
用鞭比用劍還要更加得心應手的艾利歐特
此刻,戰場上只剩下蓋達與最後一名獸人交鋒。72Please respect copyright.PENANAz5rHbrgth2
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局勢已無懸念——那獸人本就節節敗退,如今眼角餘光瞥見己方首領也在此時橫屍倒地,戰場上只剩下自己孤身一人,心中頓時慌亂如潮。恐懼侵蝕了他的意志,令他的步伐踉蹌,手上招式凌亂,不消片刻,便步上了同伴們的血路,倒斃於蓋達刀下。72Please respect copyright.PENANALqubLBgFNQ
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蓋達原本打算仰天長嘯,向諸神與同伴們宣告他的勝利。72Please respect copyright.PENANASPvX0qHvCr
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然而,四周異常寂靜,空氣中只餘血腥與死寂。他環顧四方,方才意識到,自己竟成了最後一位完成屠敵之戰士。72Please respect copyright.PENANA8ATG6z2WmC
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這個發現令他一陣尷尬。勝利的喜悅未曾湧現,反而有些羞愧與失落,像是一頭來遲的獵犬,只撲倒了最後一隻瘦弱的獵物。72Please respect copyright.PENANAAzalxBi5IB
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泰倫斯走了過來,重重拍了拍蓋達的肩膀,嘴角帶著一抹鼓勵的微笑,道:「你可知道,方才那頭獸人是什麼來頭?」72Please respect copyright.PENANAoqk2FbdHKP
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蓋達搖了搖頭,他怎麼會知道?對他而言,這些怪物一個比一個醜陋,一個比一個致命。72Please respect copyright.PENANAHtC82T1nx1
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泰倫斯便道:「那是蟎蠕獸人,最低等的獸族。據傳,他們的祖先曾在混亂之年吞噬了天魔王殘骨的精髓,因此扭曲成形,踏上了獸人的階梯。隨後又得西方魔王賜力,成為西南荒野中最兇殘蠻橫的一支。能單獨斬殺一名蟎蠕獸人,足以讓你挺胸昂首!」72Please respect copyright.PENANANk687mDX80
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蓋達卻仍滿臉沮喪地低聲說道:「可是,若非有永夜女王賜下的神盾,我恐怕早已倒在那怪物的長矛之下了。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAnGX12cTFE6
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聽罷,泰倫斯輕笑,語氣中帶著一種長者般的溫柔與堅定:「蓋達,今夜我們能屠滅這四名獸人與四頭魔獸,靠的可不僅是個人的武勇。是女王的饋贈,是諸神的庇佑,也是我們彼此的血與誓言。無需妄自菲薄。」72Please respect copyright.PENANA6eJy8b8aBW
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他頓了頓,目光轉向遠方暮色中蠢蠢欲動的森林陰影,神色凝重了下來:「而且別忘了——今日我們對上的,只是敵軍的斥候而已。若真撞上主力大軍,再加上人數優勢……」72Please respect copyright.PENANAA9Ed5gLwpQ
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他低聲道,聲音如夜風吹過戰場上的枯骨:「只怕,便是無一人生還。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAPbTRt8QlKo
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既然已知這片廣闊草原可能是蟎蠕獸人的狩獵疆域,一行八人便果斷偏離金蝗河,轉而朝左方的密林地帶隱入。72Please respect copyright.PENANAFfw0LYwooh
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進入林地後,情勢頓時逆轉。獸人原本仰賴的銳利視覺,在斑駁光影與濃密樹影間不再占有優勢。此刻,真正能左右勝負的,不是蠻力,而是誰的經驗更豐厚,誰的警覺更鋒銳。72Please respect copyright.PENANA3d76xB4WzA
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果不其然,自離開永夜森林之後,眾人便未再遭遇任何獸人的滋擾,一路得以安然前行。72Please respect copyright.PENANAhMHLCwekPN
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入夜時分,營火邊,泰倫斯走向艾利歐特、露西與派緹,臉色平靜卻帶著一絲責備。72Please respect copyright.PENANA8DziR7wsFE
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「今天你們最後的行動不該如此衝動,」他開口,聲音低沉有力,如同磨刀石上的鋒刃。「特別是你們兩位射手——弓箭每一根都是極其珍貴的資源,必須留待真正關鍵的時刻使用。那隻巨型斑點鬣狗當時已雙目失明,已不足為患。最好的做法,是讓艾利歐特以長鞭斃之,無需再浪費寶貴的箭矢。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAgKEdBsuxng
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露西悶悶地吐出一口氣,耍了個小小的鬼臉,道:「唉,實在太悶了。今天只射殺了一頭鬣狗,感覺不過癮啊!」72Please respect copyright.PENANAFkVmdugWA2
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她頓了頓,眼神中閃過一絲堅定,輕聲補充:「副隊長放心,下次我會克制住自己那該死的嗜血慾望,牢記你的教誨。今天……是我們太急功近利了。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAqU0ZxdOAYq
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一旁的派緹也用力點了點頭,神情略帶羞赧,看來心思與露西無異。72Please respect copyright.PENANAke1O56WOAg
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泰倫斯的神情稍微柔和了些,他語重心長地說:「你們是各大軍團千挑萬選出來的精銳,我懂你們心中的渴望與躁動。但任務至上,這點不可動搖。尤其是在光牆之外,我們孤立無援,每一步都必須踏得穩妥,稍有差池,便是萬劫不復。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAIuB98FPfI6
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他頓了頓,目光穿透夜色,似乎看見了遠方金獅國燃起的烽火。72Please respect copyright.PENANArd2CIvRFgo
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「只要能活著回到光牆內,日後必有更多值得你們盡情揮灑鋒刃的戰場。而今日之忍耐,便是為那一日積蓄力量。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAMMlxTpWreP
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兩位女將聽聞此言,只得默默點頭,將這番話銘記於心。72Please respect copyright.PENANAebuF9xIiWX
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艾利歐特忍不住開口了,聲音裡帶著一絲壓抑不住的戰意:「副隊長,待在第二線出手,實在讓人憋得慌。下一仗……能不能讓我和蓋達或者塔庫魯輪調一下?我也想站上第一線,與那些野獸正面交鋒!」72Please respect copyright.PENANAhn6LlBAmxJ
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泰倫斯聞言,微微一笑,卻沒有立刻回答,而是問道:「告訴我,艾利歐特,你是使劍的本事高,還是長鞭用得更純熟?」72Please respect copyright.PENANAc4OmYqM1qA
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艾利歐特挺起胸膛,毫不猶豫地答道:「我自幼在牧場長大,從小便與鞭為伴,早已能使得鞭影隨心,收放如臂。但至於劍——那是在入伍之後才開始學習的,遠不及長鞭來得熟練。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAySNiEEY0yR
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泰倫斯點了點頭,神情中帶著早已料到的篤定。72Please respect copyright.PENANAHhtPmb40he
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「正是如此。」他沉聲道,「當你衝進第一線時,你那柄長鞭的威力便會被削弱大半,難以施展開來。而將你留在第二線,不僅能靈活支援前方戰友,更能守護我們的兩位女將。」72Please respect copyright.PENANALv9mk44iY3
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他頓了頓,目光銳利如劍,語氣中多了幾分沉重的責任感。72Please respect copyright.PENANAaLI0RRNn9G
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「若敵人衝破第一道防線,或者人數眾多到第一線難以招架時,就輪到你挺身而出,為露西與派緹爭取射擊的時機。記住,在那種局勢下,你可沒有時間胡思亂想,只能憑本能與決心,將鞭影化作屏障。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAQOgMpax1ed
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他拍了拍艾利歐特的肩膀,像是將這份重擔一併傳給了他。72Please respect copyright.PENANATzf9dv1d52
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「相信我,當那時真正來臨,你會明白自己所肩負的,絕不比第一線輕鬆分毫。中距離的防線,就仰仗你的手了。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAwbIITflk87
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艾利歐特聽完,臉上戰意未減,反倒變得更加堅定。他用力地點了點頭,雙拳暗暗緊握,像是在向泰倫斯,也向自己立下無聲的誓言。72Please respect copyright.PENANA6T8UQVQOOM
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泰倫斯走向蓋達,只見這小子正流著口水,目不轉睛地盯著不遠處——隊長夸斯特正與伊莉莎公主低聲交談,兩人親暱的模樣彷彿周圍的世界都已消失不見。72Please respect copyright.PENANAeboYFGS5MG
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泰倫斯輕咳一聲,拉回了蓋達飄遠的魂魄。蓋達見到副隊長過來了,忙著扯過自己的披風,在自己的下巴一抹,擦去了那抹未乾的口水,這才專注的望著副隊長。72Please respect copyright.PENANAYkhjNHCWkt
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「說吧,」泰倫斯語氣中帶著一絲好笑與嚴肅交織的味道,「今天的戰鬥,有什麼領悟?」72Please respect copyright.PENANATzQyTdPnDO
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蓋達像個剛被師父敲醒的徒弟般站直了身子,連忙點頭:「有的!我應該更善用女王贈予的神盾,不該只把它當成單純的防禦工具。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAEvk41fNjvk
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泰倫斯的嘴角勾起一抹微笑。72Please respect copyright.PENANAsQer6BlYWc
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「很好,」他說,「你的戰鬥天賦遠勝於我當年的模樣,領悟得很快。那麼——再問你一個問題。今天我們對敵的戰術布置,背後是什麼用意?」72Please respect copyright.PENANAZjcS0mXOuZ
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蓋達略一思索,隨即信心滿滿地回答:72Please respect copyright.PENANAdIRoEnhN8s
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「露西和派緹,兩位女將,是我們的遠程火力;我和塔庫魯擔任第一線的盾牌與鋼牆;艾利歐特則處於中線,可攻可守,靈活支援;副隊長你自己,則負責居中策應,調度全局。而公主殿下……則專司施法,為我們抵擋那無處不在的空氣孢子殺手。至於隊長嘛——」72Please respect copyright.PENANAnK3ys4Ehww
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他說到這裡,語氣微妙地一頓,眼角忍不住飄向夸斯特與伊莉莎公主那頭,眼中滿是羨慕與一絲難掩的怨念。72Please respect copyright.PENANAe0eq2nYPb7
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「隊長就專心守護公主殿下啦。」72Please respect copyright.PENANAcCNy6XcnKh
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泰倫斯自然聽得出他話中的酸意,嘴角笑意更深,卻只是輕輕拍了拍蓋達的肩膀,什麼也沒多說。72Please respect copyright.PENANAYe9m4UA95V
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