That's right, that's what adventure is like!

The moonlight cast a cold glow over the cemetery, illuminating the ghouls' grayish-blue faces. Their hideous teeth were covered in grime and clung to undigested flesh, making them look particularly frightening.

The fierce, cold wind whipped at the adventurers' robes, tearing at the warmth from their skin, which instantly gained heat, making them want to huddle up beside the burning campfire.

Even so, Roland showed no sign of backing down; instead, his eyes gleamed with excitement.

fighting.

The topics that are unavoidable in every adventure are often the most charming part of the story, and are rendered by the infectious tone of the bards.

Although it was only the second time, Roland was surprisingly calm and even took the initiative to raise his longsword and charge at the ghoul closest to him.

boom!

A brilliant crimson fireball exploded not far away, and Austin used the lowest-level attack spell to announce the start of the battle.

There is no need for cooperation. As strangers meeting for the first time, fighting alone is often more efficient, since you are facing a group of monsters rather than one.

laugh--

The sound of the silver blade sliding smoothly from its leather sheath was impeccable. Roland gripped the warm wooden hilt tightly in his hand and launched an attack on the ghoul whose body was bent over digging at the grave.

Run, jump, side slash.

The crescent-shaped mark flashed through the air and disappeared in an instant; the ghoul's stiff body didn't even have time to get up before its head was severed.

Roland turned to the side and swung his longsword again, slashing heavily at another ghoul that was close to him. The hard texture made him frown slightly and take half a step back.

Even though the longsword had been reinforced once, it still struggled a bit against the ghoul's chest, which was covered in layers of bones; it was difficult for him to break through the skin.

"Gurgle—"

A thick, foul stench emanated from its mouth as the ghoul lunged at Roland, its whitish, murky eyes rolling, its sharp claws viciously clawing at the human before it.

boom!

Faced with an arm attack far exceeding normal human capabilities, Roland directly adopted the simplest and most effective way to dodge: a straight kick.

The kick was powerful and heavy, forcing the ghoul back a step. Roland then took the opportunity to raise his longsword and strike again.

The silver-gray blade sliced ​​through the fragile skin and cleanly pierced the ghoul's head, only to be jammed by the hard skull.

when!

A sound like metal clashing rang out. Roland calmed himself, drew his longsword, and with a backhand motion, took out the exceptionally sharp dagger and plunged it into the other's throat.

"Ho—"

A hoarse roar came from its rotting throat, but the ghoul didn't slow down at all. It opened its mouth full of sharp teeth and pounced on Roland.

"Idiots! These ghouls have long lost their humanity; only cutting off their heads will do them any good!!"

The guidance from the dwarf Seth behind him made Roland realize that he still lacked experience. He immediately readjusted his position to avoid the bite and tried to organize another attack.

However, this mistake still created an opportunity for the ghouls to attack, because they were not alone, but in groups.

"Gurgle!"

A sharp roar came from the right. When Roland looked over, another ghoul's sharp claws were already only a foot away from him!

Too close, there's no way to avoid it!

Roland's hand gripping the longsword trembled slightly in the cold wind, yet his face, reddened by the wind, maintained an astonishing calm.

It's a perfect opportunity to try out the new moves I've learned.

Holding his breath, the muscles in his right arm seemed to be called by some force, skillfully manipulating the longsword to block the path of the claws' attack.

when--

The moment the ear-piercing collision rang out, a flash of realization crossed Roland's eyes. The exceptionally familiar sensation seemed to have replayed itself within him a thousand times, and that faint smile appeared in his heart.

The sound of wind, weapons, claws, faces.

The world seemed to stand still. Even though the ghoul before them had lost its life force, it still followed basic biological laws, its muscles trembling powerfully as it unleashed this fatal blow.

So, what if we break this pattern?

With a slight flick of the longsword, the sharp claws were tossed into the air, causing the ghoul to instantly lose its balance and begin to tilt to the other side.

laugh--

Silver light, carrying the gentle moonlight, tore through the raging cold wind, and surging power erupted from Roland's body, tracing a pure crescent moon trajectory.

The rough skin was pierced first, followed by the stiff flesh, the tough cervical spine, and finally, silence returned to the air.

A streak of dark red blood dripped from the blade, adding new nutrients to the already crimson soil. Along with the traces of a rolled head, the swaying corpse fell to the ground.

Combat Skill: Parry and Counterattack

Inherited from his great-uncle, he possesses the ability to transform a moment of parrying into an opportunity to attack, which is particularly effective even against unarmed enemies.

"call……"

The breath he exhaled turned into white smoke in the cold wind, then vanished in an instant. Roland's fingertips, gripping the longsword, turned slightly white and began to tremble uncontrollably.

Sour and astringent.

His combat skills gave him exceptionally fierce power when he countered, but this burst of power also made his muscles somewhat unable to withstand it, and he urgently needed to rest.

But the battle is far from over.

Ignoring its companion's utter death, the other ghoul pounced again, its two claws outstretched, intending to hold the fresh flesh in its arms and devour it.

Unfortunately, Roland is not the woman from this morning; she is unlikely to throw herself into someone else's arms.

He nimbly stepped back, dodging the attack, and then spun around, making his longsword trace a bright circular arc in the night.

Sometimes, even without using arm strength, remarkable results can be achieved simply by relying on inertia.

when!

The sharp clanging sound rang out again, reminiscent of the forging scene in the dwarf workshop. Both involved combat, but one involved facing a furnace, while the other involved facing inhuman monsters.

Without exerting excessive force, Roland briefly relaxed his arm and, upon regaining his footing, keenly noticed that the ghoul's movements were somewhat unsteady.

The two attacks on the head seem to have had some effect on it.

attack!

He naturally wouldn't let such an opportunity slip by. He channeled his powerful energy from his waist and abdomen to his arms, unleashing another precise and swift attack.

This time, however, he aimed for the neck!

Clapper—

As his head fell to the ground, Roland swiftly pulled the dagger from his neck, turned around to check on his teammates and see if they needed help.

As per their previously established strategy, he, the newcomer, was responsible for dealing with the scattered monsters in the corners, while Austin and Seth would clear out the main ghouls.

Judging from the fact that Seth still had the leisure to remind me just now, the battle situation shouldn't be too bad...

However, his body froze instantly at just one glance.

A dozen or so bluish-gray ghouls were fiercely chasing the short dwarf, while the surrounding area was completely empty, and the mage was nowhere to be seen.

What about Austin?

Even if a magic-based professional only knows a few tricks, he is still considered the strongest combatant on their side. How could he have disappeared for no reason?

"Damn it, he ran away!"

Seth, seemingly noticing that Roland had dealt with the scattered enemies, cursed, "That son of a bitch, said he was going to find reinforcements, but actually betrayed us!"

"What!?"

"He said that these ghouls don't eat the flesh and blood of wild animals, which likely means they're being controlled by a demon!"