Hunting in the Forest

Five months later.

Sparse snowflakes had begun to drift through the skies above Bokara Mountain Forest.

This signaled that Anzeta Plateau was about to enter winter, and the beasts had begun hunting in packs, preparing for the long, frigid season ahead.

The forest rustled as gray figures darted swiftly between the trees.

Their protruding muzzles, inverted triangular blue eyes, and sharp fangs all revealed their identity: Dire Wolves.

They were among the apex predators of the dense forest, masters of coordinated pack hunting.

Ahead of them was a panicked herd of deer, fleeing for their lives at full gallop.

The wolf pack, however, was in no rush. The strongest Dire Wolf at the front let out a long howl, and the others answered with low howls.

There were more than a dozen wolves in this pack. Working together, some drove the deer from behind, while others circled around from the flanks. Still others had vanished from sight, gradually forming an open, pouch-like formation.

After several dozen minutes of pursuit, the wolves had seized complete control. Without expending much strength, they drove the disordered herd toward a mountain pass.

Under the wolves' relentless pressure, the Forest Deer panicked and treated the pass as their final escape route, surging into it as though clutching at a lifeline.

In the chaos, some smaller fawns were even trampled to death.

But they had not realized that what they thought was a lifeline was actually a trap.

"Awoo—"

Once the entire herd had entered the valley, the Wolf King let out an excited, drawn-out howl. The Dire Wolves that had vanished earlier appeared at the other end of the valley. The pack had surrounded the entire herd—more than thirty deer—within the narrow pass.

The deer were now in complete disarray. They ran into dead ends everywhere, only to find vicious wolves staring them down from all sides.

The wolves' blue eyes gleamed as they surged forward impatiently.

For a time, blood splattered everywhere and cries of agony rang without end, filling the valley with the stench of blood.

In the end, the leading Stag used its antlers to break through the wolves' blockade on the other side, leading more than ten deer to safety while leaving behind over a dozen fresh bodies in the valley.

The wolf pack had achieved its objective.

The Dire Wolves rushed forward, tearing into the deer's flesh and blood, eager to feast before winter arrived and give themselves a better chance of surviving the bitterly cold winter in the North.

The Wolf King, meanwhile, chewed on the freshest organs, savoring this carefully prepared, hard-won meal.

A mist began to rise through the valley.

At first, the wolves paid it no mind. But as the mist grew thicker and thicker, plunging the entire pack into a hazy chaos where they could no longer see one another, they began to panic.

Mysterious black shadows flickered through the fog from time to time.

"Crack, crack."

No one knew whether it was the sound of wolves crunching deer bones, or wolves themselves being bitten to pieces.

More disorderly howls came from the mist—perhaps hunting commands, perhaps signals to attack, perhaps permission to feed. To the wolves, they sounded illogical, yet somehow meaningful.

If a knowledgeable Mage had been present, they would have easily recognized it as merely a trick of Prestidigitation—using magic to create extra sounds and sensations.

Unfortunately, these beasts knew nothing of that. They could only instinctively fear the unknown, and some had even begun to lose their minds.

"Awoo—"

The Wolf King stood up Alert, letting out one long howl after another to call for its companions.

The wolves also howled in confusion, trying to confirm one another's approximate locations.

But the thick fog had obscured their vision, and strange, noisy sounds kept appearing, leaving them unable to distinguish direction or obtain any useful information.

The Wolf King suddenly noticed a strange sound overhead.

It howled like the wind.

It instinctively looked up, but its pupils reflected only blazing flames. "Boom—"

[Adult Male Dire Wolf Killed, Gained 200 XP]
[Adult Male Dire Wolf Killed, Gained 200 XP]
[Adult Male Dire Wolf Killed, Gained 200 XP]
[Adult Female Dire Wolf Killed, Gained 200 XP]
[Dire Wolf Leader Killed, Gained 700 XP]

"A bountiful harvest. Not a single one escaped."

Keosius cheerfully exhaled a breath of hot air carrying a Sulfur Scent, then stretched his Wings.

The crimson figure swept over the valley, circling above the forest.

The Red Dragon had become a terrifying hunter, looking down upon the countless creatures in the woods as he continued searching for his next prey. Beasts that ordinary people avoided at all costs were, in his eyes, merely walking bags of experience.

Near a patch of shrubs on the ground, a massive Savage Boar was rooting through the soil, searching for anything it could stuff into its mouth.

Whether it was the juicy roots of ferns, small snakes about to hibernate, or clumps of earth containing unusual elements, all of it could become food for this boar.

This Savage Boar stood over two meters tall at the shoulder. From afar, it looked like a small hill.

Its tusks extended from both sides of its mouth like curved blades. Beneath its thick hide lay layers of fat, while the outside of its fur was covered in hardened mud accumulated over countless years.

Ordinary iron swords could not even cut through this natural armor. Only the most seasoned hunters dared challenge such a terrifying beast.

"Snort."

The Savage Boar could not help letting out a snort.

It blew out a clump of dirt, then continued rooting downward with its rough snout. After turning over the ground in a frenzy, it finally dug up the pupa of some unknown insect.

As if it had found a treasure, the Savage Boar hurriedly swallowed the precious protein.

Suddenly, it spotted what seemed to be a little snake in the grass not far away, slithering forward as though it were fleeing.

"Snort."

The Savage Boar trotted after it.

The little snake appeared and disappeared, luring the boar to the base of a cliff.

Just as the fat beast hurried forward in tiny steps, preparing to catch it in its mouth and chew it to pieces, the snake vanished again.

A shadow fell from above the cliff.

Magic Missile

Several arcane spheres slammed directly into the boar's thick hide, inflicting magical force damage that was difficult to defend against and impossible to block.

The Savage Boar let out a pained wail, followed immediately by the rage brought on by injury.

Beast Rage!

Its eyes turned red with fury, and the bristles along its raised spine abruptly stood on end. It spun around in search of its attacker, its hooves pounding the ground and sending dust flying.

"Huff, huff—"

This state resembled a Barbarian's trait. While in it, the boar's strength and constitution received terrifying boosts.

More terrifying still, it would become immune to pain and tirelessness. Countless adventurers had believed they had gravely wounded one, only to be bitten in half by its enraged tusks.

Yet this furious beast looked around again and again, but could never find its target or detect the source of the attacks. It could only vent its excess, tidal rage in every direction.

"Boom!"

"Boom! Boom!"

It smashed its enormous body viciously against the cliff face, shaking loose chunks of rock. Its sharp tusks pierced the soil and tore apart trees.

Several minutes passed.

When the rage ended, the giant beast collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.

The surrounding area had become a complete mess. Broken stones littered the ground, the soil had been churned to pieces, and the cliff face was covered in cracks.

It seemed to have recovered from its anger at being hurt and leisurely began chewing on grass roots from the ground.

"Ignis (Fire Bolt)!"

A flaming arrow fell from above, scorching its fur black.

Then another red figure dove down from the sky, landing directly atop its raised back.

"Awwoo."

The Savage Boar let out a wail like a sob, but it no longer had the strength to rise and fight.

It could only allow the Red Dragon on its back to sever its spine with sharp teeth and fangs, ending its life cleanly and efficiently.

This former tyrant of the forest, whom no one had dared provoke, died in such a miserable fashion.

[Prime Savage Boar Killed, Gained 1100 XP]
[Your Level Has Increased to Level 2]

Keosius tore open its tough hide, scraped aside the thick fat, and exposed the bloody fresh meat beneath.

He did not bother heating it much. He simply tore off a piece of fresh tenderloin and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing heartily.

Red Dragons possessed a unique digestive system and could be said to eat almost anything. Most of what they consumed was converted into nutrients needed for growth, while the rest became abundant elemental energy, with very little wasted.

"Chewy pork, but it's a little too old."

With a mouth full of blood, the Red Dragon still did not forget to offer his assessment.