The Pathfinders had gained the lowest levels because they were always traveling. Delivering the other members to different locations and transporting their loot and supplies.
Smoke had the highest level increase. He gained 13 levels! His solo mission in Mount Gliseloc opened his eyes to the infinite possibilities of his Beggar job.
From his adventure in Mount Gliseloc, he transmuted a composite powersaw bow. He used Darius' composite bow as the base item and added in the legs from the powersaw crickets and the armband from the water lamia boss Aquaria.
His new bow now had an attack power of 30 which is far greater than the old one which only had 10. This was also one of the main reasons why he was successful against the gargantuan flying lemurs and their boss Cologus.
With his new composite powersaw bow and arrows made out of iron owl feathers and phasmatodea bones, he should have been able to do 2800 as a normal damage and 7000 on his critical attack but since he still had the first level of the Beggar job he can only do 700 on a normal attack and 1750 on a critical attack.
Creating a master battle plan was one of Smoke's prerequisites before engaging an enemy. Using the dimensions from Thyrsus reconnaissance mission. Smoke plotted out the entire forest of the Maneator. Including himself, Sierra, and his private army, he had a total of eleven persons at his disposal.
He divided his force into four groups. The first group consisted of Smoke and Sierra which would enter from the north side of the forest. The second group was composed of Ichaival, Sharanga, and Jinggu. This group would enter from the south. The third group had Adder, Thyrsus, and Gandiva as its members. They would use the entrance on the east. While the last group made up of Vijaya, Laernea, and Sharur would take the path on the west entrance.
The first phase of Smoke's plan was to wipe out the monsters in the outer layer of the forest. Despite the fact that the monsters in the outer layer only have a level of about 50, a potential dying member of his army trying to escape could still die if it encountered one of them.
Safety was Smoke's highest priority. He knew that there definitely will be injuries but aimed for zero casualties.
With their current levels and abilities he estimated that it shouldn't take them more than three hours to clear out the entire outer layer of the forest.
Each group started on their assigned entrances and began their first phase systematically. Smoke together with Sierra were unstoppable. They made a competition out of their clearing phase.
Smoke used his ability 'Cunning of the Dire Fox' while Sierra used her 'Animal Instinct' ability to detect the monsters. Each one of them killed the monsters instantly.
Sierra only needed to one hit the stone deers, where as Smoke would release two arrows to kill the same monster. However, Smoke had more kills than her because of his range attack.
This made Sierra furious. She started running in front of Smoke, charging at the monsters from all directions blocking his view.
He quickly understood what she was doing. In response, he jumped up and climbed the trees. From there his view became unobstructed.
However, during the time that he was climbing up the tree, Sierra had already moved further ahead wiping out the monsters in her way.
All the monsters that were left were the iron owls perched on top of the branches. Smoke quickly dealt with them and chased after Sierra.
At the entrance of the inner layer of the forest the final score was 151 monsters for Smoke and 104 monsters for Sierra.
"You do realize that my main role is a tank right? You should have gotten twice no thrice my kills."
"I don't recall putting our roles as one of the factors into our game? Yet, you're right I should have gotten at least twice my number of kills if there wasn't a certain WereBear blocking my sight."
The two of them bantered on as Smoke shot a purple flare arrow into the air, indicating that their side of the forest has been cleared out.
About twenty minutes later a green flare arrow lit up the sky, it was on the east side of the forest. Adder and his team had already cleared their side as well. A few minutes later two flare arrows lit up at the same time. Jinggu's team and Sharur's team both finished at the same time.
The divided army all waited for Smoke's signal to begin phase two of his battle plan. Smoke and Sierra stepped into the inner layer of the forest. There they saw the cave of the Maneator.
It had been nine months since Smoke was last here. He waited for the Maneator to come out of his cave shouting a deafening roar just like before. He waited and waited but after five minutes of waiting there was still dead silence.
"How did the start of your fight with the Maneator go again? Didn't he come out of his cave roaring?"
"No, he was out here just standing there. Staring into the sky. I thought that he looked like he was a deep in thought. I tried moving closer to get a better look at him. That's when he noticed me. We just stared at each other for what felt like hours. It didn't feel like he was going to attack me. He just stared at me."
"Are you sure? I can't imagine him being like that at all. Oh, it was a ploy right? He wanted you to get closer and then he attacked you."
"Maybe, all I remember was that once I got to those patch of yellow flowers, he came charging at me. It was like a switch was turned on which made him into a killing machine. Of course I welcomed the challenge but then realized that he was too strong to handle alone."
"Mind games huh? I knew it! That sadistic bastard. He wanted to make you think that he was all calm and passive but the moment you got into his reach he attacked you."
"Why don't you initiate phase two then?"
"Well, I originally envisioned him to jump right out and charge us. That's why the rest of our army are just waiting as well. I guess I'll be the one to yell out this time."
Smoke checked on the locations of his scattered private army. They were already to do their part of the plan. He breathed in deeply and yelled.
"MANEATOR!!! I've come for your Head!!!"
Slowly the humongous head of the Maneator came out of his cave. It sluggishly stepped out and stretched both his arms after making a huge yawn.
Smoke was furious. The Maneator was making fun of him. He has been waiting for this moment for a long time and this beast was just yawning like he wasn't a threat at all.
He readied his arrows infused with Igniz's fire. With boiling rage he released all eight arrows, aimed at vulnerable places.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1748.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1758.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1749.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1752.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1749.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1755.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1748.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 1753.
This made the Maneator's eyes blood red, hot steam was coming out of his body. The beast arched his back and bolted towards Smoke. Immediately Smoke gave his signal to open fire.
With the sudden onslaught of arrows, the beast stopped as it tried to see the locations of his attackers. The Maneator was a stationary target and continued to receive attacks from all four sides.
Smoke's private army used different kinds of elemental enhancements on their specialized arrows. Some used the poison pellets, while others used the spark stone.
Seeing this opportunity Sharanga's falcon released the net trap above the Maneator. The beast looked up to see the trap falling down and at the same time Sharanga drew in closer to set her five trap system.
The Maneator noticed everything. In a fluid series of motions, the legendary monster jumped up, grabbed the net, attacked the falcon, and before landing to the ground trapped Sharanga with her own net.
Sharanga was caught in her own net but not before she released her five trap system. When the Maneator landed the five traps automatically attached themselves to the Maneator burdening him for 500 kilos.
The enraged Maneator slashed the netted Sharanga knocking her back against the tree. Her lifebar displayed that she only had (23,620/68,850 HP) left.
Smoke immediately created layers of earth wall protecting Sharanga from any further harm and made it so that the ground that she was on would carry her outside of the Maneator's reach.
Seeing the injured Sharanga, Ichaival gained some inexplicable attack speed. He continued firing at the Maneator with all his might.
The Maneator was momentarily dazed by the added weight from Sharanga's five trap system. Everyone except Smoke and Sierra continued firing their range attacks at the beast.
Sierra charged towards the Maneator while everyone else kept on attacking. The beast recognized the WereBear and laughed. It appears to have remembered her cowardly escape.
The smug smile from the Maneator was met with two claws as Sierra used her 'Double Slash' ability against him, because of the added weights from the five trap system, the Maneator could no longer be knocked back by her ability. Yet, he received the attacks with a smile. The Maneator taunted everyone as his lifebar still indicated that he still had (212,016/300,000 HP) left.
Not minding the continued rain of arrows, the Maneator slashed Sierra which revealed her lifebar to have (219,200/242,200 HP).
With both his monstrous arms up in the air, the Maneator was ready to pound Sierra down to the ground. However, Sharur and Jinggu finally finished their super charged spiral piercing bolts from their ballistae. Two spiraling fire bolts attacked the beast from his backside.
Immediately he felt his defenses decrease. The arrow attacks now had more damage. The five falcons circling up in the air dove down, each assaulting the Maneator's head with their heads.
Sierra immediately took advantage of the distraction and she continued to use her 'Double Slash' ability. While Adder finally came up from behind and did a series of back attacks.
The Maneator's lifebar now displayed (121,440/300,000 HP). He steadied both his feet on the ground and used his Roar.
"ROOOOOAAAAAARRRRARRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Everybody in the area except for Sierra got stunned for two seconds. He grabbed the stunned Adder with his left claw and teared into Adder's stomach with his right. Adder's lifebar showed (30,428/93,000 HP).
Sierra gathered all her strength and mana and used her newly learned ability 'WereBear X Slash' which finally pushed the Maneator backwards for about ten meters, freeing Adder from his grasp.
Reflexively the Maneator's Regeneration Ability kicked in. His life began to increase while a wide shadow crossed the ground swiftly.
This made the Maneator look up only to see Smoke brandishing two green dual knives, the 'Tails of the Virile and Fecund Lizards'.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 787.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 779.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 788.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 776.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 787.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 777.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 786.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 787.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 788.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 779.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 787.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 786.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 787.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 776.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +FIRE DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 787.
+ Atk hits Maneator: König Mitleid. +PSN DMG. BACK ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT. Damage 779.
Smoke's single attack with the green dual knives was much lower when compared to his composite powersaw bow. However, the reason why he used the knives wasn't for their damage. It was for their special ability 'Paralysis'. He also used Igniz's fire enhancement on Virile knife while he used the poison pellets on the Fecund knife.
