Magic Core Shard

Most people failed to react in time. Only one rogue threw the dagger in his hand at the Forest Python, but the damage was clearly insufficient to stop it.

Magical beasts were usually far more intelligent than ordinary beasts. After dragging the square-faced warrior up into a large tree, the python deliberately used the surrounding branches and leaves as cover while constricting and crushing his body.

"Save me—" the square-faced warrior wailed in pain as he struggled with all his might.

The Gray Eagle Mercenaries on the ground immediately began the rescue. Those who could climb trees climbed, while those who could not searched for an angle and attacked the python with ranged weapons.

However, most of the trees in the Stoneclaw Mountains were tall and thick. The isolated Tidal Lands were even more extreme. The tree before them was so enormous that even ten people might not have been able to encircle it, and they had no chance of climbing it anytime soon.

As for shooting arrows and throwing weapons, the dense foliage and nearby trees blocked them just as effectively, making the results equally poor.

Seeing this, Gagnor immediately took out a fletched arrow and coated it with Ryan's poison. He then nocked it, drew his bow, imbued it with four clusters of Swift Breeze, and aimed at the Forest Python in the tree.

"Whoosh—"

The bowstring trembled, and the fletched arrow shot out.

Guided by Swift Breeze, the fletched arrow subtly changed direction halfway through, circled around the obstructing branches, and then flew toward the Forest Python's vicious head at even greater speed!

The python's hide was tough and its flesh thick, but the force behind the fletched arrow, empowered by four clusters of Swift Breeze, was no less formidable.

"Hiss—" With a painful roar, the arrowhead had already sunk completely into the python's skull.

As the poison took effect, the Forest Python's strength rapidly weakened. Moments later, it finally fell from the tree.

"Bang!" Its thick body crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Seeing that Gagnor, a potion-maker, possessed such astonishingly accurate Archery—even something bordering on miraculous—the mercenaries were dumbfounded. Several of those who had been climbing the tree exchanged bewildered looks.

Gagnor ignored their gazes and immediately went over to finish the job, killing the barely breathing Forest Python with a slash of his sword.

Defeated Level 2 Magical Beast, Experience +50

He then examined the square-faced warrior's injuries.

Fortunately, the python's constriction had not caused him much harm. Unfortunately, the fall had broken one of his legs.

That was with the python serving as a cushion. Otherwise, given the tree's height, the square-faced warrior would have been half-dead at the very least.

As he watched the square-faced warrior hobble to his feet with the others supporting him, most of the group's expressions darkened. The hunter captain's brows were especially tightly furrowed.

"Sorry. I dragged everyone down," the square-faced warrior said shamefully.

The hunter captain sighed and looked at the thin, tall recruit supporting him. "Take him back the way we came. Be careful on the way."

"Okay." The recruit nodded, then supported the square-faced warrior as they headed back the way they had come.

After the two left, the others no longer felt like resting either.

Still, they had to collect the spoils.

As the main contributor to killing the python, Gagnor naturally took charge. Holding a short sword, he split open the python's skull and rummaged through it.

A pale blue, irregular shard appeared before his eyes.

Seeing the shard, Gagnor's eyes lit up.

A Magic Core Shard!

Magical beasts of Level 3 or below all had a chance of containing Magic Core Shards. Although this thing could not compare to a true magic core, its value was still equivalent to about one month of Gagnor's salary.

After happily pocketing his month's salary, Gagnor had no intention of taking the rest of the python.

It was not that he did not want it. Rather, because of the poison, the Forest Python's body had already begun showing visible signs of contamination. Most of it was no longer worth anything.

That was one of the drawbacks of using poison.

The hunter captain came over for a look. After realizing that the python's corpse had little value, he shook his head regretfully. "Let's continue."

The group continued on their way, exploring deeper into the Tidal Lands.

Several more hours passed.

During that time, aside from encountering another low-level magical beast and dispatching it with ease, they had no other noteworthy gains.

They did not even see a shadow of Everlasting Moss.

"Captain, where do we go next? Should we head back?" someone asked.

Seeing that they were about to return empty-handed, the group exchanged glances. Each of them saw a trace of unwillingness in the others' eyes.

"I've heard a lot of people say that the Tidal Lands remained open for at least four days the last few times. Why don't we hold off on returning and keep going deeper?"

There was no doubt that this was a dangerous suggestion, and someone immediately objected. "No! That's too risky! What if the Tidal Lands close after only three days this time? Are we supposed to be trapped here until we die?"

"Exactly. It lasted four days before, but who can say for sure this time? Captain, let's head back now. If we wait any longer, we might not reach the Serpent's Cut Line before the moon rises!"

"Mm, we'll head back." The hunter captain nodded. "But not by the same route. We'll take another path back. If we're lucky, we might find some Everlasting Moss."

The others naturally agreed.

The group prepared to return.

But just then, someone pointed. "There seem to be people over there."

Everyone turned and saw several hunters dressed in dark clothing passing through the woods nearby.

They did not appear hostile. In fact, they did not even seem to have noticed the Gray Hawk Mercenary Group. Thus, the Gray Eagle Mercenaries made no response either.

Most people entered the Tidal Lands to make money. Unless two groups discovered a patch of Everlasting Moss at the same time, no one would attack another group for no reason.

Therefore, after glancing at them briefly, the mercenaries paid little attention to the passing hunters.

Only Gagnor furrowed his brows.

These hunters in dark clothing were precisely the people Ryan had warned him about the previous night—the ones suspected to be Heretics.

As someone without religious faith, Gagnor honestly did not care whether they were Heretics or not.

But he knew that his view was a minority one. On the Falaro Continent, most people took religion very seriously and used it as an important standard for distinguishing friend from foe.

Even "crimes" in the legal sense only counted as crimes when the victim was a believer of the same faith.

If the victim was a Heretic, then the offense was not a "crime" at all. It was an act that was tacitly permitted or even encouraged. Some fanatical believers viewed Heretics as beings more hateful than demons.

Under such circumstances, groups that regarded each other as Heretics naturally harbored hostility and distrust toward one another.

They could not afford to let their guard down.

"Still, be careful. They look a little sneaky," Gagnor warned.

The mercenaries did become somewhat more cautious, periodically glancing at the group of hunters as they moved farther and farther away.

But an accident still occurred.

Or rather, it was precisely their attention on those hunters that brought about the accident.

Just as they were focusing much of their attention on the hunters, several throwing axes suddenly flew out from an overlooked corner somewhere in the woods.

The hunter captain at the very front was caught off guard and failed to dodge. His head was split apart on the spot!