As the man-eater's rage died and it was about to leave the area, it noticed some smoke creeping out of nowhere. The smoke expanded and gradually covered the area.
With smoke covering the area, the visibility became terrible. The man-eater could barely see what was on the ground.
Before it realised any abnormal, two daggers fled out within the smoke. The daggers were too sudden for the man-eater to react, and those daggers exploded when they hit its chest.
Those daggers may be powerful enough to blow a goblin to bits, but it was definitely not enough to even scratch the thick hide of the man-eater.
The man-eater just simply brushes its chest while confused about what just happened.
("As expected. The bastard's skin is too thick. Literally no injury or what-so-ever.")
Xiao didn't stop his advance even though his bomb daggers didn't deal any damage. In fact, that was within his plan. The explosion helped him to get closer to the man-eater without being noticed.
With the smoke masking his track and the explosion as a distraction, Xiao successfully reaches beneath the massive brute. Still, he didn't plan to stop there.
As he was running past the man-eater, Xiao ran his short sword across its leg. Xiao felt that he was slashing an iron beam, so obviously, he dealt zero to no damage.
Immediately, the man-eater shifted its leg and swung down its arm to slap away whatever was tickling it. The smoke effect was still ongoing, so it didn't know Xiao was already beneath it.
Xiao's Gamer Eyes was activated beforehand, so he saw the attack and rolled to safety.
Although the man-eater was doing a simple swipe, the force generated by this brute was powerful enough to blow off some of the smoke beneath its leg.
("Just don't get hit. Just don't get hit.")
Xiao preaches hard in his heart as he proceeds with his plan while avoiding getting a mosquito slap by the man-eater. As he was rolling away, he also dropped all the paralysing bombs he possessed. All the bombs got spread around the man-eater.
As soon as he finished spreading the bombs, Xiao leaps forward, switching his Hundred Form Switch Knife to Owl Claw form, and uses it as a grappling hook to reach a thick tree branch.
One paralysing bomb is already enough to immobilise a squad of goblins. Xiao never tried throwing it out all at once before, but he knew the effect would be so strong that even his special-made coat would not be able to handle it.
Against a brute that is so much stronger than Xiao? He didn't even need to think twice about spending all his resources to bring it down.
("You should feel grateful that I spent all my electric massage therapy just for you.")
The timing was just right as when Xiao reached the high ground, all the paralysing bombs went off, creating explosive sparks around the man-eater.
The combination of all paralysing bombs was enough to stop the man-eater movement. Still, Xiao knew the effect won't last long. If he wishes to kill it, this is the one and only shot he gets.
Xiao didn't waste a moment loading a tank buster bolt into his crossbow, which was already switching to tank buster mode.
Of all the weapons Xiao possessed, only his crossbow tank buster mode had enough force to harm the man-eater. The only drawback for his most potent arsenal is that it requires a long cooldown time before he can use it again. The other requirement for the tank buster mode is that Xiao needs to stay still on the ground to fire a precision shot. Otherwise, the strong recoil will mess up everything.
The thick tree branch Xiao stands on was around the man-eater's eye level, only a few meters away from its face.
The preparation for a perfect shot is now complete. A clear line to the target, the arms are out of the way, the distance is ideal, and the crossbow, Orthrus, is ready to fire another shot. All that is left is for Xiao to pull the trigger.
Xiao took a moment to adjust his aim. Though the tank buster bolt is powerful, it is still not enough to deal a fatal blow to the man-eater, not to mention that it is strong against physical attack.
So, of all the body parts Xiao can place his shot at, he chooses to aim at the weakest part of every living being, and that is...
"Say goodbye to your eye!"
A clear line of sight to the man-eater's left eye, and Xiao pulled the trigger.
Everything happened almost an instant as the tank buster bolt blasted off from Xiao's crossbow and went straight into the man-eater's eye. The bolt not only ruptures its eye but also continues to puncture it till it punches through the back of its head.
The man-eater holds its head and stumbles around, screaming and squealing, like the sound of a pig getting butchered. The paralysed effect got overwritten entirely by the immense pain it is suffering.
The pain proved too much for the man-eater to bear, so much that it didn't bother to retaliate.
Xiao was expecting the man-eater to charge recklessly toward him. Still, it instead turned to the other way and started running away.
"What the...Hey! Get back here!"
Shocked by how the man-eater just turned tail and ran away, Xiao gave chase.
At first, Xiao thought the man-eater was aimlessly running away from the battle. Yet, as he was giving chase, he realised that the man-eater was retracting the route back to where they came from.
Immediately, Xiao knew that the man-eater was heading back to retrieve Ivaru, its prey.
With the information, Xiao switches from trying to bring the man-eater down to trying to reach Ivaru before it did.
Initially, Xiao managed to catch up with the man-eater and almost surpass it. Still, as soon as they left the woods area, the man-eater increased its speed tremendously as there was nothing to block its path.
Although it suffered severe injuries, the man-eater could still run fast enough to leave Xiao off its trail.
Besides his undying ability, unique eyes skill and various armaments to use, Xiao is just an average person. He can't fly. He doesn't have super strength. His mana pool and magic ability are pathetic. So obviously, he doesn't have the super speed to keep up with the man-eater.
In the end, Xiao could only curse himself for not having the traits of a Hero. He had to squeeze all his strength to give him the run of his life.
Still, it was not enough, though he did reach her right after the man-eater did.
Xiao was panting heavily. He was out of breath and could barely stand straight.
Xiao was not the only one that was panting heavily. Ivaru was having difficulty breathing as well. She has been trying with all her might to contain the mana within her from getting out of control.
To make things worse, the man-eater decided to retrieve its prize as it forcefully picked Ivaru up, further agitating her condition.
"You bastard!" Xiao yelled in anger and despair. As much as he wants to run towards the man-eater, cut its hand down, and rescue Ivaru, he can't, for he can't even barely stand straight.
Still, Xiao mustered his remaining strength to pull a bomb dagger and throw it at the man-eater's face, hoping to at least delay its movement.
Xiao was expecting his bomb dagger to hit the man-eater when suddenly, a shockwave burst from its palm and pushed everything away.
The one that caused the shockwave was Ivaru, and immediately after the shockwave, some kind of hot energy began forming around her.
The energy formed so fast that it burned the man-eater's hand to char before it could free Ivaru from its grasp.
Suffering a bolt stuck on the back of its neck, losing an eye and getting its arm wholly burned, the man-eater finally gave up on everything. It straight up runs away after releasing Ivaru.
Xiao thought the crisis was over once the man-eater left. Still, when he saw what was happening with Ivaru, he knew that the situation had just turned from bad to hopeless.
A despairing feeling hits Xiao as he kneels on the ground. He knew far too well what was happening with Ivaru right now.
The countdown for a mana explosion has already started. Ivaru is about to fulfil her fate as a cursed child.