The balance was instantly shattered when Lia applied her buffs. The effect was immediate. Ethan's Zither Scout moved even faster, its serrated limbs a blur as it tore into the attacking insectoid. The injured creature let out a shriek, black ichor spraying wildly as it tried to retreat. Within seconds, it was down for the count.
"Wait. Don't kill it." The insectoid stopped and Ethan rushed forward to land the finishing touch.
[Ding! You have killed a Zither Scout]
[Ding! You have gained experience points]
[Ding! The entity Zither Scout has been added to your summoning list]
Ethan clenched his fists tightly. Another one down and another one added to his arsenal. All his new minions start at the lowest level but with Lia's buffs, that disadvantage was quickly overcome.
Besides, this was an ideal location to level everyone up. He needed to grab this chance and take another step forward! Before the reinforcements arrived, he needed to kill as many stragglers as he possibly could.
The possibilities this presented were endless, especially in an environment like this where he could farm experience and grow his power exponentially.
Lia watched him nervously, the sweat on her brow glistening in the dim light filtering through the ravaged forest. "Master… the waves are getting faster. Do you think it's safe to keep going?"
Ethan turned to her, his expression resolute. "Safe? No. But this is an opportunity we can't waste. Every kill strengthens us. If we play this smart, we'll be miles ahead by the time reinforcements arrive."
He gestured for Grug, Snarl, and the Zither Scouts to regroup. The grotesque insectoids clicked their mandibles in eerie unison, their glowing eyes locked on Ethan as they awaited orders. It sent a chill down his spine, but he pushed the discomfort aside.
"Lia, can you heal snarl now?"
Lia nodded and placed her hand on the goblin brute flinching a little. Snarl grunted in surprise as his wounds began to close, the deep gashes on his side knitting together.
"There," Lia said breathlessly, taking a step back as the glow faded. Her face was pale, and beads of sweat trickled down her temple.
Snarl flexed his muscles experimentally, letting out a satisfied growl. Ethan nodded, pleased. "Good work, both of you. Snarl, you're back in the fight."
The ground rumbled faintly as yet another wave of insectoids emerged from the portal, their screeches mingling with the distant sounds of adventurers fighting. Ethan turned his attention back to the battlefield.
The main adventurer force was still holding their ground, but the cracks in their formation were becoming more pronounced. Some groups had started retreating entirely, falling back to regroup.
"Lia," Ethan said, his voice steady despite the chaos. "We're not here to win the war. We're here to get stronger. Stick close to me. Buff when you can. Heal when you must. Let the summons do the heavy lifting."
Lia nodded, clutching her hands together as she steadied herself. "Understood, Master."
"Here we go. This time we are moving forward."
Ethan knew it was a little risky exposing himself like this with all of his summons but the battlefield right now was extremely chaotic. The chances of anyone noticing him was extremely slim but just in case, he called Tweety to fly high and watch the perimeter. This was all the warning he could afford for now.
Tweety chirped and flew up but the next second the bird rushed back down to Ethan holding her dear life in her hands. Two insectoids came barreling after the small bird. It looked like some of these things could actually fly.
Ethan's eyes widened as Tweety dove toward him, chirping frantically, her small wings beating furiously.
Behind her, the two insectoids moved with terrifying speed, their serrated limbs slicing through the air. They effortlessly cut down any branches in their path. Unlike the ground-based creatures, these insectoids had sleek, translucent wings that hummed like a swarm of angry bees.
"Flying ones?" Ethan muttered. He raised his hand. "Grug, Snarl! Cover me! Zither Scouts, intercept those fliers!"
The summons sprang into action. Grug roared, slamming his club into the ground as he positioned himself in front of Ethan while Snarl darted to the side, jagged blade at the ready. The two Zither Scouts scrambled upward, using their own spiked limbs to launch themselves at the flying insectoids.
The clash was immediate and chaotic. One of Ethan's Zither Scouts managed to latch onto the first flying insectoid, dragging it to the ground in a tangle of limbs. The second insectoid, however, proved more agile, swooping around and slashing at the remaining scout midair, ichor spraying from a deep cut.
"Lia, buff the scouts! Now!" Ethan shouted, his dagger ready in case the fliers got too close.