Chapter 6: Forest Hunt
Five months ter.
Sparse snowfkes were already drifting dowhe Bokara Forest.
This sighe approag winter in the Aa Highnds, as beasts began hunting in packs to prepare for the long, harsh winter.
The forest rustled, with gray silhouettes darting swiftly among the trees.
Promi muzzles, triangur blue eyes, sharp fangs—all marked them as dire wolves.
One of the apex predators of the dense forest, they were masters of pack-hunting tactics.
Ahead of them, a panicked herd of deer bolted, running for their lives.
The wolf pack remained calm ahodical, the stro dire wolf at the froing out a long howl, with the other wolves softly responding.
This pack had over a dozen wolves, w in unison: some drove the deer from behind, others fhem, while some vao gradually form arap.
After a chase sting dozens of mihe wolves, expending minimal energy, had ered the disoriented deer herd at a narrow mountain pass.
Panicked by the wolves’ steady advahe deer mistook the pass as their escape route, charging into it like ging to a lifeline.
In the chaos, a few smaller fawrampled to death.
Little did they know, this supposed escape was actually a trap.
"Awooo—"
As the deer ehe valley, the wolf ki out aed howl, and the previously hidden dire wolves appeared at the other end of the valley, pletely encirg the herd of over thirty deer within the narrow pass.
The deer, thrown into chaos, scrambled in all dires, only to find themselves surrounded by wolves with hungry, blue eyes.
The wolves, eyes gleaming, eagerly rushed in.
Blood spttered and wails echoed, the valley filled with the stench of blood.
Eventually, the lead buck mao break through the wolves’ blockade oher side, leading a dozeo safety, leaving behind more than a dozen carcasses.
The wolves had achieved their goal.
The dire wolves rushed forward, tearing into the deer meat, eager to feast before winter’s grip, hoping to survive the brutal northern winter.
Meanwhile, the wolf king chewed on the choicest ans, sav this hard-earned meal.
A mist began to rise in the valley.
The wolves initially paid it no mind, until the fog thied, plunging them into a murky haze where they could barely see one another, causing them to grow uneasy.
Mysterious shadows flickered through the fog.
"Crack, crack."
It was unclear if the sound was wolves g deer bones or wolves being bitten.
More chaotic howls echoed through the mist, signaling hunting ands, attack signals, and feeding permissions. To the wolves, it was inprehensible yet somehow meaningful.
If a learned mage were present, they could easily reize this as the trip 【Prestidigitation】—a spell creating sounds aions.
Unfortunately, the beasts didn’t know this, reag only with instinctual fear of the unknown, some even losing their posure.
"Awoo—"
The wolf king, alert, stood a out a long howl to call his pack.
The wolves howled in fusion, trying to determine each other’s positions.
But the thick fog blurred their vision, and the cacophony disoriehem, leaving them direless and uo gather any useful information.
The wolf king suddenly noticed a strange sound from above.
It whistled like the wind.
Instinctively, it looked up, its pupils refleg bzing fmes.
"Boom—"
[Killed adult male dire wolf, gained 200 XP]
[Killed adult male dire wolf, gained 200 XP]
[Killed adult male dire wolf, gained 200 XP]
[Killed adult female dire wolf, gained 200 XP]
[Killed dire wolf leader, gained 700 XP]
"Big haul, not a single one escaped."
Cassius blew out a breath of sulfur-sted heat, stretg his wings.
His crimson flided over the valley, s above the forest.
The red dragon, now a terrifying hunter, sed the creatures below, searg for his prey. To him, the beasts that most would avoid were merely walking experience packs.
Near a shrub on the ground, a massive boar was rooting through the soil, searg for anything edible.
Juicy fern roots, a hibernating snake, or clumps of earth with special minerals—all could bee food for the boar.
This formidable boar stood over two meters tall at the shoulder, resembling a small hill from afar.
Its tusks were like curved bdes jutting from its mouth, with thick fat beh a dense yer of fur, coated in hardened mud accumuted over the years.
Ordinary iron ons couldn’t pee its natural armor; only the most seasoned hunters would dare challenge such a beast.
"Snort, snort."
The boar sniffed loudly.
It blew out a clump of dirt and tinued rooting, finally unc a grub of some kind.
The berly gobbled up this precious source of protein.
Suddenly, it noticed a snake slithering away through the grass nearby.
"Grunt."
The boar trotted after it.
The snake led the boar toward a cliff.
When the hefty beast, eagerly following, was about to snap it up, the snake vanished.
A shadow loomed overhead.
【Magic Missile】
Several are bolts struck the boar’s thick hide, dealing unavoidable, uable force damage.
The boar let out a pained howl, theered a state of berserk rage.
"Beast Rage!"
Its eyes turned red with fury, bristling fur standing on end, as it searched wildly for its attacker, kig up clouds of dust.
"Huff, huff—"
In this state, the boar’s strength and endurance received a terrifying boost.
More frightening was its newfound fearlessness and tirelessness; tless adventurers had thought it mortally wounded only to be gored by its tusks in its fury.
Yet, this enraged beast sed its surroundings repeatedly, finding net or source of attack, leaving it only to vent its overwhelming fury aimlessly.
"Boom!"
"Boom! Boom!"
It rammed the cliff with its massive body, dislodging rocks, gouging the earth, and tearing up trees with its sharp tusks.
Minutes passed.
When the rage finally subsided, the gia y on the ground, exhausted.
The surroundings were a mess, with scattered stones and ed-up soil, the cliff face cracked and battered.
Now calm, the boar idly chewed on grass roots.
"Ignis (Fire Bolt)!"
A fming arrow shot down, scorg its hide.
A red figure then dove from above, nding on its high back.
"Awoo."
The boar let out a pitiful wail, too draio fight back.
It could only allow the red dragon to bite through its spine, swiftly ending its life.
The forest’s onmatched ruler perished, humbled.
[Killed adult wild bained 1,100 XP]
[Level up to Level 2]
Tearing through its tough hide and slig through yers of fat, Cassius exposed the raw flesh beh.
Not b with further heating, he ripped a tenderloin k, chewing with satisfa.
A red dragon’s unique digestive system could process nearly anything. Most of what they e verts into nutrients frowth, while the rest transforms into elemental energy, with minimal waste.
"Very chewy boar meat, but a bit too tough."
Blood dripping from his mouth, the red dragon couldn’t help but offer his assessment.
