In essence, the mission involves the killing of ten Ratdogs, practically rats as big as dogs, their maximum power can reach the 5th degree, nothing terrifying.
'In retrospect, I'm on the same level as those rats… not a very optimistic situation, but considering that I started issuing Astra less than two days ago, it could be a good start.' And then I fought with about ten Tigrelos with their ranks somewhere between 10th and 15th. 'And I didn't have much trouble getting rid of them. Sure they're normal Tigrelos, but they're not little Ratdogs either.'
"We just have to take out some Ratdogs, who happen to be the Tigrelo's main prey." I explain to Jusy, while we're almost at the woods.
"I understand, it doesn't seem like a difficult mission." Jusy has calmed down a little more than before, I'm happy about it.
We finally arrived at the forest.
"Ready?" I turn to Jusy.
"Ready!" She replies decisively.
"Perfect, then let's go." We enter the woods and immediately start looking for the traces left by the Ratdogs, it is not easy given their size and we also add that they can also dig underground. After all they have developed various tactics to escape their predators, especially the Tigrelos.
And after an hour it seems to have traced tracks, footprints that have shapes similar to those of our targets and traces of fur that look just like theirs. Jusy is acknowledging all of this, after all she dealt with these Ratdogs early in her career.
We see a medium-sized cave, four Ratdogs can be seen sleeping inside it, near this cave there are holes, which are probably connected with the cave.
"Surely there will be more Ratdogs hiding in their hole complex, the ones in the cave are sentinels." So that's how it works among the Ratdogs.
"So if we attack those four, the rest will come out of their holes to protect their territory?" I ask Jusy.
"Theoretically yes, but if they see the enemy is too strong, then they'll do what they can to keep some members alive so their pack doesn't die with them." Interesting, but we only need ten heads, if some escape it's not a problem for us.
"Good, then we just have to attack those four." Jusy nods and together we advance towards the den, me in front and her behind. With a slow but also decisive step.
I enter the cave and decapitate three of the four Ratdogs, saving the last one we need to lure the rest out.
The last mouse wakes up and sees its dead comrades, immediately understands what is happening and starts screeching to warn the remaining mice.
His likes start to come out of their holes and I end the life of the one who attracted his likes, so we are four heads. the ratdogs don't see me as a powerful predator yet, so they start attacking me.
I start fighting these rats one by one, Jusy doesn't need to do anything, at least for now, as they can't twist a hair. There are only six Ratdogs left and we are one head away from completing ten. The latter have discovered how dangerous I can be and start to run away, I can easily take the head of the last remaining mouse, but I don't.
"Damn, they escaped me, Jusy let's go look for them." I say to the girl, who nods at me.
We run after the rats, for a few minutes nothing happens, but soon what I hoped for happened. A tigrelos appears and bites one of the mouse dogs with a paw, pinning him to the ground. But he's not alone, others of his kind chase after him and start attacking the remaining ratdogs.
"No, there was no need, the desperate cries of ratdogs attracted their predators." Jusy exclaims. "What do we do, Darion?" She looks at me and asks.
"We do what the mission says, which is to take the last head we have left." I start taking tigrelos to get my reward.
I counted and there seems to be a total of ten tigrelos, more than the last time I fought them, and they appear to be juveniles of their own kind, they're around the 10th power rank. 'They are still caught up in the ecstasy of hunting their prey, I have the advantage of the surprise attack.' I go to the first and with a clean cut to the head, with this blow I start the fight against the remaining nine.
They turn their heads at me, menacing. 'Okay, I fought them last time, but the maximum number I fought was three times less than this. And the others I met while we were busy looking for flowers, were only in pairs of two or only one.' I take a deep breath and prepare myself. "Okay, it's time to get serious."
"Darion, shouldn't we run? It's dangerous to face nine alone." Jusy warns me worried.
"No, this is the moment, Jusy. With you assisting me in the rear, I can keep fighting indefinitely." I try to encourage Jusy, trying to build the confidence she needs to use her powers as a priestess. 'To infinity it's not really true, after all I already feel the Astra in me running out, after all I always use this blade made of energy. I must get myself a sword.' I decide in front of the first tigrelos.
Two others flank me but I avoid their attacks by retreating a few steps, but a fourth tigrelos strikes me from behind, scratching my back. "Darion!" Jusy screams.
"It's okay, just focus on yourself." I feel it as I kick the bastard who's been scratching my back, throwing him two meters away from me.
Another jumps on me, but taking advantage of his weight, I plunge the blade into his chest, exhaling my last breath. I shrug it off and barely catch my breath when another tigrelos hits me with its tail, sending me flying two meters and crashing into a tree. Jusy seems to be very shocked by this, she fell to her knees.
A tigrelos approaches me, seeing me that I don't move, and takes its time, already enjoying its prey, it opens its jaws wide but as it brings them close to my face, I drive the blade into its neck. "And we're two kills away, but that shot hurt a lot, especially with the claw wound." I get up and see two of these bastards running towards me, fed up with me killing them one after another. "Come on assholes, Jusy, don't despair, I can do it. And I know you can do it too, believe in yourself, not in some god you don't even know exists." I parry a tigrelos claw as I smack his mate under the chin.
'It would help if I could use two blades instead of one...' As I think about it, a second blade appears on my left arm. 'Very convenient... but Astra consumption has doubled.' I face the two that appear before me, now with two blades I can face them.
But while I'm busy fighting them, I notice one of them approaching Jusy, who is still on her knees.
'Please, Darion, protect Jusy.' Gald's words cross my mind. With an adrenaline rush in my body, I kill one tigrelos and wound the second, and rush towards the one that is approaching Jusy.
"Hey bitch, I'm here." I recognize the tigrelos, it's the one that scratched my back, the latter is attracted by my scream and looks in front of me. We exchange several blows, but one of his companions appears behind me and starts hitting me from behind.
'If I die here it's because I deserved it, after all I brought this situation.' I start to think but I immediately contradict myself. 'What am I saying? This is not where I will die, I believe in this girl.' I fight against the tigrelos that come at me, but at one point a golden light shines behind me. "I knew it."