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nUnaware of Howard’s inner machinations, Abby and her companions believed their venture deeper into the Valley of Fierce Winds was purely to compete for the top spot against the group of six.

nTheir fervent desire for first place, coupled with their formidable awakened talents, bolstered their courage, compelling them to trail closely behind Howard.

nAs the quartet ventured further, there was a noticeable shift in the local monster populace.

nKobold Captains were now ubiquitous, boasting higher levels and attributes than those near the valley’s periphery.

nThese enhanced adversaries demanded more time and strategy from Howard’s team to defeat.

nBut among these, a new type of monster emerged.

nDevoid of flesh, they existed solely as skeletal beings.

nThough only the size of a human palm, they possessed bone wings that granted them agility akin to a bolt of lightning.

nEvery time they swooped down, they cut through the air, generating a sharp sonic disturbance.

nThankfully, Howard’s extensive arsenal of skills came to the rescue.

nWith a single Gravity spell, he instantly forced these aerial menaces to the ground.

nOtherwise, their initial stealthy attack might have inflicted damage upon Abby, Nick, and Mike.

n“That’s a Deathbone Bird!” Mike exclaimed with a grave expression. “This monster has incredibly potent attack power, but its weakness is also quite evident. Lacking flesh, composed only of bones, their defense value is remarkably low. A direct hit can take them down instantly!”

nAt moments like this, the advantage of teaming up with members of great houses became evident: recognizing various monsters and even knowing the strategies to defeat them.

nNick swiftly sheathed his blade and drew forth a shield. .𝒎

nDue to the unpredictability of battles, many warriors carry a shield as a precaution.

nWith the shield in hand, the sudden assault of the Deathbone Birds became considerably less threatening.

nThough fragile, their sharp beaks and skeletal forms can inflict severe damage upon humans, even piercing through the body.

nHowever, if they collided with a shield, they would be instantly defeated.

nEven though Nick only possessed an A-level talent, the rigorous training from his prestigious family had endowed him with commendable combat skills.

nCoupled with Howard’s ability to control the Deathbone Birds to some extent, Nick was able to intercept all of them with his shield.

nDing! Congratulations to the awakened Howard’s Team, for successfully defeating the Deathbone Bird. Awarded 1000 experience points!

nDing! Congratulations to the awakened Howard’s Team, for successfully defeating the Deathbone Bird. Awarded 1000 experience points!

n…

nWhat once were formidable monsters now consecutively transformed into bountiful experience points for Howard and his team, yielding a plethora of bones in their wake.

nThough these bones might seem fragile, with a touch of human craftsmanship, they could be repurposed.

nAs a result, these bones fetched a handsome price in the market. Seeing this, the faces of Howard, Abby, and Mike lit up as they eagerly collected their spoils of war.

nPerhaps due to the overwhelming number of Deathbone Birds they had slain, the attacks on the team ceased.

nOnce more, tranquility settled upon the vast wilderness.

nHowever, the quartet of Howard and his companions didn’t let their guard down; they were well aware that the dangers would only intensify.

nThis much was evident from the bloodstains and severed limbs scattered throughout the terrain. .

nThere were fresh bodies, and others whose bones had already been worn away by the elements, indicating that the battles here never truly ceased.

nAnd the variety? There were many.

nYet, most of the monsters had their heads devoured, making them unrecognizable from limbs alone – so much so that even Nick and Mike couldn’t identify them.

nKobolds were still present, but the ones they occasionally encountered were no longer merely Kobold Captains.

nAt the very least, they were of Chieftain-level, having leveled up to a staggering LV30!

nIn such times, even Howard could no longer hold back. He unleashed his SS-level skills one after another, managing to defeat the LV30 Kobold Chieftains.

nThe prowess he displayed left both Nick and Mike in awe.

nYes, their families possessed SS-level skills, but they would never allow the younger generation to grasp and learn them so early.

nSuch revelations led Nick and Mike to believe that Howard held a lofty status, and they didn’t hesitate to shower him with flattery.

nHad it not been for their remarkable innate talents, Howard might have doubted whether they truly hailed from prestigious clans at all!

nAfter resting for a while and waiting for the SS-level skills to cool down, Howard and his party continued their exploration.

nBy this point, they no longer focused on the Kobolds. They realized that other monsters yielded higher points.

nEspecially the Deathbone Birds – each one awarded 10 points, and they proved much easier to defeat than the Kobolds.

nRegrettably, the Deathbone Birds seemed rather timid. After a certain number were slain, they appeared too cautious to assault Howard’s group again.

nFortunately, as they ventured further, the variety of monsters increased. Before long, a butterfly-like creature fluttered into the sight of the four adventurers.

nAt first glance, the butterfly astonished all four of them – just its wings alone stood as tall as a man.

nWith its belly bulging and a peculiar-looking head, its large, bell-like eyes immediately locked onto Howard’s group, emitting a shrill, haunting screech.

nIn the next moment, the butterfly flapped its wings, and an eerie gust of wind instantly formed behind it.

nThe forceful wind, whistling from behind the Butterfly Fae, surged toward Howard and Abby.

nSeeing this, Nick swiftly stepped forward, positioning his shield in front to counter the gust.

nHowever, almost the very instant his shield met the wind, a hint of alarm crossed Nick’s face.

nImmediately, he was sent flying as if he’d been blown away, crashing heavily to the ground.

nThe strange, forceful gust continued unabated, now charging straight for Howard, Abby, and Mike.

nWitnessing this, Howard sensed the imminent danger and promptly cast the Frost Arrow Spell.

nAn intense chill converged, causing the air itself to momentarily stagnate.

nThe onslaught of the gust was affected, its speed drastically reduced.

nThe next moment, as the icy arrow collided with the gust, frost swiftly spread, encasing the fierce wind in ice.

nHowever, this frosty barrier lasted merely a breath or two before shattering into fragments that fell to the ground.

nIt’s worth noting the beauty of the real world; many attacks aren’t just negated by their opposing elements but involve what’s known as Elemental Counter or Elemental Reaction.

nThe wind, while in motion, relies on the presence of air. Howard’s Frost Arrow Spell effectively sealed off this space, naturally shattering the aggressive gust.

nHad the Butterfly Fae shaped the gust into blades, Howard’s move would have been futile!

nHaving neutralized the assault, Mike quickly went into stealth mode, while Abby, with her bow drawn, manifested icy-blue feathered arrows, preparing to coordinate with Howard to subdue the Butterfly Fae.

nAs Howard swung the Soul Nurturer, he scanned the Butterfly Fae, translating its attributes into a visible panel which he shared with his team.

nButterfly Fae

nLevel:25

nTier:Platinum

nDescription:A unique mutated Butterfly Fae, evolving progressively towards a human-like form. Perhaps in time, they might transform into the beautiful Butterfly Fairy.

nHP:7100

/7100

nAttack Power:880——1020

nDefense Value:610

nSkill:Wind Rush, Wind Blade, Multiple Wind Blade

n“Well, would you look at that! They can evolve into human forms? Beautiful Butterfly Fairies?!”

nSuddenly seeing this, Nick and Mike were invigorated, hastily exclaiming, “Boss, if we could capture such a monster, let’s not kill it! Once they mutate further and if we can capture them, they could fetch a high price.”

n“Exactly! I remember at the Alliance’s top-tier auction house, they had a Fox Enchantress for sale. Even a humanoid Fox Enchantress, despite her low power, went for a price of 100 gold coins—and it was still in high demand with scarce availability!”

nHearing this, Howard’s eyebrows subtly raised, surprised that the higher-ups of the Alliance had such peculiar tastes!

nHoward inquired, “How long would it take to transport something from here to the Alliance?”

n“About three days,” Nick replied with a grin. “Don’t worry, boss. I can have my family take care of the transportation and security. As long as we can capture the mutated Butterfly Fae, we can surely get a handsome price for it. We just have to sit back and count our coins then.”

nHoward shook his head, “We don’t know how long these Butterfly Faes will take to evolve. Let’s finish them off now and delve deeper. If we come across any that have already mutated into humanoid form, we’ll mark the location and return to capture them later.”

nPausing for a moment, Howard continued, “Remember, we’re in the middle of an assessment. Our ranking takes precedence.”

n“True,” acknowledging Howard’s point, it dawned on Nick and Mike that they had been too fixated on potential profits, overlooking other crucial factors.

nWouldn’t capturing the Butterfly Fae now risk being discovered by the academy’s mentors?

nEven if the mentors of Holy Abyss Academy turned a blind eye, there was no telling if other students would stumble upon them.

nWho knows if their influential families and backers might be tempted?

nAfter all, trading in servitude has been a lucrative business since time immemorial.

n“Boss, we’ll follow your lead. Whatever you say goes!” Having realized the stakes, Nick got up from the ground, switching his shield back for a longsword, while Mike swiftly closed in on the Butterfly Fae.

nIf they couldn’t capture it, they had to find a way to eliminate it!

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