Dodging the two beasts, Kaden bolted to the nearest trunk, heart hammering. The forest floor shook from the beasts' hooves pounding right on his heels. Come on, legs—don't fail me now, he mentally pleaded. At the last possible second, he sprang up, fingers clawing at rough bark.
One of the boars snapped its tusks, missing him by inches.
A muffled yelp escaped as Kaden scrambled higher, ignoring the scrape of splinters digging into his palms. The second boar snorted and slammed into the trunk, the impact rattling his spine. Bits of moss and insects tumbled past his face; he nearly lost his grip.
Thud! Another ram from below. But it was too late. He was already well secured on the giant tree. These boars might have perhaps threatened the normal trees before the apocalypse descended but not these giant ones.
These giant trees—towering sentinels birthed when the apocalypse twisted the world—were sturdy in a way normal woods could never match. Their trunks were many times thicker, their bark more akin to stone than wood. If the boars hoped to topple one by charging, they'd be at it for a century without leaving a dent.
Kaden pressed himself tight against the trunk, panting for breath. His arms ached from clawing his way up, and bark flakes still clung to his skin. Below him, the boars stomped around in a frenzy, tusks gouging the ground in frustration. From his vantage point, he could see their eyes blazing with rage—like they could wait forever for him to come down.
"Good luck with that," he muttered under his breath, pressing a hand over his thudding heart.
Still, Kaden knew he couldn't stay perched here indefinitely. Blood pumped hot through his body, sweat trickled down his neck, and the adrenaline rush of narrowly escaping those tusks was already fading. The next wave of fatigue would crash into him soon.
But he had a plan.
He lowered himself down the tree and stopped just at the right height where he was untouchable by the boars. Once he ensured his safety, he aimed for the one who was already injured and was currently thrashing madly against the trunk.
The next second the thorn whip popped up once again and this time only a single hit was required to finish the job.
An ear-piercing squeal ripped through the clearing, echoing off the colossal trunks and sending birds fluttering skyward. The boar bucked once, collapsing in a final spasm as Thorn Whip withdrew with a wet pop.
Kaden clung to the bark, panting, his chest tight with exhaustion and relief.
[Ding! You have killed Wild Forest Boar]
[Ding! You have leveled up]
Blood pooled around the fallen beast, staining the mossy ground a dark crimson. Perhaps smarter creatures would have chosen to flee than stay back and fight but Kaden knew these boars.
He watched with a grin on his face as the rest of the herd continued to thrash madly against the same huge trunk. In fact, the death of their comrade only spurred them on further.
The other boars seemed to take that as a challenge rather than a warning. Their hooves churned the earth until clumps of mud, grass, and insects slopped everywhere. The trunk reverberated with each strike—Kaden could feel it buzzing like a distant earthquake under his palms.
Not in the least bothered about it, he closed his eyes and meditated, trying to refill his mana quickly.
[Ding! Your skill Meditation has leveled up]
Kaden inhaled deeply, letting the new surge of mana course through his veins. His eyes snapped open, focused on the boars below.
The moment he set his sights on the largest one—the grizzled brute ramming the trunk so hard it shook—he felt the Thorn Whip stir beneath his skin. An eager heat spread from his palm, coiling up his forearm, practically begging to be unleashed.
Now.
He channeled the mana in one swift burst, and a bramble of writhing vines erupted from his hand. This time it came forth thicker, steadier—like a hungry serpent ready to strike. Kaden grinned through clenched teeth; leveling up Meditation must have boosted his control.
The whip lashed downward in a cruel arc. Thorns sank into the boar's flank, raking blood and coarse fur with a wet rip. The beast squealed in rage, kicking up divots of moss and mud.
For a moment, it twisted violently, nearly yanking Kaden off his precarious foothold. Bark crumbled under his toes, and he tightened his grip to avoid tumbling headlong into the chaos.
"Just give up already," he muttered.
He yanked the whip back. Thorns tore free, spraying droplets of crimson across the churned earth. The boar staggered, hind legs trembling, and it fell down with a thud.
[Ding! You have killed Wild Forest Boar]