It was supposed to be a fatal strike—perfectly timed, precise, aimed to end the creature's life with the element of surprise.

The invaders were tall beasts, their elongated necks elevating their heads far beyond the reach of most defenders. Therefore, Kaiser had assumed their heads to be the weakest point. It was a natural assumption—after all, a head houses crucial organs, the brain being the most vital. Moreover, their bodies bore numerous wounds, but the heads remained mostly unharmed. A high, small, unpredictable target like that would be challenging for the archers. Yet, to someone like Kaiser, it presented an opening.

That vicious head had loomed over the defenders, snapping its gaping maw to devour anything in its path—until Kaiser intervened.

With cold determination gleaming in his eyes, Kai inhaled the stifling, smoldering air around him and tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade. He calculated the timing, the angle, every step of his strike. In a blur of movement, he vaulted upward with a powerful leap, his blade racing toward the flat of the invader’s skull, it's ominous tip set at a gruesome collision.

However, the moment of impact was jarring. For the damned creature’s skull was like ironwood.

Kaiser’s inhuman strength was formidable, but it wasn’t enough. The blade landed squarely on its mark, yet it failed to penetrate. The steel screamed in protest, sending shockwaves through his arms as the recoil vibrated through the blade and into his bones.

'You gotta be kidding me!'

His fatal attack had been rendered useless... or so, it seemed.

The monster staggered, visibly dazed by the hammering blow to its skull. Its towering frame wavered for just a moment, and Kaiser didn’t hesitate. The moment his boots landed back on the ground, Kai was already on the move for the next strike. Opportunities like this are fleeting, and he isn't one to waste it.

Cursing his failed attempt under his breath, he dashed in a wide arc and delivered a vicious slash upwards to the dazed creature’s neck. His sword connected with the elongated, sinewy target, cutting deep and wide enough to draw much blood, parting the dark skin and white furs—more than anyone else had managed thus far. But even that wound wasn’t enough to fell the beast, for it failed to cut the throat within. Its neck, though rubbery in its flexibility, was absurdly resistant, absorbing much of the force behind his strike.

'That, too?!'

Grinding his teeth, Kaiser shifted into the next motion without breaking momentum. He guided his blade in a fluid arc, his body moving with practiced precision. His relentless training had ingrained the art of fluid movement, erasing the awkwardness and unnecessary moves from his swordplay. Moreover, feet, legs, hips, shoulders, and arms muscles were all working in concert. Every ounce of strength was channeled into his attacks, a testament to the grueling lessons he had endured, making him a decent swordman. Probably better than the rest considering the intensity of his training with Garba, which simulated days of continuous, real-like battles with a swordmaster without rest, not safeties. In those days, Kaiser bleed, battered, beaten and stood up again and again, like an endless cycle of losing battle.

But it was all worth it. Because his swordmanship had improved leafs and bounds thanks to it.

This time, he aimed lower.

He couldn’t reach its vital point anymore, nor did it work. So, he would cripple it instead.

In one fluid motion, Kaiser dove beneath the invader massive frame, stepping with deft precision. His muscles coiled and released in unison as he twisted his waist and swung

sidewards at the creature’s hind leg in a vicious arch.

The blade connected.

For a fleeting second, he thought the attack might succeed this time. For several reasons, one is that his intentions were simply immobilizing it. Another is that, from the looks of it, the invader leg lacked fat for protection, more like bones covered in leathery skin and fur, so it wouldn't be that hard to break... right?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

But as the steel collided with the invader’s bony leg, a sharp metallic *crack* rang out, reverberating through the air.

Kaiser’s eyes widened.

'Oh, F*ck! You!'

His strike had been perfect—his technique was decently executed. Every fiber of his being had gone into that attack, and yet it wasn’t the invader that gave way.

It was his sword.

The sword he first bought, the first decent weapon he ever had and accompanied him in many perils since then. Sure, it was mundane, but that thing still cost him a sum!

The blade, abused and overworked, snapped later slicing skin and flesh, but failed against the unyielding bone of the creature’s leg. The fractured steel spun through the air, glinting ominously in the firelight before clattering uselessly to the scorched earth.

Kaiser stumbled back, clutching the hilt that was now little more than a jagged stump of metal. His breathing was heavy, his mind racing.

The damned thing's skin and muscles were tough, but the bones were on another level of durability! Superior than their steel weapons. The blacksmith had praised his sword as one of the best blades he forged. Thanks to his overflowing money, Kai bought the highest grade the store had to offer, but if even that broke, then what is he supposed to use in defeating that thing? Fist?

'Damn it all.'

His strength, his technique, his sword… none of it matters against something like this.

The invader growled, its daze subsiding as it screeched in pain due to the excruciating bite on its foot. Then, screech pierced the chaos around them, guttural and sharp, and its hind leg buckled under the strain of the broken bone he had inflicted.

The ground trembled as the beast stumbled, its colossal frame momentarily faltering. Kaiser narrowly avoided being crushed beneath it, rolling aside at the last second. His chest heaved with effort, and for a fleeting moment, he allowed himself a mental sigh of relief.

That's when he caught a glimpse of it.

A silver arrow streaked through the smoke-filled air, slicing like a streak of light. It was unnaturally long and sharp, its polished steel catching the fiery glow of the battlefield. The arrow struck with incredible force, embedding itself in the side of the invader's head. The creature let out a deafening, guttural roar, its maw snapping shut involuntarily as the arrow locked its jaw.

Kaiser’s eyes widened in surprise. The arrow had actually pierced the beast’s tough hide! though likely by sheer luck avoiding any bone. Even so, it was a testament to the archer’s marksmanship and strength,—and the remarkable craftsmanship of the arrow itself, exceptionally made for penetration, probably for single use. Kaiser wanted to glance back and identify the sniper responsible, but there was no time. Added, there's only one person capable of such feats, anyway.

Unfortunately, the invader wasn’t dead.

Its head writhed, struggling against the arrow lodged in its jaw flesh, and its body continued to thrash in defiance. Blood streamed from its wounds, mixing with the ash and dirt beneath its clawed feet.

The situation promised another opportunity on its momentary vulnerability, but Kai had to be careful not to waste it again. His mind raced, he had to think of a fast way to kill it without fail this time, for more people will die, otherwise.

But that's easier than done.

This was the challenge of facing an entirely alien enemy—its anatomy was a mystery. They knew fragments of information thanks to Garba, but the vital spots were unconfirmed because that old swordmaster had it easier thanks to Windslayer. The body was out of the question; its skin was too thick, its muscles too dense, and its skeletal structure is an enigma. Digging his blade towards it's heart was unachievable, more so when he doesn't know where it is. The neck was too tough and flexible for even Kaiser’s strength to sever cleanly, it would take him more than a dozen slashes to cut it. Not like it would stay still while he did so.

That left the head.

Yet even that presented its own set of problems. The flat of its skull was nearly impenetrable, like a seamless, reinforced plate. It lacked eyes to target for a direct strike to the brain. And its gaping maw, while potentially vulnerable, was a death trap for anyone foolish enough to approach it head-on. Sadly, Kai can't die here for personal reasons. Thus, enabling him from engaging in suicidal approach.

'Where else, where else, where else...'

Then it clicked.

Kaiser’s gaze darted to the creature’s ears.

“The ears." He mustered in raspy breath.

If his hunch was correct, the ears were the weakest point of the skull. It made sense now why the archer had aimed for the side of the beast’s head—it wasn’t just a lucky shot. The archer, likely the Chief himself, must have been aiming for that spot, or at least hinting him where to strike?

Nevertheless, his not completely clueless anymore.

And it just so happens that the creature was at its most vulnerable point.

Without wasting a moment, Kaiser spotted a fallen soldier nearby. He rushed to grab the man’s sword, its blade slightly chipped but still serviceable. As the other hunters attacked from all sides, keeping the monster distracted with their futile strikes, Kaiser dashed toward the invader’s thrashing body.

Screeching, the creature struggled to lift its head, its movements sluggish under the weight of its injuries, trying to stand with one of its hind feet broken. All the while the annoying humans kept lunging their spears tip at it, slashing their blades and axes. Arrows being sent at its direction were growing in quantity, too, as it weakened, the invader's movement was slowing, thus predictable for the ranged supports to take aim.

In the midst of it all, a cold draft chillingly blew on its bloody fur. That's when a young man appeared on its side, the moment its maw was distracted. Kaiser’s movements were swift, deliberate. In a blur, he dashed at its side, timing his attack with precision.

With a sudden surge of power, he drove the sword tip straight into the creature’s two sharp ears.

The sensation was strangely satisfying.

The blade pierced through, meeting little resistance as it slid deep into the invader’s skull. Kaiser’s heart raced as he felt the weapon strike true, reaching deep into the brain.

All of a sudden, the creature froze, its movements jerking erratically as if caught in a sudden, horrific seizure. Then, with a guttural groan, its massive body collapsed to the ground.

Kaiser stood there, panting, his grip still tight on the hilt of the borrowed blade. A wide grin spread across his face as he muttered under his breath:

“…Jackpot.”

The monster lay motionless, its grotesque form finally still. The battlefield seemed to hold its breath for a second, as if even the fires and ash acknowledged the triumph.

But Kaiser didn’t have time to bask in victory.

There were more of them out there. However...

'What's this strange feeling?' He frowned.