After the Scorched Earth Rat King took notice of Hugh, it discarded its previously leisurely pace as it started running. Compared to the stationary town where a lot of humans would be even if the King didn't rush over immediately, the lone human could easily escape and get out of the King's reach if it didn't hurry.
While thousands of low level humans and beasts were attractive, there was nothing better for the Rat King to improve its strength than higher level food. Although Hugh was only a fifth level mage, the Rat King had so far only consumed mana from low level creatures. With the qualitative difference between low and mid level, Hugh alone would help the Rat King's strength grow explosively.
Although there was no limit to how strong the Rat King could grow even with low level nourishment, after some time, the efficiency would be lacking, and to actually grow significantly stronger, the Rat King would need higher level food.
Hugh could feel the ground shake as the Rat King approached beyond the horizon, and it didn't take long for the cloud of dust led by a massive figure to appear within view. While it was obvious that it would be a rat, the messenger had never been informed of any actual physical qualities. Not that there were any recorded. All the documents only talked about of bad it was for a Scorched Earth Rat King to appear, and none of them described its actual size, so when Hugh saw the behemoth charging straight toward him, he was a little shocked, but at the same time happy.
Hugh preferred going up against larger enemies, especially ones with legs that looked like trees.
Due to his inclination, Hugh was limited in the ways he could use magic and mana. He officially had the wood attribute, but he couldn't summon treants like some of his subordinates or even control existing trees. He was only able to reinforce his wooden axe and himself with his mana. But in return, both his axe and body could be incredibly strong under the right circumstances.
For example, in forests where he could borrow strength and mana from the nearby trees and further enhance himself. Turning his axe extra solid and rooting himself to the ground while practically turning himself into a living tree.
The semi-transformation provided ample strength and defense, but it would also limit his movement. Against an enemy that could use ranged attacks, it was a huge drawback since the only way he could attack someone was with his axe, but if Hugh either had a full squad working with him or was up against an enemy that only went for the close range the transformation was incredibly useful.
Now, he didn't know how the Scorched Earth Rat King would attack, but the plan wasn't to defeat it but to stall and tire it out. As long as the Rat King only focuses on Hugh when he has an entire forest to help him, it would be difficult for the Rat King to defeat him.
With the power that the Rat King possessed, it didn't take long for it to reach Hugh and begin spreading its influence over nature. It wasn't for nothing that the creature was called Scorched Earth Rat King.
Although the forest didn't catch on fire, the grass surrounding the Rat King started withering away, turning into white streams that entered the Rat King's body, leaving only barren ground behind.
Hugh realized that if the Rat King came closer to him and actively attacked him with its magic and powers, the forest behind him would suffer, and then he would lose one of the factors that made him confident enough to try and put up a fight against the Rat King.
Hugh naturally couldn't let that happen, so just like the Rat King released the mana around itself and passively destroyed nature, Hugh did something similar. He rallied the mana of the forest and created a wall of pressure to keep the vile effects of the Rat King away.
In a frontal confrontation, that kind of pressure was only good for intimidating weaker opponents and held no actual effect on combat ability. Even now, the wall of mana was continuously eroded by the Rat King's presence. But it at least stopped the forest from burning away and giving the Rat King its strength instead of helping Hugh.
After the Rat King got within attacking distance of Hugh, it stopped and looked behind its prey at the forest. Deciding to go for this powerful human instead of the town it had sensed a distance away had been a good decision as it could eat a full course meal with the human and the forest behind.
In the Rat King's eyes, defeating the tiny creature in front of it wouldn't take long, and it could easily start burning down the forest, despite the wall of mana that was blocking its aura from spreading.
Since the human was obviously trying to stop the Rat King and was responsible for the wall of mana, the Rat King decided to prioritize removing the human in front of itself before it continued with the trees.
Hugh sensed the Rat King's determination to kill him and hefted his axe. While he might not need to go for the kill or actively try and injure the Rat King, Hugh could use the axe to block any attacks from the Rat King. If he managed to land a counterattack or it could even act as a deterrent.
Purely based on physical appearances, the Rat King seemed to have an extremely powerful body and would thus hopefully not be as proficient in ranged attacks. If the Rat King planned to attack close range, Hugh could swing his axe and chop off a few whiskers or legs, and if that scared the King to attack from a distance, he could endure the attacks with the support from the forest and his own physical durability.
That was as far as Hugh could plan and strategize before the Scorched Earth Rat King attacked.
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