“Monster! Monster!”
From afar, Radomar’s near-hysterical screams echoed repeatedly as Keldric urged Boreas forward, racing urgently toward the commotion.
However, adjusting his speed to match the mercenaries and soldiers running on foot meant he couldn’t move as fast as he’d like.
Only Alyssa and Keldric were on horseback.
The winding, sometimes looping streets of Spitzenberg also played a part in slowing them down. Cities built long ago often had such chronic flaws.
A few townspeople, roused from their sleep, peeked out cautiously with anxious expressions. Perhaps this was exactly what the monster was aiming for. Keldric shouted at them.
“Get inside your homes! Don’t come out under any circumstances!”
“Lock your doors tight! Sir Keldric will hunt down that monster bastard!”
The soldiers remained diligent in their duties. Bright torches were being raised one after another in the inner fortress. It was clear they were the remaining soldiers that the Baron of Spitzenberg hadn’t deployed to the city.
“Group up! Block it together! Hey!”
Radomar’s voice was getting closer fast, and the commotion was growing louder and clearer.
Crash! Bang!
Keldric realized the monster was wreaking havoc near the marketplace. Following Radomar’s voice in a frenzy, he soon arrived at the very heart of Spitzenberg’s economy.
In the distance, dozens of torches flickered and swayed in the darkness. Something was recklessly destroying makeshift stalls and fabric-covered charcoal bins.
“What are you standing around for? Stop that thing!”
While the mercenaries and soldiers stood dumbfounded, Keldric kicked Boreas’s flank, urging them on. Jolted awake, the soldiers were the first to grab their spears and charge.
“Uh, uh….”
“Holy shit, what the hell is that?”
“I don’t know! Just chase it!”
The Iron Claw mercenaries, coming to their senses late, followed suit. Three or four of them carried crossbows—likely because Keldric had ordered them to prepare for a hunt earlier in the day.
That was actually a good thing. The more ranged weapons they had, the better. Especially when the prey was a ferocious and savage predator.
As they closed the distance to the monster, Keldric abruptly reined Boreas in and swiftly dismounted.
The marketplace was in no condition for horseback combat. Broken stalls and scattered debris were strewn everywhere. If Boreas tripped over something mid-gallop and fell, it would be a complete disaster.
“Don’t let it escape!”
Keldric shouted as he drew his longsword. The terrified mercenaries cheered at his arrival.
“Sir Keldric!”
“Radomar!”
Even Radomar, who had been on edge, now looked relieved. Keldric pulled his helmet down snugly and rushed forward.
Two mercenaries lay behind them, barely breathing. Their wounds, deep gashes from claws, were no ordinary injuries.
“Explain the situation! Keep it brief!”
“Yes, sir! After I got separated from you, I circled toward the market, and that bastard was raiding the stalls!”
Keldric scanned the scene and quickly grasped the situation. Indeed, the overturned stalls all belonged to food vendors.
However, there weren’t many food stalls to begin with, and it was only natural for vendors to pack up their goods after closing. Keldric realized that the monster, having found nothing of value, was venting its frustration.
An enraged enemy would fight with all its might, but that also meant its judgment would be impaired, making it easier to handle. And when it came to strength, Keldric was no pushover.
“Everyone, back away slowly! We’re going to surround it!”
Several soldiers and mercenaries slowly backed away with grim expressions. Keldric’s own mercenaries and soldiers, who had joined the scene late, along with Alyssa, took their positions in the encirclement.
Thanks to them, the monster was now completely surrounded. Keldric, gripping his longsword, walked forward in measured steps.
“Grrrrrrr…!”
A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the air. It was so loud that some of the mercenaries shuddered involuntarily.
Keldric narrowed his eyes, studying the creature beyond his helmet’s visor. The flickering torches cast an eerie glow across the scene.
The sight revealed by the blazing red light was nothing short of shocking. Even Keldric, who had been approaching cautiously, found himself hesitating for a brief moment.
It was massive and jet-black. Its glossy fur, reflecting the torchlight, was bristling in agitation. Its large upper body was disproportionate to its slightly weaker lower half, and its legs were bent in reverse joints.
Perhaps due to its puffed-up fur, the creature seemed even larger than Keldric himself. Compared to an ordinary person, it was nearly twice as tall.
“Dear gods! What is that?!”
“I-It’s a beast of the devil!”
“Oh, Lord have mercy…”
Some mercenaries trembled in fear, calling upon the divine. The beast’s growl rattled their hearts, shaking their faith.
The more experienced mercenaries fared slightly better. Though they, too, felt fear, they quickly steadied themselves and tried to assess the situation.
“Quiet, all of you! Two of you, break off and go to the church! Bring Brother Marcus here!”
Two soldiers hurriedly ran toward the church, slightly loosening the encirclement in the process.
It was uncertain what a clergyman could do in this situation, but Keldric paid no mind. If they were calling for him, he assumed there must be a reason. Tightening his grip on the longsword, he held his ground.
“Sir Keldric!”
If this had been a battle between men, both sides might have waited for an opening before making a move. However, a creature with no reason, driven purely by primal instincts, had no such hesitation.
With a sudden lunge, the beast charged straight at Keldric.
Keldric swiftly raised his longsword. The monstrous claws, swinging down like lightning, clashed against the blade.
Clang!
A metallic ring echoed in the air. For a moment, Keldric felt as if he had blocked not a beast’s claw, but a weapon of steel.
“Graaaah!”
The creature’s onslaught did not stop. It struck wildly with its claws, each swing deadly and relentless.
Keldric, his expression more tense than ever, deflected the attacks with unwavering focus. This was even more intense than any tournament he had ever fought in.
If even a single claw struck him, he knew he would be as good as dead. But simply blocking wasn’t an option—the beast’s attacks were growing more ferocious by the second.
Keldric decided to strike before he was completely overwhelmed.
“Hup!”
With a short, forceful exhale, he swung his sword sharply, deflecting the monster’s claws with sheer power.
A brief opening appeared.
Keldric didn’t hesitate.
His foot shot forward like a cannon.
BOOM!
“Kurheng?!”
A loud thud echoed from within the monster’s belly, as if something had kicked a wall from the inside. Its fur rippled like waves, making it appear intact on the outside, but the chaos within must have been excruciating.
Keldric didn’t stop there. Once he seized the advantage, he never let go—that was just his nature.
With all his strength, he thrust his longsword forward. The monster instinctively raised its arm to block the strike.
Keldric swung with the intent to sever the limb entirely.
Swoosh—!
“What…?!”
However, instead of cutting cleanly, Keldric’s longsword only left a shallow wound, sliding off as if it had struck an oiled surface.
What he had failed to account for was the beast’s tough, resilient hide.
A creature like this, covered in fur, would naturally have an incredibly thick and durable pelt. Unlike humans, who wore armor, wild beasts relied solely on their fur and skin to survive, meaning their hides had to be strong enough to withstand the claws of predators.
This monster’s fur was sleek, and its hide was just as smooth. As a result, Keldric’s attack had merely glanced off.
“Kyain! Kyeng!”
But his strike had not been completely ineffective. A sharp crimson line had appeared on the creature’s arm, and with a startled yelp, it stumbled back several steps.
Glowing yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness, locked onto Keldric.
Previously, those eyes had belonged to a beast driven purely by instinct, rampaging without restraint. But now, a faint trace of fear flickered within them.
“Fire!”
At Radomar’s command, the mercenaries unleashed their crossbow bolts.
Half of the six bolts struck the ground, but the rest embedded themselves in the monster’s hide.
“Kurgh! Kurheng—!”
The creature easily scraped away some of the bolts with its claws, but one bolt, buried too deeply, remained lodged in its flesh, causing blood to stream down.
At this, Keldric didn’t hesitate. He tossed his longsword behind him and reached for the mace strapped to his waist.
If the hide was too thick to pierce, then stabbing wasn’t the best approach. He lacked a spear and wasn’t trained in spear combat anyway.
In that case, he would simply beat the creature until its insides were a mangled mess.
At least one bone should break.
As Keldric strode forward with his mace in hand, the monster whimpered and took more steps back.
Blood dripped from its arm, staining its fur. Perhaps this was the first time it had experienced pain—its fearful eyes remained fixated on Keldric.
Keldric paid no mind. He slammed his foot against the ground and charged.
Startled, the monster reflexively opened its maw wide at him.
At the same time, its sharp claws swiped through the air, but Keldric was ready. Even if he couldn’t completely dodge, he was determined to land a decisive blow.
Scrrratch—!
The claws raked against Keldric’s chainmail, sending sparks flying. The attack was vicious, but before it could turn deadly, a heavy mass of iron struck even faster.
“Hup!”
CRACK!
The mace crashed into the monster’s lower jaw like a bolt of lightning.
With a sickening crunch, its jaw shattered, blood pouring from the broken bones as it dangled loosely.
“Kyageng! Keng! Kehhk!”
Teeth flew from its mouth as the monster let out pitiful wails, staggering backward in agony.
Up until now, the ground had likely been stained only with its victims’ blood.
Today was not the day.
Blood dripped from the shattered jaw, splattering onto the dirt-covered marketplace ground.
Keldric intended to finish it here. No matter how tough its hide was, if he kept slamming his mace into its head, he was certain he could crush its skull.
“Keheng!”
But the monster made its choice—it turned and ran.
Keldric stared in disbelief. The creature had appeared out of nowhere, rampaging as if it would destroy everything in sight, yet now, after taking a few hits, it was fleeing without hesitation.
“Stop it!”
He shouted urgently, but the mercenaries, gripping their spears, were too slow to react. The monster barreled through them, shoving them aside before they could block its escape.
Several mercenaries tumbled clumsily to the ground. Keldric immediately lunged forward, his strides widening.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
Frustration aside, he had to catch the creature. Without thinking twice, he hurled his mace with all his might.
The weapon spun through the air in a wide arc before crashing violently into the ground just barely missing the monster’s tail.
Fwoosh!
At the same time, flames erupted from the ground, likely conjured by Alyssa. But the creature effortlessly leaped over them, avoiding the blaze.
Its speed was incredible. In the blink of an eye, it became nothing more than a distant blur.
Its pitch-black fur only made things worse. Vanishing into the darkness, it was impossible to track with only a single torch for illumination.
“Damn it.”
Keldric clicked his tongue, retrieving the longsword he had thrown aside.
If the monster had kept fighting, he could have won. The missed opportunity gnawed at him.
Never before had his lack of hunting experience felt so frustrating. He knew he wouldn’t get many more chances.
Once a beast discovered a trap, it never returned to the same place.
The monster would be no different. From now on, it would actively avoid Keldric.
Which meant… this might have been his last and best opportunity.
“Form teams of five and track the blood trail. If we follow its tracks, we’ll find where it hides during the day.”
“Yes, Sir Keldric!”
As the soldiers and mercenaries, joined by reinforcements from the inner city, moved into action, Keldric held his longsword up to the torchlight.
Something yellow and sticky clung to the blade’s tip. He carefully rubbed it between his fingers, it felt unpleasantly slick.
“…Fat?”
Beneath its hide, the creature had a thick layer of fat. The greasy residue on his longsword was proof of that.
No matter how hard he had swung, the wounds had been shallow because of that thick subcutaneous layer.
Standing amidst the now brightly lit streets of Spitzenberg, Keldric silently observed the flickering torches and scattered soldiers.
His chainmail, scratched by the creature’s claws, dangled precariously as if it might tear apart at any moment. His surcoat was shredded beyond repair.
The first hunt had ended in failure.
It was Keldric’s first true failure since the day he was born.
But he wasn’t discouraged.
Failure meant there was something to improve. And that meant he could become even stronger.
Next time, he wouldn’t let it escape.