Weed mainly hunted these Demonic Spirits and Caltrops.
“The Five Phoenix Brothers. Deploy!”
He also made the Phoenixes participate in battle.
The majestic Five Phoenix Brothers!
They vaporized the deep fog with a single breath. The ground glowed with heat and caught fire.
Once the moisture disappeared, the Caltrops' lightning attacks weakened.
The Phoenixes flew long distances at once and pecked at enemy heads.
Since they were guys with almost infinite Health, they simply took normal attacks with their bodies.
They could self-recover, even if their Health dropped significantly! They soon rose again.
They could revive even at the brink of death as long as a slight flame remained; the Phoenixes' contribution made the battle convenient.
“Huhuhu.”
Weed laughed wickedly.
He felt pleasure while watching the sculptures he had granted life fighting very valiantly.
The stronger the Phoenixes were, the more items and japtem he could obtain!
“Fight. Become stronger. Cover the world with your fire!”
The Five Phoenixes and Yellowy!
They became Weed's powerful reinforcements.
As he hunted Monsters along the River of Lamentation, he increasingly expanded his activity zone.
However, he didn't leave the riverbank and wandered around the wide areas because he didn't know what kind of danger might be lurking.
Even so, as many as ten Caltrops could be hunted with just the Phoenixes.
However, he had to wait for a very long time.
Chapter 11: The Sculptures Erected on the River of Lamentation
Weed raised his sculpting knife again.
It was the start of the monumental task of changing the sculptures on the basin of the River of Lamentations from negative to positive.
The sound of the ghosts crying in the river was now familiar to his ears. The sound surged forward like echoes, exhausting all strength in the legs and raising goosebumps.
“What's an affectionate expression you would have while looking at a baby Orc?”
His first sculpting attempt had failed; this was his second.
When he posed as the Orc Karichwi in the Yurokina Mountains, he had seen quite a lot of Orcs. However, he hadn't been interested in the weak baby Orcs. Even if he had seen them toddling around in the village, as long as they weren't his quarry for a quest, he immediately forgot about them once he passed by.
Orc infancy was short, and they grew at a very fast rate.
“What kind of thoughts would a female Orc looking at a baby Orc have?”
It was an expression he could only understand if he was in the mother's shoes.
Weed had a different idea.
Greedy female Orcs. They found meat. They would drool. But what if their bellies were full right now?
“They would have an absolutely peaceful expression!”
Weed made the female Orc's head.
There was a splittingly satisfied smile on her lips, and her eyes were laughing, creasing into crescent moons. Her expression wasn't really bright, but she was still quite pretty considering she was a female Orc.
At least there wasn't a grievous feeling anymore, such as when she had been holding the child without a head.
You have altered “Bleak Baby Orc and Mother”, a sculpture of the Matallost Church.
You have purified 1 River of Lamentation sculpture.
Purification of the River of Lamentation: -100%
— Handicraft skill proficiency has improved.
Only one.
Weed had taken the first step, but the path he had to walk was very arduous.
Making one sculpture positive didn't reduce the bitter wailing of the ghosts in the River of Lamentation. Looking at the sculptures all around the basin of the River of Lamentation, it was a bleak task.
The next sculpture he chose was the Trolls, who were fighting desperately while stabbing their opponents with spears.
Weed made a clear decision.
“It'll work if I just get rid of the spears!”
He broke the spears and made them hold bowls of rice instead.
Now they were Trolls giving food as gifts.
You have altered “Slaughtering Trolls”, a sculpture of the Matallost Church.
You have purified 2 River of Lamentation sculptures.
Purification of the River of Lamentation: -100%
— Sculpting skill proficiency has improved.
The increase in Sculpting or Handicraft skill proficiency was almost insignificant.
“So slightly modifying someone else's sculpture doesn't raise the proficiency much.”
The strength went right out of Weed's shoulders. Even so, he altered 10 sculptures in a day. However, there was no change in the purification value of the River of Lamentation.
“I need to recover my levels first.”
Weed engaged in desperate hunt to recover the levels he had lost by giving life to his sculptures! He repaired 13 sculptures daily, and led Yellowy and the Five Phoenix Brothers to battle.
If they went too far away from the River of Lamentation, the levels of the monsters leapt drastically.
Boars of Hell.
He estimated the Wild Black Boars to be slightly under level 400. Of course, he ascertained this fact through Death Knight.
“They can fight Death Knight neck and neck — they're quite delicious prey.”
He didn't even glance at the Caltrops anymore, since stronger monsters yielded more experience and items.
“I should leave the Caltrops to the Five Phoenix Brothers. Phoenixes.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Hunt the Caltrops. Be careful not to melt the items.”
“Yes, Master. Understood.”
The Phoenixes were handy for being able to be ordered to do various things.
It was similar to Military Discipline Training of new enlisted recruits in the army received! How well they performed in this training enormously influenced their army life.
For the sculptures as well, it was good to establish the hierarchy immediately after their birth, but there was no need to give them this mental training separately.
The Phoenixes had realized something while watching Yellowy.
'Ah, we're stuck with a really dirty Master.'
'What rotten luck.'
The outstandingly intelligent Phoenixes became obedient.
They were Phoenixes who didn't die easily and were incomparably tenacious! They dove with their outstretched wings to avoid lightning attacks unleashed by the Caltrops.
And the flame attack they discharged! The damage was weak, but the flames spread over a wide area. The heat wasn't enough to melt the rocky mountain, but it was still quite hot.
They didn't even die from area of effect attack skills, and they were quick on chasing land monsters, not giving them a chance to run away. As long as he cautioned them not to burn the japtem dropped by the Caltrops, there were no problems with the hunt.
While the Phoenixes hunted the Caltrops, Weed went with Yellowy to deal with the Black Wild Boars.
The Wild Boars ran through the uneven rocky mountains!
Moooooooo!
Weed hunted them while riding Yellowy. Together with Yellowy, he defeated the Wild Boars one by one.
Weed's Moonlight Sculpting Blade and Sword Mastery skill proficiency were increasing rapidly.
“This method of fighting isn't bad.”
Weed was pleased because the hunting speed was decent. Thanks to Yellowy, Stamina consumption was reduced and damage was doubled.
Sword Mastery did not accumulate uniformly by just swinging a sword. The proficiency rose when consecutively hunting monsters stronger than himself.