Chapter Fifty-Nine: Narrow Victory

"Thud, thud, thud!!" The kobold crossbowmen launched their attack, a dense rain of bolts showering down upon Flamicco. Yet its serpentine hide was impenetrably tough—those shoddy arrows shattered and fell as if they’d struck stone, not even scratching a single scale.

"Aim for its eyes or shoot inside its mouth!" Jia Zhengjin shouted.

The kobolds swiftly adjusted their aim, directing their bolts at the new targets.

"Hissss—" Flamicco instantly released the triceratops it had been constricting and swept its tail to deflect the arrows targeting its head. Simultaneously, it raised its head and, jaws gaping, lunged savagely at the descending Wolf.

Wolf somersaulted in midair, narrowly escaping Flamicco’s gaping maw, and with a swift swipe of his claws, tore open its—

"Roar—!!" Flamicco let out a deafening cry and lunged at Wolf in fury.

Its speed was astonishing, but Wolf matched it move for move. The two tangled, their battle a blur of motion. Onlookers could only see Wolf darting and leaping, forcing Flamicco’s massive body into bizarre, twisting contortions.

"Thud, thud, thud!!" The kobold crossbowmen rushed forward, seizing the moment as Flamicco was distracted by Wolf to launch a surprise attack. Several bolts struck Flamicco’s head—the only part lacking that stone-hard hide!

"Roar—" Wounded yet again, Flamicco’s roar grew even more enraged. It wheeled, jaws snapping, and in a single gulp swallowed five kobold crossbowmen!

"Thud, thud, thud!!" The kobolds kept firing wildly, but another seven were devoured in the blink of an eye!

Panic-stricken, the remaining kobolds lost all will to fight. Ignoring Jia Zhengjin’s orders, they turned and fled in utter chaos.

"Useless rabble!" Jia Zhengjin was furious at the sight. So these kobolds were only brave when bullying the weak—faced with real danger, they turned out to be nothing but dead weight!

Fortunately, the triceratops, having regained its footing, charged and knocked Flamicco to the ground, then stomped its massive limbs down upon its body with full force.

Flamicco lifted its head and bit deep into the triceratops’s foreleg, tearing away a huge chunk of flesh.

The triceratops collapsed with a pained bellow.

Wolf, quick as lightning, leapt onto Flamicco’s head and plunged his claws straight into its left eye.

"Splurt!" Crimson liquid spurted from the ruined eyeball as Flamicco’s enormous body thrashed in agony, emitting a piercing screech.

Wolf pressed the attack, now aiming for Flamicco’s remaining eye, intent on rendering it completely blind. But in a sudden, lightning-fast motion, Flamicco reared up and swallowed Wolf whole.

Jia Zhengjin, who had been certain of victory, was stunned. If Wolf was gone, he’d lost his greatest asset! As for the triceratops, it likely stood no chance. Gripped by dread, he clutched Tina tightly and shouted, "We have to retreat! That monster’s too terrifying!"

The triceratops responded instantly, turning and bolting for the base, while its wounded companion limped after them.

Flamicco ignored the injured triceratops. With lightning speed, it pursued Jia Zhengjin and Tina, racing ahead to cut off their escape.

Jia Zhengjin’s heart pounded wildly, but he instinctively shielded Tina, raising his iron spear high to face the threat.

But just as he thought all hope was lost, Flamicco suddenly convulsed in pain, rolling desperately on the ground and flattening trees as it thrashed.

"What’s going on?" Jia Zhengjin was shocked, but quickly swapped his spear for a crossbow and loaded a poisoned bolt. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance—he couldn’t waste it!

"Thud!" He took aim and fired. This time, his shot was true, the arrow striking Flamicco’s right eye and blinding it completely.

Flamicco writhed even more violently, shaking the ground with its death throes.

Jia Zhengjin hurriedly ordered the triceratops to retreat, putting as much distance as possible between them and the rampaging beast.

Flamicco’s struggles lasted several minutes, its strength gradually waning. At last, only its tail twitched feebly.

"Splurt!" Suddenly, a gaping wound appeared on its massive body. Moments later, several sharp claws tore the wound open even further.

"That’s disgusting!" Unexpectedly, Wolf emerged from the beast’s belly, covered in viscous fluids and shaking his head and ears furiously to clean himself.

"Wolf!!" Jia Zhengjin called out in delight. "You’re alive?"

"I’m hard to kill!" Wolf spat out a mouthful of flesh and blood. "That beast tried to eat me, but I ended up eating its liver!"

"Ugh—" Hearing that and seeing what Wolf had spit out, Jia Zhengjin’s stomach heaved.

Tina, unable to understand Wolf’s words, wasn’t disturbed; she clung to Jia Zhengjin, eyes shut tight.

Just then, the wound in Flamicco’s belly squirmed again, and the twelve kobold soldiers it had swallowed crawled out one after another, completely unharmed.

Of course! They’d been swallowed whole, not chewed, and hadn’t spent long inside—of course they’d survived.

Relieved by the sight, Jia Zhengjin finally breathed easy.

"Awwooo—" The kobolds emerged, dragging with them the fresh corpse of a chocobo, proudly displaying their trophy to Jia Zhengjin.

But when he saw the kobolds and chocobo covered in slime, Jia Zhengjin gagged again. "That’s revolting! Throw that out! Why are you keeping what the monster ate? Get rid of it, now!!"

After cleaning himself off, Wolf strode to Flamicco’s head and plunged his claws into its skull. Flamicco twitched a few times, then lay still forever.

[Notification] Wolf the Werewolf has slain Flamicco! You gain 500 experience points!

"Boss-level experience! No wonder it was so fierce..." Jia Zhengjin patted Tina in his arms. "It’s over, Tina—we’re safe! Wait here a moment while I gather the spoils!"

Tina opened her eyes, and seeing Flamicco truly dead, finally relaxed. She obediently sat atop the triceratops, watching as Jia Zhengjin ran to the corpse.

[Notification] You have discovered the Catapult Blueprint!
[Notification] You have discovered a pair of Perfect Beast-hide Bracers!
[Notification] You have discovered a Basic Mana Restoration Potion!
[Notification] You have discovered an Intermediate Mana Restoration Potion!
[Notification] You have discovered a Fine Gem Necklace!
[Notification] You have discovered a Basic Knowledge Potion!