Chapter 61 Massive Bear

Growl…

The creature, with its white irises and purple skin, leaped towards the golden-haired boy, hoping to catch him off guard.

Its beastly face twisted into a grin as it imagined its sharp claws digging into the boy's flesh.

Whoosh…

However, the monster was arrogant…

Gro-

It didn't even have time to react before a greatsword cut through its abdomen, splitting it in half horizontally.

Whoosh…

The creature's body hadn't even hit the ground before Drake swung his massive weapon for the second time with surprising ease, severing its head from its neck.

Thud…

By the time the Abomination reached the ground, its body had been split into three separate parts.

"..."

Drake looked at the monster lying near his feet and sighed. He had been placed in a group with three girls and during one of their fights, he had managed to slip away unnoticed.

They were always pestering him, staying too close to him… talking to him.

It was too much for his mind to handle.

Although he had separated himself from the group, he didn't have the heart to leave them alone. They might die without him, so he followed them from a safe distance where he could sense them, but they couldn't detect him.

If any powerful creature attacked the trio, he would of course help them. But for now, this was his best way to stay within his comfort zone.

He only had a dozen or so people he could talk to normally without feeling nervous.

Clank…

Sheathing his sword, Drake spread his Mana around the area, tracking the group of girls who were hunting some kind of weird abomination that looked like a squirrel.

It was a G Rank monster, one of the weakest. However since it was an Abomination, killing it would still grant them points.

Drake's team had already killed around 7 Abominations and In his opinion, this would place them at least in the top-5.

He didn't expect to be first, since his opponent was Tess. Her leadership skills and teamwork were far above his.

Although he was stronger than her individually, Tess was a better leader.

There was also Kai, but he had probably escaped from his team and climbed into a tall tree to sleep until the competition ended.

"Lazy…"

Drake couldn't understand how Kai managed to sleep for over 18 hours a day. He only woke up for bathroom breaks and occasionally to eat, yet somehow, Kai was as strong as him.

"…D…Coug… Yes!"

Drake heard the hushed voices of his teammates and quickly spread his Mana in the vicinity. He sensed something big and fast approaching the trio.

Whoosh…

Within seconds, Drake's body was covered in a thin green layer of Mana. He bolted forward, creating shockwaves as he dashed through the forest.

Roar…

Emerging from the dead forest, he saw a massive bear-like monster with purple fur running through the clearing. It was approaching the three girls who were trying their hardest not to let go of their swords.

The bear was an E Rank monster and the natural fear of a stronger predator was making the trio tremble under the gaze of the bloodthirsty creature.

Although they could still try to fight the monster since they outnumbered it, they would ultimately lose.

"…"

Drake knew he was some distance away from the creature and that it would take him some time to get there.

Suddenly, an idea came to him.

Whoosh…

Placing his right foot forward, he held his greatsword by the hilt and yanked it with all the strength he could muster.

The weapon flew through the air in a straight line, seemingly not losing any momentum. It was enveloped by Mana and easily overcame air resistance.

Boom…

The greatsword dug deep into the side of the bear, which was the size of a school bus.

Roar...

The creature stumbled, coming to a sudden halt as something pierced deep into its side. A painful cry escaped from its throat.

The monster's white irises shifted towards the end of the clearing, where the forest began and its furious gaze locked onto Drake, who was already running towards it.

Growl…

The bear let out a deep growl and used its paw to push out the metal weapon stuck in its side.

Every movement caused it pain, but the monster was intelligent enough to know that a weapon stuck in its side would only hinder its mobility.

Drake was already nearing the monster, his Mana pulsing through his body as he prepared for the fight. He knew that he had to act quickly, or the bear would regain its footing and come charging towards him.

As he closed in on the creature, he raised his left hand and focused his Mana. A green aura began to surround his hand, and he aimed it towards the bear.

Whoosh…

He thrusted his fist forward, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that slammed into the bear's torso with tremendous force, sending it stumbling backward.

Clank...

His greatsword also fell from the monster's flesh and he quickly retrieved it, looking at the purple blood on its blade.

However, he wasted no time in launching another attack. He quickly charged towards the creature, his greatsword ready to cut the monster.

The bear, though slightly wounded, was not too bothered about Drake's weapon that looked like a toothpick to it. It roared and charged towards him, its claws outstretched, ready to tear him apart.

Drake met the bear head-on, swinging his greatsword with all his might. The blade connected with the bear's paw, sending sparks flying in all directions.

Clank...

The impact of the blow caused the bear to stumble once again, and Drake took advantage of the moment to strike again. He lunged forward, aiming for the bear's neck, but the monster was quick to dodge, swiping its paw at Drake.

This time, Drake wasn't fast enough and couldn't deflect the bear's paw and suffered a direct hit.

Boom...

He crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust that resembled ashes.

Drake gritted his teeth as he struggled to get back up. He knew that he couldn't afford to stay down for too long, as the bear would take advantage of his vulnerability and strike again.

As he struggled to his feet, he noticed that the bear was preparing to charge at him once again. He knew that he had to act fast if he wanted to survive.

Whoosh...

With a burst of Mana, Drake propelled himself forward, narrowly dodging the bear's charge. He then quickly turned around and swung his greatsword at the bear's back, hoping to inflict some damage.

However, the monster was quick to react and managed to dodge the attack.

Boom...

Drake's greatsword hit the ground with a loud clang, sending shockwaves through the surrounding area.

Growling in frustration, Drake took a deep breath and focused his Mana once again. He then charged at the bear, aiming for its vulnerable underbelly.

The bear, sensing the danger, raised its paw to strike at Drake once again. However, Drake was ready this time and quickly sidestepped the attack, allowing him to strike at the bear's exposed flank.

With a loud roar, the bear stumbled, its purple fur stained with blood. Drake seized the opportunity and swung his greatsword with all his might, aiming for the monster's neck.

Roar...

Suddenly, the monster opened its jaws wide and a beam of purple light escaped from its mouth, blasting Drake away.

Cough... Cough...

As Drake landed on the ground, he immediately retreated to a safe distance. He could feel something prickling his skin.

Glancing at his chest, where the beam had hit directly, he noticed that his clothes had disintegrated, revealing his muscular upper body. Blistering burns marred his skin.

If he had been under the direct impact of the beam for even a glimmer of a second longer, what would have happened?

"Run!"

Drake shouted to the girls watching him and the monster with fearful eyes before scanning his surroundings, searching for any available cover.

Without a second thought, Drake sprinted towards the tree, hoping to reach it before the monster could attack again. He felt a sudden burst of pain in his chest as he ran, but he pushed through it, knowing that he had to keep moving.

As he reached the tree, he quickly hid behind it, feeling the strange ache in his chest lessen. He turned around just in time to see the monster charging towards him, its jaws wide open and the purple beam charging up once again.

Whoosh...

Another purple beam came hurtling towards Drake, colliding with a dead tree and setting its dry bark ablaze with purple flames.

However, the flames seemed to struggle to consume the tree. They danced on its trunk but didn't spread.

Roar...

With a roar, the bear released another purple beam, causing the tree to creak under the pressure.

"Shit!"

Drake cursed, knowing that the sapling wouldn't hold out for much longer.