[Postscript] Thanks for reading! If you spot any typos, do let me know. You might get Mitzuri’s gratitude someday! Special thanks to those who gave me coupons.
Chapter 7: The Witch’s Request, Part 3
The two of us stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, locked in a silent showdown, like two ticking time bombs waiting to explode.
The desolate wind swept through, stirring up dust and leaves on the ground.
“It’s gonna end in an instant.”
As I contemplated how to take this thing down, the best strategy formed in my mind. First, I’d target the areas without spikes – its belly and face. If I created distance, the prickly monster might get the upper hand by launching spikes. Clearly, keeping close seemed like the best option.
“Protecting itself with spike armor up close while shooting needles from afar… what a bothersome creature.”
Maybe it was just taking its time to gauge my strength, but it clearly seemed cautious.
“Running away without fighting could be a good idea, but then, how do I rescue Raccoon Leaf?”
The poor guy looked like he was about to flop on the ground any second now.
“Just not peeing himself is a victory in itself.”
“The witch asked me to bring back the Stalagmite and Leaf unharmed.”
I steadied my heart, remembering the reward the witch promised. It seemed I had no choice but to finish this prickly business.
“With its large size, there must be plenty of tasty bits. Definitely a good source of experience points, right?”
Since a fight was inevitable, I thought it best to keep a positive mindset. I was determined to consume this creature.
As I grinned and bared my teeth, the critter’s black eyes opened wide, and it mirrored my grin, stretching its mouth into an intimidating smile, revealing its sharp fangs.
The air was thick with tension, ready to snap at any moment.
Just then, Raccoon Leaf piped up from behind the Spike Beast.
“Th-that white-furred creature is incredibly strong! It’s the one that took down the Snake Queen! Even you, Belger, wouldn’t have an easy win against it!”
He spoke with all the confidence of a true hero, but alas, it seemed to put Belger off his game. He hid his teeth and gave me a thorough once-over.
“Huh, you took down the Snake Queen? For real?”
“I’m not lying!”
At my response, that fierce tension seemed to lighten up. Maybe we could settle this peacefully after all—there was a glimmer of hope.
Belger let out a sigh and then made an unexpected proposal.
“Hey, wanna make a deal?”
“A deal?”
I was suddenly suspicious about what kind of trick he might be pulling.
Belger relaxed his spikes and shrugged.
“Well, if we fight, we’ll both end up hurt, right? How about we keep things peaceful? You just have to do me one favor.”
Good things generally come with strings attached, he grinned slyly.
“What favor?”
“Just find me some food that can substitute for the Stalagmite. If you bring me the shiny rock I want, I’ll give you both the Raccoon and the Stalagmite.”
“And why should I trust you?”
“I’m not like Raccoon Leaf. I have too much pride to lie, so whether you believe me or not, it’s up to you.”
Belger shot his spikes back up, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to hear him out.
“What kind of rock do you want?”
“Something simple. It needs to be hard yet pleasantly soft, radiating a nice glow. But not too bright—might hurt the eyes. A smooth and slightly rough stone would do.”
He rambled on, not even sniffing around.
“Where am I supposed to find something like that?”
Raccoon Leaf protested on my behalf.
Belger lifted Leaf from the ground by his scruff and proudly declared, “You’ll definitely find it. If not, the deal’s off. Got it?”
And with that, he promptly sank his teeth into Leaf’s neck!
Crack, Leaf yelped, sounding like a puppy in pain.
“Is this an abduction?”
“Ugh, that’s too tough of a task!”
Leaf whimpered, trying to hold back his pain, his worry evident.
I cut in swiftly, “Alright, I’ll get it. Solving such a trivial problem is easy.”
Unlike these beasts, I was merely human, the pinnacle of creation! With my wisdom and knowledge, I could tackle any silly request thrown my way.
I scanned the area, picked up a thick, flat stick, hefty enough to make a decent tool.
“Awesome, here it is! This is the answer.”
I marched towards him, stick in hand. Belger frowned in protest.
“That’s not a rock, you idiot! It’s wood!”
“Of course, it’s not a rock. But it’s still the right answer! When dealing with a madman, the answer is always a smack upside the head!”
I swung the stick at his noggin.
Crack! The sound echoed like a boulder crashing against the cliffside.
Belger let out a horrified, “Gah!”, spewing bl**d from his nose—causing the Raccoon who’d been clamped in his mouth to fall to the ground.
I suddenly remembered that I wasn’t just any wild animal; I was a clever human!
Using tools meant I could strike without touching those spikes; it was such a wise move!
I let out a roar equivalent to my bubbling rage.
“What? Something hard yet soft? You madman!”
I didn’t hold back, bringing the stick down again and again. Hearing his pained wheezes was oddly satisfying.
“Y-you little fiends! Fight fair!”
Belger, who was getting clobbered, finally raised his spikes in defense. I shot a look at the dazed Leaf on the ground.
“Hey! What are you doing? Throw a rock!”
“Huh, oh! Right!”
Finally, Leaf grasped the situation and chucked a stone at Belger, striking him directly on the nose!
As I had felt before, that little Raccoon had pretty good aim.
Must be an added bonus thanks to his “Dexterous Hands” ability.
“Y-you cowards! Fight like true warriors, you louts!”
Belger curled up like a ball and tried to defend himself. I didn’t let up, mercilessly pummeling him.
Snap, crack! His spikes crumbled, exposing his tender flesh.
“Covered in spikes, and you want to talk about fairness? Just d*e already!”
“Yaaaaaaah!”
He screamed as he shot spikes in retaliation, the pain radiating through me as they pierced my body.
Seizing the opportunity, Belger rolled over and attempted to confront me head-on.
As this giant spiky ball crashed onto me, I screamed in agony, desperately writhing as hundreds of needles stabbed me.
My once-proud fur, praised by the lovely witch, was now riddled with spikes.
The frustration boiled over.
My excitement peaked, and the stinging pain from the spikes felt background static.
“That’s it! I’m killing you!”
I tossed the stick down and charged with my claws outstretched.
Even with spikes stabbing me, I relentlessly raked my claws across him.
“This is easier than shedding snake scales!”
His purple spikes began falling to the ground like confetti.
Not to be outdone, he bared his claws and fangs, diving at me. A chaotic brawl ensued as we both ignored our wounds.
I sunk my teeth into his neck and pounded his belly with my front paws.
Belger writhed in anguish, showing me his back spikes, which had to be the only way for him to attack me with his rear exposed.
Yet, that back display got him in hot water, as Leaf began hurling rocks at him.
Whether he turned his back or not, he was doomed to expose himself to either me or Leaf.
“Stupid chubby raccoon! I’ll tear you apart!”
Belger opted to chase after Leaf, abandoning his defense against me. I had to admit, targeting the weakest in a pack had its perks.
But Leaf darted away, effortlessly maintaining a distance before Belger could reach him.
Perhaps because of his size, Belger was too slow to catch up. Especially after getting pelted by rocks in the face, he staggered under the assault, likely suffering from a concussion.
Seizing the opportunity, I dashed toward him, my claws raised as I closed the distance quietly.
Before he knew what hit him, I bit down on his neck and shook him wildly.
Still dazed, Belger tumbled backward, gasping for breath—it seemed he wasn’t quite dead.
“You fiends!”
Belger spat bl**d from his mouth and growled, but his body lay limp, devoid of strength.
I picked up the fallen stick and advanced toward him.
With both hands, I lifted it overhead like a katana.
“Become my flesh and bl**d.”
Those were Kublai’s words to me. I thought it sounded cool, so I decided to mimic him in this moment.
Strangely enough, the hair along my back bristled like I had goosebumps.
“Guess imitating legends isn’t my forte.”
With my pride on the line, I swung down with all my might. The crack that followed sent vibrations through Belger’s body as it twitched uncontrollably.
He emitted a mix of stifled cries; even as I kept pummeling him, those sounds grew faint until they faded to silence.
“Stubborn little pest.”
I spat on the ground, catching my breath. As my exhilaration dwindled, the pain from my injuries returned.
“Look at me.”
I spread my arms towards Raccoon Leaf, now covered in spikes, making it hard to tell who was who.
“Ouch, that must sting.”
Leaf shook his head, looking at me. I pinched a handful of spikes with my front paw and yanked them out with all my strength.
The ripping sound echoed as patches of my skin tore off. The extracted spikes dripped with bl**d.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed their tips were lined with tiny, hook-like barbs.
“Ugh, maybe pulling them out isn’t the best idea. You could get an infection.”
“These wounds? Once I eat him and level up, I’ll be good as new!”
“Level up? What does that even mean? D-don’t pull them out! We should return to the witch! Eve must have useful medicine for wounds!”
Raccoon Leaf was panicking, gripping my paw. I pushed his arm away, headed toward the spiky beast.
I opened my jaw wide and sank my teeth into him with all my might.
That Spike Beast had wounded me and drawn my bl**d, so I would wash away that pain with his flesh and bl**d.
Not even thinking about the taste, I tore into him with fervor. The coarse hair and torn spikes were bothersome, but experience points awaited, and I had to level up!
【Experience points gained.】
Wonderful news flashed before my eyes!
But no message about leveling up appeared. Ever since hitting level seven, gaining new levels had become a struggle.
Like any game character, I wondered if higher levels required increasingly more experience points.
“So, I guess that means I’ll be living with these wounds for a while.”
I swallowed hard, tasting the bitterness of bl**d. Raccoon Leaf, still fretting over me, caught my eye.
He seemed a little bashful, twitching his snout.
“Th-thanks for saving me. You’re the first to say I’m valuable.”
“Ah.”
He seemed to have misinterpreted something. Perhaps he was just being clever in his way.
He was a smart one, no doubt.
But whatever the case, a thank-you was always nice to hear.
Feeling both flattered by his foolish gratitude and desperate to endure the pain, a soft purr escaped my lips.
The sound rumbled deep from my throat, making Leaf prick up his ears.
“What a magnificent purr! How do you do that?”
“No need to butter me up. I’ve already noticed.”
“No, really! It’s impressive! Is that a talent of yours?”
Instead of answering Leaf’s questions, I just kept purring away.
Soon, the sun began its descent.
“Let’s hurry back to the witch’s house.”
