Glenn smiled anew as he hurried toward Wolfpine’s southern gate, reinvigorated by the thought of facing a real challenge. It wasn’t like he’d Level all the way to Level 6 today—that could take months, even with Blazer support—but he could still demonstrate his determination to the Gods. He could also get a little payback on Balarel’s Monsters for all the trouble that Moss Beast had inflicted.

Once more Glenn pondered stopping by Becka’s house to invite her to join his Party, but after the experience she’d gained from turning in the Quest yesterday, she was certainly capped. There would be no benefit for her other than his company, and he felt like tackling Grassea and its Monsters alone today. That felt appropriate.

He wouldn’t do anything foolish. He wouldn’t push himself or take any unnecessary risks, like hunting down and challenging the high Level Moss Beast that menaced him and Becka. But he had his sword, his Skill, and his determination to reach Level 6 as fast as possible. Best to put those to good use on a day when he’d otherwise stress about tonight’s ceremony.

Glenn strode to the gates and saw two Town Guards standing as they always did, at attention, one on each side of the gates. When he reached the gates he walked past until he was just a bit outside, turned, and tossed a salute to the guards. “Good day.”

Neither guard reacted, but perhaps these were guards Glenn hadn’t met. The bulky shape of their male armor made it obvious neither one was Joanne, though Logain could be behind one of those helmets. The eyeholes were mere shadows with bright sunlight overhead.

“Thank you for watching over our town,” Glenn said. “I’m off to hunt the wilds of Grassea, but I plan to back by late afternoon. When I return, I’d like to ask you both a favor.”

One guard tilted his head. “How can I help you, citizen?” He wasn’t Logain, but he sounded friendly enough.

Glenn smiled at him. “If you’re free after your shift at the gate today, I’d like to meet you both in the tavern and buy you two a drink.”

Neither guard said anything. Had he offended them, or worse, offended Kya? Yet all he’d offered was to buy them a drink. If the Gods took offense at that, they were fools.

“A drink would be pleasant enough,” the other guard said finally. “Though you’re a little young to be buying drinks for us, aren’t you, Mister Redwood?”

Glenn was relieved they’d agreed. “I’m trial age now, and I’ve earned more than enough crescents in my Leveling to treat two people who keep us all safe to a round of mead. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there’s going to be a bit of a ceremony tonight. Some drinks and stories might help relax me before I walk into the Chapel of Celes in front of the whole town.”

“We might have heard something about that,” the leftmost guard said, with what Glenn could only describe as a healthy amount of amused sarcasm. “And while we very much appreciate your offer, we can’t accept. The big to do tonight, and the very special guest we’re all expecting, is why all the Town Guards are working a double shift.”

Glenn groaned. “No, really?” He stepped forward. “I’m so sorry. I tried to enter the chapel and get this all over last night, but the mayor—”

“Has his own goals,” the left guard interrupted, almost as if to caution Glenn from badmouthing the mayor. “We’re very much of aware of where our orders come from. They don’t come from you.”

Glenn grimaced. “Still … that’s wrong.”

The left guard took a step forward. “Don’t you worry about us, Mister Redwood. We’re committed to our duty here. You get out there and cull those Monsters. Can’t have them growing too strong and threatening our travelers and Townsfolk, now can we?”

“I will. You have my word. But may I ask your names first?”

The left Town Guard inclined his head. “Martin Frosthide.”

The right simply waved. “Scott.”

“Scott Rosewillow,” Martin added.

Scott tilted his head. “Well there you go again. Now the boy will never respect me.”

“It’s a fine surname!” Martin said. “Sweet ... and fragrant.”

Scott shook his head and glanced Glenn’s way. “See what I have to deal with all day?”

Glenn laughed. “Well Martin, and Scott, I hope your day is at least mildly interesting. And if I can’t buy you a drink in the tavern today, I’ll do so tomorrow.”

“If you’re still here,” Martin reminded him.

“Right.” Glenn took a moment. “Well … here’s to hoping I’m not.”

Martin thumped his armored hand to his chest, as did Scott. “Here’s to hoping, lad.”

Glenn bowed his head once more, then turned away. Both men seemed nice enough, but they’d said all they needed to say. If he stayed, things might start to feel awkward.

Still, between his introductions to Logain, Joanne, Martin, and Scott, he felt more confident than ever Wolfpine was in good hands. It would take a horde of Vulpors to challenge the brave men and women who protected Wolfpine’s walls. Glenn only regretted he hadn’t gotten to know the Town Guards earlier in his life. They really did seem like a decent set of folks.

Glenn walked the Safe Road south until he was out of sight of the town gates, then opened the map of Grassea he kept in his head. The lower-Level portion of the Deepscorn Woods lay to the west, but Glenn had his fill of those woods. There was also a high Level Moss Beast that would be incredibly eager to rip Glenn apart.

He glanced east, instead. The gently rolling and grass-covered Dewdrop Hills waited to that side of the Safe Road. It was flat and dappled in sunlight, with high visibility in all directions. While the hills were ideal for Level 3s and 4s, he could still gain experience there even at Level 5.

It would be simple enough to find some Grass Boars or even a Grass Hawk, though he’d have a devil of a time taking a flyer down without a bow. Fortunately, Grass Hawks weren’t aggressive, and they did eat Cliff Spiders, so Glenn normally left the graceful birds alone. And finally, there were no Cliff Spiders in the Dewdrop Hills. That was reason enough to Level there today.

Decision made, he stepped off the Safe Road and climbed the first gently rolling hill he found. With luck, he’d quickly spot a Monster he could fight and defeat without trouble. Once he reached the top of the hill, however, with a good view of the hills in all directions for quite a ways, he saw nothing that could challenge him. It seemed Grassea still had a lot of Monsters to respawn.

A number of Grass Sprites were visible, an initial line along the borders of the Safe Road. They existed to help low Levels gradually become stronger while offering safety if anyone got in trouble. Yet he’d long ago Leveled beyond Grass Sprites. Glenn tromped down the hill and walked due east.

If he walked far enough, he was certain he’d run into a Grass Boar or wandering Gloamwolf. The Grass Sprites grew sparse once one walked a distance from the Safe Road. He climbed and descended more grassy hills, enjoying the sight of all the colorful wildflowers swaying in the breeze.

In that moment, Glenn wished he’d offered to hunt with Zack today. Today, after all, might be their last chance to Level together for years. Now that Glenn was Level 5, with his own Skill, the two of them could easily handle the sentries outside Crackpaw Mine and even venture inside.

Yet Zack had his own Class to Level and his own life to live. Zack was doing what Zack did, so Glenn was on his own. And as Glenn topped the fourth hill, he spotted a distant rocky protuberance many hills over. It looked to be a Grass Boar cave.

Finally, an enemy that could challenge him!

Yet he wouldn’t blindly approach. Grass Boars formed small packs with a single male. While male Grass Boars could often be found alone, lazing about most of the day, female Grass Boars often hunted with one or two others. A trio of Grass Boars could be very dangerous if encountered alone.

Despite the fact that a male Grass Boar was larger, had a tougher hide, and had tusks as long as Glenn’s arm, he would much rather fight a single male Grass Boar than multiple females. While the female Grass Boars were smaller and had significantly smaller tusks, they were faster, meaner, and attacked with bites and stomps when they weren’t attempting to gore their enemies.

Also, while males would generally leave you alone so long as you didn’t approach, if a small group of females came across an enemy in their territory, it always came to a fight. Glenn stayed low and remained upwind until he was close enough to see into the shallow cave.

He was in luck! Only a single male Grass Boar occupied the cave, which meant the females were currently out hunting. Given the boar was essentially minding its own business, Glenn felt somewhat guilty about attacking it. This was its home. He was an invader.

Still, fighting and defeating Monsters was what the Gods demanded of mortals. Left alone, this Grass Boar could grow into a threat to a younger Adventurer or Townsfolk. And with the Pantheon’s judgement a half day away, Glenn wouldn’t dare run from a fight.

He immediately decided he wouldn’t engage the Grass Boar in its cave. The space was barely wide enough for him to swing his sword around, and he’d have nowhere to dodge if the boar tried to gore him. Fortunately, male Grass Boars were easy to anger. So long as he stayed nimble and avoided being gored or trampled, he should have little trouble.

Glenn unsheathed his sword, gripped it in both hands, and then rapped it on the side of the cave. A ringing sound echoed loud enough to startle the Grass Boar to its feet. Its previously languid-looking eyes narrowed, and it snorted and bared its teeth.

The Grass Boar sauntered into motion, almost leisurely at first, but the first moments of a Grass Boar's [-Charge-] were always deceptive. Glenn held his ground, heart pounding as his body made ready to spring into motion. The Grass Boar burst into a sprint with little warning, yet Glenn was ready. He dived aside at the last second, sword clutched to his chest.

Hooves thundered by as the Grass Boar’s tusks just missed him, and then the boar was out of the cave. Glenn rolled to his feet and charged as it came around, but the boar was quicker than he expected. It flailed its head and tusks about like a Skirmisher drunk on mead. Glenn wisely sidestepped to keep it turning. Attempting to parry those powerful swings would only get him knocked over.

The Grass Boar, finding no contact, lowered its head again and stomped a foot. Yet as it adjusted once more to align another charge, Glenn charged instead. This time, it was the Grass Boar who got caught flat-footed. Glenn thrust down with all his Strength and buried his blade directly between the boar’s eyes. While its tusks ended up mere fingertips from his chest, they didn’t penetrate.

The boar dropped flat, stunned by a blade point through its skull. Its Health Bar appeared above it, already charred half black by the precise and powerful blow. A critical hit! Better yet, a tiny red icon on the side of its Health Bar showed it was now bleeding.

The boar wasn’t dead—boars were hardy creatures—but after such a strike, it would be badly impaired. Glenn stomped down hard on its nose, got his leverage, and wrenched his sword free. He stumbled back and watched for another attack.

The boar attempted to rise, but it looked to be disoriented by the blow. In all the years Glenn hunted Monsters, he’d learned that flailing about blindly was far more dangerous than waiting until the right moment to strike. One precise cut or stab, executed at precisely the right time, was often far more efficient than swinging wildly in hopes one connected hard enough to win.

That was how a Duelist fought monsters.

Glenn sidestepped the boar’s tusk strikes again as it attempted to fight on, yet the ticks of char consuming its Health Bar from the bleed made it obvious the Monster was fading fast. It was dying, and Glenn wouldn’t prolong its pain. The moment he spotted another opening, he dashed in again and sliced its back leg clean off.

With a pained squeal and a massive huff, the boar thundered onto its side. Glenn rushed in one last time, determined to end the fight quickly. He stabbed straight down with his Uncommon Adventurer weapon—once, twice, thrice—until the Boar’s Health Bar charred full black.

The boar burst into purple ash.

While a Common weapon might not have penetrated the boar’s thick skull or ended up lodged in its hard ribs, an Adventurer weapon was different. When it came to Monsters, Uncommon blades could split hides and bone with the ease of a hot knife through warm butter. So while it was possible to hunt Balarel’s Monsters with Common weapons, few dared attempt it.

The Pantheon made clear Monster killing was a job for Adventurers alone.

Glenn gasped for a breath as a tingle of pleasure flooded his body. Experience for a solo kill. He’d missed this feeling of triumph, the pounding of his heart and the roaring of blood in his ears. It had been too long since he’d faced a real battle ... or rather, since he’d won one.

He pulled a rag from his pocket, wiped the boar’s blood off his blade, sheathed his sword across his back, and knelt by the ashes. Before he grabbed the Boar’s Life Crystal, a glowing purple crystal the size of a peach, he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

“Good fight,” Glenn murmured.

The Grass Boar had fought valiantly. Was it with the Gods now? If there was an afterlife for Monsters, Glenn hoped it was a good one.