CHAPTER 43: LIKE FIGHTING A RANKER

"Listen up," Ace calmly said, but his voice carried to everyone. "This monster’s name is Spikeback Boar. It can burst its quills to hit everyone around it, and its tusks are even more dangerous up close. It’s tough and soaks a lot of damage. Less if you hit its weak spot."

Ace loosed an arrow as he mentioned the weakness. It tore through the air and lodged in the boar’s rear leg.

The monster screamed, then let out an ear‑piercing roar. The shot cut the tendon and sank deep.

Blood poured from the protruding shaft, stirring Cherry atop Ace’s head. It bobbed up and down, devil wings flapping fast.

Cherry stopped overreacting when the Spikeback Boar turned on Ace and charged. It was a scary sight, and it worried it.

Alex straightened and rushed in to take the hit with his shield.

He planted himself in front of Ace and barked, "You saw it, right? It’s the rear legs! Strike them!"

Other rankers, except Chaewon and the women, raised their bows and drew them taut. Their arrows flew at the monster from different angles, but none hit.

Hitting a moving target wasn’t like shooting a still one, even with the archery passive skill and its nodes. Following Ace’s advice, Alex used his provoking skill and forced the monster to slam the center of his shield. It put less strain on him and let him keep his guard up.

Ace slipped past him, head low. At the boar’s rear leg, he yanked his arrow out and kept it.

It’s usable. Good. My luck with arrow drops is terrible.

The wound gaped wider and bled harder. Cherry leaped from Ace’s head and landed on the wound. It stuck there and wobbled, letting out adorable screams.

A few seconds later, the wound opened so wide that blood blasted out like a fire hose. Screaming, Cherry flew off the boar and hit the tree’s bark, splashing against it before thudding to the ground.

Cherry has the same traits as the Drowned and me! It just sucked out the blood and other fluids and completely disabled the monster. What speed!

One look at the withered leg and dried skin told Ace what Cherry had done. The speed and force stunned him for a few seconds.

Then he turned, ran to his slime, picked it up, and set it on his head before moving behind Alex.

"Since you crippled it, others will have a much easier time finishing it. I wanted it mobile so they could learn. We need to hunt more, so fine. Next time, don’t jump like that. We’ve got mouths to feed."

Yesh... shorry

"Don’t apologize. It’s good to learn more about you. You’re cool, Cherry."

Hehe!

Reinvigorated, Cherry bobbed on Ace’s head and flapped its wings.

Meanwhile, the others finally landed shots and brought the monster down. The win didn’t feel great, since Cherry had immobilized it, and before that their arrows had missed by a wide margin. Still, a win was a win, and they swore to improve. In the end, the goal was to hunt without Ace’s help.

"Rear legs—one weakness. After a hit, it stalls. That’s your window. If you’re alone, without a tank, the easiest way is to bait it into a tree. Best if it lodges in the bark."

"Understood, Mr. Ace!" everyone chorused.

Nodding, Ace walked to Chaewon’s side and glanced at the foreign ranker. No longer wounded, he had only torn clothes and a broken weapon at his side. Otherwise, he looked fine.

"What potion did you use on him?" Ace asked.

"Small potion," Chaewon replied, sighing.

I wouldn’t use the treasure you gave me... I promised to show you my peak, after all...

Ace smiled at her. "’Kay. Well, he’s just one of many rankers. He probably came here alone or with a team to hunt. That means this spot is already known in the Heaven Village. Am I right?"

"Y-Yes..." the man said, eyes down, glued to the forest floor.

"You alone?" Ace asked.

"He’s now..." Chaewon cut in. "He lost his friends."

Which means I have to be more considerate.

"Sorry for your loss," Ace said.

Ace let the man be. He wasn’t here to nanny others, and he didn’t want Chaewon doing it either.

Men here often got the wrong idea when women confronted them, which could push them into rash choices later.

Chaewon had already done more than enough.

Ace took her hand, urged her up, and led her away.

"Ace..." Chaewon whispered.

"Did you hear what I said about the Spikeback Boar?" Ace asked.

"Yes, I did. Their weak spots are their rear legs. They’re also vulnerable after each rush," Chaewon said.

"Well done. Now leave that man be and let him sit with his thoughts. Not only because he may get weird ideas about you, but because he needs to face his new reality. Right?"

"You’re right. Sorry. Keep hunting?"

"Yeah. We need a lot of food for everyone," Ace said.

As the hunt continued, another species in this part of the forest appeared before them: a Two‑Headed Wolf, slightly smaller than a large boar but still big.

Ace smiled. "Alex, save your taunt for phase two."

"...Got it."

"I thought you wouldn’t like it."

"I like it now. Pullin’ tricks is fun, too."

"Oh, is it? Well, that species is known to pull a lot of tricks."

Alex’s face twisted.

He remembered how he flew and hit the ground hard, his back aching. He didn’t want a repeat, so he asked Ace for details right away.

Ace shared the details. "It’ll bait you first. It’s a set bait, so your taunt won’t work. Think of it as a skill that counters your provoking skill. Like fighting a ranker."

"Like fightin’ a ranker," Alex whispered.

He knew rankers would be enemies sooner or later. If it helped him prepare for them, he’d gladly face more Two‑Headed Wolves. Fired up, he tightened his grip on his shield.

"Bait me? I’ll bait this bastard."

Damn, he’s fired up.