ODKO | Chapter 12

His body moved before de593a5649 his mind could catch 4f8a0b569d up, instinctively swinging his 2e6b809723 sword. But the distance was 0326d90559 too close.e72f4ecdac23a2d2

The Viper’s de13aaa2b6 fangs would 2a6b0716a8 reach him 17d0ad145a before his cd310a55cc blade could 36e163a13f strike its 3835312cac head.ca11550c6d5bdc02

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Realizing this cc28dd3420 in an 4cedf16be6 instant, Jack 75fafcf6ed clicked his 5257f5b345 tongue and de809b15ad raised his b02078cea0 left arm, 2d25258253 intending to 5dcec9786e use it d55ade8101 as bait.123460c02329c9fe

Just before 9e0ca7d455 the Viper’s 15196c2c94 teeth could 1cce64cb89 pierce his 072f9c8dbc skin—ec182016d88b4a0d

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Thud.34839536e51eef6c

A sickening sound eb562c68e3 rang out, and 392879cd90 black blood splattered.a3df2ae80c615e74

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“I’ll cover you, so run!”2303fbe6fe796b4f

Cayenne, who 5327f529a0 had somehow 5feb2d8ef0 pulled out 1590d3df73 a bow, a644a94fd8 shouted from 8fcd17e51d the hill f138242727 as he 7179ec2e39 nocked an fed0da6a0b arrow onto 5185992db0 the string. His figure—black hair fluttering a04c927b88 in the wind as b042d4f056 he drew the bow—was 59eb14f963 reassuring beyond words.758b157a3cc08412

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I thought he was 34a800f98e telling me to go dadb6c5117 die, but I guess c7b0f7007a I misunderstood.7113516e37290367

Suppressing the urge to 07f7e420a6 tear up from the b4f7f7bc6d overwhelming emotion, Jack tightened 99372639ef his grip on his b6f46382f2 sword and leaped forward.21c238b9bef99e02

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Contrary to dfdc858a31 his expectations, 845c561b65 the Viper’s b8d3cb21b6 thick scales e383c4723b weren’t slippery—they 620e012977 were surprisingly 2c3bc8aef9 rough. Once he began climbing bb4d5f6461 its massive body, he ed91e13073 realized that even with c2ae75a107 considerable movement, the sheer e901db0dc2 size of the creature d73226825a meant the vibrations and 9e9b874b3e shaking weren’t as severe 4d31e30825 as he had feared. If he 93014f7da5 had enough ab8432b20c stamina, he ecc7a76148 could finish 85bac81944 this quickly.3903c996c7dc3a7d

Emboldened by the sight 89e5609287 of a clear path 83b7ebd947 ahead, Jack moistened his b9c89b6d25 dry lips and pressed ace1f70098 onward, scaling the Viper’s 808d6d8612 body.d75263a0256c03ed

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Several times, the f989187a78 beast tried to 22073b420e snap at the b87cc7288d soldiers below, but a7ec394402 each time, Cayenne’s b91e25a370 arrows struck true fcf10836b2 from the hill. After missing ce608fd6d6 its prey ac63ff7639 multiple times 271b3b446a due to a4a3c59cca the relentless 4469eca37e barrage, the 826a8356fc Viper let 28ce5bab80 out a 8f26d7c4b8 furious roar, 1c16b1271a shaking the c567c2bbb5 air with 510613dd16 its rage.19e8154bdc2fcac0

“Commander!”25e21548d6eb260b

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The Viper’s black 21759dc951 tongue lashed through ab6fd10b15 the air with bc608ec0cb a chilling snap. The creature, b374e1ba9d blind and 3e6ce04bd1 without eyes, 3ec46bf80c relied on a95258a1c6 its tongue 49235812d1 to sense a090892fd9 the direction 15e06aee03 of the 00c91db640 incoming arrows.f151d3984323eae5

Realizing he 019cc0ee42 was now f6bb7a2df5 the target, 3dd0361f6c Cayenne raised 73ae35ca32 an eyebrow 0a668c469c slightly. That was his only dfe761247e reaction. Without a hint b3d5dfb70b of hesitation, he 2ff5337dc2 calmly nocked another 00529a9f4f arrow—but Jack felt 1632fd9c73 as if his 80f91b350c own heart might d96127acff stop.c6d3d0db257f7680

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Hesitation would be ef754e032a fatal.37742d43e614c467

Despite the Viper’s a6b21a324f massive size, its 5c573a7fc7 movements were sluggish. But being targeted was c6f6ea8f03 another matter entirely. Unlike the other soldiers 52e47b3be3 engaged in battle, Cayenne 2998949df2 stood alone on the c49843b575 hill, with no one ca0d6f3dea nearby to aid him a6d380fc5c if he was attacked.819348d449c207e2

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Damn it.23517f470e12d259

Jack cursed inwardly 40c0779126 and scrambled up 51487dbdd1 the Viper’s back. In his haste, he 7a167417ee nearly lost his footing 6c57b8e60b more than once, but 7c6c8da934 luck was on his 7241041e8c side—he didn’t fall.4f698f5606462263

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Finally reaching the 926ad96387 tip of the f295325f6c Viper’s writhing head, 975948d350 Jack caught his 6b15dacb6c breath and took 10150665ab in his surroundings.a1fca26d3c58fecc

Cayenne stood tall, unwavering, 3e84589489 loosing arrow after arrow 0524c0b289 into the Viper’s gaping 7ac91e17fe mouth—as if he intended 7ca36be096 to be bait.30450e360729d26f

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What the hell ef997eb3b6 is he thinking? Jack clicked his 29b1e29b80 tongue in frustration.639f9d3cf09d1f42

As he reached the 3108e86ea9 creature’s crown, he spotted 183e9cd006 the weak point Cayenne 68a9050216 had mentioned. Just as expected, the a67a0785d8 area at the front 9fe2cf3aad of the crown, a a1024f478b section of degenerated tissue, 4581ae2581 was exposed. Unlike the rest ed8d11354e of its armored dddb6d1be7 body, this patch b5fe3c2ee9 of grayish-brown flesh 78c4a8e4a8 was unprotected by b9556fe69e scales.094bec3c4887e7b2

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The problem? The Viper’s 872e8eec33 head thrashed 5157aec002 wildly as 985d416fdb it charged 7a8200d702 toward Cayenne.df3b017159f4b0a0

If Jack fb33aca394 didn’t pierce 493b3e93de the weak c0323a539e spot in 296b3daad8 one strike, ba71f42998 it would 1cc3a4ace1 only enrage 1f26c55eb4 the creature, b6cf202c1a making the 1cd03590c9 situation even 16575e4581 worse.911ed8734e4ef1b1

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He swallowed dryly.b3b0c92eec0efdc3

The lives of the 3c9710ae06 commander and the soldiers 14c0ec3910 rested on his next d562bb826c move, the weight of df68bd2241 responsibility pressing down on a516563eb2 his shoulders.dc97d79d064422b9

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Jack gritted his 3dca8bc8eb teeth.60010bc126fcfa2a

He was d92e011807 tense, but c9b7e40506 there was bfa5a00b32 no time 1260d1d5bf to hesitate.8255f8bc2790b5d5

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Kaaargh093eb7c9816d34b3

The distance between Jack, 5a5757d88b standing atop the Viper’s 2c0a9c6495 crown, and Cayenne’s piercing bc7286308c gaze was so close 2f0fa3e6db that he could see 6313e9c4ab it clearly—vivid and unwavering.466c92eaa827c5bc

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Cayenne could have 07f3e670f0 easily dodged, yet 4c707575ff he made no 23a78bf50c move to evade. Instead, he 8e7a52dfe5 simply let 46d53c23d4 the bow c3dd04c0b5 hang at d472e1b959 his side, 56444f28a2 his eyes 7a3469ea0b fixed intently 51341fc4af on Jack.62dfb81c11be2f40

As Jack tightened his 95cd601dab grip on his sword 725e98c28a and furrowed his brow, 4e070e1c77 a thought crossed his 8cc4221356 mind—3abecbafee0834cb

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Cayenne’s gaze… it feels 26bebeae75 like he’s testing me.0278d38918ad1d09

Thud!221abcf86757d410

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In a moment of crisis, the sword’s tip struck heavily into the Viper’s flesh. It felt like plunging a sword into a soggy mud pile.f92fc619424c62cd

Kyaaaahced2197a59f58121

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The giant snake-like creature, b5e0e99387 its weak spot pierced, ad8c8e8e5a let out a tearing b867c9e078 scream. As the 591f4b6374 Viper writhed 6c3f10172f in pain, 9a88b988bc Jack almost 6161feed88 lost his a5807209d0 grip on 58fd8cfe59 the sword.88bbc793c709350c

“Deeper!”8cc9bcac445e84af

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Cayenne’s sharp command cut fec46c6a55 through Jack’s momentary hesitation.e8ce6bde67d2b745

Gritting his teeth, 1aa931af4e Jack tightened his 7acf049b50 grip on the 59bc86cdab sword’s handle with 4151f1ea1f both hands and, d18983eddd following Cayenne’s words, 05bb979eef drove the blade 72b424045b in deeper.60123483c6ad4be3

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The flesh beneath 608e029c15 the thick, seemingly 8bb117b9cd impenetrable scales was d2c7e615b9 weaker than expected. At the bbe74692af end of 6bdbc70c9a his thrust, 1f13f1f9d1 he felt a1d3f98ba7 something hard.358bfdd661493577

Cayenne mentioned this—the ccc3ae9c99 Viper’s core.7f835816db1cdb6e

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“Ugh…!”c10d867c2d3adeef

Unlike the soft 5c9a15101d flesh, the core 45a3c5ec77 was as solid 59a2fb093f as stone. Jack attempted dbc327c061 to force c718c81eff his sword a3886be958 through multiple 3bc2f04e20 times, but d52e23811a the blade 6f23e22a7e wouldn’t pierce 8b51e5795d it. With a 088f7de64d frustrated growl, 62505a4feb he screamed 1e172b48a4 and threw de00abec6e his full 98ea43ffa6 weight onto df615a511b the sword’s afcf6f5c07 tip.757b5f7fc08498fd

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Crack.f94aeffa83706920

Something shattered beneath his 483f24276c blade.b1c362ff23ef6b29

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The Viper d8e2268027 let out 2c74813c56 a terrible, 8c73894163 drawn-out screech.b05679171dfeaef7

Kiiiiik—!aec36aa8d4b46465

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Its massive body, which 67c720db90 had been thrashing violently, 1d7623e188 suddenly lost all strength 945ff0e8ff and began to topple.10b55ae5cc521ebe

Jack held c280465750 onto the 050983d3be sword, bracing 507990e613 against the afb8e4d306 unsettling sensation 64f7423313 of the 8abc3c2dce ground crumbling 8c5dc211b4 beneath him. As the Viper’s 7cbba3a0d9 main body collapsed, c4f6be7f06 the decoys that e50e68d8a3 the soldiers had d42db8c137 been fighting crumbled 9c5d4bb05f into dirt—mere illusions.87dcb872ccf2eb10

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The soldiers, momentarily caught 7623f474a5 off guard, scrambled to 4520153e5a avoid the falling behemoth, 0b5364f4a7 its form as towering caf231f15f as a castle.b5a612252145731f

With a deafening 710a7da3e7 crash, the Viper 836506f6d0 finally fell.c303b22a49090528

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And then—silence.cd9514edf708853f

Jack, still baf4b180b0 gripping the 3fbd3eff55 sword embedded 3ea8e2a8f6 in the 778eaaaba8 crown, blinked 3a50056816 beneath his a9bc839c5f furrowed brows, 9d1fe5a9c4 dumbfounded. His heart pounded 352310e946 violently in his 7532164519 chest, the tension 73167555ad refusing to fade.393e986cfeb5b6a3

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For a 696d3d5587 long moment, 33ffa93b67 he remained e7c9ba1fcb still, watching 335dafcf92 for any 9d18a26d74 final movement. But the Viper 25e10d4115 did not stir.fa9a460fe198be1a

It was dead. For sure.57fb5f8328d87bd3

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The realization hit 6b7d35ea17 him all at fba51ce3a8 once. The tension that had 48081d2af0 gripped his body transformed ad7c9c46bf into an overwhelming rush 139da382eb of exhilaration. Jack pressed his lips 5e1fe7ea9a together tightly.363dc3be05a466c5

They had cdcb371bcf done it.85b2c8b13d09cd6c

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They had 6d869165e0 taken down c16711b2a7 the monster.b520e98a584fff9f

Yet, even c5bb00d1a2 now, the 36691de94e victory didn’t 9ac3428a31 feel real.9bf7f837fb406aea

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“…Did we really take it down?”093d7dc9b5e47498

Wow, one of 25c2d61bc7 the soldiers let 1d838f0410 out a dazed e361fa9dd3 exclamation. A few exhausted e71f5ac446 soldiers sat down 267937db8a on the ground, 87fac0cfe4 still holding their 9269f6c00c swords.0783e518960a1266

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“…Not bad at all, huh?”1d4c42c8132c5e8a

Cayenne, who had been 7e10dff4c4 standing on the hill, ae44a52f32 was now beside the 76d14f10fd fallen Viper. He crossed his ad9aeb6f44 arms and smiled a583801fcf with a relaxed b817d85c8e demeanor.93639c85aa2e421d

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“Well done, Jack Rabbit.”4225c51b676071c3

What does he mean 153e50d98c by‘not bad’?3974e10d2f14a6bc

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As Jack 734ee149d8 pondered dumbly ad095c393c over the 5c17c2a5e1 vague praise, 8dc1280373 Cayenne smiled 117279382f and spoke 3bbcb41d14 again.b7de0ef4e3be5923

Even with his 7c74593acc brow tightly furrowed, 576ba55935 he was strikingly 69b5d691c0 beautiful—but when he f8129e47b3 smiled, he was 03cd7fd1fd like an angel.0944f3eb3756421c

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Something welled c210fbbb03 up in 5f01f936ea Jack’s chest.908bdf01b3a19bb0

Was it the 57588d2cf7 joy of being 8d0948a086 praised by the fb18a2457c Knight Commander? Or the 96c2a20545 pride of 3efdc7f9da slaying a 434be64736 legendary monster 6a1597a96c for the cf9e09cdc4 first time?ff81e80b5b927318

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He couldn’t tell.208ac21b554cc002

No, it 58ff9a4499 was definitely faafbb3a82 both. Jack wiped his 7e11b81654 nose, pretending to c445038ba7 wipe away the 9ec325ce43 sweat from the 553bcd8ce3 overwhelming emotions.a5d9dfd93c6a7770

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“Was it really a Viper?!”be973b3c719e5e1a

Vice Commander 6b25df7bc3 Miles Christopher’s fa2d2cf1b1 eyes widened aaae0f5626 in shock. Beside him, ad0307f93f Rick Wyatt 0b18401d0b looked just 1a2add6850 as stunned, 23da4b35a7 as if 294f060bc8 he couldn’t 7d5da519b1 believe what 89260acebd he had 111bc5b053 just heard.59a00d3088d25be2

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Sitting across from them, 201cb58192 Jack awkwardly rubbed his 582bbd3fbe temple with his thumb, 5057921ee4 forcing a small smile.e94654fb6a72e5fe

Even he had 7a61a921ac to admit—it was 5184184f12 quite the achievement.bcaa4734c81c89c8

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But was 0daaf5f2f3 it really 0da1e89d0a that surprising?3f816685486e9121

Just as 78d7bdee21 he was 30b8ec6198 thinking that, 5612d33676 Rick Wyatt cde28f0a98 tilted his 48273bfcfb head.b4f7c612d8a19044

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“What’s that? Is it some kind of animal?”14bcdaf2e2bf68c0

“…”65cecf53f6c83e75

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Jack erased 3489bc22b0 the smile e235378a14 that had 042dfe693a been forming 1a3ee61e15 on his ca5fdf6e31 lips and 84e7c6e231 bared his 463f04891f teeth.d294bb89cb461beb

‘Of course.’ Even he had only remembered the monster from a book after Cayenne’s questioning, so there was no way Rick Wyatt, whose only job was being a knight born with a golden fork in his mouth, would know.be490efbb87d075c

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Miles also gave Rick 075b1b8b2d Wyatt a look of b38741bcc5 reproach for his ignorance. Rick Wyatt, 3162ee5847 looking startled, 31eed10b06 closed his a9e1d9e2db mouth and 32a1bd87a2 sat quietly.6ce1defad2a0c5ad

“Are you sure it was the Viper of the earth? The monster that grows in the land abandoned by spirits.”3c0ae18e76ccbf93

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“Yes, that’s correct.”e506c2e55b441f35

The only one who understood was the Vice Commander. Jack nodded with a face that couldn’t hide the pride welling up from within.1ecde66161e73310

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Miles took a a272ac0c1c sharp breath, as 2bd838526c if something was 7336136246 bothering him.bd1421244682790c

“If it was indeed a Viper, then it makes sense for our Repelz to handle it. …But why did it appear near the Capital City?”64f481bd136d89f0

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“Is it strange?”7beb521ee7c62673

The Vice Commander had bf19b3f109 a look of concern. Before Jack could 725e527183 even question it, c6f962261e the innocent Rick 6199e99773 Wyatt asked. Miles, looking flustered, tilted f323690a9c his head.5695a113ed560ee9

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“It’s not a common monster. Besides, the Viper is a monster that appears where the earth spirits have left… As you know, spirits dislike humans. Given the long history of the Capital City, the spirits left this area a long time ago.”de1ae60309a01dde

“Could it have been hiding for a long time? Its size was enormous, suggesting it wasn’t just a year or two old.”9ece496975ebbe36

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“Vipers are naturally huge. If one that size had been hiding, there would have been some sign of it at some point.”dd04a69557b130bd

The people gathered around 08534e6192 the round table in c88d2c9a91 the conference room blinked 721cebc5db and focused their attention 30537fdfc9 on Miles. Jack also stared 2530c06020 blankly at Miles, 3662ac3f9b becoming absorbed in 56a30ea005 his question.8348529298b844ca

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…Come to think of it.ae939d3cc4df217e

Miles had a 875420f912 point. While the regions c1ec05439f near the borders cc95ff0420 remained untamed, teeming d5b3c1bea2 with monsters and cf837ea9d9 spirits, the areas 10d0d2619c surrounding the Capital c969c9af58 City—nestled deep within f72e4c4a3f the inland—had long 0bde12f556 been devoid of 27eed405da such creatures.d753a4850f9ccdc2

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