Esdeath walked back to the tribe, covered in dust and exhausted.
Seeing her in such a wretched state, everyone assumed she had gotten herself into this condition while hunting.
“Esdeath, you’ve done well.” Alei praised her after hearing that Esdeath had hunted two gray wolves today and sold their pelts.
“Esdeath, starting next week, you will join us and learn how to hunt.”
Was her father asking her to join the Hunting Team?
The Hunting Team did not hunt ordinary beasts; they hunted Danger Beasts.
Every Monday and Thursday, the tribe’s Hunting Team would go out to hunt Danger Beasts, as the materials from Danger Beasts could be sold for a very good price.
As for the other days, the tribespeople were free to arrange their own schedules, whether they wanted to go hunting or simply rest.
The Hunting Team held the highest status in the tribe.
Youths of the appropriate age would start learning to hunt with the Hunting Team early on, but whether they could eventually become official members depended on their performance.
“Okay.”
Esdeath was also very interested in hunting Danger Beasts and was eager to give it a try.
However, with a population of several hundred in the tribe, there wasn’t just one Hunting Team, but six, each consisting of anywhere from a dozen to over thirty people.
Naturally, Esdeath wanted to join the team her father was in to go hunting.
Over the next two days, her father taught Esdeath some combat techniques.
“Esdeath, do you prefer melee combat or archery?”
“I like both.”
Her father smiled.
“Then let’s start by practicing with a bow and arrow.”
The small short bow was no longer suitable for Esdeath; she needed a larger bow, so she searched through the warehouse and picked out a new one.
Esdeath drew the bow.
“This bow is just right.”
Alei thought to himself that this was already a bow used by official hunters, capable of piercing through armor; it seemed Esdeath’s strength had already reached this level.
Having realized the extent of Esdeath’s strength, Alei took her to the training range.
“Let’s start with stationary targets.”
Esdeath drew the bow and hit the target almost every time.
In the past, she hadn’t had enough strength, so she had to focus on archery, which allowed her to master the skill.
Next, she practiced on moving targets.
Moving targets were a bit difficult, so Esdeath practiced with focus.
Alei provided guidance on her posture and techniques once more, then left Esdeath to practice on her own.
Moving targets sped up and slowed down, spinning left and right; to master archery where one could hit exactly what they aimed at, it would take at least two or three years of practice.
After shooting five or six arrows, Esdeath had a sudden thought and activated her Eye of True Sight.
Instantly, the moving target before her seemed to come to a standstill.
She easily aimed at the bullseye, deactivated the ability, and shot an arrow straight into the center.
Esdeath:…
She felt she didn’t need to practice anymore; she could just use her special ability to become a sharpshooter.
However, the Eye of True Sight consumed mental energy, and using it constantly would cause dizziness.
Although Esdeath hadn’t reached her limit yet, relying on it too much was never a good thing.
And so, Esdeath practiced archery diligently for two days.
Monday.
Alei led the members of the first Hunting Team out to hunt, and Esdeath went along with them.
“Today, we are going to hunt the Level 3 Danger Beast, the Iron-Armored Rhino.
Not long ago, I spotted a herd of Iron-Armored Rhinos on a plain.
We’ll look for two stragglers to hunt later.”
The Iron-Armored Rhino was a large, fierce, heavy-type Danger Beast.
Although its skin was thick and tough like iron armor, it was slow.
For experienced hunters, as long as they avoided being rammed or trampled by it, they could kill it.
The trouble was that Iron-Armored Rhinos often moved in herds; if a group of them charged, anyone without good reflexes could easily be trampled into pulp.
Alei and the others rode for a full hour before arriving at a grassland.
They hadn’t traveled far into it when they indeed spotted a herd of Iron-Armored Rhinos.
A dozen or so Iron-Armored Rhinos were grazing and drinking water by a lake in the grassland.
Although they were herbivores, Iron-Armored Rhinos were fierce by nature; if any creature intruded, they would fly into a rage and charge.
Alei said, “In a moment, use ropes to lasso one Iron-Armored Rhino, and everyone focus your attacks on it.
Louis, you and I will go and lure the other Iron-Armored Rhinos away.”
“The Iron-Armored Rhino is tough all over; only its belly is soft.
Attack its belly.”
Alei and Louis used bows and throwing knives from another direction to attract the attention of the other Iron-Armored Rhinos.
The plan went smoothly.
After selecting their prey, eight battle-hardened tribespeople immediately threw ropes from all directions, binding the limbs of the Iron-Armored Rhino at the back of the herd.
They formed a net from which there was no escape, rendering it unable to move for a moment.
The remaining four people, armed with swords and axes, leaped over to the Iron-Armored Rhino and attacked it.
The Iron-Armored Rhino let out a loud cry.
At this moment, two other Iron-Armored Rhinos were not distracted by Alei and the other man.
Instead, noticing their companion under attack, they let out a low growl and charged at the enemies holding the ropes.
The tribespeople were unperturbed; they changed their angles, dodged the charge, and continued to hold onto the Iron-Armored Rhino.
After a few rounds, this Iron-Armored Rhino finally collapsed to the ground, and the people who were now free began to deal with the remaining Iron-Armored Rhinos.
So amazing.
Esdeath watched in a daze.
The tribespeople’s movements were so skillful, and they remained calm in the face of danger; they looked truly cool hunting amidst such peril.
Esdeath tried to shoot an arrow at an Iron-Armored Rhino.
The arrowhead only pierced the skin and stuck into the muscle, but the Iron-Armored Rhino was thick-skinned and tough, so it didn’t affect its movements in the slightest.
Even with a thick hide, there was always a vulnerable spot.
Found it—the eyes.
However, the eyes were very small, and with such violent, irregular charging, hitting them was extremely difficult.
Esdeath nocked an arrow and drew the bow, activating her Eye of True Sight.
The movements of the Iron-Armored Rhino, which was charging at high speed, suddenly became as slow as a snail crawling.
She aimed at one of its eyes and released the arrow.
With a swoosh, blood sprayed.
The Iron-Armored Rhino collapsed to its knees; an arrow was embedded halfway into its eye, reaching straight to its brain, killing it instantly.
“Killed a Level 3 Danger Beast, Iron-Armored Rhino; gained ten villain points.”
Esdeath nocked another arrow and drew, firing three consecutive shots.
Each arrow killed an Iron-Armored Rhino; she was like a master sharpshooter.
“Killed a Level 3 Danger Beast, Iron-Armored Rhino; gained ten villain points.”
“Killed a Level 3 Danger Beast, Iron-Armored Rhino; gained ten villain points.”
…
The tribespeople were dumbfounded; they never imagined that the fierce herd of Iron-Armored Rhinos would be slaughtered by Esdeath in this manner.
Alei jumped onto an Iron-Armored Rhino and slit its throat with his hunting knife.
Watching the scene of Esdeath showing off her great power, he was filled with emotion.
He could also kill Iron-Armored Rhinos, but he could never achieve Esdeath’s level of archery, overcoming the strong with the weak.
Seeing that many of their companions had been hunted down, the remaining Iron-Armored Rhinos fled one after another.
Esdeath wanted to aim again, but her father stopped her.
“Five heads are enough to eat, and there will be a surplus; no need to hunt anymore.”
The Hunting Team dragged the five Iron-Armored Rhinos, taking a full four hours to transport them back to the tribe.
Upon returning to the tribe, everyone immediately became busy—some skinned the beasts, some cut the meat, and others started cooking.
“Esdeath, tomorrow you will come with me to town to sell the extra meat and pelts.”
“Oh, okay.”