The higher-ranked boar monster stood before Kanoru, towering like a human. It lunged, throwing a powerful punch with its hoof. At the last moment, Kanoru narrowly dodged, feeling the hoof graze his cheek. As he crouched, he sensed another punch whistling above his head. He rolled away just in time to evade a vicious kick.
Kanoru quickly realized this boar was far stronger than the previous higher-rank one. Its speed, reaction, and strength were all beyond his capabilities. He barely dodged each attack by a hair's breadth.
But after dodging for some time, his luck ran out. The boar's hoof slammed into his stomach, sending him flying backward. Blood spurted from his mouth as he crashed toward the area where Asuna, Mika, and Gu Mingzhu were casting spells.
Seeing him fall in front of them, they knelt in worry, asking,
"Are you okay?"
Kanoru, however, couldn't respond. The boar was already charging toward him, and no higher-ranked ally was coming to help—they were all locked in their own battles.
Without hesitation, Kanoru opened the sixth gate. He shoved the hands of the three off him and stood up, his body surging with power. Without a word, he charged toward the boar.
The boar roared and threw another punch, but this time, Kanoru's eyes clearly saw its movement. Instead of dodging, he caught the boar's hoof with his palm. With his other hand, he drove his sword into the boar's stomach, infusing it with chakra and turning the blade into a flaming sword.
The boar bellowed in pain, flailing wildly. It unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, but Kanoru stepped back, pulling his sword free. He kept his distance, allowing the boar to thrash in agony, letting the pain drain its energy.
When the boar's wound finally healed, it calmed down, its eyes blazing with fury. With a furious snort, it charged at Kanoru again.
Kanoru, however, did not meet it head-on. At the last moment, he sidestepped, allowing the boar to rush past him. As it did, he left a deep cut along the boar's belly.
This time, the boar did not rampage. Its armor and wounds healed, and it swiftly turned around to attack again.
Kanoru knew he could kill the boar, but doing so would leave him severely injured. And in a war, being seriously wounded was as good as a death sentence.
Instead, he stuck to his plan: he would drain the boar's energy. Only once the boar was exhausted would he finish it off.
The boar monster roared and charged again, its hoof slamming into the ground with each step, creating small craters. Kanoru steeled himself, his eyes sharp and unwavering. This time, he didn't dodge immediately. Instead, he waited, watching the boar's movements with calm precision.
At the last moment, just as the boar's hoof swung down toward him, Kanoru side-stepped. His sword flashed, leaving a deep gash across the boar's shoulder. The monster let out a guttural snarl, twisting to attack again.
Kanoru kept moving, striking with calculated swiftness, landing shallow but precise cuts each time. The boar's rage intensified, its attacks becoming more reckless. It threw wild punches and kicks, forcing Kanoru to retreat, but his steps were light as the wind, flowing around the boar's assaults.
The boar, unable to land a clean hit, roared in frustration. Its heavy breathing became more labored, its movements slightly slower. Kanoru knew it was growing tired, but the monster was still dangerous.
When the boar swung again, Kanoru lowered his stance and ducked beneath its arm. With a burst of chakra, he delivered a powerful upward slash, slicing across the boar's chest. Black blood sprayed, and the monster staggered back, clutching the wound.
Kanoru didn't let up. His sword became a blur, slashing at the boar's legs, arms, and torso. With each cut, he weakened it further, making it harder for the monster to maintain its footing.
Finally, the boar stumbled, its knees slamming into the ground. It remained there, panting heavily, its massive frame trembling.
But Kanoru's eyes narrowed. He didn't trust the sight before him. The boar could be feigning weakness, waiting for him to approach before self-destructing, taking him to the afterlife with it.
Without hesitation, Kanoru mobilized his spirit, summoning the wind element around him. The air thickened and swirled violently. With a focused breath, he shaped the wind into arrows, dozens of them, hovering around the weakened boar.
His eyes remained locked on the monster, his expression cold and ruthless.
With a flick of his hand, the wind arrows fired, slicing into the boar from every direction. The first volley pierced through its armor, opening fresh wounds. Black blood splattered the ground.
But Kanoru didn't stop. He kept firing. The boar howled in agony, but he showed no mercy.
Again and again, the wind arrows struck, slicing through the monster's flesh. Chunks of its armor were stripped away, revealing raw, bloodied muscle beneath. The boar's regenerative power slowed, unable to keep up with the relentless onslaught.
Kanoru watched carefully, looking for any sign of deception. He only ceased his attack when he sensed the monster's heartbeat falter. The rhythmic thumping grew weaker and weaker until finally—it stopped.
The boar slumped forward, its massive body collapsing with a heavy thud. Blood pooled beneath it, and its once-furious eyes stared ahead, lifeless and dull.
Kanoru stood still, sweat trickling down his face, his breathing heavy but steady. His eyes swept over the battlefield, scanning for any threat, but none came toward him. With the sixth gate open, raw energy surged through his body, making his muscles pulse with power, but he knew his limit. He calculated quickly—his body could withstand the strain until the sun completely set, which meant he could fight at full power until the battle ended.
His gaze fell on Yun Ming, who staggered back, clutching his shoulder, blood gushing from the stump where his hand had been.
His second brother-in-law had managed to retreat, but only because his elder, the higher-ranked warlock, had protected him at the last moment.
However, she was now in perilous danger, already locked in a fierce fight against a higher-ranked goat monster. To make matters worse, two middle-ranked red-skinned dogs who had injured Yun Ming rushed in, aiming to overwhelm her.
Without hesitation, Kanoru charged. His feet barely touched the ground as he surged forward, his sword glowing faintly with chakra. The red-skinned dogs lunged at the warlock, their claws swiping toward her exposed side.
In a blur of motion, Kanoru appeared beside her. His sword flashed, slicing through one dog's neck before it could strike. The other turned, snarling, but Kanoru's blade moved faster, cleaving its chest open with a precise upward slash.
The warlock glanced at him, blood streaking her face, her breathing ragged. She gave him a brief nod of gratitude before refocusing on the goat monster, her hands flaring with magic.
Kanoru didn't stop. He turned sharply, his eyes locking onto the two higher-ranked monsters battling his comrades. The boar monster and a goat beast were pushing them back, their massive frames overpowering the warriors.
Without a word, Kanoru sprang forward. His sword clashed with the goat beast's claws, sparks flying from the impact. With his sixth gate power, his strength matched the monster's, and with a sudden surge of chakra, he forced it back.
The other higher-ranked warlocks, seeing him arrive, pushed harder, their attacks becoming more ferocious. In a matter of moments, Kanoru and the two warriors struck down the two monsters with precise, relentless strikes, leaving their massive bodies crumpled on the blood-soaked ground.
But Kanoru wasn't done. His eyes narrowed as he saw the lower and middle-ranked monsters still pressing into their group, threatening to break their formation.
Without waiting, he and the three higher-ranked warlocks regrouped, their combined auras flaring with power. They moved as one, cutting through the weaker monsters with ruthless efficiency. Their attacks were swift and coordinated, each strike covering the other's blind spots.
As they carved through the horde, the once-scattered warlocks of their group regained their footing, fighting with renewed vigor. With the higher-ranked warriors leading, they pressed forward, pushing back the invading monsters as the sun sank toward the horizon.