Jack's lessons on combat survival proved immediately valuable. Just within a few hours afterward, the expedition had encountered hostile natives of the Purplesky Realm. The theoretical tips quickly turned into bloody, practical experience.
Their opponents were a small herd of five armored rhinos. Fierce and hostile beasts. They were huge, elephant-sized creatures. Each was a menacing mixture of a rhino and an armadillo in form.
They were stocky and covered in thick, bone-like plates. Each of them possessed a single, formidable horn and a thick, armored tail.
Their charge was devastating. Capable of shattering boulders easily. Fortunately, there were only five of them. The eight hired guards and the two professors quickly moved to intercept them.
"Block four of them!" Jack shouted. "Let one be the kids' training target."
The guards and professors understood what he meant and complied to the request. They targeted four of the charging behemoths.
Leon Drake had transformed into his draconic armored knight form. His grimoire glowed in fierce blue color as he unleashed a [Lightning Strike]. Stopping an armored rhino.
Prof. Enderson wove intricate binding spells. Slowing two other beasts. Allowing the eldritch knights from the hired guard team to block them.
Meanwhile, Dr. Crafton and the sorceress from the guard group unleashed [Water Burst] and [Icy Frost] to another beast. Creating a frozen trap that immobilized it.
The air was immediately filled with the clang of metal against hide, the roar of magic, and the guttural snorts of the enraged beasts.
Jack, however, had his eyes only on the fifth rhino. It thundered across the red grassland. Kicking up dust. Its large, furious eyes were fixed on the group of students.
"This one is yours, Kids!" Jack announced. His voice was calm but firm. He turned to the twenty students, whose faces were a mixture of fear and adrenaline.
Reina watched from the side. Her dual handguns were already drawn. Though she kept them lowered. She would act when necessary. But, this one was a good opportunity for the students to practice what they had learned.
Rune glowed a vibrant swirl of emerald and orange light. Showing that the challenge was not too dangerous. She hovered near Jack's shoulder. Silently observing.
"Remember what I taught you." Jack instructed the twenty students. "Observation, communication, positioning, and creative planning. You have one target. Take it down."
The students exchanged nervous glances. Intimidated by the sheer size and aggression of the beast.
A lanky student with spectacles stammered, "But... how, Sir? It's so big."
"It has weaknesses. Everything does." Jack countered. His gaze was unwavering. "Find them."
Looking that they were still hesitating, he decisively took command. "Chloe! Nick! Harold! You three use the cantrip [Vicious Taunt]. Draw its attention. Keep it moving. The rest, observe. Find the weak points."
Harold, Nick, and Chloe nodded. They were more experienced than the others and managed to handle their fear better.
They quickly spread out. Creating a loose triangle. As the rhino lumbered closer, Harold Mason raised his hand. A guttural sound leaving his lips. "Hey, Big Guy! Here!"
The [Vicious Taunt] cantrip power blanketed his clumsy, amateurish taunt. A faint, reddish shimmer seemed to envelope the armored rhino. It worked. The beast turned. Fixing its enraged eyes on Harold.
Nick Glaiver, emboldened by Harold's success, took a deep breath. He waited until the rhino moved closer to Harold. Channeling his intent, he imbued his voice with [Vicious Taunt].
"Dumb Fatty! Come here!" He shouted. The cantrip's power, a shimmering wave of aggravating energy, blanketed his words. And struck the rhino's mind.
The beast veered. Its charge was broken. It turned its head with an irritated, angry grunt towards Nick. Abandoning Harold and charging toward Nick instead.
Chloe Chase followed suit. Casting the [Vicious Taunt] cantrip spell over her shouts.
The rhino was frustrated by the shifting irritants. It lumbered after Nick. Then it wheeled to Chloe. Then it spun back to Harold. Running in a confused, enraged circle. It couldn't lock onto any single target.
"Good! Keep it up!" Jack shouted. His voice cut through the chaotic noise of the main battle. "Now, the rest of you... Look! Where are its vulnerabilities? Its armor is thick, but not everywhere!"
The students were initially just watching the taunting stunts. But now, they focused their eyes.
"Its underside!" One student yelled, pointing. "When it lifts a leg to turn!"
"Its eyes!" Alenna Keener added.
"And the ears! They look softer!" Another one shouted.
"Precisely." Jack affirmed. "Now, attack! Only target the weakness. Use your [Magic Missiles]."
The students began to cast their simplest offensive spell, [Magic Missiles]. Shimmering bolts of raw arcane energy launched from their grimoires.
The rhino was still darting between the taunting students. But, it suddenly bellowed as a volley of missiles struck its exposed underbelly during a pivot. Another barrage found its eyes. Causing it to flinch and paw at the ground in pain.
A continuous stream of low-damage but precise strikes began to pepper the beast. It tried to charge to the attackers. But the taunts kept it disoriented.
Its thick armor deflecting some stray shots. But [Magic Missiles] were homing projectiles. They were extremely accurate. Block-able, but unavoidable. The beast's soft spots started to bleed heavily.
Jack watched. Occasionally interjecting with a sharp command.
Rune pulsed with approval. Its light shifted to a warm golden hue. Slowly, painstakingly, the students wore the rhino down. Its movements became sluggish. Its roars turned weaker.
Finally, the armored rhino collapsed with a shuddering crash. A dozen [Magic Missiles] still sizzling against its weak points.
A collective cheer erupted from the students. They were exhausted. But exhilarated. Their first real combat test, passed.
Four rhinos lay dead a short distance away. Dispatched by the more experienced mercenaries and scholars. Their battles ended much earlier than the students. But, it didn't reduce the students' exhilaration.
Jack offered a calm, approving nod. "You see? You have the tools. You just need to use them correctly. And work together."
...
The next day brought a far more brutal challenge. They had ventured into a patch of gnarled, amber-leafed trees when Rune glowed red. Danger.
And this time, it was a threat occurred due to.... quantity. They were not facing several big opponents. They were being targeted by a great pack of wolves. About fifty crimson wolves.
The beast's fur was the color of dried blood. Their eyes were glowing with predatory hunger. They emerged from the tall, dense, red grass of the grassland. Each wolf was of regular size. But, they were fast and numerous. And they had sharp fangs and claws that could rend steel.
This was no training exercise. The professors and the other eight guards were immediately locked in desperate battles against overwhelming numbers.
Professor Enderson conjured walls of fire. Incinerating several wolves he was facing.
Dr. Crafton's chains of lightning tore through packs. Although only the first few got incapacitated by the spell.
Leon Drake became a whirlwind of armored wizard. He charged in melee range. But, instead of using weapons, he used magic spells from his grimoire for damage. Mostly lightning-based spells.
The other hired guards were competent enough. They could handle themselves well in the battle.
The problem wasn't those experienced combatants. It was... the students. The great number of enemies meant that the expedition lacked numbers to ensure the students' safety.
Jack and Reina resisted their instincts to wreak havoc and massacre the crimson wolves. Instead, they positioned themselves as the ultimate bulwark for the students.
The twenty teenagers were now familiar with the basics of positioning and targeting. But, they were still too inexperienced. They found themselves scrambling to cast useful cantrips, defensive wards, and low-level attack spells.
The large number of wolves were an entirely different problem for them. It couldn't really be compared to one lone, slow rhino.
A particularly vicious crimson wolf lunged at a student. The girl had stumbled while trying to cast a [Magic Missile].
But, before the wolf's fangs could connect, a blazing chain erupted. Snapping around the wolf's neck. Yanking it back with bone-shattering force. It was from Jack's bracer. The [Chains of Judgement].
Jack, with his steamrune shotgun, followed up with a thunderous blast. Shredding the creature's head.
"Stay grouped. But maintain distance to maneuver!" Jack barked. Laying down suppressing fire. His shotgun roared repeatedly. Each shot a devastating explosion of shrapnel and steam that tore through the agile wolves.
He moved in what seemed to be a chaotic dance steps. However, he could somehow appear wherever a student was most vulnerable. His chains flashed. His shotgun spitted death.
Rune darted around him. Her light flared to indicate imminent threats. Guiding his movements with silent precision.
Reina was a blur of motion. Her [Absolute Blink] teleportation skill made her practically omnipresent around the student cluster.
She would vanish in one spot. Only to reappear behind a lunging wolf. Her dual handguns barked. BANG! BANG! The bullets struck with concussive force. Often sending wolves sprawling or piercing their thick hides.
A student, panicked, found himself surrounded by three snarling wolves. Reina shimmered into existence. She grabbed the kid and disappeared. Appearing a few meters away. Out of the encirclement.
The students were still terrified. But they fought with a newfound desperation. They cast [Magic Missiles] at every opening. Occasionally managing a lucky hit. But, most of their attacks still hit protected areas, not weaknesses.
They seemed to forget what they had learned just the day before.
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