"Just Rough Him up a Bit and He'll Leave us Alone"

The moment that Cifer saw Momo engaging the Bear he was running for his scythe. He could tell without asking that the Bear should be stronger than Momo, even if it was probably rather close. Cifer didn't doubt for a second that Momo would be the stronger if they were the same size, and the tougher if they both had the same body description.

Unfortunately the Bear was about 2.5 times Momo's height, something like 20 times her weight and covered in fur and hide that could be refined into powerful Origination Armor. It was just a little bit unfair. Which was why Cifer had to even the odds a bit. He knew he'd have to dive in and dive back out, but if the Bear wasn't able to completely focus on Momo it should give her an opening.

When he came back the Bear was on all fours and advancing slowly on Momo, seeming to have completely forgotten about him. To Cifer it looked like the Bear had decided Momo was an enemy to take seriously. It wasn't going to just throw around its weight and strength like it tried to do to him. But if the Bear wanted to fight on all fours than there should be a blind spot to the side and rear of it's back legs that it couldn't reach to counter attack. Not without the ability to kick it's rear leg close to perpendicular to it's stride, or turn it's body with the flexibility of a serpent.

Cifer arrived just as the Bear was swiping at Momo, who started to swing as a block but jumped back at the last second. Without any hesitation, just as Momo was shouting at him for being a moron, Cifer struck with all his strength at the Bear's haunches. It was a good thing he'd found a scythe Technique in the Manual, or he wouldn't be able to even get through the Bear's hair!

Even using the most preliminary form of the Avenging Reaper Technique series, Severing Grief, it still felt like he had swung at solid stone, and his hands hurt from the reverb. However, he had cut through the Bear's fur and left a tiny cut on his thick leg. Compared to the size of the Bear it was like a paper cut, but it got the attention of the Beast.

With a great roar of indignation, the Bear turned faster than Cifer had thought possible to put him inside the radius it actually could attack, sending the backside of its paw at him. Cifer jumped back, diving low to barely move quick enough. He felt the air rush of the Bear's paw as it missed him and landed solidly on the ground as the Bear let out a much more angry and pained bellowing roar. Momo must have got in a hit.

Cifer rolled back up to his feet, looking on as the Bear launched multiple attacks on Momo, hardly seeming injured at all. Then again, maces and other blunt weapons rarely caused the bleeding and surface injuries that a weapon like his would. Still, there was nothing for it but to try again, this time anticipating the sheer speed and ferocity of the Bear.

The result was predicable, an even smaller wound a couple inches away from the first. With the knowledge of how quickly Cifer would have to dodge the counter attack that didn't come he hadn't been able to put the same force behind the blow.

The Bear didn't even feel the attack that time, and if they had to wait for a thousand of those scratches to make the Bear bleed out they'd both die a thousand deaths while waiting. Cifer needed an new plan, and Momo clearly had her hands full. He could see she was trying something, but the attacks of the Bear weren't giving her enough breathing room to get it right.

Cifer had been trying to slice open the Bear in slashing attacks, but a scythe had both an inside cutting edge and a sharp tip. Cifer took one step further back, putting him out of reach of an immediate counter attack, and struck with the Severing Grief Technique. His aim was to try to make the point of his scythe punch into the Bear. The simulation of a stab worked much better, the pointed tip punching almost a half inch deep. Part of Cifer felt pitiful that such a small thing was worth rejoicing over and another part reminded him that he didn't have any time to rejoice.

This time the Bear reared back up on it's hind legs and backhanded at Cifer. When he ducked the blow the Bear followed up by crashing down on all four with Cifer right in front of it's face. At that exact moment Momo's mace came crashing down on the Bear's shoulder as a white Essence shrouded it and a sickening crunch sounded.

"I actually got it!" Momo yelled with relief as the Bear's agonized cry filled the woods. Cifer took the opportunity to back way up, dragging Momo with him as the Bear moved towards them more slowly. It was favoring the arm that Momo had probably just broke, but the hatred in its eyes made it very clear that the Bear didn't consider this over.

Cifer groaned. "Why didn't you aim for it's head with that attack?" He demanded while they had a breather. He knew full well she could have reached it, and if the attack could force its way through all the Bear's muscle to break its shoulder than surely it could have cracked the Bear's head open and ended this whole thing just as easily. Instead Momo had deliberately chosen to go for it's shoulder.

When Cifer heard her answer he felt like strangling her. "It's not like I wanted to kill him! He just thought we were easy prey, so if we just rough him up a bit the Bear will leave us alone. Right?"

While they were arguing the Bear slowly was changing in appearance, the Essence coming from it becoming heavier and denser. With Famine Essence leaking from him, stony plates started to cover parts of the Bear's body and the beast's Cultivation was boosted to Advanced Bottom Origination.

Cifer was desperate now. He could barely hurt the Bear before, but now Momo had cost them their best chance to take the thing out while they could. But even in a situation like this he couldn't resist the urge to comment. "Momo, he's not planning to leaving us alone."