The Max-Level Hunter Returns 142: Mamant’s Rampage
“What’s going on?”
Adel asked Jeo, who was directing the inn’s guests to safety. Even in the biting cold of the North Sea, the man was drenched in sweat.
“Monsters have been rampaging on the outskirts lately. You lot should evacuate too.”
“Monsters? Inside the Storm Wall?”
The fortress marking the North Sea border was quite a distance from any monster habitats. It didn’t make sense for them to suddenly assault the place without warning.
“Well… The mamant we’d anesthetized woke up and is causing havoc.”
Jeo let out a low sigh.
“Damn idiots… Don’t tell me that mamant they carted in earlier wasn’t dead but just knocked out?”
Harun snorted in disbelief at his words.
“A-rank monsters have crazy innate resistance. No way anesthesia works on them.”
“Rookies wouldn’t even make that mistake.”
“Greed brings disaster.”
The two muttered with sighs.
“We had our reasons… Ugh, forget it. Why am I even telling you kids?”
Jeo scowled at their reactions but soon clicked his tongue and waved them off.
“Anyway, I’ve gotta get these people out. Head to the south gate. The monster’s near the north gate right now.”
“What’s the situation there?”
“Luckily, that redhead powerhouse is holding it off for now… but Karin Samakal, our main force, got injured. It’s bad. Get out while you can.”
“Redhead? You don’t mean…”
Adel instantly knew who it was.
“Heila.”
At his shout, Kasla and Harun instinctively grabbed their gear and dashed to the inn’s door.
“North gate, right?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
“An A-rank monster… Guess we’re snagging a trophy for the desert trip after all.”
Kasla gulped down the last of her food and grinned.
“Hey, wait!! What the hell are you talking about? Why would you kids go there? Cut the nonsense and evacuate!”
“We’re the reason we’re going.”
Kasla laughed at Jeo’s yell.
“North Sea chill must’ve frozen your brain. Shake it off and come watch what real hunting looks like.”
[Keeeek---!!]
A massive mammoth’s roar echoed. The mamant, rivaling an ancient beast in raw power, thrashed its long trunk wildly. A hammer-like lump protruded from its tip, smashing buildings like a battering ram with every swing of its head.
Boom-!!
Boom--!!
Kwaaaang---!!!
Dust clouds billowed as knights struggled amid the rubble of collapsed structures.
“What about the fortress defenses?”
“Captain Aziza’s bringing the harpoon launcher. But as you know, it’s slow—gonna take time.”
The ballista modified for monsters packed immense power due to its size, but mobility was its Achilles’ heel.
“How long?”
“At least fifteen minutes. Warehouse is on the opposite side…”
Karin Samakal grimaced at the report.
“Anesthesia wearing off this fast? Damn it, what happened to that basilisk venom that could subdue even ancient beasts? My fault for trusting desert crap.”
She glared at the raging mamant, furious at the failed knockout.
“Why blame the desert? Only Ulan uses basilisk venom. But they don’t trade with outsiders.”
She whipped around at the voice behind her.
“Whoever sold it to you conned you good. Plus, Ulan doesn’t use basilisk venom on giant beasts. They’d grind dawnweed for poison instead.”
“…You.”
Karin’s eyes wavered at Adel emerging from the chaos.
“Jeo, I told you to gather anyone who can help hold the line till the guards arrive.”
“Well…”
“I brought him.”
Adel strode forward and gripped her side.
“Ack…! Mmph!!”
Startled by the sudden grab, she yelped involuntarily, then clapped hands over her mouth.
“Wh-what the hell?!”
“Stabbed by a tusk and still breathing. Lucky. Any deeper and you’d be dead or your guts shredded.”
Ignoring her shriek, Adel probed the flesh visible through her shattered armor.
“Ngh… Hnng…”
She shuddered and moaned with every touch.
“Desert salve. Rubbed plenty on—should work. Bandage it yourself. You can manage that much, right?”
“G-get your hand off!”
Karin yelled, face flushed. The sounds might sound suggestive, but anyone seeing her wound would never think that.
“…You see that? Her side’s punched clean through. Standing’s impressive. As expected of the Ice Palace’s young lord.”
Harun clicked his tongue at the gaping hole in her armor’s interior.
“Hurts just looking.”
“Yeah?”
Kasla said to Adel.
“Stomach ache? Told you to ease up on eating. Need the toilet or—urk.”
“Shut it.”
She kicked his shin, drew her sword, and charged.
“Why always bite the hand that feeds.”
Adel gave a wry smile at Harun’s words.
“Could be our chance, though.”
“Right. Help take it down, and she might introduce us to the Palace Lord.”
Adel eyed Karin Samakal wrapping her bandage, face stern.
“Harun!! Cover me!!”
Kasla’s shout rang out. She’d slipped between buildings to reach the mamant’s feet.
“Always so hot-headed…”
Harun pulled the 【Wind Bow】 from his back—spoils from the Gun Kingdom report.
Whoooong—
As he drew the string, silver runes etched on the bow limbs glowed.
A noisy chatter filled his ears, spirits’ voices blending oddly unlike usual.
‘The wind spirits are stirring.’
Adel nodded slowly, as if expecting it.
Wuuung……!!!
The spirit runes on Harun’s bow blazed. He pulled with all his might; frost formed on the arrowhead.
Desert Archery - Swell Shot.
Kwaang!!!!
A sharp boom as the arrow spiraled straight from Harun.
Crack…!
Crackle…!
Incredibly, ice thickened along its path like an extension.
Thud-!!!
[Keeeek……!!!]
Harun’s long arrow—twice normal length—plus ice made a pillar’s impact. Shattering on the forehead, it drew a pained screech from the mamant.
“Whoa…”
Harun stared blankly at the 【Wind Bow】, stunned by his own shot.
“…”
Kasla too, eyes wide, glanced back despite the beast before her.
[Puh! Puh!! Puuuuuh!!!!]
The mamant shook its head furiously, enraged. Its long trunk whipped side to side; a hind leg scraped the ground.
“It’s charging!! Everyone evade!!!”
At Karin’s cry, her knights raised shields and scattered.
Shing-
Adel drew Nazas, watching them.
Shwaaaa…!!!
Wind swirled along the blade, kicking up snowflakes.
[Won’t you use the new technique you learned?]
“Not easy finding a bow that can handle Heaven Kill’s Ultimate Intent… With my old one broken, sword it is for now.”
[Hmph. Pity.]
“Plus, in the North Sea, Nazas’ll be more useful.”
[Hm?]
Adel glanced at still-dazed Harun.
“Barren land of nothing but chill… but that means something the central continent lacks in abundance.”
He placed a hand on the wind sword. Snowflakes swirled around the blade like with Harun’s arrow.
Fwaaah…!!
They clumped, forming a vortex around the blade, growing fiercer.
Crack… Crackle….
Whirling wind froze Nazas’s blade white.
“Thanks to the Black Tortoise blizzard burying the land, no place preserves nature like the North Sea.”
Meaning beasts born of it thrived most here.
[νφχ!! υωγ st!!]
Clearer chatter rang in his ears than with Harun—clear like rolling glass beads, unlike wind spirits.
[Water spirits? How many are there?]
Kalderet watched the blunt, ice-coated Nazas sharpen gradually.
[Incredible. Seeing this many outside the spirit realm.]
Dozens clung to the blade.
“In the ancestral tomb, mastering Heaven Kill’s Ultimate Intent, I realized I couldn’t fully wield my divine power.”
[Hmph.]
“Narrow channel for abundant divine power. My Spirit Axis was too small.”
[Indeed… Now I get it. You’re here to expand your Spirit Axis.]
“Exactly.”
Adel nodded.
[But you know mere strong spirit energy won’t expand it.]
He assumed position. Nazas’s blade, iced over, stretched nearly 1.5 times longer.
Adel hefted the heavy blade horizontal.
Flash…!!
His figure blurred forward.
[Keeeek---!!]
One step, and he dove between the mamant’s legs.
Slash…!!
He slashed its leg. Thick fur tangled the blade.
Sizzle…!!
Garon’s flames erupted. Acrid smoke rose as fur charred black.
[Kaaak!!!]
Flames over white ice blade gleamed ethereal blue. The edge plunged deep into exposed flesh.
[Truly, land brimming with spirits empowers elemental gods too.]
Kalderet eyed Garon’s blaze that burned through fur instantly.
[But to strengthen your Spirit Axis, you need upper spirits, not gods.]
“That’s why I said this could be the chance—not just Karin introducing me to the Palace Lord.”
Clang-!!
Karin, waist tightly bandaged, drew her planted triple sword.
Fwaaaah…!!
Ice formed around it, like Adel’s. The blade thickened; her transparent tiara frosted white.
Chill—
“Wh-what?”
Harun shivered at the sudden temperature drop.
“Everyone, move.”
Unlike their weapons alone, Karin’s armor iced over too.
[Like Garon’s flames, only the contractor’s body can bear elemental force… No way?]
“You got it.”
Step- Step- Step-
She advanced fearlessly toward the crouching, ready-to-charge mamant.
Shwaaaa…!!
A hazy figure appeared behind her.
[…Muenel?]
Kalderet murmured low at the sight.
The water spirit king.