After Bai Mo executed the Qiao Family's secret technique, the Bazelgeuse felt as though it had been played. This two-legged creature had been blabbering for so long, only to run away in the end! And it even took the fragrant bait with it! How could this be tolerated?
Thus, the Bazelgeuse soaring in the sky began scattering its explosive scales relentlessly. Under the barrage of explosions, the entire forest area descended into chaos.
Watching the Bazelgeuse's display, Bai Mo sneered disdainfully.
In this real world, a hunter's supplies are limited—and so are the Bazelgeuse's explosive scales. Even if its regenerative abilities are strong, it couldn't possibly keep this up forever.
Go ahead, blow everything up. Just wait—soon, you won't have anything left to explode!
During yesterday's reconnaissance, the team had identified three ambush points. After successfully capturing the Anjanath at the first location, Bai Mo now led the Bazelgeuse to the second, closer ambush point.
Upon arriving, Bai Mo immediately spotted Jasper waving from the treetops. Returning the gesture, he turned to face the approaching Bazelgeuse and deliberately took a few more steps into the forest.
Seeing the two-legged creature stop fleeing, the Bazelgeuse roared and swooped down at Bai Mo with a furious dive.
The Bazelgeuse often preferred chasing hunters in close combat, using its explosive scales to deal massive area-of-effect damage.
Bracing for the aerial charge, Bai Mo raised his shield, ready for the impact. As the Bazelgeuse hurtled toward him, Bai Mo executed a deft sidestep, narrowly avoiding the attack.
However, the explosive scales scattered during the charge began glowing red. Five seconds later, they detonated. Shield raised, Bai Mo emerged unscathed.
The Bazelgeuse, having crashed into the ground, quickly recovered and lunged at Bai Mo with a headbutt, flinging more explosive scales from its neck in preparation for the next round of detonations.
The headbutt was easy to dodge—and perfectly positioned the monster within the trap's range.
As Bai Mo rolled aside to evade the attack, Jasper, lying in wait, severed a rope on cue. A massive log came crashing down from above, followed by a tangle of vines.
Stunned by the log's impact, the Bazelgeuse was then hit by a paralysis toad Jasper kicked its way. Inhaling the toad's paralyzing toxins, the disoriented monster's movements slowed significantly.
Never one to pass up an opportunity to beat a downed foe, Bai Mo seized the moment. Gripping his transformed Charge Blade, he leaped into the air and brought it down hard, cracking the Bazelgeuse's skull.
"Electric Current Drive—Spin!"
Friction surged through his cells as his Gourmet Cells activated, amplifying Bai Mo's physical prowess. His body grew stronger, and his Charge Blade crackled with intense electricity.
The Bazelgeuse, already three times weaker to thunder, convulsed violently under the electric assault.
But Bai Mo wasn't done yet.
Empowered by his enhanced strength, he reverted his weapon to its shield form and began smashing it repeatedly into the Bazelgeuse's head, shouting,
"You gonna submit? Huh? You gonna submit?"
"Roar—!" (Monster profanity)
The Bazelgeuse let out a weakened roar, struggling to rise. It had entered a frenzied state, its scales glowing red-hot with rage.
Yet, it couldn't stand.
Because aside from Bai Mo, the Nargacuga lurking in the shadows had already pounced, pinning the Bazelgeuse down and delivering its own onslaught.
With its head battered and its body immobilized, the Bazelgeuse's struggles grew weaker until it finally fell unconscious.
"Tch. Knocked out, huh?" Bai Mo set down his bloodied shield and remarked to the Nargacuga beside him, "Hey, Swift Kitty, this guy's head is way harder than yours. Took way more hits to knock him out."
Glancing at the Bazelgeuse's split skull and Bai Mo's bloodstained figure, the Nargacuga—originally planning to beg for extra roasted meat—decided to play it safe and affectionately nuzzled Bai Mo instead.
After witnessing how Bai Mo had treated the Bazelgeuse, the Nargacuga couldn't help but recall its own past beatdowns. Maybe being a "wise creature who knows the times" wasn't so bad after all.
If its head wasn't as tough as the Bazelgeuse's, it might not have survived those earlier beatings—let alone gotten to taste such delicious two-legged-creature barbecue!
The Nargacuga now felt even more content with its current arrangement.
Meanwhile, Jasper, who had climbed down from the tree, was utterly stunned.
He had just witnessed Bai Mo's berserk-like frenzy.
So, during our sparring sessions, this guy was actually holding back?
"Jasper, you got any Sleep Bombs left? Might as well capture this Bazelgeuse too."
"Got two left—should be enough." Jasper handed over the Sleep Bombs and said, "Bai, I take back what I said before. Compared to being a researcher, you're definitely better suited to be a hunter."
"I believe you could become a master hunter like the Swordmaster—maybe even greater!"
"Didn't I tell you already?" Bai Mo grinned. "I'm a Gourmet Hunter. If I want rare ingredients, I gotta have the skills to get them!"
"By the way… do you think Bazelgeuse scales are edible? Explosive ingredients? And what about its wings and meat? What do they taste like?"
The unconscious Bazelgeuse shivered involuntarily.
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T/N:
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