by Fat Bread
The main attack of the hippo was its slap. In addition to its enormous size and faster speed, once he got hit by it, his fate was already doomed to be trampled to death.
Its next method of attack was a continuous quirky rolling and crushing. Yun Xi couldn't imagine how its giant body did this. However, every time he found out, it was already too late to defend or dodge.
Except for these two methods of attacks, its third method of attack was trampling, which it normally used after Yun Xi lost his balance and fell down to the ground.
Once he was knocked down, the mortality rate would be 100%. Yun Xi's 37 death experiences would help guide him.
"I cannot move recklessly, I must find a gap." By paying the cost of 37 deaths, Yun Xi gradually grasped the body of the hippo. He also became familiar with this world's specific rhythm.
Though his perception was slow, it was not entirely a bad thing. Because, at the moment of death, we are able to see more minute details. Apparently, the passage of time slows down.
Chapter 8: The Hippo Must Die
Damn it, where did this enemy come from? The hippo confused, touched its head. Soon after, it saw the familiar figure appear from the end of the downhill path.
The enemy still held his novice sword awkwardly. However, the hippo felt something was different this time.
Of course, if anyone still had the courage to return to the battlefield after being killed 99 times, such as being killed by a slap 50 times, killed by trampling 40 times, and killed by being rolled 9 times, then he would inevitably remold himself.
"The 100th time..." After being killed by the green hippo 99 times, Yun Xi's eyes were set aflame.
This was the first time in his life that he fell into such a hopeless situation.
He was born in an ordinary village, had kind parents and a fervent, lively, and jealous childhood sweetheart. He never knew what "war" was. He hoped he could lead an ordinary life, but now, he tasted the meaning of "the terror of death".
And it wasn't once or twice, but a full 99 times!
With his stiff body holding onto the rusty iron sword, on a long slope not more than 100 meters long, was the first monster of the newbie trial - The damn green Hippo. It killed him so many times that he started to doubt the meaning of his life.
He didn't even get to see the view behind the slope, not to mention the sleeping beauty in the dark forest.
Yun Xi was getting angry!
He had never wanted to win so much in his life.
Especially the green hippo. It must die!
"Adjust... begin..." He relaxed his body, then started running.
Every time he stepped out, he felt his body becoming filled with energy.
It was the feeling of being alive, his heartbeat in time's clutches.
"Sniff sniff!" The green hippo who had killed Yun Xi 99 times opened its mouth and showed its sharp teeth. Taking the chance, it rushed over and slapped at Yun Xi.
"You have used the same move 99 times! Don't you feel bored?" Yun Xi shouted. He changed his movements as he knew the green hippo's actions, narrowly rolling to the side of the green hippo.
"Hoo!" The green hippo's big palm made a great sound as it cut through the air, sweeping above Yun Xi's head.
"A good chance!" It was the first time that Yun Xi escaped the green hippo's slap, as he directly moved to the hippo's back.
In front of his eyes was the green hippo's big ass and its wiggling small tail!
Without any hesitation, he brandished his sword. With his anger, the sharp blade slashed the green hippo's big ass.
"Hiss!" A red bloodstain appeared on the green hippo's big ass. It was the first time Yun Xi hurt the green hippo since their 100 battles.
As a 3rd-ranked creature, the green hippo was a giant monster with thick skin, but it could still be hurt by sharp weapons. It was still a creature in the normal range of attacks.
However, the sword wound was only half a finger deep. It was just a small wound and was still far away from seriously injuring the green hippo.
"Boom!" This time, Yun Xi saw the green hippo's third attacking method. As its fat ass sat down and hit him, he already got knocked away while holding his sword. He then fell down on the ground while vomiting blood.
His hundredth challenge failed.
****
Beside the bonfire, Yun Xi has revived again. He laughed as he gasped.
"Master, are you alright?"
"Shouldn’t you rest for a while?" Mei'er looked at Yun Xi worriedly, who she thought was a little out of mind.
"No. I just find living itself is already a luxury." Yun Xi stretched out his hands and looked at his stiff body, which was so similar to his true body.
Perhaps, to use such an uncoordinated body to challenge the 3rd-ranked green hippo would indeed be painful. However, the battle before was already the greatest battle achievement Yun Xi had ever gotten and now, he had proved that this seemingly 3rd-ranked green hippo wasn't an unbeatable enemy.
Even with this stiff body and this iron sword, he could still challenge this monster.
Human beings after all had instinct, and while this monster had a different kind of intelligence, it was nothing like a human's.
As long as the bonfire and sword existed, Yun Xi had a chance. He was certain that he would defeat this green hippo.
Again! The hippo must die!
****
The 121st try!
Yun Xi's courage increased as the combat progressed. He continually rolled and brandished his sword, as stabbed the green hippo's back twelve times.
The green hippo's skills included continuously slapping, suddenly rolling, and ass attacking when it found him behind itself. He knew all of these skills.
Now, once the green hippo shrugged its shoulders, he would know the next was its slapping; once it wriggled its waist, the next was its deathful rolling; once it stuck up its ass, the next was its ass attack.
"I'm not afraid of you!" After dodging towards the hippo's blind side and stabbing the hippo's body for the thirteenth time, Yun Xi was very sure that the goddess of victory had smiled upon him.
*Sniff sniff!* The green hippo couldn't image how such a weak enemy could suddenly have learned a series of combat skills such as continuous roll and backstab.
It could only be explained as "Between life and death, there is great terror." Anyone would naturally burst forth with his potential when he came face to face with death.
Moreover, it wasn't one or two times that Yun Xi had to meet with death. It was over 120 times.
Death was the best teacher. Everytime Yun Xi died, he would also learn something about the attack method of the monster hippo.
Finally, at the 120th time the changes of quantity caused a change in quality. From the 120 deaths, at the 121st try, Yun Xi saw through all the attack methods of the ferocious green hippo.
Not only that. When the hippo used its triple attack with its ass again, he smoothly lured the stupid hippo to the side of the big tree beside the slope and planted his deadly sword three times into the hippo's body while it continuously knocked the big tree.
Neck, waist, back... this was Yun Xi's trial. Three quick slashes toward the three respective weak spots... every time it hit, the sword left behind a cut that went deep to the bone.
This was the decisive blow, the strike that would bring Yun Xi victory.
"Rumble!"
Sword marks covered the green hippo's body, as it toppled over and dyed the slope in red.
"It's dead?"
After seeing the green hippo's body bleed out and topple over, Yun Xi realized that the battle was over.
He won... Had he really won?
After escaping the slap of the green hippo ten times, the rolling of the hippo three times, the ass attack fifteen times, and giving it twenty backstabs; the seemingly unbeatable green hippo was finally killed by Yun Xi.
A hand-sized green light flew out from its giant broken body and went into Yun Xi's body.
/> After absorbing the green light point, Yun Xi's body became more flexible and was not as stiff as a zombie.
The first mission of the novice trial accomplished!
The hippo had been killed!
Chapter 9: The Gatekeeper of the Dark Forest
The corpse of the green hippo slowly turned into countless black mist and started to dissipate. Like Yun Xi's death, there was only a pool of blood that remained in the center of the slope.
"Huh... hoo..." Yun Xi leaned on his iron sword. He panted heavily in the place where the green hippo had died.
While he was in the fight, he didn't think about anything. However, after the combat ended, all the weariness of his body frantically bursted out.
The body was a living thing and it had been used to its limit.
His bones and nerves seemed to be crying due to the strenuous activities. Yun Xi wasn't able to see his own face, but he imagined that it should be pretty contorted.
It was really not easy.
If it wasn't for the green light that flew out from the green hippo's corpse; which replenished his consumed energy, he was afraid that he wouldn't even be able to stand up.
"Not... enough..." After facing death 120 times, Yun Xi now knew every part of his body.
After swallowing the green light, both his body and joint's flexibility had increased a lot and now, he wasn't as stiff as a zombie.
While leaning on the broken tree hit by the hippo, Yun Xi closed his eyes as began to regulate his breathing, adjusting his body, and savouring the remaining excitement from after that intense fight.
"The 3rd sword timing, I was too hasty using the sword and my step was also shifted by 3 centimeters."
"The 7th sword timing, I was too late and too anxious."
"The final three swords could be considered as decent enough."
It took 21 slashes to kill that green hippo. Yun Xi could clearly replay the scene vividly in his mind in each attack.
Every mistake and every imperfect move reappeared clearly in his mind. He realized that his performance was by no means perfect. There were at least 10 minor flaws.
There was even a fatal mistake of which almost cost him his life.
Fortunately, that green hippo's weak point was far more obvious than his and committed more mistakes than he did. Especially the attack which made the hippo turn around, gallop forward and crash in a straight line. In Yun Xi's view, this was the hippo's biggest flaw.
He then used a crevice to contain this ‘roller crusher' move. Yun Xi had chopped its back at least 10 times but the final three slashes were the ones that dealt the killing blow.
After killing this green hippo, he realized that strength was not a focal point. An accurate judgment to utilize an opportunity and timing for his attacks were far more important, coupled with caution to not move rashly.
This was the true reason why mortals needed to fight many battles and temper themselves countless times to grasp the true essence of sword arts. Relying on his superior ability to replay the scenes of the fight, Yun Xi naturally grasped this aspect.
Because he basically never had a tiny bit of time to relax in his fight with this green hippo.
Only after immersing himself in his sword and predicting the hippo's attack in advance was he able to achieve this result. Even then, he could only defeat this beast with a rigid and stiff body.
"This is... the fight..." After dying for 120 times as the price, Yun Xi had grown rapidly.
Those battle-hardened veterans who fought many battles gained their experience after countless battles. Most people even died in their enemies' hands the first time they entered the battle.
The experience to live through life and death situations was the most profound and most precious experience.
"Death... terror..." Yun Xi tightly gripped his rusty iron sword. A special feeling grew in his heart toward this nameless rusty sword.
Without this rusty sword, he couldn't have injured the green hippo. Even if there were ten of him, it was impossible to defeat that ferocious beast.
A sword is a tool and weapon, it could be used to commit crimes and it was also used as a weapon to kill.
Revering the sword, this was the mainstream ideology in the Sword God's Domain.
Now, Yun Xi was greatly anticipating the final reward of this quest. What would the treasure, the Sword Arts Seed look like?
"There is also a monster here..." Looking at the map, Yun Xi slowly stood up. Holding the sword, he headed forward towards the Dark Forest.
The landscape on top of the hill was much more devastated compared to Yun Xi's imagination. The earth was scorched, the rocks turned ash gray, and even the mountain's wall was as if it had been burnt down. The entire scenery gave off a strong deathly aura.
But, in his straight line of vision at the far end of the Dark Forest, there was an ominous living being exerting a dangerous and menacing aura.
In front of the entrance to the Dark Forest, the red dot, as if waiting for Yun Xi to come, was motionless and didn't move.
"One... Two..."
"One... Two..."
After a short while in this place, Yun Xi had a better understanding of what his childhood sweetheart — Hua Huo— had taught him about the breathing practice method.
Hua Huo had passed onto him a particular breathing method. Not only did he use that method in the deathmatch against that green hippo, but it also had helped him restore his strength over time in that fight.
His heartbeats, his breathing rhythm, and the sounds of the blood flowing in his body intertwined, forming a marvelous music.
Hua Huo seemed to be able to maintain this breathing state all the time, but Yun Xi was only able to maintain it for a quarter of an hour. Longer than that made his breathing rhythm fall into disorder.
This was the difference between a genius and an ordinary person. Even if he had experienced life and death situations 120 times, some things, like speeding up his practice's result, could not be rushed up forever.
Fifteen minutes to be able to fight with all of his strength was Yun Xi's limit at present. He could only maintain this state for this time period and if he passed this time limit, then his battle efficiency would suffer and would decline greatly.
In essence, his battle efficiency actually didn't even improve; it was just that he could temporarily bring out all of his body's potential to fight.
If his battle prowess were to be calculated with numbers, then when the green hippo killed him for the first time, he could be graded between a 6 and 7. However, after he killed the green hippo, his battle prowess was perhaps about 20. He could defeat the green hippo thanks to his observation over the beast's attack styles.
"I don't know... what type of beast is there..." Judging from the red spot size on the map, Yun Xi could only estimate that this beast's size was probably a little smaller than his body.
The green hippo had a strong skin and its flesh was thick. It was definitely a strong and aggressive beast. Its speed perhaps wasn't slow, but its attack had a fatal flaw. This was also dependent on the body shape.
Then, if this beast's body and his build were similar, could this beast be an agility type?
Perhaps this beast would not be so simple. When he first received this new quest, a powerful feeling crossed his intuition. Yun Xi could somewhat vaguely sense an ominous foreboding.
His premonition quickly came to reality.
At the Dark Forest's entrance, his second opponent stood majestically aloof there, waiting for his challenge.
"How could it be you?" Yun Xi's complexion was pretty much desperate as he looked at the opponent he was about to face.
He couldn't beat it, this opponent... he really couldn't beat it!
Because he was much too familiar with this opponent.
An energetic and lively double ponytail; a white lotus and long sword marks engraved on the sword's hilt; long arched eyebrows with big wide dark eyes like the moon. This was Yun Xi's first love, the
most famous swordswoman genius ever in his small village.
It was his childhood sweetheart — Hua Huo.
"Cough... strange... why am I here?" Hua Huo seemed to still be a little puzzled and sleepy with eyes half closed.
"Wait... let me see... Stop the invader from entering the dark forest. Protect the beautiful princess from being desecrated!"
"Once the princess is kissed, Yun Xi would win!"
