Chapter 36: The Daily Life of a Ten Year Old - The Silver Hunter
My magic power had been depleted by the usage of my previous attacks and defenses.
I could no longer use multiple chanting. Even if I could, I would only be able to use it once, and that would not be enough to turn the tables.
I readied my two swords.
Having destroyed the back, I have narrowed the direction to fight.
Now I'm going to narrow it further. The current Hunter Fitch is undeniably a monster when it comes to speed. But that doesn't always mean it can maximize its effectiveness. What would happen if a blade was thrust out in front of it, even slowly, while it running at full speed? Unless the Hunter Fitch is desperate, it will slow down.
That's what two sticks are for. A sword to reduce the number of attacks and the range of action.
Hunter Fitch squints its red eyes as if to measure.
The outline of my eyes becomes hazy.
I swing Rhino Sword down in an exaggerated slash.
It cuts through the air without catching anything, and a shock hits my right side.
I feel hard stuff on the stiletto. I push in further, not caring about the pain.
Suddenly, the response disappears.
Hunter Fitch regains its distance and repositions itself.
Its expression is again one of astonishment.
I guess I won my first bet.
He knows I can't keep up with his speed. If that is the case, I won't make any unnecessary feints. If I swing my right-hand sword down to the available space will be in the upper left or lower right. I read that it would choose the lower right, which would allow me to approach it the fastest due to its low center of gravity, and I thrust the stiletto into its bosom.
With this, I finally struck a blow.
I think that I could do a little, but it didn't seem to do much damage. From the feel of it,
I use Rhino Stiletto. Not only does it increase speed, but it also boosts defense? That's why it should destroy itself.
I braced myself while holding my stance with ease and tightened up.
The same move would not work. I might have been able to reduce the frequency of its attacks, but the next time it would be more vigilant. It's going to be harder to outrun it.
My fears were right on target.
The Hunter Fitch's movements become irregular, and I am left to swing my two swords around in an uncontrolled manner. A silvery-white shadow runs through the forest, leaving claw marks on my body, leaving only my head, neck, and left breast.
The sword, which should have been light, became heavy, and even the slightest movement caused pain.
Is it fatigue or blood loss? My consciousness became doubtful.
Still, I continued to swing the sword.
I couldn't see it. But I could "sense" it.
Every time I splashed blood, my opponent was getting closer to death.
Then, at last, it stopped moving.
Hunter Fitch glared at me and slowly moved away.
Finally…
We are both dying. Not many options left.
Don't come – full force, the final blow.
I readied my sword and stiletto.
I gather up my consciousness, which is about to fizzle out, and concentrate.
All-out power requires no unnecessary movement. It will just come straight at you.
The Hunter Fitch stooped low and vanished.
I immediately throw the Rhino Stiletto and is hit.
Even the chill doesn't reach me in time.
Flying backward, I swing down my Rhino Sword and simultaneously push my left hand under my cloak.
The sword cuts through the air, the impact on my back crashing into a huge tree.
My Seiran Cloak and left hand are pierced.
The attack and defense lasted less than two seconds.
The silence was broken by Hunter Fitch's scream.
I felt my heart beating and felt relieved.
I throw the object in my left hand into the air with fresh blood.
"I'm sorry. Humans are cunning creatures."
The contents overflowed from the torn leather bag and danced in the wind.
I pulled a cloth from my pocket and covered my mouth and nose.
I knew that thing would be useful in this kind of situation.
A reddish-bronze Kut Pirap rained down on the snowy earth.
Hunter Fitch bathed in it, squealing and plodding on the snow.
The silvery-white fur, shining with magic power, sagged as I watched.
Is that yhe limit of the "White Flash"?
I've managed to get through it.
The most important thing to remember is that it can't kill someone instantly by slashing at their cloak of blue and indigo. So, the full force of the blow is a thrust. I thought I would choose the heart, the vital spot that would kill me in the shortest distance. The claw pierced through the cloak and my left hand and skin pouch.
The final thrust was the one that would kill me.
What would have happened if the "Sword of the Deep Silence" had not taken out Kut
Pirap? The wall that kept them from realizing I had picked it up, the distance from the giant tree or any of several factors would have prevented me from reaching this result.
Hunter Fitch stood up on wobbly legs and readjusted its stance.
It still going for it.
Indeed, the game is not over, but now that it has received a direct hit from Kut Pirap, even its vision must not be functioning properly, let alone his nose.
Still, the Hunter Fitch pounced on me.
I catches the claw with Rhino Sword. It was light.
A moment later, the pressure suddenly dissipates, and a white shadow spins around in front of me.
A tail? Is there still a hidden gem?
Immediately, I raise my bloody left hand to protect my face.
A soft touch touches his hand.
What is it?
I looked up fearfully and was stunned.
Turning away, Hunter Fitch runs deeper into the forest.
I just sat there, too stunned by the stunning turnaround.
◇◇◇◇
I sprinkle healing potions all over the body and remove the blood stain while healing roughly.
The wound on my left hand is particularly deep. The blood has stopped and the hole is closed, but the flesh is still exposed. I cannot use all the potions I have on hand.
The forest is infested not only with Hunter Fitch but also with countless monsters. I don't know what will happen.
The sword hurts when I hold it, but I can wield it well enough. This is good for now.
I took a sip from my water bag and looked out into the snowy forest.
Hunter Fitch has escaped. It was dying, but it was a monster, and there was a good chance it would recover unless we killed it. And it has learned a lot in this battle. It is not hard to imagine that it will return as the fastest killer. If I leave Reedwald, who will be able to kill it?
A dying Hunter Fitch should be easy to track. There are footprints in the snow, and even though the trees there is no way to hide the blood.
Let's go.
I was about to make my move when I felt a presence behind me.
"You didn't go back?"
I turned around and asked.
Pidosios was looking up at me with eyes like a monster.
"This is not someone you can run away from. I was recovering my people and preparing for when they came after me."
"That's smart. Did you get enough healing potions? There's more."
"No, I'm fine. What about the monsters?"
Pidosios' nervousness dissipated at my words. He must have been worried because the body was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, who are you? You're a human child, aren't you? I've seen you several times in the guild, or more recently at …… the main gate. You've been in trouble with the gatekeeper, haven't you?"
I knew he was watching me.
"No, no problem, but I'll ask questions later. I have things to do now."
"Something to do?"
"We're going after them."
Pidosios was crestfallen.
I still haven't cleaned the bloodstains. My Eras Rhino leather armor also was shredded. It was obvious that my entire body was covered in wounds. Even if I healed myself with a potion, I had just been in the midst of such a fierce battle.
But it was even worse on the other side. I don't think it has any means of recovery, so they are on the verge of death. That's why we can't let this moment pass us by.
"Do you want to go with me?"
Pidosios stiffened his cheeks and backed away.
I returned his smile and started running.
If I were to describe the shape of the Lekknod forest, it would be similar to a squished number eight.
If you go north, the forest breaks off, and if you go east for a week or so, you will reach the Kingdom of Baromat of the Coges Union. So where does the south go?
The answer is that no one knows. The forest widens endlessly, and the figure of eight leads to a large, unexplored forest known as the Shinshinden Forest. It is the most dangerous area around the Arsis Empire.
I was reminded of the blood trail that had continued to the east and then it gradually began to deviate to the south.
However, it would not run away to the Great Forest, which would take dozens of days, no matter how much it costs. Its nest must be near here.
Following the trail, I continued running through the snowy forest.
The sun was setting, but the snow made it feel less dark. If possible, I want to finish before the sun sets completely. Hunter Fitches are nocturnal, and the darkness is overwhelmingly in their favor.
Soon after, I felt the presence of something.
This deep, there could be any kind of side action.
I carefully observe my surroundings.
The presence is small. At least, it didn't seem to be a large monster.
I dived through the bushes so as not to shake them, and quietly peeked around.
In front of me was a narrow open space. In the back was a huge tree, several hundred years old.
I looked at the base of the tree and gasped for air.
Thick roots protruded from the ground, and a white shadow lurked in the narrow space between them.
It was surprisingly small.
Is it dying?
At that moment, I receive a sharp killing intent and turn around to swing my sword.
With a familiar sound, the white shadow landed in the snow.
"The second one ……?"
No, it's not. This is the Hunter Fitch that was fighting me just now. Then what about the one at the base?
The bloodied Hunter Fitch ran up to the other one, breathing hard.
The one on the looked up.
That Hunter Fitch had black eyes and this one is a normal species. I know it because "appraisal" confirms it. It was quite capable, but at this level, the "Sword of the Deep Silence" would be able to handle it with ease. Above all, this one was also wounded.
An arrow had pierced through the black-eyed abdomen.
Two Hunter Fitches stared at me.
One of the Hunter Fiches was frightened, and the other one was full of murderous intent.
I raised my eyebrows as my mind flashed back to the events that had transpired thus far.
So that's what this is about.
"You–you were trying to protect your friends."
Gord was the hunter, and the first to be attacked with the "Sword of the Deep Silence" was Dailas who is carrying a bow. This guy recognized the bow and arrow as the enemy and attacks him. Maybe it was the missing adventurer who shot through the black eye.
What should I do?
Almost certainly, the adventurers were killed by the mutant. What is there to worry about when there are already dead? Besides, both are dying. We can finish them off now without much effort. That would put an end to this mess.
Still, I hesitated as I faced the two bodies.
As I thought about it, I recalled my statement.
During the fight, I asked him if he was having fun.
What came back was anger.
My friends were dying. There was no way I was having fun.
I let out a loud exhalation to blow away the rancor in my heart.
What is the right thing to do? I am not smart enough to see that far into the future.
I looked into the red eyes that still held hostility toward me.
"You didn't attack immediately when the "Sword of the Deep Silence" approached you. You tried to determine whether they were your enemies or not. You are not just a killer."
I took out a healing potion and applied a little to the wound on my left hand, then tossed the rest of the potion under the mutant's feet.
The black-eyed cowered and the mutant jumped back slightly.
"You know the words, don't you? It's a healing potion. Pull out your buddy's arrow first. It's piercing its body, so you'll have to cut one of them off. It will be easier to pull out. Then put the potion on him."
I show him the wound on my left hand.
The mutant looked at me and the potion several times in confusion but then turned to the black eye as if it had made up its mind.
With a flash, it cut the arrow feather.
The mutant put its foot on the abdomen, bit down on the arrowhead, and pulled it out at once. The black-eyed one cried out and went wild, but the mutant was undeterred.
Both are weakened, but there is such a difference. Mutants are monsters.
While I was admiring the weirdness, the mutant took a potion in its mouth and sprinkled it on the black eye.
The bleeding stopped and the wound slowly closed up.
The black eye, which had been fussing at first, seemed to feel the pain easing, and a puzzled expression appeared on its face. The mutant put its nose close to its back and abdomen to check if it was healed.
I had never heard or checked if the healing potion was effective on monsters. Well, the human species, monsters, and animals are all living creatures, after all. Of course, it would work.
I took the desired object from my pocket and threw it at the mutant.
Its claws flashed in response to the sound of the wind. The mutant was instantly drenched.
"This is payback for all the times you cut me up."
The mutant was surprised to see its own body.
"That wasn't a very powerful potion, neither this one nor the one I just got. The big wound is closed. But it will open if you push it too hard. And don't get me wrong. I am not on your side. Adventurers have their way of life, hunters have their way of life, and monsters have their way of life. An adventurer tried to kill your friends for money, and they were killed. This case is nothing more than a clash between the different ways of life. So I don't deny you, and I don't blame you. But I, too, have a way of life – a role to play. This time I cured you because of a whim. There will be no next time. If you attack anyone around here again, I will kill you under any circumstances. Tell that to your friends. Remember, Silver Hunter."
Well, this is the end of the ruckus. I'm going to pick up the "Sword of Silence" and go home.
How much should I tell them? Even if I talk to them, I don't want to be taken lightly by the guild leader Herrit. I don't want them to think lightly of this guy.
And to my father – I'll keep quiet. I'm just here to gather materials, yeah.
As I was about to walk away with heavy steps, I suddenly recalled Nerio's knowledge.
Hey, wait a minute.
He turned around and looked at the mutant.
"Are you, perhaps – are you still a child?"
A bitter laugh escaped from the mutant, who tilted his head.
Hunter Fitches do not form groups. Then they are family. They probably were separated from their parents. It was only natural that they could not use their skills.
What is it with kids fighting with each other?
I waved my hand lightly behind my back and said goodbye to the two Hunter Fitches this time.
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om