The Great Jagras's claws swept across!
Leon kicked off the ground, sliding low to evade. His dual blades unsheathed like silver serpents, slashing into the Great Jagras's forearms.
Demon Flurry Rush—Left Spinning Slash!
The blades struck the forearms, sending a numbing vibration through Leon's hands.
A bounce?!
In the heat of the fight, the sharpness of Leon's Wild Hatchets had dulled. He hadn't expected the scales of a high-rank Great Jagras to be this hard.
Leon froze for a split second.
In that instant, the Great Jagras whipped its tail!
Leon was struck in the right arm, sent flying like a kite with a snapped string, slamming heavily into a massive boulder.
"Ugh... Haah—!" Leon forced himself into a half-kneeling position, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He muttered, "I can still go—System, add points!"
[ATTRIBUTE SLOTS: STRENGTH 23, AGILITY 23, CONSTITUTION 17, PERCEPTION 15. (UNASSIGNED POINTS: 8)]
[STRENGTH +1, CURRENT STRENGTH 24]
[UNASSIGNED POINTS: 7]
That scorching aura surged within him again, and his heavy panting instantly stabilized.
His ribs snapped back into place with a series of cracks. The swelling pain in his internal organs receded rapidly, and his breathing became much smoother.
"That guy can still stand?!" Ramsey watched Leon in shock, his expression shaken. 'That hit should have broken at least three ribs...'
Leon then fired a Flash Pod.
Boom—!!
A blinding white light exploded instantly, like a small grenade detonating in front of the Great Jagras!
The Great Jagras was completely disoriented by the flash.
Leon seized the chance to pull out a whetstone and began sharpening his blades.
"Sharpening right in front of it?!" Ramsey nearly failed to control his volume. "That's a 'textbook example of what not to do'! Even the instructors forbid it..."
Ramsey had undergone formal hunter training and adhered to more restrictions during a hunt. Leon was different; every move he made was forged from accumulated experience.
"Meow! He's crazy, isn't he?" Dumpling appeared beside Ramsey at some point, arms crossed and full of confidence. "Just watch! The rookie's going to win, meow!"
"Shouldn't we..." Ramsey started to say something, but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the wooden cart behind Dumpling and seemed to realize something.
Moments later.
The Wild Hatchets regained their green sharpness.
While the Great Jagras blundered around blindly, Leon quickly set up a Shock Trap.
A moment later.
Leon charged forward again, closing in on the Great Jagras.
Blade Dance! Blade Dance!
The dual blades slashed, fast as the wind and relentless as a forest fire, striking the Great Jagras's head repeatedly.
The Great Jagras recoiled in pain.
It raised its claw and slammed it down, the ground trembling violently!
Leon rolled to dodge but was a fraction too slow. The wind from the claw strike clipped his leg, sending him tumbling into the jagged rocks.
He realized that between a low-rank and high-rank Great Jagras, besides the difference in strength and speed, the high-rank monster had more attack patterns and was clearly more experienced.
Leon pulled out a Potion and gulped it down. The cool liquid slid down his throat, surging through his body.
He exhaled a breath of stale air, suppressing the rising taste of blood. His gaze grew increasingly sharp.
Having missed its strike, the Great Jagras roared and pursued Leon, its intense killing intent seemingly tearing through the air.
"Come on then!" Leon pushed off the ground and stood up abruptly, flicking his dual blades and kicking up a cloud of gravel and dust.
He didn't engage head-on but turned to retreat—not out of fear, but to deliberately lure the enemy deeper.
The Great Jagras stayed hot on his heels, its blood-red eyes fixed on Leon. Its claws scraped against the rock walls, throwing sparks.
"Meow? Why is he running, meow? Wait—no, meow!!" Dumpling's ears twitched as it realized. "The rookie is leading the Great Jagras into the trap, meow! The Shock Trap is right ahead—!"
Ramsey watched tensely, remaining silent.
Leon did not hesitate for a second. He controlled his pace, keeping the Great Jagras exactly five steps behind him.
Finally, they reached it!
Leon skidded to a stop and spun around, crossing his blades in front of him.
The Great Jagras lunged, its claws slashing down fiercely!
—Clang!
The heavy blades blocked the attack.
In the next instant, the Great Jagras's forepaws suddenly sank.
"Roar?!"
The Great Jagras's body suddenly stiffened.
"Got you—!!"
The trap triggered. Spikes instantly sprang from the ground, releasing a fine mist of electricity. The Great Jagras was pinned in place, its limbs twitching and its whole body trembling. Even its roar changed pitch.
"Now's my chance!" Leon roared, his muscles tensing as he and his blades became a whirlwind, charging forward!
—Demon Mode!
—Blade Dance! Blade Dance! Blade Dance!
The sword light flickered like a dragon. The sound of metal clashing against scales was continuous, sparks flying everywhere!
Demon Mode caused his stamina to drain rapidly, but Leon gritted his teeth and pushed through. He knew all too well that if he didn't end this quickly, the hunt would drag on and variables would multiply.
"System—add points!"
[ATTRIBUTE SLOTS: STRENGTH 24, AGILITY 23, CONSTITUTION 17, PERCEPTION 15. (UNASSIGNED POINTS: 7)]
[STRENGTH +1, CURRENT STRENGTH 25]
[UNASSIGNED POINTS: 6]
His stamina replenished with the point allocation. Leon's fury poured out along with the boiling power within him. His blades slashed in rotation, precisely hitting the Great Jagras's head.
"Smash its skull, meow! Hack it down, meow!!" Dumpling excited, chasing its own tail. "Rookie—kill it already, meow!"
Ramsey watched this incredible scene, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Can Demon Mode be maintained for this long? This fighting style is completely reckless... How has he survived until now?"
Blood splattered as the Great Jagras's cries grew weaker.
But...
The Shock Trap was about to expire!
Although heavily wounded, the Great Jagras did not fall.
"Just how thick is this thing's hide..." Leon gritted his teeth, but he still couldn't take the monster down.
By now, the sharpness of the Wild Hatchets was plummeting. As expected, the blades bounced again.
—Snap!!
An ominous sound of metal snapping pierced the air. Leon felt a jolt run through him.
He looked down and saw that the blade of a Wild Hatchet had actually snapped in the middle. Half the blade fell to the ground, leaving only a jagged hilt that emitted thin wisps of smoke.
"Meow-ah? The weapon... it broke, meow?!" Dumpling jumped up, its white fur bristling in panic. "Rookie—what do we do now, meow!!"
"Stay calm. I need to stay calm..." Leon took a deep breath and quickly pulled the last trap tool from his item pouch—a Pitfall Trap!
I'm gambling on this...
Please, just give me some time...
Click-clack-click!
Leon hammered the Pitfall Trap into the ground. The lightning stones and capture net combined quickly, hiding beneath the dust.
The electrical hum of the Shock Trap ceased entirely.
"ROAR!!!" The Great Jagras regained its senses, driven to absolute fury. It dragged its battered body and lunged at Leon.
A second later.
—Click!
The Pitfall Trap triggered.
The ground collapsed, and the Great Jagras fell in with a thud, its limbs ensnared by soil and the capture net.
Leon turned and sprinted, shouting at the same time: "Ramsey! Lend me your weapon, quick!!"
"Are you crazy?!"
"Hurry up!!"
Ramsey froze for a second, but seeing the determination in Leon's eyes, he instinctively threw his Great Sword high into the air.
Leon leaped and caught it!
He gripped the hilt with both hands and spun around, firing his Clutch Claw.
The Clutch Claw shot out with a whoosh, wrapping around the Great Jagras's head.
Leon yanked himself forward, his body soaring into the air. Using the momentum, he traced an elegant yet lethal arc.
He landed right above the Great Jagras's head.
"Now!" Leon roared. The Great Sword was incredibly heavy in his hands, far less agile than his dual blades, but at this moment, it felt as though he had channeled all his rage into it.
—Charged Slash!
The Great Sword struck the Great Jagras's neck with precision!
"Roar—" The Great Jagras struggled violently, the massive recoil numbing Leon's arms.
"One more hit!!"
—Strong Charged Slash!!
The Great Sword slammed down, and a mist of blood erupted!
Blood flowed like a waterfall. The Great Jagras began to spit mucus, its struggling movements noticeably slowing.
Ramsey stared wide-eyed at the scene, whispering, "He... he's actually doing it?"
"The final strike—" Leon's teeth were clenched, veins bulging in his arms. He dropped into a slight crouch, his entire aura turning inward, building, then exploding!
—True Charged Slash!!!
He swung his body over, putting every ounce of his strength into the Great Sword as it descended. The heavy strike fell like a meteor!
Boom—!!
The heavy slash struck like thunder!
The blade struck the head. Accompanied by the sound of bone cracking, the Great Jagras's head twisted violently—
"Roar..." A hoarse, pained wail became the Great Jagras's swan song in this forest.
It crashed to the ground.
The dust settled.
Leon stood at the edge of the pitfall, the Great Sword thrust into the ground. His breathing was ragged, and he was covered in blood.
[SLAIN: GREAT JAGRAS (HIGH RANK)]
[EXPERIENCE POINTS GAINED: 1500]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL: LV.7 (12100/18000)]