Magical Beast
***
Elbridge glanced at Walter. Walter, though tense, did not seem to be afraid of the magical beast.
'That's a relief.'
The sound of a horse snorting was heard from behind. When he turned his head, Walter's horse was still holding its ground. A horse that did not run away even in a situation like this. It was as brave as its master.
"Take it."
Walter took the shield that was hanging on the horse's flank and handed it to Elbridge. Then he tapped the horse's flank.
"Live well with your new master."
As if it had understood those words, Walter's horse began to walk, trudging along.
Towards the mercenary, Marcus, who had stopped running away and was standing in an awkward spot.
Perhaps thanks to the good fortune arranged by the God of Sunshowers, Marcus had even obtained a fine horse in this mess. Elbridge was inwardly impressed.
'He's lucky. Did he make a huge offering on the way here or something?'
Elbridge and Walter looked forward again.
Thanks to the wolf magical beast getting a little closer, the two were able to see its appearance in more detail.
The magical beast's fur looked more like a blackish metal than an animal's hide. That strange sheen.
"It's an enhancement-type magical beast."
Walter looked a little surprised.
"Elbridge. Have you seen a magical beast before?"
"Yes. As it happens."
The types of magical beasts were so diverse that they were hard to count.
There were cases where animals or plants transformed into magical beasts, and there were also magical beasts whose origins were difficult to guess.
Magical beasts were diverse not only in form but also in abilities. The paladins of that era used to arbitrarily classify the types of abilities that magical beasts possessed. Enhancement-type, elemental-type, distortion-type, composite-type, special-type, others, and so on...
Among them, the most common type was the enhancement-type.
The abilities of an enhancement-type magical beast were very straightforward. It was simply stronger, faster, tougher, and smarter than an ordinary animal.
'The problem is that the difference is a little too big.'
Pak, pak.
Walter stamped the ground with his heels.
It was not to create a foothold like when hunting an ordinary wolf, but an action to brace and support the spear shaft on the ground. No matter how seasoned a knight Walter was, he could not receive the power of an enhancement-type magical beast head-on.
And that was exactly the action Elbridge had expected. Elbridge became a little satisfied.
'It's a good thing to have a comrade who knows what they need to do.'
Tak, tak, tatak.
The magical beast, which had been walking slowly, began to pick up speed.
At first, it seemed to be running lightly, but soon it reached the speed of an ordinary wolf at a full sprint. And even then, the magical beast's acceleration did not stop. Finally, the speed at which the magical beast was running became faster than a bird diving from the high sky.
Walter braced the rear end of the spear shaft at an angle in a hollowed-out spot in the dirt.
Then, gripping the spear shaft tightly with both hands and pressing down on it with one foot, he turned the direction of the spear shaft towards the direction the magical beast was charging from.
"Elbridge. Be careful!"
An ordinary wolf would have moved to avoid the spear. However, the magical beast did not try to neatly avoid the spear that Walter was bracing. Instead, it twisted its body slightly and thrust out its long snout, trying to bite Elbridge and Walter.
However, since that was a movement that Walter and Elbridge had expected, the two naturally leaned their bodies and dodged the magical beast's snout.
Right after the magical beast's snout bit at empty air, the firmly fixed spearhead and the magical beast's flank made contact.
Kkigigigik—
However, instead of the sound of steel tearing through flesh, an unpleasant sound of metal sliding against metal was heard. The magical beast already knew that the spearhead could not tear through its flank.
Walter muttered.
"It's clever, and it's damn tough too. It's like it's wearing armor, not fur."
The magical beast that had passed the two looked back. Now, the distance between Walter and the magical beast was about twenty paces.
Grrrr—
The growling breath of the magical beast could be heard clearly.
Elbridge stepped forward with his sword and shield and stood between Walter and the magical beast.
"Elbridge. Will you be okay?"
"I have to be."
Elbridge extended his sword long to aim at the magical beast and held out his shield to hide the movement of his upper body as much as possible.
The magical beast kicked off the ground again. It was a fast and light movement that did not suit its size, but it was not as fast as when it was sprinting a moment ago.
Elbridge thought.
'Front paw, or maw?'
The magical beast thrust its snout towards Elbridge's head.
A hot, humid, and foul-smelling breath was exhaled, enveloping Elbridge. It was familiar.
Instead of rashly thrusting his shield forward, Elbridge opened his eyes wide and looked inside the magical beast's maw.
Inside the magical beast's maw, teeth as sharp as daggers grew in several dense rows. The number of teeth seemed to be at least several hundred.
"Hut!"
Elbridge's left arm holding the shield moved precariously. The top part of the metal shield was wedged into the magical beast's maw.
The magical beast, as if annoyed, bit down on the top of the shield and shook its head. Like a tree branch swaying in a storm, Elbridge's gaunt body was shaken along with the shield.
No matter how skilled Elbridge was, he could not swing his sword in a situation like this.
A moment later, Elbridge was sent flying.
"Elbridge!"
Elbridge did not answer, but got up from his spot and checked the condition of his body and shield.
His left shoulder was creaking. The top part of the metal shield was tattered and torn.
'...I reacted out of habit.'
In a critical moment, ingrained habits tend to take precedence over cool reason and accurate judgment. That was why Elbridge had also moved according to habit without thinking.
Of course, it was not a good choice. Right now, Elbridge could not hold holy power, so he could not withstand the magical beast's strength, and he had not been granted the Goddess's power, so he could not prevent the shield from being destroyed.
'I know I shouldn't rely too much on the shield... but there's no other suitable method.'
However, there was a gain.
Elbridge had clearly seen inside the magical beast's maw. In the red flesh inside the magical beast's maw, no metallic sheen was visible.
'It's definitely an individual that hasn't been a magical beast for very long.'
As Elbridge did not answer, Walter called Elbridge's name again.
"Elbridge! Are you okay!"
"I'm fine. Sir Walter. And I have something to tell you."
"Speak."
"We must aim for the inside of that magical beast's mouth, or its eyes. Unlike its steel-like outer hide, its insides will be soft."
"...I understand."
"We don't have many chances. We have to settle this as quickly as possible, even if it's dangerous."
"I will try."
Elbridge hoped that while he blocked the magical beast's attacks, Walter would finish it off.
The magical beast's size was almost twice that of an ordinary wolf. Naturally, its snout was also that much longer.
For Elbridge to plunge his sword into the magical beast's maw, he would have to put at least his elbow into its snout.
Then, the multiple layers of teeth would surely make a rag of Elbridge's arm, so it was ideal for Walter, with his long spear, to finish the magical beast off.
'Can Sir Walter do it?'
It would not be easy. But it was the best way. For sure.
Walter raised his spear. The height of the spear shaft was at his side. It was a stance for putting force into a straight thrust. The tension made Walter's breath come in ragged gasps.
Hwook, hwook.
Elbridge checked Walter's position and stance, and then looked forward again.
And he slowly waved his shield, drawing the magical beast's attention.
"Now, over here."
The magical beast charged at Elbridge and swung its front paw. Elbridge narrowly threw his body to dodge the magical beast's claws.
This time, the magical beast's snout flew in. Instead of blocking the magical beast's teeth with his shield, Elbridge pushed the snout away with the face of the shield and used the reaction to fling his own body.
'Fortunately, its movements aren't complex.'
Of course, the only person who thought the magical beast's movements were simple was Elbridge. Walter stared blankly at Elbridge's near-acrobatic fight.
'Good heavens...'
In a situation where his life could be lost at any moment, Elbridge was receiving the magical beast's attacks with movements that were close to divine. However, what surprised Walter more was not Elbridge's but the magical beast's movements.
The magical beast, with all its attention focused on Elbridge, was unknowingly approaching Walter. To a position perfect for Walter to thrust his spear.
'He can lure the magical beast in the direction he wants even while moving like that?'
While Walter was in shock, Elbridge swung his right arm holding the sword widely.
When his right arm, which was without a shield, moved instead of the shield on his left arm that had been consistently defending, the magical beast instinctively thrust its snout, following Elbridge's right arm.
Elbridge shouted.
"Now!"
Walter, who had been watching the fight distractedly, was startled.
However, a detailed explanation was not necessary. Because the magical beast's wide-open maw, and beyond it, the bright red and jet-black throat of the magical beast, were visible.
"Heup!"
Walter thrust his spear like a thunderbolt.
But the problem was that his reaction was a little late. The magical beast hastily snapped its wide-open maw shut and bit down on Walter's spear.
'Damn it!'
Walter desperately pulled on the spear to get it out of the snout. The spear shaft was slightly bent.
An immense sense of guilt enveloped Walter. To have been so engrossed in watching the fight in this urgent situation that he missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
Walter's heart sank.
'The defeat in this battle is entirely my responsibility. Without any room for excuse...'
However, Elbridge did not question Walter. He was just moving his body busily as before.
In fact, it was a natural thing if you thought about it. Elbridge had not expected Walter to be able to pierce the magical beast's vital point in one go.
In this era, if you had experience fighting a magical beast three times, you were a respectable veteran knight, but two hundred years ago, a knight who had fought a magical beast three times was barely treated as an apprentice knight.
Rather, what annoyed Elbridge was not Walter's clumsy response, but the magical beast's cunning response. Once its mouth was attacked, the magical beast rarely opened its snout.
'Cunning bastard.'
Elbridge shouted.
"The eyes are also a vital point!"
He was right. But Walter still lacked confidence. He had failed to pierce the wide-open maw, so there was no way he could accurately pierce the eye of a wildly thrashing magical beast...
"Now!"
But whatever Walter thought, Elbridge managed to create an opportunity.
Walter cast aside all hesitation and thrust his spear. This time, the problem was his lack of skill. Instead of piercing the magical beast's eye, Walter's spear hit its forehead and bounced off.
"Damn it!"
This failed attack was far more fatal than the last one.
The first reason was that the slightly bent spear shaft had become even more bent, and the second reason was that Walter's attack towards the eye had properly drawn the magical beast's attention.
Krrreung!
The magical beast left Elbridge behind and charged at Walter. Elbridge had no way to block the magical beast either.
Just as the magical beast's front paw, which had rushed towards Walter, was about to tear Walter's upper body apart, something completely unexpected happened.
Hee-hee-hing!
Out of nowhere, a horse shot out from the side, naturally turned its body backward, and kicked the magical beast's jaw with its hind legs.
Ppaak!
"...?"
It was such a sudden situation that even Elbridge could not immediately grasp the situation.
Elbridge looked in the direction the horse had appeared from. The mercenary Marcus was sprawled on the ground.
"Marcus!"
He had thought he had run away on Sir Walter's horse, but it seemed he had ridden the horse over to try and help the two of them.
However, since Marcus was a mercenary and not a knight, he had not learned horsemanship. It was a natural result that Marcus fell off the horse as soon as it had run a few steps.
However, his poor horsemanship saved Marcus's life. Because the enraged magical beast's front paw had struck the horse instead of Walter.
The horse's head flew off, and blood and flesh scattered.
"Selen!"
Walter shouted the name of the horse he had been with for a long time.
However, Elbridge became serious for a different reason than the horse's death. He had just now confirmed that Walter's spear shaft was completely bent. With a bent spear, he could not pierce the magical beast's vital point.
Elbridge, in a crisis, thought urgently.
'What should I do?'
At that moment, the magical beast's maw, which had been slightly opened thanks to being kicked by the horse's hind legs, came into Elbridge's view.
It was a fleeting moment. A time too short to make a concrete and systematic plan.
However, Elbridge's experience and instinct whispered that the last possibility lay in that slightly opened maw of the magical beast. Therefore, Elbridge extended his right arm holding the sword into the inside of the magical beast's maw.
The rows of the magical beast's teeth scraped Elbridge's forearm from above and below.
'Almost successful...'
However, just before the tip of Elbridge's sword could lodge deep in the magical beast's throat, the magical beast snapped its maw shut. The magical beast's teeth dug deep into Elbridge's forearm.
An excruciating pain that turned his mind white washed over him.
Should he follow his instinct here and pull his arm out of the magical beast's maw, even if it was late?
No. The paladins of the Order of the Rusted Shield used to say that the solution was always in front, not behind. And that was always true.
"Uwaaaaaaah—!"
Elbridge put all his body weight into his right arm. And he pushed his arm, which was half in tatters, deeper into the magical beast's throat.
Past Elbridge's forearm, almost up to his shoulder, disappeared into the magical beast's maw.
There was only one thing Elbridge wished for.
'May my hand grip the sword tightly.'
And the very next moment, Elbridge realized that his wish had been granted. Because the magical beast's reaction was different from before.
The magical beast's throat could be seen bobbing.
It only let out a gurgling sound, geuleuk, geuleuk, and could not thrash about violently as before.
"Walter!"
Walter picked up the spear shaft that was bent in the middle and rushed at the magical beast. And holding the spear shaft short, he plunged the spearhead into the magical beast's eyeball. Just as Elbridge had scrambled the wolf's brain through its eye a few days ago, Walter's spear also reached deep inside the magical beast's head.
'...I did it!'
The magical beast stiffened as if struck by lightning, and then its maw fell wide open.
Walter knew instinctively. The magical beast had died with this one blow. It was truly an amazing feat. To have killed a magical beast with just the two of them? The other knights would not believe this tale of valor.
However, right after that, Walter's face was filled with horror. Because Elbridge's right arm, which had been turned into almost a tattered rag inside the magical beast's maw, was revealed.
"E... Elbridge!"
The wound was too big and deep. The bleeding was too severe.
Even if they wrapped Elbridge's arm with a bandage right away, the possibility of Elbridge surviving did not seem high.
At that moment, Elbridge shouted.
"The heart, the heart..."
Walter did not exactly understand why Elbridge was talking about the heart.
But this young man, if it was Elbridge, he must have some idea. Thinking so, Walter took out the sword that had been stuck in the magical beast's throat and repeatedly struck the magical beast's belly as if he were chopping with an axe.
Kkang, kkang!
A metallic sound echoed between Walter's sword and the magical beast's belly. Although it was better than the hide on its back, the belly hide was also incomparably tough compared to an ordinary animal's.
However, Walter managed to pierce the magical beast's hide, opened its belly, and took out the magical beast's heart.
Walter handed the heart, which was as large as a person's head, to Elbridge.
"Here it is. But what are you going to do with the heart?"
"I will offer it to the Goddess."
Even though his life was on the line, Elbridge's voice was calm from beginning to end. Of course, Walter could not understand such an attitude.
"You're a mercenary, aren't you? There's no way a god will accept such a thing."
Walter's parents were a priest and a scholar.
Therefore, Walter knew that a god's power did not shine on only one person.
A god's power was not infinite.
That was why the gods did not look at only one person. If a god looked only at the most desperate person, the others would be pushed out of the god's sight.
Just because the most desperate moment had come, not everyone could overcome difficulties with the grace of a god. In the end, people were bound to face situations where they had to overcome difficulties with their own strength.
'If even a paladin is like that, how could a mercenary...'
However, Elbridge was still calm.
"She will definitely accept it."
"Just stay still. I'll try to stop the bleeding somehow."
"It's alright."
Elbridge placed the magical beast's heart on the shield and knelt.
Seeing this, Walter was horrified.
"Stay still! The bleeding is getting worse because you're moving!"
"I told you, it's alright."
"What do you mean it's alright! Lie down on the ground right now!"
Elbridge looked at Walter and, unfitting for the situation, smiled.
And he said clearly.
"Would you like to make a bet?"
"What kind of bet?"
"The Goddess will be watching me. My Goddess will be ruined without me. She'll even go into debt to save me."
"What in the world is that..."
At that moment, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed Walter.
It was Marcus. Marcus, who had fallen from the horse and rolled on the ground, was standing there with a slightly sheepish expression.
"...Sir Walter. Just leave him be. They say they even grant a dead person's wish."
Elbridge, with a pale face, burst into laughter again.
"My goodness. You have no qualms about what you say in front of a living person."
Elbridge knelt before the shield on which the magical beast's heart rested, placed his left arm on his chest, and began to pray.
"My Goddess. Are you watchi..."
However, Elbridge's prayer could not continue.
As soon as Elbridge's prayer began, a brilliant streak of light shot down from the dim sky and enveloped Elbridge.
"..."
Walter and Marcus decided to convert.
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