[Earth Devouring Snail activates skill]
Sensing danger, the Hero transformed into a Phoenix and swiftly extended her claws to grab the finger claw still in mid-air, neglecting her other belongings and the clothes that had fallen to the ground.
She flapped her wings hastily, ready to dash out of the tent and take the Gleaming Scale Serpent with her.
However, the Hero, acting hastily, didn't realize this was a wrong decision.
If she had flown straight up at the first sign of trouble, abandoning all luggage and her Familiar, she might have escaped.
Unfortunately, even knowing the identity of her enemy, such a choice obviously wasn't considered.
In the next moment, the vortex from the ground surged up like a fountain, like a mud-formed waterspout, swallowing everything above it.
Then the vortex quickly collapsed back down, with loose soil and stones falling to the ground, splashing up clumps of mud.
But a few seconds later, tranquility returned, and the mountainous area was as desolate as ever,
as if the small, skewed tent had never been there.
Unprepared for the ground below her to suddenly rise, the Hero was caught like a mosquito by a frog's tongue and swallowed underground, then tossed around in the violent muddy vortex.
[The Vortex's Strike (Raid +30)]
D144+30=d144(34)+30=64
[Hero's Beast Spirit Magic Power: 1726/2000 (64-22(Armor)=42, Boss battle one turn 232)]
[Non-attack action, strike value 64 exceeding Gleaming Scale Serpent's Constitution, Gleaming Scale Serpent loses the ability to act]
"Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp chirp——!"
In this sudden brutal encounter, the Hero couldn't help but let out screams of distress before her beak was plugged with mud.
But from her still vigorous chirping, it was clear that even after the transformation into a Phoenix, the transportation of such magnitude hadn't caused her any heavy damage.
After being tossed around in the vortex for quite some time, she finally emerged from the ordeal.
Mixed with the tent, luggage, and a bunch of scattered mud, she was spit out from the transport vortex, forming a pile of earth.
Then, a small red bird 'plop' emerged from the mud pile and struggled to shake its head, spitting out the sandstone from its beak.
However, compared to the Hero who was still wobbly but manages to stand, the Gleaming Scale Serpent wasn't so lucky.
The Hero hurriedly dug through the earth. Though her claws were small, they moved fast, and quickly she uncovered her Familiar, who was struck by disaster alongside her without any warning.
Though still alive, the sight of it almost vomiting out its snake gall, completely paralyzed on the ground, showed that it wasn't getting up anytime soon.
But seeing that it was still breathing was enough to give the Hero some relief, then she cautiously turned her little head, scanning the surrounding environment.
[Otherworld: Environment of Armored House]
Note: Since the Earth Devouring Snail's Pollution value did not exceed 30, the hostility is low, Environmental Value determines the nature of current events.
20-: Slaughter ground for accompanying monsters♛
50-: Contaminated with magic power, needs cleaning
80-: Isolated island, consumed without burial
80+: Peach Blossom Paradise, Ancient Relic House
90+: Graveyard, moving Sealing site
[Armored House's environment Extreme Failure!]
[accompanying monsters]
1. Earth Demon Spirit
2. Rock-eating Ant (Predator monster)
3. Sand Leviathan (Parasite monster)
6. Night Erosion Flower
9. Demon Species: Sand Lizardfolk♛
10. Critical Success/Extreme Failure
'It doesn't look like a good place...'
Not only was the light dim in this Otherworld space, but there was also an odd stench drifting around making the Hero's feathers unpleasantly stiff.
What made her more alert, though, was the unfriendly presence approaching from the dark space not far away, increasing in number.
[Sand Lizardfolk numbers (5+D2 Outnumbered, 10+D3 Hunting party)]
[Average Level of Sand Lizardfolk]
Over time, pairs of crimson vertical pupils that reflected a faint glow appeared in the dark.
Those vertical pupils shimmered with not just greed, but also a hint of intelligence.
"It seems a new gift has arrived..."
The owners of those ten crimson vertical pupils dispersed, encircling the small mound where the Hero was standing.
Then, the leader slowly emerged, its scaly exterior and inhuman facial features, combined with the rusty greatsword it was holding, made the Hero's eyes shrink beside the mound.
[Level of the Sand Lizardfolk Leader]
[Does the Church recognize this Demon Species? (If yes, a benevolent judgement will be made; if no, combat ensues immediately)]
[Benevolence of Sand Lizardfolk (Slaughterhouse -30, Friendly +50, Pilfering from baggage -50, Pilfering from Hero -30, Pollution -15)]
[Sand Lizardfolk Leader Swordsman LV43]
Earth Split Slash LV6: A heavy slashing attack that gathers Earth Element. Adds damage equivalent to Constitution*0.6.
Earthscale Armor LV5: Attaches Earth Element to the scale armor. Armor +10, gains a Shield Value equivalent to Constitution*0.5 when on the ground.
Earth Element Mastery LV2: An innate ability of Demons, equivalent to low-level Earth Element magic manipulation.
Concomitant: Changes effects depending on the accompanying creature. When inside the Armored House, Shield Value = Constitution is restored.
Slaughter Greatsword Rank3: A greatsword that has grown rusty from slaying too many preys without timely cleaning. Armor Break +16.
[Sand Lizardfolk Pillager LV33]
Skills: Earth Split Slash LV4, Earthscale Armor LV4
Special Skill: Concomitant
Equipment: Rusty Greatsword Rank2: Armor Break +11
[Demon Species: Sand Lizardfolk Rank4]
Living in barren mountains or desert regions, their scaly skin changes to a yellow-brown color to match their environment. They possess innate Earth Element magic abilities.
Although cold-blooded, they have rationality and can communicate to some extent, learning the language of Humankind.
Lizardmen can also communicate with local Magic Creatures, forming various unique concomitant relationships.
Sand Lizardfolk living in sandy areas often choose to coexist with creatures like the Sand Leviathan and desert wolves.
Sometimes they trade with humans, receiving payment to serve as guides through dangerous deserts, and there are Lizardmen who have reincarnated as clergy, hence receiving recognition from the Church as a Demon species.
However, in general, most people still regard them as Magic Creatures.
As long as it is confirmed that Lizardmen have committed crimes against Humankind, the Adventurer Guild will not refuse to issue commissions to hunt them down.
Some records from a Church meeting:
"Even among humans, there are those who take up thievery as a profession; we should not discriminate against Lizardmen with stereotypes just because most of them live by plundering!"
"Bullshit, it's easy for you to say because you're not the one being robbed!"
Meeting scribe: Because a Nun from the Judgement Court was present, the meeting didn't escalate into a brawl, which is somewhat regrettable. After cleaning up the Goblins around the city last time, satisfaction among the outer city residents increased quite a lot.