
帶隊開始爬山壁的塔庫魯,爬到一半時往後關照一下後面的隊友們
在確定塔庫魯露出興奮又專注的表情,確認他確實有學習的意願後,泰倫斯才點點頭,說道:「好,我來示範一次斧技,你仔細看。時間有限,看你能學多少就學多少!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAKAlMqAXAVV
125Please respect copyright.PENANA9LxQOOp7nF
塔庫魯用力點頭。他在特遣隊學過短兵器的搏擊術,但這把鐵斧的長度遠超過短刀,揮舞起來簡直像是在揮棒球棍,一味追求力量與準度,從未真正理解長斧的運用。125Please respect copyright.PENANABHA9opeJ6h
125Please respect copyright.PENANAv28kaqgt1L
此刻有機會學到真正的鐵斧戰技,他自然雙眼睜得大大的,目不轉睛。125Please respect copyright.PENANAW7QEdiCxqY
125Please respect copyright.PENANACog1Ldup0e
泰倫斯沉穩地踏出馬步,手腕靈活地控制著斧柄,時而以肩膀作為樞紐劃出圓弧,時而腰部蓄力,讓斧刃如同蛇行閃擊般翻飛。每一斧,既有破壞力,也兼顧了重心與防守的轉換。125Please respect copyright.PENANAMMguue3cv3
125Please respect copyright.PENANAPDB6AI2YSS
「記住,」泰倫斯邊演示邊說,「斧子不是單靠蠻力亂砍,是要『牽、引、劈、封』,每一下都有它的脈絡。你用腰轉帶動肩,肩帶動手,力量層層疊加,才能打出真正的破壞。」125Please respect copyright.PENANAdP5wQ8BRUM
125Please respect copyright.PENANAKmSjO8TA77
塔庫魯聽得心頭一震,猛點頭暗記。125Please respect copyright.PENANA2EViKD9mXA
125Please respect copyright.PENANAlOU8VjSHMH
125Please respect copyright.PENANAOA6dg97R7H
125Please respect copyright.PENANAWxnomG3vX2
等到公主的法力恢復,已是上午十點多,太陽炙熱刺眼。這時,公主手中的法杖重新亮起淡藍色的光芒,周圍空氣瞬間變得涼爽起來。125Please respect copyright.PENANAjQqsLFOQi0
125Please respect copyright.PENANALn7Y2GYEiM
副隊長泰倫斯開口道:「敬愛的公主,我們這些都是皮糙肉厚的傢伙,應該不需要您這麼費心的浪費法力來為我們降溫庇護吧?」125Please respect copyright.PENANA2oAqzKKvku
125Please respect copyright.PENANAkljEd02Xy0
公主微笑搖頭:「不是為了降溫。那只是副作用。出了天門後,空氣中有種致命的孢子——『殺手孢子』。除了這位山蠻人,其他人若不幸的吸入一枚,不是立刻死亡,就是痛苦煎熬數日後才死去。我剛才延遲恢復,是因為一邊充能,一邊維持低頻驅毒術,否則大家恐怕早已倒地不起了。抱歉,沒有事先提醒,讓大家誤會了。」125Please respect copyright.PENANAYd5C4PR2h6
125Please respect copyright.PENANAv2sKE6giYl
露西睜大眼睛問:「那為什麼塔庫魯和那些水牛獸人不怕孢子?」125Please respect copyright.PENANAFkqmPdh9t2
125Please respect copyright.PENANAOeJpGe2Nhg
「他們體質異常強悍,孢子侵蝕不了。但我們人類若是能『化鎧』——哪怕只在體表形成一層薄鎧,也能完全抵抗孢子侵害。」公主解釋。125Please respect copyright.PENANAtVdsrLHPYW
125Please respect copyright.PENANA0H8kFko59I
夸斯特笑著說:「問題是,我們要是會『化鎧』的話,也進不了天門。這正是天神族會指定公主必須同行的原因。好了,中午陽光最熾熱,獸人們撐不住,我們得趁勢快進!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAfojjmy3B4P
125Please respect copyright.PENANALoWSK5iUju
艾利歐特與蓋達領頭,率先踏上通往火炎山的小徑。125Please respect copyright.PENANAn3rI7ku3Nj
125Please respect copyright.PENANAPDIhdT5jnM
塔庫魯點點頭,又記下一個新名詞:「化鎧」。得找機會弄清楚含義。125Please respect copyright.PENANAHwKbZ1b76R
125Please respect copyright.PENANAF6Egcx2zUU
125Please respect copyright.PENANAQznhVcUq1E
125Please respect copyright.PENANAaFBVzaZazT
但才走了沒多久,艾利歐特便打出手勢,示意大家壓低身子藏進路旁草叢。125Please respect copyright.PENANAQqb64ROSsQ
125Please respect copyright.PENANAWw7XwaLGXI
塔庫魯隨夸斯特靠近,這才看見前方濃密叢林間,隱隱盤據著一隊獸人,似乎為了躲避陽光潛伏在暗處。125Please respect copyright.PENANAlvPGauNAn7
125Please respect copyright.PENANAvU8cqEnHJX
更糟的是,回頭望去,剛走過的山徑上,又出現另一隊獸人,緩緩而來。那群獸人顯然具備追蹤技能,循著氣味與足跡,悄悄迫近。125Please respect copyright.PENANAeCoK6p7Ovo
125Please respect copyright.PENANAfRCINjAVaK
塔庫魯立刻輕拍泰倫斯肩膀,打了個方向手勢。泰倫斯凝神一看,低聲道:「是靈犬獸人,嗅覺異常敏銳。情況不妙,我們逃不了!」125Please respect copyright.PENANA0IA1JXQEPU
125Please respect copyright.PENANAriw8r0YLWr
說罷,匆匆前去與夸斯特討論。125Please respect copyright.PENANADxc49sqe1j
125Please respect copyright.PENANAVo6KHGfn32
很快,夸斯特和泰倫斯回來,對塔庫魯道:「前後皆敵,無路可避。我們得往右側山壁突圍。若我可以給你一條夠長的繩索,你能探條路協助大家一起攀壁上去嗎?」125Please respect copyright.PENANAnULaonlAfs
125Please respect copyright.PENANA5eRn3rn0b3
塔庫魯打量山壁,那是一道崎嶇陡峭但非垂直的岩壁,到處散布著突出的花崗岩塊,銳利稜角林立。雖難爬,但並非無法。125Please respect copyright.PENANAJu5IhtIP8u
125Please respect copyright.PENANARhOa6l3BNX
他果斷點頭:「可以!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAIDlKokIOTm
125Please respect copyright.PENANAarIJMoXnJi
夸斯特取出一條奇異的青綠繩索,遞給他。125Please respect copyright.PENANAj3hCjLJG9q
125Please respect copyright.PENANAKsINPhPHhG
「這是『青環索』,節節相連,每節有細毛觸鬚。將它纏繞腰部,前後接觸即可,不需打結。接觸後,它會自動緊纏,不用擔心脫落。」125Please respect copyright.PENANAV1V0VGjQ0d
125Please respect copyright.PENANAIiuuHJqajF
塔庫魯依言纏繞好,再穿上鐵甲。隊員們也陸續完成繩索串聯。125Please respect copyright.PENANAQLD5ZhhfmR
125Please respect copyright.PENANAosilVEuXwo
隨即,他帶頭攀登。125Please respect copyright.PENANAfLGqhxBOIo
125Please respect copyright.PENANA2vflGFuAp1
山壁下半段有茂密樹蔭掩護,尚未暴露行蹤。但當最後一位——副隊長泰倫斯——攀上數公尺高時,山腳下的靈犬獸人終於發現異狀,急速追來。125Please respect copyright.PENANAxdQV0augD6
125Please respect copyright.PENANApH3cvfSY47
靈犬獸人就如地球的犬科動物一般,極度不善於攀爬。一兩個壯著膽子觸碰山壁,雙腳剛踏上石塊便渾身發抖,狼狽退回地面。125Please respect copyright.PENANAulLP54uiBB
125Please respect copyright.PENANAWFH5mN6tTE
四十餘名靈犬獸人聚集山腳,竊竊私語。125Please respect copyright.PENANAlLlvhNlCA1
125Please respect copyright.PENANAyfZivp814D
塔庫魯耳力過人,加上獸人語是他的母語,自然聽得一清二楚。125Please respect copyright.PENANAGDZlnPRwbx
125Please respect copyright.PENANAhb2QR6qHe5
「要不要派人繞道狙擊?」125Please respect copyright.PENANAWzp7HXC8QR
125Please respect copyright.PENANAFj1ZGrcZSR
「這山壁太高,繞到頂要花一整天。不如交給上面的號角獸人,他們殺了這群人後,屍體掉下來,我們再撿回去吃!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2DxzTA4MU
125Please respect copyright.PENANACIpRXh8rBV
塔庫魯聽後,立刻向後方傳遞情報,同時繼續領著隊伍小心攀升。125Please respect copyright.PENANAPl3W6bN3jg
125Please respect copyright.PENANAfNojKCTTjw
途中,有兩次隊員因抓握不穩,懸掛半空,幸虧青環索連結牢靠,塔庫魯本身攀附能力又超凡,才安然度過。125Please respect copyright.PENANAI7goS7rbPY
125Please respect copyright.PENANAEuRdluZjKZ
這正是夸斯特與泰倫斯敢冒險選這條山壁的原因。125Please respect copyright.PENANAEdBOC6bbRN
125Please respect copyright.PENANAdnDFucBBaV
125Please respect copyright.PENANAj10diiPlQE
125Please respect copyright.PENANAPbGBirMHvm
最終,塔庫魯發現一處形似啞鈴的平台。左右兩端各有半個排球場大小,中間以狹窄小徑連通。125Please respect copyright.PENANAS8xf4hSEbs
125Please respect copyright.PENANAVut40mTqDD
右側平台岩石裸露,只有零星草叢;左側則長滿高大雜草。125Please respect copyright.PENANAS6ctsNTg7x
125Please respect copyright.PENANAm0Q9T0vCQH
夸斯特指示眾人休息調整。125Please respect copyright.PENANAdwXFi0S5gb
125Please respect copyright.PENANAsZOQqSEoVZ
此時,夸斯特、泰倫斯與公主圍在一起討論。125Please respect copyright.PENANACnqhKy25ah
125Please respect copyright.PENANA1VaegiUu6G
塔庫魯站哨,但因右側這邊的平台並不大,耳中仍能捕捉到他們的交談聲。125Please respect copyright.PENANACO96k24xVw
125Please respect copyright.PENANAwBoGFl5mBC
泰倫斯說:「沒聽過什麼號角獸人。既然吃素,應該不兇吧?」125Please respect copyright.PENANAZx4eVpl9Hk
125Please respect copyright.PENANAsPeHKUejqf
公主凝重道:「這種獸人既然在名稱有『號角』兩字,又棲息在山壁之上,多半與山羊相似。若真如此,脾氣恐怕是兇猛而好鬥!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAQ99j2pD3LM
125Please respect copyright.PENANAs4kHiewaFK
夸斯特點頭:「無論如何,這裡是他們地盤,我們只會被宰。必須另尋通路!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAPWk8BGEzEZ
125Please respect copyright.PENANADGVLXeoLOv
泰倫斯翻開地圖指著一處:「這附近有條古道,是一百多年前摩登國小隊被追擊時發現的。但大段路面都已崩塌,有些還是被他們自己炸毀的!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAo4bVucXO9L
125Please respect copyright.PENANAFURuNVKa0A
夸斯特凝神端詳,公主也湊近查看。125Please respect copyright.PENANAgSzI1upfrQ
125Please respect copyright.PENANAU0sZo2GfcY
旁邊的蓋達忍不住露出羨慕表情,艾利歐特見狀,連忙把他拉走,避免被發現後,這場面將會很尷尬了。125Please respect copyright.PENANA4LpY1NTVck
125Please respect copyright.PENANAb4SJHWiZjG
看來這傢伙是個相當渴望愛情的大男人。125Please respect copyright.PENANAZzZC4sDX91
125Please respect copyright.PENANAo9dHzeXMKQ
125Please respect copyright.PENANA810hCuOVRA
125Please respect copyright.PENANAMHnW7SbZ58
正此時,塔庫魯警戒地大喊:「上方山壁上面,有數名長著大角的獸人往我們這邊來接近中!」125Please respect copyright.PENANA8qyh1L6mCy
125Please respect copyright.PENANA5aFycdzwik
眾人抬頭望去,只見一群長著巨大彎角的獸人緩步逼近,那一對長角如號角般的相當壯觀。125Please respect copyright.PENANAQsGcyeiQbi
125Please respect copyright.PENANAIRffkxCnZn
夸斯特當機立斷:「塔庫魯帶頭,從小徑穿過去到另一邊的草叢平台!再找機會來接近古道!」125Please respect copyright.PENANAGpBgtRscSp
125Please respect copyright.PENANAbw28GLKNZg
眾人依舊腰繫青環索,連成一線,加快速度。125Please respect copyright.PENANAWfVEEUlI8i
125Please respect copyright.PENANAQVIynpmhTs
公主由兩位女兵護衛,艱難但堅定地穿越狹窄崎嶇的小徑,朝新的平台疾行而去。