piratefiction Chapter 13 Assists also count as attacks
Chapter 13 Assists also count as attacks
"Something hard is poking me."
Chu Sheng broke free from Arthur's arms and collapsed to the ground, still feeling a strong sense of unreality.
The beam of light that just fell from the sky, the strange sensation of being sucked into another person's body, and the warm embrace that felt like returning to infancy after losing consciousness.
And why was Arthur able to use "Excalibur," a technique only he knew?
Those are clearly not words from this world.
"Let me catch my breath." Chu Sheng pulled a corner of the strategy guide from his clothes. "It's my diary."
The guidebook has resurfaced. And this time, it's unusually popular.
"Why does your diary still feel a little warm?" Arthur glanced suspiciously at the book in his hand, but didn't bother to dwell on such a trivial matter. "I'll go ahead and scout ahead. You and Ella stay here and don't move."
Before she finished speaking, she transformed into a streak of light and sped away along the charred, blood-stained path.
The streak of light initially left a long trail on the ground, but in the blink of an eye it shrank into a bright spot on the horizon and disappeared at the edge of the horizon.
Chu Sheng watched her figure disappear completely before pulling the strategy manual out of his clothes.
"Splash—"
The manual opened automatically in his hands, the pages flipping rapidly backward.
Finally, the pages stopped at the first half of the manual.
"Rank C 004 [Kobold], subhuman race, collected, progress 100%"
"Strategy Reward: C-rank skill [Dig, dig, dig], moderate increase in stamina."
Before Chu Sheng could take a closer look, the manual turned to the next page.
"Rank C 003 [Tree Man], subhuman race, collected, progress 100%"
"Strategy Reward: C-rank skill [I AM GROOT!!!], moderately increases defense."
The prize pool is still growing!
"Rank C 001 [Minotaur], subhuman race, collected, progress 100%"
"Strategy Reward: C-rank skill [Madam, you didn't want this either...], increases attack power."
"No way." The surprise came so suddenly that he was momentarily stunned. "Assisting counts as a strategy?"
He paused for a moment, then quickly dismissed the speculation.
"No, that's not right."
Chu Sheng lowered his head and fell into deep thought.
"Strictly speaking, I also played a supporting role when Arthur killed the Manticore that day, but the raid was not completed that time."
If we exclude the possibility of an assist, then there aren't many other possibilities left.
"Is it because of the contract? The squire's contract bound me and Arthur together, so the monsters she killed are also attributed to me?"
"Is it still because of that Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"
Just as he was thinking, the pages of the book, which had been quiet, suddenly trembled violently.
"Splash splash splash!"
The manual started flipping through the pages frantically again, more than twice as fast as before!
besides?
Chu Sheng immediately recalled Arthur's words before the war began.
"Looks like there are also second-tier magical beasts."
The pages did not disappoint him, quickly skipping over the section belonging to Category C and turning towards the last page of the Category B category.
"Rank B 005 [Banshee], Undead species, collected, progress 100%"
"Strategy Reward: B-rank skill [The red light for turning left is the hardest to wait for!!!], emits a shriek that affects the target's mental state, with a 0.1% chance of instant death."
The 0.1% chance of instant death can be considered non-existent.
Chu Sheng has always had bad luck. When he was a child, he once set a record of eating six packs of Little Raccoon cigarettes in a row and still getting Iron Arm Cai Fu. Since then, he has had a clear understanding of his own luck.
Relying on a 0.1% chance of instant death to trigger at a crucial moment is less effective than hoping the opponent trips over their own feet and falls to their death.
As for the shriek, the extent of its mental attack is debatable, but it clearly requires shouting loudly.
Chu Sheng tried to imagine himself suddenly screaming in a high-pitched voice during a battle, and figured that people with social anxiety probably couldn't use this trick.
At this moment, the pages stopped turning completely and lay quietly back in his palm.
It seems that although the monsters in the Demon Tide are overwhelming, only a few are truly qualified to be included in this strategy guide.
Chu Sheng closed the manual, preparing to tuck it back into his chest.
"boom!"
Chu Sheng shuddered in fright, and with a sudden thrust, he shoved the strategy manual into his chest.
"Oh~"
Before the dust had settled, a figure emerged from the swirling clouds.
Arthur has returned.
Her expression was grave, clearly troubled by something, and she didn't even hear Chu Sheng's seductive moans.
Seeing her expression, Chu Sheng's heart sank: "How are things? Is the town alright?"
Arthur shook his head: "The town is fine, but the road leading to it is impassable. The only stone bridge that a carriage could cross was destroyed by the demonic tide, so we have to take a detour."
She pulled the rolled-up map from her waist, knelt on one knee, and spread it out on the grass.
Chu Sheng and Ella immediately leaned in, squeezing their heads above the map and casting a small shadow.
Arthur held up a finger and pointed to a spot on the map.
"We are currently in the central part of Snow Wolf Territory. Originally, we could have entered the Sacred Tree Forest by heading straight south, but that road has been cut off. Now we can only detour to the west and pass through the Cat People's territory."
As soon as the words "cat person" were uttered, Ella's tail stood up abruptly, a low purring sound came from deep in her throat, and two sharp canine teeth were revealed under her lips.
"Ella doesn't like cat people!"
Chu Sheng's eyes lit up, and he leaned closer to the map: "Cat people? Tell me more."
Arthur's finger stopped on a piece of land outlined in the shape of a cat's head. The outline of the land was drawn rather hastily, and only two triangular ears and a round face could be seen.
"The Cat People made great contributions in the founding war of the empire thousands of years ago. The founding emperor George I was grateful for their contributions and decreed that the Cat People could choose a piece of territory within the empire's borders to be a state within a state, and govern themselves for generations."
Her fingertip traced the outline of the cat's head.
"The leader of the cat people casually drew a territory in the shape of a cat's head within the Snow Wolf Territory and named it Cat Territory."
It has a very cat-like style.
"Although the cat-people are lazy and capricious, they are agile, fast, and skilled in stealth and tracking. Therefore, for thousands of years, lords of various territories have preferred to employ cat-people as scouts and hunters. Thanks to this skill, the Cat Territory is still well-managed to this day."
Arthur retracted his fingers and said carefully, "Cat Territory isn't very welcoming to outsiders. However, we're here on the Emperor's orders, so I doubt they'll make things difficult for us. A little leniency should be possible."
While calming the still-furious Ella, Chu Sheng couldn't help but ask curiously, "Don't dog-people have their own territory?"
Arthur's finger returned to the map and began to move.
From Snow Wolf Territory, heading south, passing Cat Territory, Sacred Tree Forest, Pegasus Territory, the center of the Empire, and traversing countless mountains and rivers, it stretched all the way to the other side of the Empire's territory.
Her fingertips finally landed on a dog-head-shaped piece of land along the coast.
"Here it is."
"Dog collar."