Chapter 468: The Hunt

Helag approached the Mountain Giant Bear with his long sword in hand.

With his physical attributes now exceeding forty points, Helag possessed formidable strength even without using Titan Power.

The Mountain Giant Bear charged forward, its massive weight causing the ground to tremble with each step, as if an earthquake were occurring.

Helag focused intently, watching the bear’s every move. As it lunged at him, he swiftly sidestepped, avoiding the attack.

With a quick step, Helag became a blur, circling behind the bear and thrusting his sword into its body.

The blade barely penetrated before the bear’s dense muscles halted its progress.

Helag didn’t force the issue, instead withdrawing his sword and dodging a massive paw swipe.

His sword was a standard weapon, incapable of inflicting significant harm on the bear.

The bear’s hide was incredibly tough, its fur like steel needles.

Helag could pierce it only because of his immense strength.

The minor wound was negligible to the bear, akin to a pinprick.

Bowen sighed at the sight.

He recognized Helag’s skill but saw the gap between him and the bear as insurmountable.

At this rate, Helag was doomed.

The bear could afford many mistakes, but Helag couldn’t—one misstep meant death.

Bowen didn’t hesitate, leading his men away.

They couldn’t help Helag, and staying would be futile.

Once Helag fell, it would be too late to escape.

Bowen felt little emotion, only a sense of wasted potential in Helag.

Years as an adventurer had hardened him to such outcomes.

Helag noticed Bowen’s departure but refrained from using Titan Power to end the fight quickly.

Seeing the captured wizard in Amy City made Helag cautious about using such obvious magic.

If word spread and reached someone like Arrios, survival would be unlikely.

Despite the bear’s thick hide, it posed no real threat to Helag.

Though he appeared frail, his physical strength rivaled the bear’s.

Even if struck, he could recover quickly.

Moreover, Helag’s speed far exceeded the bear’s, making him untouchable.

Confident in his abilities, Helag didn’t rush to use Titan Power.

Ten minutes passed.

The bear’s body was covered in small wounds, all inflicted by Helag’s sword.

Helag remained composed, not a drop of sweat on his brow.

The bear, however, was panting and frustrated, unable to catch its elusive prey.

“It should take effect soon. This bear’s resilience is impressive,” Helag thought, dodging another attack.

Helag hadn’t relied solely on his sword. In the cabin, he’d realized the bear’s defenses were formidable.

His first strike was a test to see if he could penetrate its hide.

All he needed was a small wound.

He had coated his sword with poison.

Not ordinary poison, but one concocted from various potion ingredients.

A single milligram could kill a whale.

Yet, despite multiple hits, the bear fought on for ten minutes as if unaffected.

Helag remained patient, evading attacks and striking opportunistically.

Another ten minutes passed.

The bear’s movements slowed, and its wounds multiplied.

The bear panted heavily.

Helag stood before it, sword in hand, waiting.

The bear eyed Helag, confused by its fatigue and labored breathing.

It decided to flee, realizing continued pursuit was futile.

Helag wouldn’t let his prize escape.

From his spatial ring, he retrieved a longbow and arrows, prepared in advance but seldom used.

The arrows were also poisoned.

While ineffective against wizards’ shields, they sufficed for the bear.

Helag trailed the bear, loosing arrows at intervals.

Soon, the bear’s back bristled with arrows, resembling a porcupine.

An hour later, the bear collapsed with a thud.

Minutes passed before a thick black aura emerged.

Only then did Helag approach, confirming the bear had feigned death.

The bear likely intended to feign death and strike with its last strength.

But Helag kept his distance, denying it any chance.

The bear failed to realize that in this world, a demon’s death released demonic aura, making deception futile.

Helag had suspected the bear’s ruse when no aura appeared after its fall.

Patient and cautious, he waited, occasionally firing another arrow.

Ultimately, the bear succumbed to the poison, truly dying.

Helag absorbed the robust black aura completely.

He checked his status panel, with Deep Blue providing the stats: “Strength +5.1, Agility +3.2, Constitution +6.1.”

“Helag Merlin: Strength 50.3, Agility 48.8, Constitution 51.8, Spirit 80.5, Magic 100%.”

Helag was pleased with the unexpected gains, given his high attributes and the diminishing returns of demonic aura.

Despite the limitations, the results were impressive.

After absorbing the aura, Helag sensed a change within.

Something seemed to shift inside him, and the surrounding space felt different, though he couldn’t discern what.