The two figures collided mid-air in an instant.
The explosive force brought by Minori's rapid dive from the sky—empowered by the passive effects of Aura of Courage and Extra Weapon Expertise—amplified his physical blow to nearly three times its usual might.
BOOM!
A thunderous crash erupted across the Tob Forest. The surrounding bizarre trees groaned as their lush foliage was stripped and scattered like confetti under the shockwave. A wide clearing was forcibly carved open—balded by sheer force.
"Guwaahh!"
The Wise King of the Forest—Hamsuke—shrieked as Minori's magic-infused strike forced his sharp forelimbs to recoil, slamming into his own barrel-like chest.
Bang, bang, bang—!
Hamsuke's enormous, rotund body was flung through the air like a hairy cannonball, shattering dozens of thick tree trunks before tumbling to a stop.
"I'm furious! Just when did you get so strong?!"
The giant hamster-like creature howled in indignation, rising from the debris, woodchips falling from his ragged fur. His beady eyes gleamed with hostile light as he locked on to Minori.
"That kind of hit didn't even injure him?" Minori narrowed his eyes. The Wise King's defenses were even sturdier than he remembered. No wonder even a Tier 7-created sword from Ainz couldn't easily hurt this guy.
"That strike earlier… You used some kind of skill, didn't you? Still—I'm impressed. You've earned the honor of being hunted by me!"
With a snarl, Hamsuke dropped low, body tensing.
Suddenly—
A black blur launched from behind Hamsuke at terrifying speed, closing the distance in a blink.
BANG!!
Minori blocked with his magic sword just in time. The scaly black-gray tail slammed into his blade with heavy force, jarring his arm.
Minori twisted the blade and flicked the tail away, lunging forward to close in again.
But—
Whoosh!
Minori's instincts flared. He abruptly halted his charge and leapt backward.
The tail had bent midair—like a whip—and came snapping sideways.
He parried again—Clang!—but the agile tail wrapped tightly around his weapon like a snake, yanking it downward.
Unbalanced, Minori stumbled forward—and slammed chest-first into the tensioned tail.
Boom—boom—!
The scales on the tail flared open like jagged steel petals.
"Instant Reflection!"
Blue light flared around Minori's body. With an abrupt twist, he corrected his posture and rooted his feet firmly.
Without hesitation, he gripped his blade and slammed it into the ground—hard.
Zzzrrkk!
His sword scraped along the tail's blade-like scales, hurling sparks in every direction.
Whoosh!
The tail recoiled in pain, releasing its hold.
Just then—
CRACK!!
A shadow blotted out the sun above.
"Tch—!" Minori glanced up.
The Wise King had leapt into the air—his massive body arcing high above. He descended rapidly, claws extended.
"Blindness!"
A flash of light pulsed from Hamsuke's body, forming a transient magic pattern.
Not good.
Minori's vision dimmed suddenly, blackness spreading like ink. It wasn't mind-affecting magic—so Undead Spirit wouldn't block it.
A glimmer sparked on his stat panel—"Divine Blessing".
Thanks to the passive, the negative status duration was halved. Instead of complete blindness, his sight was only severely blurred—like looking through frosted glass.
CRASH!!
Hamsuke's colossal form slammed down—just barely missing him.
"Holy Impact Shield!"
Minori growled, releasing a pulse of cursed energy.
BOOM!!
A violent shockwave erupted outward. Hamsuke shrieked in pain as he was hurled dozens of meters, tumbling like a boulder.
Minori soared into the air.
"Fly."
Hamsuke, battered and stunned, coughed up a trail of blood. His tough hide hadn't been pierced, but the internal trauma was real.
Thud!
He crashed back down, twigs snapping beneath him.
"Human! I'll rip you to shreds!" Hamsuke howled, his claws gouging the ground.
Minori hovered calmly in the sky, ignoring the angry roars as he waited for the blindness to wear off.
A few minutes passed.
His vision cleared.
Their eyes met again.
Minori's gaze—cold and sharp.
Hamsuke's—bloody and furious.
"Die!" Minori dived.
The air around him howled. His robes fluttered violently in the wind.
"Get off my turf!!"
Hamsuke rose, his claws shining black. At the same time, his serpentine tail lashed up in a whiplike arc.
Minori twisted mid-air, avoiding the tail by a hair's breadth.
They collided again in less than a heartbeat.
"You think I'd fall for the same move again?"
Hamsuke snarled as his claws slashed downward. His tail curled mid-air, forming a deadly pincer attack—exactly like before.
But this time—
Minori smirked.
"Do you know why I used the same method?"
His voice was low. "Dark Wave!"
SWISH!
Black cursed energy shot into Hamsuke's body.
His limbs froze.
"You fell for it."
"You thought defense alone could save you?"
Minori's magic sword vanished—replaced by a plain iron sword.
His expression turned ruthless.
"Four Lights Slash—Break!"
Four overlapping sword lights formed mid-air—then fused into a single point—aiming straight for Hamsuke's vulnerable eye.
In the anime, Brian used Field to refine his attack.
Minori? He used brute power and cursed disruption.
The sword beam struck.
SHHRRK—!!
Hamsuke instinctively closed his eyes, but it was useless.
The blade sliced through his eyelid and pierced deep into the eyeball beneath.
"AAAAAARGHH!!"
A gut-wrenching howl rang out through the forest as blood and eye-fluid sprayed.
Just as Minori raised his sword again to finish the job
The curse wore off.
Hamsuke's body twisted
And fled into the forest.