Kai left the guild, the mission slip tucked securely in his pocket as he stepped out into the bright sunlight of the city streets. Adjusting his cloak, he began his journey toward the farmlands, his crimson eyes glinting with anticipation. As he walked, he couldn't help but talk to himself, his voice low and filled with a mix of curiosity and confidence.
"Wild boar causing trouble, huh?" Kai muttered, glancing down at the slip briefly. "Doesn't sound too bad. Just a big pig, right? But Lyra said it's unpredictable. Guess I'll have to stay on my toes."
He smirked, shaking his head. "First goblins, now boars. At this rate, I'll be the hero of livestock by the end of the week. Not exactly legendary, but hey, everyone's got to start somewhere."
The bustling noise of the city slowly faded as Kai walked further out, the buildings giving way to open fields and patches of farmland. The warm breeze carried the faint scent of crops and freshly turned soil, and Kai's pace slowed slightly as he took in the peaceful scenery.
"It's nice out here," he admitted to himself. "Quiet. Too quiet, maybe. Makes me wonder how big this boar has to be to cause such a fuss."
An hour later, Kai reached the farmlands, the golden fields stretching out before him. In the distance, he spotted a farmer tending to a small patch of crops near a weathered barn. Adjusting his pace, Kai walked toward the man, raising a hand in greeting.
The farmer noticed him approaching and straightened up, his expression wary. "Who are you?" the man asked, his voice gruff but not unfriendly.
Kai stopped a few feet away, offering a casual smile. "Name's Kai. I'm an adventurer from the guild. I'm here about the wild boar causing trouble around here."
The farmer's eyes widened slightly, and he let out a sigh of relief. "Finally. We've been waiting for someone to deal with that thing. It's been tearing through the fields, ruining crops, and scaring the livestock."
Kai nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Sounds like a real problem. How long has this been going on?"
"A couple of weeks now," the farmer replied, crossing his arms. "It started small—just a few tracks and some damaged crops. But last week, it charged straight through the fence, nearly injured one of my workers. This thing's a menace."
Kai rubbed his chin, his eyes narrowing. "And you've only seen one boar? Not a group or anything?"
The farmer shook his head. "Just one. But it's big. Bigger than any boar I've ever seen."
Kai smirked. "Alright. Big boar, lots of damage, and a bad attitude. Got it. Any idea where it's hiding?"
The farmer gestured toward a dense patch of woods on the far side of the fields. "Over there, in the woods. That's where it always comes from. But be careful—it's fast, and it's not afraid to charge."
Kai nodded, his grin widening slightly. "Thanks for the heads-up. Sounds like it'll be fun."
The farmer raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Fun? You've got a strange idea of fun, kid. Just don't get yourself killed."
Kai chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about me. I've got this."
As he started walking toward the woods, Kai muttered to himself, "Fast and not afraid to charge, huh? Sounds like we'll get along just fine." His smirk faded slightly as he scanned the treeline ahead. "Time to see what all the fuss is about. Let's find this boar."
Kai walked through the forest, his hands resting casually behind his head as he glanced up at the sky peeking through the canopy. The dense trees were silent except for the occasional rustling of leaves, but the eerie quiet wasn't enough to keep him from talking to himself.
"Man, this place is too quiet," Kai muttered, his voice carrying just enough to break the stillness. "I get that it's a forest, but where's the excitement? No birds, no wind—just silence. Creepy."
He yawned, stretching his arms. "Maybe I should've taken a nap before this. The farmer wasn't kidding when he said this thing's been hiding for a while."
Grinning to himself, he added, "Still, it's not all bad. At least I don't have to deal with Lyra's constant nagging out here. 'Be careful, Kai. Don't overdo it, Kai.' Yeah, yeah, I know." He chuckled, shaking his head. "If she could see me now, she'd probably roll her eyes."
As he continued walking, a sudden jolt ran through him. He froze mid-step, his crimson eyes narrowing. "What the..." he muttered, his voice trailing off. A faint, almost imperceptible sensation tugged at the edge of his consciousness. One of his skeletons had just been destroyed.
Kai closed his eyes, his brow furrowing as he focused. Through his connection to his summons, he felt the severed link where the skeleton had fallen. Opening his eyes sharply, his expression hardened. "Something took it out."
Without another word, he dashed forward, his movements swift and fluid as he followed the faint trace of where his skeleton had been destroyed. "Whatever it was, it's not just some random animal," he muttered to himself, his tone serious. "Let's see what I'm dealing with."
As he ran, the forest around him seemed to grow heavier, the silence replaced by faint noises in the distance—low grunts and the unmistakable sound of heavy stomping. Kai's ears perked up, and his pace quickened. "That's not normal," he said, his voice low. "Whatever's making that noise, it's big."
He came to a halt as another sharp sensation struck him—another skeleton gone. Then another. Kai's fists clenched as he glanced in the direction of the fallen connections. "They're getting wiped out," he muttered, his smirk fading. "This thing's no joke."
Dashing through the dense trees, Kai finally reached the source of the commotion. He crouched low behind a large bush, peering through the leaves. His crimson eyes widened slightly at the sight before him.
A massive boar stood in the clearing, its sheer size dwarfing any normal animal he'd seen. Its coarse fur bristled with tension, and its tusks gleamed menacingly in the dappled sunlight. The ground beneath its hooves was torn and gouged as it stomped aggressively, snorting and grunting. Nearby, the remains of Kai's skeleton warriors lay scattered, their broken bones littering the forest floor.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kai whispered, his voice barely audible. "That's the boar? It's huge." He leaned back slightly, running a hand through his hair as he processed the sight. "No wonder the farmer was terrified. This thing looks like it could level the whole farm."
Taking a deep breath, Kai extended his hand and said quietly, "Skill: Appraisal."
A translucent screen appeared before his eyes, displaying the boar's stats and abilities in glowing text:
Name: Bloodfang Boar
Level: 35
Health: 4,500/4,500
Strength: 250
Agility: 80
Defense: 200
Skills:
Charge: A powerful, high-speed attack that crushes anything in its path.
Roar of Fury: Temporarily increases attack power and intimidates nearby enemies.
Thick Hide: Reduces incoming damage significantly.
Enrage: Becomes faster and stronger when its health drops below 50%.
Kai blinked at the screen, his smirk returning but with a hint of unease. "Level 35? No wonder it's tearing through everything. And those skills... Thick Hide and Enrage? Yeah, this is going to be fun."
He stood slowly, his hand resting on the hilt of his scythe. "Alright, big guy," he muttered, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Let's see what you've got."
Kai narrowed his crimson eyes at the massive Bloodfang Boar, his smirk fading as the beast stomped aggressively, snorting and scraping the ground. He extended his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a Bone Whip materialized in his grasp. The weapon crackled with energy as its sharp, skeletal edges gleamed ominously in the dappled sunlight.
"Alright, big guy," Kai muttered, his voice low but steady. "Let's see if you can handle this."
With a sharp snap, he lashed the whip toward the boar. The weapon sliced through the air with a menacing crack, aimed directly at the beast's flank. The boar grunted and sidestepped, dodging the attack with surprising agility for its size. It responded with a heavy stomp, shaking the ground beneath them.
"Quick on your feet, huh?" Kai said, adjusting his stance. "Guess this won't be as easy as I thought."
He lashed the whip again, this time in rapid succession, sending a flurry of strikes toward the boar. The creature dodged the first two, then raised its thick hide to absorb the next, the whip bouncing off harmlessly. The boar retaliated with a low snarl, charging forward in a burst of speed.
Kai darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast's tusks. He swung the whip in a wide arc, aiming for the boar's legs, but the creature leapt back, its powerful muscles rippling as it landed with a thud.
"You're smarter than you look," Kai muttered, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "But I'm just getting started."
The boar snorted, pawing at the ground before letting out a deafening roar. Its eyes gleamed with fury as it prepared to attack again. Kai tightened his grip on the whip, his mind racing. "This thing's stronger than I expected," he thought. "If I'm not careful, it might actually kill me."
Before he could act, the boar's body tensed, and it launched itself forward in a sudden burst of speed. "Skill: Charge," Kai muttered under his breath, recognizing the move instantly. "Here we go."
The boar barreled toward him, its tusks gleaming and its sheer mass tearing through the underbrush. Kai braced himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground. "Come on, you oversized pig," he muttered. "Let's see what you've got."
The impact came like a thunderclap. The boar's full force collided with Kai, sending him flying backward. He crashed through one tree, then another, splintering them like twigs. By the time he hit the twelfth tree, his momentum slowed, and he rolled across the ground, finally slamming into the base of a large, sturdy trunk.
Kai sat slumped against the tree, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth and bruises forming across his body. His breathing was ragged, and every muscle ached. Yet, despite the pain, a laugh bubbled up from his throat.
"Damn," he muttered, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. "That thing hits like a runaway carriage." He chuckled softly, wincing at the sharp pain in his ribs. "Guess Lyra wasn't kidding about it being a tough one."
He tilted his head back against the tree, his crimson eyes flickering with determination as he stared at the forest canopy above. "Alright, big guy," he said aloud, his tone equal parts amused and annoyed. "You've got strength, I'll give you that. But I'm not going down that easily."
He let out a deep breath, his smirk returning despite the pain. "Let's see who's tougher. You... or me."
The sound of heavy stomping in the distance grew louder, signaling the boar's approach. Kai tightened his grip on the Bone Whip, his expression hardening as he prepared to face the beast once more. "Alright, time for round two," he muttered, pushing himself up slowly. "This is going to hurt... but it'll be worth it."
The forest was filled with the sound of stomping and heavy grunts as the Bloodfang Boar burst through the bushes, its massive form barreling straight toward Kai. Leaves and branches scattered in its wake, and its glowing red eyes locked onto him with primal fury. Kai stood his ground, bloodied and bruised, but a wide grin spread across his face.
"Oh, you're not done yet?" Kai said, his tone laced with amusement. He raised a hand, his crimson eyes glinting with energy. "Skill: Shadow Bind!"
In an instant, shadowy tendrils erupted from the ground, writhing and twisting like serpents. They wrapped around the boar's legs and torso, locking it in place mid-charge. The beast let out a deafening roar, struggling against the magical restraints, but the tendrils held firm.
Kai pushed himself up from where he had been leaning against the tree, dusting off his cloak with a wince. "That should hold you for a moment," he muttered, his smirk returning. He materialized his Bone Whip in his hand, the weapon crackling with dark energy. "Now, where were we? Oh, right."
He lashed the whip forward with a sharp crack, the bone edges slicing through the air and striking the boar's side. The creature roared in pain, its muscles rippling as it tried to break free. Kai didn't stop. He lashed the whip again and again, each strike landing with precision.
"One! Two! Three!" Kai counted mockingly with each whip strike. By the time he reached sixty, the boar's hide was covered in marks, but its rage hadn't diminished. Instead, its struggles grew more violent, and cracks began to form in the shadow tendrils holding it down.
Kai stepped back, panting slightly but still grinning. "You're tougher than you look," he admitted, his tone almost impressed. "But let's see how you handle this. Skill: Summon Dead!"
The ground darkened around the boar as forty black magic circles appeared, glowing ominously. From each circle, a skeletal warrior emerged, their hollow eyes glowing with eerie light. The undead soldiers straightened, their weapons at the ready, and turned their gaze to Kai.
Kai pointed at the restrained boar, his voice commanding. "Surround it. Attack now and finish him!"
The skeletons moved in unison, surrounding the massive boar and raising their weapons. At Kai's command, they charged, striking with swords, spears, and claws. The boar roared, breaking free of the last of the shadow tendrils just as the first wave of attacks landed. It thrashed violently, throwing skeletons aside with sheer brute force.
Kai leaned against a nearby tree, watching the chaotic battle unfold with a mix of fascination and amusement. "Well, this is entertaining," he said to himself, chuckling. "That thing's putting up one hell of a fight. Who knew a boar could be this stubborn?"
He winced as one of the skeleton warriors was gored by the boar's tusks and shattered into pieces. "Oof. That's gotta hurt," he muttered. "I guess quantity isn't beating quality today."
The boar's roar echoed through the forest as it swung its massive body, taking out another group of skeletons. Despite their numbers, the undead warriors struggled to keep up with the beast's raw power and relentless aggression. Bones shattered and weapons clattered to the ground as the boar continued to overpower them.
Kai crossed his arms, his grin widening despite the carnage. "You're really giving them a run for their money," he said, his tone filled with admiration. "But don't think for a second that I'm letting you walk away from this."
The battle raged on, with the boar lunging and charging through the ranks of skeletons while they relentlessly attacked. Kai stood back, observing the fight with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "I'll admit," he muttered to himself, "you're stronger than I expected. But let's see how long you can keep this up."
As more skeletons fell, the boar let out another deafening roar, stomping its massive hooves and preparing for another charge. Kai's crimson eyes glinted as he watched. "Oh, this is getting good," he said, his grin never fading. "Let's see how far you can go, big guy."