Chapter 34
The sudden appearance of the raptor pack, which I had angrily dismissed as a baseless threat, caught completely off guard.
This was also a tragedy born of my own carelessness.
“I wasn’t paying any attention to the raptors at all.”
The first ti I encountered raptors was when a small pack had trespassed onto the farmland.
The residents of the territory had struck them down with farming tools, and I had co to fully realize the combat strength of my people.
Back then, I thought that since the season of the raptors had arrived, it would be wise to exterminate them whenever possible.
If their numbers grew and they ford large packs, that would be troubleso in its own way.
‘But I couldn’t. I simply didn’t have the ti.’
However, as monsters poured out from the Forest of Illusions, hunting the raptors was pushed to the back burner.
After that ca the Forest of Illusions expedition, and then the work at the Horned Rabbit ranch overlapped, and I completely forgot about the raptors.
‘They hadn’t been spotted near the territory.
So this ans they ca down this way.’
The raptors, which had been wandering near the territory due to the monster rampage in the Forest of Illusions, had all fled this way.
Over ti, their numbers grew into a massive group, so it made sense that a raptor pack would now be rampaging.
Originally, raptors near Johnson Territory should have been dealt with one by one, but that wasn’t the situation now.
‘Still, this pack attacking us right now feels like pure harassnt.’
Of course, it didn’t make sense for raptors—creatures that instinctively locate prey—to just pass up so many clustered prey in an open field.
That they chose this exact ti to ambush us was just unbelievably unfortunate.
I felt my head throb, trying to figure out how to respond.
Could we protect the rabbit tribe while fending off raptors in a completely open field?
‘And why didn’t the diary show this? This really seems like a crisis.’
It seed this diary couldn’t show everything.
Maybe it had a cooldown, or so other restriction.
Or perhaps it judged that this situation wasn’t that serious.
‘No, that doesn’t matter right now.’
The most important thing in this mont was Leisha’s judgnt.
‘Would the Black Lions still fight alongside us in this situation?’
After all, the Lion Tribe were rcenaries, and in a situation like this, retreating might be their best choice.
Even for the Black Lion female warriors, escaping from a raptor pack would have been entirely possible.
“What are you talking about? You want us to give up the Horned Rabbits just because of a few lizards?”
But Leisha didn’t seem to have any intention of retreating.
Truly, they were consistent like that.
At least the worst-case scenario was avoided.
The Black Lions also seed intent on fighting the raptors.
“Hurry and start digging the tunnels!”
“The children must be protected at all costs.”
“Use every mana bomb left at the front!”
The rabbit tribe was also ready to fight.
As soon as it beca clear that the raptor pack was approaching, they began digging tunnels and evacuated the children inside.
This area was an open plain with no cover.
‘Still, they dig tunnels incredibly fast.’
Isn’t that the rabbit tribe’s specialty? By the way, what’s the master going to do?
‘Master or not, we have to fight.’
We’d co this far—what choice did we have?
We had to hold out sohow.
Whether we could actually face a massive raptor pack was uncertain, but there was no alternative.
I was more worried about how the rabbit tribe would survive this situation.
A few raptors would be weak monsters easily handled by Johnson Territory’s residents, but a pack this large would be extrely tricky.
There were probably many elite raptors and raptor champions, and with a pack this size, there would even be a raptor queen.
‘It’s hard to even estimate the damage.
In the worst case, they could be wiped out.’
That’s really the worst-case scenario.
The situation is extrely tense.
Leisha seed to think similarly and ca up with a sowhat extre tactic.
“…So, you and I go through the raptor pack and take out the raptor queen?”
“There doesn’t seem to be any other way.
If we eliminate the leader, those lizards are nothing but a rabble.”
“Not exactly wrong.”
“Unfortunately, the area I can cover isn’t that wide.
Moderately skilled female warriors are more efficient supporting from behind.”
“Definitely. Without the female warriors assisting, the rabbit tribe would collapse quickly.”
A so-called decapitation operation.
The plan was to leave the Black Lion female warriors here to protect the rabbit tribe while Leisha and I went through the raptor pack to eliminate the raptor queen.
She said this was the most efficient approach.
‘The raptor queen is a Class 2 monster. But leader monsters tend to be overvalued. In terms of individual combat power, she’d be around Class 3.’
A level the master could handle.
‘If only we could reach her.’
It seed like a crazy strategy, but thinking it through, it was the best option.
The combat power of pack monsters varies drastically depending on the presence of a leader.
With just Leisha and , we could handle the raptor queen, and if we succeeded in eliminating her, the large pack wouldn’t be able to maintain itself.
The pack would likely scatter, centered around the raptor champions and elite raptors.
Still, even low-quality monsters like raptors can’t be underestimated in numbers.
Whether we could break through the pack and eliminate the raptor queen would be critical.
“Not confident, teddy?”
“Hmph, don’t fall behind yourself.”
I had once led the knights through a monster rampage, cutting through a pack and even handling a forest troll flawlessly.
Of course, the situation now was different, but the quality of these monsters wasn’t as high as those attacking the territory castle from the Forest of Illusions.
If Leisha set the stage beside , there was no reason I couldn’t replicate that “Johnson Charge.”
‘Right. I have to do it. Sohow.’
Ultimately, it was a battle against ti, strength, and endurance.
We had to break through the raptor pack and hunt the raptor queen as quickly as possible.
‘This might even be the final test to bring the rabbit tribe into our territory.’
To save even one more mber of the rabbit tribe, we had to do everything we could to break through that raptor pack.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Far ahead, the raptor pack ca into view.
I couldn’t tell the exact number, but it seed to be at least in the four digits.
Could a raptor pack really grow that large if left unchecked?
I thought, what a miserable world.
“Heh.
The lizards have gathered in full force.”
Even facing such a massive pack that would intimidate anyone, Leisha didn’t seem particularly tense.
This one… she’s really aggressive.
Among the beastn, the Lion Tribe was known for its exceptional bravery.
And within the Lion Tribe, there were the Black Lions.
Leisha, who had road the Monster Mountains like it was her ho since childhood, might consider battle a way of life.
Honestly, it gave a bit of reassurance.
“Let’s go!”
“Grrr!”
She slamd her feet into the ground and charged toward the raptor pack.
Before the raptors could strike the rabbit tribe, we had to kill as many raptors as possible and take down the raptor queen.
Kraak!
I cut down a raptor at the front.
Then another, and another.
Every ti Unbreakable flashed, a raptor was cleanly sliced apart.
Raptors themselves weren’t particularly threatening monsters.
Behind you! Master.
The problem was that these raptors were a pack controlled by their leader.
Raptors surrounding us from all sides lunged for our backs.
That’s what made dealing with a large raptor pack tricky.
-You have to abandon what must be… hmm?
Just as I thought we should abandon what we couldn’t hold against being surrounded, Leisha appeared silently behind , crushed a raptor, and disappeared.
It was such a natural movent, as if it were the most obvious thing to do.
Could this be the “territory” Leisha ntioned?
Leisha’s senses? Or a domain that only a Master possesses?
Perhaps being a Master isn’t just about having more aura and being able to wield a perfected Aura Blade.
By now, the very stride feels different.
So, she can provide support like this?
That’s why I can see the path.
If Leisha could support this much, there was no reason to hold back.
We had to break through the enemy lines and suppress the raptor queen as quickly as possible.
I realized this was the aning behind Leisha’s decapitation operation.
“Jooohn!!!”
Instinctively shouting, I charged in a straight line.
An attack that ignored defense.
A storm of greatsword strikes smashed the raptors and cleared a path.
Slash, slash, slash.
The massive human tank rampaged, and the area began to turn red with raptor blood.
Kraaah!
But this was enemy territory.
At least four digits of raptors crowded the area.
Any empty space was imdiately filled by other raptors, constantly eyeing gaps.
Especially the smaller Class 5 monsters, stalker raptors, which relentlessly targeted my back like assassins.
“Kraang!”
But it was fine.
Behind was soone even more fearso, glaring with both eyes.
Leisha followed as if she were one with , protecting , which allowed to fight even more wildly.
No, I felt freer than usual.
The reassurance that no matter how I moved, my back was covered.
Even if I collapsed from exhaustion, there was the belief that as long as I reached the raptor queen, things would work out.
I had never experienced anything like this before.
Neither had I, and not even Iron had ever fought without soone covering him.
Why did this woman put in the lead in the first place?
‘She must intend to take on the raptor queen herself.’
Aura surged and pulsed through my entire body.
I shielded myself from the raptor champions blocking my path, severed the heads of elite raptors lunging at , and continued my charge.
Bang!
Explosions from mana bombs sounded behind .
A signal that the raptors had begun attacking the rabbit tribe’s base after passing .
Sohow, I felt anger.
Because they ignored despite being here.
“Uaaah!!!”
Shouting once more, I dashed into the center of the pack.
The more I smashed through their formation, the more raptors appeared.
Elite raptors and raptor champions began to block from all directions.
The big lizards are multiplying.
Raptors are stacking up behind the Master as well.
The increasing number of high-level raptors ant I was approaching the raptor queen.
The increasing numbers surrounding was also a good sign.
It ant the raptor queen, sensing danger, was drawing the pack back toward .
‘Good. That’s how it should be. Your target isn’t the rabbit tribe—it’s .’
After breaking through several walls of raptors, a massive raptor finally appeared.
A size incomparable to the raptor champions.
Class 2 Monster, the raptor queen.
The leader of the group who would end this battle had appeared.
“Uaaah!”
Without giving other raptors a chance to protect her, I charged straight at the raptor queen.
Clang!
Unbreakable clashed against the raptor queen’s massive teeth, producing a sharp collision sound.
Was it fatigue from fighting so many raptors?
My shoulders, back, and waist trembled, and my aura wouldn’t move properly.
I had planned to split her massive jaws in half with a single blow.
“Leisha!”
But it didn’t matter.
I wasn’t the main attacker anyway.
Leisha, who had preserved her strength while guarding my back, leaped using my shoulder.
“Grrr!”
The fierce black aura converged into her fists, and the surging black aura split the raptor queen’s head perfectly in half.
The raptor queen slowly collapsed.
Around Leisha, black aura still swirled wildly, as if protecting her.
-Slow… even in falling.
‘…What are you saying?’
A Black Rabbit guy hiding behind suddenly made a comnt.
It was so absurd I couldn’t help but chuckle.
But I had to admit—Leisha was incredible.
It felt strange.
A warm pride filled a corner of my chest, knowing she had truly accomplished it.
Puuu~~
Thud thud thud thud thud
And at that mont.
From afar ca the sound of horned pipes and the pounding of rough hooves.
Or rather, the rough charge of the Three-Horned Mountain Goats.
Johnson! Johnson!
Yes.
The knights I had sent ahead to the territory had joined this battlefield with the rest of the knight order.
-Ohhh, they’ve finally arrived.
“Timing’s eerily perfect.”
It was the signal that would mark the end of this battle.
Reviews
All reviews (0)