Crouching down as low as I could, I crept through the long grass of the savannah-esque section of the Yama Plains, my hands clenching my two daggers.
I had my First Fang in my left hand, and Protective Fang in my right.
The names didn't really roll of the tongue, so I was considering new names, but nothing stood out just yet.
Anyways, with the improvements to my skills, I grinned as I silently and effortlessly crept through the tall grass, my eyes locked onto the pulsing disc in the air.
We had developed a hunting strategy for the moment, one that used Anput and I like hounds to flush out and chase our pray towards the true hunters, being Jahi and Leone.
The Demoness and Vampire would perch themselves into a tall tree and scout around for a monster to hunt before Jahi sent out her Light Disc, keeping it high enough to be undetectable for the monsters whilst still being close to the ground to keep other mortals away from us.
When Jahi found our prey, she had the disc float above them, guiding Anput and I towards whatever she found, setting us loose.
Setting my center of gravity low, I quietly ran through the tall yellow grass, my eyes glancing up towards the disc as I oriented myself using it, sneaking towards the monster.
Inside the savannah were usually Firefang's, but there were other monsters as well, like Lizardmer and Molten Slimes.
Swiftly stalking through the grasses, I eventually found myself staring at a large, lounging red furred tiger, it's two long, curved fangs dripping an orange liquid as it gnawed on a Lizardmer's corpse.
With a very basic, low powered Wind Cloak, I diffused my scent around the area, making it so that the monster wouldn't notice my smell, whilst my [Sneak] skill kept me quiet.
Creeping through the grass, I shuffled around the eating monster as I located Anput, nodding to the silent Jackalkin as we prepared to rush forwards and grab its attention.
Well, she would grab its attention; I would continue to travel alongside the monster to keep it running after Anput.
Unsheathing her new sword, she kept the Battle Iron 'sheath' over the blade to prevent injecting the venom into the monster; our Request was for around two dozen pounds of this monsters meat.
Rushing forwards, Anput let out a battle cry as she swung her sword towards the Firefang's face, scoring a shallow cut across its cheek.
Letting out an enraged roar, the monster leapt its feet and growled at Anput, opening its maw to reveal its sharpened fangs.
With another roar it swatted one of its giant paws towards her, only to growl in annoyance as Anput jumped back, avoiding the blow.
Scoring another shallow cut across its foreleg, Anput turned tail and ran, her steps loud as she began to guide the monster towards the waiting Demoness and Vampire.
Rushing alongside the two, I kept my eyes glued on the Firefang's broad side and head, gauging its mood as it chased Anput.
When it began to grow wary of the chase, I slashed out with my First Fang, an arc of Wind Mana slicing through the air and cutting into the monsters red pelt.
Making sure to keep the attack towards it front, I elicited a roar from the monster each time as it regained its vigor, pounding the soft dirt as it raced after her faster and faster.
This new style of hunting had come around when we had to fight off a wandering family of Firefang's and some groups of Molten Slimes every kill, forcing us to adapt and create a 'base' to use for our battles.
Anput would erect an Earthen Fortress of sorts for us to reside in, whilst Leone applied runes to the walls and kept it defended from any attacks.
We were luring the monster to the base to be slaughtered and butchered, before we rested and repeated this again.
Anput slipped into the Fortress and waited for the Firefang to follow behind her before raising the final wall.
Jumping inside, I stared down at the now cornered monster with a grin, Jahi and Leone beside me.
"This one's mine, right?"
The Demoness sighed, watching as Anput jumped up to join us.
"Yes, yes..."
Giving her a wide grin, I slid down into the impromptu arena and brandished my two daggers, staring intently at the Firefang.
Growling at me, the monster stalked around the edge of the arena, before it too tried to jump up.
Hitting a red net barrier, the monster whimpered as the Fire Mana singed and burnt its flesh, forcing it to turn and glare at me.
Chuckling, I twirled the daggers in my hands as I observed it, only to meet its rush a moment later.
Lunging forwards, the Firefang swung its large paw towards me, the razor sharp claws extended and ready to tear me to ribbons.
Lifting my Protective Fang, I activated the enchantment, watching as a semicircle of ethereal blue mana appeared in the air around me.
The Firefang's claws glanced off of the shield, but before the beast could even grow confused at the sudden deflection, I swung my First Fang and sent a sickle of Ice hurtling towards it.
Cutting deep into its broad shoulders, the Ice shattered inside its flesh, and the Firefang hissed in pain as the frost spread deeper into the wound.
Switching the enchantment slightly, I sent a blade of Wind hurtling towards it next, crossing the previous wound and shattering the new layer of frost that grew on its fur.
Letting out another hiss, the monster yelped as I appeared before it, my daggers digging deep into the monsters neck.
Jahi had made me promise her that I wouldn't draw this out too long, as well as that I wouldn't damage the monster too long, so...
Crossing the daggers inside the Firefang's throat, I yanked the two blades downwards, severing through its flesh with ease.
Blood sprayed everywhere as I left its head hanging on its body by a small thread, and my grin grew wider as I was showered in that delectable crimson liquid.
The others joined me moments later, when the blood was only pooling into the ground below us instead of spraying everywhere.
Glancing back at them, I chuckled as each ignored my horrifying visage and instead began to work on the monster, swiftly harvesting what we could from it.
Skinning most of its body, I handed Jahi the three large pelts that I had sliced free from its flesh, before I turned my broad dagger down towards its meat, cleaving large chunks free and stacking them behind me.
Each cube that I harvested weighed almost five to ten pounds; I wasn't sure, since I was rushing myself, but they were hefty chunks of meat.
Anput wrapped them inside a special parchment paper that stopped the bleeding and preserved the freshness for a few hours, expertly tying and storing the chunks away inside the large bag we brought down.
Leone was busy working at the monsters head, pulling out the eyes, fangs, and trying to work her way towards the venom glands that were deep inside its skull.
As for me, whilst I was going for the meats, I was also cutting towards the heart, where the core would be located.
Problem was, the Firefang was huge, so I was currently elbow deep and I hadn't even reached the stomach yet, meaning I was still far from the heart.
With a good portion of meat harvested, I sighed before smirking, grabbing my thinner First Fang and resuming my work.
I had a limited time before the monster dissipated, so I needed to work quickly, not cleanly.
Taking a deep breath, I coated the two blades in mana and began slicing away at the flesh, not going for pretty cuts anymore.
Cutting away section after section, I gradually soaked my entire body in the Firefang's blood, whilst the pile of varied sized meat grew behind me.
When I did reach the heart, I stabbed my blades into the flesh and wrapped my hands around the heart, yanking on it hard and pulling it from the torso of the Firefang.
"Whew..."
Turning, I saw Anput shake her head whilst Jahi gave me a blank stare, before she gingerly took the core from me.
"You... you could have gone from a few feet right to avoid the ribcage-"
Raising a brow, I turned back to the decimated corpse, my head tilted as I observed the monster.
"Oh... yeah, I could have couldn't I?"
Hearing the lack of care in my voice, Jahi sighed again as she wrapped the core, before she looked around at the meat.
"Alright, a quick meal, cleaning up, and then we go home..."
Everyone nodded, and everyone stood before me, letting out sighs of relief when my water magic cleaned them off.
Grabbing the remaining chunks of flesh, I had Anput light a fire as I began to grill them, creating skewers from the tree's branches.
With a hearty, juicy meal of freshly harvested Firefang meat, we all made our way back to the surface, collecting our 12 Golds each from the Request before I negotiated the other materials, netting myself another 10 Gold.
After some quick shopping we returned home, and some more training began.
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