"Hmm... I didn't damage it too much, did I?" ［Grey］
A young man mumbled to himself, his eyes peering towards the prey before him and his hand cupping his chin. He swayed his head left and right a little, looking at a few angles and making sure the prey wasn't in a terrible state.
Thankfully, there wasn't anything in particular about the Great Deer which was too broken or damaged. Even though he exerted such a tremendous amount of force in his slam, causing the Great Deer to die from shock, surprisingly enough, not a single bone was broken, just a little bit cracked.
Be it the antlers, the hooves, the hide, the blood, the organs, and everything else. They could all serve a purpose as long as they are handled with expertise. All that was needed was his butchering knife and he could do some dismantling.
"You have done great, Master." ［Canopus］
"Thanks Canopus. Though... I had quite the lengthy record, didn't I?" ［Grey］
"26,3 seconds, to be exact, Master." ［Canopus］
"Hmm... Was I too soft? I could have done it twice as fast if I really tried... Well, it's just a silly competition anyway." ［Grey］
Or so he says, but there aren't quite many people who can chase and knock down a Great Deer in such a short amount of time. Especially when they weren't even using magic to hunt them. He and Yuna are just an insane couple.
But well, what matters now is that they now have a source of tasty meat they could take back to the city. With such high quality meat, it wouldn't be impossible to have a taste of the most delicious venison dishes in the world.
Of course, loving to cook himself, he also can't wait to cook some of the Great Deer's venison with some recipes he once searched online and create his own variations as well. He could only imagine his adorable fiancée's reaction by then.
"Oh, right. Yuna should also be done now, right? She's gone out of my optical range so I can't really tell." ［Grey］
"I'm not so sure too, Master. But knowing the Mistress, it shouldn't take her too long! I'm sure she's also already finished with her hunt!" ［Canopus］
"Right. That girl is quite competitive, after all. She might have hunted her prey faster than me. I'm sure she's already humming about somewhere." ［Grey］
And speaking of his lovely fiancée, there was no need to worry about her too much. The forest may be big and full of dangers, but she can surely take care of herself, rather, it was the beasts in the forest Grey was more worried about.
Though knowing Yuna, she's probably out there collecting herbs and magic plants already, with stars sparkling in her eyes. Grey could only chuckle at the thought, then collecting and storing the Great Deer's body inside the Inventory.
"Then, let's go fetch our young lady, shaー" ［Grey］
『Grey, I found something interesting in the forest!』 ［Yuna］
And just when it was all decided and done, a familiar voice rang inside his head all of a sudden, full of excitement and enthusiasm. It was none other than Yuna's and just as expected, she's already done with her hunt, now doing something else.
『Is it another rare magic plant again? Just wait a minute, I'll appraiseー』 ［Grey］
『No, it's not that! It's something... Erm... A little strange...? I'm not sure how to describe it, but I think you should go see it for yourself.』 ［Yuna］
『... Something strange, huh... Got it. Be there in a minute.』 ［Grey］
『Un! I'll be waiting for you!』 ［Yuna］
Grey still doesn't understand what the situation was, but it seems Yuna got herself in another interesting situation once again. Grey still doesn't know if it's trouble, but it was more certain that it is rather than it isn't.
There was no time to waste. As soon as Grey was finished with about everything in his area, he closed his eyes and focused his sensitivity on unnatural mana waves and located Yuan's general direction, pinpointing it in a moment.
As soon as he did, Grey then had Canopus explore the forest on his own and have some fun whilst he headed where Yuna was. He rode the winds at breakneck speed, unbothered by the storm of leaves and dust greeting him as he ran.
BOOOOOMMMM FWOOSH FWOSSH FWOOSH
And just as he headed towards her direction, a sudden explosion rang all throughout the whole forest and a massive pillar of crimson flames erupted towards the sky. It was still out of Grey's optical range, but he could see it clear as day.
"That girl... Is this what she means by something interesting...?" ［Grey］
Mumbled the young man to himself as he continued heading the same direction. He could tell at a glance that such flames doesn't belong to Yuna, but rather, to another entity, and it seems to be a generally powerful one too,
It hasn't been long since Yuna had gotten herself in trouble, and now, it seems like she's doing it again. Grey could only heave a lengthy sigh with a wry smile blooming on his face, wondering what in the world his fiancée is doing.
Grey continued his strides and rushed even faster towards Yuna, using the power of wind, lighting, and fire magic to hasten his steps. Before long, he arrived at his final destination, greeted by something which could only be called "surprising".
ROOAAAAARRRRRR GRRR GRRR GRAAARRRRR
Yuna was now engaged in battle with a gargantuan bear, bearing four absolutely huge arms and a body which seemed like a moving mountain. It was equipped with sharp claws and deadly fangs, able to crush boulders with ease without much effort.
Despite its massive body, it was extremely agile and quick as well, able to launch consecutive attacks towards Yuna, leaving deep, gashing scars in the ground every time it swung its arms which may very well be a living weapon.
WHOOOMMMMMM BOOM FWOOSH FWOOSH
And when physical attacks don't work, the monster bear opens its mouth and lets out a breath of crimson flames which blasted away a huge pillar of flames, rushing towards Yuna's direction and painting the forest red.
Every tree, boulder, and creature which stood in the flame's way was incinerated and turned to ashes in a mere instant, deadly fires raging about all throughout the vicinity, turning everything black as they became ashes and charcoals.
Unfortunately, such attacks were futile. The monster bear may be fast, but Yuna was much faster, she was hopping up and down, bending her flexible body once in a while as she dodged the bear's attacks, not a single one hitting her at all.
Rather than fear, it was more like Yuna was having fun and playing with the new toy she found. There was a bright smile blooming on her face, hitting the bear with finger flicks and head chops from time to time. She was just playing around.
"Oh, Grey! You're here! What do you think?" ［Yuna］
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"Well... It certainly is interesting... Though, it looks like you're having fun?" ［Grey］
"Un! It's a lot of fun! You just need to dodge and not get hit! Would you like to try? It's not really dangerous or anything." ［Yuna］
"No... I'll sit out on this one. It's more fun watching you, if anything." ［Grey］
"Okay～! Oh! And by the way, my time is 20.8 seconds! I won, didn't I?" ［Yuna］
She was battling the monster bear, but there wasn't a trace of worry on her face. If anything, there was only fun as she continued to hop and play around with the bear. The latter was already pissed, but her actions made it even more angry,
Yuna also didn't forget to tell Grey about her time record when she hunted down the Great Deer, all the while pointing towards where the Great Deer was and asking her fiancé to collect the body himself as she was still quite "busy".
"Right, Yuna... You just found this bear my chance, no?" ［Grey］
"Un! It just suddenly appeared when I just took down the Great Deer and startedー Woah! That's a close one!" ［Yuna］
"I see... You didn't deliberately provoke it, huh..." ［Grey］
"Hey, just what do you think of me? I'm not that much or a troublemaker! Geez! You should trust your fiancée moreー Ah! Hey! Be careful!" ［Yuna］
Or so she says, but when she's literally dancing with danger, there was not an ounce of credibility in her words. If anything, it made her look more untrustworthy and wild. If it was anyone else, they would have surely fainted from the sight.
But well, it seems like Yuna wasn't counterattacking the monster bear for a reason. Other than the fact that she wanted to play around a little bit, she wanted Grey to take a look as well and tell her details she couldn't do normally.
It didn't take long before Grey was done collecting the body of the Great Deer Yuna hunted, and like his, other than the skull, it wasn't too badly damaged. He soon lifted his head, his eyes peering towards the monster bear before him.
《Appraisal》 ［Grey］
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【Demonic Beast】
【Species】Ignarctos
【Status】Healthy, Enraged
【Sex】Male
【Age】135
【Mana Capacity】13,022 【Mana Quality】A
【Combat Power】4,595 【Threat Level】A
【Attribute】Fire
【Intelligence】134
【Description】
One of the largest Ursine-type beasts in Merusia. It is equipped with four massive arms and powerful muscles for attacking and traversing the forest. It also has extremely sharp fangs and claws, able to contend against Superior-Grade blades, able to cut down boulders without much difficulty. It is a territorial beast which knows no fear and would even fight dragons if ever it enters its territory.
-----------------------------------
It was a monster bear alright, and one at the high ends of A-tank too. With its status screen showing such information, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it is the apex predator of the forest, reigning it as its lord.
Normally, they would only reach a combat power of 3,000 upon reaching maturity, but the Ignarctos before had yet to do so, yet it was already nearing S-rank. Even without looking at the top other status screen, Grey could tell it was a demonic beast.
"I knew it... So it really was a demonic beast!" ［Yuna］
"Yeah, good job on discerning that... Though... With this, things have only become more troublesome for us." ［Grey］
"Un... Why do they keep appearing..." ［Yuna］
It has been quite some time since Grey and Yuna encountered a demonic beast, the last one being at the sea, and they thought the crisis was already over. But it seems that such an answer couldn't be even further from the truth,
They have still yet to confirm whether it was a coincidence or not, but if it isn't as they guessed, things wouldn't just be troublesome but extremely disastrous. A parade of demonic beasts might not be too far off from reality.
『Everyone, be on guard and keep your eyes peeled on the forest. Doreport to us if you find something unusual or abnormal.』 ［Grey］
『『『Yes!』』』 『『『Understood!』』』
There was no time to waste. As soon as Grey had a hunch, he immediately had the familiars explore every nook and cranny of the forest as much as they could and make sure that there aren't any dangerous elements and entities in the forest.
It hasn't been long since Grey and Yuna arrived in the city of Alces, but they were more than sure that they hadn't heard of the beast before from any rumors in the streets or in the guild. Not even a quest posted related to it.
Such could only mean the Ignarctos have just arrived in the forest and it has yet to cause any damage to the city and its inhabitants. It was the best scenario there is, not a single person falling victim to such harshness in the wild.
"Grey, you're done examining the bear, right? Can I start counterattacking now? It feels unfair that I'm only dodging." ［Yuna］
"Ah, wait a moment. I'll just capture a video for documentation. Who knows, we may have a use for it later on." ［Grey］
"Oh! Great idea! I can study it then as well!" ［Yuna］
Time was gold, and Grey couldn't afford to waste even a single second dilly-dallying. As soon as he was done appraising the Ignarctos, he then took out the camera from his Inventory and started filming it, holding it by himself without a tripod.
With his speedy and dexterous hands, it wasn't long before he started recording, a couple clicks and beeps resounding in the air. Two figures were reflected on the lenses, pillars of crimson flames taking up the whole screen.
"Yuna, it's ready." ［Grey］
"Un! Great!" ［Yuna］
Grey is done with the set-up, and Yuna has warmed up her body enough. A smile soon bloomed on the young lady's beautiful face and the whole atmosphere suddenly changed in an instant, pressure and tension rising high.
The Ignarctos swung its massive arms once more, slashing Yuna in halfー or so it would seem at first, but it was nothing more than an afterimage of her, her real self vanishing in the air even without a trace nor a blur.
There was a moment of confusion, and then there was a moment of danger. Yuna soon appeared once more, and now, she was already over the head of the Ignarctos, her hands clenched into a fist and drawing it back with force.
"Take... this...! Haap!" ［Yuna］
She spun her body a couple times, stacking both force and momentum. The moment she was in range, she immediately released a punch towards the unsuspecting bear's cranium, massive force and shock reverberating all over its body.
A pained groan echoed in the air, and the bear's chin kissed the ground, quite a large crater forming on the ground. Yet before it could even stand up, Yuna had already bent her legs, drawing it back for a swift kick for a combo.
BOOOOM CRACK CRACK CRACK
The young lady released an immensely powerful kick, the winds howling from the sheer force alone. It connected with the Ignarctos' chin and making it stand up once again, the sound of cracking bones rattling in the air.
Yuna made sure to only exert enough force to make it stand and not make it go flying like a bird. But it didn't just end there. Before the Ignarctos could start to recover, she once again pulled back her fist and threw a bellowing punch towards its stomach.
Her hit struck like a shooting star and blasted the Ignarctos several meters away as if it didn't weigh a few tons. It was sent flying towards the trees, a couple breaking down as it crashed into them. Three hits, and it was already on the brink of death,
"You aren't done yet, aren't you?" ［Yuna］
GRRRRR GRRRR ROOOAAAARRRRRRR
It was a slight provocation, but the Ignarctos were quickly fueled with rage. Its body was already in tatters and it could barely stand with how groggy it was, but it still firmly planted its feet on the ground and took its ground.
The bear faced Yuna with great determination, eyes burning with rage, hatred, and hostility. With its broken body, it gathered all the strength it had left and created a violent swirl of mana in its mouth, dying the forest red.
WHOOONNGGGGG WHOONG WHOONG WHOONG
"Fufufu! That's what I'm talking about!" ［Yuna］
Of course, Yuna didn't just let it do whatever it wanted. With a smile blooming on her face, she quickly ran towards the Ignarctos and with a flick of her fingers, summoned her ever so trusty daggers, a platinum glint glimmering in the air.
She streamed towards the Ignarctos at speeds well past the sound barrier, a sonic boom rippling towards the sky. In a mere instant, she appeared before the Ignarctos and swung her daggers, a cold glint in her eyes.
《Shadow Guillotine!》 ［Yuna］
A cold shimmer gleamed in the air, Yuna's blades streaking down on the Ignarctos' arms, down towards the ground. There was no blood whatsoever nor were there any injuries to be seen, only extreme pain coursing through the bear's body.
Much like Grey's "Phantom Caliber", "Shadow Guillotine" was an assassination art which damages the inside. It turns the daggers into a half-phantom state and severs all the veins, muscles, tendons, and bones inside, invisible to the observer's eyes.
It wasn't just painful, it was extremely painful, sharp and deadly pain ringing out from its four limbs as if it was bit by dragons from all sides. Yet despite the pain, the poor Ignarctos stood its ground and continued charging its attack.
CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE BOOOOMMMMM
Tremors and thunders rocked the whole forest, an explosion of flames ringing out as if there was no tomorrow. The pillar of crimson flames had grown twice in size and power, rushing forth towards the whole forest and razing everything to the ground.
Yuna's figure soon disappeared into the flames, her silhouette swallowed whole as the flames rampaged with all their heart. But it wasn't just Yuna. The pillar of flames also rushed towards another figure, caught up in the battle.
"Oh?" ［Grey］
And that figure was none other than Grey, who was still capturing a video, standing still without any worries when the flames suddenly decided to give him a very warm greetingー no, a scorching hot greeting.
It wasn't long before Grey himself was also devoured by the flames, his figure soon disappearing into the inferno. It wasn't just him. Even the forest was devoured by the wrath of the flames, a deep burn carved from the sky. The flames soon died down.
"That was quite impressive. Well done～!" ［Yuna］
However, the battle was still far from over. Though Yuna was swallowed up by the flames, not a single hair on her body was hurt. Rather, she was more than fine, then appearing behind the bear's figure, her daggers by its neck.
《Shadow Guillotine!》 ［Yuna］
She swung her blades for the final time, and they cut through the bear's neck without much resistance. All the muscles, bones, veins, and nerves were severed in a quick instant, the Ignarctos' life flashing before its very eyes.
It wasn't too long before the bear's eyes turned white and its heart ceased to beat. It soon fell towards the ground, a loud, resonant thud resounding in the air. With that, the battle has reached its conclusion. A one-sided victory.
"Whew～! That was fun!" ［Yuna］
The Ignarctos which once stood proud and mighty was now down on the ground, not a single breath escaping its mouth. And the one who finished it was calm as can be, not even breaking a single sweat and nor sustaining any injury.
"Oh, right! Grey, are you okay?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah, I'm alright. Though... I didn't expect to be dragged into the fight," ［Grey］
"Teehee! Sorry, I'm be more careful next time～!" ［Yuna］
Of course, as much as Yuna, Grey was also perfectly fine and so was the camera he was holding in his hands. Long before the flames could even touch him, he had already erected a barrier, dispersing the flames and protecting the camera.
With that, they have another record of yet another demonic beast appearing all of the sudden. There couldn't be anything more suspicious about their sudden increase in numbers, only an ominous premonition looming in their hearts,
It would have been great if it was only one or two demonic beasts, but ever since they started their journey, they have already encountered well over a dozen, many just as strong as any veteran adventurer and a couple as strong as High-Rankers.
"Grey, this is unnatural, isn't it?" ［Yuna］
"I'm nor sure, but I think so too. It's too suspicious to be not." ［Grey］
"I see... Does that mean there's someone deliberately making demonic beasts in Varres? It seems they're becoming more common too." ［Yuna］
"I'm not sure if it really is Vartes, but it wouldn't hurt to be careful." ［Grey］
Demonic beasts... While Grey and Yuna could handle them with relative ease, the same couldn't be said for other people and even a whole country. If they are too unlucky, it may even result in peril and eradication of many settlements.
Of course, the countries could probably fight back, however, many lives would surely be lost. Not just the knights and soldiers, but the civilians as well, if ever their suspicion is right, then it would surely be catastrophic.
"Haah... How troubling... We couldn't even enjoy our vacation..." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Well, that's just how it is sometiー" ［Grey］
GRUUMMBBBLLLEEEEEEE～～
There was no warning whatsoever. Before Grey could even finish his words, a loud grumble suddenly echoed in the air. As for where it came from, it was from the cute young lady's stomach, her face now flushed red with embarrassment.
"G-Grey.... I'm hungry..." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Sure seems like it. Why don't we head back to the city and have a taste of their venison dishes? What do you think, Milady?" ［Grey］
"U-Un! Sounds great! Let's do that!" ［Yuna］
Well, there's no need to think too much about it for now. What was more important was that they were now down with their hunt and that Yuna was now hungry. It was time to head back to the city and enjoy the fruits of their hard work.
Lunch always comes first, after all.
CHAPTER 412 END