Chapter 40: 40: Tough Skin
The seven members, including Caleb, didn't dare to breathe out loud. Except for Fushigiro, who has still his usual sunny smile on his face.
The white-furry five-meter bear was releasing a dark menacing invisible aura in the surroundings and as it drew closer, Caleb managed to make out its whole appearance. Thick fur as white as the snow with dark blue lines at the end of each strand. Burly two meters body width. The bear's head is broad and somewhat rounded, with a prominent snout. Its green eyes are small and piercing, and its ears are relatively small and rounded.
Robust and powerful limbs. Its front limbs look especially strong due to the visible muscles. A short tail was hidden within its fur.
It has a strong, elongated muzzle, which houses sharp teeth and powerful jaws designed for biting and crushing. Caleb knew that they met a formidable enemy this time. Just the claws, non-retractable black claws on its paws, were enough to tear humans to pieces! Each paw has five toes with sharp claws.
The bear continued its stride toward them, getting faster and faster. Caleb felt the aura of oppression grow so strong in each passing second that he even forgot to breathe for a moment. The atmosphere became tense, and no one dared to move until...
"Now!" Fushigiro commanded with a shout. "Be careful, that bastard has a bite force of up to 2,700 pounds!"
'Damnation!'
Such a bite force was enough to tear human bones with ease! Gripping his Odachi in his right hand, Caleb raised the blade and prepared for the worst.
Dunn, Jin, and Miles dashed toward the direction of the incoming bear. They moved smoothly and raised their weapons. Miles with his Katana, Jin with two short daggers each in his hand, and Dunn with his mace.
"Dunn, take the right corner. Miles, you take the left. I'll engage it in the middle." Jin uttered a series of instructions.
Dunn and Miles didn't say anything and responded with actions. Miles jumped to the left at least one meter in the distance from Jin. Dun did the same.
"How unlucky. It's a cursed Octavian Bear!" Dunn complained.
Caleb watched all this with bated breath. He was ready to respond at any time. Thinking of this, Caleb patted his backpack. Inside, there are five fist-sized rocks reserved that he can use for his stream-lined throw.
'I hope I don't have to use them.'
"Athena, Rina, ready your weapons," Fushigiro said.
"Yes, captain!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Caleb shifted his gaze to Fushigiro. "What about me, Captain? What do I need to do?"
Fushigiro smiled. "For now, watch..."
...
The furry white bear growled. It raised its black claws in the air as it saw the humans dared to oppose him instead of fleeing.
Jin stared at the black claws with a faint smile on his face. 'Come on, big guy. One, two, three...'
With a well-timed jump behind him, the terrifying black claws whizzed past his face, blowing his hair. The claws were only two inches away from grazing him.
Dunn and Miles took the opportunity to close the distance while Jin smirked and repositioned himself.
*GROWL!*
An angry roar came out from the five-meter bear. It bared its fangs and its green eyes turned bloodshot. How dare such puny humans provoke his majesty? As a result, it focused its gaze on Jin with fury. He ignored Dunn and Miles as if it didn't put them into its eyes. He charged at Jin overbearingly.
Seeing this, Miles shouted.
"Now!!"
His right arm, which was resting on the sheath at his waist, moved. Three flashes of light appeared as the katana was sheathed and unsheathed three times in just one second.
At the same time, Dunn channeled most of his strength in his hand and raised the maced. Then he brought it down, releasing all the accumulated force.
"Eat this bastard! Dare you to ignore us!?"
The mace hit the head with a bang. Then flashes of light also hit the neck of the five-meter bear. Unfortunately for them, the bear didn't even react and continued on its way. The mace flew out of Dunn's hand.
Dunn looked at the spot where his mace landed, but there was only an insignificant bruise. Then on the neck, Miles' attack only cut some fur of the bear. Then he looked at his hands, which were starting to swell. They were itchy and painful at the same time, and he couldn't help but groan for a while.
"Its defense is too tough." Miles let out a depressed laugh and watched as the bear's head was about to collide with Jin.
However, instead of looking worried for their companion, Dunn and Miles looked at each other with a smile.
"Well, you have to lose your arm now." Jin's back straightened, and then he raised his right foot into the air. If one looks closely, his foot is as straight as it could be. Then he brought it down in one swift manner. His foot turned into a blur, followed by afterimages.
BANG!
The sound of collision reverberated throughout the area. The bear didn't completely fall to the ground, but it strayed to its original path, its eyes dazed and confused. Its head suffered a depression due to the strong impact caused by Jin's attack.
Still, the bear regained its clarity. When it turned its head on the back, Jin was nowhere to be found.
"You're a tough one." A voice sounded behind the bear. It turned its head again only to see Jin only three inches from its face.
Jin had his arms crossed with a pair of daggers gripped tightly in both of his hands. He knew that he had to use a weapon. Even though he has the strongest physique in the team, he didn't manage to bring down the Octavian Bear.
Just like that, Jin pushed the two daggers, and the veins in his arms became completely visible to the skin. With a flash, the blade of the two daggers made contact with the arm of the bear. The daggers went deeply into its skin, but Jin was met with great resistance, slowing down the dagger significantly. Jin's dagger was only halfway from severing the arm before it completely stopped.
*ROAR!!!*
The five-meter bear cried out in pain however, it didn't back out. It opened its mouth, revealing a set of formidable teeth, including large canines for tearing flesh and molars for grinding plant matter.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone