Don't Get Distracted

Rust Monsters were also known as "Underground Scavengers" and "Underground Wanderers."

Like other insects, they usually lived in the countless deep, winding caves of the Underdark.

The lightless darkness had gradually caused these bugs' vision to degenerate, leaving that vital weakness protected beneath their hard carapaces.

The feather-like antennae on either side of their heads, along with the fin-like tails behind them covered in dense bristles, acted like canes, helping them move freely through the dark caves.

To a certain extent, these bugs, which did not primarily feed on meat, were fairly docile by nature.

Given sufficient food and proper care, they could even be trained into obedient pets like cats and dogs.

However, since they bore the suffix "Monster," Rust Monsters could also display extremely strong aggression at times.

Rust Monsters fed on metal.

Iron, adamantine, mithril... they refused nothing. Most metals were on their menu.

Their highly developed Perception even allowed these peculiar Monsters to detect the presence of delicious metal from several miles away.

Naturally, the armor and weapons carried by adventurers also counted as "delicious metal."

According to Adventurers Association statistics, every year, large numbers of adventurers died to Rust Monster attacks while exploring the Underdark—

Even though they clearly knew that they could survive simply by throwing away their weapons and equipment.

Like camels in the desert or herds of cattle migrating during the dry season on the plains, the unique feeding habits of these insect Monsters gave them an innate ability to locate all kinds of mineral veins.

Their highly corrosive saliva also allowed them to easily erode and soften hard metals for consumption.

As fellow inhabitants that moved among major mineral veins, Dwarves, renowned for smithing and mining, naturally loathed these Monsters.

Some clans even dispatched specialized "extermination squads" every year to clear out these "pests" dwelling in the veins.

Since arriving from another world, the only Dwarf Xia Nan had encountered was Barn, the bearded man at Rock Hammer Blacksmith who stood several heads taller than him.

But now, looking at the savage figure crawling along the ground not far ahead, he could not help but sympathize with them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the One-handed Hammer in the meadow, which had nearly been completely corroded by the dark green saliva.

His mouth went dry, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed.

The palm clenched around his sword hilt was already drenched in sweat.

At that moment, he even seriously began considering the possibility of fighting with the two daggers at his waist.

"This pressure... it's really suffocating me!"

His hesitation lasted only an instant.

Despite the turmoil in his heart, Xia Nan still gripped his Longsword and instinctively rushed forward to provide support.

He had chosen to rest in a corner, so he was now nearly an entire camp away from Larry and the others.

No matter how quickly he reacted, he could not be faster than the Wanderer sitting beside the campfire in the center of the camp.

He had only taken a few steps forward when that barely noticeable figure appeared beside the first Rust Monster like a shadow.

"Rip!"

The air tore apart as sharp silver light burst forth in a cross.

Xia Nan saw a blur before Wood, and then a layer of yellow-green bug blood had already stained the surfaces of the two daggers in his hands.

"Screee—"

A sharp, miserable insect cry rang through the forest.

The Rust Monster's thick carapace, which had only cracked slightly under the blow of an Iron Hammer, was effortlessly sliced apart by the two daggers in Wood's hands, each no longer than a palm.

Bug blood splattered everywhere!

Its fin-like tail lashed over like a whip, but struck only empty air before falling uselessly onto the soft grass.

Wood had already left his original position.

His ghostlike, nimble body leaped up and landed atop the Rust Monster's back carapace.

His brows drew together.

Unable to kill it in one strike, he seemed dissatisfied even with the slash that had severely wounded the Rust Monster just now.

The Wanderer Combat Skill [Belly Rip], capable of splitting open organs and rib cages, had failed to achieve the result he wanted against a Monster whose body structure differed vastly from a human's.

Then, his abundant combat experience and knowledge of Monsters immediately made him realize the weakness of the giant bug before him.

"Whoosh!"

The Short Dagger in his hand shot out as swiftly as a Venomous Snake, its pointed blade stabbing down at a vicious angle through the gap between the Rust Monster's neck plates.

Like the stinger of a wasp, it gave a light jab.

The grating insect cry stopped abruptly.

The Rust Monster's heavy body beneath its carapace seemed to lose all power, crashing to the ground with a bang.

With that, one of the four Rust Monsters was down.

Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, Wood had just pulled the dagger from the Bug Beast's body when he seemed to sense something.

He abruptly raised his head.

His pupils contracted!

At some point, one of the bugs had taken advantage of the tense battle to circle around and reach the other end of the camp.

And that was precisely where Hai An was!

"Young Master, be careful!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

At the same time, his body standing atop the bug shell suddenly turned into an afterimage and vanished from the spot.

Silver-white strands of hair clung to his cheeks with sweat. Hai An, who had retreated to the rear from the beginning of the battle, had already drawn his bowstring taut between his fingers, ready at any moment to support any fight on the field.

"One has already been dealt with by Wood. One is over by Larry and Doris. One hasn't made it into the camp yet, so I should first..."

"Wait, where's the last one!?"

Hai An's mind raced as he analyzed the situation on the field.

He suddenly jolted in alarm, just as Wood's shout reached him through the air.

There was no time to think!

Because in the next second, a shrill cry and a sour stench closed in from behind him.

He spun around.

What entered his sight was the Rust Monster's savage body, reared high.

Its bone-white, sharp mouthparts opened and closed, brewing deadly dark green venom within.

With death descending upon him, the time and space before Hai An's eyes seemed to freeze in that instant.

But then—

The iron-gray arc that burst from the darkness at his side instantly pulled Hai An back to reality.

[Whirlwind Slash]

The incomparably sharp arc of sword light was like a waning moon, vanishing in a flash.

It too cut along the gap between the carapace plates. The incision was clean, and half the bug's brain spun away.

"Thud."

The heavy insect body crashed to the ground under its own momentum, while foul-smelling bug blood sprayed out like a fountain.

Xia Nan smoothly sheathed his sword.

He glanced at the blade out of the corner of his eye and, seeing that it was stained only with bug blood and had not touched the corrosive venom, let out a sigh of relief.

Then he looked at the Half-Elf before him, whose focus seemed to have scattered from the unexpected ambush. His face, smeared with dark green bug blood, wore a dazed expression.

Xia Nan frowned.

"Be careful. Don't get distracted."