Everything happened in a matter of seconds. A faint sound sliced through the air — like the very wind had warped for a brief mont. But it was precisely those few seconds that sealed the fate of one of the buffalo nearby. Oliver’s arrow, as precise as ever, pierced the creature’s neck with impressive ease, cutting through flesh like there was no resistance at all.
As imposing as they looked, those creatures had no natural defenses — no thick armor, scales, or shells. Their hides, despite their rugged appearance, were absurdly vulnerable. Daggers, swords, and arrows passed through them effortlessly, like they were made of dry clay ready to crumble.
Anyway, the arrow that pierced the buffalo didn’t stop there — it went right through with such accuracy and force that it continued flying deeper into the forest, gliding through the air like a silent shadow. No impact sound followed. It was as if it had been guided to avoid trunks, branches, or anything that might reveal its presence.
An almost unnatural silence hung in the air for a mont... until the remaining buffalo began to stir. Their ears twitched, nostrils flared alertly, and their heavy eyes scanned the surroundings. Sothing was bothering them. Sothing was wrong — even if they didn’t know exactly what yet.
They abruptly stopped grazing. Their necks lifted in unison, eyes suspiciously sweeping the area. Their ears jittered, moving erratically as if trying to catch sounds coming from every direction at once. At that mont, there was no doubt — they had sensed it.
They knew they were being hunted. I already knew what was coming next: scattering. Without hesitation, I moved decisively toward two other buffalo farther away, guiding my two bodies with precision. Each advanced firmly, targeting a different prey. There was no room for caution anymore. The attack had begun.
I wasn’t sure how much mana I’d already spent by that point, but instinctively, I knew there was enough left to finish this fight. I took a deep breath, adjusted my stance, and activated [Precise Strike].
In the next instant, both daggers I wielded began to glow with a deep crimson intensity, like liquid flas poured over the tal. The red glow pulsed softly, standing out in the surrounding mist.
At the sa ti, [Predatory Gaze] was already taking effect, making the buffalo’s weak spots glow almost like targets amid the heat of battle — clear, pulsing, impossible to ignore with my sharp eyes.
That’s when my female body was the first to move. Agile and precise, she lunged in a nearly feline leap, closing the distance between and the buffalo in seconds.
The buffalo was still sowhat distracted, though it was already showing signs of alertness — muscles tense, restless eyes, snout nervously sniffing the air. But that wasn’t enough. In the blink of an eye, I was on top of it.
My quick approach caught its attention, making it snap its head sharply toward — its long, tallic horns glead in the light before aiming straight at . Without hesitation, I dove to the side and slid under its massive body.
With a precise move, I plunged my dagger into the glowing spot pulsing beneath its neck. My blade t little resistance, then I pulled with all my strength, tearing through thick flesh and opening its throat in a brutal gush of hot blood.
*You killed [Iron Buffalo – lvl 19] – Experience gained. Experience shared with your group. 19 TP obtained*
A familiar notification popped before my eyes, confirming the buffalo was definitely dead. But honestly, the mont warm blood started splashing on — thick, running down my face and soaking my clothes — I bitterly regretted choosing that thod to take it down.
Anyway, setting aside the ssy state of Noa — my female body — Justin, my male body, had already reached the other buffalo. Unlike the first, this one noticed my approach before I could even get ready. Without hesitation, it swung its horns at and charged furiously.
Of course, I expected that. Unlike Noa, Justin wasn’t exactly agile or quiet — especially since I hadn’t even reactivated my stealth abilities. His body was bulkier, more direct, and inevitably louder when moving. I knew he’d be noticed, and I’d prepared for that more aggressive reaction.
This scenario was already part of my plan. So instead of running straight at the buffalo, I made just enough noise to catch its attention — just enough for it to hear and charge.
And then, as expected, a loud crash echoed behind . At that mont, I was sure: my plan had worked. I calmly stepped away from where I was, erging from behind the tree I’d been using as cover and, just as I’d imagined, the buffalo had gotten its horns stuck in the tree.
Its two horns were firmly embedded in the trunk, stuck so tightly the huge buffalo struggled desperately to free itself, thrashing violently. And if you’re wondering why the tree was still standing after such an impact from a creature that size, the explanation is simple — and believe , I’ve tested this before.
Whatever these things are, they’re definitely not ordinary trees. They have insane impact resistance, almost like they’re made of living stone. But interestingly, they seem way more vulnerable to direct cuts. It’s a strange contrast... but useful in so situations.
Anyway, I didn’t waste that vulnerable mont. Even with its [Predatory Gaze] still active, I silently closed in, senses sharp with every step. My eyes briefly locked onto the glowing spot on its neck, a clear sign of its weakness.
In the next instant, my weapon pulsed with an intense red light, as if filled with burning rage. With lethal precision, I stabbed its weak point, driving the blade deep into its throat. The grotesque sound of blood gushing echoed as the buffalo let out a muffled grunt, its fury fading slowly.
*You killed [Iron Buffalo – lvl 20] – Experience gained. Experience shared with your group. 20 TP obtained*
The buffalo’s heavy body slowly collapsed, muscles finally relaxing. Still, its horns remained firmly stuck in the tree, preventing it from falling completely to the ground.
For a brief mont, my eyes fixed on the lifeless body, feeling the weight of silence around us. Then, a sudden, loud noise shattered the quiet — a sharp, vigorous crash that imdiately caught my attention.
As I turned to look toward the sound, I felt sothing large and heavy pass just inches from my body — from my female body, on the other side. For a mont, confusion overwheld . It was like my consciousness was in two places at once. But as I tracked the figure that had just passed, understanding slowly, uncomfortably set in.
The last buffalo, disoriented and probably not even sure where it was, let out a hoarse roar and charged full force toward Alice and Ethan. Its hooves pounded violently, kicking up dust and making the ground tremble with each step.
Alice, who had been watching the scene for a mont, widened her eyes in pure shock — her body froze for a split second before instinct made her stumble back. She fell to the ground, her elbows sinking into the loose dirt, clearly not expecting things to get so dangerous so fast.
But, as if prepared for this kind of situation, Ethan stepped forward without hesitation, imdiately putting himself between Alice and the buffalo. The next instant, he and the buffalo collided with a sharp crash — the kind of impact that would normally send anyone flying. But surprisingly, Ethan didn’t budge an inch.
Instead of being thrown back, he held his ground, planting his feet like roots. With a grunt of effort and taut muscles, he started pushing the animal back, relying solely on his physical strength. The ground shook beneath them, but Ethan didn’t back down.
“Ugh... this thing’s way too strong for a monster cow” Ethan grunted, panting. His chest rose and fell quickly as he tried to catch his breath.
A nervous smile — half crooked, almost mocking — spread across his lips. It wasn’t a sign of confidence, far from it. It was the expression of soone barely believing they were still standing. Probably, he didn’t even understand how he hadn’t fallen yet.
We stayed silent for a mont, frozen, watching Ethan’s absurd display of strength. Each second felt stretched as he held that colossal creature back with pure effort. Then his voice broke the silence, heavy with desperation and exhaustion.
“Guys!” Ethan called out, out of breath, voice cracking mid-sentence: “A little help here would be great! No idea how long I can keep holding this thing! Honestly... getting trampled by a giant monster is not on my list of fun experiences!” ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel⚑fire
At that point, it was undeniable: of all of us, Ethan was by far the strongest physically. Answering his call, we moved according to the plan. The exact mont he faced the buffalo head-on, an arrow sliced through the air and struck the animal’s rear leg.
The wound wasn’t deep — actually, it barely broke the skin — but that small distraction was enough. The buffalo faltered for a mont, and that was all Ethan needed to take control and flip the creature with a roar of effort.
In seconds, the buffalo crashed to the side with a dull thud. Ethan, still riding the fierce montum, didn’t hesitate — in one swift motion, he drew the long sword strapped to his back and, in a single throw, hurled it precisely at the animal’s body.
A hoarse bellow cut through the air, followed by violent spasms shaking the buffalo’s body, like it was fighting death itself. But it all stopped as quickly as it started. Silence settled, heavy, only broken by Ethan’s heavy breathing.
There on the ground lay the huge creature’s body, completely still, with a deep cut slicing through its side. Ethan stayed still, eyes fixed on the corpse, chest rising and falling rapidly, as if still expecting the monster to get back up.
At the sa ti, Oliver burst through the bushes, branches scratching his clothes as he sprinted toward Alice and Ethan. His face was marked with worry, eyes scanning for any injuries: “Hey! You two okay?” he exclaid, breathless, voice full of relief and urgency at once.
Ethan said nothing. Silently, he sheathed his sword with a firm motion and then half-turned, extending his hand backward, pointing toward Alice, who lay a few steps behind. Without hesitation, Oliver ran over to her, kneeling beside her with a tense, concerned expression.
“Alice, you okay?” he asked, voice urgent as he helped her up carefully, eyes scanning her body for wounds.
Hearing Oliver’s question, Alice nodded slowly, still visibly shaken by what had just happened. Her eyes, though focused, carried a spark of surprise and unease. With a slightly shaky voice, she replied: “I... I’m okay, just a little shaken...” she paused briefly, taking a deep breath to compose herself: “It was a scary experience... in a lot of ways”
I approached the trio slowly, who soon recognized and gave a slight nod. In silence, our eyes turned toward the small makeshift butcher area in front of us — six giant buffalo bodies lay sprawled on the ground, fresh at showing reddish hues under the soft evening light. The air carried a faint tallic scent, a mix of blood and churned earth.
We stood watching the scene for a few seconds, absorbing the weight of the mont, until Ethan broke the silence: “So... what do we do with all this at?”
Of course, everyone probably shared the sa thought — it would be a real waste to just leave all that at behind. However, there was a small problem that didn’t escape Alice’s notice, who soon raised the question. She furrowed her brow, thinking for a mont before speaking: “So...” Alice began, her voice hesitating briefly as if searching for the right words: “how are we going to carry all this with us?”
Upon hearing Alice’s words, our eyes naturally turned toward the buffalo. Those massive bodies lay on the ground, each probably weighing over a ton, covered in thick fur that shimred under the setting sun. As if sharing the sa thought as , Oliver broke the silence with a low, cautious voice: “Do you think we can carry all of this?”
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