Chapter 25: Dragon and Fire
The hunter draped himself in camouflage netting, smeared his body with herbal ointments and leaf juices that could mask his scent, then picked up his short bow and quiver, melting into the forest.
Wind swept through the early summer evening woods, stirring up a sound like crashing waves that masked the sound of his footsteps.
A single hunt could last several days, sometimes even a full week. Even tracking prey required at least half a day. Though beasts lacked intelligence, millions of years of instinct gave them formidable anti-reconnaissance abilities. Without an experienced old hand, ordinary people couldn't possibly find their lairs or detect their traces.
Fortunately, this old hunter was indeed experienced.
Within half a day, following footprints in the mud, he discovered a towering pile of excrement, then found the target he'd already marked nearby.
A massive wild boar king with white mane fur.
Evening was when wild boars were active. Beside a rotting pine log that had apparently collapsed during winter snowstorms, this enormous boar, with its thick armor-like hide and muscle layers, was using its tusks to root through the dirt, searching for fungi and insects as food.
Perhaps because it had eaten plenty of pine cones even through winter, this great boar king hadn't lost much fat. It was still as robust as in autumn. The hunter, draped in green-brown camouflage netting, half-leaned against a tree behind the boar, observing his prey's movements from the corner of his eye. His short bow was already strung with an arrow, ready to loose at any moment.
He was quiet. A skilled hunter was always quiet and patient. He knew this wasn't the time to strike. The great boar king's hide was incredibly thick—even a true Silver-rank archer attacking head-on might not pierce its dermal defense, let alone him, a Black Iron-rank hunter who'd learned by the seat of his pants.
So he needed to wait for the right moment.
Like a genuine shrub, the hunter lurked in the shadow of the trees, silently watching the great boar king feast joyfully.
Time passed. The sky gradually darkened, and he finally heard a short grunt—after hearing that snort, the hunter's spirits lifted. He knew the moment had come.
The massive boar, as tall as one and a half men and three to four meters long, like a war chariot, wobbled around after its temporary fill, then prepared to return to its lair. Its robust body could neutralize most toxins, but digesting those fungi potent enough to serve as alchemical ingredients still took time. At this moment, most of its blood was concentrated in its stomach for digestion, naturally slowing its movements.
And that was when the hunter drew his short bow—his eyes glimmered faintly in the darkness. Years of honed night vision allowed him to clearly detect every change in his prey even in pitch black.
In his hands, the simply enchanted bowstring and arrowhead possessed killing power far beyond their appearance. If he could hit a vital spot like the eye, even a monster with the fierce vitality of a great boar king would die on the spot from brain destruction.
Fighting large creatures was extremely dangerous, especially monsters like the great boar king. Its tusks could pierce the scales of ordinary dragon species, and a full charge could directly demolish small houses. Not just human bones, even steel couldn't withstand it. So it was best to end the fight in one blow. The furious beast's swift movements would render the hunter's weapon useless.
But just as the bowstring was fully drawn and the arrow about to fly, a deep, penetrating roar echoed from the sky above the treetops.
"ROOOOAR—!!"
A sudden gale bent the branches of surrounding trees. A massive red figure swept past above the forest, stirring up countless fallen leaves. Before either the great boar king or the hunter could react, that red sound tore through the air, crashed through the trees, and slammed violently into the boar, which had been warily scanning its surroundings.
BOOM!!
A powerful shockwave rippled outward. Soil was flung up, mingling with falling leaves that scattered everywhere. Amidst the swirling leaves, the hunter witnessed a sight that left him dumbstruck.
His marked prey was now pinned to the ground by a red flying dragon with enormous wings. Its sharp claws had already sunk deep into the boar's thick hide, injecting venom.
"A Rathalos?!"
Seeing this, the hunter sucked in a sharp breath. He nearly dropped his bow and immediately shrank back behind the tree, not daring to move an inch.
—Weren't Rathalos creatures only found in the Black Forest near the Great Aias Volcano, maybe one or two at most? Their habitats and activity zones were all near volcanoes. Even the few near the forest were losers from failed competitions. And this fire dragon...
Cautiously peeking his head out, observing from the corner of his eye, the hunter saw the great boar king still struggling even in dire straits. Its tusks swung wildly with such force that even the Rathalos dared not take them head-on—that was enough power to break any fierce beast's bones.
But the Rathalos's claws carried potent venom that could paralyze nerves. Even though the boar had some resistance to toxins, it couldn't withstand this poison. Before long, it gradually stopped struggling and lay still.
"ROOOAR!!"
With a satisfied roar, the Rathalos bit hard into the great boar king's back. Under the fire dragon's razor-sharp teeth, several large holes immediately appeared in the thick body, blood gushing out. But the great boar king offered no resistance—it had clearly fallen unconscious.
Confirming the prey had completely lost its ability to fight, the Rathalos grabbed the great boar king with its powerful claws, then flapped its wings and launched into the sky.
Its strong wings beat, generating gales strong enough to bend trees. Within seconds, the fire dragon vanished from the hunter's sight.
Only then did the hunter slowly exhale, wiping cold sweat from his forehead.
—That clean, decisive action and formidable stamina—it didn't seem at all like a loser from failed competition!
He thought silently, his mind filled with confusion.
Why had a dragon appeared?
In the northern icefields further north, there were indeed ice fang dragons, even white dragons occasionally. But this was just an ordinary forest beside the most common impoverished little village at the foot of the mountains. The most powerful monster here was only a great boar king. Why would a Rathalos appear here? Their prey should be mammoths and other weaker dragon species.
No answers came to mind. His prey had been stolen by the fire dragon. With no reason to stay in the forest, the hunter stood up, adjusted his gear, and prepared to return to the village to report this anomaly.
By now, the sky had darkened into deep night. Stars had emerged one by one, and the twin moons had already appeared at the horizon. Because the light had dimmed, the hunter vaguely saw a faint glow of fire ahead.
Had the Rathalos breathed fire earlier? Could it have started a forest fire... wait!
The thought sluggishly crossed his mind. A few seconds later, he realized a possibility that made his hair stand on end.
Just now... which direction had the dragon flown from?!
He jerked his head up, looking toward the direction of the firelight—the direction of the village where he lived.
—That is, the direction the dragon had come from!
A chill shot up from his tailbone straight into his brain, paralyzing all his thoughts. The terrifying possibility made this usually calm old hunter's hands tremble, nearly making him drop his weapon.
The distant firelight grew larger. It wasn't so much lamplight as something blazing fiercely.
"Don't panic... my home is by the river, upwind. It won't spread."
Comforting himself inwardly, the hunter wasted no time. He immediately broke into a sprint, racing toward his home.
He no longer cared about concealing his form or masking his scent. The old hunter used his rich experience to step on rocks and solid earth, avoiding moss and mud, swiftly threading through the forest.
Finally, he reached the forest's edge and saw a sight that filled him with despair.
Dragon, and fire.