Roshan stood right beside Dante, staring at the direction where it came from. Despite being chased by the Akantha for a long while, it didn't seem to be bothered that much. It wasn't visibly tired or injured by its escape from the gigantic monster.
Dante was relieved of this as he wouldn't want Roshan to be injured before the main battle even began. In any way, he looked at the recruits who were shaken by the news and gave them a cold order.
"Prepare your flares and throw them everywhere throughout the area."
Hearing Dante's orders, the recruits flinched before they realized what they were ordered to do. Without a hint of delay and hesitation, the recruits searched their bags for flares and immediately activated the flares while throwing them everywhere.
*TANG!!!* *TANG!!!* *TANG!!!* *TANG!!!*
*FLISSSH!!!* *FLISSSH!!!* *FLISSSH!!!* *FLISSSH!!!*
Xandra took a glimpse of Dante, wondering what he wanted to do with such amount of flares illuminating the area.
The radiant crimson light of the flares pierced through the darkness that was even visible from the warship above despite the thick leaves shrouding the top. The training officers watching everything must have been temporarily blinded by such light.
"Then, avoid direct contact with the Akantha. It would be problematic if it took ahold of any of you."
"Your jobs will be shooting it from afar and distracting it."
The jobs of the recruits were to shoot the monster with their rifles from afar. This might have sounded bad, especially with their bad aim. But Dante had an idea in mind, and he was willing to go through gunfire to be able to do it.
'Besides, I would also have to be careful regarding the monster's special ability.'
He thought to himself since he had been curious about the special ability of the Akantha. The ability to shoot thorns in a 360 direction would be hard to fight against. They would need cover to survive, which was why he planted the recruits a distance away.
"Afterward, it's time for our share of duty, Xandra."
"The two of us will be personally handling the monster."
"I want you to chain the monsters onto the ground and distract it. If opportunity arises, you can strike its weakness."
"My job will be trying to do the damage dealing along with Roshan."
Dante gave his orders which Xandra found a bit surprising. She looked at him and calmly questioned.
"Are you sure you want to be the one charging against the monster?"
Xandra knew the danger of such a responsibility. Fighting against an Akantha head-on despite being a recruit was incredibly dangerous and brave. Either Dante was confident about his capabilities, or he did not know the power of the Akantha.
In either case, there was no reason for Dante to even stay with them. He could run away, and Xandra wouldn't blame him in the slightest.
"In all honesty, I want to be the one fighting against the monster. Interference will not be forgiven." Dante warned as a cold glint reflected from his eyes.
He discovered that if the kill wasn't registered as his. The experience he will gain would become extremely low. If he fought against such a monster, he'd rather have all of the experience be his.
"I see… So you're a warrior, huh?"
"You don't want any interference against your hurdle."
Xandra said while the edges of her lips rose. It was the first time she saw a warrior outside of her clan.
Dante raised an eyebrow as Xandra might have misunderstood his words. But it doesn't matter since the experience was what he wanted. He must gain it no matter what.
"Do you even have the power to face the gigantic monster head on?"
One of the recruits questioned, suspicious of Dante's capabilities to fight against such a monster. It looks like they had a bad time recognizing that an asshole chubby would fight a monster before them.
"Oh? Would you like to go first? I'll not stop you." Dante said with a smile while the recruit backed away, lowering his head in the process.
Seeing such a scene, Dante scoffed in annoyance since the bastards had the guts to question but not face the problem. If they had problems with his capabilities, they should be the ones at the front instead.
"At any rate, Xandra."
"Be sure to not get distracted and focus on the task given to you."
"Even if the ones under your banner die."
Dante gave another warning to Xandra, and hearing this, she couldn't help but remember the words of her father. -Do not get distracted by death.- Before leaving the clan, this was the warning given by her father.
She was confused when she heard of it. But the more she tread in this world, the more she understood what the words of her father meant.
"Don't worry, Dante."
"I'll do the job given to me."
Xandra's words were cold, but it was clear. A determined expression appeared on her face as she hardened her heart to the future that was about to come. And it didn't take that much time for the future to arrive.
The rustling of the bushes got stronger and stronger as the earth shook along with it. Deep growls echoed outward, and a gigantic monster emerged from the thick bushes afterward. Upon its appearance, it roared.
*RRRAAAAHHHH!!!*
The shock wave of its deafening roar was enough to slightly push everyone back. Dante held his rifle tightly and ordered every recruit to start the operation.
"Fire!"
After giving his order, the flashes escaped from the barrels of each rifle. The air rumbled as the thunderous sound of war echoed throughout the forest. It was the beginning of a battle, or what Dante would consider a boss fight.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
Each bullet landed on the Akantha's scales, but it didn't even do that much damage against it. The results of the first attack brought down the morale of the recruit, but that wasn't the end of the operation.
"Continue firing! Never stop!"
Dante loudly ordered as the second wave of attack sounded out from the barrels.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
While it might not have brought damage to the Akantha, Xandra could see it. The gigantic monster was becoming distraught with the gunpowder being blasted into the air. It was like an active war zone as bullets kept piercing through the air and landed on the monster.
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
'Calm yourself, Dante.'
'Remember your training.'
As the recruits kept shooting at the Akantha with their rifles, Dante closed his eyelids and reminded himself of his past. He took hold of the rifle while remembering the time when he took sniper training.
He wasn't that good at it, but he was also not bad at it.
The distance between him and the monster wasn't far. It was within 50 meters, and the target wasn't moving that much. Basically, for someone like him, this was easy as hell.
"I'll blind you."
Dante quietly muttered as he pointed the rifle at the gigantic monster's eyes after calming himself. He gazed at its eyes coldly and then pulled the trigger.
*BANG!*