My Last Hunt

Level Four (5)

Qiao could not be bothered by the ego of a leader, he had to remain vigilant and cautious even at the stake of burning coals. The monster would be killed or at least critically injured till the vines breakdown from the sharp horns or by the monster using its body to break free. 

"Why did you choose this critical method? You already know that we are not a whole team." the team leader gritted his teeth and asked in the middle of the attack. 

"It was your decision to work with a smaller team, rest assured we are not going to lose." Qiao spoke determined. 

"Lose, like hell would I lose. Am I still supposed to lose after risking so much?" team leader murmured with anger. 

His ego was triggered by the last words of the chaser, if he could not throw the monster face down and finish it off, then he would be losing face and this chaser would be telling tales of his defeat later. He was attacking with all his might and then glared at the other team member who was slacking around with his attacks. He could see that Qiao had not stopped with whatever he was doing. He was making it harder for monster to break apart from the mess of vines as he was constantly accumulating them over and over. Still he had limits to much he could tangle it with simple vines. 

While accumulating a few injuries, monster made it away from the vines and succeeded in setting free its tail. Then it attack towards Qiao with all its might as in its eyes this chaser was a constant headache and needed to be get rid first. 

Qiao jumped away from it just like he had learned from team leader. 

"Ah you damned creature," he was hit by the tail and thrown to some distance away. Luckily, he wasn't impaled by any thorns and the injury just made him a little dizzy from the impact.

The leader saw this and leaped forward for another attack as the monster was distracted. At the same time,

"What are you still waiting here stupid, go and call all the other members, this shitty monster wants us all to completely destroy it." 

He yelled at the lazy member to bring all the team members. He had no more complaints against the efforts of this new member. He was doing his best until now and was also witty. Just that this level higher monster demanded the collaboration of a whole big team for hunting it smoothly. 

Would it not be an easy time for hunters if the monsters did not gain significant power boosts after attaining higher levels. This was why at higher levels too, monsters still needed to be hunted in teams. A human and a monster both were considered nemesis for each for apparent strong reasons. 

Monsters won't give a second concern when ruining human population after they had enough strength to run amok. They would try to destroy human colonies because being the stronger ones, they would not accept some ants glaring at them with hatred. Similar to that, humans were born with survival instinct.

They can't let the monster run loose around and allow them to trample upon humans like trash. Humans always thought that monsters would go extinct, with their limited ability of thinking, laws and also their beastly nature. But that had yet to happen as they keep surviving. 

And they were only able to survive because they had developed these instincts for survival over many years. Wiping out monsters completely was not an option either as now the economy was something that depended upon the monsters. And thus, the current hunter system of hunting in teams came about.

Only with their survival instinct helping them to experience difficulties and become strong, monsters are able to keep the balance of nature. The human chose their territories to make their colonies for society while monsters chose their territories to expand it along their strength. Monster always increase the area under their territory when they grow a level higher. It was because their life span was not limited just like humans. Compared to a normal life of a monster in this world, human would expand to three generations in the same time span. 

The other team members came running at that moment and when they saw their team leader struggling to stop the monster while the monster was moving toward Qiao, they hurried forward. 

"Hurry, if that new member dies, we will not be able to leave for the Snow Island tomorrow." Someone shouted among them and they hurried to reach the spot. 

They knew the rules, without complete team members they won't be able to leave and tomorrow was the last chance to leave with two other teams. They knew the journey was a little dangerous. Moreover, his death would demote their team reputation and the blame would be on their shoulders. 

"Team leader tell us what should we do?" the one asked to the leader who was furiously charging toward monster. 

He heard this and wanted to speak a round of bigger vulgarities but he was short of time currently. 

"Stop that damned monster, you fool." he gritted his teeth and spoke. 

Qiao was hit directly and he was laying on the ground, still groggy from the attack. This was first ever since he actually faced a monster that could land such a seriously hit, moreover an angry monster. 

He remembered the game which he played in his childhood, whenever the NPC was hit by sudden unexpected attack it would feel as if stars started dancing around its head and now, he was feeling same way. Now he believed that the situation could be similar with real humans too. 

He was not listening to the giant footsteps of the monster only trying to collect some senses. "Qiao stand up and run." He heard vague voice of the over-smart team leader, he wanted to slap him for his folly but what could be done now. 

It was all because of that damn ego. He took support of his weapon and stood up only to see the running monster. This time it was a brand-new experience about another phrase the had often heard in his world especially in the novels he read.

He felt at that moment as if his heart had rushed to his mouth with fear and jumped backward, this time not losing it. 

Meantime, a number of chasers ran towards the monster while the centre of its attention was newbie. The monster has seen that this team had limited number of hunter so it could tackle the most smart one firstly. 

"Surround and attack." The leader voiced and all the chasers brought their different weapons to follow the instructions. 

"Just don't attack randomly, first injure the tail alone." Qiao shouted, after facing the tail attack he was able to understand why the monster developed horns on its tail with its evolution. 

Few of the monsters chose to evolve in a way which could help them secure their stones of nature. So that after attaining levels they evolve these stones into the natural armours. But it was unusual for a team to find out such critical information about a monster. Those teams usually end up getting damage in return. When the team leader heard, he was in dilemma whether to listen his instructions in front of his team or ignore. 

But seeing the giant and triggered monster he chose to follow it this once, though his ego was cursing him but for now he had no other choice. 

"Follow and cut its tail at all cost." he voiced and his team immediately leaped with three of them attacking the tail at same time without coming into its direct view, else the monster would again fend them off and all would be for naught. 

While team leader came to help Qiao, he on the other hand was trying his best to maintain a safe distance which currently seemed impossible with the present chase of the monster. When team leader joined, he heaved a sigh as at least he was not the one going to die today. 

"If you could spare me a single precise moment, I might be able to give it a fatal attack." Qiao spoke serenely. He was thinking to use his level five weapon. Team leader glanced at his weapon and thought, he always makes me the sacrifice. 

"Alright, only this time once again." He wanted to cry but no tears came out. 

Qiao brought out his sword suddenly and then pierced it in the long neck of the monster. It fell before the other chasers could put a collaborative and fatal attack on the tail. 

They had been confused where to attack when the whole tail was covered with horns. 

The monster fell and so Qiao breathed deeply. He wanted to thank that senior chaser for his generosity. If it was not the sword, no matter how much fatal attacks he wanted to put, it would be a waste with a normal weapon. He put the weapon again in his backpack clothe. 

The team leader was agape, when the team members saw the monster fall on its own they came to see what was going on. No one spoke for a brief moment. 

After some time, the team leader collected his senses and gulped. He was not going to tell that he was not the one to kill the monster, he cannot allow his ego to be hurt any longer. 

He just silently walked past saying, "Tomorrow, get ready for the journey early morning." 

The team members wanted to ask about spoils, but to see the low spirits of the leader they chose to follow him. Qiao collected a few level three stones and kept with him. He also then started walking toward the Guild to see what report the team leader would submit about his performance.