MHGA Chapter 304: Grapple Clash? Feels EVEN BETTER!!
"Hahahaha…"
After his Rising Slash clashed head-on with the Great Jaggi, successfully canceling its charge, Kairo Retsu's expression lit up with exhilaration. He shot forward with his Clutch Claw, forcibly closing the distance and delivering a sweeping horizontal slash that knocked the Jaggi's head to the side.
From the Infinity Castle, to the Dungeon, to Night City—Kairo had rarely fought monsters on truly equal footing.
During his time in the Infinity Castle, he hadn't yet adapted to a hunter's life. In the Dungeon, the Winged Lion couldn't be taken down by weapons alone. And in Night City, the Kirin he encountered was a wildly overpowered Elder Dragon.
But this…
This fight—wielding a Great Sword against a Great Jaggi—brought him back to that original feeling of Monster Hunter.
Agitated by the earlier Rising Slash, the Jaggi righted itself and lunged at Kairo again.
Kairo rolled under its beak, then lunged forward with a shoulder tackle that made the Jaggi's entire body shudder.
The Jaggi tried to swat him away by flapping its massive wings, but they struck only the blade of Kairo's Great Sword, which he had raised in time.
Clang—!
The impact rang out. The Jaggi's wing strike had zero effect.
Following up his perfect guard, Kairo immediately began charging another Rising Slash.
Frustrated, the Jaggi spun and swung its tail at him—only for it to crash into Kairo's charged blade again. Though it didn't topple the beast this time, the force of the clash still sent it stumbling backward.
Without missing a beat, Kairo fired his Clutch Claw again, anchoring to the Jaggi's flank. His body shot forward, his hands still vibrating from the last impact. He slammed his boots into the dirt, solidifying his stance as he reeled himself in.
The instant he closed the gap, Kairo roared and wrenched his Great Sword from the ground. With explosive force, he swung a devastating horizontal slash into the Jaggi's plated side.
CRACK—
Dark red scales shattered. Even the tough carapace was left with a deep, visible gouge. The Jaggi screeched in pain, its Flame Sac spasming in its throat. It spit out a scorching ball of flaming bile.
Kairo instinctively stepped back, but the edge of the attack still splattered against his armor. The searing pain that followed didn't dampen his spirits—
It only made him more hyped.
"Wait—was Kairo always this aggressive in battle?" Kazuma asked, elbowing Joseph beside him. "I mean, yeah, he was always bold, never afraid of carting, but this is like… berserker mode."
"You might be right," Joseph said, stroking the fake gray beard from his disguise. "Maybe it's just the thrill of hunting real monsters for gear. What did Granny Felyne say about the Guildmaster again?"
"Oh, he's infected with the Frenzy Virus," Laios replied casually while snapping photos.
"HUH?!" Kazuma yelled. "When did that happen?!"
"Back when the new hunters joined," Laios explained. "He's been eating Nulberries the whole time to suppress the effects. You didn't notice?"
"I DIDN'T KNOW!! What does the Frenzy Virus do to a person?!"
"Uhh… something like reduced healing, saps stamina and vitality… and also makes your fighting spirit stronger?" Laios flipped through his notes. "And if you keep fighting through it… apparently, you can overcome the virus. Once that happens, your strength and burst power go way up…"
As he stared at his notes, a dangerous thought entered Laios's mind.
"Hey! That doesn't sound so bad! Maybe I can eat the Frenzied Jaggi's liver after all! I mean, if I just pop a Nulberry and keep fighting, I'll overcome the virus, right?!"
"OI!! Don't intentionally eat meat infected with a virus, you maniac!!" Kazuma screamed. "You're a king now! At least pretend to care about food safety!!"
"Enough chatter," Joseph said, eyes fixed on Kairo's movements. "Watch him closely. He's still fighting."
Joseph observed the clash with intense interest. Kairo was proficient with every weapon, and Joseph hoped to learn more about Great Sword techniques—perhaps even to develop new hybrid styles using Ripple and his Stand. Maybe something involving Wirebug moves…
Kairo and the Jaggi were still locked in a deadly contest.
The repeated clashes left Kairo's palms tingling with shock, but he could see it—this Frenzied Jaggi was nearing exhaustion.
A normal Jaggi would've retreated to its nest by now.
But a Frenzied monster fights to the death.
That's why they must be hunted.
The Jaggi, in a blind frenzy, charged again. Kairo stood firm, Great Sword held crosswise before him, bracing for impact.
This time, he felt it: the rhythm was perfect.
He planted his feet, grounded his blade, and took the Jaggi's full-body slam with his shoulder braced against the hilt.
Not only did he block it—
He countered it.
The two locked into a grapple, strength vs. strength.
"RAAAARGHH!!" Kairo bellowed, surging with energy as he heaved forward.
BOOM—!!
The Jaggi was hurled backward, sent flying by raw physical force.
Unbeknownst to him, in the heat of battle, Kairo had already overcome the Frenzy Virus. The virus, now subdued, had become a part of his power—supercharging his strength and explosiveness.
Also unbeknownst to him… his entire battle was being filmed from afar by the same two people.
They watched in disbelief as the relatively small Kairo clashed repeatedly with the towering Jaggi, each collision echoing like thunder.
And then—he threw it.
They weren't even sure anymore which one was the monster.
The Jaggi lay stunned from the impact.
Kairo raised his Great Sword high. Scarlet light began gathering at its edge.
The blade swung in a broad arc—dragging across the ground before being unleashed in a final twisting overhead cleave.
CRACK—THWACK!!
The sound stretched like rolling thunder as the sword split scale and bone. Blood mist filled the air.
The blow landed square on the Jaggi's skull.
It shattered its head—ending the Frenzied monster in one decisive strike.
"Yankuku-sensei… hunted——!!"
Kairo kicked his sword up onto his back with practiced flair, then solemnly pulled the carving knife from his belt.
"Now comes the harvest."
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