I panted heavily as I faced off with the black bear.
I started to dodge all of its attacks in quick succession. The nearby tree trunks bore its claw marks. The thinner trees had been immediately torn down.
Right now, my left arm hung uselessly on my side like trash. I held the spear with one hand. Other than this, I had no weapons.
It would be difficult for me to finish off that black bear. Right now, I also had to prevent that girl from being attacked.
If the black bear attacked her, I would lay my life on the line and attack that bastard to make sure its attack deviated.
Of course, then I would also be hit by a counterattack.
My opponent was an animal, so I needed to project strength and couldn’t let it see the condition of my injuries.
But I had started to frequently spit up blood. The scratches on my face were burning in pain.
Of course, the black bear before me had also suffered wounds.
The fur that it was proud of had been scored with many wounds, exposing the pink flesh underneath the fur.
It seemed that this black bear had plenty of battle experience. It wouldn’t expose the cuts I had already opened to me.
I didn’t know if I could still keep going. But for the eleven-year-old me, it was very shameful to be beaten back till I ran away in front of a girl.
I wanted to protect her. I wanted to survive. It was that simple.
About one third of my magic remained. I could no longer increase my speed. My left over magic had to be used to give it a fatal wound.
In that moment, the black bear launched another round of attacks.
This time, it came barreling towards me, paws swiping. Its whole body was like an avalanche sweeping away everything.
Its tactic was to get at the girl it saw behind me. It was very effective.
“Get back!! Don’t stand so close to me!!”
While yelling this command, I could only repel this attack.
I whirled the spear, continuously blocking the onslaught. Every swipe made my body move backwards. My shoes sank in the mud, making tracks like the ruts of a horse cart.
This was the result of me using magic to offset the impact. Although I used it very sparingly, I could sense my strength draining.
Like this, my magic would be totally exhausted.
The 2.5 meter black bear was a monster full of powerful muscles against the 130cm tall me.
Then, as my strength became weaker and weaker, my fear grew more and more intense.
While not knowing how many chips my opponent still held, my chips dwindled away. It was hard to make up for this kind of fear. It was like when two people were facing off in a wrestling ring, at the final moment, one side would be unable to endure and collapse to the ground.
With the colossal beast in front of me, I fell to the ground.
There were many reasons. For me at that time, that brute in front of me was too hard to defeat.
I, who was crumbling, yelled loudly as I waved the black spear in my hands, again making frantic defensive movements. The spear was broken in two and I was sent flying.
Totally giving up, I half-laid on the ground next to the tree. Silently waiting to be killed.
Tears leaked out of the corner of my eyes, the feelings that I had repressed till now bubbling out.
However, that black bear did not head toward me to attack.
Step by step, it walked down to the girl who was hiding behind a tree.
That girl had already accepted the reality of her imminent death.
I don’t know why, but she was smiling happily.
Genuinely happy, a smile that warmed people’s hearts, a smile of true happiness.
What joke are you playing!!
At that moment, I leapt up and grabbed the broken spear in my hand.
While yelling, I charged at that bear.
My fear had been engulfed by the flames of anger.
But I was easily sent flying.
I had no more magic, so I couldn’t defend against that attack.
But still, I didn’t want to give up.
Because I didn’t want to give up, I once again challenged the bear.
This time when I rushed forward, I brandished a broken part of the spear in each of my hands.
This attack didn’t hurt or tickle it, but I would not give up.
Again and again, until I died I would not allow you to approach her!
The final time, I was hit by a heavy fist and I heard my ribs snap.
Blood spurted out of my mouth and my body weakly slumped to the ground.
Dammit……
I attempted to prop up my body but I had no strength, so I futilely fell to the ground.
I hated that expression, that expression of accepting their own death, that expression of happiness.
Death definitely cannot be said to be a happy thing.
So, I will not allow it.
I will not permit someone in front of me to make that kind of expression.
That expression was just like when my parents died.
Aaaaa!!!!
Move!! Come on, move!!!
What’s with not having any kind of talent, what’s with weakly crawling on the ground.
What’s with fearing this monster, what’s with my magic being all used up.
I, I am an Expedition Regiment member. I am a hero!!!
Me wanting to protect this person was definitely something that could be done!
My dried up body brought forth magic. For the me at that moment, that was to be expected.
But after a while, I realized that this was my passive skill.
My entire body was wrapped in a pitch-black magic. I leaped up high, driving my broken spear forward.
At that moment, that bastard’s claws were striking downwards.
I was wearing an expression without any anger as my spear accurately drove through its skull.
The black, large bear suddenly fell to the ground, its claws striking centimeters away from where the girl was.
I could no longer fight and my body tumbled to the ground, light as a feather.
I fell into the soft mud. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girl running over. My vision became fuzzy and my eyelids heavy. If they closed, I didn’t know if I would wake up again.
“No matter what happens, everyone wants to live. In this world, there is definitely someone bearing greater suffering than you.”