The six new boars, plus the four still on the battlefield, meant they had to face ten Spined Boars at once.
Worse, they were caught between the two groups, surrounded in the middle.
The new boars had gathered beneath the very tree where Laila was hiding.
"Gods above! What the hell is going on?!"
Even Belt, usually an optimist, couldn't help muttering a curse at the sight.
"Watch out!" Zoya's voice rang out.
The instant Belt became distracted by worry for Laila, the Spined Boar he and Zoya had been attacking seized its chance.
It arched its body, every spine along its back standing on end—
[Spine Barrage]!
Zoya's warning came quickly, but Belt had just spent his strength and hadn't yet recovered. He couldn't rush forward in time to interrupt the attack, nor could he fully dodge the close-range burst.
All he could do was roar and desperately swing the broad greatsword in his hands across his body, trying to shield his vital spots.
But a greatsword wasn't a shield, and it couldn't cover much.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The barrage of spines struck him in an instant. Though most were deflected by his sword, several pierced his arms, shoulder, and the side of his neck, immediately soaking his clothes with blood.
"Urgh!" Belt groaned in pain and staggered back a few steps. He quickly pulled a Healing Potion from his belt and reluctantly took a small sip.
He Xi and Hulk watched anxiously, wanting to help, but the two boars that had recovered were keeping them pinned down. They couldn't break away.
The two smaller boars were unusually cunning.
As magical beasts, they possessed at least a little intelligence.
After seeing—or sensing—their companions get injured several times by sharp stone spikes that suddenly burst from the ground, they instinctively