Chapter 57: Great Boar
Ren’s hand, which had been reaching for the Wild Heal Berry, suddenly stopped.
(…Wind? No… that wasn’t wind. It sounded heavier than wind, didn’t it?)
His heart pounding, he slowly tilted his body and carefully peeked past the tree trunk, making sure not to make a sound.
And then he saw it.
A massive shadow.
A gigantic body like a boulder, covered in dark brown fur. Thick tusks jutted out from both sides of its mouth. Each time it stepped on the ground, the earth seemed to sink slightly under its weight.
(That’s… a Great Boar…?)
Ren recalled the warning he had read in the adventurer guild’s archive room.
“…!”
A breath that never became a voice caught in his throat. Cold sweat suddenly began to stream down his back.
The Great Boar paid Ren no attention at all, its head buried in the branches. The sound of crunching echoed through the quiet forest as it devoured Wild Heal Berries.
Fortunately, it still hadn’t noticed him. Maybe he was downwind, Ren thought.
(I have to… hold my breath… no sound… wait, can that even fit in a “small box”…?)
For a moment, Ren considered whether he could shoot it or trap it using his “Small Box” skill. But he had never created a “box” large enough to contain something like a Great Boar. While repeated use had gradually allowed him to increase the size of the box, he still didn’t feel confident he could create one big enough for this creature.
(No. It’s impossible. …I should run. Now, while I can.)
While the Great Boar was absorbed in eating the berries, Ren decided to escape quietly.
Slowly—just barely—he shifted his foot back.
One step.
A dry leaf made the faintest sound.
Thump.
His heart jumped violently.
The Great Boar did not react.
Two steps.
He held his breath. His chest felt tight.
Carefully, carefully, making absolutely no sound.
Three steps.
The distance widened just slightly.
A branch brushed his fingers and trembled faintly.
The Great Boar’s ear twitched.
Ren froze like a statue, silently praying as he exhaled the air from his lungs as gently as possible.
The beast did not turn.
(It… didn’t notice me?)
He continued to slowly back away.
His eyes never left the creature, but he made sure not to provoke it.
It felt like an endless retreat until he finally reached the shadow of a thick tree trunk that could hide him.
Only when he confirmed that the Great Boar had returned its attention to the berries did Ren carefully, deliberately leave the area.
When the massive shadow finally disappeared from sight and the forest became denser, Ren at last took a deep breath.
“Haa… haa…”
He turned around.
The presence was gone.
The forest had returned to silence.
(…I think I’m safe now.)
He carefully scanned his surroundings and listened closely. Only then did he realize he had been running blindly.
“…Where am I?”