[h2]Blighted Woods[/h2][h3]Joe vs Twig Blight A&B[/h3]As Joe threw Twig Blight A into the path of the Needle Blight attacking Hazel, he not only helped her dodge it but did some more damage to the enemy. The Twig Blight squealed as its comrade accidentally pelted it with needles.

[Twig Blight A's HP is low!]

Though he took a bit of damage himself, intentionally getting the monster's claws stuck in his clothing and flesh, Joe managed to wrap the creature in a bear hug. As he attempted to squeeze the life out of it, its body crackled and popped. However, it didn't seem like he was quite strong enough to just utterly crush it. His secondary plan of striking with his knees while clenched, however, did a similar number as his low kicks had on the other Twig Blight; the woody creature's legs began to give way under repeated strikes as it squirmed and dug in its claws wherever it could, trying to get away...

[h3]Soka and Hayato vs Vine Blight A&B and Needle Blight[/h3]Soka's attacks on Vine Blight A were vicious, and the metal edges bit into its form as easily as Hayato's sword had before. It screeched as its lower body was nearly severed from its torso, and it quickly began to sprout new vines to replace the old ones. As Soka turned to attack the Needle Blight, the Vine Blight lashed out at him with its upper limbs. Vine Blight B did the same; while Soka was entangled, his ability to move was severely reduced.

[Vine Blight A's HP is half-gone!]

The Needle Blight, meanwhile, was able to leap out of the way of the cutting whirlwind, avoiding it with a woody cackle. Then it noticed Hayato bearing down on it with a fury.

"Blade Trail!" A blue line tinged with black slashed across the Blight's remaining leg as Hayato dashed past it, again severing the limb. Without any means of locomotion, the creature dropped to the ground with a squeal.

[Needle Blight's Speed reduced to 0! As a result its Evasion is halved!]

[h3]John vs Needle Blight and Twig Blight[/h3]The Needle Blight was again struck by the Cactus Cat's tail, knocking it off balance, but it managed to raise both arms, pointing its claws at the Cactus Cat. It let loose a hail of glowing needles at the animal with a crackling near its mouth that could have been a smirk.

[Needle Blight used Needle Spray! Its HP is 1/4th gone!]

John managed to grapple the Twig Blight and stop its attacks, and just like its brethren had against Joe, it found itself somewhat helpless. However, the Summoner wasn't as strong as Joe was, and sooner or later the Twig Blight would probably manage to break free...

[h3]Hazel vs Needle Blight[/h3]With the bit of unexpected help from Joe, Hazel was unharmed by the Needle Blight's attack. It, however, was not so lucky. This time her strike was true, with nothing in its way, and the Needle Blight squealed one last time as the blade cleaved through its head and deep into its body, splitting it open all the way down to where a human's pelvic bone would be. If it had possessed any innards, they would have made quite the mess, falling out of an opened up ribcage. The branches that made up the creature's body gave a shudder, and a soft green glow seemed to dissipate from them. Then the Blight fell, dry and lifeless, to the forest floor. 

[Enemy defeated! Hazel's free to help comrades or engage another Exbeast!]

[h2]Fire Rat Extermination[/h2]Taeion's investigation of the burned warehouse soon turned up results; along one side, near a dumpster with a corner of its base melted and burned away, were the remains of what looked like a campfire. More than likely, this was a Fire Rat's nest at some point. There was a hole burned into the warehouse here as well, and from the look of some smeared, sooty paw prints, a large group of the creatures had been here at one point. Further sprinkles of black ash and a few sear marks continued on across the docks, even at one point melting through a tall chainlink fence that separated the rest of the area from the shipyard, where numerous workers and machines were putting together a huge metal ship with a great deal of noise.

At the back of the shipyard were several crates that had once been used to hold or deliver parts for the ships, several of them wooden and many of them now filled with trash. Taeion could already smell something burning...but, anyone who's ever had a mouse in their house knows that rodents are cowardly little critters, fast, and good at finding new hiding spots. How could he lure them out, or otherwise attack without scattering them across the docks...?