Knowledge from both Worlds(2)

In the clearing was a bona fide wild boar. However contrary to Ming's previous description the one in front matched all Chu's expectations.

'A Red Boar variant.'

The thing was the size of a car with the front shoulders higher than Thomas's head. Its tusks were ripping the ground like a knife through butter. Very, very soft butter. They had the length and girth of Thomas's thighs.

Anyone with a sane mind could understand why this creature had no qualms making a ruckus tilling the soil for roots. This boar had the right to make noise in the forest so brazenly.

'Frick!'

It all came back to him. The reason why those tracks bothered him. In a dry summer like this only a heavy tank like the one before him could leave such a footprint behind.

"Ah Hah!"

Came the loud sound of a person who just invented fire.

"I remember now Chu, the guy said it was a female boar. Ah, I see, I see. This one here must be a male. No wonder he is so huge."

It was then Ming realized he was the center of attention.

Both to Chu and Lucy who were watching him with anger in their eyes while climbing the trees at the side. Thomas was sitting on a branch on another tree weeping for his protégé.

Hearing a loud snort Ming turned back to his most important spectator of them all. The huge wild boar who was squinting and facing in his direction pawing its front legs.

"Chu?"

"Damn you stupid idiot run and get on a tree!"

Ming naturally ran towards Chu.

"Nooo! Get your own tree!"

Mr Thomas gave the kid credit. Those couple of months of training really loosened him up and made him supple. Ming could not run faster than the wild boar but boy could he weave among the trees like a fish in water.

In open grasslands he would have already decorated one of the massive tusk, but in the forest he made use of the natural obstructions.

They looked on as Ming hugged around the trees running and screaming while the boar chased behind him. Like a tank it moved around slowly chasing him. However any time he looked to move in a straight line or try to climb a tree it attacked.

Chu finally saw how brutal those attacks were. The beast stopped and seem to charge its muscles. It them unleashed a bellow and rushed at a tremendous pace with its head down and tusk horizontal.

Twice it struck some trees that were near a foot in diameter and toppled them. It paused maybe to regain its bearings and resumed the chase after the constant wails.

Ming was smart enough to move around in circles. He never ventured too far from where they were hiding. Lucy and Mr Thomas used this opportunity to fire off some bolts at the creature.

It soon became apparent that those attacks only served to aggravate the creature more rather than do effective damage. Instead of getting tired and strolling away, the boar was hell-bent on inflicting damage on this noisy creature who seem to injure it by running.

Ming finally was able to climb a large tree after the boar was momentarily stunned by crashing into another tree. The beast circled around the tree knocking it every now and again with its tusk.

While Ming was busy trying to escape Chu had a literal birds eye view of the scene. If it was not terrifying it would have made a good comedy video. He called to the girl sitting on the tree close by.

"Lucy, if I distract that boar and get it to slam into this tree, can you use your ability to get a crossbolt into its ear?"

Lucy was surprised, she though Chu would have her aim for its eyes instead. he showed her a point just by the earlobe.

"I can do it. If you can get it to stop for even a moment I am certain I can do it."

Chu did not hesitate and jumped down. His legs that were wobbling from before due to fright were now a little stable. Seeing Ming screaming and running cleared his mind a little.

He hollered and made some noise to attract the beast. Half a year of risking his life in this kind of manner did wonders to his mentality.

With another pest joining the game the boar sauntered towards him. When it covered the distance it suddenly bellowed and stampeded forward doubling its speed.

If Chu was facing this from before he would have been rooted to the spot in fear. Now after watching Ming run around for minutes, his adrenaline and courage were plucked. As soon as the beast roared and galloped he had lunged to the side.

Chu avoided focusing on the beast face to get caught in the paralyzing roar. He was keeping his eyes on the tusk and the stumpy little front feet. As expected after the roar the tusk went up. Chu wasted no time to doge that incoming bus.

He zigged to another tree without looking back.

As expected the boar had a one track mind. In that frenzied mode the roar was supposed to paralyze its foe. The attack was a non stop frontal bash that took place with its eyes half closed and bracing for impact.

If it was facing an encirclement or many slower foes it might have taken its time to lumber around and attack. This frontal bash was suitable for subduing quicker opponents.

As a tank it could walk away from a fight without any problems. Only those apex predators would be able to cause some concern, but even they would be wary of its attacks.

'Crash!'

It slammed into the tree becoming momentarily stunned.

At this time a small figure appeared silently at its side as if materializing from thin air.

The boar did not have the time to blink twice to be certain if it was the result of being stunned. Just inches away from its tusk Lucy aimed and shot.

All the boar's brain was able to register was a blurry figure followed by a sound and flick of light. By the time the figure disappeared a bolt was inside its ear and less than an inch away from its brain.

It bellowed and unconsciously slammed its head against a tree to ease the deadly itch. Unfortunately that was the action which sealed its fate.

A bellow that ended in a sigh.

A quick trashing as if it was shaking off some flies from its head.

The large tank dropped to the ground shaking it with its weight.

After a few minutes four people gathered near the dead beast that finally stopped twitching.

Mr Thomas looked at Chu strangely as Ming did his routine living or dead test.

"Why the ears and not the eyes?"

"The eyes are weak, but for the boar its weakness is its ears and space between its shoulders and ribs."

Thomas was sure the kids would wait for the beast to get fed-up and leave. What he did not expect was that the boy would have been so daring.

The scars on the beast was proof of its toughness. Only a heavy crossbow at point-blank rage might have been able to penetrate the hide and muscles. Mr Thomas was not a newbie to hunting boars, but a deadly shot was either under the shoulders or a sword in the eyes.

These animals could only be caught in pit traps and killed by wearing them down with long spears or arrows. The red boar variant like this one was second only to the demon boars in the north when it came to toughness.

Chu was shocked at himself. Never would he have taken such a risk with his life. But over the past months he had changed. He was not a person whose only goal was to live in an office and work for money.

This was a new experience, a new lease on life. If he was going to travel and see this world, obviously he had to become stronger. It was the reason he submitted himself to the harsh training every evening and why he was part of this hunting group.

His legs wobbled as the adrenaline rush subsided. This action was the most dangerous thing he ever did in his life. However he was feeling strangely excited, like he just broke free of some invisible shackle and was now accomplished.

Even though he was relying on Lucy and her abilities to kill the beast, he did face a creature head on without being scared. His fear of the animal kingdom was slowly being dissipated. Previously he was afraid of those dogs on earth. Now to him they were like chickens.

He thanked his job in the last life for making him enough money to surf the Internet. One documentary was on how farmers had to hunt wild boars that were destroying their fields.

The hunters in the documentary had charts on the fatal points on the animals. He only remembered this just because Ming was dodging with the animal for so long. His mind and body did not freeze in fear like before.

He was now logically thinking to survive instead of panicking. Chu was feeling very pleased at his steady development.

He was interrupted during this brief moment of self-satisfaction.

"Hey guys, Amm...how are we going to carry this thing?"

Ming looked at Chu.

Chu looked at Mr Thomas.

Then they all turned to stare at Lucy.