Just as Porter and Calm adjusted their stances and exchanged looks, the mountain giant bear, which had been roaring in pain from the trap, suddenly raised its head.
Its small, glinting, fierce eyes locked onto Porter and Calm, who were right in front of it.
The pain and its roaring hadn't driven it into a frantic struggle; instead, they had only fueled its violent, savage nature.
It didn't lunge and bite recklessly like an ordinary wild beast.
Instead, it slammed its trapped forepaw down, drawing on the explosive power generated by the sharp pain to pivot its massive body with an agility that defied its size.
Its other, free forepaw swept toward Porter, who was closer, accompanied by a howling wind that tore through the air!
The blow was swift and cunning, aiming to crush Porter at the waist to vent its pent-up rage.
Porter's pupils contracted. His rich combat experience allowed him to react almost the instant the giant bear's shoulder muscles tensed.
He didn't try to take the hit head-on. Twisting his torso, he retreated rapidly like a willow catkin in the wind. At the same time, he slashed his longsword upward diagonally, attempting to parry and deflect the deadly paw.
Clang!
The blade clashed violently with the bear's claws, producing a piercing metallic screech.
Porter felt an overwhelming brute force surge through his weapon. The impact rattled his hand, numbing his arm, and sent him stumbling back several paces. He only managed to stabilize his footing on the snow after leaving two deep furrows behind him.
Almost at the same instant, Calm moved from the other side!
Seizing the brief moment of rigidity after the giant bear's attack, he let out a low growl and charged forward like a cheetah. His blade carved a cold arc from bottom to top, slashing directly at the relatively soft flank exposed as the bear turned!
The mountain giant bear reacted incredibly fast. Sensing the threat from its other side, it let out an angry roar and tried to twist its body to block with its paw.
However, with one of its forepaws firmly clamped by the trap, its movements were ultimately a fraction of a second too slow.
Slash!
The blade successfully cut through the thick fur and sliced several inches into the flesh!
Dark red blood welled out instantly, staining the blade and the surrounding white snow.
“Roar!”
The sharp pain drove the mountain giant bear into a complete frenzy, and it roared furiously.
Everyone present immediately held their breath, their hearts in their throats.
Only Matthew, standing not far away with his eyes glowing faintly in the dark from 【Eagle Eye Gaze】, noticed a slight anomaly.
Although the mountain giant bear was roaring in pain and fury, after that last strike, a cunning clarity actually flashed behind the rage in its small, vicious eyes.
Matthew's heart skipped a beat. He instantly recalled a piece of advice Instructor Calm had given him before—
“The intelligence of unique magical beasts is far higher than that of ordinary magical beasts.”
Combining this with the orderly retreat of the Shadow Wolf pack he had witnessed firsthand, a realization flashed through his mind like lightning:
This beast... isn't trying to fight to the death. It wants to run back to the cave!
The more Matthew thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Only the bear knew the terrain inside the cave, making it an absolute advantage for the beast!
Moreover, the narrow space inside the cave would make it difficult for the instructor and Porter to dodge.
Almost the instant he made his judgment, Matthew bellowed,
“Watch out! It's trying to escape back into the cave!”
Before his voice even faded, his bowstring was already drawn back into a full moon. The arrowhead gleamed with a cold light in the dimness, firmly locking onto the massive figure that was attempting to break free from the trap and adjust its balance.
The moment Matthew's warning reached their ears, Porter and Calm reacted instantly, preparing to intercept the beast.
However, the mountain giant bear's reaction was far more decisive than they had anticipated!
Seemingly enduring the intense pain from its foot, its massive body twisted violently. It cast aside all caution and lunged toward the cave, desperate to retreat into the safety of its familiar, dark lair.
What was even more chilling was that as its vicious little eyes darted around, it glared fiercely up toward the slope where Matthew stood, its pupils burning with furious hatred!
It was as if it had truly understood his warning!
And it was in that very moment of looking back that a speck of cold light tore through the air with a whistling screech, rapidly expanding as it drew closer inside its bead-like pupil! It had absolutely no time to react!
It was the arrow Matthew had shot!
Guided precisely by 【Eagle Eye Gaze】, the arrow seemed to rip through the air!
Instead of aiming for the bear's thick back armor or skull, Matthew had anticipated its next move!
He aimed straight for the joint of the rear leg it was about to use to push off the ground and flee!
Thud!
With a dull thud, the arrow struck the side of the mountain giant bear's rear leg joint with pinpoint accuracy!
However, the expected scene of the arrow sinking deep and severely crippling its movement did not happen.
The arrow merely pierced the outermost layer of thick hide before getting stuck in the tough muscle. Only a small portion of the tip had penetrated, and the fletching vibrated slightly in the cold wind.
“Roar!”
The mountain giant bear roared in anger from the pain, but its charge only faltered for a brief second. It did not lose its balance and fall as expected.
Instead, fueled by this rage, it exerted even more savage force. Dragging its injured rear leg, it rushed toward the cave at an even greater speed, its eyes filled with nothing but madness and brutality.
Seeing this, everyone's heart sank.
If this wounded beast managed to escape back into the deep cave, the difficulty of this hunt would skyrocket. In the best-case scenario, they would likely have to contend with it in this freezing wilderness for several days, fighting a grueling war of attrition.
Although they were on the outer perimeter of the forest, every extra day they lingered would exponentially increase the unknown risks, the potential of attracting other predators, and the pressure on their supplies.
A long delay would indeed invite trouble.
Just as these thoughts raced through everyone's minds,
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three arrows were shot in rapid succession, almost simultaneously, flying from not far away with a sharp whistling sound!
They flew nose-to-tail, all targeting the exact same spot!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three dull thuds of impact echoed in quick succession.
The three arrows Matthew fired struck the exact same spot, precisely piercing the ligament of the giant bear's rear leg joint, their tips sinking deep into the muscle and bone.
Thump!
The mountain giant bear's running form suddenly lost balance. Its mountain-like body stumbled forward, and it fell to its knees on the cold snow. The kicked-up snow spray mingled with splattered blood, looking exceptionally striking in the dim twilight.
These shots, whether in terms of timing, angle, or penetrating force, were masterfully precise.
The subsequent rapid-fire of three arrows further demonstrated the archer's calm composure and steady, rapid-fire skill in actual combat.
Porter and Calm, who had been about to charge forward with all their might to intercept, froze in their tracks, a trace of shock uncontrollably flashing through their eyes.
Rate on N.U.
