In the dense, flourishing forest, a nimble figure leaped gracefully between tree trunks and the ground.
If her movements were recorded and shown to biologists, it would surely cause a great wave of them to change professions.
The trajectory of her movements was truly incredible. Even a monkey playing around like that would probably fall midway, ending up half-dead if not crippled.
However, the Miko named Yae Sakura executed these flexible feats, which were enough to stun a monkey into utter disbelief, with ease.
The complex terrain around her could not affect her in the slightest.
For this woman, who was clearly a transcendent being, actions that an ordinary person could not even imagine were merely common sense.
After a long trek, the Miko named Yae Sakura chose to come to a temporary stop on a very thick tree branch.
She gazed all around, her pair of cyan eyes taking in everything in her surroundings, searching for a certain man-eating beast.
"It's not here either."
Having found no trace of the man-eating demonic beast, her expression grew slightly anxious.
If it's not in the forest, then where could it be?
Could it have snuck into the village?
At this thought, Yae Sakura's heart grew heavy with anxiety.
I should head back first.
Yae Sakura thought, having spent the entire afternoon searching for the bear monster to no avail.
If the black bear attacked the village while she was searching for it, there would surely be massive casualties, and such casualties were obviously not something she was willing to see.
And then—
"Awooo!"
A rather loud roar echoed from the distance, causing Yae Sakura to freeze for a moment, before a look of wild joy appeared on her face.
That was the sound of the bear monster.
Finally having found it, she pushed off with her feet and dashed towards the source of the sound.
And then—
She witnessed a scene that she would find difficult to forget for the rest of her life.
---o---
On the other side.
The place where the Honkai Beast, the black bear, and Durandal the Dull Goose were facing off.
If one were to use game levels to categorize character strength:
Kevin, as Kai Aotian—who could activate his Paracausality factor, ignore Black Abyss White Flower, and whose beast form could freeze the might of Heavenfire—was probably SSS-rank.
Below that was the SS-rank, a level above Schicksal's S-rank Valkyries.
This was the Durandal the Dull Goose-rank.
Characters at this level probably included Su, Welt Yang, and the Dull Goose herself.
Then came the S-rank, which corresponded to figures like Mother-in-law Cecilia, Rita, and Theresa after unleashing her Honkai Beast genes.
These were, more or less, the top-tier combatants on the human side.
Honkai Beasts, from low to high, were roughly divided into seven types: Chariot-level, Knight-level, Ballista-level, Chariot-level, Templar-level, Warlord-level, Emperor-level, and Judgement-level.
The bear monster standing before Durandal the Dull Goose was slightly panicked.
Its species, ancient according to Schicksal records, was probably above a Chariot-level but below a Knight-level.
And opposite it stood the representative of the SS-rank, Durandal the Dull Goose.
In its senses, the human opposite it stood like an immovable mountain, releasing an absolutely lethal sense of pressure.
And it was a volcano on the verge of erupting.
Merely standing there gave one the feeling of impending disaster, sending a chill down the spine.
Its biological instincts told it that it should flee.
However, a certain bored knight, who had decided to cosplay as a member of the fighting tribe, had no intention of letting it go.
As if possessed by Lu Zhishen, Durandal's slender hand clenched into a fist and shot out.
Like an arrow released from a bowstring.
With a single pounce, she landed a punch right on the black bear's nose. Blood gushed out, knocking its nose askew, as if a sauce shop had been overturned, spilling out a mess of salty, sour, and spicy.
"Awooo!"
The giant bear was sent flying and slammed into a tree before it could even extend its tentacles, letting out a mournful howl.
"Let me translate. It's shouting, 'Good hit.'"
As if remembering something, the young man who was holding Seele's hand turned his head, looked at the black bear with its nose completely bent out of shape, and said to Durandal the Dull Goose with a perfectly straight face.
"Are ancient Honkai Beasts this intelligent?"
Durandal, who vaguely sensed that Li Zihan might be very frivolous but still respected and trusted him immensely because of his research, was taken aback.
"Mhm. It's provoking you."
Li Zihan added a new role for the Honkai Beast black bear without his face turning red or his heart skipping a beat.
"Really? I'll try again and see!"
Durandal, who seemed to have actually believed the Scum Doctor's words, was eager to try again. In an instant, she appeared in front of the black bear and threw a punch right at its eye socket and brow.
"AWOOO!!"
A howl that was truly more tragic than the last one rang out.
Li Zihan quickly covered Seele's eyes, not letting her see the rather brutal scene.
As it turned out, he was right to do so.
This punch split the black bear's orbital ridge, its dark eyeball popping in and out, as if a fine silk shop had been opened, with red, black, and purple all bursting forth.
"What's it saying now?"
Durandal the Dull Goose, whose annual Honkai Beast annihilation count could circle Schicksal headquarters three and a half times, was clearly unmoved by the beast's wails.
"It's begging for mercy."
Li Zihan carefully examined the black bear, which seemed to be rolling onto its back and exposing its belly in a submissive posture, and said with great seriousness.
"I thought it could go toe-to-toe with me."
Durandal, who was at heart a cat lover and might have shown mercy if she had seen a cute, cat-type Honkai Beast, was very disappointed.
She threw another punch, right on its temple. It was like a grand Daoist ritual for land and water had been performed, with chimes, cymbals, and bells all ringing at once.
When Li Zihan looked, he saw the black bear stretched out on the ground. Air was only going out of its mouth, with none going in. It couldn't move.
"Looks like it's about to die."
Li Zihan looked at the Honkai Beast, whose state of death was truly a bit brutal. Feeling that it was not a suitable sight for Seele, he snapped his free hand's fingers.
The skill known as Mana Burst (Flame) was activated.
Crimson flames formed from mana rose up, engulfing the Honkai Beast black bear, burning it to ashes, and then vanishing in an instant.
"Captain, should we go find a place to stay now?"
After finishing off the so-called local elite mob with three punches, Durandal the Dull Goose raised her head and looked at the sky.
The sun already felt like it was approaching the horizon.
It was noon when they arrived, and they had spent some time on the road. It was now late afternoon. If they didn't quickly find a place to stay, they really would have to live like savages in the mountains.
"We just need to find a local soon and arrange to stay the night."
The young man, who had released his familiars from his shadow the moment they landed to patrol the area, turned his head and looked towards a particularly large tree.
Following his gaze, Durandal and Seele also looked over.
Their perception abilities were by no means weak, and with Li Zihan's prompt, they also sensed the presence of another person.
"Miss Yae, would you be willing to shelter us for a night?"
The young man, seeing the figure behind the tree perfectly through his familiars circling overhead, smiled faintly.
---o---