Asrar had discovered both the techniques of the "beaters, drivers, and hunters" and the oil recipe for mimicking the mating scent within the pages of the supposedly vain fantasy tome, "Chronicles of Eldor". The protagonist of the tale had once accompanied his companions on a hunt and employed the same strategies. Unfortunately, Asrar's modern world knowledge proved to be of little use in this woodland, since aside from his skills as a toxicologist, he was accomplished in only one other pursuit: the playing of musical instruments, such as the piano which proved to be a trivial talent in this wilderness.
And so, when a wild boar was lured by the scent of the pungent mixture, both Asrar and the red-haired Elysia were struck with amazement and disbelief.
I think being near the river played a big role, but still, that was quick.
Asrar had harbored doubts as to whether the boar-attracting recipe would prove efficacious, since the volume he had perused had listed certain herbs that could be found in the forest, such as anise and fennel, but the names of the other ingredients eluded him; he believed that such herbs were unique to this world. Fortunately, his expertise as a toxicologist served him well, enabling him to identify the herbs based solely on their descriptions. Though he had not managed to locate all of the ingredients, he was able to gather the vital ones, such as Emberfern—a strange looking herb, and Ashthorn—a plant that resembled wormwood but with thorns.
To further increase their chances of success, Asrar smeared the foul mixture near the riverbank in the hopes that a wild boar might come to quench its thirst and become ensnared.
Huddled beneath the brambly undergrowth, Asrar cast a glance at Elysia, who, with a nod of her head, gripped the makeshift staff in her hand with more strength, bracing herself for the impending attack. Neither of them had any prior hunting experience, and their nerves were frayed, especially for Elysia, who had been raised in the opulent halls of a grand noble house. The only reason she had found herself enrolled in the Black Hand Academy and stationed at Raven Perch was due to her status as a commoner's daughter, which had earned her disfavor in the eyes of her father, Duke Waverly.
With a shared deep inhalation, Asrar and Elysia steeled themselves for the uncertain task at hand. Despite the odds being stacked against them, they had no other option. As the male member of the duo, Asrar led the charge, cautiously emerging from their hiding place in the underbrush. Elysia followed close behind, both of them crouching low as they sought to silently approach the boar, now occupied with licking and nuzzling the tree trunks smeared with the pungent oil.
When Asrar got a closer look at the boar, he was taken aback by what he saw. This wild boar was vastly different from any he had seen in his former world. It was towering, with tusks as sharp as blades and a thick fur pelt that could easily deflect any attack. He was now aware that the odds of success were even lower than he had initially thought.
It became clear to both Asrar and Elysia that this wild boar was not to be underestimated. Its massive size and dangerous tusks made it a formidable opponent, capable of wreaking havoc with just a single charge. Elysia, who had previously been at the forefront but only saw it from a distance, now regarded the beast more seriously, realizing that her initial confidence was misguided. She had believed that taking down a wild boar relying on forest tools alone, though hard, might be possible, given Master Keiran's ease in doing so, but now she saw that it was far from it.
Is Master Keiran trying to get someone killed? Males are one thing, but how does he expect a girl to hunt this?
However, Asrar simply overthought things, as Master Keiran held no hope that the newbie green cloaks would be successful in their pursuit of the wild boars. He gave them an almost impossible task on purpose, yet those were the new headmistress's instructions.
Suddenly, the boar's contented snuffling against a tree trunk stopped. Asrar's heart sank as he feared they had been discovered, but to his relief, the boar did not turn towards them. Instead, it fixed its gaze in the opposite direction, where the sounds of nearby shuffling and human chatter could be heard.
"I am sure it passed by here. The tracks are fresh."
"Correct, it must have found the river."
"Eadric, along here."
The three young men who were conversing were members of the well-known Eadric team. They were all 17 years old, and this was their second year in the academy, yet they were still wearing green cloaks. The reason for this was that advancement to the coveted black cloak was granted either through the first trial of boarding the academy or by defeating a black cloak in combat. Such a system was deemed necessary to maintain the academy's rigorous standards. After all, without competition and the drive to grow stronger, the students would not push themselves to their fullest potential.
And, in order to advance in rank, a competition should be held at the training grounds under the watchful eye of an instructor. But to issue a challenge, one had to possess a substantial amount of merit points—500 to challenge a black cloak and an even greater sum of 1000 to challenge a purple cloak.
Asrar's gaze swept over Eadric's tough and strong team, but the sheer size of the boar left him doubtful that brute force alone could vanquish the beast. Just as his doubts began to mount, Eadric materialized from behind a thicket of trees. He looked handsome and elegant as he held a big sword in his right hand. Weapons that were out of the legal jurisdiction of the academy were forbidden; instead, students had to use merit points to rent one. Every day the weapon was in their possession, a certain number of merit points were deducted, which was an investment that few of the fresh-faced newcomers could afford.
The value of merit points went far beyond mere weaponry, affording students the means to secure improved lodgings or even gain access to the coveted skill books held within the Spellbook Sanctum. Such currency held boundless potential, and its judicious expenditure often meant the difference between mediocrity and greatness.
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The trio of strong young men continued along the river's edge, heedless of the vicious boar lurking just out of sight, poised to attack. Though Asrar felt a wave of relief upon realizing that the beast had yet to detect him and Elysaia, his modern sensibilities urged him to warn the others. But before he could act, a smaller figure sprung up and forcefully shoved him into the bushes once again.
In that moment, a trembling arrow barely missed him, and with a muffled bang, he plummeted further into the prickly underbrush. Despite the numerous cuts he sustained, he hardly noticed the pain as he felt a petite, slender form embracing him tightly; it was Elysia, her heart pounding against his own.
"Blast it, Owen, could you not have missed it by more?" Hearing those words, Asrar cursed under his breath. He tried to peer through the foliage to see who had spoken, though his view was obstructed and he could barely see. Suddenly, three figures emerged from the other side of the clearing. A young lady led the way, followed by two young men, one armed with a dagger and the other with a bow. Asrar surmised that the latter was responsible for the near-miss that had caused them to take cover in the first place. The reckless shot had not only missed the boar but had nearly killed him in the process.
The new trio didn't appear to see him and Elysia as their whole focus was on the boar. However, their noisy commotion had alerted the animal, causing it to grow wary and abandon its attack on Eadric and his team, gradually retreating instead.
At that moment, Eadric's team caught wind of the commotion and laid eyes on the boar and the opposing group. "Lady Elspeth, this boar is our prey, and though we wish you success in your hunt, it would be in your best interest to depart." Eadric spoke with a polite tone, but the threat was clear.
The woman he spoke to possessed sharp, exotic claws on her right hand, and with hair as black as night, she was stunning, though her slitted, serpent-like eyes and ever-present smirk betrayed a more sinister nature. "My dear Eadric," she purred, "I had hoped we could collaborate, but it seems you're too proud for that. Nevertheless, I can't ignore the constraints of merit points, just as you can't, but perhaps you'll let me have my way with this boar now and later reward yourself with a warm embrace from me." She batted her eyes, attempting to entice him with her suggestive words, making the hiding Elysia scowl in disgust.
Eadric stepped forward, his expression grave as he looked like he was contemplating the offer for a moment. "Although your offer is tempting, lady Elspeth, I must decline. But fear not, for once we've slain the boar, there will be plenty more for you to seduce. Perhaps you can even take a dip in the river and entice those creatures to you," he said with a small smile. His companions laughed heartily at his words. On the other hand, Lady Elspeth wasn't as amused, and she scowled in anger. She turned to her own team and barked out orders, "What are you waiting for? Kill that boar for me! And anyone who stands in your way, cut them down!"
Elspeth's followers shook off their stupor before they sprang into action, racing after the boar, which was beginning to back away slowly.
"Do not let it run away; kill it." With a determined expression, Eadric rushed towards the boar, his companions close behind. He was not concerned about Lady Elspeth's team stealing his kill, but rather about the boar escaping.
In a flurry of action, the two teams ran wildly from opposite directions, effectively cornering the boar. Eadric broke through the melee and was the first to reach the boar, thrusting his blade into the beast's side with practiced ease. But before he could deliver the final blow, an arrow whizzed by him, prompting a quick dodge. "Well done, Owen!" cried Elspeth, drawing her sharp claws and viciously attacking the boar's side.
The enraged boar charged towards the girl and her followers with a loud grunt, causing chaos as it toppled the followers and missed the girl by a hair's breadth. One of Eadric's comrades seized the moment and activated his "charge skill," chasing after the boar with impressive speed, almost seeming to glide on the ground. He then forced his body to a halt and struck its hindquarters with his blade, causing the first wound and drawing blood. Asrar watched in amazement at the skilled combatants battling against the ferocious beast.
In the midst of the chaos, Elspeth dashed towards the wounded boar and pierced her sharp claws into its neck. As the claws glowed with a crimson light, a sudden explosion erupted, obliterating the flesh around the boar's neck and sending Eadric and Elspeth flying backwards.
Amidst the chaos of the explosion, Eadric found himself thrown off balance and covered in a mixture of blood and dust. His surprise was palpable, as he muttered under his breath, "So she's learned that skill!"
He turned his gaze towards the boar, whose body was quivering in agony and despair. The beast let out a few final grunts before collapsing on the ground, its life force extinguished.
In unison, everyone cried out at the same time "Get the ear!" and Eadric, still reeling from the earlier explosion, awkwardly rose to his feet and made his way to the boar's carcass. However, before anyone could get close, the sound of hoofbeats thundered throughout the area, and a swarm of angry boars descended upon the scene from all directions.
The sight was frightening as the boars, each as big or bigger than the one they had just slain, rushed toward them with a fierce look in their eyes. The humans were frozen in terror as the horde of 30 to 40 boars charged towards them, crushing everything in their path. Everyone there was petrified, and they wondered how so many had appeared in one place; after all, the number released into the forest was no more than a dozen, and these creatures were not known to live in large groups.
Yet the reason for that was simple, and Asar, who was hiding with Elysia in the small bush, realized it immediately!
The mating scent was too strong!
Indeed, since it was a recipe from a fantasy book, the oil required a specific ingredient and dose that were not perfectly mentioned in its pages. So following exactly what the book had described actually backfired, as the scent was too potent, and despite his best efforts, the resulting scent was overpowering, even after diluting it with water. It not only lured the released boars but also some that were dwelling in the surrounding forest.
The boars that had been attracted were mostly males seeking mating, and as fate would have it, the one they had just killed was a female. This explained the sudden outburst of anger among the boars, and after a brief pause, they let out a deafening cry and charged forward, their eyes filled with rage.
"Run!" Unfortunately, the bushes where Asrar and Elisya were concealed was also in the path of the oncoming horde, and they could not stay hidden. With a leap, they sprang out from their hiding place, much to the surprise of the spectators. Eadric was particularly flabbergasted to discover Elisya there and even more shocked to see her with an unknown boy.
However, with no time to spare, Eadric couldn't ask any questions and had to prioritize his own safety. He was positioned near the horde and had to focus on fleeing first.
Asrar's heart pounded in his chest as he unconsciously clutched Elysia's delicate hand and sprinted away from the charging horde. Panic gripped him, and his mind raced as he scanned for an escape route. The rest of the group scattered in different directions, and the boars pursued them relentlessly. Asrar and Elysia were lucky to only have three boars hot on their heels, but even that was too much for them to handle. The beasts were too massive and swift for the pair to face head-on.
Asrar took Elysia's hand and darted through the forest in a zigzag pattern, hoping to lose the boars chasing them. However, the wild beasts were relentless and gaining on them with each passing second .
Reaching a threshold, he whistled at the top of his lungs, and suddenly, several vines sprang up from behind thme. The first boar charging towards them stumbled as it hit the vines, its momentum causing it to collide with its two companions behind it. The three wild beasts tumbled to the ground, caught off guard by the unexpected obstacle.
Gawan's arm went numb. He and Adella originally tried to grasp the vines from both sides to trip the boars. But they quickly realized that tying the vines to a nearby tree and holding onto the other end was a better option. If they had continued with their original plan, not only would the boars not have tripped, but Gawan and Adella might have broken their bones in the process.
"Blood and bones! Why have you brought three of these beasts upon us? Do you seek our deaths?" Baldwinn jumped out to kill the boar, but upon seeing their size and number, he stopped in his tracks.
"Just run for now; let's get to safety and talk." Asrar was still holding Elysia's hands, "Wait!" Elysia suddenly said, stopping Asrar from pulling her away. She lifted her palm toward the boars, who were still struggling to get up and chase them.
With a gentle whisper, Elysia raised her hand, revealing a shimmering ring that radiated with an intense light. As the light grew brighter, she summoned forth a powerful gust of wind that surged from her fingertips, lashing out at the oncoming boars. The creatures were no match for that power as the wind sliced through them with ease, shredding their bodies into pieces.
After the magical waves had dissipated, an eerie stillness descended upon the clearing, leaving all but Elysia and her companions completely stunned and speechless.