Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 339: Chapter 244: Ghoul_2

At that same time, William also added a comment, ”I wasn’t entirely sure before, because the mingling of two scents indicated that when the monster left, its stench was undoubtedly mixed with the smell of blood. It seems like after killing, the monster returned the way it came.”

To the north... Lance looked toward the indicated direction, his expression turning peculiar, but he quickly made a decision.

”Let’s go!”

Lance waved his hand grandly and set off toward the target direction...

Tracking was a monotonous affair, requiring constant vigilance against potential enemies and great expenditure of energy. Moreover, the dense jungle blocked out sunlight, making the entire process silent and oppressive.

Lance had been concerned that Boudica, with her impatient nature, might not stand up to the tension. However, as they progressed, she showed no obvious signs of strain. Her attention remained focused on remaining vigilant of their surroundings.

The group delved deeper into an area they had never visited before. The wilderness was vast, and the Witch’s corrupted region was just a small part of it. Without clear reconnaissance, no one knew what lay within.

However, with William along, Fergus’s powerful sense of smell quickly proved effective for scouting.

Fergus, leading the way, suddenly stopped and sniffed ahead before crouching down.

Seeing this, William turned to look at Zong Rui and raised his hand to point forward, ”The scent is right ahead.”

The squad advanced a few hundred meters further and soon discovered a disorderly graveyard in the wilderness. Its origins were unknown, but such sites were not uncommon in the wilds.

”Prepare for battle,” Lance gestured, and the team began to adjust their formation. Balistan took the lead, William moved to the third position, and Lance and Wang Cai still controlled the rear, guarding against possible enemies.

As the team advanced, Lance’s gaze swept over the graveyard, where many graves had been dug open, and Skeletons were strewn about carelessly.

Following the scent, the squad quickly stopped at the entrance to a tomb, which was already in ruins. The Stone Gate of the tomb was destroyed, leaving only a dark passage extending downward.

A person of average means might only manage a thin wooden coffin, buried directly in the ground. Those with some wealth and status might use stone caskets. As for these elaborate stone-built tombs, only Nobility of distinguished lineage could afford them.

At the entrance of the tomb, without needing William to say a word, Lance and the others could already detect a strong putrid stench. What might have once been a noble’s peaceful resting place was now inhabited by a monster.

Lance noted the scattered Skeletons around the area, and the dried, dark-brown bloodstains on nearby stones, prompting him to caution, ”Be careful. Whatever is hiding inside is not something simple. I’ll lead.”

The cramped space would restrict the team, and the darkness was oppressive, not to mention the uncertainty of what lay inside or whether there were traps.

The others didn’t question his decision, for they all knew their Lord’s strength surpassed their own.

Suddenly, Fergus barked fiercely toward the entrance, and William’s expression immediately tensed.

”Enemy...”

Before he could finish, the scent from the tomb surged forth, bringing with it an indescribable foulness that instantly overwhelmed them with suffocating dizziness.

But the monster didn’t pause. A muffled sound came from within, and a tall figure rushed out. Before they could react further, it raised a claw in attack.

In fact, even before his shout, the others had also realized the threat. The earlier adjustment of the team paid off, as Balistan promptly raised his Shield to the forefront.

The old, worn Shield, no longer able to withstand increasingly fierce battles, had been discarded long ago. Now he wielded a sturdy Shield specially crafted by Winston.

The claw scraped across the Shield, producing only a grating noise of metal on metal, and the tremendous force it carried was skillfully deflected by Balistan. No enemy could harm his companions under his protection!

The two forces separated as quickly as they had clashed, and the buffer Balistan created allowed Lance and the others to get a clear view of their attacker.

Though humanoid, it was surely not human.

It towered over two meters tall. Its face lacked a nose, instead featuring deep hollows and completely white eyes. It had a mouth full of what could truly be called fangs, still tinged with the crimson of dried blood. The entire head appeared as a crazed, hairy skull wrapped in skin.

The monster’s form was emaciated, its abdomen sunken as if devoid of internal organs. However, beneath its ashen skin, prominent chunks of muscle jutted out, and spikes grew from its spine.

Its arms dangled down to its knees, covered with sparse hair resembling steel needles, and the hands were grotesquely mutated into sharp claws, stained crimson with blood.

”It’s a Ghoul, a creation of Necromancy.”

Lance swept his gaze over it, and although he had gleaned some information from the diary earlier, now he was able to confirm the monster’s identity directly.

But there was no time for contemplation amidst the fight, as Boudica had already reacted, raising her War Halberd and charging at the creature; she craved battle!

”Take this halberd thrust!”

Boudica swung her newly forged War Halberd—what kind of quality materials and craftsmanship could the Barbarian Tribes possibly have? The scraps they got from the Empire were treasured like gems.

But now this halberd, crafted from fine steel, was something Boudica was eager to test with the blood of her enemies.

The Ghoul showed no weakness either, going so far as to raise its hand and swipe at Boudica.

Compared to Balistan’s hammer, the War Halberd could inflict more direct and powerful damage. However, when the halberd’s blade met the claw, it failed to slice through, cutting into the Flesh only a bit before getting caught.

Boudica realized the monster’s formidable defense and tried to pull out her War Halberd, but it was firmly stuck, and she found herself overpowered in terms of strength.

Damn it, in the tribe, not even grown warriors could outmatch me in strength, so how is it that everyone I encounter here is stronger than me?

But there was no time for complaints in the midst of battle as the Ghoul’s other claw was already swiping at her.

”Monster!” With a fierce shout, Balistan charged with his Shield and rammed it directly into the side of the creature.

A charge required technique, especially when carrying a Shield, as the force fed back directly to the body and there had to be a way to dissipate it.

And now, Balistan targeted the Ghoul’s comparatively weak legs. If he could break one, it would cripple its mobility. The force feedback from such an impact, due to the leg’s deformation, wouldn’t be instantaneous but elongated, making it easier to bear.

Yet, when the collision happened, the sensation felt less like Flesh and more like sturdy tree trunks—unmovable, with the force reverberating back onto him instantly.

Fortunately for Balistan, this was not an issue, as he used the force to retreat a few steps and reopen the distance.

This, however, was enough to disrupt the Ghoul’s attack, forcing it to release the War Halberd, and a liberated Boudica didn’t hesitate to swing another halberd strike.

Meanwhile, Balistan retrieved his Morningstar Hammer and, attacking from another angle, repeatedly swung at the Ghoul’s knee joints.

And Wang Cai, who had been itching for extra prey, circled around to the back and suddenly pounced, biting hard into the Ghoul’s hind leg and ferociously tearing at it.

Wang Cai’s sharp teeth were capable of breaking bones, and this bite directly sent the already besieged Ghoul into a furious state.

It opened its mouth and let out a roar.

Lance only saw a dense, dark gray ripple emerge from its mouth, spreading through the air like waves.

In an instant, it encompassed both the warriors and the wolf.

Balistan, closest due to his Shield’s protection, heard the sound. Instantly, the howls of a thousand angry spirits echoed in his mind. Fear and other negative emotions surged, threatening to make him turn and flee.

Boudica also felt the voices swirling around her head, but the power of the war scars on her made her more resistant.

And the Ghoul’s roar had infuriated Boudica even further—You’re not the only one who can shout!

”WAAAGH!!!”

The tribal war cry rose, with the light of the war scars shining on Boudica’s body, and the faint form of the Female Lion Roar emerging.

This Supernatural Power, carried by her voice, swept over the Ghoul, and in that moment, it was the one immobilized.