Woof Woof Angel Winte!
Twenty minutes after being hoisted over Hypno's shoulder and carried off, Clarice's fear and intimidation toward him began to fade, replaced by a creeping irritation and resentment.
Why the fuck is this bastard carrying me like this? And stop groping my thigh, you shithead.
Growing bored of just trudging along, Hypno was kneading both Wintineas's and Clarice's thighs with his hands, savoring the bliss. On top of that, Wintineas—draped around his neck with her arms—kept periodically confessing her love, peppering his cheeks with kisses or rubbing her face against his. It was pure heaven.
Meanwhile, Clarice was suffering. Being slung over his shoulder meant blood rushing to her head unless she occasionally lifted it up.
You think I'm just gonna take this lying down? Time for you to suffer a bit too.
Clarice drew a dagger from her thigh sheath and gripped it reverse-style.
Hee hee hee, let's make you yelp and cry a little.
Figuring she couldn't kill him anyway, Clarice felt like a kid poking a friend with a wedgie. She jabbed the dagger toward Hypno with a quick poke.
But—
Snap!
Huh? What the fuck? Why won't my body move... Oh... damn it, whenever I try to attack this guy, my body freezes.
Feeling Clarice's movement halt while slung over his shoulder, Hypno spoke up.
"Thigh-lice, what were you just trying to do?"
"Who the fuck is Thigh-lice! You wanna die?!"
"What were you trying to do?"
"W-what the hell do you think! I was just hanging there, asshole!"
Turning her head to look down at Clarice, Wintineas said to Hypno,
"Ah... Hypno. Clarice... has a dagger in her hand... uh."
"Hey, did you really think about—"
"Hmmm~ So you were gonna poke me with that dagger, huh."
"P-p-poke my ass! Poke what?!"
"Tell the truth."
"I was just gonna prick you enough to draw a little blood and mess with you!"
"Kinda anticlimactic. But you did try to attack me, right?"
"W-well..."
"Heh heh heh, look forward to your punishment later, Bitch-lice."
"F-fuck...!"
Don't call people such shitty nicknames!
Clarice was in for even harsher humiliation later.
"...We actually made it."
Arriving at the Boar Wolf habitat, Hypno set down Wintineas and Clarice. Clarice still couldn't quite believe she'd been carried the whole way, while Wintineas proudly thrust her chest out a bit and said,
"Hypno is amaaazing... Ahem!"
Winte is so cute.
Hypno gazed at her, his heart swelling with joy.
"Winte."
Hypno spread his arms wide toward her. Without a word, Wintineas pressed tight against him in a firm embrace. Hypno wrapped his arms around her in return.
"I love you, Winte!"
"I... love you too♡"
"Ugh."
These fuckers are at it again.
Having seen them suddenly hug and confess their love more than once or twice, Clarice grimaced in disgust.
"Hey, let's hurry up and hunt some Boar Wolves already."
"Oh, right. Winte's too cute; I forgot for a sec."
"Don't say that shit out loud every time!"
"I... want you to say it...♡"
"Then I'll keep saying it from now on! Winte, just ignore that bitch."
"Fuck...!"
The trio stepped properly into the Boar Wolf habitat. The forest where Boar Wolves lived wasn't densely packed with trees—they were scattered sparsely. A few were snapped and toppled over.
"Winte, do Boar Wolves have a habit of headbutting trees?"
"Dunno... But yeah, that's Boar Wolf work... They have tusks like wild boars... and super hard heads... Aim for the body or neck to take 'em down."
"Oho~."
"Hey, just so we're clear, don't tell me to go first this time. Boar Wolves are new to me; one wrong move and I'm toast! Got it? Seriously! Don't make me go first!"
Hypno waved her off dismissively at Clarice's earnest plea.
"Yeah yeah, seeing all these fallen trees, you'd probably get one-shotted if you screw up. Winte, wanna show 'em how it's done?"
"Yeah... I'll show you."
Shing. Wintineas drew her twin swords, mustering what enthusiasm she could with her dazed expression.
"Gonna show... a cool side to Hypno."
"Winte...!"
Her desire to look good for him was unbearably adorable to Hypno.
And five minutes later.
-Grrrrowl...
A lone Boar Wolf appeared before the trio walking through the forest.
"Don't wolves usually hunt in packs?"
"Boar Wolves are... aggressive... so they roam solo... a lot."
Meaning they've got a real temper.
Temper from hell.
"Then... here I go."
Thud! Wintineas charged at the Boar Wolf.
-Awooooo!
The Boar Wolf roared and charged back at her, aiming its massive tusks to gore her.
But Wintineas twisted her lithe body, spinning past the attack, and slashed, carving multiple gashes across its flank.
-Awooooo!
The Boar Wolf skidded to a halt, enraged by its wounds, and charged again—even more ferociously. This time, not a straight bull-rush, but zigzagging like a true predator wolf stalking prey.
But Wintineas had seen those moves plenty of times before. Normally, she'd dodge leisurely until its stamina dropped, then finish it in one go.
But...
Hypno's... watching.
Wanting to impress her beloved Hypno, Wintineas slammed one sword into the ground and cast a spell.
"Icicle Arrest."
Crackle crackle crack...
-Gurk?!
Ice spikes erupted from the earth, binding the Boar Wolf's legs.
It thrashed to break free. But that struggle...
Thud! Gave Wintineas time to close in...
Slash! And sever its neck.
"Hoo..."
She cooled her heated body with a chill aura from her intense burst of motion, then flashed a V-sign at Hypno and Clarice.
"Ahem."
Clap clap clap clap
"That was awesome, Winte!"
Hypno applauded enthusiastically, while Clarice gaped in shock beside him.
"Whoa..."
Even if she couldn't move, she sliced that thick neck clean off in one hit? We're both D-rank, right?
Even among D-ranks, Clarice—who'd mostly ranked up via petty theft and minimal quests—lagged far behind Wintineas, who'd soloed monsters in real combat constantly.
They harvested the Boar Wolf's tusks as loot, then trekked deeper. They soon spotted the next one.
-Grrr...
-Awoooo!
"Two this time?"
"Sometimes... they pack up... yeah."
"Heh heh heh, then I'll show off for Winte this round."
Hypno strode forward confidently, floating Cheonma's Orb in the air and beckoning the Boar Wolves with a finger wag. As if understanding the taunt...
-Awooooo!
One charged Hypno, the other following close behind.
"First, one easy."
Hypno raised his index finger skyward; the orb ascended high.
"Down!"
He slammed it downward with force.
Thwack!
-Kreeeek!
The orb rocketed straight down, smashing the lead Boar Wolf's forehead.
Its supposedly iron-hard skull—praised by Wintineas—shattered against the orb's adamantium-like hardness from this world.
The first Boar Wolf dropped dead, but the second barreled on undeterred, charging even fiercer.
"Lightning."
Crackle zap zap zap!
-Kueeek!
As it passed the corpse, lightning burst from the orb. The tuned-down bolt halted it mid-stride; it smoked and spasmed.
Final one's gotta have impact. Status Window!
Boosted HP means more strength too, right? Then...
Hypno pumped 60 points into HP, jacking it to 102—higher than his maxed Libido.
The instant he allocated, power surged through his body.
Love how the effects kick in immediately.
By the time Hypno finished tweaking his stats, the Boar Wolf was shaking off the shock, recovering.
"Hey, you coming or what?"
-Awoooo!
Enraged by the cocky, stat-boosted Hypno's taunt, it charged anew.
Hypno stood stock-still, watching it come.
"Hypno...!"
"You idiot, what the fuck are you standing there for?!"
Wintineas fretted; Clarice yelled at his baffling stance.
Hypno flashed them a grin.
"Don't worry. This is nothing."
As the Boar Wolf reached him—
Crunch!
-Gurk!?
Hypno rooted himself and clamped its tusks barehanded, halting the charge dead.
"See?"
"What!?"
He stopped that charge with his bare hands...? What the hell!?
"Hup!"
Hypno hoisted it effortlessly by the tusks—like wringing a towel.
Then swung both arms down.
Thwack!
-Kueeeek!
He slammed it into the ground. On impact—snap!—the tusks shattered.
Pure brute force—no technique. Just grab, lift, smash.
Monster... bastard...
The raw display left a profound impression.
Hypno stowed the tusks in Cheonma's Orb, turned, and struck a triumphant pose.
"Winte! How was that?!"
Wintineas clapped just like he had.
"Super... strong and cool...!"
"Heh heh heh, thanks, Winte!"
Grinning goofily at her, Hypno turned to Clarice.
"Oh yeah, you're up next. Get ready."
"Me?!"
"Don't sweat it; we'll help if it's dangerous. So hustle."
Fuck fuck fuck.
-Grrrrowl...
Clarice faced off against the Boar Wolf, daggers drawn.
How the hell did those two take down monsters like this so easily?
Up close, the Boar Wolf looked far too savage, ill-tempered, and tough to have fallen so simply to Hypno and Wintineas.
Looking back calmly, its charge speed was about Clarice's reaction limit—barely.
But Wintineas had fluidly evaded using its momentum; Hypno straight-up caught and yeeted it.
Clarice knew she wasn't their level.
Fuck, if it looks like I'm dying, they'll help. That bastard loves watching me get railed or masturbate; he won't let me die. Fuck... pisses me off that I'm banking on that.
Boiling with rage, Clarice vented at the Boar Wolf.
"Come at me already, you pig-dog fucker!"
-Awooooo!
Her taunt worked; it charged faster than the others.
Fuck!
Clarice rolled aside, barely dodging. She sprang up to slash its body and evade pursuit.
Die!
Her strike packed everyday fury.
Clang!
"Huh."
But her thief's dagger—not made for monster-slaying—snapped against its tough hide.
Fuck.
-Awooo!
As she spun, its tusks whipped toward her.