"The Path of the Elite is being unlocked."

"Currently at Stage 1."

"Obtained special skill: [Monstrous Strength]"

"[Monstrous Strength], when actively used, enhances the user's physical strength, granting greater destructive power, but doubles the rate of stamina depletion. Prolonged use carries the risk of physical damage."

"Stage 2 unlock condition: Defeat 5 types of elite monsters (2/5). Reward: Randomly obtain one racial talent from elite monsters."

"Obtained title [Giant Hunter], this title will upgrade with increasing kill counts."

"Current effect: Weak Point Strike. When fighting half-ogres, ogres, and related advanced giant species, it's easier to discern the location of weak points. Attacks on weak points deal additional damage."

Text flashed rapidly before Gauss's eyes.

Fortunately, the gray wolf Ulfen stood guard nearby, and with the protective Gauss Field still active, the attacks from other minor monsters around him had yet to inflict any real damage.

Monstrous strength? Stage 2 requires five elite monsters... The title effect is weak point strike...

Gauss quickly processed the information.

Now wasn't the time for further contemplation.

He refocused his attention on the battlefield before him.

The sudden death of the half-ogre leader caused varied reactions among the surrounding low-tier monsters, many appearing confused.

For these low-tier creatures, the authority of elite monsters was deeply ingrained, almost forming an unassailable image. Even if it was bad-tempered, even if it occasionally ate one of its own, within this monster army gathered by the ogre mage, no mere foot soldier dared challenge a half-ogre's authority.

Many simple-minded low-tier monsters seemed unable to comprehend why this supposedly invincible being had suddenly died.

Consequently, after a brief moment of confusion, the low-tier monsters' morale suffered a heavy blow.

The naturally timid goblin-like creatures had already begun quietly retreating.

"Goblin-like creatures, goblins, quasits, stirges..."

Gauss hadn't forgotten his other Winter Hunt objective: collecting 20 types of common monster entries for the Monster Encyclopedia through this massive, motley crew of a monster army.

His gaze swept across the battlefield.

He noted that this half-ogre-led monster group alone contained four types of low-tier creatures.

To his delight, two of them were enemies he'd never encountered before.

"Quasits and stirges."

Information about the two flashed through Gauss's mind.

Quasits ranked among the weakest demons in the Abyss, standing just over a meter tall with obese humanoid forms, twisted limbs, loose pustule-covered skin, and reeking of decay.

In their social hierarchy, they were typically playthings or laborers for low-tier demons, with only a rare few able to devour their kin and evolve into "quasit lords."

Quasits weren't strong fighters, being cowardly by nature, bullying the weak while fearing the strong, prone to fleeing at the first sign of trouble.

Logically, they shouldn't appear in the prime material world, but considering this monster army's boss was an ogre mage, they were likely just summoned cannon fodder.

As for stirges,

they were another low-threat flying monster, notorious for swarming and bloodsucking, often found in swamps, caves, and other damp areas.

Appearance-wise, they were exactly as their name suggested - hybrids of bats and giant mosquitoes, with half-meter wingspans, needle-like proboscises for bloodsucking, and pincer-like claws.

They possessed keen smell and could track targets by scent of blood.

Their attack and feeding method involved piercing a target's blood vessels with their sharp proboscises until death or satiation.

Thus their individual combat strength was weak - larger enemies could stand motionless while being drained, and the stirge would become full before causing lethal damage.

However, once stirges formed swarms, they could weaken large creatures through mass harassment.

But this approach would cost many of their kin's lives, as these flimsy creatures could perish from moderately strong attacks.

Gauss aimed his Bone Staff at the circling stirges.

Being flying targets, while not particularly strong,

if they truly decided to flee beyond Gauss's attack range, stopping them would prove difficult.

Best to kill one first and unlock the encyclopedia entry!

"Boom!"

A downgraded Magic Missile rapidly formed at the tip of Gauss's staff.

"Whoosh!"

The sound of splitting air echoed.

A blue flash streaked across the sky!

Then a blood mist exploded violently.

"Stirge x1 killed"

"Current common Monster Encyclopedia entries: 14"

"Obtained title [Stirge Hunter]..."

"Title effect: Precision. When fighting stirges and their advanced species, ranged attack accuracy increases, making targets easier to lock onto."

With this casual one-shot kill of a stirge, his common monster entries reached 14.

Gauss still had ample mana reserves.

Seeing the remaining twenty or so stirges fluttering about, he had no intention of letting them go.

Moreover, the dead stirge seemed determined to help him snipe its fleeing kin, granting him this temporary [Precision] title effect.

To Gauss's eyes, those stirges that had been flying increasingly higher suddenly became much clearer under this effect's enhancement.

As if some mysterious targeting assistance existed.

Casually dodging a few goblins that had mustered courage to attack,

Gauss glanced at them sidelong.

Who would've thought that among these four types of worthless low-tier trash, the goblins would show the most "fighting spirit."

Even facing an opponent like him - someone whose extensive goblin-slaying had granted him an intangible oppressive aura -

several still found the courage to attack.

The other three monster types had become even more pathetic after losing their leader.

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

Ignoring the goblins, Gauss kept looking skyward. Unwilling to let the stirges escape,

he refrained from using Fire Bolt, instead employing the rapid-fire downgraded Magic Missiles to pick off stirges one by one, utilizing the [Precision] title effect against them.

Soon the airborne stirges recognized Gauss's targeting and desperately flapped their fragile wings to gain altitude, but under Gauss's precise shots, they still rapidly transformed into exploding blood mists.

Other monsters, seeing the situation deteriorating, had already begun fleeing.

This small force of nearly a hundred low-tier monsters appeared so timid before Gauss.

Such were the benefits of decapitation tactics.

And while a hundred might sound numerous, remember this was a ragtag group composed of four entirely different species with little trust or coordination between them - better viewed as several isolated clusters of twenty to thirty monsters each.

Without their leader's suppression and command, they proved far less troublesome than they appeared.