[ A Farmer's Fight ]
The wind howled through the desolate fields as Alina stood at the entrance of the village square, staring at the Rank E quest board. The tasks posted were far less glamorous than the heroic battles she had once fought, but she wasn't in a position to be picky anymore. She needed the experience.
She was Level 3 now, having barely survived the battle with Brutus, and every ounce of strength she could gain mattered. As she scanned the board, a hand clapped her shoulder.
"Found anything exciting?" Dante's voice sounded behind her, laced with amusement. His arms were folded across his chest as he peered at the board over her shoulder.
"Exciting?" Alina snorted. "The most exciting thing here is slaying a herd of wild pigs."
Dante grinned. "Well, you are a farmer now, aren't you? Sounds like it's up your alley."
Alina shot him a glare. "I didn't sign up to be a glorified pig slayer."
"You're just jealous because you can't beat up a giant boar," Dante teased.
Alina groaned. She didn't want to waste time with mundane tasks, but she had no choice. The rank E quest for the wild pigs seemed harmless enough. According to the notice, the pigs had been attacking the village crops and were becoming increasingly aggressive.
"Fine," she muttered. "I'll do it. But you're not getting a share of the bounty."
"Hey! That's cold, Farmer!" Dante protested. "I helped with the slime. At least let me have some of the roast pork!"
Alina rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I don't just throw you into the pigsty."
Dante grinned. "Now that sounds like fun!"
Ignoring his laughter, Alina grabbed the quest notice. She turned to Dante, who was already slipping into his usual smug demeanor. "Let's get this over with. We've got pigs to hunt."
The fields outside the village were vast and lush, stretching far into the horizon with patches of green, brown, and wildflowers. As they walked, Alina couldn't help but feel the weight of the past dragging behind her like an invisible chain. She should have been fighting dragons, clashing swords with gods, but instead, here she was, stalking pigs for a bounty. It was humbling.
Dante's voice broke through her thoughts. "You know, I bet there's a secret to all this farming stuff. I mean, if you kill enough pigs, you could make a fortune selling their meat, right?"
Alina didn't even look at him. "Not happening. I'm slaying pigs, not turning into a butcher."
He shrugged. "Hey, at least it's a low-risk gig."
Before Alina could respond, a loud snort came from the bushes ahead of them.
Dante froze, and his eyes gleamed with mischief. "Well, well, looks like the pigs have come to us."
A massive wild boar emerged from the brush, its tusks gleaming in the dim light. It was easily twice as large as a normal boar, its muscular frame rippling as it stomped forward.
"Ugh, not what I had in mind," Alina muttered. "This isn't some cute farm animal."
"Don't worry, I've got it!" Dante said, already pulling out his daggers.
The boar charged with a deafening snort. Dante dashed forward, spinning to meet it head-on, his daggers flashing in the sunlight. But just as he was about to strike, the boar swerved sharply, its tusks scraping past his side with a sickening sound.
"Dante!" Alina shouted.
"Okay, maybe a little help would be nice!" Dante yelled, barely dodging another charge from the beast.
Alina sighed and drew her broadsword. She had no choice but to step in.
"Stay still, you overgrown pig!" she muttered, charging toward the beast with surprising speed for her Level 3 status.
As she swung her sword, the boar narrowly avoided it, but Alina managed to slice its side, leaving a deep gash. The beast howled, enraged.
"Okay, okay," Dante said, grinning despite the danger. "Now we've got it mad. Let's go!"
Alina lunged again, this time aiming for the boar's neck. She was faster than it, her strikes more precise, but the creature's resilience was impressive. It charged again, and this time, Alina rolled to the side just in time.
"Get behind it!" she shouted to Dante.
Dante took her cue, darting toward the boar's rear and throwing his daggers with pinpoint accuracy. One struck its back leg, and the other sliced through its ear. The boar bucked, but the added injuries slowed it down.
Finally, with a swift blow, Alina buried her sword into the beast's skull, piercing deep enough to bring the boar to the ground.
The battle was over. Alina wiped the sweat from her brow, feeling a small sense of accomplishment, even if it was just a wild pig.
Dante rolled to his feet, dusting himself off. "Well, that was fun. What's next, slaying a dragon?"
Alina chuckled. "How about we just finish the job and get the bounty first?"
They made their way back to the village with the boar's carcass in tow, and Alina couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Despite everything, despite being back at the bottom, she was still a fighter.
When they reached the quest board again to report their success, a villager approached, looking anxious.
"Um… excuse me?" the man said, his voice shaking. "You… you killed the boar, right?"
Alina nodded. "Yeah. It's taken care of."
The man swallowed nervously. "It's just, well… there's been a problem."
"What kind of problem?" Alina asked, her patience thinning.
"We—uh—we've had more attacks. But… not from boars. It's the pigs."
"What?" Dante raised an eyebrow. "The pigs aren't boars, right? They're like, what? Little cute guys with big ears?"
The villager nodded, looking scared. "That's what we thought too, but they've been acting strange. More aggressive. And… they seem to be working together."
Alina's heart sank. "A pack of pigs?"
The villager hesitated before nodding. "Yes. And they're heading straight for the village."
Before Alina could react, a loud snort echoed from the edge of the village. The ground shook as dozens of wild pigs emerged from the woods, their eyes glowing with a strange, unnatural light.
Dante stared at them, wide-eyed. "Okay, maybe I spoke too soon. This isn't cute anymore."
Alina gripped her sword. "Looks like the pigs aren't the only problem now. Something's controlling them."
As the pigs charged, Alina realized they weren't acting on their own. They were controlled. A shadowy figure stood at the edge of the woods, watching them with cold, calculating eyes. A new threat was rising, and this time, it wasn't just wild animals causing havoc. Someone, or something, was pulling the strings. And Alina had no idea who—or what—they were up against.