Night Ambush (2)
I'd been careless if I was careless, complacent if I was complacent. That was my thought as I locked eyes with the glowing golden orbs in the darkness.
The most dangerous time in the forest is night. When all light vanishes and only darkness descends. Even so, I wasn't too hampered by it. For some reason, I could peer into the gloom to a certain degree. But right now, I could only curse that ability.
What the actual fuck. What the hell is that size...!
A pair of ferocious eyes gleaming in the dark. And I could take in their owner completely. It looked like a tiger overall, but its long fangs protruded from its mouth. What was truly terrifying, though, was its size. Its eyes were visible over the barricade in front of me. For reference, the barricade PassingDwarf had gifted me was taller than I was. Easily over two meters, judging by height alone.
A quadruped with eyes higher than mine...?
It made no sense. Then again, that's why it was in the Four Seasons Forest. Despair was already creeping in, but my survival instinct pushed it back. I gripped my sword and shield tight.
"Grrr...!"
Sensing my resolve, the tiger issued a threat. Even though it was just a warning, my legs trembled and my body stiffened. Good thing I'd had a moment to brace myself—if it'd come out of nowhere, I'd have passed out.
"Hoo. Hoo. Hoo."
I deliberately regulated my breathing. Without focusing, even that felt impossible under the crushing pressure. Could I really beat this monster? It looked way stronger than the mother owl bear just by sight.
Did the mother owl bear move her den because of this thing?
High likelihood. If it had just been scouting, she wouldn't have taken Wonmo with her. This bastard was basically a gangster. The kind where one meeting meant risking your life. I wanted to bolt right then, but I held firm.
Running from here would just make it worse.
Wonmo was still sleeping in the cave, and with total darkness all around, dawn was far off. Running wouldn't change the danger.
Best to hope it backs off...
Carnivores that hunt for a living are cautious. Their energy efficiency sucks—if they get hurt and lose hunting ability, starvation follows. So they usually retreat if it seems risky. Problem was, the odds of that here were zilch. Just compare our sizes. The eye-level difference alone was at least a head taller. I was literally a single bite.
Only one thing I could do. Shaaa—aura flared along my sword and shield. Even in the darkness, blue haze rose like quills on a hedgehog. A warning: if it wanted to hunt me, it'd pay.
The tiger felt my vibe and didn't charge recklessly, just paced outside the barricade.
Thank god for this barricade.
Without it, it'd be right in my face. Even if it attacked, it'd have to vault over, buying time.
Please go away. Please go away. Please go away.
I prayed silently, over and over. But the tiger kept circling steadily. Cold sweat trickled down my cheek, my palms slick. How long did that tension last?
"Grrr...!"
It stopped abruptly and backed away slowly. I brightened, thinking it was retreating—but something felt off.
Don't normal ones turn around fully?
But this massive tiger was just reverse-walking. Like it was coiling to leap the barricade.
"Oh."
Sure enough. Thud-thud!
"Shit."
It charged from its retreat and cleared the barricade effortlessly. A sleek, fluid leap belying its huge frame. Landing right in front of me, it radiated the full menace of a mountain lord.
"Grraa!"
It gaped wide and lunged. Was it the overwhelming pressure? Or raw terror of death? My breath hitched, body froze. It didn't feel like my body anymore.
Move.
I had to move. But I couldn't.
Move, damn it.
I commanded over and over. My body rebelled. Soon, jaws that could crunch my head in one bite loomed inches away. This was it—my head would go in. Then what? Could a headless body even move?
Snap!
"Guh!"
In that slow-motion illusion, something yanked my clothes. My balance tipped back, forcing my body to react.
Crunch!
It was a split-second. The tiger's massive maw snapped at empty air. A hair slower, and it'd have been my skull.
Thud!
"Urgh!"
I fell flat on my ass, sensation flooding back. I'd even bitten my tongue on the way down. The sharp pain spread everywhere.
"Rooaaar!"
The tiger's roar pierced my eardrums. I looked up frantically. Normally it'd follow up, but it didn't. Instead, it thrashed its head like it was in agony.
I couldn't figure it out, but it was my chance. I scrambled up, assuming stance. That's when I saw why it was hurting.
Slash! Slash!
Ppareumbo. It was clinging to the tiger's face, raking with claws. The tiger swiped to dislodge it, but who was Ppareumbo? The thing that snatched arrows mid-flight with insane reflexes and eyesight. Even a tiger couldn't shake it easily.
Whoosh!
But innate size won out. The tiger shook violently, flinging Ppareumbo far. Luckily toward me—I caught it no problem. "Catching" meant it just readjusted to cling to my back easier.
So it was this guy who pulled me.
Ppareumbo had saved my life. Gratitude flickered, then I eyed the tiger it'd mauled. Scratches on its face, but superficial.
Right. Can't die like this.
I worked my tongue. Biting it had filled my mouth with blood. The taste snapped my body and mind awake. No more freezing.
"Rooaaar!"
The tiger glared and charged again, jaws wide. I'd been shaking in fear moments ago. Not anymore. I judged coolly, calmly, moved deliberately.
Can't get bit. One bite means severe injury at best.
Those fangs said it all. Plus the size gap. Swallowed whole in seconds. Treat every hit like it could kill.
Snap!
The tiger's jaws clamped with a vicious sound. I'd shifted right just before, dodging barely.
SwordTasteStar's advice stuck: never stand still, always move your feet. Worked on the giant crab; seemed to here too.
Bam!
"Urgh...!"
But unlike the crab, this thing was agile. As I swung my sword, a heavy paw lashed out. I blocked with my shield—just barely—but the impact was brutal.
Don't forget to breathe. Pull every ounce of strength.
While thinking, it lunged fiercely. The size gap made even casual swipes devastating. Especially overhead smashes—they staggered me every time.
Thud-thud!
At least dodging sideways exposed gaps. Jaws gaping to bite slowed it, creating openings if I evaded.
Snap!
"Gaaah!"
"Ah."
Different sounds from us: its pained roar, my sigh. Good slash with the sword. But only halfway through. Its hide was tougher than imagined.
Cheonma's sword with aura and it still...?
Explains why the mother owl bear fled with Wonmo. Still, more than half the paw gone—combat power down. Swinging like that would—
"Raaaah!"
"?!"
Weird. Half severed, yet still swinging? Panic hit; I raised my shield desperately.
Clang!
"Gah!"
Stronger impact than before. My body flew back, floating. At least I didn't land on my back—Ppareumbo on it acted as a brake.
"Rooaaar!"
"Ugh!"
Attacks didn't stop. I rolled aside just before it pounced. Ppareumbo dodged with its trademark speed. No follow-up. Seemed torn on who to hit first now we were split. Gave me time to stand and regroup.
No way! It regenerated?!
I stared wide-eyed at its paw. The halved one was pristine now. Even the face scratches from Ppareumbo—gone. Already durable as hell, now with regen too. No wonder it ignored threats. It could just heal.
"Fucking hell."
"Rooaaar!"
As I muttered, it gaped and charged. Prioritizing me over the slippery Ppareumbo. Smart call. But I wasn't dying easy.
When the chance comes, full power slash. Not half-assed—sever clean.
Even great regen struggles with full amputation. If it healed that... well, all or nothing.
Clang!
Its paw smashed the golden shield. I'd braced, so just slid back—no flying. But blocking once wasn't enough. Its assault was relentless. No backing off.
Barricade behind me.
Defending while retreating, my back hit it soon. Tiger saw the opening, reared its paw high.
Chance. I watched the paw descend fully. Right before impact, I spun right.
Craaack! Crunch!
The sturdy wooden barricade shattered. Direct hit would've pulped my head. But it got the wood instead, staggering the tiger slightly.
"Raaah!"
I poured everything into targeting the paw. Slammed mana into Cheonma's sword. Not haze—flames of aura. This would do it.
Shlick!
"ROOOAAAR!!"
Perfect. Right forepaw severed. No way it'd balance its bulk now.
"Raaaah!"
"?!"
But it held steady despite the loss, gaping at me. I'd relaxed a fraction—too late to dodge or block. Instinct shoved my shield arm forward.
Clang!
"Grk?!"
The golden shield jammed in its jaws. It hadn't expected that—eyes panicked. Tried spitting it out, but it was wedged; jaws opened and closed uselessly.
Now!
I dropped the shield, gripped Cheonma's sword two-handed. Thrust at its throat.
Stab!
Even tough hide yields to a stab. It shrieked in pain, but the shield muffled it weirdly.
I twisted the blade viciously.
Riiip!
Slowly sawing its throat. Two hands and still this hard. Regen plus durability resisted even aura-laced Cheonma's sword.
"Groooar!"
"Agh!"
Its remaining paw raked me. Claws shredded like a hot knife through butter. ChangguPrincess's uniform minimized damage, but blood poured inside. Chunks of flesh torn agony.
"Raaaaah!"
Riiip!
I heaved with all my might, two hands driving the sword. Felt like slicing hide and meat. Gross, but survival first.
Squirt!
Blood fountained from its throat, soaking me. Time race now: it shreds me first, or I sever its neck?
I committed to full decapitation.
Clunk!
A metallic twang by my ear. I glanced—crumpled golden shield, spent. Wedged one now spat out. Meaning...
"Raaaah!"
Crunch!
Free jaws, plenty of room to bite. I twisted away.
"Gaaaaah!"
Pain. Wound burned like lava. It'd clamped my shoulder. Fangs pierced clean through. Twisting saved my head.
"Aaaah! Uaaagh!"
"Grrrk...!!"
Right shoulder destroyed. Bones shattered. But no quitting now. I clung to the sword. Left hand only, but better than both gone.
Die, please...!
Blood fountained from the throat slash. Yet it thrashed on. How long?
Consciousness fading. As strength ebbed...
Stab!
"ROOOOAAAAAR!!"
The tiger on my shoulder suddenly reared back. Fangs released my flesh. What the—? I looked up.
Stab! Stab!
Ppareumbo. Claws gouging its eye. Even a tiger freaks at an eye stab. Only one paw left—no swiping it off.
Dazed moment passed; I seized the opening. Left hand still gripped tight.
This strike...!
Pawless, balance wrecked long ago. Perfect head shot timing.
"Raaaaah!"
I timed as it rolled on the ground. Straight to the forehead. My best shot.
Ppareumbo read me, leaping clear pre-strike.
The tiger was still regen-focused on its eye.
"Grng...!"
Eye healed soon. It shook its head, recovering. But blood loss slowed it hugely. Golden opportunity.
Stab!
Cheonma's sword nailed the forehead. Should've thrashed, but exhaustion hit it too. Especially blood drain—no reaction.
Riiip!
I yanked upward. Sword split skull from top. Even fast regen dies with a wrecked brain.
Twitch-twitch—
Brain-bisected, it convulsed. Worried about regen, I opted for honeycomb.
Stab! Stab! Stab!
How many face stabs? Pawless, it wobbled upright then—thud!—collapsed. Its bulk shook the earth.
Not yet. Mercy kill...
Strong regen—could fake death. Amid haze, I moved the sword. First: decapitate. Clean head off for peace of mind.
Shlick! Crack! Ziiing!
Mid-effort...
Thud—
My consciousness cut out there.