Chapter 38: Oh, You Beautiful Fat Bastard!

Zishan noticed the approaching creatures through his enhanced Perception and activated Appraisal on the larger beast.

[Species: Ironback Razorboar]

[Level: 53]

[Condition: Severely Injured]

[Taming Status: Subjugated]

[Current Tamer: Larper Forteza]

[Taming Connection: UNSTABLE]

His grin widened. ’OH, YOU BEAUTIFUL FAT BASTARD!’

He gathered another concentration of Mana and directed it toward the approaching Razorboar.

The creature was considerably more difficult to influence than the Ridgefang Hounds. Its existing connection was stronger, and despite its injuries, it possessed enough resistance to make Zishan’s first attempt almost completely ineffective.

Larper also noticed what he was attempting to do.

The Corporal strengthened his remaining connection with the Razorboar, causing the creature to accelerate toward Zishan with renewed aggression. Its enormous tusks lowered as it charged, and the armored plates running along its back scraped against one another with every heavy movement.

’FUCK! NOT SO FAST!’

Zishan retrieved another Mana Recovery Potion from his satchel, pulled out its stopper, and drank while retreating. The accumulated exhaustion from his repeated Mana expenditure made his stomach churn, but he forced himself to concentrate on the approaching beast rather than the discomfort.

His three hounds intercepted the other creatures attempting to attack him, buying him enough time to establish another connection with the Razorboar.

Larper attempted to reinforce his control again, diverting his attention away from the white-haired Soldier, who was already gathering Mana for another Skill.

Zishan grinned.

"WILDFIRE REQUIEM!"

Larper immediately retreated when several magical flames appeared among the approaching beasts. He attempted to redirect the Razorboar away from the affected area, but Zishan had deliberately targeted the weaker creatures surrounding it rather than attempting to place a Pyre Mark on its armored body.

Several explosions erupted across the damaged battlefield.

The resulting shockwaves struck the Razorboar from different directions, interrupting its charge and forcing it to lower its head as its existing injuries were aggravated by the repeated impacts.

Its Taming connection weakened.

Zishan seized the opportunity and directed Beast King’s Authority toward the injured Razorboar, reinforcing his competing connection before Larper could regain control.

[Existing Taming Connection Disrupted!]

[Beast Taming Successful!]

[Tamed Beast Acquired: Ironback Razorboar]

[Tamed Beasts: 4]

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The Razorboar abruptly changed direction.

Larper’s eyes widened when he realized that the enormous creature was no longer responding to his commands. He attempted to retreat, but Zishan immediately ordered the three Ridgefang Hounds to attack him from different directions, preventing the Corporal from concentrating entirely on the approaching Razorboar.

The beast lowered its enormous tusks and charged.

Larper managed to avoid the first attack, but the Razorboar’s armored shoulder struck a portion of the damaged defensive structure behind him, sending several large fragments crashing across the ground. He was forced to adjust his footing when one of the fragments struck the area beside his leg.

Zishan had been waiting for exactly that opportunity.

He gathered Mana around his legs and activated Rift Steps.

The distance between them disappeared almost instantly.

Larper noticed the unfamiliar movement a fraction of a second too late. He attempted to raise his curved blade, but Zishan had already appeared beside him, using the momentum of his movement to drive the pommel of his sword toward the Corporal’s face.

The impact forced Larper’s head sideways.

Before he could recover, Zishan stepped forward and struck him again, this time driving his knee into the bastard’s abdomen while one of the Ridgefang Hounds lunged toward his sword arm.

Larper attempted to shake off the creature, but the Ironback Razorboar had already begun another charge.

He was forced to abandon his attack and leap sideways to avoid being struck by the enormous beast, leaving himself exposed to Zishan’s next movement.

The young Soldier closed the distance.

He struck Larper’s sword arm with the flat of his blade, knocking the Corporal’s weapon downward, then drove his shoulder into the bastard’s chest.

Larper stumbled backward.

But Zishan gave him no chance to recover.

Another powerful strike followed, and the additional Strength he had acquired earlier was finally enough to knock the curved blade out of Larper’s hand.

The weapon struck the ground several meters away.

Larper attempted to gather Mana around his hands, but Zishan had already stepped closer and placed his sword against the Corporal’s throat.

"HAHAHAHA! GOT YOU, MOTHERFUCKER!"

Larper stared at him.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then, the magical collar around Larper’s neck emitted another faint glow.

Zishan noticed the Corporal’s expression change as the markings illuminated beneath his uniform. His body suddenly stiffened, and despite the sword resting against his throat, he attempted to gather another concentration of Mana around his hands.

’OH, YOU’VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!’

[Warning: Target’s compulsory binding remains active.]

[Defeat condition not yet fulfilled.]

Zishan immediately understood the problem.

The bastard wasn’t going to stop simply because he had lost his weapon.

He glanced at the collar again. He wanted to rip the damn thing off, but Appraisal’s warning stopped him. What if the bastards had rigged it to kill Larper the moment someone tried to remove it?

’FUCK! THIS IS WHY SLAVERY IS SUCH A SHITTY IDEA!’

Larper suddenly moved.

Zishan reacted immediately, bringing the pommel of his sword down against the side of the Corporal’s head before the bastard could complete whatever Skill he had been attempting to activate.

Larper collapsed.

[DING!]

[SUB-EMERGENCY QUEST UPDATED]

[The Western Stampede!]

[Additional Objective Completed: Defeat Larper Forteza!]

[SETTLEMENT PROCESSING...]

[SETTLEMENT CONFIRMED]

[Additional Objective Rewards: PERMANENT]

[Perfected Glimpse: REMOVED — Beast King’s Authority]

[Main Objective: ACTIVE]

Zishan released an enormous sigh of relief.

"FUCKING FINALLY!"

Zishan lowered his sword as he slumped to the ground with a loud thump. He was so exhausted that he felt like the entire world was against him.

He then examined the unconscious Corporal lying in front of him. The slave collar remained firmly secured around Larper’s neck, and although he was pleased to have finally defeated the bastard, he had absolutely no idea what to do about it. Appraisal had already warned him that interfering with the collar could trigger its punishment mechanism, so ripping the damn thing off was clearly out of the question.

He would have to figure that out later.

Behind him, the fighting was finally beginning to subside as the reinforcements helped the Sergeant and his soldiers eliminate the remaining Magic Beasts. Without Larper directing their movements, several of the surviving creatures had scattered, while others continued attacking whatever happened to be closest to them.

Zishan checked his newly unlocked Tamed Beasts section, curious to see whether the creatures he had stolen from Larper had actually been registered.

[TAMED BEASTS]

[Ridgefang Hound ×3]

[Ironback Razorboar ×1]

[Dragon Egg of Unknown Origin ×1]

[Status: Unhatched]

His eyes lit up when he reached the final entry.

’MY FUCKING DRAGON EGG!’

He was already imagining what kind of ridiculous creature might hatch from it when he remembered the information he had discovered through Larper’s slave collar.

’Oh, fuck...’

Zishan raised his head and examined the reinforcements helping the exhausted defenders secure the western barricade. The Sergeant was still directing his soldiers against the remaining beasts, apparently unaware that the position those reinforcements had departed from had already been overrun.

And here he was, celebrating his fucking Dragon Egg!

He ordered his newly tamed beasts to remain near the unconscious Corporal before hurrying toward the western barricade. There would be plenty of time to admire his rewards once he had informed the Sergeant about what had happened.

For now, somebody needed to tell those soldiers that the Kingdom of Degenerates had already succeeded in its real objective.