While everyone worked hard setting up the fortifications, sweating profusely, Orum sat in the shade of a tree without being assigned any work.
Orum appeared idle, but was actually conserving his energy.
If an unexpected situation arose, and the alchemical bomb array installed by the Artificer Mitty failed to kill in one strike, allowing the thick-skinned, iron-boned "minotaur" to survive the bombing,
then the Ice Hawk Group would have to take advantage of the minotaur's severely wounded state and decisively move in to surround and kill it.
And Orum and Raygore, these two vanguards, would play a core role in the upcoming battle and face the greatest danger.
So while Orum seemed leisurely at the moment, he was actually the one who should be most tense.
In fact, Orum was indeed a bit nervous.
He feared that once the minotaur was summoned, it would actually be killed by the explosion.
This would cause him to miss a huge opportunity to kill a powerful hellish demon.
After this period of careful exploration, Orum had become very familiar with the panel's functions.
The panel was like a monster encyclopedia that could unlock achievements, mainly providing two types of rewards:
First, killing a new species of demon would yield corresponding magical beast organ rewards.
Second, killing the same type of demon to reach a certain number would yield staged magical beast organ rewards.
Therefore, both the variety and quantity of demons killed were important.
Either go farm low-level demons like goblins, which nest together in large groups, and farm them all at once.
Or choose to hunt new species of powerful demons, replacing weaker ones with stronger magical beast organs.
This was Orum's most direct and most violent path to becoming stronger.
The pressure from the Black Gate was too heavy, Orum only wanted to become stronger as quickly as possible!
In these past few days, Orum had already tried using [Enhancement Points] on magical beast organs.
What surprised him was that the enhancement attempt actually failed.
To increase his combat power, after careful consideration, Orum conservatively chose [Bugbear Tendon] as the enhancement target.
From the current perspective, Orum's combat style was still mainly close combat. He had only learned one spell, [Lightning Arrow], and before his magic power recovered, he could only cast it once per battle.
A Lightning Arrow that could only be used once naturally couldn't support intense combat.
But enhancing [Bugbear Tendon] would bring a real, tangible increase in strength! It could allow Orum's combat power to break through to a new level!
So, overall, upgrading [Bugbear Tendon] had the best cost-effectiveness!
However, the panel popped up a gray prompt box for the first time:
[Detected that your overall bone strength is too low, Bugbear Tendon cannot be enhanced!]
"Uh, the panel means... my bones are fragile?"
Orum stared at the gray pop-up window, momentarily stunned.
However, after thinking for a moment, he understood the panel's judgment logic.
Although Orum already possessed various magical beast organs that greatly enhanced his physical qualities and muscle strength, what supported the muscles was still a human skeleton that couldn't withstand the enormous strength of magical beasts.
If his strength became too great while his bone strength couldn't keep up, it would cause him to break his own bones!
"So you're saying I need to find some undead creatures like skeletons to obtain stronger magical beast bones?"
Orum pondered.
Unfortunately, it was now the blazing hot summer month, not the ice and snow covered winter month, and undead creatures like skeletons were not common.
Without a suitable enhancement target for now, the 2 enhancement points were temporarily set aside.
These 2 enhancement points were very important resources, and Orum didn't plan to waste them casually.
As for whether enhancement points would be refunded after the bugbear tendon was replaced, the panel provided an explanation.
Half could be refunded, rather than nothing remaining at all.
That is to say, after Orum's [Bugbear Tendon] consumed 2 enhancement points, even if it was replaced by more powerful magical beast organs in the future, 1 enhancement point could still be refunded!
Plus the [Bugbear Tendon] being replaced would itself provide 1 point, that would be 2 enhancement points.
"After this mission ends, I must look for mission commissions that include new species of magical beasts, preferably ones that are closer and have shorter processes." Orum thought.
Orum's gaze turned forward to that crude gray earth building. The walls had been demolished, and the altar's main body could be seen directly.
The alchemical bomb array designed by Artificer Mitty had been mostly deployed and was entering the final stage.
20 Inferno Bombs, each capable of producing an 8-meter diameter fireball with shockwaves that could overturn 200-kilogram objects. When 20 linked together, everything within the core area (15-meter diameter) would be torn to pieces.
Not only that, there were also 20 grenades and 20 land mines that, together with the Inferno Bombs, were embedded in a cannon hole one meter deep in front of the altar.
According to the ritual content, this cannon hole filled with alchemical bombs was exactly where the minotaur would descend when summoned.
The deployment of this alchemical bomb array followed the principle of directional shaped charge blasting: precisely designed shaped charges could reflect and concentrate the detonation waves that would otherwise spread downward or to the pit walls, gathering them above the cannon hole to superimpose with the directly released explosion waves, achieving double or even higher killing efficiency.
Orum gazed from afar at the cannon hole with over a hundred deadly bombs installed. A sense of destructive impact penetrated the air and came rushing at him.
Worthy of being the inventory an artificer gnome had accumulated over several years. If so many bombs exploded together in the center of Blackwater Town, the entire town would probably tremble.
In other words, until today, Mitty had been keeping so many bombs piled in the warehouse, which was itself an extremely dangerous and bold violation.
"The alchemical bombs of this world, although they can't compare to missiles and artillery shells of modern warfare, their lethality far exceeds ordinary gunpowder of the medieval era. Even true professionals, if not careful enough, could be blown to pieces."
"Moreover, artificers can also create all sorts of incredible magical items, such as destruction cannons, rocket boots, steel gauntlets, and even... steel mechs!"
Orum couldn't help but feel respect for the red-haired gnome Mitty before him. Wasn't this a weapons dealer?
Weapons dealers don't fight directly, but take more lives than anyone.
Fortunately, these alchemical weapons that Mitty sold were basically all sold to adventurers for killing demons, not for use on battlefields where humans slaughtered each other.
As a breeze passed by, a faint sulfur smell entered his nose. Orum suddenly had a thought:
"Could we arrange for a strong warrior to carry a giant explosive barrel and rush into a pile of enemies to self-destruct?"
"After the explosion, use resurrection magic to pull the warrior back up, wouldn't that easily defeat the enemies?"
After some calm consideration, Orum realized this plan had many flaws.
For instance, a powder keg that could threaten powerful enemies would necessarily be huge and heavy, very conspicuous.
Reality wasn't a game, enemies weren't fools. Once they saw such a large powder keg, they would undoubtedly use ranged firepower to attack without hesitation, destroying or even detonating the barrel before it got close.
Additionally, the transportation, daily maintenance, moisture-proofing, and most importantly the explosion-proofing of the powder keg were all difficult to solve in actual operation.
The reason Orum and his group could deploy as many as sixty bombs and use one big explosion to attack the minotaur was fundamentally because the Grassland Inn was right next to Blackwater Town, with inexhaustible supplies and continuous manpower support.
As long as they had enough time, they could even dig a hundred-meter-deep pit and turn the minotaur into meat paste.
The reason demons were difficult to deal with was largely because their habitats often deviated from human towns, making it impossible for adventurers to use defensive fortifications like city walls and fortresses to enhance their own combat capabilities.
Fighting to the death against demons, one adventurer could safely hide in a sturdy fortress shooting arrows and casting spells outward, while another adventurer had to enter dark, complex caves and engage in close combat with demons in unknown terrain. The circumstances of the two were undoubtedly worlds apart, with the former obviously much easier.
Besides, regarding the legendary "resurrection magic," Orum had only heard fragments of rumors. Only the highest-ranking priests and druids could cast it, and at an unimaginably high cost.
To easily resurrect a deceased person, even most deities probably couldn't do it.
"Thinking about it this way, having teammates who don't fear death self-destruct, this tactic is completely unworkable."
Orum then began pondering the possibility of combining alchemical bombs with necromancy, for example, having each zombie hold a grenade and rush into enemy ranks to self-destruct. Was this tactic feasible?
Just as Orum was immersed in various strange tactical ideas, a hand appeared before his eyes.
"Orum, it's time to go. Mitty's deployment is complete, the operation is about to begin."
Orum looked up to see the upright figure of Felix.
At this moment, Felix wore a fine hardened cowhide armor over his snow-white short-sleeved cotton robe.
"Understood."
Grasping the captain's hand, Orum lightly borrowed the force to rise, his figure standing steady.
Looking at the sunset dyed blood-red by the twilight on the horizon, Orum's heart inexplicably began to beat faster.
Perhaps this operation wouldn't be simple.
However, Orum believed that no matter what the situation, with three [Heart of the Ancient Tree] revival chances, he could successfully escape.
...
The Ice Hawk members donned their armor and prepared for departure.
Because the explosion's shockwave was too dangerous, with high-speed flying debris like projectiles, all the Ice Hawk members hid behind cover 500 meters away.
As for Artificer Mitty and diviner Nia, they stood on a small hill a kilometer further away, gazing toward the gray building.
"Child, put on your helmet, be careful not to get your head smashed by stones." Mitty handed Nia a helmet made of black iron, while also putting on one of the same style herself.
Then, Mitty raised the telescope in her hand and watched the direction of the ritual altar with great interest.
In the final step of the ritual, a drop of viscous blood slowly seeped out from an hourglass-shaped device, at a snail-like slow speed, finally dripping into the gleaming silver holy grail.
The next moment, the entire altar area suddenly plunged into darkness.
Intense energy fluctuations erupted, and a black whirlwind rose out of thin air above the altar. As if alive, it roared and coiled around the black stone platform, like a ferocious black python opening its bloody maw and howling past!
Dazzling purple lightning suddenly emerged from the void. In front of the altar, the surrounding space began to rapidly darken and collapse at a visibly fast rate, like a terrifying giant mouth swallowing all light, suddenly opening in mid-air!
The next instant, accompanied by an ear-splitting shriek, dozens of crimson figures soaked in blood emerged swarming from the darkness!
"Lesser imps!" Orum's heart jumped violently, his pupils contracting.
Just these past few days, Ronald had taught Orum a lot of knowledge about the Nine Hells, and only then did he understand that demons and devils were not the same creatures.
Demons belonged to the chaotic evil alignment, with only pure destructive desires in their hearts. They acted willfully and took pleasure in burning, killing, and plundering. Wherever they went, only scorched earth and wailing remained.
Ancient scholars had proposed that any sentient being with a soul, after completing self-sublimation and reaching other higher planes, divine kingdoms, or successfully establishing their own domain, the chaos and evil in their souls that could not be purified would remain in the world, becoming fertile nutrients for breeding demons.
Therefore, demons were infinite in number, and their existence had only one ultimate goal, that was to destroy and devour any plane and world they could reach!
Devils, however, were completely different. In their view, mortal souls were not simple objects of destruction, but the most precious and alluring wealth in this world!
They were accustomed to using various sinister means to tempt mortals, the most common being signing soul contracts.
Devils were proficient in word games and could always use obscure and verbose contract terms and carefully designed supplementary explanations to bury countless traps, thereby easily and legally seizing the souls of mortals who craved power, glory, or eternal life at extremely low costs!
Even the most shrewd, high-ranking lords or mages might, driven by interests, step by step enter the traps carefully woven by devils, ultimately signing seemingly fair soul contracts that actually contained fatal hidden clauses, dedicating their souls to evil!
In the Nine Hells, demons and devils were natural mortal enemies. To compete for control of Hell, countless Abyss Lords launched cruel and bloody endless wars. The battlefields of the Nine Hells were like giant meat grinders of blood seas and corpse mountains, and such blood wars had continued for who knows how many tens of thousands of years.
At this very moment, appearing before Orum's eyes were dozens of lesser imps from the Nine Hells!
This was a huge surprise. Ronald's research on the ritual had obviously gone wrong. He hadn't mentioned that the ritual would summon a bunch of red-skinned winged devils!
However, in just the next second, the shocking change that occurred in the ritual area made Orum unable to care about anything else!
Because an enormous shadow was slowly stepping out from the pitch-black rift of the ritual, carrying a heavy sense of oppression!
This was a terrifying bull-headed demon over four meters tall. Its pitch-black, robust muscles bulged in blocks, as if cast from the hardest granite.
In its hand, it tightly gripped a black iron halberd wreathed in blue-purple demonic flames. Those flames burned fiercely, emitting an intense evil aura!
On that massive bull head, a pair of blood-red giant eyes radiated intense hellfire!
Without doubt, this was the terrifying war weapon personally created by the "King of Minotaurs" Baphomet - the minotaur!
"Screech—"
The moment the minotaur stepped out of the abyss, the lesser imps circling in the air dove down with sharp screeches, fearlessly and frantically!
Their sharp claw-like talons frantically scratched at the minotaur's tough black hide, their sharp fangs biting viciously!
Obviously, before being forcibly teleported here by this sudden summoning ritual, this group of imps had been fiercely battling the minotaur!
However, facing the minotaur, this colossal creature, their insignificant claws and fangs fell upon the thick, rock-like black skin as painlessly as mosquito bites, unable to leave even the slightest trace of a wound.
The weak attacks instead enraged this tyrannical beast.
"Moo—"
Two streams of scalding white air burst from the minotaur's huge nostrils, the airflow so violent it was like a full-speed, roaring and bellowing steel steam train!
It suddenly swung the heavy black iron halberd in its hand, cutting a black arc of death through the air, fast as a black lightning bolt tearing through the air, sweeping out with incomparable force!
In mid-air, massive blood mist exploded! The imp bodies were instantly cut into several pieces, as if ground by a giant blade. Flying entrails mixed with blood, like a rain of blood and gore, splashed onto the minotaur's towering chest like a heavy city gate!
With just one swing, the numerous imps were instantly decimated!
"Detonate!"
At this instant, Felix's gaze sharpened, and he immediately pressed the runic detonator in his hand that looked like an oversized pocket watch!
An unprecedented intense sense of crisis welled up from the minotaur's heart!
It suddenly lowered its head, looking down with confusion and vigilance at the deep pit beneath its feet, where hundreds of devices emitting a sulfur smell were densely arranged.
Although the minotaur had fused the bloodlines of three powerful and brutal races - minotaur, troll, and demon - making its physical body horrifyingly strong, intelligence was not its forte.
Especially for a young minotaur, its intelligence was not even as good as a human child's, with slow thinking, only able to fight completely relying on instincts imprinted in its bloodline.
The minotaur stared blankly at the cluster of bombs beneath its feet.
The next second, its entire body was swallowed by massive flames!
Directional blasting!!
The destructive detonation wave, after being reflected and concentrated by the cannon hole, like a hammer crushing everything, struck the minotaur's rock-like body head-on at a speed of one thousand kilometers per hour!
500 meters away,
Orum stared intently at the minotaur that had just appeared in the distance. In the next instant, that massive body was completely swallowed by the huge explosion smoke and dust!
"Boom—"
An ear-splitting explosion, like the wailing of the earth splitting open!
Even separated by five hundred meters, there was still a feeling of eardrums aching, almost bursting!
In Orum's astonished field of vision, it seemed as if a black python shot into the sky. That was countless earth and stone debris blasted into the air by the shockwave!
The ground beneath his feet trembled violently, as if the sleeping earth god was startled and angered by this roar!
Then, Orum suddenly saw a black wall rushing toward him!
That was clearly a gust of wind carrying dust and debris, swept up by the shockwave, pushing out in all directions!
Although it was directional blasting with most of the impact force spraying vertically upward, the explosion's aftermath was still heart-palpitating. From it, one could truly feel that the power of this blast was truly terrifying!
"Awesome!"
On the hill one kilometer away, Artificer Mitty viewed that shocking explosion scene through her telescope. Her usually stern little face flushed with excitement, and she shouted joyfully!
"Wait... something's wrong! There seems to be a problem!"
Beside Mitty, Nia was also tightly gripping a telescope, watching the deep pit created by the explosion. Terror surged in her heterochromatic pupils, and goosebumps covered her entire body!
"This monster... isn't dead?!"
In the deep pit at the explosion's center, it was now a hellish scene of scorched devastation. Thick, acrid sulfur smoke filled the air, broken earth mixed with charred flesh, emitting a nauseating stench.
A massive figure with torn flesh and large patches of white bone exposed was painfully lying on the ground, breathing with difficulty.
"Moo—"
The minotaur let out a low, pained roar. Both its eyeballs had already burst, its lungs were severely damaged, and its two pillar-like thick legs had been blown to pieces.
At this moment, the minotaur only had half a broken torso remaining. It could only rely on its arms to crawl with difficulty in the deep pit.
However, most terrifying was that even after suffering such devastating injuries, it was still alive!
A truly horrifying life force was now visibly, at an astonishing speed, wildly manifesting in its riddled body, frantically repairing its wounds!
The originally ruptured internal organs quickly stopped bleeding, the scorched and broken skin began to curl inward and heal, and the vitreous body in the eye sockets began to regrow!
Even the two blown-off thighs, like bamboo shoots after rain, began to sprout clusters of tender pink flesh buds!
In just a few seconds, the minotaur had escaped its near-death state!
Moreover, as long as it was given some time, it would be able to completely heal and recover to its peak state!
Watching the bull-headed monster that defied common sense and was frantically recovering its life force, Felix couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart:
"Is this the power of the Nine Hells..."
"What kind of monsters are the Kingdom's professionals actually fighting?"
Just as Felix was caught in shock and hesitation,
An armored figure had already shot out like an arrow released from a bow!
The figure's speed was extremely fast, leaving only an afterimage in place!
Felix looked up in surprise, only to see Orum holding the Frost Greatsword, charging toward the severely wounded minotaur without hesitation!
The killing aura emanating from his entire body was even more intense and cold than before, as if he were a god of death descending from the heavens!
Only then did Felix remember that this newly recruited vanguard of the Ice Hawk was itself a young monster!
Raygore's massive pitch-black shadow also thundered out of cover, likewise charging toward the minotaur, following closely behind Orum!
The backs of the two vanguards charging out froze in Felix's vision.
At this instant, the countless stones thrown into the air by the explosion finally fell like a rainstorm!
"Bang bang bang bang bang—"
In the smoke and dust covering the entire battlefield, the real hunt had only just begun.