Chapter 11
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 011
Chapter Title: The Beast of the Quarry (2)
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Feather Step.
A spell that made its target faster and lighter for about ten minutes. Its performance was top-notch, no doubt, but the current situation offered no chance for it to shine.
Woojin glanced sideways at the overturned hourglass. It was the one Claire had brought to keep time. The sand had already almost all trickled down.
During that time, Jonathan had shouted himself hoarse. But not even a glimpse of the beast.
'As expected, ten minutes is too short.'
Even when fishing, it was hard to catch a single fish in ten minutes. The odds of the beast showing up to take the bait were far slimmer.
Claire cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled.
"Time's almost up! I'll recast the spell, so hurry back here!"
She must have been able to use the magic a few more times. Whether her voice reached him or not, Jonathan turned toward them and flashed an OK sign with his hand.
At that moment, for some reason, a chill ran down Jonathan's spine.
'...What is it?'
Puzzled, he whipped his head around. His eyes locked with those of a massive beast.
A wild boar with a forehead protruding like a battering ram. Its bulk dwarfed a full-grown bull, and the long tusks jutting from its lower jaw evoked curved longswords.
Grulk, grrrulk...
The Mad Skull's eyes glowed red. Its hooves began scraping at the ground.
"...Run—!"
Claire screamed. By then, Jonathan was already bolting away. After about seven strides, the Feather Step's effect wore off.
He hadn't put much distance between them.
The boar charged. The gap closed with terrifying speed. At this rate, it'd catch him any second.
Jonathan bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Get ready!!"
Woojin had expected a plea for help, but these were unexpected words. Prepare what, exactly?
Puzzled, Woojin scanned the surroundings. Even with their leader in mortal peril, the mercenaries remained surprisingly calm.
Pa-bak!
Jonathan suddenly veered sideways. The boar followed suit, twisting its head. But its massive, heavy body didn't turn easily.
The boar's speed dropped sharply. Seizing the chance, Jonathan zigzagged repeatedly, like a veteran football player dodging defenders.
Of course, the beast wasn't dumb enough for this to work forever.
The Mad Skull's reactions grew quicker by the second. It was starting to anticipate Jonathan's turns. The hard-earned gap was closing again.
...But Jonathan had already completed his mission.
"Net up!"
Vice Leader Charlie shouted. The net buried in the dirt sprang upward. It unfurled taut like a badminton net—or a dragnet pulled from both sides.
Jonathan dove under it in a slide. Moments later, the boar slammed into the net. The mesh bucked wildly under the brute force.
"Uwaaaah—!"
"Hold! Hold it!!"
Dozens of mercenaries on either side strained with all their might. The men yanked the net like a brutal tug-of-war.
Its body swathed in netting, the boar thrashed its head side to side in frenzy. The handlers gripping the ropes were flung down and dragged back up over and over by the monstrous power.
"Javelins!"
The mercenaries standing by hurled their javelins with all their strength.
Thuk, thuk-thuk!
The sharpened spearheads embedded in the boar's flanks. They didn't sink deep, but it was a meaningful hit. The boar let out a groan of agony.
The mercenaries kept chucking spears without pause. The boar's wounds multiplied. Watching this, Woojin tilted his head slightly.
'Why isn't that net snapping?'
He'd figured it would tear right away in the first clash. Yet even as the beast rampaged, the net showed no sign of giving.
It must have been some special material—or reinforced with magic. Thanks to it, the boar was trapped, helplessly taking hit after hit.
"Guwok, grrrwoook—!"
The boar uttered a pitiful cry. Seeing this, Jonathan laughed heartily.
"Haha, squealing like a frightened deer! Looks like this'll wrap up easier than expected."
"Not something to say for the guy who was panting and fleeing just moments ago, right?"
Claire smirked and jabbed Jonathan's side with her elbow. She seemed convinced the hunt would end successfully too.
...On the other hand, Woojin's expression darkened.
'Something feels off.'
A sense of unease crept in.
Mad Skulls lived up to their name: aggressively charging loners who tolerated no trespassers, kin or not. Individuals varied slightly, but he'd never seen one wail and show weakness like this.
It sounded almost like a plea for help—a cry pack beasts made in crisis.
But Mad Skulls pursued solitary lives their entire existence. The more he thought about it, the less it added up...
'...They must mate when the time comes.'
The realization hit him suddenly.
As if in response, one of the mercenaries let out a long scream.
"O-over there! There's another one!"
At the quarry's entrance.
A female boar had appeared, scraping her hooves on the ground. Enraged by her mate's cries, her eyes blazed fiercely.
Thud, thud, thud!
The Mad Skull charged. The mercenaries fled in terror.
"Don't let go of the ropes!"
Jonathan yelled urgently. But it was too late. As the mercenaries dropped the ropes and bolted, even the restrained male boar shook free.
The two enraged beasts rampaged. To regain control, Jonathan stepped up.
"Draw their attention somehow! Claire, cast Feather Step on me quick!"
"Y-yes, yes..."
Claire fumbled for her spell scroll. Her hands trembled uncontrollably—she'd lost her composure. The mage began chanting haltingly.
Perhaps sensing something suspicious.
The female boar charged straight at them. The mercenaries dove left and right to evade. But Claire, focused on her spell, noticed too late.
"Wha—ahh... Kyaaah—!"
A sharp death cry echoed. One mage's world faded to black.
Woojin frowned slightly.
'...She fainted.'
He shook Claire a few times, but she didn't stir. Her head lolled limply in unconsciousness. Just before the boar could gore her, Woojin had yanked her away.
Though out cold, Claire seemed unharmed. Confirming that, Woojin turned to survey the scene.
The red wolf, Rex, had appeared out of nowhere and ambushed the male boar, clamping onto its nape. Two tentacles sprouting from the wolf's back shredded the boar mercilessly.
The male, exhausted from constant bombardment while bound, couldn't properly counter the wolf's assault.
Kuung!
The Mad Skull toppled with a heavy thud. Splayed on the ground, it flailed its legs wildly. Rex deftly dodged the kicks before lunging again.
The hunting hound was earning its keep. Thanks to him, Woojin only had one beast left to deal with.
"Wanna keep going?"
Woojin addressed the female boar.
Even if she couldn't understand the words, she surely sensed the tide turning against her.
A typical Mad Skull would fight regardless. They hated losing territory more than death itself.
"...Guuuk."
But this one trembled in her throat, then slowly backed away. She was eyeing an escape.
"Go on."
Woojin released his grip on his sword hilt. Quick on the uptake, the boar turned and fled—toward the quarry cave.
Soon after, she burst out in a panic. Four small piglets trailed at her side.
'Good thing I let her go. Otherwise, this could've gotten messy.'
Motherly instinct overriding her ferocity. Hunting her would've been no easy feat. With young to protect, she'd have fought tooth and nail to survive.
Woojin watched the retreating boar family impassively.
"...Ugh..."
A groan sounded nearby.
Claire's eyes fluttered open groggily. Barely half-lidded, she peered up at Woojin's face.
"...Am I still alive?"
"Sure looks that way."
"Really? Feels like a lie..."
"Want me to slap some sense into you?"
"Uh... Sure."
Claire readily offered her cheek. Still half-asleep. Woojin raised his hand, then opted for a gentle pinch instead.
"Snap out of it."
"Uh... Huh?"
Claire rubbed her cheek. The pinch registered, leaving her flustered.
Blink, blink.
She blinked rapidly. Her wits slowly returned. Emotions flickered across her face with each flutter: confusion, fluster, shock... and finally, embarrassment.
"...Hiiiaaah!!"
Recalling her antics, Claire bolted upright and dashed off somewhere—like she was hunting for a hole to crawl into.
Woojin chuckled and stood.
'Time to sort out the situation.'
He'd need to talk with Jonathan, the mercenaries' leader, but...
Jonathan looked swamped, no time to breathe. Quite a few men had gotten hurt in the earlier stampede, and he was tending to them. Plus, he had to chew out those who'd disobeyed orders and fled.
Predictably, the beasts had chased the runners first. The deserters bore the worst of the injuries.
'Guess I'll check elsewhere first.'
Just then, Jonathan turned and spotted him. He shoved his tasks aside and hurried over.
"Jin, you saved us all. I don't know how to repay this debt."
"No need to bow so low. I finished my hunt smoothly thanks to you."
The mercenaries' contributions were far from negligible.
Jonathan had lured the Mad Skull here, trapped it in the net, and worn it down with attacks.
Claiming the full bounty solo would defy merc etiquette.
"How about splitting the bounty 5:5?"
"I'd be grateful, but... you sure?"
"No issue."
With so many injured, they'd need that cash to cover losses.
But one thing he wouldn't yield.
"In exchange for the bounty split, I'd like the Mad Skull's beast core."
"Of course. I'm not that shameless. All byproducts from that carcass are yours."
Jonathan handed over ownership without hesitation. Seizing the moment, Woojin headed straight for the corpse.
...Only to find an early guest.
A wolf busily carving into the carcass. Rex had his head buried in the boar's chest, tearing off chunks of flesh.
"Rex?"
Woojin called out. The wolf jerked up in alarm, expression like a kid caught sneaking snacks.
Guilty as sin. Woojin approached to assess.
'...This punk snagged the core already.'
No wonder he'd charged the Mad Skull with such zeal from the start.
Hard to scold him. Rex had delivered the killing blow single-handedly.
'Gotta move faster next time.'
Never leave the fish with the cat. He'd lost the core, but gained a lesson.