Chapter 123: Newcomer Gourmet

After a simple lunch in the village near the mission site, the two humans and one wolf left the village, heading toward the Rust Frogs’ habitat.

"I haven’t encountered Rust Frogs before," Arya said while walking and flipping through the Monster Encyclopedia, her tone tinged with curiosity. "According to the book, their spit can corrode iron."

"No wonder the subjugation rate is as high as 1 silver and 30 copper…" Gauss replied. "I guess many Warriors aren’t too keen on taking this kind of mission."

Among low-level Small Monsters, this was already considered a relatively high subjugation price.

For example, in the last mission, Ratmen were only worth 1 silver coin each.

Missions that were difficult and unattractive often carried higher individual bounties.

For melee Professionals who relied on metal armor and weapons, such monsters that accelerated equipment wear were nothing short of a nightmare.

The hard-earned commission would end up spent on blacksmith repairs, which made it hardly worthwhile.

However, for Gauss and Arya, this wasn’t much of a problem.

Gauss possessed a variety of ranged offensive methods, while Arya was an excellent control and support specialist.

More importantly, their core protection did not rely on metal armor, but mostly on Gauss’s Force Field protection, thus avoiding wear and tear on equipment.

Even before setting out, Gauss had already cast the upgraded Mage Armor—【Gauss Force Field】—on both himself and Arya.

The Gauss Force Field, under no loss, could last for about six hours.

For most battles, that was ample preparation time.

Thus, Gauss had the habit of setting up the shield in a safe area before combat.

He would then use the effect of the【Energy Storage Gland】to recover any magical energy consumed, and once his magic was fully replenished, he could face the enemy in peak condition.

This way, he could get two additional uses of the Force Field’s magic for both of them.

Even if those two uses weren’t urgently needed, attention to such details was always worthwhile.

As they drew closer to the habitat, the two stopped talking, quietly approaching their target.

Suddenly.

Gauss perked up his ears.

A cool breeze carried a peculiar sound from afar.

"Wa wa wa—!!!"

A series of strange, rapid croaks, mixed with heavy stomping and a certain terrified shouting, came from the distance, breaking the silence of the wild!

Was it the Rust Frogs?

Gauss signaled Arya to halt.

He then gazed into the distance.

In the distance, clouds of dust rose, and several young figures came scrambling down the path, rolling and crawling as they fled, their faces pale and breathing ragged.

Behind them, many round-bodied figures bounced in the dust.

Each leap was clumsy but extraordinarily powerful, relentlessly pursuing their prey.

They were precisely the targets of Gauss’s current mission—Rust Frogs!

"Prepare to engage!"

Suddenly confronted by the Rust Frogs, Gauss and Arya had no time to think.

He entered combat mode in an instant, and Arya gripped her Oak Wand tightly.

"Br-bro! Run!!!" the young man at the front screamed hoarsely when he saw the two blocking the path. His eyes were full of fatigue and confusion. Why weren’t these two running?

He and his companions were already gasping for breath, their faces and lips ghostly pale. Yet they dared not stop—if they halted even a moment,

the group of seemingly “clumsy but lovable” giant frogs behind them would leave not even bones behind.

Rust Frogs were omnivores. In their normal state, without leg tension, their body lengths ranged from fifty centimeters to a meter.

Such a large size for frogs meant they had to spend most of their time feeding. Like many monsters, they would eat anything they could.

Not only wild beasts and plants, but also mosquitoes and fish in the water, sparrows and birds resting from flight, and even humans—were all part of their menu.

To ordinary people, these seemingly unimpressive creatures were in fact extremely dangerous.

But Gauss and Arya stood firm like stone.

The young people rushed past them like frightened rabbits, not looking back as they fled, only slowing down to glance back after some distance.

What they saw made their eyes widen.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three dazzling beams of deep blue Magical Energy almost simultaneously formed at the tip of Gauss’s Bone Wand.

They tore through the air, trailing comet-like light tails, shrieking as they pierced into the forefront of the frog horde!

Boom!

Splat—!

A dull impact and the sound of flesh being torn erupted together!

Like a red-hot knife slicing through butter.

In an instant, the blue Magical Energy shredded the flesh of the Rust Frogs.

The three hit frogs were flung like ragged sacks by the immense force.

Their tough skin was utterly powerless before the Magical Energy, torn open in an instant, filthy blood and entrails splattering everywhere, momentarily halting the ferocious charge of the frog swarm.

The few fleeing saw this and stopped, panting heavily, exchanging glances.

Did they… just run into some big shots?

But Gauss and Arya had no time to pay attention to the commotion behind them, focusing entirely on the approaching frog swarm.

Though it was a sudden ambush,

and not at all what they had planned—reach the Rust Frogs’ habitat, scout, confirm their numbers, decide on the battlefield, formulate a strategy…

They were always prepared for unexpected fights.

After all, this was the wilderness. One moment could be calm and cheerful; the next, a monster attack might break out.

Which was why Gauss reacted quickly. Almost as soon as the bystanders had passed, he had drawn his Bone Wand.

Fired a few Magic Missiles to intercept the enemy from afar.

This kind of rapid reaction came from his habit of constant practice.

Not only during commissions, but even while resting in town, he often engaged in similar ambush-speed training sessions.

In addition, some bonuses provided a bit of Gentle Help.

The swift casting attribute of the Bone Wand, the bonus from the Sub-core Skill Slot, and the Magic Missile lv3 (45/50), soon approaching lv4 proficiency, all made his Magic Missile both fast and accurate.

"Defeated Rust Frog *3"

The Monster Encyclopedia’s Common Monsters section welcomed its 13th unlocked entry.

Moreover, Gauss also successfully obtained a title effect targeting Rust Frogs.

"Acquired Title: 【Rust Frog Hunter】. This title will upgrade as the number of kills increases."

"Current Effect: Vibrating Claspers. Upon activation, causes a mental shock effect to Rust Frogs within 3 meters, applying 0.5 to 1 second of control."

By this time, Arya, who was half a beat slower than Gauss, also completed her casting preparation.

With the tip of her Wooden Wand tapping the ground,

Her wand emitted a verdant glow, and the energy brimming with vitality surged into the ground beneath her, rippling outward.

"Entangling Spell! Nature’s Bind!"

She pressed her left hand forward into the air.

This was her standard casting routine, relying on a combination of chant-like utterance and gestures for assisted spellcasting.

This made her casting speed slower than someone like Gauss, a specialized application-type magic user.

Fortunately, Gauss’s earlier missiles had bought her ample time.

Rumble!

In an instant, tough vines burst forth from the ground across the path.

Unlike when they faced the Giant Rat before, this time she exercised more restraint in casting Entangling Spell.

About ten vines stretched between them and the frog swarm,

Precisely blocking the advance, as if a deadly net had been laid.

The Rust Frogs, enraged by their kin’s deaths and shoved forward by the swarm behind, crashed unguardedly into the trap.

"Swish swish swish!"

The agile vines moved like living things, coiling tightly around their thick hind legs, suddenly constricting and dragging!

"Croak!"

Ulfen, who had been lurking in the grass at the flank, sprang out like a flash of grey lightning, biting hard into the neck of a Rust Frog ensnared by vines.

His sharp Wolf Fangs instantly tore through the tough skin, ripping off a large chunk of flesh.

Gauss didn’t pause. His wand swept again—"Fire Bolt!"

The air at the wand tip warped as orange-red fire elements rapidly gathered. A blazing small Fire Bolt took shape in an instant and shot forth!

Swish!

The bolt pierced the body of another Rust Frog bound by vines.

The intense heat scorched flesh instantly, emitting a sizzling sound and the smell of burning.

That Rust Frog twitched a few times before dying in the flames.

With lv3 proficiency, the casting of Fire Bolt was smooth and its power substantial.

This was also why Gauss chose to use Fire Bolt.

On one hand, he wanted to test the practical power of lv3 Fire Bolt; on the other hand, it consumed less magical energy than a downgraded Magic Missile.

Against enemies numerous but low in individual threat, Magic Missile felt like overkill.

Fire Bolt was simply more economical.

Of course, aside from its power, the triple-shot effect of Magic Missile remained irreplaceable when quick clearing was needed.

But right now, with the vines from Entangling Spell providing obstruction, there was no urgent need to quickly eliminate enemies. Gauss continued practicing through battle, using Fire Bolt.

"Fire Bolt!"

Each bolt flew like the finger of death, swiftly reaping the monsters.

The air began to fill with a peculiar aroma of roasted meat. Gauss sniffed—it was a smell he liked.

He couldn’t help but swallow a bit of saliva.

So fragrant...

Normally, after consuming magical energy, the Energy Storage Gland would trigger a sense of mild hunger, prompting him to replenish nutrients.

Now, smelling the fresh roasted scent—unlike cold, hard dried meat—his slight hunger quickly intensified severalfold.

If he remembered correctly, the Complete Ingredient Guide Around the Emerald Forest mentioned that Rust Frog thigh meat was edible?

That thought flashed through his mind, and the Fire Bolt in his hand flew even faster.

A sturdier Rust Frog broke through the vines and lunged at Arya.

Arya reacted swiftly, infusing her Oak Wand with the power of nature, and with a sound of rushing wind, slammed it hard into the frog’s forehead.

Bang! A muffled thud. The Rust Frog reeled, dazed.

Arya then quickly stepped back, opening up the line of sight, and Gauss’s Fire Bolt followed up seamlessly, precisely executing the stunned monster.

This was a tactic the two had discussed beforehand.

Arya’s kill potential was relatively weaker—whether Oak Club Technique, Animal Communication, Entangling Spell, or the Divine Berry Technique she was still learning—none were one-strike kill abilities.

No matter, as long as she could provide a stun, Gauss could clean up afterward.

Their regular drills had built solid synergy.

And after realizing Gauss’s astonishing kill efficiency, Arya no longer minded.

She could focus on doing her part well and leave the finishing to Gauss.

Though Druids did not shun killing, her skillset and specialization clearly showed she had little interest in direct combat.

Working with Gauss, she felt much more at ease.

Very soon, under their smooth coordination,

The group of Rust Frogs that had chased out was entirely eliminated.

The ground was littered with pits corroded by acid and marks left by their whipping tongues.

"Twenty-five," Arya quickly counted the bodies.

"Not all of them."

"The mission info said this group had around seventy. The rest are probably still back at their lair."

"Mm. Let’s rest a bit first." Gauss nodded, eyes scanning over his Attribute Panel.

"Total Monsters Defeated: 458"

Excluding the Goblins that occasionally "spawned" from the roadside bushes, during that brief encounter just now, he had defeated a total of 23 Rust Frogs.

The Gray Wolf Ulfen had injured quite a few Rust Frogs, and directly killed 2 of them.

In truth, if not for Gauss’s extremely high spell-kill efficiency,

With Ulfen’s agility and biting power, paired with Arya’s control, this Druid duo could have taken down those twenty-some Rust Frogs—it would have been only a matter of time.

But with Gauss present, the battle ended much faster.

That previous fight probably didn’t even last 3 minutes.

If they were a bit more mindful in the next battle, this mission would very likely push the total monster kills past the 500 milestone.

He was still 42 kills short, and there were nearly fifty Rust Frogs left in the Rust Frog lair.

It seemed he would need to talk to Arya and ask Ulfen to "hold back a little" in the next battle.

Gauss gazed at the scattered frog corpses on the ground, calculating silently.

He temporarily set aside his thoughts.

He and Arya began finishing off survivors and collecting the mission proof—in this case, the Rust Frogs’ long tongues.

While Gauss skillfully sliced the frogs' tongue roots with his Dagger, his gaze couldn’t help but linger on the Rust Frogs’ plump, sturdy thighs, the muscle lines clearly defined.

Those bulging frog legs glistened under the sunlight with a healthy sheen, and an image of a delicious bullfrog hotpot from his past life involuntarily surfaced in his mind—

What would the meat of these otherworldly giant frogs taste like? He was a little curious.

"Arya, are you hungry?"

"Huh?"

Arya, who was struggling to pry open a Rust Frog’s mouth to reach in and slice the tongue, turned her head in disbelief upon hearing the question.

If she remembered correctly, they had just left that village where they had lunch not too long ago, hadn’t they?

Hungry again already?

Then, seeing Gauss’s gaze fixed on the Rust Frog’s body on the ground, a suspicion arose in her mind.

He couldn’t possibly be thinking about….

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