**Chapter 8: The Hunt for the Four-Armed Bear**

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Grey and Glimmer crouched in the underbrush, their eyes locked on the monstrous bear devouring everything in its path. The bear's sheer size and power made it an incredibly dangerous foe, but Grey knew that if he could bring it down, the reward would be immense. However, they needed a plan—one that could exploit any weaknesses the bear might have.

"First, we need to distract it," Grey whispered, his mind racing with possibilities. He carefully retrieved an arrow he had crafted earlier, one tipped with venom from the black snake they had killed. The venom was potent, capable of paralyzing even a strong creature if it entered the bloodstream.

Grey coated the arrowhead in the venom and notched it in his makeshift bow. "Aim for the eyes," he told himself, taking a deep breath to steady his hand. The bear was distracted, its head lowered as it tore into the remains of a monster. Grey knew this might be his only shot.

He released the arrow, watching as it flew toward the bear's face. But the bear, with its heightened senses, noticed the incoming threat. With a casual swipe of its massive arm, it deflected the arrow effortlessly, sending it spinning off into the trees. The arrow hadn't even left a scratch.

"Dammit," Grey cursed under his breath. Realizing that a direct attack was futile, he quickly shifted to his backup plan. He scrambled up a nearby tree, hoping to lure the bear away from its feast. Below, the bear growled in irritation, its attention now fully on Grey.

The bear charged after him, its powerful legs crushing the ground beneath it. Grey's heart raced as he leaped from branch to branch, barely staying ahead of the beast. The tree trunks splintered under the bear's weight as it tried to reach him.

But Grey wasn't just running—he was leading the bear toward a trap. Earlier, he had asked Glimmer to set up a simple pitfall with sharpened stakes at the bottom. If he could just get the bear to fall into it, they might have a chance.

As he neared the trap, Grey made a daring move. He swung down from a low branch and landed hard on the ground, just in front of the pitfall. The bear, enraged and focused solely on him, didn't notice the trap and barreled forward.

The ground gave way beneath the bear's weight, and it fell into the pit with a tremendous crash. But as Grey looked down, he realized the stakes hadn't done as much damage as he'd hoped. The bear roared in fury, its thick hide protecting it from the worst of the stakes' impact.

Then, something unexpected happened. The venom from the black snake's arrow, which had barely scratched the bear, began to take effect. The bear's movements slowed, its eyes becoming glassy. But instead of weakening, the venom seemed to push the bear into a berserk rage.

With a deafening roar, the bear leaped out of the pit, its four arms flailing wildly. Before Grey could react, one of the bear's massive claws slammed into him, sending him crashing into a nearby tree. Pain shot through his body as he struggled to breathe. The bear was on him in an instant, its claws raised for a killing blow.

But just as the bear's claw descended, Glimmer hurled itself between Grey and the bear, absorbing the brunt of the attack. The slime's body jiggled and deformed under the pressure, but its natural resistance to physical attacks allowed it to survive. Grey watched in awe as Glimmer protected him, its small form shimmering with determination.

In that critical moment, Grey saw his opening. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he reached for the dagger he had made from the lone wolf's fang. With a surge of desperation, he lunged forward, driving the dagger deep into the bear's eye.

The bear roared in agony, its massive body thrashing wildly as it tried to dislodge the blade. Grey held on for dear life, twisting the dagger deeper, aiming to reach the brain. After what felt like an eternity, the bear's movements began to slow, its strength finally giving out.

With one last shuddering breath, the bear collapsed to the ground, its massive form finally still. Grey, exhausted and battered, fell to his knees beside the fallen beast, his chest heaving with each breath. Glimmer wobbled over to him, its surface shimmering faintly as if in concern.

"We did it," Grey whispered, hardly believing they had survived. The victory had come at a great cost, but the experience they gained from this battle would be more than worth it.

But there was no time to rest. The elf, still injured and lying nearby, needed immediate attention. Grey forced himself to stand, knowing that their journey was far from over.

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