Yggdrasil Year 1641, Day 28, Month 3, In Front of Boarer Forest
Kurt takes Reynes to the entrance of the forest. His objective is to survive for a week with the equipment he wears.
"Remember, Reynes. All equipment you wear is a standard one. If you happen to find Sage Ore inside the forest, you must not mine it."
"Why's that, father?"
"There were four reasons. The first is to maintain the Lexington Family's tradition. Second, you must challenge your limits by restraining as much magic power as possible, including only using water and tools used for exam stored inside the [Item Box]. The third reason is to survive with normal equipment. The fourth and the last is to refrain from using Sage Ore, as it would augment our capabilities."
"So I have to survive with my natural strength?"
"Yes. Which is why you can feel your body is very light, isn't it?"
Moving his wrists and arms around, Reynes can feel lightness.
"My body does feel light."
"Good luck, my son. You're on your own now."
Reynes dismounted from the horse, and he went into the forest to conduct the final trial.
Scharlwarltz Palace, Oversee Pond
"Looks like he's going to handle a final trial."
Luciana looks at Reynes, who has just entered the Boarer Forest. Klendiana also comes here to conduct her final trial, with Enhanced Boarthog as a prize from a week of survival.
"Now, I wonder what kind of prize Reynes would bring."
The pond disconnects its view when Luciana snaps her finger. She's interested in observing it further but chooses to restrain herself for the time being.
Boarer Forest
Reynes sets up camp, chopping some of the trees down, processing them, and building a shelter to cover him from the rain. Chopping the tree down with his sword was exhausting, and it took a whole day for him to set up a shelter.
"Let's see…. I have to do this…."
Reynes does an old-school way of lighting fire. Using dried wood, leaves, and rock, Reynes creates fire with it. It takes a whole day for him to set up a camp. Reynes didn't forget to use his bare hands to dig some trenches and get some woods to make a makeshift cottage.
"I may as well hunt tomorrow."
At least for today, Reynes can manage himself with water and have a little bit of meat by catching a rabbit. Tomorrow, he needs to hunt for better resources.
The following day, Reynes went deeper into the forest. The trees have grown thicker from the last time he went here for training.
"It has been several years since I visit here."
But, as much as his luck hold, he encounters a new type of boar, the War Boar.
"Now that's a new type of boar I haven't seen in years."
Reynes remembers when he reads a monster catalog from the Guild's library. War Boar was listed as an A Ranked and is the closest to becoming a King Boar. Since it can wield a weapon and has the proficiency of combat, a minimum of B Rank Party is required to defeat it. A War Boar with escorts requires A Ranked party.
"Seems no escort. I have to be careful about this."
Reynes tries to conceal his presence as best as he can. War Boar has a keen sense of bloodlust and presence, and it would alert it as soon as the boar can smell anything living nearby.
Since Reynes didn't have any equipment made from Sage Ore, he needed another strategy to defeat it. Trapping it requires a lot of resources. Slitting its throat would be difficult since the fat is too thick. What Reynes need is a good headshot to kill it.
Reynes scouts it for a bit and later withdraws to gather material. The good news is the distance between his camp and the War Boar location is around five kilometers. The bad news is that the War Boar may have a chance to be evolved during a fight, as it could be the next Leader-class Monsters.
A Boarthog was hanged upside down on Reynes' camp, as he would like to bring the corpse to Shills. Living without the support of the Lexington Family makes him realize that he can't rely on his parents all the time. The training he spent ten years culminated in a week of the final trial.
Town of Shills
"Welcome. What would you like to sell?"
"I would like to sell this. A large portion of this."
Since Reynes didn't have money with him, he would sell it for money. The guild staff only smiled as she already expected he caught a large Boarthog.
"How much meat would you like to keep?"
"Enough for a week."
"Please wait for a while."
Reynes waits for a while, and an hour later, the butcher brings him meat worth a week.
"It's unusual for you to wear standard armor."
"I'm in a final trial right now."
"Oho…. So you're on your own for a while?"
"Yeah."
"Alright. Here's your paycheck."
Handing him over a pouch of gold coins, Reynes takes it and stores it inside the [Item Box].
"Thank you. Got any recommendation for a weapons store nearby?"
"A good quality one? It's next to the guild."
"Does it has "that" equipment?"
"Oh, that? No. You're prohibited from using it, do you?"
"Yes."
"Then go to the weapons shop I recommend."
Inside the weapons shop, Reynes didn't sense any Sage Ore inside it. The guild staff does live up to its reputation.
"Oho. Look what we have here. The young Lexington. How's your sister doing? Is she keep in contact with you?"
"Oh. Don't worry about my sister. As long as the letter arrives every month, I know she's fine."
"You sure are optimistic, boy. Now, how can I help you?"
Reynes gives him a list of equipment he needs, and he just laughs when reading a paper.
"Bwa ha ha ha ha! So your father won't allow you to use Sage Ore? Alright! I just got what I need for you. Hey, boy! Here you go! Use this equipment well, and don't disappoint me! Once you finish the trial, I will commission you to make equipment for this shop. I won't take any charge from you, lad." The blacksmith grins as he expects a lot from Reynes. He gives Reynes the necessary equipment and some extra weapon as a bonus.
"Ah, but…"
"I don't want to hear any but, boy! You're about to go on a journey, do you? Go on. Take it."
Reynes quickly store his equipment inside his [Item Box] and bolts off, leaving five small gold coins on the table. The blacksmith only laughs as he takes the coins.
"Come back anytime, boy!"
Reynes returns to the forest and continues to make preparations to hunt down War Boar.
The Last Two Days
Reynes memorize every path he takes. To take down War Boar, he creates several traps to suppress it. War Boar is cunning, and Reynes have to outsmart it if he wants to defeat it. All these four days of preparation would come to the last two days.
"Here we go."
Reynes advances through the forest, and so far, there are no monsters on his way to the campsite occupied by War Boar. But, what comes next becomes what the Guild would publish the report as a Rescue Mission.
"Is that?"
He saw five girls tied up in a large wood, and the War Boar coordinated with other monsters to prepare for a feast. All of them were knocked out, and looking at the silver and gold plating on their dog tag, the youngest member could be a B Ranked, and the leader may be an A Ranked.
"Looks like that War Boar is evolved…."
If Reynes' assumption was correct, the War Boar should be evolved into Boar Warlord. It still has some wounds, which could give Reynes an opportunity to slay it.
"Looks like the battle has just ended recently."
Reynes looks at his equipment. Sword, Axe, Spear, Club, everything he needs to defeat Boar Warlord is with him. Now, he just needs to find good momentum to strike it down. However, when Reynes prepare to strike an ambush, he looks at a familiar face.
"That….!"
He wouldn't expect to see Princess Aurelia among those who were captured. She wore brown leather armor, and she was battered from the fight. He heard about Aurelia being an adventurer as she didn't take any interest in the succession of the throne.
"It seems I have to—wait…"
Reynes remembers that he can't use equipment made from Sage Ore, but he can use his magic to defeat it.
"It looks like I have to adjust my plan to rescue her."
The plan changed, from luring the Boar Warlord to his trap inside the forest to the assassination of Boar Warlord.
"If I remember correctly, the Boars were capable of crossbreeding."
Information from the guild is correct, as some of the Wereboars brought the corpse of the male adventurers. Time is precious, and Reynes have to eliminate them using his natural strength.
"Sage Ore is out of option. Now I understand why I'm not allowed to use it."
Aware that Reynes was bound to a trial, his challenge right now is to defeat Boar Warlord without using any equipment made by Sage Ore.