Chapter 9: Trouble

Maji seemed to have lost all ability to resist.

Not because he was disheartened and seeking a quick death.

Though despair gripped his heart, his years as an adventurer had honed his mental resilience enough to keep going.

But right now, the hunter was in a state of physical paralysis, unable to move.

[Precision Strike] was a skill exclusive to the “ranger” profession, enabling precise targeting of an enemy’s vitals in chaotic battlefield conditions and slightly boosting arrow damage.

As a “combat technique,” it didn’t consume mana, but it required a certain level of physical fitness to sustain.

Normally, for a professional, this stamina drain was negligible, hardly a burden.

But for someone like Maji, an ordinary person without a professional rank or its foundational boosts, the side effects of using [Precision Strike] were severe— after each use, he endured nearly 15 seconds of extreme weakness.

In this state, Maji couldn’t fight, let alone walk without assistance.

Thus, in most cases, [Precision Strike] was his last resort, a trump card to play only at the end.

Now, facing a bear goblin far beyond their team’s capacity, the hunter had chosen to use his strongest move early, coordinating with his teammate to seize the initiative.

There was nothing wrong with that.

But with his arrow deflected by some unknown force, his plan failed, and he lost his best chance. The scales of victory tipped toward the enemy, as expected.

Huff—

The bear goblin “Hunk” snorted a puff of white vapor from its flared nostrils.

“Ruined Hunk’s lucky day,” it grumbled, its murky yellowish-brown eyes reflecting the motionless, fragile human body before it. “Little bug, must pay.”

Months ago, its minions had abducted a woman from who-knows-where.

Hunk was hungry and particularly fond of this food called “human”—soft and tender, far tastier than the boars or rabbits in the forest.

But, freshly independent from its tribe, it still heeded the teachings of a priest said to have lived for two hundred years.

“Keep females for breeding. Eat only after they bear.”

So it had stayed in its lair, drooling endlessly.

Until today, when the woman finally gave birth.

But before it could take a bite, these little bugs showed up.

“You will be punished. Hunk will…”

The scent of blood filled the air, its tantalizing aroma making it lick its dry lips.

As if realizing something, Hunk’s previously irritated face suddenly lit up with delight.

With this thought, the bear goblin “Hunk” raised its mace high.

Its arm, thick as a human thigh, bulged with muscle, the spiked mace head glinting coldly in the firelight.

It swung the iron hammer down at the little bug before it.

But at that moment,

Buzz—

In the dim cave, a sharp silver glint flashed.

[Whirlwind Slash]

A biting gust stung its skin, and Hunk felt a chilling cold at the side of its neck.

Instinctively, it shifted its body.

Its hand paused, and the mace, originally aimed at Maji’s vitals, veered off, striking his right leg instead.

“Ah!!!”

The human’s fragile leg bone shattered instantly under the metal mace, the entire right leg twisting grotesquely from the knee.

Maji wailed in agony, his pale face drenched in cold sweat.

But at that moment, no one paid him any attention.

I stared intently at the towering figure ahead, feeling a slight pang of regret.

As someone who, until yesterday, had never killed a chicken, I felt I’d already pushed myself to the limit.

In the half-second after witnessing Gagu’s head smashed by the bear goblin, a flurry of thoughts raced through my mind:

Realizing the enemy’s strength was beyond my ability to face head-on, recognizing the futility of escape due to its explosive speed, and deciding to sneak attack while it hadn’t noticed me.

I even patiently and precisely seized the brief moment when the bear goblin swung its mace.

But I hadn’t expected this fantasy-world monster to be capable of a second burst of force.

While swinging its hammer, it could still control its body to dodge my attack.

“This is bad…”

I muttered.

The good news was, I had wounded it, confirming this inhuman creature was still flesh and blood, with a health bar!

And my earlier strike hadn’t triggered the energy shield it had shown before, meaning it was likely on some kind of cooldown or didn’t activate against melee attacks.

As for the bad news…

First, having unleashed my third [Whirlwind Slash] in such a short time, my body was at its limit.

Just gripping the sword hilt, I could feel my forearm muscles trembling, as if a slight effort would cause a cramp.

Second, though my strike had hit a vital spot, the bear goblin’s dodge had reduced the injury’s severity.

Not only had I failed to significantly weaken its combat strength, but I’d also exposed myself to its sight and drawn its aggro.

Roar—

A furious roar erupted, low and ferocious, as if an invisible soundwave rippled through the air.

Tricked by a “little bug” and slashed with a bloody gash on its neck, Hunk flew into a rage.

Facing the hulking figure charging toward me like a flesh tank,

I had no time to devise any tactics.

Driven by survival instinct, I dove to the side and rolled clumsily.

Bang!!!

The blackened mace grazed my head, smashing into the ground, spiderweb cracks spreading across the surface.

The gust of wind and flying dirt stung my cheeks.

Perhaps because I’d already died once in my previous life, or because the surge of adrenaline dulled my negative emotions,

at that moment, facing an unbeatable foe, I felt no fear.

I quickly got up.

My longsword swung again toward its neck.

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