“The Secret Eye Society is behind all this. They are now chasing after Gou Dan because he exposed them.”
Edward finally received a reply from Gou Dan in the forum, and could tell how urgent the situation was from the very simple message.
He glanced at the elves, who appeared to be finally debating about giving up on Brom Daystar and was prepared to blow Edward’s party and their leader sky high with the strongest spell they had…
Jessica raised as many barriers as she could while Eleena also whipped out her meteor hammer (book) and casted defensive divine spells…
“He used a Lure Brew to bait forest creatures to slow down the Secret Eye Cultists. He’s coming towards us.”
“Got it… or should I say, I’m seeing him on the minimap.” Joe replied casually while staring at the wood elves.
It was only after two updates that the function of seeing a party member’s location on the minimap was implemented. However, such minor functions wouldn’t be specially introduced and would have a simple mention in the update notes.
Be that as it may, a function like that which couldn’t be simpler for online games back on earth proved both fresh and interesting for the Players, and was surprisingly useful.
Soon enough, before the wood elves finally decided to blow up their enemies and their own commander, a swift and agile figure leapt out of the bushes!
Naturally, it was Gou Dan.
Gou Dan did a double-take when he glanced at Brom Daystar who was being tied up in modern art fashion, but he did not slow down and kept running—passing by Edward and the others who had a look that said ‘good, let’s break through the encirclement now’.
Boar, wild chickens, wildcats, monkeys and everything else then poured out of the bushes, hot on Gou Dan’s heels as they shrieked, passing them like a wild storm and showering the Players chicken feathers.
Was the Lure Brew really that effective?
Edward had a bird’s nest over his head and looked dumbstruck, having only used the Emergency Syrup in dungeons before.
Behind the beasts, a group of black-robed people dashed out of the bushes—naturally, they were the Secret Eye Cultists who were chasing after Gou Dan.
At the moment, the wood elves who had better sight promptly noticed that their greatest treasure was running beside the black-robed people, her feet working furiously and completely didn’t look like she was being abducted.
Meanwhile, the Players who were cracking their fists once the Secret Society Cultists appeared and ready to give them one vicious beating awkwardly realized that the cultists were completely ignoring them. Instead, they continued chasing after Gou Dan…
Joe could not help looking a little lost.
‘Wow, are us Players and over thirty wood elves that unimportant?’
“No… those guys don’t look like they’re chasing after Gou Dan. They looked like they are trying to—” Edward said urgently, noticing the signs from the faces of those Secret Eye Cultists and threw away the bird’s nest over his head while preparing himself mentally.
In the next split second, thunderous rumbles echoed.
The bushes Gou Dan dart out of just now were crushed along with several towering trees nearby. Then, a form that resembled a dinosaur bloated a dozen times immediately caught everyone’s attention.
Drake (Ultimate Form), level 85.
“—Run.” It was only then that Edward finished his sentence while gaping at the colossal magical beast that had appeared all of a sudden.
Joe glanced at the other Players and their weapons, and then at the Drake that was frightened off every nearby bird and roaring at the skies.
He suddenly felt that his weapon was a toothpick.
He gulped and gingerly asked Edward. “Are we going to fight?”
Edward might have the courage to fight if that thing was a Rookie form like the Barren Giant they encountered before.
But that thing is double their level. Fight it? No, it’s time to run.
Therefore, Edward and the others ran in the same direction behind the Secret Eye Cultists.
The wood elves were startled by the Drake’s appearance as well, and were looking at each other.
Being children of the Forest Goddess, the wood elves have a special attribute that keeps them intimate with nature, and rarely were there any creatures that could ignore that attribute.
Unfortunately, the rampaging Drake was one of them.
Hence, after sharing a quiet but rapid exchange with their eyes, the wood elves picked up Brom Daystar whom Edward and the others had thrown unceremoniously on the dirt but was still bound, and started running behind them as well.
***
Meanwhile, the Drake which was just putting up a show with its skyward roar looked down upon it all.
‘Oh, I was just clearing my throat. Why did all my prey run off?’
Hence, feeling upset, it started to chase after everyone.
Being one of the sovereigns of the Trinia Forests, its slow movement was merely a misperception because of its enormous form. The reality was that it was swift in both attack and movement.
However, it usually didn’t have to run—once it unleashed its Dragon Might, it would always find a few petrified wild birds or rabbits nearby.
But for the Drake, it appeared have had enough of fried birds, and wanted something fresh instead like conveyer belt steamboat…
“No, we’re going to get caught if this continues!”
Edward’s face darkened as he watched the Drake come ever closer—as a mage, he was lacking in the agility department.
“It’s fine, as long as we are faster than the elves!” Joe appeared very optimistic and so nonchalant that he was having his familiar spirit poke the buttocks of the Secret Eye cultists with Giant Toe’s, shredding their HP before all else. “We’ll escape when the Drake starts eating the elves!”
“But that thing is native to the Trinia Forests…” Jessica looked worried. “What if it had gotten bored of elves and want a taste of humans?”
Edward turned to find that the Drake was salivating while starting at them and immediately knew that she was right.
He hence turned towards Eleena’s flat chest and asked despite the girl’s unfriendly stare, “…Do you think the Drake would be interested in seafood?”
Meanwhile, Croakatoa felt a mysterious shiver while catching crabs, feeling as if the weather had become a little colder.
