239 A Farmer's Potential
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Joan quickly intercepted the Red Oni’s attack with everything he had, using the strength of his legs to resist the great attack, as the flames exploding out of the sword spread out rapidly. His body was being burned! However, from within his spear, a large quantity of darkness emerged, slightly covering his body from the flames and stopping the burning sensation. Joan, protected by also the steel armor he was wearing, quickly decided to attack back while the Red Oni was in midair, pointing the spear’s tip into the Demon’s head and moving it up by spinning it through a “drill technique” he often used against stubbornly tough foes!
CLAAASH!
“GRAAAAHH…!”
The Red Oni cried, as his left eye was pierced by Joan’s spear, but the spear did not stop there, piercing forward through the bone and reaching the skull’s interior, scrambling the interior of the demon’s skull and quickly cracking the head open!
BOOM!
The Red Oni’s head exploded, as Joan was left covered on its own flesh and blood. The spear’s darkness was like a gluttonous specter, quickly absorbing the guts covering him alongside the blood, and even he curses and the flames… he was wounded, but not terribly as he had expected to end against a Curse Flame user.
“Hahh… That’s the eighth Oni of today.” Sighed Joan for a few seconds to regain his breath, as he suddenly felt something within the depth of his soul awaken, information rushed into his head, as he heard the voice of the world announcing something.
“Skill Proficiency has reached the required amount.”
“The Skill [Bloody Harvest: Lv1] has been learned.”
“The Skill [One with the Earth: Lv1] has been learned.”
“What the…?”
Joan had stopped learning Skills years ago. He had thought he had reached the limit of how many Skills a Farmer Talent with a low rarity as One Star could ever learn… But after having slain so many foes, led a group of knights and soldiers into a war, and having defeated powerful demons, he was rewarded by the voice of the world. His own Talent was still developing and evolving, even if he never thought about it too deeply.
“I thought I would never learn a new skill again… But why now of all times?!”
Joan always thought that he was rusty by now, but these two new Skills developing within him made him feel anew, Blake’s father still had room to grow, he had simply needed more time to develop than others. The young man gasped for air for a bit in disbelief, quickly running back with the rest and finding Lukas fighting the other Imps, giving them a hand right away.
He had no time to test his skills nor even see their descriptions, as that wasn’t even an option to begin with! People only had a very limited understanding of their capabilities and skills, and were not even able to properly understand the concept of levels, especially commoners. Thanks to his Grimoire, Blake was able to see through his own status in fine detail, but other people were only left to assume things based in what they heard from the voice they called “the voice of the world” which announced their growth every time they leveled up or gained skills.
This is why they often called these occurrences as “Blessings from the Holy Spirits” as such a calming voice was always thought to be that of one of the Holy Spirits, and therefore, hearing its voice was attributed to receiving their blessing. Joan couldn’t help but smile as he slew Imps, while still tired and exhausted, he suddenly stepped in the floor and felt something strange, it was bending slightly to his weight? It was something that had not happened before.
“What is this…?!”
“GROOOARRR!”
However, before Joan could test further what was this new power, the Demon Giant, which these last ten minutes has been running towards them finally reached the frontlines, stepping into the floor and making everything tremble!
BOOOM!!!
The enormous foot of the giant were thunderingly hitting the floor, cracking it down and generating large holes where knights, soldiers, and villagers alike became trapped within the rocks and stones, left to their demise as a giant foot crushed their entire bodies like ants.
CRAAASH!
“Gryyyaaaah!”
“H-Help!”
“Gruuuaaaahhh!!!”
The gruesome scene could not be stopped as the agonizing cries of the soldiers fighting the war resonated across the battlefield, Joan gritted his teeth angrily as he immediately decided to run straight towards the Giant Demon recklessly. Because the demons constantly poured from all sides, the formations were being constantly broken and only the generals could keep the men together, there were many faraway groups too far to unify with Joan’s large group of fighters, and because of their lack of coordination, they were being massacred like flies.
Lukas noticed Joan charging forward without stopping, swinging his spear fiercely as he slew more demons, the battle was becoming more and more intense as death was creeping in the backs of everybody. Any misstep and their death would be guaranteed, the young knight knew that Joan was someone incredible, and he was already willing to give up his life to defend this village and avenge his fallen comrades with this inspiring man, quickly roaring back at the men with him.
“CHARGE! Follow Joan!” He roared loudly, stepping forward rapidly as he used his spirit to defend from the large groups of Imps jumping towards him like bugs, which he slew with the swing of his blade one after the other!
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
“Hahh… We gotta hurry… Hurry!” He roared fiercely, as the rest of the men followed the young knight from behind. Someone, however, was more distinguished than the rest, another Hunter perhaps in a similar level than Joan at this point, with a blazing dog at his side and a strange spear cursed with demon blood as well.
“Sir Gradus, you’re here!” Lukas said with a smile.
“I’ve managed to get through and join your party…! That insane man… is he really planning to take down that monster?!” Asked Gradus, an old friend of Joan.
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