Chapter 18 - #18 Absolute Dominance (1/2)
Both I and Ichika took 1 dead wolf on our shoulders and we ventured deeper into the forest.
On our way, we were attacked by a few more wolves but Ichika took care of them while carrying the dead wolf on her shoulder. While I was having a problem moving around with that weight on my shoulder. When I burnt 1 wolf she killed by herself I have got no new experience to my Special Class so I guess it needs to be killed by me or she would have to be in party with me.
My strength is really bullshit, even she is much stronger than me in that aspect... I thought while side glancing at Ichika who was walking next to me with a happy mood.
Although I must admit that she is really strong, despite her foolish words from time to time. It's just that she was trained to fight against humans and not the beasts. I wonder who would be stronger...old me or her. Although in terms of cunningness I would probably win easily but straight one-on-one battle without any tricks...she would definitely make me sweat.
Even though I am currently much weaker than old me in terms of speed and strength...4 years...4 years and I will exceed my former self by numerous times and I am talking only about 4 years of training. I am not counting this system power and fire control.
”Let's stop here, it should be far enough.” I said and threw down a dead wolf on my shoulder.
”...Alright” Ichika looked behind and saw that the walls of the Capital were still visible so she sighed in relief and put down her own wolf.
”Now what?” She asked, waiting for my instructions. It almost looked like she was slowly coming to enjoy my unreasonable orders.
...Strange girl.
I thought while giving her a weird look and she simply tilted her head to the side in confusion.
”Well...we need a lot of blood to attract danger beast...” I said and suddenly cut one of the wolves in half, making blood gush out on the ground.
---
'...I still wonder how the young lord can stay calm after seeing so much blood and even though it is animal...blood is still blood. *sigh*' Ichika thought, trying her best to really understand Akashi's mentality.
---
After waiting for no more than 10 minutes, we finally heard the roar of the beast.
Both of us turned in the direction in which roar came from and soon enough we spotted creature that looked similar to the tiger only bigger and his fur's color was white with occasional black stripes.
”That one looks perfect for making some money, it's not even that strong.” I muttered with a small smile.
”Young lord, how about we cooperate and bring that creature down together?” Ichika asked me with a pleading voice, she was probably thinking that I would try to fight with it all alone.
*Roar!* The tiger seemed to find us talking right in front of it as an act of us looking down on it.
Tiger started to run towards us while his eyes were filled with killing intent.
”Sure but don't kill it, just try to distract it.” I replied to her and she sighed in relief.
”Let's do it!” She shouted towards the tiger and moved in front of it while I run to it's left side.
The tiger was enraged to be shouted at by such a small human like Ichika and swiped with his claws at Ichika who stepped slightly backward, closely dodging its deadly claws.
”Oops, that was a bit close, you are pretty rude one!” She said with a cheerful voice and slashed with her dagger tiger's paw. Her sharp dagger met almost no resistance but it still wasn't big enough cut to make any big damage but at least it incapacitate its speed a bit.
*Roar!!!* Tiger's eyes turned madly red and it jumped at Ichika trying to win with its size.
”Hehe, did you perhaps forget about someone?” I said and while the tiger was still in the air I rushed under it.
I unsheathed my sword and sliced the tiger's entire stomach while I was under it.
Ichika already jumped away from the spot where the tiger fell after its jump with blood gushing out of the wound on its stomach.
However, it wasn't the end so even before he has fallen on the ground I already rushed towards it again.
When the tiger recovered from its fall and tried to get up, I pierced its entire head with my sword until the tip of my blade met the ground.
”Now he looks more friendly, good unicorn” I muttered and took my sword back.
---
[Congratulation on killing your first Danger beast. These beasts are more or less mutated animals that attainted a higher realm of strength. + 1 Strength, + 1 Free Status point]
[+8 XP for killing danger beast]
[Class: Assassin (+1 Agility, +1 Intelligence) 8/10 XP]
[Strength: 4 -> 5]
[Free Stat points: 2 -> 3]
---
I am slightly tempted to burn it but its fur can be really valuable.
”Good job, Ichika” I said with a genuine smile because she did exactly what I wanted her to do. She did it even without me telling her.
”...T-thank you, youn-” Ichika was slightly surprised by my genuine smile, however when she recovered and tried to thank me, she was suddenly interrupted.
*ROAR!!!* It was once again the roar from a danger beast but if I were to compare it to the tiger's roar...Then the tiger was whining baby.
”Fuck...” I rolled my eyes in annoyance and immediately burned the dead tiger.
[+4 BXP for burning your enemy]
[Special Class: Fire Monarch (Lv. 2; +2 Cha, +2 Int, +2 Const) 0/20 BXP]
[Congratulation on leveling up Special Class: +2 Free status points]
[Health: 110/110 -> 120/120]
[Energy: 160/175 -> 180/195]
[Free Stat points: 3 -> 5]
[Congratulation on acquiring a new Active Skill: Absolute Dominance - ??? (Activated only under the certain condition)]
”Young lord, this doesn't sound good, we need to run quickly!” Ichika said after feeling the pressure just from that roar.
”It's already too late.” I said when I felt the ground slightly tremble under my legs.
And immediately after I have said those words, a giant turtle with a deformed head as if it was a mish-mash of faces of the numerous animals approached us while knocking down trees in its way.
”It's extremely slow we need to use this to our advantage...” I muttered while narrowing my eyes.
”Yes ha-ha, how about running away?” Ichika said with a hollow laugh while preparing her small daggers.
...I hope we will be able to pierce through its skin...it looks kinda thick.
”Ichika, try to cut its legs on the left side and I will take the right side. Be careful.” I said and rushed towards the giant turtle.
”P-please wait, young lord!” She shouted at me but when she saw that I wasn't listening to her, she followed my orders.
I rushed right next to its legs with the greatest speed I could produce and tried to slash its leg.
What?!
I shouted inside my mind when I heard the sound as if someone parried my sword.
When I looked at its leg, there was just a scratch and although there was a bit of blood coming out, it was nowhere near to incapacitate its movements.
If will try a piercing attack, it will probably get through the skin but I can already imagine my sword getting stuck in its leg.
? I noticed a big shadow above me when I was thinking about the strategy of how to defeat it and when I looked up, I saw the creature's leg above my head.
I narrowed my eyes and jumped out of the way right before it stomped its leg. Its stomp immediately made debris of stones and dirt flew everywhere in the 5-meter distance from the impact. Even my footing was slightly interrupted by the shockwave.
This is bad...I can try to ȧssign those 5 unused points to any stat but...will 5 points make any big difference? I also need better weapon and not this cheap sword. The only way is my flames but as I already know, its skin is extremely tough and thick.
The fire might not make much damage.
”Ichika, follow me!” I shouted and run away more than 40 meters away from the beast while Ichika followed me.
”Young lord, my daggers aren't made for fighting with creatures like this one. I can only cause small scratches on its skin. We should retreat.” Ichika said when she caught up to me.
”And where do you want to retreat? To the Capital where it will follow us? Or perhaps deeper to the forest where the other Danger beasts are lurking? I have a plan, listen...” I said and started explaining the plan to her.
”W-what?! I can't do that, it's too reckless, young lord!” Ichika said with a horrified expression after I was done explaining the plan.
”Do it!” I shouted at her in an authoritative tone. This wasn't the right situation for her to worry about me.
”I- alright!” She hesitated but closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them with a new resolve.
I nodded at her and we started to sprint back to the creature, when we were close enough, she grabbed me and threw me towards its face.
...She really is strong.