Chapter 20: VS Red Lizard

Original: Chapter 20: VS Red Lizard

My heart was pounding.

It was an unpleasant tension. Even though it wasn’t cold, my body felt like it was steadily losing temperature.

The hand gripping the Hammer was cold. I couldn’t really tell if I was putting strength into it or not.

“Haaah…”

Was I even breathing? I couldn’t tell that either. Strangely, the only thing I could hear clearly was the sound of my own heart.

Thump, thump. That Red Lizard, with its back turned to me as it tried to eat the Gunpowder Flower Bud, was unmistakably a strong Monster. I knew that clearly.

But, I didn’t think it was an opponent I couldn’t beat. After all, that Red Lizard was smaller than me, and I figured it weighed a lot less too. So if it came down to a serious grapple, I thought I could win.

I just didn’t think I could win unscathed. The Red Lizard’s mouth was large, and its claws were sharp. If we grappled, I thought I’d end up covered in wounds.

But, it’s okay—. Because I have a Potion. Even if I get covered in blood, if I drink a Potion, I’ll be completely healed, right?

The advantage is mine.

So, alright, here I go.

The Red Lizard was right in front of me now. It was reaching out its hand to eat the Gunpowder Flower Bud.

“No! That’s mine!”

“Guh?”

It hadn’t noticed me at all, huh. I thought maybe it was ignoring me because I looked too weak.

Against the Red Lizard, completely caught off guard and frozen in place, I launched a Pre-emptive Strike. I swung the Hammer back high and brought it down with all my might onto the top of the Red Lizard’s head.

“Ugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

It sounded like it wanted to say something like ‘That’s cowardly, coming from behind!’

The Attack landed solidly. I felt the sensation of crushing the Red Lizard’s head, and from the impact, the Red Lizard put its hands on the ground.

“I’m finishing this in one go now! I won’t let you eat the bud!”

I readied the Hammer again and slammed down a Full-power Strike.

But, it wasn’t that easy.

The Red Lizard dropped to all fours and sprinted across the ground at full speed. It was a movement that reminded me of the nimbleness of small Lizards.

In an instant, it put distance between us. I couldn’t finish it off.

“Is it running away…? No. It’s an Attack.”

Standing on both feet on the ground again, it started running towards me. Baring its claws and fangs, it lunged at my body.

It probably intended to grab me with its claws and then gouge my shoulder with its fangs. No, maybe not. Maybe it was trying to bite my neck off.

Whatever it was, it was terrifying. I felt the desperate force of the Red Lizard.

Listening to the thumping sound of my heart, I dodged sideways.

The Red Lizard plunged its mouth into the spot where I had been. But, perhaps because I wasn’t there, the Red Lizard lost its balance. It bit into empty air and tumbled to the ground with a surprised look on its face.

“I could definitely escape now—”

But, my body took completely opposite action.

Because from the depths of my body, a powerful command was issued: Now’s the time to take it down.

Maybe it was some wild instinct sleeping inside me. Now, now, take it down, take it down, take it down, it noisily issued commands, trying to move my body reflexively.

I decided to obey that instinctual command.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Gripping the Hammer firmly with both hands, I poured out a cry and unleashed an Attack with all my might. The Hammer emitted a low whirr sound as it landed solidly on the Red Lizard’s back.

It was a heavy blow, I think. The Hammer must have dealt solid Damage to the Red Lizard.

Did I do it…?

I pulled the Hammer back.

That was the moment. The Red Lizard dashed. It could still move that much? I was sure it must have taken terrible Damage to its internal organs and such.

The Monster’s Durability seemed beyond what I had imagined.

The Red Lizard jumped back, putting distance between us. It took a proper stance and glared at me.

I felt myself turning pale.

I should have slammed the Hammer down many more times. Taking down a living creature isn’t that easy. You have to overdo it, otherwise you won’t be able to deliver the finishing blow. I was too naive…

“Gugii!”

The Red Lizard let out a strange cry. What was that just now? It didn’t feel like a scream, though.

The Red Lizard’s legs were considerably weakened. Its standing posture no longer had any force behind it.

Click—. Click—.

“What’s that sound?”

A strange sound was coming from the Red Lizard.

Click—. Click—.

It was a sound I felt I’d heard before. What was it, this sound? Ah, right. It feels just like the sound of striking flint to make a fire.

Is the Red Lizard clacking its fangs together inside its mouth? It seems like it’s trying to do something with that.

The Red Lizard opened its mouth wide. And of course, what its mouth was aimed at was me—.

“Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“Eh—”

What is that? A Flame Beam? A Heat Ray? Some kind of Magic-like Attack was fired at me.

It was too fast; I couldn’t dodge it at all.