Chapter 53 - Night Attack (2)

Careless? Complacent? Guilty on both counts. That was what went through my mind as I faced those golden eyes shining in the darkness.

Night was the most dangerous time in the forest. Night, when all light vanished and only darkness settled over everything.

Still, darkness put me at less of a disadvantage than most. For reasons I didn't understand, I could see into it to some extent.

Right now, though, I could only curse that ability.

'Fucking hell. How can it be that big...!'

Because I could see exactly what owned that pair of eyes gleaming menacingly in the darkness.

It looked like a tiger overall, but long fangs protruded from its mouth.

More frightening than anything was its size. Its eyes were visible above the barricade in front of me.

For reference, the barricade the dwarf had given me was taller than I was. That put this thing comfortably over two meters in height alone.

'An animal on all fours has a higher eye level than me...?'

It was absurd. Which was precisely why it lived in the Forest of Four Seasons, I supposed.

Despair was already welling up inside me, but an instinct pushed it back.

The instinct to survive. To live. I tightened my grip on my sword and shield.

GRRR...!

Perhaps sensing my resolve, the tiger growled a warning.

It was only a threat, yet my knees went weak and my body felt as though it were turning rigid. Thank goodness I'd braced myself. If I'd run into it without warning, I would have fainted.

"Hoo. Hoo. Hoo."

I deliberately regulated my breathing. The pressure it exuded was so terrifying that I could barely breathe unless I consciously made the effort.

Could I really fight that monster and win? One look told me it was far stronger than the mother owlbear.

'Was this thing why she moved dens?'

There was a good chance. She wouldn't have brought Roundfur along if she'd only been scouting.

This thing was practically a thug. The kind that put your life in danger just by crossing your path.

I wanted to run right then, too, but I forced myself to stay.

'Running would only put me in more danger.'

Roundfur was still asleep in the cave, and darkness surrounded us. Sunrise was a long way off.

Running wouldn't change the fact that I was in danger.

'My best bet is to hope it backs off...'

Carnivores that hunted for their food were cautious. Hunting was horribly energy-inefficient, and an injury that robbed them of the ability could easily mean starvation.

That was why they tended to leave willingly if they judged something dangerous. The problem was, the odds of that happening here were abysmally low.

Just compare my size to the tiger in front of me. Its eyes were at least a full head higher than mine.

I was literally a bite-sized snack. There was only one thing I could do now.

SHHHH...

I summoned aura around my sword and shield. Blue wisps rose even in the pitch-black darkness.

It was like a hedgehog raising its spines. If it wanted to hunt me, it had better be prepared.

Perhaps sensing something formidable in that display, the tiger paced outside the barricade rather than charging rashly.

'Thank God I put up that barricade.'

Without it, the tiger would have come right up to me. Even if it attacked, it would have to clear the barricade first, buying me some time.

'Please go away. Please go away. Please go away.'

I pleaded over and over in my head. But the tiger only kept prowling around the barricade.

Cold sweat ran down my cheeks, and my hands were slick with it.

How long did that agonizing tension last?

GRRRRR...!

The tiger stopped short, then began slowly backing away.

My face brightened at the thought that it was retreating, but then I realized something was wrong.

'Wouldn't it turn around if it was leaving?'

But the giant tiger was only walking backward.

As though backing up to leap over the barricade.

"Ah."

Sure enough.

THUD-THUD!

"Shit."

The tiger charged from where it had backed away and easily vaulted the barricade.

Its leap was agile and fluid, utterly at odds with its immense bulk. Now right in front of me, it radiated the overwhelming presence of a true lord of the mountains.

ROAR!

The tiger opened its jaws wide and lunged.

Was it the oppressive presence it radiated? Or the terror of actually dying?

My breathing stopped, and my body refused to move. It didn't even feel like my own.

'Move.'

I had to move. But I couldn't.

'I said move.'

I kept ordering it. But my body rejected every command my brain sent.

In moments, jaws big enough to chew up my head in a single bite were right before my face.

At this rate, my head would go straight into that mouth. And then what?

Could a headless body even move?

A hard yank.

"Gack!"

As time seemed to slow, someone grabbed my clothes and pulled. My balance tipped backward, forcing my body into motion.

SNAP!

It was a matter of a split second. The tiger's enormous jaws closed on empty air.

A moment later, and they would have crunched through my skull instead.

THUD!

"Urgh!"

Landing on my backside brought sensation rushing back into my body. I'd also bitten my tongue as I fell.

The sharp pain seemed to shoot through every inch of me.

ROAAR!

The tiger's roar pierced my eardrums. I hurriedly looked up.

Normally, it should have followed up with another attack. Instead, it was doing the opposite, shaking its head as though in pain.

I couldn't make sense of what was happening, but this was my chance.

I scrambled to my feet and took a stance. Now I could see what was hurting it.

SLASH! SLASH!

The speed-sloth. It was clinging to the tiger's face, raking it with its claws.

The tiger swiped its forepaws, desperate to get it off, but this was the speed-sloth we were talking about. Its reflexes and ability to track motion were sharp enough to snatch an arrow out of the air.

Even a tiger would have a hard time dislodging it.

WHOOSH!

Apparently, though, it couldn't overcome the sheer difference in size. One violent shake of the tiger's head sent the speed-sloth flying.

Luckily, it flew toward me, so I caught it without trouble. Though all I really did was shift into position so it could climb onto my back.

'So you were the one who pulled me.'

I thought I knew who had tugged on my collar now. The speed-sloth had saved my life.

I only had a moment to feel grateful before looking back at the tiger it had been clinging to. There were scratches on its face, but they were minor.

'Right. I can't die here.'

I moved my tongue. Blood filled my mouth from where I'd bitten it in the fall.

That taste woke my body and mind. I wouldn't freeze up again.

ROAAR!

The tiger had been glaring at us. It opened its jaws wide and lunged again.

Until a moment ago, all I could do was tremble in fear. Not anymore.

I assessed the situation as coolly and calmly as I could, then moved.

'I can't let it bite me. One bite means a serious injury at best.'

Those sharp fangs made that clear enough. And the size difference was enormous.

It could gulp me down in an instant. Better to approach this knowing that one hit would kill me.

SNAP!

The tiger's jaws slammed shut with a vicious sound. I'd moved right just before it pounced, barely managing to dodge.

I never forgot Sword Masta's advice: don't stand still. Always keep your legs moving.

It seemed to work on this tiger, just as it had on the giant crab.

CLANG!

"Urgh...!"

But unlike the giant crab, this thing was agile. Just as I went to swing my sword, it swiped a massive forepaw at me.

I barely blocked it with my shield, and the impact was tremendous.

'Don't forget to breathe. Like I'm drawing out every bit of strength.'

While I was thinking, the tiger charged ferociously.

The size difference was so overwhelming that even a casual swipe was a struggle to deal with. Whenever it slammed a paw down from above, I couldn't help staggering.

THUD-THUD!

At least it left small openings whenever I dodged sideways. Every time it opened its jaws to bite, it committed to a big movement. As long as I could evade it, there were plenty of openings.

THUNK!

RAAOW!

"Ah."

Different sounds escaped the tiger and me: a roar of pain from it, a sigh of dismay from me.

Landing the sword strike was good. Only cutting halfway through wasn't.

The tiger's hide was tougher than I'd ever imagined.

'Even with aura coating Heavenly Demon's sword?'

No wonder the mother owlbear had fled with Roundfur.

Still, I'd cut more than halfway through its forepaw. That had to reduce its fighting ability somewhat.

If it swung that paw now, it would fall—

ROAAR!

"?!"

Something was wrong. I'd definitely cut halfway through it, so why was it swinging that paw?

My confusion lasted only a moment before I hurriedly raised my shield to protect myself.

CLANG!

"Gah!"

The impact was far stronger than before. My body lifted off the ground and flew backward.

At least I didn't land on my back. The speed-sloth clinging there acted as a brake.

ROAAAR!

"Aagh!"

The tiger didn't stop attacking. Just before it landed on top of me, I rolled, barely escaping.

The speed-sloth fled with its usual nimbleness as well. No follow-up came.

Apparently, with the two of us split up, it couldn't decide which to attack first. That gave me time to get up and regroup.

'No way! Did it regenerate?!'

I stared wide-eyed at its forepaw. The paw I'd cut halfway through was completely restored.

So was its face, which the speed-sloth had scratched earlier. Not a mark remained.

It was already terrifyingly tough, and it could regenerate too?

So that was why it had charged despite my threat. It could just heal any damage anyway.

"This is bullshit."

ROAAAR!

As I muttered, the tiger lunged with its jaws wide open. Apparently, it had decided to kill me first rather than chase the elusive speed-sloth.

A very sensible decision. But I had no intention of quietly letting it kill me.

'When I get an opening, I'll cut with everything I've got.'

Not halfway through. Clean off.

Even with powerful regeneration, it should struggle to repair an injury as severe as a severed limb.

If it could recover from even that, well... I'd just have to go for broke.

CLANG!

The tiger's forepaw slammed into my golden shield.

I was braced this time, so it only pushed me back a little rather than sending me flying. But blocking one hit wasn't the end of it.

The tiger was relentless in a fight. It never backed off.

'The barricade's behind me.'

Retreating as I defended myself had left me with my back against it.

Seeing its chance, the tiger raised a forepaw high.

My chance had come too. I watched the paw all the way down, then spun right just before it struck me.

CRUNCH! CRACK!

The sturdy wooden barricade shattered.

A direct hit from that would have crushed my skull. But it was the barricade that got crushed, not me.

With the barricade taking the blow, the tiger was forced to hesitate for a moment too.

"Hyaaaah!"

I attacked its forepaw with all my strength, pouring mana into Heavenly Demon's sword.

The aura blazed like fire now instead of drifting in wisps. This would be enough.

SLICE!

ROAAAAR!!

And the result was excellent. The tiger's right forepaw came clean off.

With a paw supporting its immense weight severed, surely it would have to stumble.

ROAAAR!

"?!"

But the tiger was still going strong. Despite losing its forepaw, it kept its balance and opened its jaws wide at me.

I'd let my guard down a little. It was too late to dodge. Too late to block with my shield.

Instinctively, I thrust my shield arm forward.

CLANG!

RROWR?!

The golden shield went into the tiger's mouth and lodged there.

The tiger clearly hadn't expected to get a shield stuck between its jaws. It seemed thoroughly flustered.

It tried to spit it out, repeatedly working its jaws, but the shield was firmly wedged.

'Now!'

I let go of the shield and gripped Heavenly Demon's sword with both hands.

Then I drove it into the tiger's neck.

SHUNK!

Even the tiger's tough hide was vulnerable to a thrust.

It screamed in pain as the blade pierced its neck. But with the golden shield stuck firmly in its mouth, all it produced was a strange noise.

I seized the opportunity and forcibly twisted the sword buried in its neck.

RIIIIP!

The blade began cutting through the tiger's neck, agonizingly slowly.

This was all I could manage even with two hands instead of one. Between its tremendous toughness and regeneration, even Heavenly Demon's aura-infused sword seemed to struggle.

ROAAAR!

"Aagh!"

The tiger began clawing at me with its remaining forepaw. Its sharp claws felt as though they were slicing my body into strips.

Thankfully, the jersey Slutty Princess had given me kept the damage to a minimum. Even so, I felt blood streaming beneath my clothes.

The pain was like having chunks of flesh torn off by the tiger's claws.

"Aaaaaaagh!"

RIIIIP!

With every last ounce of strength, I moved the sword with both hands.

It felt like cutting through hide and slabs of flesh. Deeply unpleasant, but staying alive came first.

SPURT!

Bright red blood erupted from its neck like a fountain, soaking me.

Now it was a race against time. Would the tiger slice me apart first, or would I finish cutting through its neck?

I clung to the sword, determined to take its head clean off.

CLATTER!

Metal clattered beside me. Without thinking, I turned toward the sound.

It was the golden shield, crushed beyond recognition, its useful life at an end. The shield that had been wedged in the tiger's mouth.

Which meant the tiger had spat it out.

ROAAAR!

CRUNCH!

And with its mouth free, it had more than enough ability to bite me.

I twisted my body sharply.

"Aaaaaagh!"

It hurt. It burned as though someone had seared my wound with lava.

The tiger had bitten into my shoulder. Its long fangs pierced straight through my body and out the other side.

Twisting had at least saved my head from its jaws.

"Aagh! Aaaagh!"

GRRRR...!!

Instead, my right shoulder was completely ruined. Even the bones had to be shattered.

But I couldn't give up after coming this far. I refused to let go of the sword.

With my right shoulder destroyed, I could only use my left hand, but that was fine. It wasn't as though both hands were ruined.

'Please die. Please...!'

Blood had gushed like a fountain from its slashed neck. Yet it kept fighting to the bitter end.

How much longer did I have to keep this up? I could feel consciousness slipping away.

Just as the strength began draining from my body, something unexpected happened.

SHUNK!

ROAAAAAR!!

The tiger biting my shoulder suddenly raised its head.

As it did, my shoulder came free of the sharp teeth buried in it.

I looked up, wondering what on earth had happened.

SHUNK! SHUNK!

The speed-sloth.

It was stabbing its sharp claws into the tiger's eyes.

Even a tiger would go wild with its eyes being gouged. With only one forepaw left, it couldn't pull the speed-sloth off.

I was dazed for a moment, but I didn't waste the opening. My left hand was still firmly gripping the sword.

'This one strike...!'

With its forepaw gone, the tiger had long since lost its balance. That meant this was the perfect time to aim for its head.

"Aaaaaah!"

I waited for the moment it tumbled along the ground.

A thrust directly between its eyes. That was the best shot I had.

Perhaps recognizing my intent, the speed-sloth leaped clear just before I thrust.

Even then, the tiger was still occupied with healing its injured eyes.

GRRR...!

Before long, its eyes were restored. It shook its head, recovering its senses.

But perhaps because it had lost so much blood, its movements had become considerably slower.

For me, this was a priceless opportunity.

SHUNK!

Heavenly Demon's sword sank squarely between the tiger's eyes.

Normally, it should have thrashed wildly, but as I'd said, it was exhausted too. In particular, it had lost so much blood that it couldn't even react.

RIIIIP!

I dragged the sword upward.

Heavenly Demon's blade emerged through the top of its head, splitting that part of its skull in two.

No matter how quickly it regenerated, destroying its all-important brain should kill it.

It shuddered and twitched, its brain split in half.

Fearing that it might still regenerate, I decided to turn its face into a pincushion.

SHUNK! SHUNK! SHUNK!

How many times did I stab it in the face?

The tiger staggered, somehow maintaining its balance despite its missing forepaw, before finally collapsing with a crash.

It was so huge that simply falling shook the ground.

'N-not yet. Make sure it's dead...'

This thing could regenerate. It might play dead like this, then revive.

Even in my delirium, I kept moving the sword. First, I had to behead it.

I wouldn't feel at ease until I'd cut its head clean off.

RIIIP! CRACK! CRUNCH!

As I did everything I could to sever the tiger's head...

THUD.

That was where my consciousness cut out.