Chapter 28: Blood Bear! Fierce Battle!

He walked through the dark forest, Anya glued to his arm. Her cheeky smile grew, resting on his arm as her eyes darted around, looking for monsters to kill. Anya seemed quite harmless, however. She became fierce when hunting monsters together with him in the past.

—|Zell: 'I cannot believe it's her. What a strange coincidence. I guess she also knows too.'

Anya's eyes occasionally peeked at Zell's handsome face with a slight gleam. Honestly, his words utterly shocked her. He was the man she lost contact with a year ago. Now he pops up in her life? Such a fateful encounter! Her little heart raced as she focused her mind, plotting how to make him hers.

—|Anya: 'I wanted you before! But now even more! You are mine hehe, no longer a tamer, but I'm already your little pet!'

The dark forest seemed to constrict them as their maps displayed several trails, but only a few were traversable. Huge black oak trees surrounded them, mixed in with the tall pine trees. A sensation that something watched them in the dark shadows hidden behind the bushes, however nothing was there.

"This forest is creepy…" Anya said. As she whispered beside him.

"Mmm… It's unsettling. I have damn goosebumps!" Tessa said, her body shuddering from the weird atmosphere. Since there was no sunlight, only a faint moonlight, it was eerie for them as their minds knew it was daytime.

"Hmmn?"

Rika stopped suddenly, her muscles tensing as she lowered her hips and crouched down. She began sniffing with her wet nose, trying to make sure she wasn't wrong. The moment her lips were about to open, a blood red bear appeared several metres ahead. Its golden eyes locked onto them, as the thick fur undulated before rushing forward toward them.

"Let's go! Rika, don't take his hits head on!"

"Tessa! There will be other monsters that attack when we weaken him! This battle is not a sprint, but a marathon!"

"Okay, Brother!"

"Understood, Leader!"

"Anya, keep your MP for healing those two when they are in danger. In the meantime, help Tessa fight the small bear! Don't go easy because they look like babies!"

Zell didn't waste time. A black plated gauntlet with sharp claws covered his hands. Raven black high boots and grieves protected his feet. Strangely, his chest plate was now black and red. With the centre image, the same dragon from his hilt, the tree long gone and now chopped down under the dragon's feet.

— Blade/Beat Rush!

Zell and Rika activated their skills instantaneously. Both bodies shot towards the red bear. A bright red flame to its right which drew his attention and a jet black Claymore held in the male's hand as he shot towards the bear's back.

— Blood Bear (Elite) Used Defensive Maul!

Sensing their threat, the bear stopped charging and rose into the air, its claws spread with to capture its prey.

Zell couldn't wait for Rika to be countered. So he pushed himself forward. His body filled with a crimson radiance pointing his blade's tip towards the bear holding the hilt across his chest.

He tapped the floor with his rear foot, with light steps. His body flashed towards the bear, causing his feet to dig into the dirt below his feet, several centimetres. His hair blowing in the wind as he thrusted his black sword towards the bear's open chest.

Two massive claws swung down like a welcoming hug. As his blade pierced into the bear's chest with a squelch and splutter. Which caused its blood to squirt out, spraying over its fur and across his face. "Shit, the damage is too shallow!" Zell pulled back his sword and jumped back.

— Blade Rush Zell Delacroix

Blood Bear (Elite) Took 52 Damage! HP: 1,800/1,800 —> HP: 1,748/1,800

Blood Bear (Elite) Took 18 Damage! HP: 1,748/1,800 —> HP: 1,730/1,800 (Second AOE)

His claymore slicing from the bear's waist through to its shoulder with a shallow swing while spinning his body to the right. He failed to dodge the blow, taking a heavy strike to his back, and stumble several steps away and feeling slightly winded. A bloody claw mark on his left upper back.

"Roar!" (Damned filthy invaders! Die!)

— Defensive Maul! Blood Bear (Elite)

Zell Delacroix took 10 damage! HP: 24/34

"Fucker! You hurt my beloved Zell!"

Immediately, a murderous rabbit jumped into the air. Her flaming fists like a raging sun hammered down onto the bear's skull. With each blow, causing a loud crack and thud to reverberate through the forest. Followed quickly by the sound of fire burning meat.

— Beat Rush! Hit five times! Rika Delacroix

Blood Bear (Elite) Took 50 Damage! HP: 1,730/1,800 —> HP: 1,680/1,800

Her breath seemed haggard, but soon recovered. As she placed a single foot on its thigh, pushing down with all her power, to force herself off with a backflip. The bear's counter claw swiping the air and staggering backwards back onto four legs.

"Are you alright Zell?" Rika appeared beside him with a serious face.

Both of them distanced themselves, preparing for the colossal bear that looked furious. She smashed its right eye into a mush of blood and good, then burned it into charcoal. His left chest pierced by Zells' sharp thrust, its blood oozing out profusely. Now revealing its ribs from the slash wound from its waist to shoulder caused by his arcing strike after the initial blade rush.

"Roar!" (Useless tricks of pathetic weaklings! Go, my children! Rend their flesh, devour them and gain freedom!)

— "Rend Blade Beam!"

A loud shriek of countless young bears sounded as they charged from the flanks. However, the poor things were not strong as suddenly. A beautiful blade of blue watery light tore the head's off three of them. Their bodies falling to the floor as blood and guts seeped from their headless bodies.

— Blade Beam (Water) Tessa Beaufort!

Young Blood Bear 1-3 took 40 Damage and Died!

"Thank god for Zell's tactics beforehand… These bears are weak against fear effects and have low morale! Killing them before they could act caused them to panic in terror! Now it's my turn to fight!"

— "Dance to my tune, Blade Waltz!"

A Silver radiance covered the body of Tessa as she hopped on alternate feet, her body twisting and turning as if dancing alone. Behind her sword's tip, a trail of silver light flowed. Moments later, she vanished towards the terrified group of twelve bears.

— "Beat the bad guy up! Sacred Bolt!"

Anya didn't care about Tessa right now. Her eyes were narrow and focused. She hated the trash mob that hurt him, even in a game. His stupid habit of playing classes that couldn't tank but still took blows for his allies. No matter how cool he looked when spinning away, she wanted to beat him up!

A radiant ball of light shot towards the bear faster than before, like she mastered and feel its qualities and how to cast the spell. Zell wasn't lying when he claimed her to be a genius short stack of beauty.

Suddenly, a warm light filled his body as the claw wound healed and a burst of fierce holy power smashed into the bear's left eye. Zell wondered if that little minx aimed for that, watching the bear stumble backwards. Her holy light healed him for 7 health points.

— Sacred Bolt! Anya Nikitina

Blood Bear (Elite) Took 18 Damage! HP: 1,680/1,800 —> HP: 1,662/1,800

Moments after the bear heard the death cries of its babies, it suddenly let out a bloodcurdling roar. Before Zell and Rika could react, the ground shattered as a black aura seeped from the bear, which grew one size bigger, muscles now bulking and pure yellow eyes with black sclera.

"Shit it's demonised! Prepare for a hard fight, Tessa. Hurry and kill those bears. We're going to need both of you soon! Anya, don't waste mana, only use that spell to heal Rika if she nearly dies! Fuck…"

Although the wound healed, he felt like several of his ribs broke in that attack. He took several moments to recover. Then lifted his sword that shuddered slightly.

— Blood Bear (Elite) Entered a Demonic state! All Damage Doubled!

This was the gift demons gave monsters in the game and was a terrifying buff that made the monsters deal double normal damage. But thankfully, it also caused them to take double damage at the same time.

—|Zell: 'Griselda, I am counting on you! Keep hidden and dash out only when I call for you. No matter how badly I look. Please believe in your master! We will kill this fucker and eat bear stew tonight!'

—|Infra: 'Be careful darling, this buff wasn't supposed to happen yet… Only after the first merger in 6 months' time… What's going on!?'

— Killed 3 Young Blood Bears gained 60 Exp (60 Exp Added to Free Exp Pool)

— Class: Magic Knight: Level 3: 120/300

— Sub Class: Lady Killer: Level 2: 104/300

— Free Experience Pool : 150/1,000