Thud—
Time returned to its normal flow…
Water Stream's hand blade plunged into the beast's left eye, while a quivering black feathered arrow buried itself deep into the center of its right eye. With a swift aerial maneuver, Water Stream withdrew her hand blade, trailing a bloody arc through the air. The beast's massive body crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. Roaring in pain, it thrashed violently, throwing the already chaotic battlefield into further disarray.
In its death throes, the beast lashed out in a frenzied rage, its bear-like claws flailing wildly. The intertwined figures were forced apart, scattering as flashes of lightning tore through the shadowy night.
The beast's anguished roars reverberated like shockwaves, shaking the surroundings. Amidst the chaos, a towering, robust tiger tribesman hurled a spiked iron rod, which slammed heavily into the armored back of a giant. Fatty Bull was thrown to the ground with a thunderous impact.
Splitting Blade bellowed as he charged like a tiger, his colossal blade clashing against the tiger's iron rod with a resounding clang. He shifted tactics, sweeping his blade horizontally with brute force, only to be struck down by the thrashing claws of the frenzied beast.
"Damn those tiger tribesmen…"
Swish swish swish—
"Kill!"
"Haaah!"
…
The night was like water, and the smell of blood mingled with the beast's rancid stench, spreading across the meadow.
Splitting Blade yanked his blade from the tiger tribesman's corpse. The last enemy collapsed with a thud. He surveyed the scene: the entire guard squad bore injuries, but thanks to Kent's continuous blessings, none had fallen. Splitting Blade's shoulder and thigh were bloodied, his chest armor marked with numerous scars from the battle.
Nearby, Crow was tending to the wounds on the giant's back. Fatty Bull, sitting on the ground, exhausted, had discarded his helmet. His head was crowned with a steaming chunk of beef and a few torn leaves. Despite being drenched in blood and grime, he grinned faintly, his chest heaving as he clung tightly to the splintered shaft of his hammer.
Scythe and Cang Er helped the two shield bearers to their feet. As the squad's frontline defense, they had borne the brunt of the tiger tribesmen's assault and the beast's rampage. Their injuries were severe, especially Uru Buk, who had singlehandedly held off the tiger tribesmen's initial onslaught after spotting their scouts near the campfire. His armor was torn to shreds.
In the distance, Skinny Stick and Cripple emerged from the shadows, making their way toward the group.
Except for Water Stream, the entire guard squad knelt on one knee before Kent, paying their highest respect to their leader.
Guard Squad's satisfaction points +600, +600…
The battle had demonstrated the squad's astonishing growth, leaving them awestruck. Following the fight, every squad member leveled up, stepping into a new realm of power. Splitting Blade, originally at level nine, had gained enough experience to reach level ten, verging on a breakthrough.
Their gaze toward Kent was now filled with reverence, as if witnessing divine guidance.
The earth…
Gradually returned to silence.
It was past midnight. The forest's rustling leaves whispered in the darkness. The Red River flowed quietly, and the wind carried the thick stench of blood, turning the area into a scene of purgatory. Far off, the campfire still flickered, a beacon guiding their return.
Kent stood before the beast's corpse, his hair dancing in the wind. This was his second encounter with an armored giant bear, its terrifying strength pushing the squad to their limits. The team's performance reaffirmed the wisdom of his strategy: focusing on magical support and prioritizing team growth.
"Boss, something feels off," Splitting Blade murmured, a deep frown etched on his face.
Three or four tiger squads, accompanied by a beast—where had they come from?
Were they assassins sent by the Red Tiger Clan? Rogue tiger scouts? This force seemed smaller than the one that had attacked the valley previously, making it unlikely to be a follow-up from that failed assault.
Moreover, their attack didn't seem coincidental. It was targeted, relentless.
"Uru Buk," Splitting Blade called out, turning to the heavily injured shield bearer. Supported by comrades and holding a nearly shattered shield, Uru Buk coughed up bloody spittle. "Those bastards… came from the direction of the Red River," he said hoarsely, pointing westward. "I think they spotted our campfire and sent a few scouts ahead. That's when we clashed."
Splitting Blade nodded and gestured toward the beast. "Dry Leaf, take care of this thing. Extract its beast core. The rest of you, return to camp and rest. Protect the boss."
His gaze shifted westward. The darkness loomed like a bottomless abyss, waiting to devour its prey.
The campfire flickered steadily. Its flames danced, sending motes of ash spiraling upward.
Leaning against a wagon wheel, Kent felt the toll of his depleted magic—his body drained and ravenous. Yet even lifting his dagger to slice the beef seemed beyond him.
A hand emerged from the shadows, holding a stick with perfectly roasted beef.
A warmth spread through his chest.
"Thanks," Kent said, glancing at the figure beside him.
"You earned it." Though the shadows concealed her expression, Water Stream's voice hinted at a smile.
Water Stream's satisfaction points +5, +5…
The firelight illuminated the firm, weathered lines of Splitting Blade's face.
"Damn tiger blood… why is it so dark?" muttered Tower Shield as he cleaned his gear near the campfire.
"First time seeing blood?" chuckled Cang Er, sprawled nearby with an exposed shoulder. He winced as Knife Scar tended to his wounds. "That stench… They're not human. Just beasts. And beast blood's darker than human blood."
He inhaled sharply, then turned his head. "Hey, careful! This injury's because of you. That's another silver coin. No, make it two…"
"Boss, we've got a problem…" Dry Leaf approached Kent, holding a short sword dripping with black beast blood.
"What is it?" Splitting Blade's eyes narrowed, noticing the unusual hue of the blood.
Fresh blood shouldn't turn this dark so soon.
"That beast… doesn't have a core," Dry Leaf hesitated before speaking.
"No core? That's…" Splitting Blade was stunned. "How is that even possible?"