The Stone of Days Chapter 15

Grrr…. GAAAAAAAAA~!

As if wanting to give a reply to that roar, the sword 's flame – Pabak! – surged out. I had no clue how to control and use this sword at all. Mirbo who was leaning on a boulder covered in mud was staring at me.

"Lower your body!"

Despite being in such a state, his voice was quite composed and acute. Nevertheless, due to the injuries, the strength of his voice was fainter than before. It looks as if his stomach was slashed by the monster's claws.
Thinking about it, what a.s.sistance would it bring for me to lower my stance? As if the flames were dancing, they surged around the sword.
But for now, let's heed to the advice of my senior.

Spreading my legs and lowering my stance, I held the double-handed sword out front. Since I'm right-handed, the right hand was in front. However, for two-handed swords, it was proper to leave an interval of a fist on the hilt, as per written on the swordsmans.h.i.+p manual.
Despite grabbing the sword like that, swinging it upwards and around, the weight was not light at all. While needlessly trying to display an intimidating stance by swinging the sword, I ended up just grazing the ground.

p.i.s.shhhiiiiik…
This…It's the sound of snow melting.
Considering how it wasn't relatively hot holding the sword, I was shocked to see steam rising up from the snow as it melted.
If that's so? Then, try and have a taste of my sword!

Rus.h.i.+ng towards the monster, I dragged the sword along the ground so I could perform an uppercut slicing maneuver. The body of this blade was mercilessly long, measuring at about 3 cubits. To be able to carry this weight and move, there was no mistake that this was all attributable to my iron s...o...b..ard which I carried, rode, and ran with.
How is it, furred monster? How do you like my magnificent stance?

"It's right leg will come first!"

Mirbo's voice. How does he know this so well? Can I trust him? Whether I do or not I should trust him for now, I couldn't afford the time to scrutinize about this at all.
The monster that was running towards me didn't consider the state of his right leg and struck downwards askew towards my side.
My opponent is at least five to ten times stronger!
I wonder what type of animal that it is? Wolf? Lion? Monkey? Bear? Anyways, it'd all be the same either way. What I need right now is!
The one that's closing in on me is the front paw.
If that's the case…

At once, I retreated one step back with a jump.
And then seeing the paw piercing towards the ground in front of me, I countered  with all my strength. Due to the length of the blade, with a Puhk, I feel like I've penetrated  in about three fingers deep.
A bear's paw is soft and delicious (isn't that what someone had once said)! (TL: No thank you~)

Kweeeeeeeeeeeek!

Like a stream, the blood sprayed into the snow as the monster's scream was quite different from before. It's blood had splashed onto my face. Strange, why is a living beast's blood so cold.

"Retreat! Fall back!"

I was on the verge of doing so anyways.
Quickly I withdrew backwards. I hope that the blood did not spill onto my hair. After retreating, I finally understood why Mirbo had said that the right leg would advance first.
Mirbo's axe had pierced the monster's left shoulder. The blood there was already bleeding profusely as the white leather fur was soaked in blood.

Kuruk, KEUA~ KAAAAAK! Kurrr…

The monster, with it's injured arm, swung at me. At this point, I could move quickly without having to ask Mirbo. Gripping the sword tightly, the monster's arm clawed past me to the right, overextending more to the right. Evading backwards and pouring my strength onto both my shoulders (In order to do this, I had to clench my teeth in pain with endurance), I slashed the sword horizontally. Thanks to that, the monster spun half a circle. Then, in that last motion, I s.h.i.+fted my weight and turned my waist halfway.

KUUUUUK!

The arm that was clawing towards me for the third time – I faced it head on as I executed a full slash from my right to the left. Tufts of white fur flew into the air.
Thuk, Grrr—
It felt like I hit bone, as if I had slashed through the texture.
Ah…this time, I had left a cut far too deep.
The monster's arm was weakly dangling from the side. It's blood gushed out in front of my feet like a waterfall.

The reason why I was able to perform this action was because the monster had only attacked with his right arm as well as the length of this blade had given me leeway.
Inflicting it with three severe injuries, the monster didn't move. Strange. The larger the monster, the more enraged it should be. That fellow, as if knowing the state of it's own injuries, actually stopped for a moment. The snow covered ground was smeared in blood, and more blood.
However, even the brief respite didn't last long.

KYAAAK!

The white-furred ma.s.sive beast rushed forward.
Despite having three large wounds bleeding out, it surged in towards me with one dash. The brilliant silver mane, soaked in blood, was flowing off into the night sky. Strange. Compared to the other monsters that I've seen, this one gives off a different feeling .
However, there was no time to a.n.a.lyze this situation.

"Fabian, hold the sword to your right and charge straight ahead!"

What, what did you say?
Right now, that beast is rus.h.i.+ng towards me. But, you want me to help it by charging towards it? Is it because the beast is hurt why it might be difficult for the beast to reach here?
The monster was now three paces away!
But even then I still temporarily doubted the croaking , struggling voice of Mirbo. Did I hear something ridiculous? No, it's precisely because I understood why I was so alarmed!

"…Then…Twist your body and escape through the gap between the monster's armpit and right arm!"

I got it!
Though the brilliance of this plan doesn't make the danger I'm in any less.
I had already recognized that the beast, after having  the axe embedded on it's left shoulder, is not able to use the left arm to attack at all. There's no mistake that Mirbo had already known of this long before. However, I will give it's right arm an even bigger wound with this attack. The edge of it's elbow was tattered with blood gus.h.i.+ng out.
If so, how should I act exactly? I should attack from the left this time!

"Of course…except, I think it's too risky!"

What if the beast goes crazy and attacks with his left arm?
Even so, the success of this plan lies in a quick strike!
Too tired to think of the situation, I charged forward forgetting about the moment I was in. Even if it's an action that can't be done by an intelligent person, there is no word that can be spoken of, and no spirit to break, so do not speak!
I grasp onto the sword tightly, so much so that the back of my hand was trembling with its weight.
There was now a distance of about 7 more steps to go between the beast and I. In a state of ignorance, I lifted my sword chest-high and thrust slightly upwards.
If I stab directly, I would pierce through the beast's waist.
Two steps, one step, finally…
Then… In front of me was a large furred-leather!

Poook!

Not even having the room to withdraw my sword, I braced myself from the impact and just pushed on. And once I felt that half of the sword had stabbed in, I turned my aching body sideways with all my weight behind it dragging the sword along the beast's stomach. .
Feeling the weight of flesh parting as the sword slid along.
The flame that surged out of the sword plunged inside the beast's body, causing me to feel as if my surroundings had dimmed in an instant. Instead, the flesh of the monster began to turn a dark red.
Blood!

Puaaak-!

Blood sprayed out like a fountain. The blade of the sword had cut halfway through the beast's body, and likewise, half of the remaining sword was still hanging outside. In an absolute crisis, the beast desperately raised its right arm.

"Fabian! Drop the sword!"

Ah, ah, you want me to drop a sword as great as this? It seems expensive as well…
But then again it's not mine. Oh well, the owner did tell me to drop it.
Dropping the sword, I rolled forward down the hill.

The blood that poured out from the beast gushed over my head. Since I didn't have any thoughts of drinking blood, I closed my mouth firmly. By the way, the blood seems to be a bit warmer than before.

WOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! KUK!

The beast that had half of his waist cut collapsed to the ground and sputtered a shrilling cry to the heavens as if it was a slaughtered cow. And, then…
It was rolling down hill towards me!

TL Afterword

G.o.d, that was one epic battle scene. No words are needed!

Translator: Calvis
Proofreader: Sai101, Kajin