Chapter 80: Since You Asked So Sincerely, I Shall Mercifully Tell You
As Sir Royce's question hung in the air,
Tyrion and Marillian also looked at the witcher with curious eyes.
Lynn stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and said: "Besides the wolves, bears, and other common beasts found in the forest, we might also encounter Endrega, Kikimore, Arachas, Ghouls, Leshens, Ancient Leshens, and Archespores."
"Even spectral creatures that can never leave the forest."
The three men's expressions immediately turned grim in unison.
Tyrion hadn't expected that so many monsters could be lurking in a mere forest.
Wolves and bears were one thing.
But many of the monsters mentioned later were ones he had never even heard of.
Sir Royce's facial muscles twitched, and he tried hard to force a smile, but couldn't quite manage it. "Witcher, are these monsters you speak of very difficult to deal with?"
Since this knight had asked so sincerely, Lynn would mercifully tell him.
"Endrega and Kikimore are quite similar to ants, sharing a common consciousness. You can imagine them as ants the size of bison."
"Because Endrega and Kikimore often move in swarms, if you encounter a large group of these two types of insects, the only way for ordinary people to defend themselves is to run for their lives, and even that doesn't guarantee success."
Tyrion and Marillian couldn't help but gasp when they heard this.
They had certainly seen ants and knew they were creatures that moved in groups.
However, due to the small size of ants, even an adult's urine was no less than a world-ending catastrophe like a great flood for them.
But if it was a group of bison-sized ants, the situation would naturally be different.
The two men looked at Sir Royce in unison, and found that even the latter's face was frighteningly pale.
Sir Royce asked himself, the subordinates he had brought were all skilled swordsmen.
But even so, they wouldn't be able to deal with such enemies.
Ignoring the others' expressions, Lynn continued.
"Arachas also belong to the insectoid category. They originate from the distant south, but have been invading the north for decades, constantly adapting to new climates and temperatures."
"Arachas usually spit venom and then grab their prey with their soft tentacles, crushing them with their pincers."
"However, what's even more terrifying than its fighting style is that the Arachas is very good at hiding itself."
"It covers its body with mud and moss, so stationary Arachas are often mistaken for plants, and this is a common advantage they use for hunting."
"Ghouls are monsters that can often be seen in forests. They have ferocious and terrifying faces and sharp teeth, and they are very agile."
"If there are only one or two wandering ghouls, it's still manageable, but if the number of ghouls increases to five, it becomes quite dangerous."
"If you unfortunately encounter ten ghouls, that's a situation even experienced monster hunters don't want to face. Ordinary people basically don't even need to think about how to escape."
"As for Leshens and Ancient Leshens, although there is only one word difference, the two are vastly different."
"Leshens can summon ghouls, crows, and forest beasts, and can also manipulate plants in battle."
"Therefore, when fighting a Leshen, you must not only pay attention to its movements but also be careful of the plants under your feet and around you."
"Ancient Leshens are also called Fiends. They look somewhat like elk with bodies full of muscles. Their size is as exaggerated as giants, and their strength is even greater than giants. A single blow can easily kill a fully armored knight."
"Moreover, the Fiend not only has an advantage in strength, but it also has an even more powerful weapon—the third eye in the middle of its forehead, which can be used to hypnotize prey." "In a hypnotized state, the prey usually only sees a fiercely burning eye."
"And this is the last sight the victim sees before death."
"Finally, the Archespore I will introduce looks like a huge and unsightly flower, or rather, a cruel and bloodthirsty felt moss."
"However, they are far more dangerous than ordinary giant felt moss. Their bizarre appearance allows them to hide among other plants."
"By the time you get close enough to see their true form, the victim has long since had no time to escape."
"In popular beliefs, Archespores are cursed plants, the soil in which they are planted is irrigated with the blood of the dying, and Archespores are most easily found in places where massacres, blood rituals, or cruel murders have occurred."
"A total of four types of Archespores have been recorded in the literature to date, distinguished by color."
"Brown is relatively not dangerous; yellow and green are more dangerous; purple is the most dangerous."
"Although the colors are different, the fighting methods of all Archespores are generally the same:"
"They attack using powerful, jaw-like leaves. If their target is far away, they will also spray highly corrosive acid, which will cause reactions similar to severe poisoning if it comes into contact with skin."
"That's about all I can think of. Of course, there might be monsters in that forest that I haven't mentioned. After all, that's reality. Reality will always slap you in the face unexpectedly when you think you're fully prepared."
After the witcher finished speaking, his cat-like eyes swept across everyone present.
Except for Triss, the others were clearly quite frightened.
He was also helpless.
In fact, he naturally didn't intend to scare them.
But it was better to let them know what awaited them after disembarking
than to face unknown fears.
The short merchant, Tyrion, took out a handkerchief embroidered with gold thread and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Witcher Master, are all these things you just said real? You weren't deliberately trying to scare us?"
"Of course," Lynn nodded without hesitation.
Marillian patted his chest.
"Good heavens, I've only just realized how fortunate and blessed we humans are to have survived to this day without becoming extinct."
Triss, who had been standing aside without speaking, suddenly spoke at this moment.
"Actually, there are far fewer monsters now than there were centuries ago."
"You must know that in the past, people could only eke out a living by hiding in cities behind walls. They would never leave the city unless absolutely necessary, and even then, they had to arm themselves to the teeth before going out."
"Our human race's ability to continue to this day, and the fact that there are fewer and fewer monsters in this world, are all inseparable from the struggles and sacrifices of the witchers."
"It is their centuries-long hunting that has brought us the peace and tranquility we have today. Gentlemen, I hope you can remember this."
Triss's words aroused the deep respect of Tyrion and Marillian.
Even Sir Royce, who had always been conscious of social hierarchy, finally looked at Lynn with a hint of respect and admiration in his eyes.
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