Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Stonehide the Giant Bear
At those words, Torun’s expression shifted. "Then, shall I lead the charge?"
The minotaurs of their tribe were ready, just waiting for Ilarode’s order so he could lead them in a deadly charge against their foes.
"No need, I’ll handle this myself!"
The one who spoke was Luger Stonehide. The werebear grinned, baring his teeth in a ferocious smile.
He was confident of tonight’s victory, and now was eager to claim the glory for himself.
"Everyone, just stand back and watch," he declared. "When it comes to these people, only absolute strength will suffice—crush everything in your path!"
As he spoke, Luger rolled his shoulders and then suddenly let out a savage snarl. "Shamans, give me strength!"
With that, his body began to transform: his skull enlarged, his bones shifted, thick brown fur erupted across his skin, and claws sprouted at his fingertips.
Leaning forward, his hands hit the ground, now vast, bear-like paws. In moments, he became a fearsome massive entity—a gigantic brown bear, nearly two meters tall at the shoulder and weighing close to a ton!
"ROAR—!"
A bestial roar thundered from his throat. Behind him, three druids stepped forward to cast spells, empowering him with buffs: one cast the 1st-level spell Longstrider, greatly increasing his mobility; another used the 2nd-level Enlarge/Reduce spell, causing his already-massive frame to swell even larger—nearly three meters tall and weighing more than three tons;
And the last druid, a rare 4th-level spellcaster among their tribes, silently chanted as he cast Stoneskin, transforming Luger’s hide into granite—ordinary metal weapons could no longer hope to harm him.
This was the most critical spell: with it, almost no one in Rockseeker’s Outpost could do him any real injury.
"ROAR—!"
Mauling the air, Luger Stonehide felt all his magical buffs settle into place and unleashed his rage. He, too, was a barbarian—though his path differed from Torun’s, he shared the same power of "Rage": destructive strength!
A phantom nearly five meters tall—the totemic spirit of his tribe’s bear—appeared behind him, a symbol of his lineage. The totem granted him further resistances and strengths, making him now nearly invincible.
No weapon, magical or otherwise, nor any sort of elemental damage, would prove lethal now!
Sensing the raw power flooding his state, Luger Stonehide was certain of victory. Advancing, the massive bear—almost three meters at the shoulder—charged forward, whipping up gales with every stride, unstoppable.
Behind, Ilarode watched him with admiration. His own tribe lacked such formidable, wild warriors; this alliance was exactly what he desired.
Torun, meanwhile, was utterly shaken.
Though he firmly believed that in a one-on-one duel he might best Luger, seeing the gigantic bear packed with magical effects, he doubted even ten of himself would suffice to make a dent!
He doubted his fine steel axes would even pierce the beast’s skin.
Magic...
If he wanted to grow stronger, he needed to harness more magic, too!
With these thoughts, he cast a sidelong glance at Ilarode. Their own tribe had few who could cast spells, while Ilarode was the most powerful spellcaster he knew. He wondered whether he could somehow trick Ilarode into granting him the power of wild magic...
As for taking the glory, he wasn’t anxious. As a minotaur, he was patient: he knew Rockseeker’s Outpost would not fall so easily, and his warriors would have their chance before the end.
At that moment, at the front lines, a gigantic brown bear—nearly three meters tall and five meters long—was laying waste to the adventurers of Rockseeker Camp.
Yet this was less a battle than a massacre!
"What’s that monster?!"
"I don’t know—my arrows can’t even pierce its skin!"
"Damn it, its hide is harder than stone!"
...
A group of adventurers fought and retreated. One Wanderer pulled out his light crossbow, loaded and fired, but the once-reliable steel-tipped bolt bounced harmlessly off the enormous bear as if it were a child’s toy!
To their despair, the bear was even faster than them. The gap closed with terrifying speed!
"Screw it—let’s fight! Brothers, charge him!"
The leader—a dwarven warrior in chainmail, middle-aged—gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and brought his huge cleaver down on the bear—
BANG—
The blade struck Luger’s body with a clang, as if hitting granite; not only did it fail to injure, but the blade cracked and snapped off!
The bear’s paw casually swung sideways. The brave warrior’s body flew through the air, breastbone collapsed, blood streaming from mouth and nose—dead or dying!
"Aim for the huge bear, loose arrows!"
Within the small town, a squad of twelve crossbowmen saw the carnage and realized the bear’s destructive power surpassed a hundred ordinary Mountain People warriors. Their commander shouted orders.
But as the arrow rain fell—most finding their marks—all were helplessly deflected by Luger’s stone-hard flesh. Worse, the barrage caught the bear’s attention. Luger Stonehide spun and thundered toward them, his charge promising still more bloodshed!
BOOM—!
Suddenly, a fireball hurtled in from the distance, detonating against the massive bear. The explosion and shockwave spread debris and smoke fifty feet in every direction. The flare set corpses ablaze, adding another inferno to the smoke-choked battlefield.
The adventurers caught by the bear’s rampage fell back, glancing behind to see a half-elven mage: pointed purple hat, brown hair, petite and flat-chested, clutching her thick spellbook, eyes wide at her handiwork.
"Don’t fear! Reform the formation—I’ll deal with it!" she called out, trying to rally the others. Though a novice herself, she knew that as a spellcaster, she had to take the lead in times like this!
The remaining adventurers, emboldened, regrouped with trembling hands and formed a new battle line before the mage, weapons raised.
Meanwhile, they all watched the haze, straining to see if the bear had suffered any harm from the fireball.
The blaze still raged, and through the curtain of smoke, the silhouette of the bear emerged. It was Luger’s body—some fur singed, but otherwise entirely unharmed!
The young mage blanched, then gritted her teeth and flipped frantically through her spellbook for something better.
Ahead, the great bear let out a savage snarl and thundered forward, charging straight at her!
"Block it!"
"Protect the mage! She’s our only hope!"
Several adventurers and town guards charged forward, spears and shields raised, trying to buy the mage time to cast—but their bodies and weapons were as nothing before the berserk bear, who, buffed by magic and rage, tore through them like a true heavy tank, trampling mere mortals beneath his fury!
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