Chapter 5

"Gr...aaaaah!"

In the direct clash between the large magical beast and the still underdeveloped hungry ghost, the recoil was inevitable. With two knives still embedded in the beast’s forehead, Xiaoming was thrown into a nearby patch of grass. The taste of iron seeped into his mouth.

"Hah! I know, you know, that the forehead is the softest spot!"

Indeed, beasts of your type have been studied to no end in later years.

With his cheeks pulled up despite the numerous scratches, he could still feel the sensation of tearing flesh lingering in his hands. It was a sudden action, but it was a success. His heart soared with exhilaration and a sense of accomplishment.

That’s right, yes, that’s right. If he were to run away here, he would be no different from before. No matter what happens, he must surpass his former self. He must overcome his past and future self.

The magical beast groaned in agony, blood dripping from its forehead. It was not a fatal wound, but it was not a minor injury that could be ignored. Given the current situation, it was a good outcome.

"...!? What, where did you come from!?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just shut up. I don’t want to hear your voice! Coming in front of me with such crude skills. If you’re weak, just stay quiet."

Ah, it felt really good just now. I don’t know why, but it felt like I had cleared a long-standing grudge in one word. Feeling a bit scared, he glanced at Karia Bardonic. It was fine; she was grinding her teeth in frustration, but given the situation, she wouldn’t attack.

"Here, I’m empty-handed now. The rest is up to you. He’s quite shaken up."

Picking up the longsword that had been discarded, he handed it to Karia Bardonic. She was not unscathed either; a trickle of blood dripped from her face.

"... Without being told. Our conversation will be later. I will slip past those fangs and finish this."

Muttering, "Quickly," she once again gripped the longsword and glared at the giant beast.

Its body resembled a boar, at least in shape. But its inner structure was entirely different. The skin hidden beneath the fur was as tough as to bounce off rocks. The four legs supporting its body were as thick as rooted trees, and a soft slash would be easily deflected.

Breathing heavily, the magical beast, with its two large tusks that had been honed over many years, prepared to charge.

The large magical beast.

It lived up to its name, with a massive body and sharp eyes fixed on them. Its presence was formidable. Despite being wounded, it had not lost its fighting spirit. On the contrary, a wounded beast becomes even more ferocious. Fortunately, it seemed to be wary of them. Its large eyes moved around, but its initial movements were slow.

"Miss, aim for the jaw."

"The jaw? Don’t be ridiculous. It’s better to aim for the cervical vertebrae from above than to slip past those tusks and aim for the jaw."

Tapping his jaw, Karia Bardonic responded with a puzzled look.

"You’re the fool. The tusks are the beast’s greatest weapon. The skin is not as soft as to be cut by an iron sword. Even with your skills, you can only inflict a scratch."

"... Say what you want. That’s a new type of beast. Why can you speak so confidently? Do you really believe what a wretched-looking man like you says?"

"Then it doesn’t matter, do what you want."

Interrupting her words, he lightly clicked his teeth and said.

This woman really hasn’t changed, not now, not in the future. She was a nasty woman. She never listened to others’ opinions. A woman who tried to resolve everything on her own. The only person who could ever get through to her, from beginning to end, was that savior man.

She must still think this way. She can’t listen to a weak, obviously useless-looking man. She always belittles others.

"Then I’ll retreat quickly. The rest is up to you. My job was reconnaissance. Besides, while we’re talking, it’s recovering."

Pointing to the magical beast with his eyes, he continued.

The magical beast was emitting smoke from all over its massive body, sealing its wounds. Scholars say it’s miasma. Adventurers say it’s a poisonous mist that seals their wounds. The actual mechanism is not well understood. Some theories suggest it uses magic to evaporate and repair wounds. Whatever the truth, it’s definitely something that heals the magical beast.

Once the wounds are sealed, it will undoubtedly attack. The beast’s hostility far surpasses that of ordinary animals, especially when it has been wounded.

"Of course, you can do it. Try your best. I’ll be cheering for you from the bar table."

If he spoke in such a mocking manner, Karia Bardonic wouldn’t say anything more. Above all, he didn’t want to get involved.

He had already wasted two knives for a woman he disliked. Dealing a blow to that magical beast was undoubtedly a show of courage, considering his past. It shouldn’t be a bad thing. He should consider it a sacrifice.

"... Wait."

A sharp voice stopped him as he was about to leave, waving his hand.

"--- Understood. I apologize for my rudeness and will take your advice. How can I fight it? How can I kill it?"

Hearing those words, a chill ran up his spine.

"... What, are you serious?"

This woman, a person who combined pride and arrogance, was relying on him. It made no sense. It was completely out of the ordinary.

The chill was far more overwhelming than the comfort of being relied on. His face twisted as he pointed at the magical beast with his thumb.

"Listen, the beast’s tusks are there to protect the soft spot on its forehead. So, it’s not easy to pierce it even with a surprise attack. And the skin is so hard that you’d need a high-level magic spell to penetrate it."

Karia Bardonic nodded unexpectedly as she listened to his words. Considering her future self, who rarely listened to anyone, it was unbelievable. Honestly, it was creepy.

Tapping his jaw, he continued.

"So, the jaw. The skin from the beast’s jaw to the neck is as weak as to be pierced by an iron sword."

"Then how do you aim for it? The inner skin being soft is naturally harder to target and less dangerous."

"Aim for the moment it raises its tusks."

She repeated the words, "the moment it raises its tusks," narrowing her eyes and watching his hand movements closely.

"When the beast uses its tusks to finish off its prey, it raises its tusks at the very end to completely kill the prey. At that moment, the jaw opens for a split second. That’s when you strike."

"Hey, are you serious? Are you really saying that?"

Her voice, tinged with disbelief, interrupted his words. She continued, saying it wasn’t even a gap, her face darkening. She looked uncertain, and her hand holding the long, thin sword was trembling.

On the contrary, he was surprised. What was this woman talking about?

"You can do it. You can definitely do it. There’s no need to hesitate."

"!? Why do you say that? Don’t make baseless claims!"

"I have a reason."

His silver eyes, which had been shaken, met his gaze as he sighed.

"Because you’re Karia Bardonic."

Yes, you can do it. There’s no way you can’t. A swordsmanship genius and a rising star in the knight’s order. If you can’t do it, who can?

For a moment, Karia Bardonic’s eyes widened as she met his gaze. It was a bit scary, even now. He couldn’t help but think of the journey of salvation where he was constantly threatened by her. But she smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly, as if to dismiss his thoughts.

"--- Understood. Yes, I am Karia Bardonic. Therefore, I will naturally defeat the magical beast. Just watch, you."

Ah, maybe she can do it after all.

With confidence in her heart, she declared and walked toward the magical beast. Her back was unmistakable. It was the very image of the genius he knew—Karia Bardonic.