To efficiently kill a living being, targeting vital spots is the best approach.

Sure, hitting other areas could cause shock and lead to death, but nothing is as effective as aiming for areas crucial to life, like the head or the heart.

So, I could go for those spots to easily take down the wolf I’m facing now, but instead, I focused relentlessly on its legs.

It wasn’t because it lacked vital points.

Even though dimensional beasts differ from ordinary creatures, they still have vital points, like a core that functions as a heart or something like a head.

I didn’t figure this out by dissecting or studying them; I learned it firsthand through hunting these creatures.

Then, why am I not targeting its vital points and instead focusing on its legs?

“Well, because it keeps running away with its tail between its legs.”

The truth is, I can’t go for its vital points.

Even the smallest creatures instinctively protect their weak spots, so would a dimensional beast really leave its vitals exposed so easily?

And above all…

“…It’s annoying.”

It’s too tall for me to reach.

To aim for its vital spots properly, I’d have to get that much closer to it, which would also increase my risk.

So, even if it takes a bit longer, I’m going for its legs first to reduce its mobility and fighting power, waiting for the right moment to strike.

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

“…”

…Although, I won’t deny it’s a bit frustrating.

Anyway, thanks to my persistence, I managed to tear off one more leg and injure two others.

Now that it’s back to having an even number of legs, it should be easier to balance, but for some reason, it doesn’t seem too pleased about it.

Would it prefer being uneven again?

That’s what I was pondering when—

“Grrrr…”

I heard a deep, guttural growl that seemed to scrape the throat, a sound that only beasts make.

They say that hearing a top predator’s roar can freeze you in place, and I can see why.

But since I’m stronger, doesn’t that make me the apex predator?

“Grrrrr?”

I tried mimicking it just to see, but the wolf didn’t react much.

Instead, all the mouths embedded in its body opened wide at once.

Hisssss…

And it began spewing a dark green mist.

The flowers near the wolf withered and melted away as soon as they touched the mist.

…Honestly, it’s not a very pleasant sight.

Now I have one more reason to finish this quickly.

I don’t mind not being able to see its body through the mist, but how should I deal with this?

It’s not like it suddenly got interested in gardening and started spraying herbicide. That mist will definitely harm me too…

“…Hmm.”

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

I had been thinking too much like I did during the war.

Back then, I had to conserve my strength for upcoming battles and had to kill with minimal effort. But now, I don’t need to hold back.

Still, there’s no need to use a butcher’s knife on a chicken.

Especially if the butcher’s knife is as dangerous to its owner as it is to the enemy.

With a horizontal and then a vertical slash, I sent two waves of pink energy flying.

The cross-shaped slash flew through the air, but instead of tearing through everything, it only managed to disperse the mist around the wolf a little.

Well, I’m not too disappointed.

I was just testing the mist’s properties.

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

Those are a pain, but thankfully, this one just dissolves its surroundings.

Afraid of the mist?

Can’t see the body clearly because of it?

“Then I’ll just blow away the mist along with you.”

I drew my arm back until my hand was almost touching my left hip, taking a stance as if preparing for a quick draw.

The only difference was that my sword wasn’t in a sheath.

Sensing the danger, the wolf lunged forward, but it had lost some distance from dodging my earlier attack, so by the time it reached me, my sword had already been swung.

Canary Style—

Flight....

  
   *  *  *
   

“Haah… haah…!”

Journey ran without stopping.

Her breath was labored, and her legs burned, but she didn’t slow down.

‘Kana…!’

When she felt that ominous, soul-shaking tremor, Journey had already been running along the path she had walked with Kana.

Kana’s figure, gazing up at the mountain, suddenly came to mind.

It seemed strange at the time, but now Journey understood why Kana had done it.

‘Kana knew all along.’

She knew there was a threat much greater than the ogres lurking around.

Each time a deep howl echoed and a heavy vibration ran through the ground, Journey’s urgency grew.

The path that had felt close enough when they walked it now seemed impossibly far.

-Is she possessed or something?? -???? -What’s going on? -This is creepy;

The viewers, who hadn’t felt the tremor that Journey and the others experienced, were baffled by her frantic sprint.

After running a good distance without stopping to explain, Journey finally caught sight of a massive, dark green form.

“A dimensional beast?!”

The enormous figure was indeed a dimensional beast.

“L-Level 78?!”

“What’s a monster like that doing here?!”

A level 78 dimensional beast, no less.

Its level was over 20 higher than that of even the strongest among them, Yuki.

The other players who had arrived after Journey were just as shocked to see the beast.

“This isn’t the time for that! Kana, where’s Kana?”

Could Kana hold her own against such a powerful dimensional beast?

Journey frantically searched for Kana.

“Over there…!”

One of the players pointed towards something in the distance.

There stood a small girl with pink hair.

The girl, already small, looked even tinier standing before the gigantic beast.

She seemed so small that even a single exhale from the beast might blow her away.

But Kana stood her ground, confronting the wolf without flinching.

With each movement, the wolf howled in agony.

Despite its massive size, which seemed impervious to any attack, the wolf’s body twisted in pain with each new wound inflicted upon it.

Under the moonlight, Kana danced as she overwhelmed the enormous wolf.

Journey could only watch, speechless, as the surreal battle unfolded.

Fierce blows were exchanged, and mist emanated from the wolf’s body.

In response, Kana took her stance, ready to swing her sword.

As her fierce onslaught paused, the wolf charged.

“Kana…!”

Journey screamed as the massive wolf lunged at Kana, but then fell silent at what she saw next.

Kana’s sword traced an elegant arc.

Its movement wasn’t particularly fast.

Like a bird settling for a moment before taking to the skies, her sword rose gracefully into the air.

Journey wasn’t the only one captivated by the powerful yet gentle winged flight.

“Wow…”

Gasps came from all around.

One player with a sword at his waist gaped so wide that Journey worried he might dislocate his jaw.

Journey completely understood his awe.

‘So, a sword can be used like that…’

To Journey, a sword had always been just a tool.

Something for striking, stabbing, or slicing.

She had thought that no matter how skillful someone was, it couldn’t go beyond those categories.

‘…That’s what I thought.’

Watching Kana wield her sword, Journey realized that her understanding of swords was completely wrong.

A bird spread its wings and soared.

Sometimes it wavered, sometimes it plummeted, but it always rose back toward the sky in the end.

A sword imbued with the fierce will to rise towards the heavens.

The mist surrounding the wolf had long since dispersed, swept away by the bird’s wings.

“Maybe I should properly learn swordsmanship…”

Journey murmured, mesmerized by the enchanting flight of the bird.

Of course, even if she learned, she couldn’t do it like Kana. But watching her, Journey felt a sudden urge to try.

“What I’ve been doing was just child’s play…”

“Maybe I should’ve been a swordsman too. Being an alchemist was nothing but trouble. Sigh.”

“Is it too late to switch…?”

The players, enchanted by Kana’s swordsmanship, expressed a mix of frustration, admiration, and regret.

Meanwhile, the pink bird relentlessly slashed at the wolf’s body, finally driving her sword toward its head.

Or so Journey thought.

“Oh…!”

An exasperated sigh escaped Journey’s lips.

At the last possible moment, the wolf twisted its body, and the blade that should have pierced the center of its head ended up grazing the side.

Grazing, yet almost splitting its head in half. It was clearly a fatal blow.

Thud!

The massive wolf collapsed to the ground.

As the dust settled, the wolf’s fierce gaze, filled with wrath, was revealed.

But there was nothing the wolf could do now, with its body mutilated and its head half-severed.

It could only breathe raggedly, glaring resentfully at Kana, who had brought it to this state.

Step.

Kana walked lightly to the wolf and stood before it, somehow looking quite pleased.

Journey took a deep breath.

Huuu—

“Kana!”

“…!”

Kana, engrossed in the fight and unaware of Journey and the others approaching, flinched.

Journey’s eyes widened in surprise.

Despite the short time they’d spent together, she had never seen Kana react like that.

The Kana she knew was always calm and indifferent.

Now she tried to hide her reaction, but Journey had caught her with wide eyes staring back at her.

A mischievous smile crept onto Journey’s face as she approached Kana.

“Kana, were you surprised?”

“I wasn’t.”

“Oh, come on, you were.”

“…I wasn’t.”

Kana repeated her denial, word for word.

Journey found her endearing and turned her gaze to the wolf.

“It’s huge up close.”

Its size was awe-inspiring.

If it hadn’t looked so grotesque, she might have admired its majesty instead of feeling repulsed.

Just how strong was Kana to defeat a beast like this without a scratch?

Kana blinked slowly at Journey, who was now looking back at her.

“And the flower field… it’s ruined.”

It had been such a pretty field.

Though not completely destroyed, much of it was crushed, melted, and sliced by the battle.

Journey had wanted to see the flower field under the moonlight, but not like this. She glanced around wistfully and spotted something.

“This is…”

A flower that stood tall and resilient amid the fierce battle.

It was the same pink flower Kana had been gazing at for a long time earlier.

Journey knelt carefully to avoid crushing the flower.

While she did, Kana, who had lost interest in the wolf, looked up at it discontentedly and raised her sword, as if about to plunge it into the ground.

‘Why does she seem so upset?’

Journey, puzzled by Kana’s strange behavior, called out loudly.

“Kana, look at this!”

“?”

Kana paused, lowering her sword, and turned toward Journey.

“It’s the flower you like.”

Amidst the battlefield, the pink flower and the surrounding area were miraculously untouched.

Kana, who had silently approached, also gazed down at the flower alongside Journey.

A small, pink flower glittering under the moonlight.

“Doesn’t it look like you, Kana?”

Journey voiced the thought she had earlier.

It wasn’t just because it was pink.

The small size, the subtle sweet scent, the quiet and serene aura—it all reminded her of Kana.

‘…Maybe that was a bit too cheesy.’

It wasn’t like she was trying to flirt…

Perhaps it was the moonlight affecting her mood.

Flustered by the sudden embarrassment, Journey blushed and turned to ask Kana to forget about it, only to find Kana staring intently at her.

“…What’s wrong?”

At first glance, it seemed like her usual blank face, but on closer inspection, there was a difference.

Her eyes were slightly wider, her lips parted, and a faint blush tinged her cheeks.

She looked as though she had heard something unexpected.

Without answering Journey’s question, Kana abruptly turned her head.

“…Nothing.”

She then turned her back and walked away, each step slow and deliberate. Journey watched her small figure grow smaller, her voice fading as she muttered to herself.

“…Was it really that cheesy?”

She hadn’t expected such a reaction…

Journey felt a tiny pang of hurt in her heart.