Chapter 32 Dungeon (3)

The spruce forest that blanketed the slope was the ideal habitat for a lone Yeti. Although these creatures lived a solitary lifestyle, they were powerful enough to take on even a pack of Winter wolves.

Yeti's thick fur protected them from the harsh winter weather, as they roamed the forest in search of sustenance. Its massive size and strength made them nearly invincible, even in the face of danger.

I was well aware of the dangers of facing a Yeti. They were fearsome monsters that could tear me apart with their claws and teeth.

But I was not afraid, I was even eager to fight them. I wanted to level up my Sword Proficiency and reach the D-Rank in this Dungeon.

Crunch…

The sound of snow breaking underfoot alerted me to the presence of an enemy. I drew my Katana and scanned the area for any movement.

It didn't take me long to spot the Yeti. It was hiding behind a tree, but its white fur stood out against the dark bark. It locked eyes with me and I felt a chill run down my spine. Its green eyes were not dull or savage. They were curious and intelligent, as if it was studying me like a rare specimen.

"…"

I shook off the eerie feeling and focused on the fight ahead. I had to push all my thoughts aside. It was either to kill or get killed.

Growl...

Yeti had finally marked me as its foe, and I saw as its green eyes filled with a chilling hostility. Emerging from behind a tree, the monster revealed its full, muscular body that towered over the smaller spruces nearby. Rows of sharp teeth glistened in its mouth, and its massive claws hung loosely as it approached me with slow, calculated steps.

Tensing my legs, I prepared for the impending clash. Yetis were known for their unpredictability in combat, but I had spent countless hours playing Leclentia. I was pretty much knowledgeable about every attack pattern they had. I was confident in my ability to anticipate the monster's next move.

Swish...

I heard Yeti's limbs move before I could even see them. Reacting quickly, I lowered myself to the ground, narrowly avoiding the monster's deadly claws as they passed above my head. Without hesitation, I also rolled to the side to evade the next attack, as massive claws slashed the ground where I had just been lying seconds before.

Growl...?

Yeti let out a growl of frustration, surprised that it hadn't been able to end the human in a single clash. Even Winter's Wolves, known for their agility, were not usually able to evade its attacks, yet somehow the human had managed it.

Sensing the danger, Yeti quickly raised its hands, sacrificing its wrist instead of its throat.

Swish...

I plunged my sword deep into the monster's flesh, clicking my tongue in frustration. Yetis were known for their resilience, and I wanted to end the fight quickly, but the monster was clever enough to sacrifice its hand to avoid death.

Roar...

Yeti's wrist was now halfway cut, hanging by only a few tendons. The monster had never felt such pain in its entire life, and uncontrolled rage took over its mind. Its intelligent green eyes lost all reasoning as it snapped its maw in my direction.

My hair stood on end as I felt the creature's bloodthirsty gaze pressuring me, causing my legs to wobble.

Strong beings could radiate powerful pressure, known as bloodthirst, which would make weaker entities around them feel pressured.

"..."

However, despite my weakened legs, my mind was calm and focused, allowing me to easily dodge the wounded Yeti's attacks.

Without the use of both hands, the monster was much easier to evade, but facing an enraged creature that had abandoned all defense was still no easy feat. As I avoided its claws, I felt them tear through my coat, ripping the cotton and leaving a bloody gash on my hand.

The unexpected wound caused me to momentarily stagger, giving Yeti even more momentum as it lunged towards me, swinging its only healthy hand and trying to bite me with its massive teeth.

"Shit..."

I cursed under my breath as I dodged another series of attacks. Even though I had managed to take away one of the creature's limbs, it had also inflicted a wound on me.

The battle had turned into a test of endurance. Who would tire out first, the raging Yeti swinging its arm wildly, or me, trying to avoid its reckless attacks?

I had given up on trying to damage the creature. At best, we would trade hits, and I was certain that most of my bones would break if that were to happen.

Slowly, the movements of the massive white monster started slowing down, until they were like those of a normal human. Yeti's green eyes were slightly foggy as it exhaled and inhaled deeply, clarity returning to its eyes.

Unfortunately for the monster, I was not willing to let it recover.

My blade, coated with Mana, slashed at the monster's neck, but Yeti once again managed to extend its hand, blocking its vitals.

Click…

Suddenly, my blade vanished, making the monster's green eyes widen. But the next second, it saw its own body upside down. It didn't even have time to react, as my Katana changed the angle and swiftly decapitated its head.

Thud…

The monster's massive body plummeted to the ground, a massive pool of blood gathering around it and soaking into the white snow, painting it crimson.

I also fell into the snow, breathing out in relief and assessing my wound. A long cut ran down from my shoulder to my forearm, blood seeping out and staining my shirt.

Quickly, I took off my glove and pulled out a lighter. Putting the glove into my mouth, I started burning the injury, feeling the insane pain that came from burning one's skin and tears flowing down my face.

Although I was crying and wincing, even war veterans would have probably fainted due to the pain. My pain threshold was probably even above that of a masochist's.