The Strength of a Red Rank

The giant mammoth was approaching, and we were way under-leveled to have a fair chance of winning. Even though I'm at level 11 now, to fight such a large opponent alone, I'd need to be around level... 25 or something.

For now, that's an impossible target. Yep.

"Major, this is Hvir, and I've got bad news." I quickly radioed in the details, passing only the required bits. "A giant mammoth monster, about ten times more powerful than the giant wolves earlier, is approaching. Its danger level is Red!"

"Red?! Wasn't that supposed to come during the second day? Don't tell me, a butterfly effect?!"

Major Lucas roared on the radio, his voice sounding panicked. Well, if you just learned that a powerful monster that we can't handle yet is approaching, then that's the normal response.

"I suggest you clear the goblins quick, letting a few gain levels first so that we could get a better chance of surviving!"

If everyone gets to at least level 3, then we can at least fight the mammoth to a standstill. Then, I can take the chance that they're locked into a fierce battle to finish it off with a swift finishing blow on its head.

"... Sounds like a plan. Alright, we'll do just that," Major Lucas said, finally calming down. "BASTARDS! You heard Hvir, right? Prioritize those long-range classes to level up first!"

Against a large enemy, melee fighters would easily get trampled when clumped together. Prioritizing those with long-range fighting abilities was a wise choice. "... But will they make it in time?"

The mammoth was already about a kilometer away. I could already see its gigantic figure with clearer details, making it a much more dreadful sight than before. My heart began beating faster. Nervous? Of course, I am. I haven't fought against a Red Rank before!

I gripped my sword tight and saw that the soldiers around me started to do as the Major said, passing the kills to the long-range attackers. The ones who cleared most of the enemies were the pair of psychics, though.

"As expected, should I say?"

They were the ones with the highest level within the entire camp during the last loop, so they definitely wouldn't hesitate to hound the kills to themselves. In fact, more than half of the remaining goblins before us were killed by them.

That should bring both of them to level 4 at least, for sure.

It was fortunate that the mammoth was slow, as just as it reached 500 meters away when everyone could already feel the tremors from the steps it took and could see its gigantic body, the ones that reached level 3 were already gathered at the north gate.

"Alright, everyone! We shall not let that monster approach any further!" One of the two psychics, the one that produces water, shouted in a hoarse voice.

He was a she? I didn't realize from the videos, and even after interacting with them up close... I blame the thick military uniform for hiding those bazongas, bypassing my recognition.

Anyway, after her words of "encouragement," we began to move forward, planning to intercept the mammoth before it came close.

As the only melee in the team and the one with the highest level, I was sent ahead first. The sword in my hand was just as long as a single strand of the mammoth's fur! Will this even work against such a large body?

"Well, time to find out!"

I reached the underside of the mammoth quickly and began searching. As I predicted, there it was, a large bulge dangling around the mammoth's belly. The opening is where its peen comes out!

"That looks pretty vulnerable, right, big guy?!" I roared as I jumped toward the mammoth's leg, scaling it up until I reached the limit.

"Hup!"

After reaching the highest point along its leg, I jumped toward the bulging part, with obviously fewer hairs around it, and swung my sword.

*THUD!*

But to my surprise, the mammoth's skin managed to deflect my sword! The part I attacked did not even get a scratch!

*PAWOOOOOOON!*

Furthermore, the mammoth realized where I was and quickly lowered its body, as if doing a belly flop. I, who was at the dead center of its body, needed to get out of the way fast!

However, I was currently in a free fall, and the body of the mammoth was falling at roughly the same speed as I was. There's not a single platform anywhere where I could kick off to change directions!

I gritted my teeth and watched the distance between me and the mammoth's belly. "No choice but to gamble!"

As soon as I land, I will need to dash about 25 meters in one instant before I get squished like a pancake! Although I was barely 30 meters up, I bet the fall would hurt like hell... I timed it perfectly, fixing my stance as I fell.

Then, when my toes touched the ground, I shifted my body forward, inducing a forward roll. Just as my body was almost horizontal to the ground, I gathered all my strength into one leg and kicked off!

*BAM!*

My body flew like a soccer ball, flying across the wide gap and smashing into a building's glass window. It was fortunate that I didn't hit anything sharp that could pierce my body.

*BOOOOOOM!*

And about half a second later, a powerful shockwave spread. The force of the mammoth's belly hitting the ground was enough to create cracks through the concrete. The shockwave, too, was powerful enough to destroy the surrounding walls of nearby buildings.

"...!"

And unfortunately, the building I was in was partly cantilevered above me. The two support pillars that were supporting its edge were broken, and the ceiling fell. I tried to run fast, escaping outside, and barely made it before the ceiling fell.

However, now that the building behind me has been destroyed and the gigantic mammoth's body is right before me, there's no escaping anymore.

*CRACKLE!*

"Huh?"

Suddenly, I saw arcs from the mammoth's fur. I thought it was my imagination at first, but I realized a second later that it wasn't. The mammoth's body was now covered in electricity...! I turned to the soldiers, and they were all firing their abilities toward the mammoth's head but doing little to no damage at all.

"Hvir...!"

Only one noticed my predicament and had a shocked, and worried expression. So despite her avoiding me, she would still worry for me, huh?

After that, the electricity running across the mammoth's fur followed natural physics and went to the nearest conductor... my body.

"UGIGIGIIKIKIGIKI!"

My jaws locked as my body shivered from the high voltage. It hurts. it burns. Save me! I can't move! I DON'T WANNA DIE! SAVE ME! SAVE ME! SAVE ME! SAVE ME! SAVE ME! SAVE ME! SAVEME!SAVEME!SAVEME!SAVE—!

The short instant I was electrocuted felt like an eternity, and before it ended, my consciousness had already turned dark.