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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5wsX75MmZ
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoSX5r5bjh
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7xJjp2Kxk
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERY4N5CU40
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「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。」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjd0JzHmr8
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塔庫魯聽得心頭一震，猛點頭暗記。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByZds0BpK2
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrihVWpx5Nb
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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？」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4frqWJ0ena
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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。」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTKEefCv6t
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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？」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gO580l4du
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「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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRF8rGKicf
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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkEVyqDcGr
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艾利歐特與蓋達領頭，率先踏上通往火炎山的小徑。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kAwdedgvB
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCI5XSdT1O
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BEixwD8fb
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARZIjCeaMi
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepE4WLP9RU
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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUkOZrsjv4
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說罷，匆匆前去與夸斯特討論。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKM6dAmpvwt
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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？」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC2G0BrHig
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSqJmghFI4
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他果斷點頭：「可以！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvY8UszuhoC
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夸斯特取出一條奇異的青綠繩索，遞給他。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfvDxcyvry
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「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。」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNr1UwtgTG
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygeh8qitzm
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隨即，他帶頭攀登。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyfU4E7ozr
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXErpu7yMS
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR24s6MyCci
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四十餘名靈犬獸人聚集山腳，竊竊私語。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtfKCdS9eK
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmimhaxpB9T
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「要不要派人繞道狙擊？」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMj3MFgPQ3
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「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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Q1zaeJE71
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLa1KFFcZP
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfs8kt8Z9VH
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這正是夸斯特與泰倫斯敢冒險選這條山壁的原因。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqfdY3Wv6Y
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24BVK6XSb1
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右側平台岩石裸露，只有零星草叢；左側則長滿高大雜草。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJA1Ri5ksi
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夸斯特指示眾人休息調整。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtL4xjwkn6
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此時，夸斯特、泰倫斯與公主圍在一起討論。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDgExuuLOI
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGLabfLJy8
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泰倫斯說：「沒聽過什麼號角獸人。既然吃素，應該不兇吧？」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnH81g72mf
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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTF8DZZpig
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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlj3zfzDdBy
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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFYRfsEB0K
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夸斯特凝神端詳，公主也湊近查看。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjQOtg8kAy
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTDOYPDpRX
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看來這傢伙是個相當渴望愛情的大男人。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfHKNsLHIA
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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0CCdCoYrX
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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。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUB1JOWnmR
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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！」50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKJ4xPT4dw
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眾人依舊腰繫青環索，連成一線，加快速度。50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0szcQUNU2
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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。
