Chapter 23: Hunting competition (5)

The black-colored monster was unusual in its momentum. A stream of corrupted black mana looked as if it was burning that monster's own life.

The surrounding ground started shaking, and that monster’s body began to regenerate itself. 

Now it glared at me with even more murderous intent. Then, without making even a small sound, it ran toward me to attack.

It was difficult to keep up with its increased speed. In the blink of an eye, I saw it in front of me with its mouth wide open, aiming for my neck.

I instinctively moved my body to the side and barely managed to dodge it.

Certainly, that monster went berserk and incomparably stronger than before. Possibly strengthened by burning its own life, it attacked me with black mana surrounding it.

Even in a rather dangerous situation, I looked at it more calmly. I trusted my eyes, I trusted the experience I had from my previous life, and I remembered the reason I was fighting for.

"Yes."

'I’m sure I’ve fought enemies that can’t compare to this one. They were far more powerful and terrifying than this, so I can defeat it.'

Reflecting on my previous life reminds me of the heterogeneous monsters I have fought and won against. Some were bigger than modern tall buildings, and some were as small as humans, but the power inherent in them was beyond imagination.

They caused an earthquake with one step and a tsunami with one gesture.

Didn’t I risk my life against such beings?

Now how can I be afraid of monsters like that? I’ve been through too many things and dangerous monsters.

Sure, I’m not as strong as I was in my previous life. The difference was like the sky and earth. However, I still knew the experience of fighting them and how to use the human body to its limit. So I'm not going to give up this easily.

'I can't embarrass my past self by giving up here, Right!'

With a little smile on my face, I opened my eyes and prepared myself to face that monster with everything I have.

And like before, it made itself go a little faster, seeing how I was aiming at it. And because of that, I struggled not to miss its movements.

Fortunately, I was able to capture the figure of that monster. It was a blurry afterimage, but that was enough.

The eyes that saw through the essence gave me a lot of information even at that moment.

Of course, it was not just that it was faster, I felt as if all of its physical abilities also had been strengthened.

I won’t be able to hit it with a moderate punch like before.

If that’s the case, I’ll have to focus more on that.

I stepped out, raised my mana, and focused on one point of my fist. Before long, I twisted my feet and waist, and put all my strength into my fists. I stretched out my fist and hit the point where the afterimage of the monster reached.

-Bangggg!

It was not the sound of a normal punch or collision, what came out was a roar that shook the entire ground. And that monster's body instantly froze and our eyes met.

The frenzied murderous intent in its eyes was still intact, but its body was not. The dark and turbid mana coming out of its body faded, and the hair gradually began to return to its original color.

The ferocious spirit exploded at me spasmodically, but it was just a last resort before losing its life. I raised my fist again… … And hit on the head again.

-Bangg!

In the ensuing blow, that monster's head exploded.

* * *

[Adilun's POV]

Physis didn’t show a bit of agitation even though that monster went berserk. He just watched the monster quietly glaring at him.

Normally, when a monster burns all its life and goes berserk, it was normal for even skilled knights to be agitated, even for a moment.

Not to mention, that monster is quite high in my opinion. Even I was pushed back.

While facing such a monster, I couldn’t see the slightest bit of fear in its eyes.

Even the fight he showed me just now was surprising, but looking at him standing like that while receiving such a frenzied murder intent and attacks, I wondered if he was the Physis I knew.

It didn’t take long to watch the suffocating confrontation. The moment the monster moved, my eyes couldn’t even see it properly.

At that moment, the monster was in front of Physis. With its mouth open, its black teeth thrust in, looking as if it would bite Physis’ neck at any moment.

I tried to shout that it was dangerous, but before that, I heard a strong noise hitting the space in my ears.

It was just one punch. However, it was a powerful blow that was fundamentally different from when he faced monsters earlier. If it wasn’t for that, there’s no way that gigantic body that looked solid at first glance would lose its balance and sway at once.

And the moment the monster lost its balance, he punched again…

Bangg!

At that moment, the monster’s head exploded.

"What the hell!!".

Is that Physis I knew, who was so weak just three months ago? As if it was nothing, he shook his hand once and came towards me.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. What about you?”

“As you can see. My fists are a little sore, but that’s okay.”

There were many things I wanted to ask, but now it was not the time to talk about them. 

Promising myself to ask this question later, I nodded.

“Fortunately, I was able to arrive at the right time. Even if it was a little late, something big would have happened.”

“Thanks. It was really a dangerous situation…”

The surroundings overflowed with cheers and court ladies and princesses started expressing their gratitude to Physis.

However, Physis was not flattered by such gratitude but just hovered around me. 

'Is he trying to make sure I don’t have any injuries?'

It’s a strange thing. Compared to him three months ago, isn’t he a very different person?

“Princess Rodenov.”

While I was immersed in such thoughts, I suddenly heard a voice calling my name. When I turned around, Princess Aristata was standing there.

“What is it?”

At my question, she immediately bowed to me.

“Sorry. And thank you. Thanks to you I'm alive....”

She looked at me with a straighter attitude and continued her words after a little pause.

“I was stupid. I am terribly sorry for putting everyone at risk.”

She told all of her mistakes and bowed her head saying she was sorry for them. The princesses around her who praised Physis for being great were at a loss for words.

“It worked out, so it’s okay.”

“Still...”

When I said it insignificantly, she tried to follow up, wondering if she had anything more to say.

“It’s okay.”

After I told her it was okay, I added a word.

“But keep in mind one thing. Having compassion is not a bad thing in itself. But if something happens because of that sympathy, the princess has to take responsibility for that sympathy.”

“…Yes. Thank you so much again. Princess Rodenov.”

And after all of that, Physis said to me.

“Adilun. Come to think of it, where is the baby monster? I guess we will have to deal with it.”

“Ah. If it’s a baby monster, I’m sure…”

I immediately recalled the place where I put the baby monster. 

Not far away, a baby monster was dying out and It was now impossible to recover him.

We have to kill it anyway, so it doesn’t matter.

“Oh, It's here.”

The moment Physis said that and was about to approach the baby monster, Princess Aristata suddenly spoke to Physis.

“If you don’t mind, can you leave it to me?”

I didn’t understand.

Why would she, who just a while ago tried to save the baby monster, now come and kill it?

“Princess Gloschna?”

When I questioned her, she returned what I had just told her.

“This happened because of me, so I felt like I had to take responsibility… …Will it be okay?”

“…”

I nodded without speaking.

“Thank you.”

After saying that, she approached the baby monster. Its breathing was barely audible now. 

What could be the reason for doing it that way? It's going to die anyway now.

She drew a dagger from her bosom. It seemed to be a self-defense dagger carried for an unknown purpose.

Before long, she plunged the dagger into the young monster’s neck.

It was a dagger stabbed with clumsiness, but the dagger, as if it was a sword of good quality, quickly lodged itself in the young monster’s neck.

“… …sorry.”

When the monster died, she pulled the dagger from the monster’s neck and wiped it with her handkerchief. Her hands were shaking with a trembling that she couldn’t hide.

I don’t know what kind of determination she had to end the life of that monster herself.

But there was one thing I realized for sure.

I could understand why Princess Lobelia had high regard for Princess Aristata. She was essentially a different person from the one who gloated simply because she was born into a high position.

A person who was somewhat immature, but eventually acknowledges and accepts her immature appearance.

A person who faces her mistakes squarely knows how to apologize for them, and knows how to take responsibility.

She was essentially a different person from humans who shied away from responsibility.

* * *

Princess Lobelia arrived after the situation was settled. As soon as she arrived, she asked who killed the monster, and was surprised when she knew that it was Physis.

She thanked Physis for protecting the princesses, and Physis just nodded expressionlessly. It was a bit of a reprimand.

Princess Lobelia must have realized this as well, so she took care of the monster situation herself, apologized directly to all the nobles present, and said that she would no longer accept the opinion of releasing dangerous monsters during hunting competitions.

From what I heard, it was a kind of custom to release monsters during the National Foundation Day hunting competition.

Everyone was relieved because a situation like now hadn’t happened in the past, but now that this problem has erupted, they probably won’t be able to see monsters in the hunting grounds from now on.

All of that was over, and the winner of the hunting competition was finally decided.

“… …So, the one who earned the highest score while subduing the dangerous monsters. Physis Ortaire. You are the winner of the National Foundation Day Hunting Competition.”

What was contained in His Majesty’s low voice was… Physis.

Physis subdued even monsters with amazing skills and showed his saddle to the nobles as if to prove that he did not only subjugate monsters.

The nobles who saw the corpses of numerous, yet rare, animals in the saddle had no objection that he was the winner.

It was the same for me too. Because I never expected him to win.

A lot of questions popped up in my head, but I knew one thing.

Physis has changed.

I couldn’t help admitting that fact as I watched him kneeling down on one knee and smiling as he returned the handkerchief I had handed to him.

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