"I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" Luna's voice echoed through the silent forest, her cries filled with desperation as her body trembled uncontrollably. Fear wrapped around her heart like icy chains, suffocating her. She struggled against the ropes binding her to the tree, but it was no use. Her strength was failing, and no one was there to save her. Her pleas for help dissolved into the night, unheard by anyone.
Esdeath, perched in a nearby tree, watched the scene unfold with cold, emotionless eyes. The darkness of the night only made the red glow of her eyes more menacing. There wasn't even a flicker of pity on her face as she observed Luna's futile struggle. She was waiting — waiting for what was inevitable.
The boar closed the distance quickly, its massive form looming closer and closer until it was right in front of Luna. In one swift motion, it thrust its sharp tusks into her chest. Luna let out a bloodcurdling scream as the searing pain exploded through her body. Blood poured from the wound, staining the forest floor, and her vision started to blur.
But the creature didn't stop there. It began tearing into her flesh, first ripping at her neck, then moving to her chest. Luna's breath came in shallow gasps as her strength faded away. She felt her consciousness slipping as the monster feasted on her body, tearing into her with savage hunger. The pain became too much to bear, and her mind went numb as it devoured her heart and lungs.
Minutes passed, and the Boar King continued its gruesome feast. Slowly, methodically, it consumed half of her body, even reaching her brain. But after a while, the beast slowed, its hunger sated. Luna's mutilated body was barely recognizable now, and yet, even with only half of her left, the creature felt full. It didn't bother finishing the meal, for it had already devoured the parts it needed — the heart and brain, where mana flowed most strongly.
Suddenly, a dark light enveloped the boar's massive form. It roared, a deep, earth-shaking sound that echoed through the forest. Its tusks grew longer and sharper, and its body swelled with newfound power. The beast, now larger and stronger, reared up on its hind legs, standing on two feet like a terrifying, mutated monster. Its transformation was complete, and its strength had multiplied, making it a fearsome predator of the night.
From her perch in the tree, Esdeath's lips curled into a cold smile. Her plan had worked perfectly.
BANG!
The sharp crack of a gunshot pierced the night, shattering the eerie silence. A bullet slammed into the Boar King's eye, shattering it instantly. Blood sprayed as the beast let out a monstrous roar of pain, shaking the very air around them.
"Grrroooaaarrr!"....
The beast, now blinded in one eye, reared up on its two hind legs, its massive form trembling with fury. With a furious snarl, it charged toward the tree where Esdeath had been moments before, the ground trembling beneath its powerful hooves.
BAM!
The Boar King's head collided with the tree, causing it to snap and fall, but Esdeath was already ahead of the game. She had landed smoothly on the ground, her movements swift and calculated.
"I fired a paralysis bullet," she muttered under her breath, glancing at the beast. "Even though it's a D-rank monster, Right now it won't be paralyzed. But it's slowed down significantly." Esdeath's mind was sharp, always thinking two steps ahead.
Instead of facing the Boar King head-on, she turned on her heel and sprinted into the darkness. The Boar King, enraged and single-minded, roared and charged after her, not thinking about anything but crushing its prey.
Esdeath zigzagged through the trees, her feet barely making a sound as she dodged between the trunks. She knew running in a straight line would only get her caught, but with the beast's massive body, its clumsy attempts to follow her quick, erratic path were hindered. The beast snarled and crashed into trees, but Esdeath remained just out of its reach.
After running for a hundred meters, her eyes locked onto something ahead. "There it is..." she breathed, a smirk forming on her lips. A rope was tied down tightly between two nearby trees, part of the trap she had set.
Without wasting a second, Esdeath activated her Moonblade. The sleek weapon hummed in her hand as she sprinted toward the rope. At the last moment, she dropped low, drifting across the ground, and sliced the rope with a single, clean stroke.
A moment of stillness passed.
SHWOOOOSH!
Suddenly, a barrage of needles shot out from the trees, hurtling at the Boar King. The beast barely had time to react before the trap triggered, and sharp, gleaming needles embedded themselves into its flesh, tearing through its thick hide.
Esdeath stood up, her cold gaze fixed on the wounded Boar King. The needles had pierced its flesh, yet it still stood, refusing to fall. She knew this wasn't over yet.
In that instant, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Esdeath's hand moved swiftly as she drew her gun, her mind and body in perfect synchronization.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
In just five seconds, she fired twenty bullets, each one finding its mark on the Boar King's massive body. Blood poured out from countless wounds, painting the ground beneath it. Despite the onslaught, the Boar King didn't collapse. Its legs shook violently, its body wavering, but it refused to give in.
Its once mighty form was now struggling, barely able to stand on all fours as it dragged itself toward Esdeath, like a beast using the last of its strength to defy death. Every step was slow, heavy, and painful—one step… two steps… three steps—until it was only a breath away from her.
Esdeath stood firm, her cold eyes meeting the beast's one remaining eye. The Boar King glared back, a mixture of rage and helplessness in its gaze. But Esdeath didn't flinch.
"Your time's up," she whispered with a smirk.
Without hesitation, she drove her fist into the beast's last eye. The Boar King howled in agony as she grasped the eye and ripped it from its skull. It let out one final, pained roar before its body collapsed, limp and lifeless.
The night was dark, and Esdeath felt no time to waste after her battle. She knew that the blood and noise might soon attract more dangerous monsters, so she quickly drew out her moonblade. With practiced efficiency, she started cutting through the Boar King's massive body, its flesh heavy under her blade.
She pierced its head first, but nothing. Esdeath grimaced, then opened the beast's enormous belly. The gaping wound was large enough for her entire body to fit inside. Without hesitation, she climbed into the warm cavity, ignoring the grotesque feel of blood and organs sticking to her skin.
Inside, she dug through the Boar King's insides, tossing aside chunks of flesh and slippery organs. Her hands were slick with blood, and her body was now drenched in it, but she didn't stop. Finally, after what felt like minutes of searching, her fingers brushed against something solid.
"Got it."
She pulled it out—a pitch-black stone, shaped like a boar's head with two long tusks. The Black Boar Strength Essence Stone. Esdeath climbed out of the body, breathing heavily, and stared at the stone, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
She accessed her system to refine it immediately.
A satisfied smile curled her lips as she checked her stats.
"At least her death wasn't in vain," she muttered, briefly thinking about Luna, whose sacrifice had enabled her to gain this new strength.
Wasting no time, Esdeath pulled out a pink lotus-shaped essence stone, the storage item she had acquired from Eldon after killing him. She channeled a bit of mana into it, raising the pink stone above her head.
Swrrr…
A rush of water poured out, washing away the blood that had soaked her from head to toe. The coolness of the water brought a sense of relief. After cleaning herself, she took out a fresh set of clothes from the pink lotus essence stone and swiftly dressed. The bloodstained clothes were tossed into a small fire she conjured, watching them burn to ashes.
"Phew, now everything's finished. I can head back." Esdeath exhaled, satisfied that the night's work was finally complete.