Chimeras are mid-level monsters with strength comparable to that of werewolves. As their name suggests, their bodies are usually composed of multiple parts from different beasts. One common example is a chimera with a snake's head as its tail, the rear body of a goat, and the front body of a lion bearing both a lion's head and a goat's head.
They have an average height of almost two meters and can grow even taller depending on the amount of prey they have devoured. While they lack the insight of humanoid monsters like kobolds and werewolves, their cruel savagery is deeply carved into their beastly instincts—along with the ability to use magic.
A single chimera is enough to wipe out a party of newbie copper-rank adventurers, while two would pose a serious threat even to veteran iron-rank adventurers. And three—
"—Three means more loot for our group, Mr. Arezu," Lynn said, giving Arezu a slight push on the back, urging him to take the vanguard position against the three incoming chimeras charging toward their carriage from the right end of the forest road.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday, Lynn—" Arezu muttered, pausing for a bit to see if Lynn could remember what he was talking about.
"That you want to try fighting a Lycan yourself, Mr. Arezu?"
"—To not push me again toward any monster!"
Regardless of his complaint at Lynn's playful teasing—and the fact that his arms were trembling in fear at the sight of the three incoming monsters—Arezu grabbed the halberd-axe strapped to his back, stepped forward on shaking legs, and steadied himself with the resolve to fulfill his role as the party's vanguard.
"Will he be able to hold back those three mid-level monsters for you to deliver the finishing attack?" Senna voiced the concern that her fellow mage students felt as they remained inside the carriage.
Though they weren't doubting Arezu's fighting capability—especially after seeing him take down two mid-level werewolves in a single strike—even they, as students, understood that compared to a humanoid werewolf, fighting a beastly chimera was much more challenging due to the unpredictable movements of its different beast parts.
And even though Lynn understood the genuine concern of the four students—Beatrix included—toward Arezu, she couldn't help but tease them, especially Senna.
"My, my… That's another three failing marks for all of you," Lynn said, taking out the student logbook and writing in it.
"This is no time to be bullying them, Lynn."
Ignoring the retort of the four mage students, Lynn gave her response to Beatrix, who had moved from the back of the carriage to stand beside her and watch Arezu.
"I'm not bullying them… Their first failed mark is for assuming that Mr. Arezu can't hold back a mere three insignificant chimeras. Their second is for assuming he needs my help to kill those monsters. And the third is for pissing me—I mean, doubting the capability of their escort."
Putting aside the last part of Lynn's reasoning, which was obviously biased, hearing her confidence in Arezu's victory put Beatrix at ease enough to voice her own concerns.
"Butcher them nice and easy so I can get good materials, Arezu!"
Feigning ignorance of all the unreasonable demands, Arezu took his stance and readied his weapon.
The moment before the three chimeras could reach striking range with any of their beastly parts, Arezu raised his halberd-axe, extended his mana through it, and activated his combat skill the instant he swung and brought its blade down to strike the ground.
The ground in front of Arezu break apart, shooting forth hundreds of rock debris and boulders into the air, halting the charge of the three chimeras.
As the monsters endured the barrage of rocks and dirt, Arezu had already made his next move.
Before the diversion he created had dispersed, Arezu reached his targets within range for another combat skill and activated it.
The chimera in the middle roared in agony as Arezu cut off its lion head in a single strike of his halberd-axe, imbued with Cleave to enhance the blade's sharpness.
Though he had successfully immobilized one of the monsters by severing the head responsible for controlling the chimera's body, Arezu still considered his attack a failure. After all, he had aimed to immobilize all three chimeras with a single strike.
Still, his attack had injured the remaining two, but Arezu didn't have time to relax.
Arezu activated another combat skill, using his halberd-axe as an improvised shield to block sneak attacks and absorb the impact from the chimeras' snake heads.
For a moment, Arezu heard Beatrix click her tongue, silently voicing her displeasure at him using his weapon as an improvised shield.
Regardless, Arezu didn't have time to apologize—the next attack from the chimeras was already upon him.
With a loud roar from all the goat heads, flames burst out like a fire breath, engulfing the spot where Arezu had been standing.
But Arezu swiftly escaped, yanking his halberd-axe free from the jaws of the snake heads and leaping into the air to avoid the surging flames on the ground.
Then, as he made his descent—
—Arezu activated his combat skill, splitting one of the chimeras in half as his halberd-axe cut between the goat and lion heads, cleaving through its body all the way to its snake-tail head.
The splattering blood dispersed some of the flames on the ground, giving Arezu a safe place to land—and at the same time, a bit of cover from the sight of the remaining moving chimera and the unmoving one.
Before the fountain of blood between him and his opponents could run dry, Arezu once again raised his halberd-axe, extended his mana through it, and activated another combat skill—one strong enough to cut down multiple monsters in a single swing.
Compared to the Gale that Rust unleashed during their duel in the Dungeon of Abandoned Cursed Weapons, the one Arezu used now lacked raw power.
But the sharp, bursting aura released as Arezu swung his halberd-axe was still strong enough to cleave through the remaining chimeras and the ground beneath them, creating a fissure that stretched for dozens of meters and, at the same time, finish the fight
A loud, victorious cheer echoed from the nearby adventurers, soldiers, and other individuals who had remained on standby to protect their carriages.
It wasn't that they hadn't planned to help, but since Lynn—the infamous Lady Impaler—had first declared that the three chimeras were their party's prey, they couldn't act unless she asked.
However, it wasn't as if they wouldn't get their chance. After all—
"Are you still up for another four chimeras, Mr. Arezu?"
"Just have the others deal with them, Lynn."