Mav stood atop a tall tree, gripping a sturdy branch as he crouched behind a thick cluster of leaves. "Dark Yellow Transcendence," he whispered. In an instant, his vision sharpened, zooming in on the distant landscape, allowing him to see even farther. "Still nothing," he muttered, disappointed. He had been perched in this tree for nearly half an hour, repeatedly casting Dark Yellow Transcendence in all directions, desperately searching for his target.
More than a week had passed since the Dark Red Nuke Incident. The chief had reluctantly allowed Mav to return to the forest, reassured that no further explosions had occurred after what he had secretly done. Emily had hesitated at first, but after much pleading and extra help with her vegetable garden, she finally relented.
"Dark Yellow Transcendence," Mav cast again, coating his body in a fleeting yellow flame. The enhancement lasted only for a second, but it was enough. He straightened up, his eyes narrowing. "Found one," he whispered with a mix of relief and excitement. After so long that his legs had begun to ache, he had finally found his target.
He waited for the 120-second cooldown to pass, casting the skill again to confirm it was indeed what he was looking for. Once he was certain, he waited another 120 seconds to ensure it was alone.
Satisfied, Mav moved slowly, careful not to make any noise, heading toward the direction where he had spotted the Giant Boar. When he felt he was close enough, he climbed another tree to scout the area once more. The boar was still there, its massive body munching on a mushroom. The sight was intimidating, but Mav had steeled himself.
He took deep, calming breaths, waiting for his skill's cooldown to end. Then, he descended the tree slowly to avoid startling the beast and took cover behind a thick trunk, closing his eyes for a moment to focus.
The day after he had read about the Giant Boar in a book, he had immediately begun training. He mastered the timing of his skills, repeating the process hundreds of times during the days when he couldn't venture into the forest. One... One... One... he had repeated to himself, visualizing the casting of his skills and their painfully short duration. If there were a tournament for timing exactly how long a second was, Mav would undoubtedly win.
Now, in the face of the real thing, his heart pounded with nervous energy, despite all his preparations. He had imagined this scenario hundreds of times, but standing here, mere steps away from the Giant Boar, the reality was far more daunting.
Mav peeked out from behind the tree, watching the boar, which was still engrossed in its meal. He clenched his fists, muttering to himself, "You can do this. It's just a wild boar. It's weak," trying to bolster his confidence.
After a few more minutes of tense waiting, he decided it was time. He opened his status screen to check everything one last time. His mana was at 80/120, depleted by his repeated use of Dark Yellow Transcendence. He glanced at the skills he planned to use:
-Dark Yellow Transcendence (Maximum) lvl. 1/120
-Dark Green Invincibility (Maximum) lvl. 1/120
"Alright, all good," he murmured, relieved that both skills were off cooldown.
Taking one final deep breath, Mav peeked out again. He scanned the ground and picked up a small rock, rolling it between his fingers, still battling his nerves. He then turned his attention back to the Giant Boar, carefully aiming.
He had considered using Dark Yellow Transcendence on himself and throwing a rock to kill the Giant Boar from a distance, but he dismissed the idea. Even if it worked, he wouldn't be able to test his other skill, Dark Green Invincibility. Besides, if he missed, the 120-second cooldown would leave him vulnerable. So, he had devised a different plan.
With a swift motion, he hurled the rock. But it didn't hit the Giant Boar directly, perhaps due to his shaky throw, but it struck the tree where the mushroom the boar was eating was growing. Startled, the boar jerked back and raised its head, trying to figure out what had happened.
To ensure it noticed him, Mav stepped out from behind the tree, waving his arms. The Giant Boar locked eyes with him. It let out a loud growl, as if it had just found an even better meal. The sound and the sudden surge of bloodlust made Mav's heart skip a beat.
Then, yellow flames ignited around the boar's legs, which dug into the ground as it prepared to charge. Mav's mind screamed at him to flee, to escape while he still could. But he had already resolved to face this head-on. His breath grew ragged, his heartbeat thundered in his chest, and cold sweat dripped down his back, but he clenched his fists and braced himself for the attack.
He repeated the names of his skills in his mind like a mantra: Dark Green Invincibility... Dark Yellow Transcendence... He couldn't afford to mess up the timing. One mistake could be fatal, a thought that sent a fresh wave of anxiety through him, which he quickly suppressed.
Then, the Giant Boar charged. It was faster than he had anticipated, its legs kicking up dirt with every powerful stride. The thunderous sound of its hooves pounding the earth grew louder, heightening Mav's tension with each passing second. As it closed in, yellow flames engulfed its head, licking up to the tips of its tusks.
The sight was terrifying—a massive beast, far larger than Mav, hurtling toward him with its head ablaze.
But Mav held his ground, focusing intently. He waited, and waited, until it was within range. His breath quickened as the boar barreled closer. Not yet... Not yet...
NOW! his mind screamed. "DARK GREEN INVINCIBILITY!" Mav shouted at the top of his lungs. In an instant, dark green flames erupted around his body, enveloping him from head to toe. The Giant Boar, startled by the sudden blaze, tried to stop, but it was too late. The moment its tusks struck the edge of the green flames, they shattered, and then its head crashed into the barrier with a thunderous impact, as if it had collided with a solid metal wall. The sheer force of the impact was immense, yet it didn't move Mav an inch from where he was standing.
Mav squeezed his eyes shut, fearing the worst. But when he opened them, he saw the Giant Boar sprawled on the ground, its tusks broken, white foam bubbling from its mouth. It lay completely knocked out, its massive body motionless.
Mav stood there, heart still racing, his body trembling with a mix of relief and disbelief. The first part of his plan had worked.