Rajang.
Also known as the Super Saiyan Monkey, the Golden Trophy, the Sleeping Bull, the Grand Commander, and the Princess's favorite coat material.
It was a Beast-type monster shrouded in mystery. Although classified as a Beast, its combat power was in no way inferior to that of an Elder Dragon. Due to its belligerent and ferocious temperament, its danger level actually surpassed that of some monsters ranked higher than it in the ecological hierarchy.
When enraged, it entered a transformation state—its outer fur bristled upward, glowing gold like a Super Saiyan, while violent electrical currents coursed through its body, drastically amplifying its destructive power. It was truly worthy of its title:
King of the Fanged Beasts.
The moment Darrick laid eyes on it, an overwhelming pressure crashed down on him. For no apparent reason, an image surfaced in his mind—himself pinned to the ground, being brutally pummeled by those massive fists. He hurriedly shook his head, forcing the thought away.
His current situation was extremely dangerous.
"ROAR!"
Rajang clenched both fists and smashed them downward toward the Seething Bazelgeuse. Refusing to retreat, Bazelgeuse charged straight in to meet it.
The two colossal monsters slammed into the ground, and the entire forest trembled from the impact.
Both were top-tier powerhouses. Once they began fighting, the result was nothing short of earth-shattering.
Darrick found himself caught between luck and misfortune. The fortunate part was that neither monster had noticed him yet. The unfortunate part was that he was standing right in the middle of their battlefield—and he had injured his knee during the fall, leaving him limping.
What should he do at a time like this?
Run—obviously! Even Sword Saint Gapar wouldn't choose to face two such monsters at once under these conditions!
But—
After taking two steps, Darrick glanced back. He gritted his teeth and, instead of fleeing, ducked behind a massive tree.
Why didn't he leave?
Because the battle unfolding before him was simply too rare.
There had long been rumors within the Adventurers' Guild that elite monsters in forest regions would sometimes clash with one another—over prey, territory, or other unknown reasons.
Every such battle was spectacular. Each monster showcased its own strengths, their movements disciplined and deliberate. This phenomenon had even drawn a niche group obsessed with "monster duels" to the region. Occasionally, recorded footage would circulate on the market, causing quite a sensation.
That said, the best-selling footage lately seemed to be… male and female Rathalos "communication," which had somehow gained an enormous following.
Among adventurers, Bazelgeuse was regarded as an omen of disaster. Anyone who encountered it during a hunt usually suffered catastrophic losses. Its power was undeniable, and very few could handle it.
As for Rajang, the guild's records contained only a handful of words.
No footage existed.
Let alone footage of it fighting a Bazelgeuse.
Which meant—
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Darrick pulled out a small recording stone and aimed it at the two monsters.
At this moment, he was the most devoted war correspondent imaginable! Even if it cost him his life, the world had to witness this earth-shaking battle!
People got addicted to cockfighting and dogfighting—how could monster combat be any less enthralling?
Rajang pinned Bazelgeuse beneath it, unleashing a storm of punches. As a Flying Wyvern, Bazelgeuse lacked raw physical strength and was quickly overwhelmed in close combat.
After taking several brutal blows head-on, it rolled violently, forcing Rajang off, then beat its wings and took to the air.
But Rajang wasn't about to allow that.
It leapt up, grabbed Bazelgeuse by the tail, and—despite being smaller—swung it down like Ultraman slamming a kaiju, smashing it into the ground before pouncing again.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Suddenly, violent explosions forced Rajang back. Bazelgeuse seized the opening, gliding through the air while scattering explosive scales, forcing Rajang to retreat.
And then—
Rajang became enraged.
Darrick's eyes widened as electricity erupted across its body. Its fur flared upward, transforming into a dazzling gold. The transformation radiated an overwhelming sense of domination.
Bazelgeuse also flew into a rage—blood surging, heat skyrocketing until its body glowed crimson, like molten lava.
The battle escalated further. Without realizing it, Darrick clenched his fists, shouting internally:
Fight! Fight! I want to see blood everywhere!
Explosions tore across the ground as Rajang unleashed a massive, radiant golden energy blast. Sound and light effects were pushed to the absolute limit.
Glorious.
Darrick was utterly satisfied—until the recording stone reached its storage limit.
Panicking, he rummaged through his pack for another. He absolutely couldn't miss a single second—but the more anxious he became, the harder it was to find.
"Found it!"
He excitedly raised the stone, about to resume recording—
Then something felt off.
The forest was silent.
Completely silent.
Where did the earth-shaking chaos go!?
Darrick's eyelid twitched violently as a terrible premonition surged up. He stiffly raised his head.
Rajang was staring directly at him, wide-eyed, wearing an expression of pure, harmless innocence.
Cold sweat poured down Darrick's face.
What the hell!? Weren't you two just fighting like lunatics!? Why are you looking at me!? Where's Bazelgeuse!?
He looked up—
And saw Bazelgeuse gliding away into the distance.
It ran.
More accurately, it chose to preserve its strength. This Bazelgeuse from the Sein Dungeon was slightly weaker than Rajang. Continuing the fight would only lead to unnecessary damage.
So it retreated.
Cleanly.
But what did it leave behind?
A Super Saiyan Monkey crackling with electricity, its battle lust fully ignited—and now with nowhere to vent it.
And the only remaining opponent was—
BANG!
ROOOAR!
A hardened fist smashed down toward Darrick, shaking the mountains and blasting dust into the air. One hit like that would send anyone straight to the afterlife.
"Damn it!"
Darrick cursed instinctively, narrowly dodging the blow.
He drew his weapon and slashed at Rajang's disproportionately underdeveloped lower body, successfully dealing damage.
That's what happens when you train upper body but skip leg day!
Rajang spun and retaliated, forcing Darrick back. His expression darkened.
The wound was far too shallow—like a razor nick on human skin.
That familiar frustration surfaced—the same feeling he'd had when fighting the Undead Legion.
Then it struck him.
This Rajang was the boss of the forest region.
Darrick focused completely. Rajang roared and charged. Just as their attacks were about to collide, Darrick suddenly accelerated, blinking behind it and delivering a full-powered strike to the back of its knee.
Rajang roared in pain and slammed both fists into the ground. Exploding lightning hurled Darrick away.
"Effective."
Darrick grinned. At the moment of impact, he had activated Wolf Blood, using the burst of speed to evade and counter.
A feint.
It worked.
But only once.
Once Rajang adapted, its heavy fists crashed down relentlessly, forcing Darrick into desperate evasions.
After only a brief exchange, he understood—
He could never defeat this thing alone.
It was a boss.
All he could do was learn its moves before dying.
THUD!
Rajang's punch suddenly accelerated. Darrick misjudged—
And took it square in the chest.
"Ugh—!"
He was sent flying, smashing into a tree. Blood sprayed as leaves rained down.
Darrick stared in disbelief.
He wasn't incapacitated.
Bones were broken. His organs churned violently.
But he could still stand.
Then he realized why.
Swords sever limbs.
Fists rarely do—unless the power gap is absurd.
Like a hot-blooded manga protagonist: as long as you still had your arms and legs, you could stand back up through sheer willpower.
Darrick might be weaker than Rajang—but not weak enough to be one-shot.
He could take several hits.
Margin for error acquired.
Excitement surged. Fighting spirit exploded.
He stepped forward deliberately, baiting Rajang, relying on Farron swordsmanship to dance at extreme ranges, dodging attacks at the very edge.
Just like fighting Darkwraiths.
The Farron "street-dance" sword style was ideal against giants—even Rajang couldn't negate its footwork.
Darrick remained calm at the brink of death, never using the final stage of the Farron style.
Though his movements looked elegant and flashy, the damage remained minimal.
Then—
He repositioned to Rajang's front flank.
A dangerous angle, but—
"Danger!"
Rajang swiped. Darrick slashed mid-dodge, but the greatsword vibrated violently.
Too hard.
He sighed and prepared to target the lower body again—
Then dread surged.
He looked up.
This punch was different.
In an instant—too fast to react—the fist was already in front of him.
No form. No technique.
Just speed.
Brutality.
Relentless force.
He finally understood why Sword Saint Gapar had been beaten.
This—
This fist was instant-cast.
At the critical moment, he activated Artorius's Wolf Ring.
If his resistance increased—maybe he could endure and counter.
That was his thought.
"UGHH—!"
His scream was cut short.
At Firelink Shrine, Darrick crouched silently by the bonfire, replaying the battle.
"I lost entirely because of Fist. If I can avoid that, I can last longer!"
The Wolf Ring had increased his resistance.
The downside?
He took all the damage.
After a long struggle, he made a decision.
Challenge Rajang again.
The battle resumed quickly.
This time, he would never stand in front of it.
He moved to the side.
Surely it couldn't Fist him now—
"ROAR!"
Rajang side-jumped, shoving its ugly face directly into Darrick's.
As if asking: What are you staring at?
Before he could react—
A fist combo sent him straight back to the bonfire.
"Again!"
This time, he hid behind it.
No way—
Rajang: Turn-around grab! Fist!
"…Again!"
I'm at the rear—try hitting me!
Rajang hopped backward—
Directly behind him.
Darrick turned numbly.
The fists were already raised.
He took a deep breath and raised his middle finger.
The reply?
Invincible FIST!
Again.
…Actually, no.
He rested by the bonfire for a long time. Everything except the greatsword was destroyed. Wrapped in tattered cloth, he left looking utterly dejected.
Thankfully, he had stored the recording stone at the shrine before the second challenge, preserving the priceless footage.
First—go home and rest.
Then deliver the footage to the guild as repayment for their support.
Just as he returned to the farm, a Farron Guard member rushed over.
"Darrick! Guards from House Bedford are here—the Count wants to see you!"