Chapter 28: Negotiations and Tension

Niko gazed at the wounded boar, its labored breaths shallow and pained. The massive creature was battered, its blood staining the ground beneath it. With a cold, calculating look, he shifted his focus to the bald, muscular man standing nearby. There was a hint of pity in his voice, but it was laced with an undeniable arrogance. “And what would be our benefit? We could just wait for the boar to kill you and then take it ourselves.”

The words hung in the air like a taunt, heavy with the weight of their implications. Niko’s tone was cold, almost mocking, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. His plan was clear, and he wasn’t about to hide it.

The bald man’s face darkened, his expression turning grim as the reality of the situation dawned on him. He was trapped, caught between a beast that could very well kill him and a group of strangers who held all the cards. The odds weren’t in his favor, and he knew it. While he was confident in his ability to finish off the boar, he also understood that the victory would come at a cost. If he continued to fight alone, there was a very real chance that he wouldn’t walk away unscathed—or worse, he wouldn’t walk away at all.

To make matters worse, the presence of Niko and his group complicated things. In this world, he had learned the hard way how quickly human decency could erode. With no laws, no order, people revealed their true nature—self-serving, violent, and cunning. The bald man was no stranger to this. He had seen the worst of humanity in this strange world, and even before being summoned, he had already crossed moral lines. He had taken lives—both in this world and back on Earth—and he knew better than to trust anyone too easily.

From the trees, hidden just out of sight, Zheng’s voice echoed in Niko’s mind. “Niko! So cool!” His excitement was palpable, a mixture of admiration and surprise at Niko’s boldness.

Ivanic’s voice quickly followed, more cautious and wary. “Be careful… These people can be unpredictable.” Ivanic, who had been observing from a distance, knew all too well the dangers that came with confrontations like this. He didn’t like the situation, but there was no turning back now.

Niko, though outwardly calm and composed, could feel his heart racing in his chest. The weight of his words and the risky gamble he was playing tugged at his nerves, but he kept his emotions under control. He had read enough books, seen enough stories, to know how to bluff through a situation like this. The key was not to show weakness, not to let the other man see just how nervous he really was.

The bald man clenched his fists, glaring at Niko with frustration. He was stronger, there was no denying that. But strength alone wasn’t enough to overcome the tactical advantage Niko’s group held over him. He could either fight the boar and risk death, or strike a deal and live to see another day. The choice was grim, but it was clear.

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"I…" The man began, but Niko cut him off, his voice firm and decisive.

“We take the drops, you take the body,” Niko stated coldly, making it clear that this wasn’t a negotiation—it was an ultimatum.

The bald man’s jaw tightened, the muscles in his neck straining as he realized just how trapped he was. Losing the drops stung. There was value in them—more than just money. But he couldn’t afford to push back now, not with the boar weakened and his own strength depleted. “Fine,” he growled, his voice laced with bitterness.

Niko smiled, turning his attention back to the boar. Candreva followed suit, grinning widely at the thought of the upcoming battle. The boar, weakened but still dangerous, was preparing for another charge. It let out a deep, guttural growl as it dug its hooves into the dirt, ready to attack once more.

“Roar!!” Candreva unleashed his [Powerful Beast Roar], sending visible shockwaves through the air. The boar’s body froze for a split second, paralyzed by the roar. Niko didn’t waste any time. His spirit darted forward, striking the boar in the face with surprising force. Though the hit was strong, it wasn’t enough to bring the massive creature down.

The bald man, to his credit, moved swiftly. His skill activated again, the serpent-like aura of his fists wrapping around his arms. He struck the boar’s front leg with precision, the impact forcing the beast to collapse onto its side. With its size and weight working against it, the boar struggled to lift itself back up, its remaining legs too weak to support its bulk.

“Bang!” The sound of the beast hitting the ground reverberated through the clearing, shaking the grass and trees. The force of the fall woke one of the bald man’s companions, who had been knocked out earlier by the boar’s rampage. He groaned, his hand clutching at his head as he sat up, disoriented.

The spirit, sensing an opening, delivered a final blow to the boar’s exposed belly. The attack rippled through the boar’s body, causing it to squeal in agony as blood and bile erupted from its mouth. Its eyes bulged, wide and frantic, before it let out one last strangled cry and fell silent.

The beast was dead.

Niko stared at the corpse, marveling at how fragile the boar’s belly had been. It almost felt too easy, though he knew the creature had been on its last legs. He made a mental note of just how effective the spirit’s strikes had become now that he was growing more familiar with controlling it.

Then, something unexpected happened. A warm, radiant light enveloped Niko’s body, bathing him in a white glow. It was an almost ethereal sensation, as if pure energy was flowing through him. His mind cleared, and a deep sense of accomplishment settled over him.

“Level up!” Ivanic’s voice rang out, filled with excitement.

Candreva and Zheng were also surrounded by the same dazzling light, each of them glowing with the unmistakable sign of leveling up. Niko’s watch buzzed on his wrist, signaling the changes in his stats, but he pushed the notification aside for now. There was still the matter of the bald man.

Above the boar’s body, items began to materialize, shimmering in the air as they appeared from the beast’s remains. Niko’s eyes flicked back to the bald man, whose expression had shifted. His earlier grimace had softened, replaced by a cautious yet hopeful look.