled around his shoulders like a scarf. 

“Burn it all down, boy,” Noah said.

Krall listened. Rising to his back legs, Krall roared, sending a vicious spout of incendiary flames crashing into the wall of thorny bushes. 

Yidos’s warning was immediately proved true.

Vines, hidden amongst the dense green bushes, shot out so fast that it even alarmed Noah. Gluttony was quick to react. Blackened scythes cleaved the vine in half, the chopped section writhing on the floor before it turned grey and lifeless a moment later. Mana evaporated from the vine.

More joined. At least 16 vines tipped with vicious spikes shot forward like powerful lances. Krall and Gluttony took care of most of them. But there was someone else who was making full use of his new Profession–Thraz.

He mighty dragonborn raged forwards with his greatsword clutched tightly in his hands. He waved into the centre of them and swung his sword around, seemingly without any care. But Noah saw the glint in his slitted eyes. The dragonborn was focusing on his profession, focusing on chopping.

The vines couldn’t stop him, despite their unnatural strength.

Thraz was like a born wood chopper. It wasn’t long before he was in front of the wall of bushes, vines surrounding him by the 100s.

“No mere bushes can stop this dragonborn!” Thraz shouted so loud, his voice reverberated through the jungle. 

Earth covered his feet, securing him to the ground. Then, a green-hue covered his sword as he swung it with all his might into the bushes. 10 feet above his head, to 5 above the ground, Thraz split the wall of foliage in front of him. It didn’t last long. In a matter of seconds, the wound closed.

“Krall,” Noah shouted. ”Operation: Don’t Do This at Home!”

Krall seemed to know what Noah meant. With a mischievous grin, Krall shot forward like an infernal bull. The vines latched onto his body, only to be burned into cinders the next second. Noah used Kill Command, filling Krall’s next attack with a crazy amount of extra power. In a blazing crash, Krall collided against the foliage. An inferno exploded, scattering ash and debris all over the place.

“Nice one, Krall!” Noah shouted.

His tamed companion was now on the other side, however, the massive hole he had created wasn’t going to last very long at all. The power of nature was eating away at the corrosive fire. The strong flame was dwindling.

“Quick, everyone through, now!” Yidos shouted. They all listened.

Noah was the last to enter as he batted away the vines threatening to skewer Yidos’s troops. On the other side of the wall, Noah couldn’t help but admire the scenery in front of him. There was no longer any grass at his feet, no, the entire land was consumed with sand. 

In the far distance, loomed an imposing semi-circle structure that seemed to have sunken deep into the ground. It was around 400 feet above. Noah could only imagine how big it once was. Hugging the centre of the enormous palace, was what appeared to be a round hole. 

Yidos turned to Noah, her lips twitching. “Noah, welcome to what is left of Imprexis.”