Bear School Astartes

Chapter 27: 27. Swamp Witch

The appearance difference between water ghosts and the swamp witch is quite significant, it seems like there is reproductive isolation between them.

However, Dresden’s Saint Hail recorded his speculation — The swamp witch is the wife of multiple water ghosts.

Rumor has it that the swamp witch disguises as an old lady to lure travelers into its nest, but Lann thinks only a drunkard so wasted they can’t control their limbs would fall for that.

After all, even a blind person could smell the stench emanating from the swamp witch.

Lann’s gaze was resolute.

Because it was now impossible for him and Bernie to retreat silently.

Water ghosts, due to living underwater for so long, have their sight degraded to a cataract-like state.

However, the swamp witch not only possesses combat capabilities superior to water ghosts, but also completely avoids this flaw.

Its perception range and strength far exceed those of water ghosts.

The young man completed his observation in the instant he peeked out, Mentos’s computational ability was sufficient to analyze the situation with just a glance.

Lann bent down again, pacing back to Bernie’s side.

Facing the hopeful gaze of the old hunter, Lann calmly explained the situation to him.

”Silent retreat is out of the question, there are only seven water ghosts in the vicinity, and their numbers aren’t large, but there is a swamp witch among them. If we make a wrong move and it calls out, who knows how many water ghosts will chase us like rabid dogs.”

”We definitely need to fight, but this time I need your help, only the two of us working together can possibly get out of these woods alive.”

It was supposed to be a statement of despair, but under Lann’s calm tone, Bernie himself didn’t even realize he could be this composed.

”Got it.”

Bernie swallowed hard, tightened the strap on his long leather gloves, and took down the bow from his back.

Lann’s instructions were given at a moderate pace, but were orderly and clear.

”In a moment, I will be responsible for charging and close combat, you wait until you hear the water ghosts’ cries and then you can reveal yourself.”

”Once revealed, you will see an obvious target, humanoid, larger than water ghosts, full of wrinkles and warts, that’s the swamp witch. You need to shoot arrows at it, but don’t rush. Wait until it bends down to pick something up from the ground, then shoot to interrupt it.”

”Shoot the torso, not the vital points. Its reaction is fast, its skin solid, and your arrowheads aren’t silver, don’t expect to harm it, just help me keep it at bay.”

The rapid pace could make one’s brain operate swiftly, even forget fear.

Meanwhile, detailed information instills confidence and courage, at least Bernie feels his grip on the bow is steadier.

”Understood!”

Lann nodded, moving lightly to the side, slightly away from Bernie, then drew his left hand in the air.

A golden magic glimmer flashed across the body’s surface.

Applying Upper Quen before battle is a Bear School discipline.

He expelled the last breath of stale air from his chest, taking fresh breaths anew.

”Inhale~ Bang!”

The moment fresh oxygen filled his lungs, muscles and bones cooperated, feet stomping on the ground!

The momentum, driven by the Bear School Swordsmanship skill, abruptly shifted to the upper body.

In almost an instant, the combined weight of over one hundred kilograms of mass and armor reached its maximum speed!

This forceful reaction was immense and abrupt.

So much so that the buckles on the boots securing armor to leather even emitted a metallic screech, echoing in Lann’s ears as they strained under the tension!

Like a cheetah, the forward-leaning charge even stirred the branches two meters away with the wind it generated!

”Oh?”

A water ghost turned its head in puzzlement, but before it could complete the motion, a chilling silver sword tip plunged straight into its throat.

Bernie observed from afar, even amidst the charge, the longsword poised in Lann’s hand slid as smoothly as if ’gliding’ through the air!

The thunderous stomping of over a hundred kilograms of mass drowned out the sound of the blade entering flesh.

Yet, blood still sprayed forth.

Having pierced into the water ghosts’ attack range, Lann’s gaze was calm yet determined.

And the water ghosts, upon seeing the first casualty, immediately took on an attacking posture.

Two water ghosts standing closer let out bizarre cries as they lunged at Lann!

Leaping into the air, shadows of the water ghosts engulfed Lann.

Now, with the longsword in the young man’s hand embedded in the center of a water ghost’s neck, amidst the convulsing creature’s struggle, it had become a burden.

But the charge had not been stopped!

The young man faced the frontal lunges of two water ghosts without slowing!

In a sweep past the water ghost whose throat was pierced, the silver sword continued to strain against the vertebral bones behind the water ghost’s neck.

The grip on the sword and the blade itself naturally lagged behind the charging body.

Was he intending to use his physical body to intercept the monster’s claws?

No, definitely not!

Arm position delay — it was part of power accumulation!

”Ha!”

With a fierce cry, the muscles and veins in his arms holding the sword handle suddenly swelled with blood!

The swelling of his muscles could not be concealed, even by the bulky and heavy cotton armor!

The creaking of leather and cloth made it clear they were tensioned.

Momentum began to flow, the sword movement transitioned from ”thrusting” to ”slashing.”

Carrying along the vertebral bones with which it strained against, the silver sword was directly swung up by Lann!

The dying creature was forcibly lifted half a foot high by the force of the silver sword!

The vertebral bones played the role of the scabbard in the extraction cut, accelerating the completion of power accumulation through friction against the blade.

The back of the neck of the water ghost with its throat pierced now protruded awkwardly with a rise.

Then as Lann reached maximum sword speed... ”Slash!”

The ”vertebral bones” acting as the scabbard were slashed through, bursting out of the body!

And with acceleration completed, the silver sword carried a daunting silver gleam and filthy blood drawn along by it, sweeping directly through the bodies of two airborne water ghosts!

The speed was so fast that the sound of flesh being pierced failed to resound.

One water ghost, enveloped in a thin line of silver light, had its arm, shoulder, and head directly slashed off.

Another, having jumped higher, had its entire fish-belly colored stomach horizontally cleaved open.

Vertebral bone extraction cut!

Seven reduced to four!

Lann’s maneuver was so rapid and fierce that the blood of all three monsters sprayed almost simultaneously.

The dense stench instantly filled the entire forested water-filled area.

Even the water ghosts, fond of putrid foods, experienced a momentary distraction in front of their own bloody odor.

The dirty blood did not splatter on Lann thanks to a thin layer of golden magic light blocking it.

But in the next moment, Lann’s cat eyes sharply contracted.

With a ”Clang!” the golden magic light oscillated like water surface ripples, illuminating briefly, then shattered abruptly!

A force incompletely deflected struck from behind the left shoulder.

Such force, even its residual after being countered by the Quen Rune, forcefully twisted Lann’s upper body by half a turn!

”Woo-ha-ha!”

It was a cry different from water ghosts, akin to an old lady’s taunt.

Swamp witches excel in throwing, typically tossing mud balls at the waterside to obscure people’s vision, then using their frightening claws to tear prey apart.

But in these woods, it could easily snatch stones far more threatening than mud balls!

The flow of momentum was disrupted by external force, Lann promptly abandoned the upright stance.

With an exceedingly open posture, he leaped and tumbled forward, covering over two meters, temporarily distancing himself from the enemies.

But the first thought in the young man’s mind wasn’t himself, it was his companion.

”Bernie... why didn’t you shoot it?”

Reestablishing his stance, eyes remained fixed on the sneering swamp witch, Lann could only rely on Mentos to use his peripheral vision to observe his companion.