The Stalking Bear {1}

2 days passed, and we eventually arrived in front of the Okapi forest.

As we approached the path leading into the Okapi forest, we heard a roar in the distance.

"ROAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR~!"

"Hmm, this thing is loud."

"That is not the creature we're looking for. Stalking bears are quiet, never loud."

"I see..."

We were walking deeper into Forest. The birds chirping, critters running around, normal forest stuff.

Rustle.

Genesis jumped back, startled.

"W-what was that?"

"Hmm?"

There were movements in the bushes. I got in front of Genesis and slowly approached it. As I got closer, I could hear whimpering. I moved the bushes open and there was a small wolf lying there bleeding from its leg.

"Well, haven't seen these creatures in a while."

"W-what is it?"

"It's a Crimson Barbed Wolf, a puppy in fact."

"A puppy?"

"You've never seen a puppy before?"

"No, Father told me that I should never enter the forest until I was ready."

Wow, Smoke must've been an overprotective dad.

I studied the puppy's wounded leg. It looks as if something big scratched it since the cut was kind of big.

The bleeding wasn't that bad, despite the size of the cut. A few bandages should be enough to stop the bleeding.

I opened up my spatial and took out a roll of bandages. Then, after I wrapped the foot, I lifted the puppy up. It was now relaxing in my arms, all snuggled up.

I looked over at Genesis, who was curiously inspecting the puppy.

"You want to hold it?"

"Huh? Well, umm..."

I put the puppy in her arms. At first, she was confused, but then her expression lit up.

"It's cute. Does it have a family?"

"I don't know, we could leave it here and it's family will eventually come and find it."

"Leaving a puppy in the middle of nowhere doesn't sound smart to me."

"Me too, but I'm trying to find this bear so I can take it out and get back as soon as I can."

"I know what we can do. I'll wait here and you go ahead and find the bear. Once you find it, call out for me and I'll be there in a flash."

That's actually a good plan, this bear can't possibly be that strong so it might be light work.

"Ok. You wait here until its family comes and I'll go find this bear."

She nodded, and so I went deeper into the forest.

***

It's been a few minutes since I separated from Genesis. She must be really fond of that puppy since she couldn't stop petting it.

I couldn't sense anything strange as I wandered through the forest. I wonder what this Stalking Bear looks like.

Rustle.

What was that?

I turned around and looked at the bushes. Then an injured wolf emerged from the bushes.

[Level * Crimson Barbed Wolf Hunter]

"nnn...nnn...nnn..."

It cried as it collapsed on the ground. I approached it and noticed that it had a massive gash under its belly. Blood was spurting out, and it was bleeding a lot.

"Shit, where're my bandages."

Then I sensed a dark presence, a presence that felt if as something was stalking me.

I turned my head left, then right. I couldn't see a single figure in the forest. Could it just be me?

Jingle!

I looked up and a glowing orb-like thing was floating above my head.

As soon as I saw that, I immediately recognized it and backed away from the wolf.

Crash!

An enormous bear jumped out of the bushes and landed on the wolf, it then began tearing the wolf into pieces with its jaw and it spilled blood everywhere. As it finished devouring the wolf, it slowly turned its attention towards me.

Now that the real thing was in front of me, it was exactly as I pictured it. It was all covered in black fur and its eyes were glowing red. The rod on its back was also black, and the glowing end glowed like a light bulb.

I made a fireball and threw it into the air. Then it exploded like fireworks. That should get Genesis' attention.

"Heh, can't run away from me now."

[Level ? Stalking Bear]

Well, that's unexpected. And here I thought it was going to be a prestige lower than me. I guess I'll need to stall some time until Genesis gets here.

"Growl~"

The bear guttered out as it cautiously circled me. I pulled out my sword and looked for any visible vital spots. Back in my past life, hunters shoot a few inches away from the bear's shoulder since that's where its lungs and heart are located. If I can just thrust the sword through it, then it'll be simple work.

The bear lunged itself at me. I twisted my body, evading it.

I made a fireball and threw it at the bear. The bear opened its mouth and shot out a ball of dark energy.

"Dark magic. Just what I need next."

I charged towards it with my sword overhead. The bear waited till I was near it, and then it zipped away.

?

Then as I look to my left, it swiped me with its claws, cutting my leg and arm. It also left a small cut on my cheek.

I stumbled onto the ground and looked around for my sword. I picked it up and faced the large bear.

I couldn't see it, but it was fast. Fast enough that I couldn't even see it move.

Since I don't know what will come next, I'll just use that.

Precognition.

A vision appeared, and 3 seconds in, the bear was still looking at me. Then when it hit the 7-second mark it vanished, and it had appeared behind me. After that, it attacked me and that was the end of the vision.

So when 7 seconds pass, it'll appear behind me.

4 seconds passed, I quickly thought up of a quick plan. At the 6 second mark, I'll activate my Divine Chain-mail. Well, it's called Blazing Divine Chain-mail now, I'll call it Divine Chain-mail for short. Now when my Divine Chain-mail activates, I'll probably be on equal footing, though I'll be lacking in the speed department.

Then the bear vanished.

NOW!

Flash!

My Divine Chain-mail activated and right as soon as the bear appeared behind me, the thrusters on the back blasted out a storm of flames.

BOOSH!

The bear roared in agony as it was in contact with the flames, and it jumped back. I turned towards it and cracked my knuckles.

Looks like that did some damage. The fire on my armor acts as a self-defense mechanism, so if someone tried to jump me from behind while I'm in my armor, they'll be tasting flames.

[ATK RAISED⬆]

[DEF RAISED⬆]

[RES GREATLY RAISED⬆]

[AGL REDUCED⬇]

"Nice try, but you won't be able to beat me."

The bear snarled at me as if it just understood what I said. I steadied my sword and made a fireball. The bear bared its white teeth and charged at me. Right as soon as it was a meter in front of me, I step to the side and trusted my sword into the side of its chest. Or so I thought.

Are you joking me?

Right before I was going to stab it, the rod on the back of the bear had intercepted me.

This thing, it can control its rod like another arm.

As the bear was on its feet again, it tackled me onto the ground. It opened its wide jaw and tried to bite me. I grabbed its upper and lower jaw and tried to push it back, but it wasn't budging.

Bbbmm~

???

It was charging up a dark energy blast while I was on the ground. Shit, it's going to blast me with dark energy. Even if my resistance was greatly raised, the damage coming from this blast will be critical from this range.

However, a few seconds later my armor had disappeared.

Huh? That's not good. I think I'm starting to panic.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!"

"Lucian!"

!

The bear stopped and looked around. I punched its jaw and got onto my feet. As I looked down the road, I saw Genesis running towards me.

She finally came. That took a while.

Now that she was here, we can take this bear down together.

Zip!

?

A shadowy figure flew past me, I looked behind me and the bear was gone from its spot. No, that means that it's going after Genesis.

I turned my attention back to Genesis, and there was a giant figure in the sky. The bear was above her and it was going to try to crush her. She noticed, and she dashed away just in time.

Genesis threw her sword straight at the bear, aimed at its face. The bear swiped its claws and deflected the sword.

"Just how intelligent is this thing?"

Genesis asked as she brought out her daggers.

I don't even know the question to that. This thing can dodge in midair, and sometimes I can't even see him because it's always in the shadows.

Wait a minute...

Always in the shadows. A stalker never tries to come out into the light, they always stay in the shadows.

I smiled. I figured it out; I know why this creature is so fast and how it can dodge in midair.

The trees in the Okapi forest always cover the sun, so it's almost always dark. This creature's movements must have something to do with dark magic, as its reactions are unlike that of a normal bear.

Maybe, just maybe, if it was exposed to light, it'll be vulnerable and we'll be able to hurt it. The trees in this are short. If we just knock a few trees down for the sunlight, we just might win.

Now, that depends if we could do it in time.

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