Chapter 5, Mutation

"Illumination Technique." Gary's steady voice reached Lucien's ears. The one who had just roared, startling Lucien, Correa, and Housen from their confusion, was Gary.

There are simply too many mice; even though the Sword of Glory has caused numerous half-dead bodies to fall like rain, dozens still managed to break through Lucien's defenses and pass through the wall of light and shadow created by the Sword of Glory

Semen

With a swing of his sword, the red-eyed mouse was right before him, and Lucien immediately fell into a state of panic. He wanted to either swing his sword back or directly extend his left hand to block. Caught in this conflict, he nearly dropped the Radiant Sword to the ground

The ground is already covered with a multitude of red-eyed mouse corpses, along with pools of dark red blood that have accumulated over time

A sphere of white light appeared before Lucien and the others, dispelling the profound darkness

The brilliance generated by this sword seemed to form a faint white barrier in front of Lucien, as the approaching rats collided directly with the lightsaber, being effortlessly cleaved in two like soil, their innards and severed skin charred black, falling heavily to the ground without a drop of blood spilling out

Lucien's strikes became increasingly proficient, though he felt a slight fear in his heart, worried that he might not be able to completely fend off the hundreds of mice. Nevertheless, he fully trusted Gary and Korea, believing that they could help him block the mice on both sides

Lucien felt a chilling sensation once again

The silent Housen and the sharp-tongued Corea, after being awakened by Gary's shout, skillfully gripped their longswords and shields, positioning themselves on either side of Gary to form a simple battle formation

After narrowly escaping the attack of the red-eyed mouse, Lucien quietly let out a sigh of relief and regained his composure. Compared to Gary, a high-ranking knight squire who had undergone training and possessed rich combat experience, he felt too inexperienced, too naive, and too helpless when faced with danger and sudden changes. Not everyone is a natural-born fighter or possesses the extraordinary talent to remain calm in the face of peril.

Lucien himself did not take pride in being able to slay so many red-eyed mice with a single sword strike; it was entirely due to the formidable power of the Radiant Sword and the guidance from https://mhetushucomcom. At this moment, he felt that the power of the Radiant Sword was beginning to wane

Lucien swung his radiant sword from top to bottom, blocking the mice in mid-air and on the ground, while asking, "Do you want to use the 'Holy Light Shield'?"

A tingling and itchy sensation rose from the ankle, quickly spreading upward. Lucien nearly lost his balance, and at the same time, he felt extremely thirsty and desperately wanted to drink water

Confronted with mice, rather than bizarre and grotesque monsters, Lucien, influenced by Gary's calm demeanor, gradually eased his tension. However, the sheer number of mice, along with their eerie presence, still caused Lucien to feel an involuntary sense of dread.

As the red-eyed rat was about to bite into his chest, Lucien found himself at a loss, with no means to respond.

The four individuals resembled a small boat amidst tumultuous waves, swaying precariously among the red-eyed mice that fell from the sky, surged from the air, and swarmed from the ground, as if they could be overwhelmed at any moment

The red-eyed mice that have pounced are no longer just one or two, but rather dozens, with a continuous stream of mice following behind.

Not long after, Koreya struck down a red-eyed rat with a single sword, causing its blood to splatter, and let out a gentle sigh: "Finally, it is all cleaned up"

Suddenly, an oversight in Hawson's obstruction occurred, and a red-eyed mouse landed on Corea's shoulder. Corea's longsword and shield were positioned to defend from the front, leaving him unprepared. He was bitten directly on the neck, letting out a painful grunt. With a shake of his shoulder, he flung the red-eyed mouse away.

As Lucien was lost in thought, what came to block him from both sides were not two sharp knightly swords, but two small round shields wrapped in silvery-gray metal.

Holy Emblem, wait, I still have the Holy Emblem of Truth

Korea said resentfully: "The wounds are numb; they seem to have a certain toxicity."

Lucian, gripping the Radiant Blade with one hand, swiftly swung the luminous blade towards the red-eyed rat.

Do not panic; if you cannot defend in time, just avoid the vital points. There are healing spells available.

As soon as the white light appeared, these mice, as if they had encountered their natural enemies, squeaked and surged towards Lucien, Gary, and the others like a tide

After being killed off in a batch, the red-eyed mice charged forward again, this time in a dark mass, seemingly numbering in the hundreds

Only Lucien, wearing a linen short top and matching long pants, without any protection, was immediately bitten on the ankle by a red-eyed mouse

The lightsaber is bright and sharp, leaving a faint glow in its wake. This strike, executed by Lucien, follows Gary's guidance, focusing on defense and fully utilizing the characteristics of the radiant sword, while avoiding the shortcomings of Lucien's complete lack of swordsmanship training

"Alright, I will invoke the healing divine art," Lucien said, while rubbing the holy emblem with his empty left hand

With Lucien shielding in front under the holy light, although Korya and Gary occasionally find themselves bitten due to their inability to evade, the situation has gradually turned around. As the number of red-eyed mice decreases, the danger is slowly receding

Lucien stared at these things in a bit of a daze, unable to believe that he had accomplished this. Gary nodded and said, "Lucien, you did well"

Regarding himself, Lucien did not delay, focusing his mind as he gently stroked the holy emblem

Lucien let out a sigh of relief while continuing to wield the Radiant Sword, fending off the attacks of the red-eyed mice

And without being struck by the lightsaber, as I passed through the lingering light and shadow, the fur on my body began to dry and scorch, my speed slowed, either falling in front of Lucien or being struck by the swords of Gary and Correa on either side.

Suddenly, a long sword gleaming with a cold light reached out from the side, precisely slicing through the neck of the red-eyed mouse, cleaving it in two.

This time, Lucien did not panic; he swung his lightsaber forward while slowly stepping backward, retreating to the side of Gary and the others

In such a situation, regardless of any negative impressions that Gary, Correa, and Haussen may have towards Lucien, they all understand that he, bearing the holy emblem, is a formidable force not to be underestimated. Moreover, when other changes occur, he could be the key to turning the tide. No one knows what other monsters or magical traps may arise after the red-eyed rat

A beam of white light shot from the Holy Emblem Cross, landing at Lucien's feet, and the tingling sensation immediately vanished

At that moment, a thunderous roar echoed in Lucien's ears, causing his back to tense, his hair to stand on end, and his panicked, chaotic thoughts to come to a sudden halt

Repeated attempts to pounce have failed, and the red-eyed mice seem to have sensed something amiss. Consequently, some have ceased their leaps and are now rushing directly from the ground, while others have climbed up the walls, preparing to launch an attack from above the heads of the four individuals

Gary took a breath and instructed, "Hawson, you go with Lucien to check the secret chamber"

Before his words had finished, he let out a muffled grunt, having been bitten by a red-eyed rat between his boot and knee pad

Just now, he had repelled the red-eyed rat above, yet Haosen, who was calmly guarding behind the three, has unexpectedly vanished

Having an experienced mentor like Gary by my side during my first real battle in life is an immense fortune, providing invaluable experience for facing future conflicts and dangers

The two small shields, wielded with fierce momentum, struck out suddenly, and dozens of impact sounds converged into a single loud bang. The red-eyed rats were directly sent flying, landing on the ground, twitching, and soon met their complete demise

Gary shook his head: "Wait a little longer."

Your constitution is much weaker than ours. First, use the Holy Shield, and then use the Healing Divine Art. Gary assessed the situation; by this time, nearly half of the red-eyed mice had already perished.

The mice that evaded the Radiant Sword attacked the Holy Light Shield in succession, yet amidst the flickering brilliance, the Holy Light Shield showed no signs of wavering, providing Gary and Korya with the opportunity to calmly slay and knock back the mice

Koreya turned back strangely and, filled with astonishment and panic, stammered, "Hawson, Hawson is missing"

Then, Lucien saw a swarm of black mice. They were of normal size, but their eyes were bright red, gathered on the floor, walls, and on strangely shaped humanoid plants in a confined room, densely packed, causing Lucien to feel a tightening sensation at the back of his head

After two or three seconds, Lucien regained his composure, once again caressing the holy emblem and reciting the tongue-twisting incantation: "Gurdi."

The red-eyed mouse at the forefront leaped up, pouncing towards the road m.hetushu.com.com with its mouth open, revealing two long and sharp teeth

Gary said: "Not in a hurry, Korea can still hold on. It seems impossible to completely block it, so let's wait a bit longer and then activate the healing divine art after taking a few more bites." There are simply too many rats, and the healing divine art must be used sparingly.

Lucien came to his senses and prepared to thank Gary

The lightsaber summoned by the divine art was far sharper than an ordinary knight's longsword, yet Lucien, in a fluster, swung the sword but misjudged the speed and unpredictability of the red-eyed mouse, causing the lightsaber to merely glide past it.

Korea's sharp voice rang out simultaneously: "Step back, lean against us. Are you trying to get yourself killed standing alone in front like a rookie?"

In a state of panic, Lucien thought of his greatest reliance, instinctively focusing his mind to recite the incantation and activate the first-tier divine spell "Holy Light Shield"; no matter what, protecting himself was the most important thing.

Faced with such a bizarre and terrifying scene, Lucien truly felt a sense of trembling in his limbs and a swelling in his mind, with thoughts of what to do and what not to do becoming a chaotic tangle. This manifested outwardly as Lucien stood there in shock, completely unresponsive

The subsequent silence was profound, and the taciturn Haosen did not respond

Gary, in conjunction with Lucien's Radiant Sword, continuously slashed and thrust with his longsword, repelling the stray rats: "Do not be anxious, the remaining strength is sufficient to slay these monsters"

As the red-eyed mice dispersed, the appearance of the secret chamber revealed itself to Lucien and the others. In one corner stood a desk, upon which lay three books emitting a strange, flickering light. In the center was a flat, wide, peculiar table, adorned with numerous strange patterns in red, blue, and green, which bore an uncanny resemblance to the designs surrounding the "Holy Emblem of Truth" cross. On this table, there were small stoves, pots, glass bottles, and other items arranged atop the intricate patterns.

Lucien took the time to activate the holy emblem, healing the injuries sustained by Korea and Gary

"Hey, kid, not bad at all; that sword strike took down more than ten monster mice in one go." Korea whistled, leaving it unclear whether he was offering praise or sarcasm

"Leave the matter on top to me," the tall and robust Housen suddenly said, who was usually taciturn.

The area where the red-eyed mouse brushed against the lightsaber quickly charred the black fur, spreading into the flesh. However, at that moment, the red-eyed mouse had already pounced in front of Lucien, its red pupils gleaming with a cold, indifferent light, and the faint stench of decay was barely discernible from its mouth

The Radiant Sword slashed diagonally from top to bottom, drawing a beautiful light shadow in mid-air. With a crackling sound, countless red-eyed mice collided with the sword, increasing the pressure on Lucien's hand. As an ordinary person without knight training, he nearly lost his grip on the Radiant Sword

Lucien has a shield of holy light, while Haosen stands at the back, unaffected by the gnawing of the rats. At this moment, Gary naturally has to bring out the role of each person.

The situation has suddenly become precarious

A strange and mysterious incantation echoed, and a pale white light shield appeared around Lucien

With this encounter, Gary, Correa, and Housen all altered some of their combat styles. Although rats can bite, their teeth are not sharp enough to penetrate armor. Therefore, they relaxed their defenses slightly in areas protected by chainmail and knee guards, while fully guarding other areas, and the situation improved significantly.

Gary's calm and composed demeanor influenced Lucien, allowing him to quickly regain at least a minimal response. Without much thought, he rubbed the holy emblem and softly uttered a strange syllable: "Gaya"

Corea chuckled and said, "A good knight not only wields a longsword but must also be adept at using a shield"

After killing the red-eyed mouse this time, Lucien felt that he had somewhat adapted to such scenes

After Lucien unleashed a divine spell, he found it difficult to concentrate. He took a step forward, using the Holy Light Shield and the Radiant Sword to block all the red-eyed mice in front of him

With so many mice, unless Gary and Korea can swing five or six swords in a second, they simply cannot intercept them! Lucien's Radiant Sword cannot be drawn again in time, and he can only worry inwardly: "Perhaps the high-ranking knight attendants trained by the church might possess powers somewhat akin to divine arts."

Whether it was Lucien or Gary, there was no time for careful observation, as those frenzied rats, reeking and bizarre, had already surged before them