System Break

Chapter 40: The Giant Boar

The ground thundered underfoot. We felt and heard it well before we saw the mammoth boar. I had an edge; my demon bird flew well above its head. It cackled at the unsuspecting gigantic boar and looked forward to tasting its intestines.

I sucked in a deep breath and its leathery scent filled my nostrils. Behind me the four archers spread out with a dozen yards separating them from each other and thirty odd behind Reyas and me.

I pointed to a hill which had three large boulders. "Set up there. I'll bring it to you."

"Me too?" Reyas said.

I turned to her and had to rip my eyes away from her heaving breasts. "Save your strength and I'll bring it to you. If it focuses on the archers, it's our job to get its attention."

She nodded.

I walked patiently towards the boar while they got into position. The boulders were a terrain advantage for us which made me think of external outposts. It made short work of a dozen spiders stomping on them or nipping at them and was now gorging itself on them and their cores.

My qi sight showed it had a core the size of couch. Even carrying that was not going to be easy, we'd need a sled. But best not to get ahead of myself, we had to kill the beast first.

I was big, six foot of toned muscle and another foot with my headdress. But this boar's power was incomprehensible. It could take a fully grown tree in its snout and rip it from the ground. It could squish a car like I did a beer can.

If it went pear-shaped, I would have no choice but to lead it south. I laughed. Lead it to that city called Dawnharbour and all the new players would provide boar brunch.

I stood on the hill, staring at it. He was too busy scoffing down spiders to notice me. I stood on one leg with the other knee bent and its foot resting on the standing leg. My six-foot wooden spear of death was in my hand, with its butt on the ground.

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It sniffed the air and it caught my scent before it saw me. How embarrassing, I stunk enough for a wild, giant, sweaty, dirty demon boar to notice.

It threw its head in the air and grunted. Blobs of snot flew from its nostrils and you definitely didn't want to get hit by one - they were the size of my fist.

"Come on piggy," I yelled.

When it began to scrape the ground with one of its giant hooves I moved. There was no way I was going to wait for it to charge. It was a giant cat and I was a tiny mouse; it was sure to follow.

I whooped as I ran; my bird showing me its view from above. Man, I was fast. I looked like Bolt on steroids. I was mimicking Reyas qi-speed as best I could and I was wasteful, but it worked much better than the tier one qi-body.

No matter how fast I was, a giant boar was faster. Its powerful strides ate me up. Its sheer size gave it an advantage. Relative to size I was faster, but it was fifty times my mass.

Demon bird's vision showed it was closing, but it wasn't necessary because the rumbling earth told me like a slap in the face. When it was a couple of yards behind and about to gouge me with a tusk, I dodged like my life depended on it. Because it did.

This is where I used Reyas qi-agility and pushed off with my left foot. I veered to the right by several yards and its tusk went woosh. Air shot.

I laughed and ran towards our ambush. If the boar wasn't interested in me for dinner before now, I was now the most appealing meal of its life. It dearly wanted to eat me. It probably thought I was a two-legged, furless, mutant stag.

Rather than lead it directly to the boulders I lead it on a merry chase in an arc. I led it in a circle around the boulder as arrows pelted down on it. I could hear them entering its flesh, thwap, thwap but it was still focused on me. And it wasn't good at changing direction.

When it had fifty arrows buried in its left side it stopped and roared. Its snout frothed and its red eyes blazed. It looked around for the pesky archers.

That was my queue, I skidded to a halt and turned. I ran at the big ugly brute and leaped at it while its head was turned towards the hill to its left. I jumped so high I was above it and as I fell; I brought my spear down in an arc aiming for its eye.

Its head turned at the last second and a tusk swiped me dead centre. I flew at right angles and all my spear did was scratch it a little. It jumped towards me while I was in mid-flight, I couldn't change directions, but I twisted as it tried to gouge me mid-air.

It smashed me in the head, and everything went dark. My terrifying stag mask was supernaturally hard, but the blow rattled my brains inside my skull. I lay on the long grass of the plains wondering what was going on.

I could hear sounds, but their meaning didn't register. There was smashing, yelling, screaming, and grunting. I listened for a time.

A bird landed on my chest and began pecking. Why would it do that. I was just lying here. It squawked at me and I felt the ground shake. The bird jumped up the length of my chest to my head and began to peck.

My head was made of wood, and it went tap, tap. What the fuck, my head was wood. Oh shit, I came to my senses and sat up. I could see Reyas on top the boar with her axes buried in its back. There were arrows in its eyes, and it was bucking like a bull with rabies.

I stood. "Thanks birdy." And I ran towards the giant boar and poured qi into my legs. When I leaped onto its back Reyas grinned at me, but I wasn't sure if she was enjoying herself or shit scared.

Before it bucked me off, I aimed my spear at the nape of its neck and using qi-strike buried it as deep as I could. When I pulled my spear out it left a gaping hole. Then a wild buck threw me, and I stabbed again as I fell. My spear entered the side of its neck and I held on. I swung myself and kicked one of the arrows further into its eye then swung back and pulled my spear free.

I had to roll before it trod on me. I shoved my spear into its underbelly, and it was soft. I laughed and used qi-blade in a unique way. I ran under the boar with my spear in its guts and used my qi to cut them wide open.

The demon bird was going to be happy as its guts spilled onto the ground. The boar's movements became lethargic and as it entered its final death throws - it was still dangerous.

I scampered from underneath and gave its tusks a wide berth. When it fell to its side, I stabbed my spear through its skull and into its brain.

Gisael was by my side and I asked her, "This one doesn't have regeneration does it?"

She grinned, she looked excited and happy. "No. It does not heal like a troll. Look."

She was right, none of its wounds had healed. I felt like the troll was a tougher fight, but this thing was incredibly strong. Maybe we had lifted our game so much it only felt easier.

I pulled out my skinning knife and it glinted in the sun. "It's skinning time," I shouted and laughed.

Our Huds activated with a message.

-Demon Boar First Kill: Sakaala, Ailen, Eleven-

"What?" Sakaala howled and shook her first. "His name is Benzhi you morons."

I laughed because I didn't care, and I set about skinning the thing. My aim was for one humungous pelt.

Ailen was by my side surveying the several tons of meat. He shook his head. "Maybe I'll dig pits here and cook it on the spot. Hey Benzhi," he said and stared at me, "All the people in Dawnharbour will get that message."

"So?"

He pointed to Sakaala. "We're not there, they'll get curious."

"Who in Dawnharbour?" Reyas asked and Gisael looked interested as well.

"It's an old-world thing. People from my world are connected in a strange way."

They nodded and accepted the answer.

My skinning attempt wasn't terrible, I managed to get the whole thing in three pieces. There were also two gigantic tusks and a qi core that was as big as me.

Nej carried a smaller tusk back and fetched a sled so quickly I was barely finished when he returned. We piled on the skin and qi core. And left poor Ailen behind with his cooking adventure.

I hefted the large tusks, one on each shoulder. While the others carried their fair share. Nej and Talila pulled the sled. My demon bird stayed behind feasting on the guts which were splayed across the hill.

"I feel sorry for Ailen," I said which a chuckle.

"Don't," Sakaala said. "He's loving it. He likes crafting as much as fighting usually."

I laughed. These kids were from a different universe to me. It was almost as if their lives were as different to mine, as mine was to Reyas.

I felt her breasts on my back. "Need a hand?" she asked as she shouldered the tusks behind me. "Sure, and keeping rubbing your boobs on my back. I love that."

She laughed derisively. But she kept doing it anyway.