Taking a breath to steady my nerves, I glanced over the quest board. The receptionist's words about being careful who I showed my status to still echoed in my mind. Unknown Potential.
Blank magic stat. Skills with no clear explanations. It all painted a picture I wasn't sure I wanted anyone else to see. Not yet.
The guild hall bustled around me, adventurers boasting about their exploits and planning their next quests. My own rank-up from E to D felt hollow amidst the chatter. It wasn't something I earned—it was something unleashed so I have mixed feelings about it
The low-tier quests were pinned to a corner of the board, most of them simple tasks meant for beginners: herb gathering, pest extermination, and package deliveries. The type of jobs seasoned adventurers scoffed at.
I skimmed the options, settling on one that seemed both manageable and easy.
E-rank Quest:
Mission: Clear the Fields
Description: A pack of aggressive wild boars has been spotted terrorizing farmers near the outskirts of Miruzo. Cull as much of their numbers to ensure the safety of the villagers.
Proof: Boar tusk (by pair)
Reward: 4 silver coins per pair, and a + 1 meal voucher (not stackable)
Wild boars. Perfect. I can use magic with no expectations of grandeur. Just me, a magic staff, and some overgrown pigs.
[Boar hunting?] (Kiria) Her voice cut through my thoughts as I accepted the quest using the guildcard.
I turned to see her leaning against a pillar nearby, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.
[You sure that's not too much for your 'fragile' body?] (Kiria)
I rolled my eyes.
[It's not like I'm going after a dragon. I need something straightforward]
Kiria smirked, pushing off the pillar.
[Fine. But don't come crying to me if you get gored] (Kiria)
[I'll be fine. Really]
Her eyes narrowed for a moment, then softened.
[Suit yourself. Just don't do anything stupid, okay?](Kiria)
[Yes, ma'am!] I am blessed to have people that care about me, maybe I am lucky?
...
...
.
The farmland stretched out under a golden sky as the sun dipped toward the horizon. The air smelled of tilled soil and fresh grass, a welcome contrast to the stale, crowded atmosphere of the city.
The farmer who greeted me—a wiry, older man with calloused hands—pointed me toward the field where the boars had last been seen.
[They're nasty little devils] (??) He warned as he gazed at the fields ahead of us.
[Not afraid to charge a man twice their size. You'll want to end it quick if you can. They even] (??) He seems concerned for the fields and others, and for my safety....well I understand that part.
I nodded, gripping my staff.
[I'll take care of it, and I will be careful]
The field was eerily quiet as I approached, the tall grass swaying in the wind. A few scattered crows perched on the dilapidated wooden fence, their beady eyes following my every move. I scanned the area, my pulse quickening. Somewhere out here, a pack of boars had made this farmland their battleground.
It didn't take long to spot the first one. It was literally visible from our position despite the distance.
A massive beast, nearly as tall as my waist has its bristly back visible from the undergrowth, its coarse fur bristling and its tusks gleaming in the fading sunlight. It snorted, pawing at the ground, the dirt kicking up in clouds around its hooves. The tension in its posture made one thing clear: this creature wasn't afraid of me.
[Alright] I muttered under my breath, readying my staff.
[Let's see if all this talk about survival was worth it]
I stepped forward slowly, keeping my staff low and my stance steady. The boar's ears twitched, and its dark eyes locked onto me. For a moment, we stood there, two predators testing the air between us.
I was always afraid of this kind of stand off and I fear it before, but now-it was different.
With a guttural grunt, it charged, barreling toward me like a freight wagon.
I waited, every muscle coiled and ready. At the last possible moment, I sidestepped, spinning to avoid the tusks that could easily impale me. My staff's reinforced end lashed out in a practiced arc, hitting the boar's flank. It hit with a force, and the beast let out a grunting squeal.
The boar wasn't done, I was sure of it. It turned with a savage growl, lower to the ground this time, as if trying to anticipate my movements. Its eyes burned with fury, and its breaths came in ragged bursts.
[Stubborn] I said through gritted teeth, adjusting my stance. My grip tightened on the handle as I prepared a spell in mind.
The second charge was faster, more direct. I sidestepped again, but this time the boar turned sharply, nearly catching me off balance. Its tusk grazed my armor with a screech of metal, and I stumbled, barely managing to keep my footing.
[Damn it!] I hissed, spinning to face it again.
My heart pounded in my ears, the adrenaline surging through me.
The boar snorted, preparing for another rush. This time, I wouldn't wait. Lunging forward, I feinted left and aimed my staff at its flank. Shouting a familiar spell--
[<
[Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!] (????)
A white narrow magic projectile appeared at the tip of the staff, slamming down at the boar's flank sending it in quite a disgusting scene to unfold.
I stood there, panting, as the world seemed to catch up with me. One down. But--
[Urrrrp--!] I almost vomited because the smell of entrails entered my nose in an instant, in short boar guts got into me...yuck!!!!
Ewwww!!!!!!
[Arrrrggghh!!!!!!] I had a breakdown...
The rustling continued at the tall grass ahead before I could catch my breath.
At first, it was faint, like the whisper of wind through grass. But then the sound grew, a rhythmic pounding that sent vibrations through the ground.
I turned to my east to see five more boars emerging from the undergrowth, each one larger and more enraged than the first. Their black eyes glinted in the fading light, and their tusks gleamed like ivory blades.
[Oh, come on!] I groaned, raising my sword again. My arms already ached, but there was no time to dwell on it.
The pack moved as one, charging in a coordinated rush that left no room for escape. I had seconds to act, and no chance to take them one at a time.
I ducked as the first one lunged, its tusks narrowly missing my chest. A second boar came from the side, forcing me to roll to avoid being trampled. My staff lashed out blindly, grazing another beast but doing little more than angering it.
They circled me, their movements almost predatory. Each step was calculated, their grunts echoing like a drumbeat. The tension was suffocating, and my breath came in ragged gasps.
My foot slipped on the blood-soaked grass, and I fell to one knee. A boar charged, its tusks aimed directly at me. There was no time to dodge.
The sensation was sudden and overwhelming, like a dam breaking inside me due to self-preservation. Magic surged through my veins, raw and uncontainable. My vision blurred, and the air around me crackled with energy. My body moved on its own, driven by instinct—or something deeper.
I thrust my hand forward without the aid of the staff, and just casted...
[<
[<
The magic projectile roared and whistled like a living thing, whizzing towards the charging boars. The recoil from continuously casting a barrage of magic bolt sent me stumbling backward, and I hit the ground hard, my staff clattering beside me.
When the dust subsided, the field was eerily silent. Three of the boars lay motionless, their head destroyed beyond recognition. The remaining two had fled, their panicked squeals fading into the distance.
[fuck! The tusks!!!! Argh!!!!] How careless of me. I should not have casted it carelessly.
I sat there, trembling, staring at the blackened grass and the still-smoking remains of the beasts. My hand pulsed with pain from the recoil of whatever I had just unleashed. It wasn't just a spell—it was something more, something alive and wild.
The moment hung heavy in the air, the scorched earth around me still radiating heat. The farmer's voice, sharp and trembling, pulled me back to the present.
[What in the blazes was that?!] (??) His face was a mix of awe, fear and amazement as he looks at the defeated boar.
I staggered to my feet, the adrenaline still coursing through me. My hand trembled as I reached for my staff, the faint traces of residual heat fading as I clutched it tightly. My mind raced for an explanation, but the words stuck in my throat. What could I even say?
[Just... a spell] I managed weakly, my voice cracking under the weight of the moment.
The farmer's eyes darted between the remains of the boars and the disheveled field, his lips pressing into a thin line. He didn't seem convinced, and honestly, neither was I. That wasn't a spell I had ever practiced—it wasn't even a spell I knew. It was something entirely different, something primal.
The farmer approached the boar and tried to stab it with the fork to see if it was alive.
[I've seen mages before, lad. They don't... do that] (??)
I swallowed hard, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me. The urge to explain, to plead for understanding, battled with the instinct to run. Before I could decide, a deep, guttural growl rumbled from the undergrowth.
My blood ran cold.
The boars I had thought fled had returned—but not alone. Emerging from the shadows was a colossal beast, its fur matted and dark as pitch. Its tusks, jagged and cracked, looked more like gnarled tree branches than ivory. Scars crisscrossed its hide, and its red, bloodshot eyes burned with an intelligence that sent a shiver down my spine.
The Alpha Boar, or if I am being simple---just their leader. It's not alone as it was accompanied by 4 other boars.
The farmer let out a strangled cry, almost stumbling as he hides behind me.
[That's their leader, it's the one that injured Ross!] (??)
[Get out of here old man!] I wanted him to run back to safety but it's too late.
The Alpha pawed at the ground, its massive hooves leaving deep furrows in the dirt. It snorted, steam rising from its flaring nostrils, and charged.
This was no ordinary boar—it was a force of nature. The ground quaked beneath its charge, the vibrations rattling my teeth. My body screamed at me to run, but something deeper, something instinctual, rooted me in place.
I raised my staff, summoning the remnants of the energy still thrumming inside me.
[Not this time] I muttered, gritting my teeth.
[I will not be afraid anymore. I'm not running] I collected myself and steeled my mind.
The Alpha was upon me in seconds, its tusks gleaming as it aimed for my chest. At the last moment, I planted my foot and twisted, the staff sweeping low to deflect its charge. The impact reverberated up my arms, nearly knocking me off balance, but I held firm. The boar skidded to a stop, turning with a guttural snarl that made the air vibrate.
[Cover your ears old man!]
The old man behind me cowered to the ground with his hands at his ears. I had seconds to act. Raising my staff, I called forth the only spell I could think of.
[<
The projectile shot forward, striking the other boars approaching us at neck-breaking speed square at their heads, killing them in an instant. However, the alpha only shrugged it off as it only hit it in the side. The beast barely flinched, its hide absorbing the impact like a stone wall.
[GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!] (????) It turned back to me, unfazed and still running towards us, it let out a roar that echoed across the field.
[Great!] I muttered.
[Of course, you're tougher!]
The Alpha charged, this time with terrifying speed. I barely managed to dive out of the way, rolling to my feet just in time to see it wheel around for another attack. My breaths came in short gasps, the weight of the staff in my hands suddenly feeling unbearable.
Think. Think!
The lingering heat in my veins sparked an idea. Whatever I had unleashed earlier—it had been raw, uncontrolled. But maybe I could harness it. Maybe I could use it.
I planted my feet, gripping the staff with both hands as I focused on the memory of that power. The heat, the fire, the raw energy coursing through me—it was still there, buried beneath the surface. I just needed to draw it out.
The Alpha charged again, its eyes blazing. I waited, my heart pounding in my ears. At the last possible moment, I thrust the staff forward, channeling everything I had into a single, desperate attack.
{UNIQUE SKILL: MYSTWEAVE ACTIVATED!}
[<
It appeared again! The same shifting magic circle, and the blinding light that came with it.
A burst of unstable magic erupted at the tip of my staff, streaking toward the charging Alpha at a speed that I could not follow. The impact was deafening, the force of it throwing me backward and my staff broke at the force it made.
[WAAAAAA!!!!] (??) I saw the farmer getting blown away from the shockwave, so I dive towards him and grabbed him by the foot.
When the dust settled, the field was silent once more.
The Alpha lay motionless, its massive body mangled and smoking. The air was thick with the acrid stench of fur and flesh. I collapsed to my knees, the broken staff slipping from my grasp as exhaustion overtook me.
[Holy crap.....] Ahahahahahaha!!!!!
I did it! I did it! I managed to face one of my fears! Ahahahahahah!
[You killed the devil of the fields! What was with that spell?! It was amazing!] (??) He stood up and confirmed that the alpha boar is down.
[I told you old man! It was just a spell!]
He just laughed at me and slapped my shoulders nonstop for taking down the monsters harassing his field.
[Erm.....you need the proof of subjugation, right? Can I take the meat or something? Don't worry about the tusks, I will take it for you] (??) I just nodded as I was way too exhausted to even respond with a word.