I Became a Raid Boss

Chapter 41

To efficiently kill a living creature, targeting vital points is the best strategy.

Even if you hit elsewhere, shock can still cause death, but attacking essential areas like the head or heart is far more effective.

So, while I could easily kill the wolf I’m facing by aiming for those vital spots, I’m fixated on its legs instead.

It’s not that there are no vital points; no matter how different dimensional creatures may be, they still possess cores that serve as their hearts or heads that function as critical areas.

I haven’t caught one to dissect or study, but I’ve learned this through hunting dimensional beings so far.

So why am I not targeting the vital points and focusing only on the legs?

“Because it keeps scampering away.”

After all, it’s not as if I’m able to aim for those vital points.

Even the most insignificant creatures instinctively protect their vital spots, so how can a dimensional creature willingly expose its weaknesses?

“…It’s annoying.”

It’s too high for me to reach.

To effectively target a vital point, I need to get closer to the creature, which increases my own risk.

So, I’m attacking its legs first to reduce its mobility and combat effectiveness, waiting for the right moment.

It’s definitely not because I feel inferior due to my height or anything…

“…”

Well, it’s true that it doesn’t make me feel great.

Anyway, thanks to my efforts, I managed to take off another leg and injure two of them.

It should have made balancing easier now that I’ve reduced it to an even number, but for some reason, I’m not feeling particularly good about it.

Would it be better if I made it odd again?

Just as I was thinking that, I heard a low growl.

“Grrrr…”

They say the sounds of apex predators can freeze you in place, and I could understand that feeling.

But if I’m stronger, doesn’t that make me an apex predator too?

“Grrr?”

I tried to imitate the growl as a test, but the wolf didn’t react.

Instead, the mouths embedded in its body all opened simultaneously and began to emit a dark green mist.

The flowers near the wolf wilted rapidly as they came into contact with the mist.

…Honestly, it’s not a pleasant sight at all.

I now had another reason to finish this fight quickly.

By the way, while it doesn’t bother me that I can’t see through the mist, I’m wondering how I should deal with it.

It’s definitely not because it suddenly found herbicide interesting, but it will surely have a negative effect on me as well…

“…Hmm.”

I briefly glanced down at my ring, then shook my head and increased the output of my mana.

I had been thinking too much like it was still wartime.

Back then, I had to save my strength for the next battle, so I needed to expend the minimum amount of effort to kill the enemy, but that’s not necessary now.

Even so, there’s no need to go all out to kill a mere chicken.

Moreover, if the knife I use to kill the chicken also threatens my own life…

With a horizontal and then a vertical slash,

Two cuts were made, sending pink sword energy flying.

The crosses of sword energy, despite their intimidating aura, only disrupted the mist surrounding the wolf slightly.

Well, I’m not disappointed.

I was just trying to gauge the effect of the mist while keeping it at bay.

Sometimes, there are creatures that create a barrier around themselves to ignore attacks.

Those types are a bit troublesome, but thankfully, this one seems to just dissolve its surroundings.

Are you scared of getting touched by the mist?

Does the fact that the mist obscures its main body make it hard to see?

“Then, I’ll blow you away with the fog.”

I folded my arms wide, my hand resting on my left hip.

It looked as if I was performing a martial arts stance.

The only difference was that my sword wasn’t sheathed.

Sensing something unusual, the wolf charged at me, but it had already lost distance while dodging the sword aura I had just unleashed, so by the time it reached me, my sword had already swung.

Canaria

Flight

***

“Haa… Haa…!”

Joanie sprinted relentlessly.

Her breath was ragged, and her legs burned, but she didn’t stop.

Kana…!

When the ominous resonance struck Joanie’s soul, she regained her senses, and her body was already running the path she had walked with Canaria.

Then, suddenly, she recalled the image of Kana gazing up at the mountain.

At that time, she thought it was strange, but now she understood the reason why Kana had been doing so.

Kana knew.

That there was a threat even greater than the ogre lurking around.

Each time a massive roar echoed and a heavy tremor shook the ground, Joanie’s heart raced with urgency.

The path that hadn’t seemed so far while walking now felt painfully long.

—Is she possessed or something??

—????

—What’s going on?

—This is scary;

Joanie and others who couldn’t feel the tremors resonating with their souls viewed her with confusion as she ran like a madwoman.

With no time to explain, Joanie dashed until she finally spotted something huge in a dark green hue.

“Dimensional Creature…?!”

The identity of the enormous figure was a Dimensional Creature.

“Level 7, 78?!”

“What’s something like that doing here?!”

A Dimensional Creature of level 78.

It was more than 20 levels higher than Yuki, who had the highest level among them.

The players who arrived late, following Joanie, were also astonished at the sight of the Dimensional Creature.

“…This isn’t the time for this! Where’s Kana? Where’s Kana?”

Can Kana hold her own against such powerful dimensional creatures?

Joanie searched frantically for Kana.

“Over there…!”

One of the players reached out, pointing at something.

There stood a girl with pink hair.

The already small girl looked even smaller in front of the gigantic dimensional creature.

With a body so tiny, it seemed she would be blown away just by the creature’s breath.

Yet, Kana stood firm, facing the wolf without backing down.

Every time the little bird flapped its wings, the wolf screamed.

As wounds began to accumulate on the enormous wolf, which seemed impervious to any attack, it writhed in pain.

Under the moonlight, the girl danced, overwhelming the giant wolf.

In this surreal sight, Joanie watched the battle between the two in speechless awe.

A fierce exchange of blows ensued, and mist erupted from the wolf’s body.

In response, Kana prepared her stance to swing her sword.

Just as Kana’s fierce assault halted, the wolf charged forward.

“Kana…!”

Joanie screamed as she saw the gigantic wolf charging at Kana, but she fell silent at what followed.

The sword drew a graceful arc.

The speed was by no means fast.

Like a bird that had briefly descended, the sword soared softly towards the sky.

The gentle yet powerful flapping of wings captivated not only Joanie.

“Wow….”

Gasps erupted from various players.

Especially, a player with a sword strapped to their waist looked so stunned that it seemed their jaw might drop.

Joanie could fully understand that person’s feelings.

‘So that’s how you can wield a sword….’

Joanie had only thought of the sword as a tool.

A tool to strike, stab, and slash.

No matter how well one wielded a sword, it would ultimately remain within those three categories.

‘…I thought that way.’

However, the moment she saw Kana wielding the sword, Joanie realized that her previous thoughts about her were entirely wrong.

The bird with its wings spread took flight.

Sometimes it swayed, sometimes it plummeted towards the ground, but it always aimed for the sky.

A sword imbued with a strong will to soar towards the sky.

The mist enveloping the wolf had long since been swept away by its flapping wings.

“Should I learn how to use a sword properly…?”

Joanie murmured, captivated by the enchanting flight of the birds.

Of course, even if she learned, she knew she could never fly like that. But watching them inspired an impulse within her.

“Everything I’ve done so far was just child’s play…”

“I should’ve just become a swordsman. Instead, I took on the burdens of an alchemist for no good reason. Sigh.”

“Should I change my path even now…?”

Players captivated by swordsmanship expressed a mix of frustration and lament.

Just then, the pink bird that had been relentlessly slashing at the wolf finally pierced its head.

Or at least, that’s what Joanie thought.

“Ah…!”

A sigh of regret escaped Joanie’s lips.

In the final moment, the wolf desperately twisted its body, causing the sword that had plunged into its head to graze one side instead.

Though it merely grazed, it was practically split in half, ensuring a fatal injury.

Boom—

The massive wolf collapsed to the ground.

As the dust settled, its eyes still glinted with ferocious rage.

Yet, with its body torn apart and its head nearly severed, there was nothing it could do.

It could only glare up resentfully at Kana, the one who had done this to it, while exhaling heavy breaths.

Thud.

Kana stepped lightly in front of the wolf and appeared strangely pleased.

Joanie took a deep breath.

Huff—

“Ka-na!”

“…!”

Lost in her battle, Kana hadn’t noticed Joanie and the other players approaching her, causing her to flinch and shiver.

Joanie was equally surprised, her eyes widening.

Considering they hadn’t spent long together, it was still the first time Joanie had seen Kana react with such shock.

The Kana she knew was always stoic and blunt.

Now, she feigned indifference, but Joanie clearly saw her round eyes darting back to her.

A mischievous smile spread across Joanie’s lips as she approached Kana.

“Kana, were you surprised?”

“I wasn’t surprised.”

“Hey, i startled you.”

“…I wasn’t startled.”

Kana denied it, word for word, without a single mistake.

Joanie, who found that adorable, shifted her gaze back to the wolf.

“It’s really big up close.”

The size was astonishing, prompting an involuntary gasp. If it had been in its proper form, she might have been awed by its majesty rather than feeling disgusted.

Just how strong was Kana to take down such a creature without a scratch?

As Joanie looked back at her, Kana simply blinked slowly.

“By the way, the flower garden is completely ruined…”

It had been a beautiful flower garden. Although not all of it had been completely destroyed, many parts were severely damaged—flattened, melted, and cut by the blade.

Joanie, wishing to see the flower garden under the moonlight, sighed with disappointment as she glanced around and spotted something.

“This is…”

A flower that stood tall despite the fierce battle.

It was the pink flower that Kana had been gazing at for a long time when they had come earlier.

Carefully crouching down, Joanie made sure not to crush the delicate petals.

Having lost interest in Joanie, Kana glanced up at the wolf with dissatisfaction and swung her sword down with the intent to drive it into the wolf’s head.

‘…What’s with her attitude?’

Joanie, sweating from the uncertainty of Kana’s behavior, called out loudly to her.

“Kana, look at this!”

“?”

Kana stopped her attack and turned to face her.

“It’s the flower you like.”

Although they were in the midst of a battleground, the pink flower and its surroundings remained miraculously unscathed.

Kana, who had approached Joanie, also stared down at it in silence.

A small pink flower, sparkling under the moonlight.

“Doesn’t this flower look like you, Kana?”

Joanie suddenly voiced a thought that had come to her during the day. It wasn’t just because it was pink; it was also the small size compared to other flowers, the faint sweet fragrance, and the subtly aloof aura it emitted.

‘…Was that too cheesy of a comment?’

She wasn’t trying to flirt or anything…

Maybe it was the magical aura emanating from the moon. Lost in her thoughts, Joanie found herself embarrassed, her cheeks flushing suddenly. She turned her head to tell Kana to forget what she had said, only to meet her gaze locked onto Joanie.

“…What’s wrong?”

On the surface, Kana wore her usual indifferent expression, but something seemed different upon closer inspection. Her eyes were slightly wider, her mouth slightly agape, and her cheeks tinged with a faint pink.

She looked like someone who had just heard something unexpected.

Kana, who had been staring at Joanie without answering, abruptly turned her head away.

“…It’s nothing.”

She then turned her back and started walking away, leaving Joanie to stare blankly at Kana’s retreating figure.

As Kana’s small back grew smaller, at a distance where her voice could no longer be heard, Joanie mumbled to herself.

“…Was what I said really that cheesy?”

She hadn’t expected such a reaction…

Just a little, Joanie felt a sting in her heart.