Meanwhile...
Ardiel was still trudging the desolate desert alone. Ardiel already walked for almost 2 hours and he didn't spot any living thing, animal or plants, in that timeframe. He already eaten half of his Camulf meat reserve and drank half of his water(blood) reserves. Ardiel was already sick of seeing the desert all the time.
Ardiel's ears suddenly twitched, signifying that he heard something. Then a loud sound of explosion was heard from the distance in front of Ardiel. A cloud of smoke was forming where the sound originated from.
Ardiel suddenly rushed towards where the sound was. When Ardiel was near the area of the explosion, Ardiel immediately laid himself to the ground.
Stray earth spikes was thrown where he was standing. 'That's a close call, although I can deflect it, it will alert them that someone was near their vicinity. I can't risk that," Ardiel thought as crawled forwards, hoping to observe the battle happening in front of him.
Three humans was fighting two camulfs and their fight was reaching the climax. The humans was still wearing the standard clothes given to them by Weisp but due to the intense battle with the camulfs, their clothes was all bloody and full of tears and holes.
The humans consists of three males. One was fighting a camulf singlehandedly signifying that he is the strongest and the leader of the group of trio. The remaining two was weak so even if they use their numbers, the still can't defeat the other camulf. The three humans and two camulfs was standing on the battlefield trying to catch their breaths, both sides are now tired and exhausted due to their long fight.
Ardiel decided to wait for the opportunity to launch a sneak attack as he observed the ongoing battle between humans and beasts.
*****
Meanwhile, on the humans side...
The human trio's leader, Benedict, was panting, clearly showing that he is now tired and can't exhibit his full strength. Benedict signaled his group to slowly walk in the center with their backs facing each other.
"Can you still go on fighting?"
"Of course leader don't worry about us and worry about yourself first," Edmund said as he stared at the unknown monster in front of him.
"Do we truly die when we die here? I'm afraid of dying leader," Kevin, the cowardly one in their group said fearfully as he shrunked when the camulf looked at him.
"Don't worry guys, I will try to get you all out of here, just follow my leads and we will survive this battle," Benedict said while gripping his rusty mace and holding his wooden shield in his right hand.
Benedict looks like he's in mid-20s.He was good looking and muscular, good for defensive classes that's why he chose to be a shield bearer. But a shield bearer needs to have a strong attacker, his group are weak strangers that Benedict met when he explored the desert.
Edmund, the earth magic user in their group was average. His looks and build was of the average man and he was in his early-20s. He chose to be an earth magic user when he saw how wide the desert is, thinking that earth magic is the strongest here.
Kevin was still a teen that's why he still did not adapt in his current situation and was still afraid. Due to his fearfulness, Weisp randomly gave him a class, a magic user class of the earth element.
The human trio was still trying to recover their stamina but the camulfs pounced simultaneously, surprising them while their guards are still down.
Benedict tried placed his wooden shield in front of him, preventing the camulf's mouth from eating him whole. While on the other side, their situation is not so well.
The other camulf bit off the arm of Kevin when it pounced because Kevin didn't react fast. Edmund dodged to the side and watched the whole situation happen, from the moment the camulf bit Kevin's arm to the moment it rip Kevin's arm off. Kevin was wailing in the ground, clutching his right shoulder as his blood covered the soils and his clothes.
'Kevin probably won't survive. I should at least try to save myself," Edmund thought as he stood up and ran towards Benedict's back, leaving the bloody and pale Kevin to die.
The camulf that bit Kevin's arm swallowed it whole and then stared at Kevin while drooling and growling. Kevin was now pissing his pants and he tried to call for Edmund's help but Edmund just stared at him like a useless piece of garbage.
"Edmund! I will take my revenge if i live! Just wait for me to kill you, you son of a bxtch!" Kevin screamed in his last moments as he was devoured by the camulf. The camulf that ate Kevin was now staring at Edmund. Edmund was trembling but he first fortified Benedict's shield by covering it with soil and then he used his powers to create an earth spear for him to use.
Benedict was too focused on the camulf in front of him that's why he didn't know what truly happened at his groupmates. When Benedict noticed that his shield was a lot heavier and sturdier, he knew that Edmund help him because they defeated the other camulf.
"Are you okay Edmund? Is Kevin also okay? I heard screaming from your area."
"Kevin is gone. He sacrificed himself to save me. Let's avenge Kevin and kill these beasts!" Edmund said while inwardly admiring his acting skills.
"Damn! Kevin was a good guy. Let's avenge him! Support me and I will first kill this beast in front of me," Benedict said while he pushed the camulf away, making the camulf jump backwards.
The other camulf that ate Kevin grouped up with the camulf that was facing Benedict. It was now a 2v2 and the human side was clearly disadvantaged.
The two camulfs then started circling Benedict and Edmund, waiting for a chance to pounce on them.
As the camulfs slowly circled the two humans, Ardiel himself was crawling towards them, slowly and quietly to not attract the attention of the humans and camulfs. A brilliant plan popped out of Ardiel's mind. He decided to first kill the camulfs if the humans shouted for help. Then, after killing the camulfs, he will tell the two unsuspecting guys to help him make a cave or a shelter of some sorts. After all that, he will kill them inside the shelter and absorb the count-rank heart. 'What a brilliant plan indeed,' Ardiel thought to himself while smiling.
On the humans side...
The camulfs was still circling Benedict and Edmund, waiting for an opportunity to arise but to no avail. Benedict and Edmund was now more alert as they recovered a bit of their stamina.
The camulfs was now restless. The other camulf then decided to attack Benedict and Edmund. The camulf stopped walking and did a pouncing stance. Benedict saw that the othed camulf stopped so he decided to face it while he Edmund was still on his back, not knowing what's going on.
"The other beast stopped. Be on high alert," Benedict whispered to Edmund, making Edmund focused on the remaining camulf who was still walking.
The camulf who was in pounce stance was drooling when he stared at Benedict. Benedict predicted that the camulf will pounce on him any second now so he put his shield in front of him and gripped his mace. Edmund reinforced Benedict's shield and mace with earth magic, making them sturdier and heavier. The earth spear was still in Edmund's hands, never leaving him.
All of a sudden, a shout of a person ringed inside the ears of Benedict and Edmund, distracting them. The camulf saw that it's prey was distracted so he pounced on them. Benedict was still looking where the sound originated from when a black dot was getting bigger in his peripheral vision.
'Fxck! The beast!' Benedict said as the camulf's claws slashed on his shield, denting the earth enveloped around it.
"Shout for help Edmund, I believe that person also needs help, make him come to us!" Benedict said as he defended another claw from the camulf.
Edmund was still keeping the other camulf on check and he saw that it was still walking so he Edmund took this opportunity to shout," If anyone is out there, you can come to us, more number means higher survival rate!"
Meanwhile in Ardiel's perspective...
'My plan worked!' Ardiel thought as he grinned inwardly and acted like a scaredy cat while running towards Benedict and Edmund.
'I should tell them that I saw a dead body that's why I shouted to prevent them from suspecting me. After we finish these camulfs, I will kill both of you, it's your bad luck that you encountered me,' Ardiel thought while running towards the two dead man standing.