The Clutch Claw latched firmly onto the Great Jagras's shoulder. He launched himself like a bullet, his body completing a full 360-degree rotation in midair.
"Now!" Leon unsheathed his dual blades, spinning like a spiked wheel as he tore across the monster's back from head to tail.
Midair Spinning Blade Dance—Finisher!
Leon landed gracefully on the ground.
Ramsey watched, mouth agape, unable to hide his awe. "That move... that was incredible!"
"Don't just watch; it's your turn." Leon pointed to the Clutch Claw slinger on his arm, beginning his instruction. "Lock onto the target's shoulder or head first. Catch them right as their animation ends, and you'll hit every time."
Ramsey looked at his own slinger with uncertainty, hesitating to make a move.
Having just been attacked, the Great Jagras let out a roar toward the sky before pivoting and charging straight for Leon!
"Ramsey! Have you aimed yet? Now!" Leon shouted.
Ramsey's gaze sharpened, and he slammed the trigger.
Thwip!
The Clutch Claw caught the Great Jagras's thick mane, jerking Ramsey forward instantly!
"Waaaaaaagh!"
"Steady! Keep your center of gravity low!"
Ramsey struggled to adjust his posture, slamming into the Great Jagras's shoulder in midair. He hit hard, nearly getting bucked off.
But a second later, he gritted his teeth, kicked off the monster's back, and swung his sword with everything he had.
"Hah!"
A heavy overhead slash landed true, right in the center of its spine!
The Great Jagras stumbled under the impact.
"Success, meow!" Dumpling cheered from the treetops.
Leon whistled and offered a nod of approval. "Not bad, though there's still room for improvement."
"Whoa—" Ramsey steadied himself, his face alight with excitement. "This thing is amazing! A bit dangerous, though..."
"You'll have to get used to it. New World monsters are stronger, and the pace of battle is much faster." Leon looked toward the Great Jagras, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes. "Next, I'll show you some advanced techniques."
"Hey, sounds good!" Ramsey slapped him on the shoulder playfully. "Just make sure you don't hold anything back!"
Leon gave a light chuckle. "I'm not one to hold back, except when it comes to keeping myself alive."
Infected by Ramsey's boisterous personality, Leon was gradually beginning to open up.
...
Working together, they quickly finished off the Great Jagras. Ramsey sheathed his sword, a grin plastered on his face.
Leon sheathed his own blades and said quietly, "Good work."
"Ha! Now you have to admit, I've got some skills, right?" Ramsey patted his Clutch Claw slinger, still buzzing with excitement.
Leon didn't say a word, but the slight upward curve of his lips was a silent acknowledgment.
A moment later, Dumpling's tail suddenly stood on end. His ears flattened, and a low growl vibrated in his throat. "Newbie! Meow—another one is coming... and this one smells different, meow!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, the distant jungle shuddered.
Thump! Thump!
Heavy footsteps rang out like war drums, scattering the birds and beasts of the forest.
A massive shadow swept over them.
Leon and Ramsey turned almost simultaneously.
A larger, sturdier figure stepped slowly from the brush. It was covered in scales as thick as armor plating, with eyes that held the cold, feral gaze of a true predator.
"Holy... Is that the Great Jagras's dad?" Ramsey swallowed hard, his face turning several shades paler.
"No, it's a High Rank species. Speed, power, stamina... everything is on a different level than the two we just fought." Leon tried to keep his cool, but beads of sweat were already forming on his brow.
"We fought the last one for nearly five minutes!" Ramsey's expression stiffened. "How are we supposed to take this one down?"
"If we can hold our ground, we fight. If not, we run." As soon as Leon spoke, the High Rank Great Jagras roared and charged.
Its speed was far beyond anything they'd seen before!
"Scatter!" Leon commanded, dodging instantly with a slide. Ramsey barely managed to react, rolling to the side.
Boom!
The ground was gouged into a massive crater, sending debris flying everywhere.
In less than ten seconds, Ramsey had been sent flying three times. Dumpling was forced to scramble up a tree to save his life.
A sweep of the Great Jagras's tail caught Leon squarely in the right arm. A searing pain immediately flared through his nerves.
"Ugh... this guy is in a completely different league..." Leon downed his three hunting essentials in sequence and reset his stance.
The Great Jagras moved like a gale. It charged with powerful legs and swung its tail like a warhammer, each strike accompanied by a bone-chilling whistle as it tore through the air!
Rocks were smashed to dust, and fallen trees were sent flying. It was as if a hurricane had swept through the clearing.
Leon dodged again, but he was half a beat too slow. The Great Jagras slammed into him like a tank, sending him tumbling through the air.
His back collided violently with a boulder. Blood began to seep through his shoulder plates, and he felt half of his body go numb.
Cough!
"Leon!" Ramsey cried out. Seeing the monster turn toward him, he desperately raised his Great Sword.
Clang!
The blade barely blocked the massive claw, but the overwhelming force that followed crushed down on him. The Great Sword dipped instantly, forcing Ramsey to his knees as he was pinned to the earth.
"I can't... hold it!"
Boom!
The monster flipped its claw, tossing Ramsey aside. He slammed into a tree trunk and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Ramsey!" Leon forced himself up, gritting his teeth against the agony. He pulled out a Mega Potion and gulped it down. Once he regained his bearings, he shouted, "Don't try to trade blows! Get some distance! It's twice as strong as you!"
"I know—but it's relentless!" Ramsey scrambled to his feet, his face pale. His Great Sword was already showing cracks, and his breathing was becoming more labored.
"Dumpling! Distract it!" Leon ordered.
"On it, meow!" Dumpling leaped from a branch and hurled a Large Barrel Bomb.
Bang!
The bomb detonated against the Great Jagras's face. Thick smoke and fire momentarily obscured its vision.
The Great Jagras hesitated for a split second before biting clean through a tree trunk as it lunged for Dumpling!
"It's trying to eat the cat, meow!" Dumpling leaped away, his fur standing on end.
Taking the chance, Leon rushed to Ramsey, hauled him up, and dragged him into the safety of the tall grass. "Stay here. I'll take it from here."
"But..." Ramsey tried to stand, but Leon held him down.
Seeing Leon's resolve, Ramsey didn't press the issue, especially since his Great Sword was damaged.
Leon glanced at his bleeding arm, then at the system interface.
[Attributes: Strength 22, Agility 23, Constitution 17, Perception 15. (Unassigned Points: 9)]
After a few seconds of thought, Leon whispered, "System, assign points—Strength +1."
[Strength +1, Current Strength 23]
[Unassigned Points: 8]
Boom!!
A surge of scorching energy erupted within his body. His blood boiled, and his heart pounded like a drum.
His wounds healed at a visible rate, and torn muscle fibers knit back together like wild weeds.
The pain vanished, and his body was flooded with newfound power.
"Now it's my turn." Leon drew his dual blades and kicked off the ground, launching himself forward like an arrow from a bow.
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