yournovel 119. Returning in Victory
119. Returning in Victory
The Ironback Bear's massive body was covered with dozens of sword wounds, crisscrossing and varying in depth.
The charred wounds and crimson blood intertwined, creating a horrifying scene against its iron-gray fur. Its breathing became heavy and labored, each exhale carrying a strong stench of blood and burning.
The four thick legs began to tremble, and each lift and fall became incredibly slow, as if they were struggling to wade through a swamp.
It tried to roar again, but the sound that came out had turned into a weak growl.
Then, its four legs finally could not support its heavy body.
The ironback bear's massive body swayed first, then its left hind leg bent first, followed by its front legs losing strength.
It crashed to the ground like a collapsing hill, its massive body slamming into the earth with a dull thud that made the surrounding trees tremble.
The soil and fallen leaves on the ground were thrown up and flew into the air, forming a huge cloud of dust that slowly dissipated after a while.
As the dust settled, the iron-backed bear's body lay sprawled on the ground. Its chest was still rising and falling slightly, but the movements were becoming smaller and weaker.
Those eyes, which had once gleamed with ferocity, gradually lost their light, and the pupils began to dilate. After a few more moments, its last breath dissipated from its mouth and nose.
The battle is over.
Xinlai sheathed her sword and stood there.
The clicking sound of the sacrificial flames returning to their sheaths was particularly clear in the now quiet forest. His breathing was steady, just as it had been before the battle, and there wasn't even a bead of sweat on his forehead.
If it weren't for the chaotic scene of battle all around—the upturned soil, splattered blood, broken bushes, and the enormous bear carcass in front of him—it would be almost impossible to tell that he had just been engaged in a fierce fight.
He stood still for a few seconds, catching his breath, and scanned his surroundings to make sure there were no other threats before walking toward the ironback bear's carcass.
A level 35 Ironback Bear is already considered quite powerful among the monsters in this area.
Monsters of this caliber are treasures from head to toe; the materials you can collect can be exchanged for a considerable income at the Adventurers' Guild.
Bear bile can be used in medicine and is the core ingredient for making high-level recovery potions; the essence contained in the four bear paws can be extracted to forge weapons; and the bones ground into powder are excellent earth elemental spellcasting materials.
Xinlai's gaze fell on the Ironback Bear's back, where the distinctive iron-gray fur was applied. It was extremely defensive and soft, making it an excellent material for inner armor, and could fetch at least fifty gold coins on the market.
However, he doesn't have time to deal with the spoils right now.
Eve was still waiting at the camp, and dealing with the carcass of an ironback bear required specialized tools and a lot of time, which was not suitable to do at this time.
We can just have the Adventurers' Guild come and collect it later; at worst, we can give them a share of the reward.
He bent down, grabbed one of the ironback bear's hind legs, and tested its weight.
It felt heavier than he had expected.
The Ironback Bear gets its name not only from the iron-hard fur on its back, but also from the fact that this beast has a bone density far exceeding that of ordinary animals. An adult Ironback Bear can weigh more than three times that of a brown bear of the same size.
Xin Lai tested the weight with both arms and confirmed that it was still within her tolerance range. She then adjusted her grip, pushed off the ground with her legs, and used her waist and back muscles to drag the bear carcass back.
The huge bear carcass left a long trail on the forest floor.
The ironback bear's heavy body rolled over the withered leaves and low grass, making a continuous rustling sound that carried far through the silent forest.
The bushes along the way were knocked to the sides by the bear carcass, and some small branches were broken off with a crisp cracking sound.
Startled by the commotion, several night birds perched in the trees fluttered away into the darkness further away.
After walking for about twenty minutes, a familiar light appeared ahead.
Eve had woken up by the campfire.
She was wrapped in Xinlai's large black coat, her arms wrapped around her knees, sitting quietly by the campfire.
The coat was clearly too big for her; the hem spread out around her and almost wrapped her whole body. She had to roll up the cuffs several times before her wrists were visible.
Her long, silvery-white hair cascaded over her shoulders and back, shimmering with a dreamlike glow under the deep purple firelight, like flowing moonlight.
She seemed to have been sitting like that for a long time.
A pair of clear eyes gazed quietly at the campfire, the firelight dancing in her eyes, turning her originally light pupils into a warm amber color.
Her expression was calm and focused, lost in thought. The flickering firelight outlined the soft contours of her delicate profile, making her look like a girl who had stepped out of a classical oil painting, bathed in light and shadow.
Hearing the sound of a heavy object being dragged, she looked up.
His gaze pierced through the dark woods, past the crooked branches and drooping aerial roots, and landed precisely on Xinlai.
Her eyes lit up slightly after catching sight of Xinlai, and then she saw the enormous, somewhat frightening, ironback bear carcass behind Xinlai.
She paused for a moment.
That moment of stunned silence lasted only a very short instant, and then her eyebrows curved upwards, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a small arc.
It was a quiet, gentle smile, without exaggerated expressions or deliberate displays, yet so genuine that it stirred one's heart.
Xinlai loosened the bear's leg, letting the heavy hind leg land on the ground with a dull thud. Then, he patted the dirt and bear fur off his hands and strode toward the campfire.
He sat down next to Eve, his movements natural and casual, and casually stretched his arms, which were a little sore from dragging heavy objects for twenty minutes. "How are you feeling?"
Eve tilted her head and thought for a moment.
She performed this action with a peculiar seriousness, as if the question "How does it feel?" required deep thought before an answer could be given.
The firelight swept across her cheek as she turned her head, creating tiny specks of light on her silvery-white hair.
After a moment, she spoke. Her voice was soft, with a slight hoarseness characteristic of someone who has just woken up, like an ancient zither that hasn't been tuned yet—low and soft, yet surprisingly pleasant to hear.
"Hungry."
It consists of only one word, clean and concise, without any unnecessary embellishment.
Xinlai paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.
When he smiled, his eyebrows and eyes relaxed, and the sharpness that remained from the battle completely disappeared, replaced by a rare gentleness.
His gaze shifted to the massive ironback bear carcass beside him, then he stood up from the campfire and dusted himself off.
He turned his head and glanced at Eve, the smile from before still lingering on his lips.
"Perfect, we have the ingredients."