My Last Hunt

Treasures And Snatchers: Level Three (part 16)

The situation was bad. The monster was using its scales for defence as well as sensors to avoid any mistake in targeting. It further even showered them with sharp scales, dropping an AOE attack on the team. They could only hurriedly fall on the ground to save themselves. 

Qiao was hit on the shoulder in this skirmish. As he tried to pull out the scale, he was thinking how he should let his team hunt this monster without bearing much damage. The monster was not small in size and to their disadvantage it was fast in its reaction. When it sensed that one of the chasers was hit, it immediately moved around to sense the presence of others and initiate another round of attacks. 

The scales seemed toxic, as Qiao could feel his shoulder burning with the toxins but he can't scream out his pain right now. It would alert the monster. He gestured at both Linwin and Quipu to avoid the scales in every situation. He himself stood up to observe the cave and his surrounding to plan how they were going to handle this situation. 

Qiao decided to guide them clearly and briefly, it would help them even if he fell unconscious, both were experienced now and can easily follow his guidance in any situation. 

Then he gestured at Linwin to crawl towards the monster and distract it with the long sword. As long as he could distract the monster, Quipu will be able to use the chains to make it fall on ground by strangling it's legs. It took some time before they understood his gestures. 

Linwin and Quipu got ready to act upon his orders with his next gesture, their team if survived till level five would be considered most astounding team in the history of Middletown hunting. 

Qiao looked at the damp cave and thought for a while then he observed the monster critically. How he should use this cave in his advantage? The skin of the monster was not thick or strong. He also observed the scales but his eyes were blurring now. The time he took in giving orders his both teammates was enough for toxin to work on him. 

Qiao forcefully opened his eyes and looked toward Linwin who was going to follow his orders, his image was also getting blurry now. At that moment he was sure that the three-inch-long scales were meant to temporarily fend off the chasers. Almost all monsters learn with the time and develop a defence mechanism according to their body capabilities. 

This monster might not have capability to produce poison like other dangerous monsters. If it had been poisonous then Qiao might have been dead by now. Quipu was also following the orders and slowly moving to find a better place for wielding his chain. His target were the four legs of the monster and the damp ground will be used as advantage for pinning it down but it was considerably challenging. 

Qiao has to think a way to help them before passing out, as who knows when he will wake up after the toxin lost its effects. He crawled toward the dampest part of the cave and dug out the mud while taking support of the cave wall. He had his tattered clothes with him which he did not throw away after changing to the new ones. He accumulated enough amount which could layer up on one side of the monster after it would be brought down by Quipu. 

Linwin and Quipu were almost there, they looked at each other and then toward Qiao, they could not understand what was happening to the team leader but they were supposed to follow his orders no matter what so Linwin used his sword from another part of the cave and neared the monster. 

He was closer but fast enough to fell backwards before the monster could again shower him with the scales. Quipu found this chance and wielded his chain and strangled the legs of the monster. At that moment, Qiao ran toward the monster with staggering steps and layered the mud on the specific upper abdomen part where the scales were ready to shower again but as soon as he layered it with the mud full clothe, the skin shrink back. Qiao shouted immediately, "Attack." 

Both Linwin and Quipu hurriedly started attacking the monster at whatever part they thought vital and made sure to react fast before the monster could again struggle to save itself. They recklessly attacked many times within few moments. When Qiao was done with his task, he fell unconscious on the ground. The monster was still alive so Quipu decided to keep it pinned down on the ground with the chain and asked Linwin to drag away team leader to a safe distance from the monster. 

Linwin hurried and supported Qiao away to a safe distance, he was worried to think what happened to brother Qiao. But the time was short, so he decided to kill the monster first. After he had checked the pulse and heaved a sigh of relief that brother Qiao was alive, he then went to help Quipu.

The monster was unable to stand up but it could let the scales stop these chasers attacking it. That would be best time to run away and hide and heal somewhere in the forest. Linwin managed to barely escape the attack of scales while he was ready to stab the sword. 

Quipu used the small knives hanging on his chain to deeply cut the skin of the monster and then the monster fell on the ground lifeless. After the monster got killed, the skin part on it, which was showering around scales before let out many dark pearls. Seeing this scene, Linwin and Quipu were agape to see so many spoils with just one hunt. 

This hunt proved fruitful, Quipu was only expecting one or two stones as usual, Linwin was not even thinking about spoils, he was worried for Qiao and his condition.

Both were thinking differently.