[Silver-Maned Wild Boar captured; evolution possible.]
The wild boar had already been a formidable creature even before its evolution—one could only imagine how much more powerful it might become afterward.
Oliver lay beneath a towering oak tree, breath coming in heavy gasps. His body was sore and bruised from the wild ride he’d had, clinging to the thrashing boar as it tore through the forest. He dreaded the expenses that awaited him for medicine when he returned. Beyond the physical toll, the mental exhaustion weighed heavily on him, leaving him barely able to stand.
The core ability of his mana core—capturing creatures—was a powerful, yet draining skill, one he had to use sparingly. If another dangerous creature appeared now, he would be in serious trouble.
Once he had caught his breath, Oliver shifted his focus to the system panel before him.
[You can expend 150 points of Life Essence to evolve the Silver-Maned Wild Boar into a Unicorn Boar.]
Fifty points of Life Essence… Unfortunately, he didn’t have any at the moment. His attention shifted to the new abilities granted by the wild boar he had captured.
[Mana Core 1 – Elysian Nexus Core – Red – Current Form: Hound Form.]
[Life Essence: Zero]
[Forest Favorability: Zero]
[Transformable Forms: Silver-Maned Wild Boar Form]
[Captured Creatures: Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red), Fusion Level: 10%]
[Evaluation: A relatively common Silver-Maned Wild Boar in the forest, possessing immense brute strength and considerable resistance to damage; its abilities are not yet fully developed.]
With a thought, Oliver switched his mana core’s form to that of the Silver-Maned Wild Boar.
A wave of relief washed over him. Switching forms felt smooth and effortless, without any delay. As soon as he assumed the boar's form, he could feel a surge of power, as though he had endless reserves of raw strength.
While Oliver continued studying the Silver-Maned Wild Boar’s stats, additional information appeared before him.
[Silver-Maned Wild Boar (Red): Current fusion level low; can significantly enhance strength.]
[Special Skill: Super Adrenaline, which triples strength for a short duration and dulls pain.]
[Expend 150 points of Life Essence to upgrade this form and the captured creature simultaneously.]
Super Adrenaline! That was a powerful skill. And with Life Essence, he could enhance both his mana core and the boar companion.
Excited by the possibilities, Oliver didn’t dwell too long on the thrill of having a new pet. His gaze shifted back to the Mandrake root beneath the oak tree.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Tearing off a strip of cloth, he stuffed it in his ears, took a deep breath, and began pulling the Mandrake out of the ground.
Screeeech!
A piercing scream sliced through the air, sending an excruciating pain through Oliver’s skull. Thankfully, the cloth muffled the sound, sparing him from serious harm. The Mandrake’s root was massive, twisted into an uncanny shape resembling a human figure—its eerie, unsettling form making Oliver shiver.
Notifications popped up in his vision.
[Mandrake: A special herb rich in magical energy; once detoxified, it can be consumed.]
[Consuming the entire Mandrake can increase Life Essence by 10 points.]
So that’s how Life Essence was obtained! However, evolving the boar required 150 points of Life Essence. As valuable as this Mandrake was, it only provided 10 points.
Life Essence was truly hard to come by.
Moreover, Life Essence didn’t just enhance the boar’s abilities—it could also increase the fusion level of his mana core. And increasing the fusion level would unlock even greater power. It seemed that Oliver would need a lot more Life Essence if he wanted to grow stronger.
“If magical plants like this increase Life Essence, maybe finding them in this extraordinary world won’t be too difficult,” he thought, feeling a surge of hope.
Encouraged, Oliver believed that evolving his mana core and becoming stronger was no longer an impossible dream. With this mana core, he could carve out a path in this world.
His eyes turned toward the massive boar resting nearby. Now that it was his pet, the boar seemed less wild, more like a giant dog. Oliver was certain that, at his command, it would follow obediently—though, admittedly, its tail was short and barely noticeable.
“I’ll call you Little Pig,” he decided. But he quickly realized that taking it back to the village was out of the question. It was better for the boar to roam freely in the forest; who knew, it might even find another magical plant like the Mandrake.
As the dawn approached, fatigue from his long night settled in. He began heading back toward the village, careful not to reveal his mana core to anyone.
The night had been ideal for his activities, but now it was time to rest. During the day, he could sell the smaller creatures he’d caught for some coin. The sharp-toothed weasel, still heavy in his grip, filled him with satisfaction at the thought of its value.
Five silver coins.
A substantial amount for him!
No longer would he need to choke down that awful rye bread stuffed with wood shavings. He could enjoy buttered bread and cheese. And with winter approaching, warmer clothes would be essential. Not to mention, the leaky roof in his house—fixing that would cost him too.
Then there was Isabella, his neighbor. Perhaps he could help her as well.
Thinking it over, Oliver realized those five silver coins might not stretch very far.
But that was fine. If he could earn five silver coins today, he could do so tomorrow—and maybe even more.
His life was finally beginning to improve.
Yet, one issue remained.
As a farmer, he technically had no right to hunt. A few indiscretions might be overlooked, but if he continued, someone would eventually notice.
According to the laws of the Kingdom of Riverhaven, a farmer could surrender his land to gain the status of a hunter. But few would ever do that—hunting was dangerous, and most who tried ended up dead in the woods.
Oliver faced a different problem: a thug named Grik had stolen his land. A former squire to an old knight, Grik was tougher than most.
After Oliver’s father passed, leaving a few small plots of land, Grik had harassed him, seizing the land under flimsy pretenses.
Crossing over into this world, Oliver had nearly starved because of him.
“I have to reclaim my land deeds. Only then can I get hunter status and truly earn a fortune.”
With wealth, he could eventually venture into the city and maybe even learn magic.
Then he’d finally have a foothold in this world.
Lost in thought, he suddenly heard a shout nearby.
“Stark! Just the man I was looking for. Your arrangement’s all set—just need you to sign!”
The word “arrangement” echoed in Stark’s mind. It didn’t quite make sense at first… until, suddenly, a flash of something unfamiliar hit him—"contract of servitude". The memory wasn’t his, but the meaning was clear.
A deal. To sell himself.
His stomach twisted. No. There was no way he’d ever sell himself to become some rich man’s servant.