After three days of simple preparations, the sisters reached Level 25 simultaneously.
The main reason was their familiarity with the Jungle Treant King’s cave, its terrain, and the monster spawn points. Since the monsters there were at an appropriate level and the efficiency was high, they had turned the place into their permanent grinding spot.
‘Thank you, Great Treant King. Even though you’re gone, you’re still providing for us. Your kindness won’t be forgotten!!’
Eiliris looked at her heavily patched witch robes, weeping silently in her heart.
Other people transmigrated and became overpowered protagonists. Why was her life so miserable? She didn’t even have a spare set of witch robes.
Art is an explosion! But the success of art often came with corresponding sacrifices.
Eiliris glanced at Sophia’s light leather armor. The torso section was also covered in large patches.
‘Oh… I’m holding a steamed bun in my hands… there isn’t a drop of oil in the vegetables… the tears won’t stop flowing…’
When would these little beggar sisters finally make it? Would they really end up begging on the streets in the future? Was this the loss of morality or the decay of humanity?
Eiliris silently clenched her fists. Her determination to reach a human town grew stronger. She had to improve their quality of life!
They needed to go to a human town to buy supplies, gather information, and buy beautiful clothes!
***
They arrived once again at this ominous land. Gray mist shrouded the depths of the distant marsh, blurring the outlines of trees into dark shadows. Only the occasional waterfowl passing through would leave a fleeting white trail in the fog.
The scent of decay grew thicker in her nostrils. Eleanora felt herself sinking slightly with every step. The mud beneath her was bone-chillingly cold, and her boots came up covered in thick sludge, making her steps feel heavier and heavier.
“Eiliris, look ahead! It looks like a small animal is trapped in vines under that tree. Could that be what you’re looking for?” Sophia shouted beside her.
“Yes, let’s go check on it quickly.” Eiliris signaled Sophia to proceed with caution while picking up the pace.
***
The witch sisters began to move quickly, unaware that a massive crisis was quietly descending.
**[Ambush Stance]**!
A prehistoric crocodile, nearly 10 meters long and looking like it belonged in a horror movie, lunged at Eiliris with lightning speed.
**[Ding! You have entered the territory of the Swamp Crocodile King. Forced combat initiated. Escape is impossible.]**
‘Escape is impossible?! What does that mean…’
“Eiliris! Danger!” Sophia reacted instantly, raising her shield to block in front of her sister.
The cold, giant lizard whipped its tail, slamming it into the **[Treant Shield]**.
The two were pushed back several meters. Sophia, her other hand ready on her sword, felt her talent trigger.
**[Mind’s Eye: Perception]**!
“**[Triple Slash]**!” Sophia launched a tentative counterattack, bolstered by her critical hit talent.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Three heavy strikes of white light landed. The final strike remained embedded in the impenetrable crocodile hide.
Eiliris, sensing something was wrong, immediately activated her appraisal skill.
**[Name: Swamp Crocodile King]**
**[Level: 35]**
**[HP: 4,120/4,350]**
**[MP: 850/850]**
**[Traits: Physical Defense Specialization, Magic Defense Specialization, Melee Specialization, Marsh Terrain Buff]**
**[Weaknesses: Low Fire Resistance, Poor Night Vision, Limited Attack Range]**
Due to the tentative counterattack, Sophia’s position had already been locked by the Crocodile King. The monster was within its melee range, so Sophia instinctively backed away to create distance.
While the crocodile’s melee attacks were fierce, its movement speed was slow. Its attack range was restricted by its focus on powerful close-quarters combat.
The crocodile’s thick hide was notorious. Even though its fire resistance was a weakness, it had its Magic Defense Specialization as a supplementary mechanism…
Eiliris raised her staff and observed the Crocodile King.
Her head began to ache. During the beta test, boss battles hadn’t occurred this frequently. She had a faint feeling that the trajectory of this world had changed; some things could no longer be solved using her experience with the game’s data.
In her past life, she had been thoroughly disgusted by “Souls-like” games, but this immersive, life-or-death combat didn’t allow for respawning like a game did.
Every time, they were fighting a boss while underleveled — it really did feel like a Souls game. This time was even worse; they had walked right into the lion’s den. The marshland was the Swamp Crocodile King’s greatest geographical advantage.
And then there was the system notification from earlier. ‘Escape is impossible.’ What was that all about?
Despite all their planning, who could have known? Plans never kept up with reality.
As numerous questions flooded her mind, Eiliris frowned and said, “Sophia, let’s try to see if we can leave this area first.”
“The current battle intel is very unfavorable for us. The hope of forcibly defeating the Swamp Crocodile King is very slim…”
Sophia pondered for a moment. Perhaps the previous exchange had given her a plan of her own. She began to think seriously, which was a rare sight.
“Eiliris, I want to see if my new armor-piercing attack works. I’m counting on you.”
“Didn’t you come here to rescue that Anne you mentioned? It’s not like you to give up and retreat before giving it your all.”
Eiliris looked at her with surprise. After the lesson from her previous recklessness, Sophia had indeed grown and was starting to analyze tactics.
“Alright. Since you’re the woman of action, get ready, Sophia! **[Divine Prayer: Tenacity]**, **[Divine Prayer: Shield]**!”
Eiliris clasped her hands together. As she finished her prayer, the sisters’ maximum health increased, and their bodies were enveloped in light shields. The sight of them bathed in the glow of a holy angel was one she never tired of.
**[Sophia HP: 1,140/1,140 (Shield: 160)]**
**[Eiliris HP: 538/538 (Shield: 160)]**
Sophia fitted the shield onto her left arm and immediately assumed a grand swordplay stance. She drew her longsword, stepping back with one foot to build momentum.
She moved at a speed the naked eye couldn’t track, almost as if she had vanished, only to suddenly reappear above the Swamp Crocodile King’s head.
**[Dawn Flash]**!
This was a new skill Sophia had learned. It was a high-speed assault primarily used to weaken an enemy’s defense.
A hideous wound was carved into the Crocodile King’s back, and it rolled on the ground in agony. Things were proceeding smoothly.
Sophia quickly checked its status:
**[Swamp Crocodile King HP: 3,980/4,350 (Status: Armor Break — 30% Armor Shredded, Physical/Magic Defense Reduced)]**
Without hesitation, Sophia immediately triggered **[Flash Slash]**, **[Double Slash]**, and **[Triple Slash]**! The boss’s health plummeted below 3,100 in an instant.
‘Geez, Magic Swordsmen really are the developers’ favorites!’ Eiliris started grumbling again. ‘When will magic classes finally have their day?’
“Restless spirits of fire, children of darkness whose voices shake the very depths of hell, raise your fists now! Repel your enemies, burn everything to ash, and swallow it all! **[Hellfire Nova]**!”
As the chant finished, massive amounts of water vapor in the marsh were evaporated. The fireball at the tip of Eiliris’s staff expanded instantly. The scene looked like a gunpowder keg about to burst, with molten gold flames churning inside the sphere. It then exploded within the compressed space ahead, forming a giant hellfire several meters in diameter.
‘Hehe, I accidentally cooked up something big for you, Papa Crocodile. That’s for always bullying our little kobold uncle.’
This was the strongest fire spell within her current capabilities that she had learned from the fire magic grimoires at home. Naturally, its mana consumption was also massive.
‘I, Eiliris, will show you the meaning of cruelty!’
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