Chapter 12 - Corniferous boar

After defeating the Goblins and the Hobgoblin, I continued my exploration through the forest. As I walked, I pondered how to invest the new points I acquired. I won't lie, they were significant gains, which left me somewhat undecided on where to allocate them. However, I decided to focus on improving my Ether skill and increasing my agility.

Agility: 4 -> Agility: 9

Ether: 5 -> Ether: 15

While I was anticipating what would happen next, I can't say I was fully prepared. The increased agility noticeably enhanced my mobility, making me faster and more agile, but when it came to Ether, the situation was different.

An excruciating pain spread throughout my body, though I couldn't quite describe how it felt. It was as if I were being submerged in the depths of the ocean, crushed by the pressure of the waters, but in this case, it was the Ether compressing my being.

It was as if every fiber of my being was undergoing a metamorphosis to harmonize with the Ether, a painful yet strangely pleasurable experience. A unique sensation of burning and heat mingled with the pain, an intense blend of opposing sensations. When the agony finally subsided, all that remained was a profound sense of fulfillment, as if my being were completely imbued with Ether.

Furthermore, I decided to invest additional levels in my new skill, using up all the points I had available. So far, this skill seemed to be the most useful, besides Ether manipulation, which provided me with the acquisition of new abilities.

Ecopulsation [Lv - 1] -> Ecopulsation [Lv - 4]

As usual, there were no drastic changes; at most, the range for detection increased, and the response time decreased. Overall, I feel it was a wise decision. With an expanded detection radius, I can hunt monsters more easily.

As these thoughts flowed, my [Ecopulsation] picked up the same flow I felt inside the bus. Among the trees, I came to a small, gently sloping hill that descended to a stream. Surveying the surroundings, I noticed several rocks in the stream and, in the distance, glimpsed snow-capped mountains. Contemplating this landscape, I couldn't help but wonder: where exactly were we?.

Looking around carefully, I examined the area thoroughly. Suddenly, my [Ecopulsation] detected something among the trees on the other side of where I was. I couldn't discern its exact shape, but I was certain it was quadrupedal. I waited patiently, and soon a monster emerged from the forest. It resembled a boar, but it had a prominent horn on its forehead and was considerably larger than usual, almost the size of an elephant.

At that moment, a series of tempting options echoed in my mind, but the one that clearly stood out was the idea of ​​slaughtering that creature to use it as food. After all, it looks like a conventional boar, right? From my point of view, despite being a bit larger than usual and having a prominent horn on its forehead, its appearance doesn't indicate any impediment to consumption.

I confess that my future appetite won the mental battle, and without hesitation, I advanced toward the carcass of that creature. However, before proceeding, I decided to use my [Identify] skill, although I wasn't sure if it would help me in any way.

[Corniferous Boar] – (Lv: - 10): An omnivorous animal, which feeds mainly on carcasses and plants, boasts a prominent horn on its forehead, used to launch powerful earth-element magic attacks. Its anatomy can vary, potentially having up to three distinct horns on its head, and the number of horns directly reflects its strength and power.

Okay, I have to admit that this monster's level is much lower than I initially expected. To be frank, I imagined it would be at least level 15, but seriously, does this thing use magic? Isn't it enough to be huge, it also needs to cast spells? Why do I feel like everything in this place is determined to kill us? Can't there be a normal deer to hunt? Furthermore, in the description, it says it has variations with up to three horns and that the more horns, the stronger it is.

For now, I'm thankful for finding the weaker version of this monster. Now, how the heck am I going to kill this? It seems like it came here to drink water. Bringing Ellen along would surely be a big help; if she electrocuted the water, the monster would probably die.

(Hmm... I guess there's no escaping now. I need to find a way to defeat this thing on my own)

Well, to be honest, it's not like I'm completely unarmed. However, I would have preferred to have tested this before, as this is not the ideal time to try something new. Putting these thoughts aside, I take three daggers I got from the dead Goblins and close my eyes, concentrating.

Slowly, Ether begins to gather around the three daggers in my hand, forming an aura that envelops them like armor, while also making them sharper and more resistant. How much Ether energy would I be able to imbue into them? That was a question I was determined to find out. So, I continued channeling Ether toward my daggers.

You acquired a new skill through an [Infusion] action.

Surprised, I opened my eyes to behold the three daggers in my hand, now enveloped by a constant flow of crystalline blue Ether. I confess I didn't expect this process to result in a new skill, but any additional strength is welcome, especially at moments like this.

With that in mind, I observed the Boar and was surprised to see it looking towards the forest. More precisely, it seemed to fix its gaze on something inside, and not directly at me. Though not certain, it's possible this creature can detect the presence of Ether, which would make sense considering its ability to cast earth magic.

With this in mind, I decided it was now or never. I reinforced my body with Ether, letting it pulse through me as my heart worked to distribute this energy throughout my being. Gripping the dagger tightly, I prepared for the attack. With all the strength I could muster, I hurled the dagger towards the Boar. It had no time to react; the dagger struck it squarely, sending it flying backward.

Without hesitation, I swiftly exited the forest, my legs propelled by the boost of Ether, combined with my enhanced agility. I ran at an incredible speed and reached the Boar within seconds. Grabbing a dagger in each hand, I plunged them forcefully into the Boar's neck, causing it to thrash frantically.

At that moment, the ground around me began to tremble and crack, while rocks began to float towards me. With a swift motion, I applied more force to one of the daggers, pounding it until it penetrated deep into the Boar's neck. Then, I leaped to the other side, dodging the desperate attacks of the beast. Upon landing, without hesitation, I plunged the dagger into the Boar's neck again.

Once more, it thrashed frantically, but I did not stop. Concentrating all the Ether I had in my arm, I delivered a precise blow with the dagger, causing it to pierce through the Boar's neck and emerge from the other side, flying towards a tree and splitting it in half. That dagger, now embedded in the wood, was an artifact I would hardly find again.

With the Boar ceasing its movements, I sat down and began to ponder what to do next. Water would no longer be a problem, with this spring available, and this boar would likely sustain us for the week we would stay in this place, as long as we ate in an orderly manner.

Of course, it wasn't a matter of charity on my part. By providing this boar, I was merely demonstrating that I know how to procure food or, at least, have enough skill to do so. Furthermore, considering I was the one who found this stream, they should also take that into consideration.

At that moment, while pondering how to transport this boar back, I sensed an imposing presence in the forest. My [Ecopulsation] ability was activated, so there was no doubt something significant was approaching, a massive presence shrouded in a dense, icy Ether aura was nearing this location.

Rising to my feet, I stared directly into the forest from where this presence would emerge. Though my instinct screamed at me to flee, my legs seemed unable to obey; it was as if the icy Ether surrounding it kept me rooted there. Soon, the creature emerged before me.

[Glacial Sloth] - (Lv: - 28)

I was stunned by what I saw: that creature had leveled up and was now considerably more powerful than before. My muscles felt frozen, and the Sloth, in turn, showed no intention of leaving. It remained there, watching me as it quenched its thirst, occasionally directing its gaze towards the boar. It was inevitable to question whether my prey would not be stolen by that creature.

But even if that were the case, what could I do? I was comparatively weak against this creature. This feeling of powerlessness was something I deeply detested. However, the Sloth took no hostile action.

After quenching its thirst, it cast one last glance in my direction and departed. As I wondered why it hadn't stolen my prey, I remembered something I saw when examining its status: it said it didn't feed on prey it hadn't hunted.

I can't say whether I was lucky or unlucky with this whole situation, but the simple fact that I'm still alive probably indicates that luck was on my side, right?.