Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest

"Cover you? What are you planning, to rush head-on or something- Agh! She's actually doing it!" Rita panicked, quickly recharging her gun with more Magic Bullets, and firing them at the tentacles coming towards me.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!

The tentacles exploded into pieces one after the other, her ability to combine her explosive dark magic spell with the bullet guns made for a deadly combination! Giving her magic was certainly the right call.

"Alright, we'll keep the tentacles at bay!" Said Mark, without even hesitating, he pushed forward and began slicing the tentacles using his fire-covered knife mercilessly. His movements were still rather clunky, but he was getting the hang of it very quickly.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

"Meow!"

Of course, Blackie, our fourth member wasn't just sitting idly anymore. He followed me very closely from behind, stopping any tentacle from drawing closer using his own Shadow Tentacles or even conjuring temporary Shadow Shields around me. I'll make sure to reward him with a tasty treat later.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

I kept running as I also blocked the tentacles using my brand new shield, it possessed a great defensive ability after having been made of different monsters, and even Gaia gave it her blessings as I utilized [Pathway] to connect to her powers momentarily to construct it.

"GRUOOOOHHHHH! S-SO HUNGRYYYYYY!"

The multiple heads of the Hollow Legion continued distorting monstrously, as I suddenly felt a phantasmal, dark power emerging from within him! Did he realized I was going for his weak spots already?!

FLUOOOSH!

A large phantasmal power emerged from the inside of the Hollow's mouth, as ghostly hands and faces emerged one after the other… this was certainly not the normal power of a Hollow!

"Shit, that thing's has been blessed by the power of Phantasmos?!" The Great Spirit realized it. "Elayne, defend!!!"

"Got it!"

I quickly imbued Mana into my shield stopping midway through.

"[Elemental Shield]!"

FLAAAAASH!

My shield began shining brightly, with fiery red and blue colors, and generated a barrier of multiple colors, resembling a rainbow, around my body!

BOOOOOOMMMM!!!

The phantasmal attack hit the Elemental Barrier and immediately started to dissolve apart.

"T-The power of Life…!"

"It reeks so much…!"

"Pain, agony!"

"I-I am being purified?!"

The monstrous ghosts and phantoms screamed in agony, as they started to dissolve one after the other! I see because this shield was made by Gaia…

[The [Roughly Made Monster Shield (D Rank Magic Shield)] Hidden Trait [Life's Shield] has been activated.]

[The power of [Pathway] is resonating with your shield.]

That voice again!

Well, thanks for the clarifications! Gaia probably left this gift for me while finishing the shield, and [Pathways] reacted to this and activated such Hidden Trait, amazing.

"I-IT HURTS?! GRUOOHHHH…!"

The Hollow Legion realized the pain was spreading around its body, as I utilized this moment to attack, I leaped forward, swinging my shovel at the red spots I could see through [Spiritual Gaze]!

CLASH!

"GRAAHHH…!"

BOOOM!

I hit one red spot and immediately, a part of the entire mass of the Hollow Legion exploded and disappeared, only leaving a Hollow Crystal behind.

"Again!"

CLAAASH!

"GRYYAAAH!"

BOOOM!

"And again and again!!!"

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

While defending myself using my shield and receiving the support of my friends from behind to handle the Hollow's deadly tentacle attacks, I continued hitting the Hollow Legion red spots constantly, overing myself on its black mud!

"Please, just rest!" I roared, as I pointed my shovel at the Hollow Legion's last red spot, piercing through it and then utilizing [Explosive Blow] on it!

FLAAAASH!

A burst of powerful mana and spiritual essence began entering the entire Hollow's body, inflating it like a balloon as it screamed in agony.

"GRUUUAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH….!"

BOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!

The Hollow Legion couldn't take it anymore, and it quickly exploded into countless pieces, leaving a large purple colored crystal behind too.

Silence and stillness finally took over our surroundings. We were… somehow able to win against such a formidable foe. I guess it is all thanks to proper preparation!

If we fought this thing without having awakened Mark or Rita, it would had been impossible, even less without this shield or their new magic weapons.

Thanks a lot for this gift as well, Gaia!

[The Divinity [All Mother of Life and Souls] smiles at your accomplishment.]

Huh? The voice again?

It can even tell me how Gaia feels?

Wait, could this voice… be an extension of [Pathway] somehow?

Well, I better concentrate on the present and not overthink things for now.

"W-We did it?!" Mark asked, in the floor, completely exhausted.

"I-I think so… Elayne, you're all covered in the mud!" Rita began laughing.

"Ahahaha…" I sighed, quickly beginning to store everything. "Phew… that was something else. I feel like sleeping for a week now…"

"No sleeping! We've got ourselves a nice loot of materials! Seven E Rank Magic Crystals and a big D Rank Magic Crystal from this single Hollow. With this you could grow pretty strong, but you need to hunt more! Are you planning on leaving these weird Hollows wandering around the town?" Te Great Spirit reprimanded me.

"R-Right, I can feel a few more wandering here and there, and we've only covered half the town with Charms… We've gotta hurry before morning comes." I said with a nod. "Everyone, let's go!"

"Hahhh… I am about to die, my entire body hurts like hell!" Rita complained, over the ground.

"I-I can't move…" Mark cried.

"Eh?" I wondered.

"Agh, they've ran out of mana and they're experiencing Mana Exhaustion. Give them some lemonade and lemon pie before departing." Said the Great Spirit. "Don't waste MP Potions though!"

"Geez you're so stingy." I sighed. "Here."

I still ended giving the two MP Potions for better recovery.

"Ahhh… Phew, alright, let's get going." Mark quickly stood up.

"Let me… stay here for a few more minutes…" Rita sighed.

"Rita just stand up…" I facepalmed.

And then…!

"Hey! Who's there?!"

"Did someone heard gunshots just now?!"

"There's people in the plaza! Is something happening?!"

Suddenly, tons of people living around began gathering around, the cops might be here at any moment at this rate. We have to get out of here as soon as possible!

"Agh! Blackie, quickly, bring us out of here!"

"Meow!"

Blackie ate a Hollow Crystal as a snack to recover MP and using his Shadow Sneak, he brought us out of the plaza.

Like that, we spent the rest of the night hunting, placing charms, and escaping from people's eyes. Ultimately, we slain 14 more Hollows, mostly F Rank, and a few E Rank ones.

Although everything ended fine, I could feel this Phantasmal Presence drawing closer.

Phantasmos might be here faster than we imagined… we need to hurry and grow stronger while we can.

Once we were finally in the barn with the cows and the horses, it was finally time to use our spoils for what we truly wanted, to grow stronger.

"Alright, seems like you guys have naturally developed a higher Maximum Mana quantity while fighting since your awakening." I said with a nod, as I used [Spiritual Gaze] to see through their Mana Veins and their Magic Circles, noticing the increase in Mana Density and Runes inside their Magic Circles. "Now the next step is to grow even stronger using our current spoils."