I Don't Need To Log Out-Chapter 176: Preok the Hunter

Pierre was the first to charge at the Named Monster—Preok the Hunter.

Arlon hadn’t needed to activate Eyes of K*T** to learn its name.

Preok had proudly declared it himself, spewing some nonsense about "killing the saviors and carrying their heads as trophies."

Arlon didn’t bother listening to the rest.

He had heard better cringeworthy speeches from himself when he was acting as the guide.

More importantly, he didn’t need to check its stats. Preok wasn’t strong enough to escape from him, Leon, or Nova.

That meant the fight wasn’t about whether they could kill it, but how quickly and how well the others handled it.

Pierre took the first attack head-on.

A heavy swipe of Preok’s claw came crashing down—but Pierre didn’t crumble under the impact.

Instead, he absorbed the force, his stance unshaken, his shield absorbing most of the power as he shifted slightly to redirect the attack’s momentum.

Arlon watched, arms crossed, analyzing Pierre’s movements.

He had always thought tanks were the most useless warrior subclass.

That wasn’t arrogance—it was experience.

Arlon had spent years fighting against higher-level enemies, and in those fights, speed was everything.

His combat style had always revolved around avoiding damage completely, because against stronger enemies, taking even one hit could be fatal.

That was true even before he regressed.

Back then, he hadn’t fought enemies this much stronger than himself, but he hadn’t wasted time fighting weaklings either.

The problem with tanks, in his eyes, was simple:

They had to take hits.

And no matter how good a tank was, a level difference would always show.

A 100-level gap? No amount of armor, shields, or defensive skills would save them. Even the best tank would break eventually.

Yes, a tank could survive a few more hits than him, but at what cost? If Arlon had been a tank instead of a damage dealer, he wouldn’t have been able to fight the way he did now.

He wouldn’t have survived this long.

But watching Pierre…

Made him rethink it.

Pierre wasn’t just standing there like a wall, taking blow after blow.

He was redirecting attacks, using his shield to deflect rather than absorb all the force.

Even with the level difference, he was forcing Preok into awkward positions, creating openings where there should’ve been none.

Arlon’s opinion of tanks didn’t completely change, but…

He had to admit that Pierre was proving him wrong.

He wasn’t narrow-minded, after all.

The only thing he would never change his mind about… was assassins.

Assassins were useless.

While Arlon was evaluating Pierre’s technique, Lei jumped into the fray.

With a swift, low dash, she closed the distance, aiming directly for Preok’s ankles.

The towering Keldar was too focused on Pierre to react in time. Lei’s blade slashed deep, cutting through tendons, causing Preok to stumble with a snarl.

And when Preok, in pain and fury, twisted its body to retaliate—

Pierre was waiting.

The moment Preok’s back turned, Pierre lunged forward and slammed his shield into the already wounded ankle, further destabilizing the beast.

The two of them moved in perfect sync—Lei attacking weak points, Pierre blocking and countering at the right moments.

Arlon smirked slightly.

They seem to be in perfect harmony, he thought.

Preok roared in frustration, its massive claws slicing through the air, but Pierre blocked the strikes with precise movements, never taking a direct hit.

Lei kept circling, attacking its ankles whenever she saw an opening. Each cut weakened the monster’s stance, making it harder for Preok to balance its towering form.

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But even with their coordination, the fight wasn’t over yet.

"Enough of this!" Preok snarled, baring its fangs. Its crimson eyes burned with rage and humiliation.

It lunged again, this time feinting toward Pierre before abruptly shifting its attack toward Lei, aiming to crush her in one swipe.

Lei’s eyes widened. She barely had time to react—

A surge of fire exploded between them.

June had entered the fight.

With the Infernal Spire in her grip, she thrust her staff forward, and from its tip, a wave of searing flames erupted, forcing Preok to stagger back before it could strike Lei.

Flames licked across the Keldar’s fur, and it let out a pained snarl, shaking itself violently to put out the embers.

"You looked like you needed some help," June said, grinning.

Lei smirked. "Took you long enough."

Preok growled, its fury boiling over. "You pests—"

June slammed the bottom of her staff into the ground, sending a column of fire surging beneath the Keldar’s feet. The heat intensified, burning away patches of fur and scorching its legs.

Pierre rushed forward and bashed his shield into Preok’s already wounded knee, forcing it to stumble.

Lei took the chance and drove her blade deep into its side.

The beast roared, its strength failing. It swayed, its body no longer able to fight back.

It fell to its knees.

The trio stood over it, weapons raised—but they hesitated.

Preok saw their hesitation and immediately seized the moment.

"P-Please," it gasped, eyes wide with fear. "Spare me!"

The plea froze them.

June’s grip on her staff faltered. Pierre’s stance loosened. Even Lei, who had been fighting with relentless aggression, hesitated.

In that instant, a blur moved past them.

Arlon.

With a single motion—without even drawing a sword—he sliced through Preok’s throat with a clean, precise movement.

Blood sprayed onto the ground.

Preok’s eyes widened in shock before its body collapsed, lifeless.

Arlon exhaled. "Hesitating will get you killed."

The fight was over.

---

"Hey! We’re here!"

The two groups finally met in the clearing, the air still carrying the faint scent of burnt fur from the recent battle.

Arlon glanced over the group that had been wiped out earlier, half-expecting them to still be shaken by their defeat.

But…

They were fine.

No one looked defeated or depressed. In fact, some of them looked annoyingly normal, as if dying and reviving were just a minor inconvenience.

Arlon let out a quiet breath. Good. He had worried that some might be shaken enough to consider dropping out entirely. But if anything, they seemed ready for round two.

That was when Zack crossed his arms and smirked.

"You stole my kill again, Arlon!" he said, his tone playful but dramatic.

Arlon barely reacted, but before he could respond, Maria rolled her eyes.

"Zack, you were dead. What do you mean, ’stole’?"

"Doesn’t matter," Zack said with a huff. "If he had been in our group, I wouldn’t have let him take the last hit. I’d have fought it myself."

His words carried a new confidence. He had faced a Named Monster, and now, he was sure he could fight one again.

But his statement could also be misinterpreted—as if June, Lei, and Pierre hadn’t had the same determination, as if they had just let Arlon handle it instead.

And the reason for that misunderstanding?

The system announcement.

Since Arlon had landed the killing blow, only his name was displayed as the one who defeated Preok.

Arlon finally spoke. "It wasn’t me."

Zack blinked. "What wasn’t you?"

"I didn’t kill it," Arlon said flatly. "June, Lei, and Pierre did. I only gave the last hit."

Zack froze. "What!? No way!"

He looked between them as if expecting them to deny it. "You’re telling me… they killed it!?"

Lei’s brow twitched. "What, you don’t think we can kill a Named Monster, Zack?"

"N-no! That’s not what I meant!" Zack quickly backpedaled, holding up his hands.

"They were amazing," Nova added, his voice casual—but Zack could feel the weight behind his words.

Zack tightened his jaw. He wasn’t mad at them—of course not. They were his friends. He was mad at himself.

They had done what he couldn’t.

A gentle hand rested on his shoulder.

Zack turned to see Carole, offering him a small, encouraging smile.

She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. He had already decided—next time, it would be him.

But Zack wasn’t one to stay serious for too long. He took a deep breath, then grinned again.

"Still," he said, regaining his usual playful energy, "your names didn’t show up. Arlon is the only savior who has officially killed a Named Monster. So the competition continues!"

Pierre raised an eyebrow. "What competition? I don’t remember entering one."

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"You’re already losing, Pierre. No need to be in denial," Zack said smugly.

And just like that, the tension melted away.

Laughter filled the air as the group continued their hunt together, side by side.

Today was the last day before their fight with the Demon.