Chapter 380: All Mine
A gust of icy wind swept through, blanketing the world in a snowy white.
Well, to be honest, it was only partially white, specifically around the Tree Demon and Eber.
Then Yuliya yelled, “I’ve got the Tree Demon under control! Everyone, hit it hard!”
Water surged forth, followed by ice—classic mage control tactics. As long as you could wield those two elements, you were golden.
I previously said I wouldn’t hit teammates, so I guess going for control should be safe.
“Hey, Captain! Why aren’t you attacking? This is a golden opportunity; stop daydreaming!”
Eber shuddered a couple of times and finally started moving.
He was not the main target of magic, so he quickly regained himself.
“Riya…” Martina hesitated, finally sighing and asking, “Do you know any other spells?”
“Sure! What do you need?”
“Something with a smaller range, a bit… gentler.”
“Then how about some lightning? You know, the tingling kind.”
Eber overheard their conversation.
Lightning?
He glanced down and noticed there was still water on the ground. Can I even use lightning here?
Suddenly, he released a wave of wind energy.
He gasped in surprise. Just got frozen, now I’m getting blown around! Even my own wind is chilly!
But I can’t just stand here!
Gathering the wind element around his sword, he took a couple of running steps and jumped ten meters high.
With the Tree Demon frozen, this was the perfect moment to strike.
Seizing his chance, when he reached the apex of his leap, he unleashed his gathered energy.
“Wind Cutter!”
He swung his sword from above, and the swirling wind exploded outwards.
The ice shattered, leaves fell off, and the trunk was slashed cleanly in two.
The Tree Demon—kaput.
Eber landed and performed a flashy flourish with his sword, sheathing it while leaving the others with a dashing silhouette.
“Awesome!”
“Powerful and handsome strike!”
The others erupted into applause.
But Yuliya didn’t care and just kept staring at him.
Finally, two seconds later, Eber shook himself, curled up a bit, and muttered, “So cold… is my wind still blowing? Why’s it still windy?”
Yuliya heard and grinned, pretending she had no idea what was happening.
But the wind element in her hidden hand was swirling around.
Like to show off, huh? Let’s see how much you can take!
Yuliya wasn’t just messing with Eber because she found him annoying; it was also a test of his skill.
“Well, it looks like he really is Gold Level Advanced.”
He should be no mistake in terms of ability, but how has he been affecting the spirits of the other four?
After the battle, they collected their loot.
Eber’s precious crystals were among them.
Then, they moved on to their next target.
All along the way, Eber remained pushed five meters away by Yuliya, while the other four started giving her tips.
In battle, this is what you should do, and that is how you should do it.
Though she had made a critical control move in the earlier fight, she still affected her teammates, which was a big no-no.
Criticize all you want; Yuliya expected this outcome. If you stir up trouble, you’ve got to pay the price.
But she just let it go in one ear and out the other.
I acknowledge my mistake, but I’ll dare to do it again.
Except I’ll be better at it next time.
The fault isn’t in causing trouble; it’s in getting caught while doing it. If no one notices, no problem!
Nobody knows mischief like I do; the slip-up just now was a deliberate show.
They continued hunting, picking off weaker, individual elite monsters.
After taking down three and snagging three crystals, they paused to rest and prepare for the next step.
During this time, Yuliya continued her playful antics, but very discreetly.
For example, she would skew the BOSS’s attacks, making it look like Eber was awkwardly dodging what he’d normally handle.
Or something mysterious would suddenly appear on the ground, making him trip like a dog.
Or an inexplicable attack would stab him out of nowhere, leading him to yelp.
Overall, Yuliya thought he should feel humiliated, his dignity in shambles.
Yet everyone else acted as if they didn’t see a thing, going on with their lives while Eber remained the fine lord of his harem.
Tsk, what a crafty ability.
Yuliya grumbled internally.
She then decided to stop, realizing it was pointless and wanting to push him into that so-called Hidden Layer to see what he was really up to.
“Let’s take a break before moving down,” Eber declared, plopping down five meters away.
Rowlin walked over to Yuliya and asked, “Riya, did you bring any snacks?”
Free food?!
Yuliya perked up at that.
“I have a little, but not much.”
Let’s see what you’ve got!
“Perfect! Try this; it’s our family specialty!”
Specialty—how delightful and delicious those words sound!
Yuliya took a small piece of something that looked like cake and inspected it.
Upon a closer look, her eyes narrowed.
This had some sketchy ingredients mixed in!
And in her perception, Eber was lurking nearby, discreetly watching this interaction… specifically her.
Looks like this suspect mix was Eber’s doing; maybe this was how he controlled these people.
Feeling cautious, Yuliya continued to act natural, glancing and sniffing at the food.
“Smells great!”
“Then give it a taste!”
“Okay!”
Without hesitation, she popped it into her mouth.
“Riya… no need to rush. Even as adventurers, girls can eat elegantly.”
“But I’m already eating elegantly… At home, I can gulp down twice this size.”
“Uh…”
“Rowlin, do you have more? This is delicious!”
“Sure, want to try some more?”
Yuliya snagged five pieces in a row.
By the third piece, Eber had already shifted his gaze, no longer paying attention.
Perfect.
Yuliya felt satisfied.
Even if she was tempted, she wouldn’t take the bait knowing there were suspicious ingredients. She just timed it perfectly to take the food away.
She also kept an eye on what the others were eating—nothing sketchy there.
Looks like getting hit once really messes things up.
So, the little food thief was getting her groove on.
“Dora, this looks super delicious!”
“Martina, can I try this?”
“Gillian, you didn’t make this yourself, did you? Wow! If I could have just a bite, I’d be so happy!”
In the end, Yuliya shared half her food with them, proving that sisterly bonds are indeed strong.
Each of the four happily split half their snacks with her.
Eber tried to get in on it but was swiftly shooed away by Yuliya.
You chew your bun over there! They’re all mine! Total buffet!
