I peek down below while hiding on top of the Great Tree’s branches.
I can’t see the bouncing woman head and the headless naked man anywhere. They must’ve stopped following us.
Phew, we managed to shake off those disgusting Adam and Eve……

I stick out my tongue to let Alo out, but instead of a little girl, a ball of hardened mud comes rolling out in her place.
Huh…… what’s this? Was what I thought when the ball suddenly breaks apart, revealing Alo inside.
She must’ve used〖Clay〗when I put her in my mouth.

Y-You hate it that much, do you…… well, yeah, it does smell like dragon.
Let’s get out of here for now and go someplace safer.

…… No, those Adams might still be searching for us, maybe it’s better to stay put for the time being.
They can jump up pretty high, but I don’t think they’d want to risk damaging the tree by starting a fight here.
It might not be a bad idea to carve up a hole in the Great Tree’s trunk and make a temporary nest for ourselves.

Then, all of a sudden, I sensed something approaching us.
Staying on this tree might not be completely safe……

When I turned to look at the direction where I felt the presence, there was nothing there.
Partner then gave me a headbutt.

【“Look harder!”】

Listening to Partner, I narrow my eyes and look…… there’s an area in the branches that seemed awfully distorted and wavy.
How do I say this… it’s like the color of that part of the branch looks unnatural……

I spit at the branch and my spit becomes suspended in mid-air.
There seems to be something over there that’s bending the light and camouflaging itself.

“Ssssss……”

It then crawled around the branch, unveiling its emerald-like body.
It’s a…… snake, I think.
No, it’s a human with a snake’s body.
But, it’s face isn’t human. The area on its left eye contains three red eyes and its mouth keeps drooling some drippy liquid.
It has long dark purple hair. The left side of its hair is shaved off, exposing its pink, bubbly brain.
It even has a crippled wing sprouting on its left shoulder.

【〖Chimera Lich〗: Rank B monster】
【It is the byproduct of a sorcerer who desired immortality by going against God’s Principles and became a monster.】
【The person may have been revered to as a hero in its past, but now, it will not hesitate to cut down its own allies.】
【Driven only by madness, it has no recollection of its own past.】

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
〖Djee Tetrom〗
Species: Chimera Lich
Status: Cursed
Lv: 67/80
HP: 295/295
MP: 326/326
Attack: 307
Defense: 358
Magic: 411
Speed: 420
Rank:Ｂ

Characteristic Skills:
〖Magical Talent: Lv8〗〖Grisha Language: Lv1〗〖Undead: Lv—〗
〖Automatic HP Recovery: Lv7〗〖Automatic MP Recovery: Lv7〗〖Tentacles: Lv2〗
〖Discoloration: Lv—〗〖Incognito: Lv4〗〖Presence Sense: Lv4〗
〖Flight: Lv2〗〖Dark Element: Lv—〗

Resistances:
〖Unchangeable Status: Lv—〗

Normal Skills:
〖High Rest: Lv6〗〖Care: Lv5〗〖High Power: Lv5〗
〖Dark Rest: Lv4〗〖Dark Sphere: Lv7〗〖Decaying Breath: Lv3〗

Titles:
〖White Mage: Lv7〗〖Black Mage: Lv7〗〖Ex-Hero: Lv—〗
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

Another weird one has showed up……
And, it’s got a name…… This makes me feel bad for it now……

Against a Rank A like me, it’s not worth my time.
If it’s gonna attack us, then I’ll just chase it awa-……

…… No, wait…… Won’t this be perfect training for Alo and the others?
Since we’re planning to dive into the ruins again, Alo being C+ aside, Petite Nightmare and Treant needs a rank up too.

Alright, I’ll devote myself to support this time.
A Chimera Lich…… its level and rank are high, but its HP seems rather low.
If their attacks get through, they should be capable of beating it on their own.
This is great. If they beat that thing, they’ll gain massive level ups.
They’re all close to max level. One of them might even evolve.

If everyone becomes at least B or C+, then our combinations will surely work against those Adams.
Right. So after this, we’re back to exploring the ruins.

But wait, Alo and the rest can’t beat its speed.
And, Petite Nightmare’s poison won’t work on it since its status can’t be changed.

“Gru~u~o!”

Hearing my roar, Alo jumps up on my head, Treant positions himself to my right, and Petite Nightmare hangs upside down on a branch near Partner.

Best to have them stay close to us for now.
A direct hit from a Rank B will still cause serious damage to Alo and the others.

Alo kneels and touches my head with both hands.
She’s using〖Mana Drain〗.
Black light appears on my head which then gets absorbed inside Alo.
Alo should have max MP right now…… but, absorbing magic from me increases the power of her own magic.
Rank B or not, it should still be wary of getting hit by a powered up attack such as this.

Go, Alo!
Hit it hard with your first strike!

Alo holds her hands up towards the Chimera Lich.
At the same time, however, Treant gathered a ball of earth in front of his face and shot it at the Lich.
Must be one of the skills he obtained from the Fruit of Wisdom,〖Clay Sphere〗.

The Chimera Lich did not move a muscle. As for the clay sphere, it didn’t even reach the Lich and only hit the branch it’s on.
Alo looked at Treant, stumped.

…… W-Well, Treant has a magical power of 65, while the Chimera Lich has a defense of 358.
It wouldn’t have dealt much damage even if it had hit.

Treant, you…… you just wanted to try out your new skills, didn’t you……
I know the feeling…… I’ve been there too……

【“…………”】

Treant tried to spout an excuse, but couldn’t say it and just looked away.
Don’t sulk now! Front! Face front!

“Shaaaaaaa!”

The Chimera Lich spreads out its one wing and glides down to our branch.
With its dislodged mouth open, it prepares to swing its claw at me.
Suddenly, it freezes in mid-air, and I notice there’s a thin red line wrapping around it.
Petite Nightmare had already prepared a trap.
Nightmare then spits out more webs at the Lich.

However, when Alo was about to raise her arm at the Lich again, it shook off Nightmare’s webs and lunges at me.
The difference in their status is too wide, I see……

I swat the Chimera Lich away with one claw.
It splats on the branch and bounces away.
Despite that, it still stood back up again and glared at me.

Finally realizing I’m a threat, it lowers its posture and watches my every move.
…… At this rate, the others will never hit it it with their speed.
It doesn’t look like it intends to run away, but I want to keep my involvement in this battle to a minimum, otherwise, most of the exp points will go to me.