Ulf also ran after he saw what had happened to the first hunter, who was chopped into two parts. After the sacrifice of three members, other hunters disappeared into the trees right away.
However, the mountain rhino still wasn't going to stop. It pushed forward between the two trees. Already half-broken tree snapped and fell.
It was clear that overtaking the creature that can even smash some big trees in this forest, would be impossible. Ulf found the way and started climbing.
"everyone up, on the trees! We can't outrun it on the ground." Soon, Ursa said from above too.
The other hunters started to go up and arrived next to Ursa.
"Leader, what is that thing?" One of the young warriors, Alva asked Ursa.
"Shiii... quiet down... It must be the offspring of a monster!" Ursa said with a low voice and heavy tone.
"What... only offspring?" Astonished Alva also whispered, even if he didn't know why it was needed.
He recalled the moment, how easily his teammates died, then looked down and saw the furious mountain rhino running around in the trees and looking for them.
"Of course. If it was a real monster, the surroundings would be destroyed long ago. If my father told me the truth, they can even make warrior-rank hunters motionless only with the aura around them. Maybe only some very strong peak warrior would be able to break free from it. As for escaping, even in this forest, I would have a very hard time doing it."
"Then what was it? How can the beasts use the qi?" Interested Ulf asked the group leader.
"They can use qi, but only like us, (warriors and leaders) by absorbing it inside. Their main point is an extremely strong body. However, there are very rare exceptions too. One time, when I was asking one of our tribe's elders about such kinds of creatures, he told me that, had seen them only a few times."
He said that, when the beast becomes the monster, it gets an unusual, powerful super ability. Those abilities are one of the main reasons why the monsters are so strong. Becoming the monster gives the beast another special talent and it is the bloodline power that provides his children with the opportunity to use its ability only when they reach the beast stage. " Ursa was trying to recall as much as he could and provide others with information.
"So, it doesn't have any weaknesses?" Hunter Bo asked Ursa this time.
"... NO" It seems Ursa recollected some important memories, after thinking for a little time.
"In this aspect, it has the same weakness as peak stage warrior rank hunter. The power this ability can give is lesser compared to his monster parents, and time of using it is also limited."
"If so, we must continue trying to hunt it down. No longer care about the trophy, but I must avenge our fallen companions. If not, then how can we explain the loss of three members of the tribe? We were played by the one beast, got scared and came back? I would rather die fighting here." One of the women hunters in the group Oili, who also had peak warrior rank, has been watching the mountain rhino with very irritated eyes.
They needed a new plan as fast as possible because if the rhino would go back to the grassland, it would be impossible to do anything to it. All of them started to think. At that time Ulf already had one plane that could work.
"Leader, if you know, how good is its vision?" Ulf asked Ursa and took out a bow and arrows.
"Hm... as I know below average... no, quite bad. It can get better after each evolution but is still much worse than ours. However, it has very good smelling and hearing skills. Why would you ask?" Ursa gave him a questionable look.
"If the use of its ability is limited, can't see well and move as fast as outside in the open space, then we may still use the same strategy. However, one difference will be that we will be on the trees and use the bows, not spears."
Ursa's eyes brightened. Ulf wanted to add several things, but hold himself back. It was already way too much for an unskilled and twelve years old stone age kid.
"Very good Ulf, I didn't fully believe when others said you were a very clever boy, but I can understand now."
Okay, we have a plan. Everyone spread around in the trees, a distance of 20 - 30 meters (65 - 98 ft) from the mountain rhino. Throwing the arrow at his body will be pointless, so target the eyes. This action will hinder its vision even more and will destroy the last chance for it to return to the grassland. I will be the main attacker and the peak warrior rank teammates will attack too using full-body enhancement from the trees. Never try to run on the ground."
Instead of being depressed, the hunters were more determined now. Eight teammates including Ulf had the bows and arrows. Three peak warriors chose a special position. As the full body enhancement makes them spend qi very fast, there would be only a few opportunities to strike the beast.
Ulf and others started shooting the arrow. Rhino was more agitated because it couldn't see where the attacks came from. Ursa jumped down and hit the spear in the same spot that he had aimed the first time. More blood began to leak from the wound.
Ulf had the feeling that this creature had a strong survival instinct. It was able to sense upcoming arrows that were capable to blind him but couldn't detect swiftly approached Ursa, who injured it in the back.
For a few minutes, archers tried to give better opportunities for others to attack. The peak warriors used some of them to strike other places on the target's body a few times.
More holes were appearing on the rhino's body. It was losing even more blood. The beast was still standing strong. But the question was how long it would be able to endure and how long the hunters' strategy would work.
After the confrontation for half an hour, the mountain rhino ran desperately into the forest.
Hunters were trying to force it, not move in the south, toward the grassland or deeper parts of the forest. The mountain rhino tried to take down the trees. However, those huge plants with 2-3 meters in diameter could somehow take a few attacks from it.
One time, when Broderick attacked the left hind leg, the mountain rhino activated the manifestation of qi and wanted to smash him. Though Ulf was waiting for this moment and when the spiritual energy gave him a warning, he shot the arrow at the rhino's left eye right away. The beast sensed it and didn't risk the loss of the eye in exchange for just killing one of many enemies.
The fight continued for more than two hours and they went far away from the original location. The hunters were very tired and the rhino was breathing heavily. It had lost so much blood that couldn't move anymore, but the group was waiting until the target wouldn't finally die. The powerless creature still had the spirit to fight, but no strength.
The rhino began to lie down on the ground. It knew that the ending was near and was in despair. Ursa attacked a big open wound in its abdomen, which had taken more than one hour of cooperative work from the hunters. It seems, he reached some important organ of the mountain rhino, which gave the last cry and died soon.
"Huh... finally, it is dead."
The group weren't in the mood to celebrate, because of the three lost companions but were glad that they took revenge for them. Ulf felt little pity for this mountain rhino. The glorious creature, that would have only one or two opponents on the same level was killed in this torturous way. However, He survived, and they accomplished the original goal. This was only what mattered now.
"Okay, guys let's take the most important parts and leave because the guests are coming too."
Their plan was good, but not perfect. Large loss of blood of the rhino on the way and its roars attracted other creatures. There were a bunch of hyenas and wolfs on the different sides of them.