Chapter 49
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Hunting the Elite
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Brown clouds that began on Neorn Hill poured into the wasteland on the wind.
Artificial clumps of dust, contrasting sharply with the clear sky, rapidly surged toward the Elite.
The Elite felt intense displeasure at the things approaching it.
The giant monster's roar shook off the oncoming sandstorm in a single breath, as if it took on a physical form.
An invisible barrier seemed to envelop the Elite's front.
The sound was so enormous that it echoed thunderously even to those watching from atop the hill encircling it.
As everyone plugged their ears and writhed in agony, a deep red light flashed in Dane's eyes.
‘So that's the air sac.’ A massive organ enclosed in a membrane seemed to produce the roar alongside its lung functions. Without preparation, it could rupture eardrums or make it impossible to stand just from the sound waves.
“The air sac is both the Elite's attack method and its weakness,” Dane had heard from River.
It was unfamiliar to Dane, but the Kemora Hunting Party was already prepared. With cotton stuffed in their ears, they showed no reaction to the Elite's roar.
The signalers and crossbowmen, led by the vanguard Talon Isaac, split widely and swiftly around the Elite.
“What a bold strategy!” Bankers exclaimed in admiration.
They were preparing for the tentacle tail attack.
As horses and riders drew closer, the Elite's size became more clearly apparent. It looked to exceed twenty meters by a good margin.
“Only something that size qualifies as a large monster.” Dane added.
When he'd caught the Kabakshoes, he hadn't even seen the full body intact before leaping into its mouth. By the time he came to, it was already butchered and cooked. Taking in the whole from this vantage, the term "large" really hit home.
“Crossbows!”
As Isaac raised his hand and shouted, the galloping signaler raised the blue flag and pointed at the Elite with the other arm holding the red one.
At the same time, bolts shot toward the Elite's eyes.
Most bolts failed to hit the eyeball, embedding in the surrounding hide or bouncing off, but it was enough to draw its attention.
“ROOOAR!!”
In that interval, the close-range attackers closed the distance, splitting left and right in perfect unison before dismounting and charging on foot.
“Horses can't handle the Elite's aura.” It was in the realm of instinct, something only a species armed with resolve could overcome.
The signalers and crossbowmen kept riding, drawing a large semicircle below the Elite's waist.
The tail tentacles reacted reflexively to the riders. They were sensory organs in themselves, uncontrolled by the brain.
Dane and Bankers traded observations.
“They're planning to seal off those tail tentacles to gain the advantage in the hunt.” “Exactly. The range is so wide that getting too close carelessly would pierce right through in an instant.” The entire sequence was incredibly swift and organic. It was more than enough to gauge the Kemora Hunting Party's high level.
‘No wonder they're called the best hunting party. Kemora's true skill lies in planning and commanding group hunts. Good lesson here.’ Dane thought he'd done well to hunt from the rear.
Soon, the large monster and hunting party clashed in earnest.
“ROOOAR!!!”
The Elite's waist shook rapidly left and right. The whip-like tail's sweeping range exceeded imagination.
“Tail!!”
At Isaac's shout and hand signals, the crossbowmen narrowly dodged the tentacles branching from the tail and raced toward the Elite's rear.
At the same time, the blue and red flags pointed forward side by side.
“Spearmen!!”
At the signal, those holding long shields knelt on the Elite's left and right, and sharp spears shot from behind them toward the underside of its neck.
‘They're targeting the air sac.’ Head to handle, the entire spear was cast metal. A rope dangled from the tip. Like a harpoon!
“ROOOAR!!!”
Compared to its ferocious momentum, the spears barely embedded in the true skin.
“The back is covered in ore, and other parts have thick hide too. So they aim for the thinner skin under the neck.” “Even so, the thickness prevents deep penetration.” The hunting party knew this but did it anyway. They had no choice.
Suddenly, one figure shot forward, followed by two more.
“Illusion Kemora!”
“Sunken Jaw Friedhold!”
“Wet Mace Juan!”
Cheers erupted from the hill. The named hunters' appearance set the spectators' hearts ablaze.
Kemora deliberately threw herself at the Elite's front, swinging her saber. The beautiful sword dance Dane had experienced before.
“Dazzlingly flashy swordsmanship!” “No wonder she has that name!” The spectators chimed in eagerly.
As the Elite thrust its teeth to bite and swallow her in one go, Kemora pulled back half a beat faster. Then Friedhold on her opposite side attacked.
‘Nice teamwork.’
Their linked attacks only scratched around the mouth, but it was enough to focus the beast.
In the meantime, Juan dove between its front legs.
-Clang!
Juan, who had leaped with his massive hammer raised, struck a embedded spear from below upward. The spear drove deep into the monster's chest flesh.
“ROOOAR!!”
A promised attack flowing like water.
“You can tell they've trained insanely hard!” “That's why they tied ropes to the spears—to puncture the air sac!” Each time a spear embedded deeply, the monster expressed rage and pain with a roar.
“Wow!”
An exclamation slipped from Dane's mouth.
While Talon Isaac and the cavalry sealed the tail, Kemora and Friedhold drew its attention, and Juan hammered spears into its body—the assault proceeded steadily.
But no one watching was optimistic.
The Kemora Hunting Party had no more spears to throw, and even if every one hit, no one believed the monster would fall.
The Elite being larger than expected was making things difficult.
“The Kemora Hunting Party seems to be reaching their limit……” “No matter how many they have, one party alone can't do it.” “Stamina won't hold.” “That's why they're uniting.” The spectators judged coldly.
-Clang!
There weren't many spears left for Juan to hammer in. It was time for the second wave. They needed to buy time for the vanguard to recover and prepare the next attack.
Dane instinctively knew his turn was coming. He scrutinized the beast's body, mentally simulating butchering and dissection in an instant.
Too big. Better to use the spears the Kemora Hunting Party had embedded rather than targeting neck or heart. And the meat…… he'd need to prioritize.
‘First, the glowing parts.’ Deep near the waist bottom, where it met the hip bone, there was particularly glowing meat. The part hidden in fascia and tendons looked dark red and tender.
‘Short loin. Perfect match for my prepared tools.’ Center on the glowing short loin, with the skirt steak outside as the main. And the tail River mentioned.
The tail and tentacles' texture looked uniquely valuable. The muscles and cartilage filling them seemed precious.
‘River really thinks ahead.’ Dane licked his lips eagerly as he looked at his comrades. The party members' eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Let's make another fire.” Dane said, pointing at the Elite's chest. River understood his intent from that alone.
“I'll prep the dipping sauce and banchan.” “Yeah. Opportunities like this don't come often. Time is life, so let's do it flawlessly.” “Then I'll get the griddle and pot ready as planned.” Dane glared briefly at the Elite and nodded slightly.
“I'll be back before the water boils.” He handed his cloak to River.
In an instant, the naked butcher gripped his cleaver tighter and charged down the hill at tremendous speed.
“Crazy……!”
“Naked again, that guy!” Leaving the spectators' laments behind, as Dane rapidly closed the distance to the Elite, Juan hammered the final spear into the monster's body.
-Clang!
At the same time, Isaac fired his last crossbow bolt at the tentacles, and the signaler waved the flags wide to signal the end of the first assault.
Shieldbearers and spearmen released long ropes and ran far to their horses.
Everything was going smoothly. Until the Elite made an utterly unexpected move.
“ROOOAR!!”
The Elite suddenly spun in place, swapping head and tail positions at once. A behavior pattern outside the Kemora Hunting Party's expectations.
“Arghhh!”
“Aaack!”
The long ropes tied to the spears yanked taut, dragging the spearmen into the air.
Those who reflexively cut the ropes in the moment of being swept preserved their lives. But the ropes were now completely out of the hunting party's hands.
And moreover!
Exhausted from successive attacks and defenses, Kemora and her aides were struck directly by the suddenly whipped tail and sent flying.
“Guh!”
“Ugh!”
A tentacle extending toward the tumbling Kemora was met instead by Juan, who rushed to save the captain. The sharp tentacle pierced Juan's back and shook him in midair.
Another tentacle flew toward Kemora. Her side struck hard, likely breaking several ribs. Escape seemed hopeless when.
“Take thiiiis!”
A pitch-black ass passed over the fallen Kemora's head. Its owner swiftly sliced the tentacle stabbing at Kemora.
But even Dane couldn't block all that momentum. He had no choice but to take some with his body.
-Puk -Slash -Rip!
Pierce, slash, and yank happened in an instant. Tentacles embedded one after another in his body.
Dane pressed forward regardless.
“It huuuurts!!”
With the knife hand drawing arcs at regular intervals to sever the tail, he advanced, and the Elite's massive body turned sharply once more.
“ROOOAR! ROOOAR!!”
Dane dove under its jaw as if waiting. Boning knife handle in mouth, he leaped and yanked out an embedded spear in one go. Monstrous strength.
-Pfsh!
Hot blood sprayed, and humid air from the sac escaped with it.
Dane hung like a monkey, pulling spears and moving to the next, repeating.
“ROOOAR!!!”
After extracting all the spears, he jammed his cleaver between the gaping wounds and twisted.
Hide and true skin shredded in an instant.
-Pffffffhhhh…….
The Elite was trying to empty all the air from its sac while still alive.
The severed remnants rained down, punching a massive hole in the Elite's chest. It threw its head skyward and gaped its maw.
“Gasp……! Gasp……! Gasp……! Gasp……! Gasp……!”
The monster desperately gulped air as if no amount could satisfy.
And yet……
Dane's blade showed no mercy.
Despite desperate inhalations that filled nothing, the Elite thrashed its root-only tail violently.
-Thud!
It collapsed limply. Then it flailed its huge legs in place, making its oxygen shortage worse.
Absurdly anticlimactic. The ridiculous sight left the surroundings deathly silent.
Soon, cheers exploded from those who regained their senses.
“Wooooah!!”
“It fell!!!”
“That guy's a total monster!” Amid it all, Dane steadily sliced open its belly. Conveniently lying on its side, it was much easier to work.
“H-Hey! H-He……!”
“What? What is it? What're you doing?” The spectators stammered in confusion.
He entered its gut and carved out the lower belly's true skin and subcutaneous fat in a large rectangular shape. With a 'rip,' the hide peeled away, finally revealing bright red abdominal meat.
The watching elves and hunters held their breath.
They were witnessing the disassembly show of a large monster for the first time in their lives.