RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE
The ground shook with resonating tremors, heavy steps ringing all throughout. A lone figure rushed along the vines and bushes, eyes calm and unfazed, simply kicking the ground as he streaked all throughout the sea of trees.
Following after him was a large buffalo, its back covered with black rocks, its hooves tougher than steel, and its massive horns sharper than swords. With every step it took, the ground trembled and the trees swayed, dust storming off at its wake.
It measured over 5 meters tall and was heavier than a couple of elephants. Its rocky back was not for decoration either, acting as an armor towards its already tough and resistant body. It was a beast no mere sword or spear could touch.
And before that humongous beast was a lone young man. He didn't look back a single time as the beast chased after him. He continued to focus his sight towards what was before him, running continuously as fast as it could.
UNGGOOOOOOOO RUMMBBBBLLLLLEEEE SHAK SHAK SHAK SHAK
Of course, he didn't just have to run, he also had to dodge the deadly spires chasing after him, weaving left and right as he traversed the maze of broken earth, patches of dirt and dust covering the forest floor as they sprouted.
CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH
Other than the spikes, there were also massive boulders flung its way, crashing with heavy impacts and leaving massive craters on the ground. They were hurled at high speeds which normal people wouldn't be able to dodge, death upon impact.
Such disasters were all brought by the Rumbleback which was chasing after the young man, a B-rank, earth-attribute beast which is known for its high defense and incredible stamina. It is so powerful, it is often referred to as a moving fortress.
Yet despite the dangers, the young man still continued to persist. He ran, and ran, and then ran some more, dodging and weaving as he streaked across the forest. There was no need to fight back. Conserving mana and stamina was crucial.
'Almost there... Just one more kilometer...' ［George］
Such thoughts echoed in his mind as he continued to hunt, bolstering his legs once more with fire magic, increasing his speed forcefully to widen the gap between him and the Rumbleback. Despite its size, it was a pretty quick and nimble beast.
It has been almost 5 hours since the start of the Hunting Competition, and with only a single hour remaining on the clock, everyone has been drawing their own conclusions and only a few figures remained inside the Hunting Grounds.
One of those people was George, and though such a long time has passed, he has still yet to hunt a single beast. He was crazy, not because he hasn't caught a single prey yet, but because he attempted to hunt the monstrous buffalo now chasing him.
It was a B-rank beast, and no matter how one thinks of it, not even the complete and combined force of Class 4-A and 5-A would be certain to be able to take it down. Yet, he attempted to hint it all alone, eyes gleaming with indomitable will.
UNGOOOOOOOO BOOM BOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
The Rumbleback cried out once more and several more massive boulders hurled towards George. The young simply continued to dodge them, still keeping up his speed and conserving his energy as much as possible.
Such a scene continued for a few more moments, when suddenly, a familiar mark crossed the young man's line of sight. He soon slowed down and made an abrupt stop, raging scarlet flames engulfing his legs.
⟨⟨Explosion!⟩⟩ ［George］
He stomped with all his might, a deafening explosion ringing in the air. Flames had engulfed the bushes and ass around the young man, turning them charred and reducing them to ashes. However, the young man didn't use it to attack.
No, rather than attacking, George used the force created by the explosion to propel him upwards, and when he was already up in the air, he used a little bit more fire magic to change his trajectory, blasting him quite a distance away.
The young man soon touched the ground, barely making a graceful landing. With his little exhibition, the Rumbleback had now passed him and he was now behind the massive creature, the latter also coming to a stop.
With George now behind it, and its face veiled in a cloud of smoke, the Rumbleback turned around, its steps still shaking the ground. It raised its hooves and stood on its hind legs to shake the ground, when suddenly, something unexpected happened.
WHOOOOOOSSSSHHHH BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM
A massive arrow of light came out of nowhere, piercing through the cloud of black smoke and dust, and striking the Rumbleback in the middle of its back. It was a full powered shot, a massive shockwave sweeping the cloud away.
GUNGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAA THUD THUD CRASHHHH
The Rumbleback let out a scream of pain and agony as it fell back on all fours, eyes now filled with rage as it turned its head towards the direction where the arrow came from, a familiar figure appearing before the young man's eyes.
Being a C-rank, standing before a B-rank Rumbleback. No matter how he twists or turns it, it is as clear as day. George stood no chance in beating it, however... The same couldn't be said for the Centaur Warchief.
After all, George wasn't just running aimlessly and wandering around for the whole 5 hours he was in the Hunting Ground. He had meticulously planned everything, and decided to catch the best prey no matter what.
He made several traps, prepared countermeasures, planned a few steps ahead, and left a couple markings. The moment he saw the markings he once left, he knew they were near the aggression zone of the Centaur Warchief. Now, it was time for battle.
The only thing was, it was a battle he didn't have to take part in....
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH RUUMMMBBBLLLEEEEEEE
The Centaur Warchief didn't waste any more time and shot a barrage of arrows towards the Rumbleback. In response, the latter created walls of earth and stone before it, stopping the massive arrows coming its way.
BANG CRASH THUD THUD THUD BOOM CRASH CRASH THUD THUD
Unfortunately, like how it specialized in defense, the Centaur Warchief specialized in attack power. Its arrows simply broke through the earthen walls and destroying them soon after. All it took was one strike and they crumbled into debris.
However, that small amount of time was more than enough. As it continued to shoot arrows at the Rumbleback, the latter also continued charging, creating massive walls in front of it, changing directions, and repeating it all over again.
Such a farce continued and the Rumbleback was able to cover quite a bit of distance, closing the gap between it and the Centaur Warchief. It continued to do so, its loud and low grumbles ringing in the air along its heavy footsteps.
The Centaur Warchief wasn't very stupid either. Since it realized it couldn't destroy it head on, it then stopped shooting its arrows and instead pointed its bow upwards, a brilliant shimmer filling the forest as it released its crossbow.
BOOOOOMMMMM WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOOSH
A single arrow soared towards the sky, and as it fell like a lightning bolt of doom, it then exploded midair, turning its over a hundred arrows which peppered the charging Rumbleback's stony and adamant back.
SHAK SHAK SHAK SHAK SHAK SHAK
The arrows landed with great certainty and turned the Rumbleback into a massive porcupine. Unfortunately for the Centaur Warchief, its back was the toughest part of its body. It was painful, but they were all but tiny wounds.
Just in time as the arrows ran out, the Rumbleback had also reached its target, the Centaur Warchief standing inside its range. It charged with its horn pointed towards the front, however, it missed ever so splendidly.
It may be fast, but the Centaur Warchief was even more agile. All it did was step a couple steps towards the right and it was able to dodge its horndrill attack. It then pointed its longbow towards its enemy and shot an arrow.
WHOOOOOSSSHHHH SHAK SHAK SHAK SHAK SHAK
It attacked, and so did the Rumbleback, creating a wave of earthen spikes which rushed towards the Centaur Warchief. The Rumbleback took the attack head on, however, the latter could only fall back and run away.
Well, hot that the Rumbleback just let it do what it wanted. The very moment it tried to run away, it stomped on the ground and created walls around it. It prevented it from escaping, a volley of massive boulders then greeting it.
The Centaur Warchief remained alert and drew its bow once more, releasing yet another storm of arrows and pulverizing the massive boulders coming its way, turning them into nothing but fine dust which veiled the forest soon after.
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE UNNGGGGGAAAAAAA BOOOOOOMMMM
But doing so was its biggest mistake. The cloud of dust and dirt provided cover for the Rumbleback to charge towards it once more. While the Centaur Warchief had sharp eyes, it was already far too late.
The Rumbleback successfully tackled the Centaur Warchief and slammed it towards the wall. The walls crumbled from the impact and the latter was blasted away. It tried to stand up, but it was soon stomped on, unable to draw its longbow,
It stood on its hind legs and raised its hooves towards the sky, soon bringing them down like God's judgement towards a sinner. Its hooves, heavy and massive ad can be, crashed on the Centaur Warchief's chest without mercy,
CRACK CRACK CRACK UUWAAAAARRRKKKKKKKK
A few bones were broken and a painful screech echoed in the air. Even then, the Rumbleback was far from over. It once again raised its hooves towards the sky and brought judgement on the Centaur Warchief, trampling on it like a dirty rag.
The Centaur Warchief was now under the Rumbleback's mercy, the massive beast stamping over and over again, and breaking a handful of bones and joints. It was good that they were fighting, however, it couldn't continue any longer.
⟨⟨Fire Trident!⟩⟩ ［George］
Scarlet light shone out of nowhere and a trident of scarlet flames flashed across the horizon. It appeared out of nowhere and struck the Rumbleback on its cheeks, a loud explosion ringing and a pillar of flames emerging soon after.
It was not too powerful, only enough to give the Rumbleback a light burn, however, it was more than enough to distract it, its eyes lingering around the forest to see where it came and who was a bastard insolent enough to do so.
The Centaur Warchief didn't waste the chance given to it and quickly gave its bow a tight grip. It drew its bowstring once more, gritting its mouth and grinding its teeth as a flash of brilliant light gleaming bright. It was already too late when the former noticed.
WHOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHHHH BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM UNGGNNGGGAAAA
It was a direct hit, the Rumbleback's left side of the face gently kissed by the Centaur Warchief's arrow or love. It connected perfectly and hit a heavy spot, making it sway and lose its balance a couple of times, a pained bellow ringing in the air.
It wasn't able to topple the Rumbleback, but it was able to stun it, buying the Centaur Warchief enough time to stand up and escape its grasp. The Rumbleback soon came back to its senses, but the first thing which greeted it was pain.
The Centaur Warchief stood on its front legs and kicked with its hind legs, a pair of heavy hitters striking the Rumbleback deep. Its flimsy arms may be useless in close combat, but its legs pack quite a punch, blasting the latter away.
UUUNNNGGAAAAAAAAA ORRAAAAAAAAAA
Both were enraged and filled with hatred, two destructive forces clashing against one another. They continued to trade heavy blows, massive boulders hurled in the air and arrows of light soaring like free birds in the sky,
The Centaur Warchief attached with its arrows, the Rumbleback blocked with walls. The Rumbleback drilled with its horns, the Centaur Warchief kicked with its hind legs. Such a fierce exchange continued, turning the once verdant forest into a wasteland.
Anyone or anything unlucky enough to be caught by the crossfire of two such great beings were instantly eliminated. The whole place was already in ruins and both the Rumbleback and Centaur Warchief had received significant damage.
⟨⟨Fire Trident!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Fire Trident!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Fire Trident!⟩⟩ ⟨⟨Fire Trident!⟩⟩ ［George］
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
Of course, George also continued to "help" the competition as the fight went on. He made sure that neither of the two fell down when the time was not ripe yet, distracting the other party for the opponent to make a comeback and attack again.
Just like that, the fight continued, and after over half an hour of clashing against one another, both parties were already exhausted. With one final blow from the two of them, the victor has finally been decided.
OORRRRAAAAAAAAA UNNNGGGGGAAAAAAAAA GASHAAAKKKKKK
The Centaur Warchief drew its bow a final time, but it was just a second too late. The Rumbleback had already pierced its chest with its sturdy horns and its heart had already been crushed. Blood gushed forth from its mouth, its wound all the same.
Soon enough, the Centaur Warchief had lost the strength in its arms, a loud thud echoing in the air as its longbow fell to the ground. It soon vanished into thin air, fragments of light scattering in the air. The battle was finally over.
THUD... THUD... THUD... THUD... THUD...
The battle was now over, but there was no trace of joy in the Rumbleback's face. It has sustained too much injuries and is now even unable to walk straight, trudging on the ground as it gasped for breaths. Its eyes barely having any color.
It sniffed the air a couple of times and when it found what it was looking for, headed towards there ever so slowly. It was a bush filled with sweet berries and beautiful flowers, the favorite food of the Rumblebacks.
The flowers and berries don't have any special healing properties, but they are very abundant in their natural habitat. They always eat it whenever they are injured, just to enjoy some great food and ease the pain a little bit.
It continued to chew on the bushes and filled its hungry stomach, its expressions glowing brighter as it enjoyed its favorite food. It was so hungry, it devoured anything and everything it saw, enjoying quite a hearty feast.
RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE
And just as it was enjoying a great meal, a familiar figure popped out of the bushes and revealed himself. He was the very man who lured it into a deathmatch against the Centaur Warchief. It could still remember clearly.
The Rumbleback was overcome with rage the moment it saw George's figure appear before it. Its eyes burned with anger and hatred, swaying its horns and stomping on the ground as it prepared to charge towards the feeble young man.
UNNGGGAAAAー NGAAA.... Ngaa.... ngaa.... WOBBLE WOBBLE CRASHHHHHH
However, before it could even take the first step, the Rumbleback was swallowed by drowsiness. Its whole body trembled and wobbled, its sight turning pitch black as it fell towards the ground... The culprit was right before it.
Nightfall Lilies... Flowers of blue and white which contain sleeping poison. By itself, it was nothing much, but combined with a couple other herbs scattered around the Hunting Grounds, it could knock out even a High-Ranker after a few minutes.
While he couldn't do it as well as an alchemist can, he was still able to mash them together into a passable poison. It was tasteless, colorless, and odorless, perfect to be laced with a certain beast's favorite berries and flowers.
"I apologize, however... In this battle...." ［George］
The young man mumbled as he walked towards the fallen Rumbleback, his eyes gleaming with an indomitable will. He finally unsheathed his sword and walked up towards the massive beast, plating his feet firmly on his skull.
"Victory is mine." ［George］
He raised his sword and gripped with all his might. Using both "Arm Strength (2☆)" and a boost from an explosion of fire magic, George plunged his longsword on the Rumbleback's skull, flames roaring soon after.
His sword has penetrated its skull and his flames have devoured what was inside, turning its brain into a fried mess and ending its life along with it. The young man drew his sword out, and soon, the bells had rung all over the place.
DONGGGG DONGGGG DONGGGG
"Whew... Just in time..." ［George］
The scenes played out perfectly on the screen, and since George was the only one remaining on the Hunting Grounds, all eyes were on him. They were all filled with awe, cold chills running down their spines as they watched him sheathe his sword.
It may be because the Centaur Warchief was just a summoned monster, or maybe because all unlikely herbs were present, however, a victory was still a victory. No one can deny George's feat, the young man carving his name in their hearts.
"Hahaha! Looks like the winner is already decided!" ［Edward］
"Indeed... To be able to defeat a B-rank Rumbleback... What a feat..." ［Albert］
"Hahaha! Wonderful! Very wonderful! You have a fantastic heir, Marquess Beldon! You must be very proud of your son!" ［Ernes］
"... Yes... I am very proud, Your Majesty..." ［Abraham］
Everyone was lively and rowdy, the High Officers of the military praising the young man's feats, and the Marquess filled with happiness inside. It would have been great if the Marchioness was in the capital. She would surely be very delighted as well.
"Uuu... I lost the bet... Why... Why do I always lose..." ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. That's 2 weeks of chores, My Dear. Don't forget it." ［Grey］
"I know... I hate you..." ［Yuna］
Well... Everyone was happy... All except one young lady. She has lost the bet against Grey, and now, she has to do the chores for two whole weeks. She tried to plead to Grey to shorten it, but to no avail. All she could do was weep and cry.
Yuna's gloomy experience aside, the Cadets soon returned to the venue soon after. They brought along their preys with them, the judges evaluating their performance and totaling the whole class score into a tally.
It wasn't long before the Awarding Ceremony proceeded with the King hosting it, everyone getting their deserved prizes after a hard day's work. Amelia came in 3rd with 956 points, and Julius came in hot 2nd at 972 points.
"Haah... What a bummer... I wasn't even close..." ［Julius］
"Fufufu! What is more important is that you tried your best. I do not know what you looked like when you were battling, but I am sure you were coolー No, I am sure you are the coolest, Your Highness." ［Amelia］
"... Yeah... Thanks..." ［Julius］
Julius and Amelia's lovely flirting aside, as to be expected, George garnered 1st place with a perfect score of 1,000 points. If only the limit wasn't 1,000 points, he would have gotten a much higher score. Regardless, he was still the winner.
The young man knelt before the King and with a sword in his hands, the latter granted the former his prize, the dignity and honor of a Baron, the rank of a Knight Lt. Commander upon graduation, and the items he was promised with.
There was now a Legendary-Grade item in his possession, everyone applauding the young man on his achievements, some feeling a little envious. However, his mind lay somewhere else, a single figure looming inside his mind.
'Right... There is still that...' ［George］
After the Individual Competition, what came after was the awarding of the Class Competition, Class 5-A raking home the trophy as expected. George was able to
garner the most points, but it still wasn't enough to bridge the gap.
Of course, it wasn't too bad for the lower classes either. While they did lose, some of them ranked higher than they thought, making them feel happy and satisfied. This drove them to try even harder and fueled their drive for training.
"Waah～! A Hunter Wolf! How amazing!"
"This what I offer you, My Lady. I hope that you accept it."
"Please accept this humble prey of mine, My Love."
What came after the Awarding Ceremony was the Prey Offering portion of the Hunt where the Cadets offer their hunted preys to their favored person, sharp squeals and happy screams echoing in the air as a fluffy atmosphere floated adrift.
It was such a light and warm scene, all the ladies and gentlemen could remember their youthful days. It has long already passed, however they could still remember them clearly as day. They were happy and joyful times.
"Ahh... I only ranked 5th... I should have hunted a stronger beast, after all." ［Elise］
"Fufufu! That's fine, Elise! I'm sure we will do better next year!" ［Elaine］
"Mmn... As expected of Miss 4th placer... So confident～!" ［Elise］
"Fufufu! It's all because of your ribbon〜!" ［Elaine］
Said Elaine, teasing Elise a little bit as she pinched her cheeks, the latter responding with tickling her sides a little bit. The cousins played around with brilliant smiles on their faces, when suddenly, a familiar voice echoed from behind.
"Lady Elise, may I have a moment of your time please?" ［George］
It was none other than the winner of the Hunting Competition, George. There is now a different atmosphere about him and his eyes were strangely more beautiful, a glint of radiance hidden deep inside, his voice suddenly ringing clear.
All eyes were on them, silence falling into the air. The only thing to be heard was the sound of George's footsteps as he drew closer to Elise... And suddenly, he did the unthinkable, kneeling before the young lady before him.
"Eh-Ehh?! Lord George?! Wh-What are you doing?! Please standー" ［Elise］
"Lady Elise von Landevar." ［George］
"Y-Yes!" ［Elise］
It was all too sudden, the young lady shocked and confused by the sudden shift of circumstance, her heart racing for reasons even she doesn't know. All she knows is that George knelt before her, unsheathing his sword all the while.
"For the fair and gorgeous lady before me... Dear Lady Elise... I offer my sword up to you, and my heart along with it. This may be a bit sudden, but... Would you do me the honor of accepting my prey?" ［George］
He said, ever so nonchalantly, eyes filled with sincerity and words, though a bit theatric, genuine as can be. He laid his heart bare before the young lady, extending one of his hands out and reaching for the fine and fair lady before her.
No matter how you spin it, his words sounded like a proposal. Not only any proposal, but one done in broad daylight with all eyes on them. Elise was red as can be, eyes seeming shifty as she tried to understand the situation she was suddenly thrown into.
"U... Umm... Lord George... I... I don't really understand what is happening... So... Umm... Could I take a bit of time to decide?" ［Elise］
"Of course. I'll wait as long as needed." ［George］
However, there was no need to rush. Elise still wasn't certain about what she feels for the young lord, nor does she know whether the young lord said his words with what she thinks he means in mind. They could take their time at their own pace.
Of course, Elise still accepted the prey George offered to her. She may need some time to sort out her thoughts, but a simple offering was really what it was. It would be rude to deny his sincerity. Elaine's playful tugging followed soon after.
"Next time, tie it properly to the correct person, okay?" ［Elaine］
Softly whispered the young lady to her cousin's ears, making the latter blush even further. Elise's face was already red, but Elaine's words somehow managed to make it even more so, beet red all the way to the tip of her ears.
"Oh my～? Am I getting a son-in-law now?" ［Eleanora］
"Missus Eleanora, you're pretty calm about this..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! Children grow up all the time, after all! And... Don't you want to know what expression Fritz will make when he hears about this?" ［Eleanora］
"Hmm... I guess that's true..." ［Grey］
"Fufufu! I'm sure Liz will be delighted!" ［Yuna］
The Hunting Ceremony proceeded without any incidents, and soon after, the sun finally set over the horizon. With the Hunting Competition out of the way, what followed after was the Celebration Party held in the Royal Palace.
It was fancy and lively as expected, everyone socializing happily with one another, a handful of stars surrounded by the crowd, trying to form connections with them and greeting them with bright smiles painted on their faces.
But perhaps the brightest star of the night was the "Lady of Dreams" as people would call her. It was none other than Elise, flooded with questions and congratulations by the people after what happened this afternoon.
"Lady Elise, congratulations on the Hunting Competition! You were great!"
"Lady Elise, what do you think of Lord George?!"
"No wonder Lord George fell for you. Such a wonderful young lady,"
There were so many busy bees buzzing around, Elise couldn't even taste the flavor of the meals she was eating. All she could do was beam a bright smile and answer their questions as vaguely as she can, trying not to incur further trouble.
The young ladies crowded over her with hearts painted in their eyes, the old nobles showered her with praises and congratulations, and the knights gave her their admiration. It was a night filled with chaos and turmoil, but that's a story for another day.
CHAPTER 499 END