Chapter 138: Path of Elites

「Path of Elites is unlocking.」

「Currently at Phase 1.」

「Acquired Special Skill: 【Brutal Strength】」

「【Brutal Strength】: When actively used, the user's strength will be enhanced, granting greater destructive power. However, stamina depletion speed increases exponentially. Prolonged use carries a risk of bodily damage.」

「Phase 2 Unlock Requirement: Slay 5 types of Elite Monsters (2/5). Reward: Randomly acquire one Elite Monster Racial Talent.」

「Acquired Title: 【Giant Hunter】. This title will level up as kill count increases.」

「Current Effect: Weak Point Strike. When fighting Half-Ogre, Ogre, and related advanced Giant-type creatures, it becomes easier to perceive individual weak spots. Attacking weak points deals additional damage.」

Text flickered rapidly in front of Gauss’s eyes.

Fortunately, his side was guarded by the gray wolf Ulfen, and he remained enveloped in the protective layer of the Gauss Force Field. Attacks from other surrounding Small Monsters had yet to inflict any real damage on him.

Brutal Strength? Phase 2 needs five types of Elite Monsters... Title effect is Weak Point Strike. Gauss quickly digested the information.

Now was not the time to think further.

He refocused his attention on the battlefield before him.

The sudden death of the Half-Ogre leader caused varied reactions among the surrounding low-tier monsters; many appeared bewildered.

After all, for low-tier monsters, the dominance of Elite Monsters was deeply ingrained, to the point of forming an untouchable image. Even if it had a foul temper, even if it occasionally devoured a companion, within this Monster Army assembled by the Ogre Shaman, not a single rabble dared challenge the authority of a Half-Ogre.

The simple minds of many low-tier monsters seemed unable to comprehend why a being they regarded as invincible had suddenly died.

As a result, after a brief moment of confusion, the morale of the low-tier monster ranks suffered a heavy blow.

The naturally cowardly Kobolds had already begun to retreat quietly.

「Kobold, Goblin, Fear Demon, Mosquito Bat...」

Gauss had not forgotten another goal of his participation in the Winter Hunt: to collect data on 20 types of ordinary monsters for the Monster Encyclopedia through this massive and diverse Monster Army.

He swept his gaze across the battlefield.

He discovered that the monster force led by the Half-Ogre contained four types of low-tier monsters.

Even more satisfying to him—

Half of those four were enemies he had never encountered before.

「Fear Demon and Mosquito Bat.」

Information about the two flashed in Gauss’s mind.

Fear Demons were among the weakest demons in the Abyss, standing just over a meter tall, obese and humanoid, with twisted limbs, sagging pus-covered skin, and a body that reeked of decay.

Socially, they were often playthings or laborers enslaved by higher demons. Only a rare few evolved into "Fear Demon Lords" through devouring their kin.

Fear Demons lacked combat ability, were cowardly by nature, bullied the weak, feared the strong, and would often flee at the first sign of danger.

In theory, they should not appear in the Material Plane, but considering that this Monster Army was led by an Ogre Shaman, they were most likely summoned fodder.

As for Mosquito Bats—

They were also low-threat flying monsters, known for their blood-sucking swarms and frequenting swamps, caves, and other damp areas.

They appeared exactly like the creatures before him—a hybrid between bats and giant mosquitoes, with a wingspan of about half a meter, equipped with needle-like blood-sucking proboscises and claw-like legs.

Their keen sense of smell allowed them to track targets by scent of blood.

Their method of attack and feeding involved piercing their sharp beaks into the target’s blood vessels, continuing until the target died or they were sated.

Therefore, as individuals, they were weak in combat. Even against a larger enemy who stood still, letting them suck blood, they often couldn’t inflict fatal harm.

However, once swarming, Mosquito Bats could weaken larger creatures through relentless harassment.

Yet in doing so, they paid with many lives, as being monsters with fragile life force, even slightly stronger strikes could kill them instantly.

Gauss aimed the Bone Wand in his hand at the Mosquito Bats circling in the air.

Though they weren’t strong, being aerial targets—

If they truly tried to flee beyond Gauss’s range, intercepting them would become difficult.

Better to kill one first and light up the encyclopedia entry!

「Boom!」

A downgraded Magic Missile rapidly formed at the tip of Gauss’s wand.

「Whoosh!」

With the sound of rushing wind—

A flash of blue light erupted in the air!

Then, a burst of blood mist exploded violently.

「Mosquito Bat killed *1」

「Current Monster Encyclopedia Entries: 14」

「Acquired Title: 【Mosquito Bat Hunter】」

「Title Effect: Precision. When facing Mosquito Bats and their advanced species, ranged attack accuracy is improved, making it easier to lock onto targets.」

With a casual kill of one Mosquito Bat, Gauss increased his ordinary monster encyclopedia count to 14 types.

His Magical Energy reserves were still sufficient for now.

Seeing around twenty Mosquito Bats still fluttering in the air, he had no intention of letting them go.

Moreover, as if fearing he wouldn’t accurately snipe its escaping kin, the fallen Mosquito Bat generously dropped a 【Precision】 temporary title effect as a gift.

To Gauss’s eyes, those Mosquito Bats, which had been ascending higher into the sky, suddenly appeared much clearer with the bonus effect.

As if some mysterious sensing ability had awakened.

He casually avoided a few Goblins lunging at him with newfound bravery.

Gauss glanced at them from the corner of his eye.

Who would’ve thought, among these four ragtag low-tier monsters, it was actually the Goblins that seemed most "courageous"—even when facing someone like him, who due to long-term Goblin slaying, naturally exuded a suppressive aura.

Still, several of them summoned courage to launch attacks.

Nothing could be done about it—after losing their leader, the other three monster types crumbled even worse.

「Whoosh!」「Whoosh!」「Whoosh!」

Ignoring the Goblins, Gauss kept his gaze on the sky. He didn’t want the Mosquito Bats to escape.

Thus, he did not use Fire Bolt, but instead opted for the faster-firing downgraded Magic Missiles.

Taking advantage of the 【Precision】 title effect, he continued sniping the Mosquito Bats.

Soon, the creatures in the air realized they were being targeted by Gauss. Flapping their thin wings desperately, they tried to ascend skyward. But under Gauss’s point-blank barrage, they burst into blood mist one after another.

The other monsters, sensing danger, had already begun to flee.

Nearly a hundred low-tier monsters in this small force now appeared utterly timid in the face of Gauss.

Such was the benefit of a Decapitation Strategy.

And while a hundred might sound like a large number, keep in mind that this was a ragtag force composed of four completely different races. With little trust or coordination between them, they were better considered several independent groups of twenty or thirty.

Without a leader’s control or suppression, they naturally lost their edge.

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