Barza and Bucket had been tracking the Gann for half of a sun. To that end, Bucket insisted on following a terrified looking piglet. Barza suggested eating it, but Bucket kept a strong opinion that the creature was their best guide to the Gann den.
Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.Barza worried that everyone in Invictus could talk to animals, except for him.
He didn"t want such a stupid skill. He figured it would be inconvenient. But he couldn"t help but feel a little bit envious.
"It"s really, really, maaaaad!" Bucket was screaming, his shrill voice almost hoa.r.s.e.
"I can tell that much!!" Barza yelled back.
The incredibly angry Gann was a large, bristly boar with greenish fur and a glaringly orange mane. The two had lured it out of its den, to fight in an open area. It stood on all fours, taller than Barza, its tusks the length of swords. But the strength behind its lunges and goring attacks was surprisingly weaker than Dragan"s.
It was at a level that Barza was confident in handling. Barza clanged together the flats of his swords above his head.
"Come here, you stupid pig! I"ll give you something to be mad about!"
The Gann tried to lunge forward, but Barza was ready for it, using a cross slash to strike at the boar"s tusks. The resulting clash pushed Barza back, but the boar was stopped in its tracks. It dazedly shook its head, feeling that it had crashed into a wall. The distraction was enough. Bucket slid underneath the boar"s belly, slas.h.i.+ng his sharp spear at its soft underside. The Gann squealed in pain, stomping and trampling beneath it, but Bucket had already escaped and scrambled up a nearby tree.
"d.a.m.n, the kid"s got some skill," Barza thought in awe.
It was his first time doing a combat mission with the boy. They had done dozens of other tasks together-- shopping, chopping wood, ten-thousand squats, running away from a Devil-Bear… And he"d already thought of him like a younger brother. He was always impressed by the boy"s optimism and sincerity. But only recently had he realized that the boy was easily his rival as a combatant. With the way they were developing, you"d constantly be compared with Bucket, by Boss Tycon and the others.
It motivated him.
"Your enemy is me!"
Barza brandished his blades, attacking with renewed fervor and fury. The Gann began to panic, facing Barza"s barrage of steel. It staggered backward, suffering painful cuts on its large snout. Enraged at being backed into a corner, it whipped its head and tusks forward-- the strength and speed, easily able to gore a grown man to death.
Barza stepped to the side, easily dodging the obvious attack. c.o.c.king his rear leg back, he swung it forward, smas.h.i.+ng it into the side of the boar"s head. And with both of his swords, he swung the opposite direction, cutting two deep, satisfying slashes across the boar"s face.
Stepping back to reset his position, Barza admired his handiwork. The solid kick felt good.
The giant Gann again squealed in panic, its eyes huge. It began to thrash its ma.s.sive behind, back and forth. Barza"s jaw dropped when he saw Bucket, panicking behind it, his spear jammed b.l.o.o.d.y and deep into the Gann"s exposed a.n.u.s.
…
Dragan gave a whistle of approval, "Boss, would you look at that. He got him in the b.u.t.t. We taught him that, right?"
"I don"t remember teaching him that."
Tycon and Dragan had followed the two stealthily and were watching the fight from a nearby tree.
Dragan laughed unabashedly, "It"s suuuch a good strategy, though. Eyes. b.u.t.thole. Even a man"s di--"
"Tactic, Mister Dragan," Tycon corrected him with an annoyed voice. He was trying to focus on the battle below. "Tactics for an engagement, strategy for operations."
"Nuts. Oh, but did you see the kick, though?"
"The kick," Tycon mulled over it. "More of a taunt than an effective strike against a creature of that size. 1 out of 5. It"s not an exhibition or a gladiatorial match, after all."
Dragan grinned widely, taking up a teasing voice, "Boosssss! You didn"t notice?"
Tycon frowned, finally taking his eyes off of the Gann, "What is it? Is it your nameday?"
"It is. Can I have a present?"
"I can arrange for you to be on Watch all of tonight."
"Ha ha ha! F*ck."
Tycon was a little surprised that Dragan admitted verbal defeat so easily. Wroe was a far better opponent.
"Anyroad, have I missed something, Mister Dragan?"
"Oh, yeah, Boss. The kick! It was kinda like the kick combo you used on him."
"I don"t recall."
"You kicked him like ten times before you slashed open his chest."
"...I vaguely recall."
"And then you whipped out your thing and you p.i.s.sed on him!"
"I don"t recall."
"Then maybe he p.i.s.sed himself!"
"What is your point, Mister Dragan?"
"I"m trying to say that maybe the training"s working."
"Of course the training"s working, but the effects will be apparent in weeks, and not mere hours."
"Hey, man. You were the one that said Gear-Queer had potential. I"m just tryin" to offer insight and knowledge."
Tycon took a deep breath and sighed, before turning to face the ma.s.sive brute sitting on the tree branch beside him.
"You"re right. I apologize. It is a good sign. In fact, I was worried that I had pushed Barza too far-- that he"d be afraid of anything with kicks or swords. I"m glad he"s performing admirably."
"Wanna bet 20 silver he"ll p.i.s.s himself?"
Tycon gave a confused glare. "What? No. The man can barely keep hold of his weaponry, much less his bladder."
Dragan gave a long, whistle, "That"s cold-blooded, even from you, Boss."
Tycon rolled his eyes, focusing again on the fight.
"Oho, I had forgotten about that."
Dragan grinned, "Aha. That"s not like you, Boss. Usually, you know everything about the baddies."
The pair watched from above, as the injured boar"s muscles began to ripple and twist underneath its green fur. Its orange mane began to glow with mana, growing thick and wild. It reared back and stood on its two thickening hind legs and gave a great, rumbling squeal of power.
The Gann was transforming into its second and final form.
Tycon had no idea about the creature"s abilities. A sun prior, he clarified with the System that the hoof tracks belonged to a Gann, but he had forgotten to check the system"s description of it. He made a mental note to be more mindful.
"Weeeelllll," Dragan had taken grip of his greataxe. "Now that it"s transformed, it"s shrugged off some of its damage. Shall we step in, Boss?"
"Nah. These two are still having fun. Let"s keep watching."