Chapter 109: The Lazy and Brutal Ogres
Beelzebub suppressed one of the ogres, gaining the upper hand with his combination of strength and combat skill.
Leon led a group of melee fighters, using flexible hit-and-run tactics to surround another ogre.
The adventurers who hadn't yet joined the fray watched the soldiers' smooth teamwork with astonishment.
Even mid-tier professionals typically avoided close combat with creatures like ogres.
The overwhelming strength that came with extraordinary power was a nightmare for most melee fighters.
Beelzebub was one thing—the adventurers were already familiar with his prowess.
But for a group of Level 3 and 4 fighters led by Leon to hold their own against an ogre was shocking.
A few keen-eyed adventurers observed closely.
Soon, they realized what was going on.
Not only did Leon's group display impressive offensive coordination, keeping the ogre off balance, but their defensive tactics were also exceptionally refined. They rarely engaged the ogre head-on, avoiding the brute force of its attacks whenever possible.
When one soldier couldn't avoid an attack, they didn't recklessly block it. Instead, they would fall back quickly, sometimes rolling out of the way without regard for their appearance.
Meanwhile, other soldiers would close in from different angles, attacking the ogre in vulnerable spots, forcing it to abandon its pursuit.
"Strange, last time I saw them fight, they weren't this strong..."
"That defensive experience is on par with some mid-tier professionals..."
"It's totally different. Mid-tier professionals rely on ability; these soldiers rely on experience..."
"Does Bay Village really have some kind of secret training method?"
"Don't you know Arnold, the old drillmaster? He's a legend in Bloodmoon City—I've trained under him myself..."
"I get it now. Bay Village's lord is just willing to spend big..."
"They're treating every soldier like a professional, pouring so many resources into them. Of course, their progress is going to be fast!"
"That's not the point. Look at their equipment! Both their weapons and armor are enchanted..."
"The lord is really going all out... Kinda makes me want to join."
"Don't get your hopes up. The lord wouldn't be interested in you!"
"Screw you..."
"...."
Alice overheard her team's chatter, and a subtle realization stirred in her mind.
With her sharp intellect, she had noticed something "interesting":
"Even if other professionals underwent the same training, their progress wouldn't be as fast as these soldiers..."
Alice wasn't sure if the others had picked up on this, but she decided to keep it to herself.
Gradually, the two ogres' wounds multiplied, and they began to weaken.
Beyond the adventurers' theories about strength improvements, the real reason the soldiers could now easily surround and defeat a wounded ogre was simple:
Every day, they "trained" against weakened trolls!
Over time, they had gained extensive experience fighting large humanoid creatures.
This had created a scene that left the adventurers astonished.
Meanwhile, Matthew had been observing the battle, collecting detailed data.
Name: Ogre
Type: Sub-Giant, +20 Max Health, +2 Strength
Height: 2.85 meters
Weight: 250 kilograms
Challenge Level: 9+
Class: Level 7 Warrior
Talents: Advanced Toughness, +2 Constitution, +5 Strength
Feats: Intermediate Feat - Crushing Blow: Deals 20% additional strength-based damage!
Heritage: None
Skills: Cleave LV2, Charge LV2, Tree Throw LV2, Vital Spot Protection LV1.
Attributes:
- Strength: 22
- Constitution: 16
- Dexterity: 9
- Intelligence: 7
- Charisma: 5
- Perception: 10
- Luck: +1.
Weapons: Crude Wooden Club, Hardwood Club
Armor: Hardened Leather
Attack Power: 7
Defense Power: 4
Health Points: 57
Evaluation: Lazy and brutal creatures!
Ogres were formidable in melee combat, and the destructive power of their extraordinary strength was more dangerous than a troll's regenerative abilities.
"A head-on confrontation is too risky; we should use more indirect tactics..."
Having gathered the information he needed, Matthew didn't want to waste any more time.
Conveniently, both ogres' health had already dropped below 10.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Arrows sliced through the air, and the massive, bloodied bodies of the ogres crashed to the ground.
Without much magical resistance, the ogres couldn't withstand the sneak attack of magical missiles, becoming more experience points for Matthew.
Although he didn't gain any skill points, Matthew didn't mind. He signaled the group to continue moving forward.
Chris briefly handled the bodies while Alice, recalling Matthew's spellcasting movements, felt a strange sense of familiarity.
Equally fast, equally lethal!
"Could this be a hallmark of the Ser Family's arcane mastery? But I've never heard of anything like this before..."
"I get it! This arcane master must be the lord's mentor!"
In Alice's understanding, any arcane caster was a powerful and mysterious figure, at least a high-level professional!
Otherwise, how could a few simple first-circle spells kill a powerful ogre so effortlessly?
"Perhaps the lord promised to build a wizard's tower for this arcane master in exchange for his help..."
Convinced her theory was correct, Alice relaxed completely and continued directing the adventurers forward with ease.
In her mind, with an arcane master of at least high-tier standing by, dealing with a small ogre camp would be a breeze.
Matthew had no idea that Alice had jumped to such conclusions from a few small details.
Even if he had known, he wouldn't have bothered to correct this delightful misunderstanding. In fact, he would have happily maintained the image of a mysterious and powerful figure.
The group hadn't moved far when Matthew heard noises ahead, signaling yet another encounter with ogres.
After conversing briefly with the scouts, Alice approached Matthew to report, her tone now carrying a hint of deference:
"We've spotted a patch of magic tubers ahead... and 24 female ogres!"
Female ogres?
Matthew raised an eyebrow, immediately realizing that they had entered the heart of the ogres' territory.
"Their domain is this small? They have no sense of security..."
"Well, it makes sense. Even high-tier magical creatures prefer not to mess with ogres in this region, so these lazy and brutal beings wouldn't be too vigilant."
"There are 24 female ogres here, taking up more than half of the ogre camp..."
"If something happens to them, it'll definitely throw the entire ogre camp into chaos..."
"In that case..."
A sinister plan quickly formed in Matthew's mind.
The unsuspecting ogres were about to face the greatest "surprise" of their lives!