"Vincent! I can hear an animal eating. Let's check it out." Lupa impatiently said while running to its direction. She drooled at the idea of eating meat now that a set of sharp claws to hunt were at her disposal. "No! Wait for me!" Vincent said to the air. Lupa had already vanished from his sight. With great difficulty, he pulled himself up, grabbed the heirloom shortsword, and left to follow Lupa worrying with every step. After passing a few trees, she saw a wild boar eating a patch of different mushrooms. The boar was huge, with dark brown fur and red patterns on its back. It was around five feet tall with a pair of red eyes reflecting in the dark. A pair of large tusks coming out from its mouth made it look fierce, and on its behind were two tails. The huge boar immediately noticed Lupa as it turned its head, facing her with a fierce contorted face. Its meal was interrupted by the curious Lupa, and someone had to pay for the intrusion. Lupa immediately felt a murderous aura brushing against her skin, forcing her wolf animal instinct to understand. Run or fight to the death. However, behind her was an exhausted Vincent and a gravely sick Ester. She couldn't back down from this threat. The huge boar turned its huge body facing Lupa. At that time, Vincent arrived beside her. His eyes feasted on the new danger that needed to be avoided at all costs. It was a difficult thing to do as only Lupa could move freely. [Name] Great Yok Boar [Condition] Healthy, Minor Numbness(limbs, body) [Core] Fire Core "Shit! It's another magical beast!" Vincent frightfully exclaimed while the short sword in his hands trembled from both fear and exhausted arms. Cold sweat slid from his forehead while his breathing became difficult. The killing intent emitted by the boar seemed a bit less than the Great Gray Wolf. However, it was far more potent than the butler. The boar lowered its head while its shoulders soon followed. It blew hot wind from its nostrils while its eyes locked on both of them. With its front right leg, it started pawing the ground like a bull ready to charge. *GRUNT The boar let out a loud grunt before its eyes glared at the two. They had just become the target of its incoming charge. Soon its hind legs propelled the huge body forward as it charged at them with all it had. Lupa swiftly grabbed the exhausted Vincent. Then together, rushed out of its way. If it wasn't for Lupa, Vincent might have died as what came afterwords made Lupa understand that she fucked up. *Boom "Vincent, what's wrong with your leg!" Lupa noticed Vincent holding his leg while contorting his face in pain. "I can't move from here... Run and leave me here." Vincent had a muscle spasm in the worst time possible. The pain immobilized him from any movement. "I will attract its attention while you hide. This time I will protect you." Lupa courageously said with the intention of fighting. It seemed that now, it was hard to run away. Also, if they win, then their food problem would disappear. Lupa rushed behind the boar, ignoring Vincent's plea not to be rash. She stood behind it, staring with a pair of hungry eyes. Hunger gave her the courage of a reckless predator. Lupa shapeshifted her arms while her claws extended, ready to tear the boar apart. She remained fearless in front of the terrifying boar while regarding it as her next meal. The boar had its two tusks stuck inside a tree. The dreadful charge gave them a fortunate opportunity. But if it hit them, then they would be pierced like the tree. It seemed the numbness effect lowered the boar's movement and rationality, making this fight a bit easier. However, one hit was all the boar needed to kill them. Soon with a few powerful tugs, the tusks broke the tree while both the deadly weapons became free. As the boar turned to face Lupa, it shoved the tree with a powerful kick. The tree forcefully fell on the ground opposite from Vincent's location. Vincent shivered at the thought of the tree falling on him. While holding his painful leg, Vincent took a peek behind him. He wanted to see where Lupa was and if she was ok. Vincent became captivated while he gazed at Lupa. She gracefully had her white fur illuminated under the moonlight. Her sharp claws gleamed while her golden eyes illuminated by the light had an alluring charm. It was a sight to behold. *GRUNT The boar grunted before preparing for another charge. Vincent appeared to be safe while Lupa became the target of the huge magical Great Yok Boar. Vincent tried to stand up, but the pain didn't let him. He cursed his body while doing the only thing he could do. Wait for the muscle spasm to fade and help when he can. Lupa carefully circled the boar while it prepared to charge like a crazed bull. At a moment's notice, the huge body sprang forward. Lupa rushed for a tree and jumped. She used her claws to climb the tree as fast as possible, then leaped on the next as her life depended on it. *Boom The boar violently crashed against the tree while it shook uncontrollably. Soon with a mighty kick, another tree fell. Luckily, Lupa was already stuck on the nearby tree. If not, she might have fallen with it. Vincent stared in amazement. Lupa felt more like a monkey rather than a wolf as she evaded the boar's charge by a hair every time. Her sharp claws were a blessing for this fight. Lupa tried to take the opportunity on the third time. She jumped down with a grin, raised her hand with five sharp claws, ready to rip the stuck boar apart. However, Lupa stopped after she heard, "STOP! It's baiting you for a kick like it does to the trees! Jump back now!" Lupa jumped back when her heightened senses noticed danger. Because of Vincent's urgent warning, she quickly understood the boar's intention. Lupa jumped back while barely dodging two powerful hind legs as the boar used its stuck tusks as leverage. The skirt received the full force of the kicks and tore a bit when dodging the attack. Lupa became cautions while staring at the weak spots Vincent had mentioned in the wolf fight. Legs, throat, or belly. Soon, another tree fell while the boar released its two sturdy tusks. Lupa rushed for safety and climbed another tree. The same things kept repeating like a broken record, Lupa switching trees before the boar charges just to violently crash against a tree and later fell it with a mighty kick. Five repetitions later, five trees fell. However, both were starting to get tired. Not only that, but another problem arose. With every fallen tree, Vincent would soon lose his cover, and Lupa no more trees to climb. The boar kept charging to kill Lupa like a crazed beast, and the brutish force it had at its disposal made any plan Lupa could think of harder to achieve. Lupa had to do something, or there would be no more trees to climb. Soon, the boar readied its usual charging pose as it pawed the earth to charge with all its might. Lupa decided to take this opportunity. Like the great gray wolf, she chose to aim for the knees. Suddenly the bull sprang forward, but Lupa didn't switch trees. Instead, she waited for the right moment to vault behind the boar. *Boom The boar violently crashed against the tree. Splinters of the broken tree flew everywhere while some even hit Lupa, who was currently in mid-air after she had jumped a second before the boar hit the tree. Lupa could see all of the boar's back as if time became slow. Her heartbeat calmed, and her tense self relaxed. She felt like her body was weightless as it hovered above the dangerous boar. Lupa landed on the ground behind the boar. Its back was at her mercy, but she felt danger to her left. Following this new strange instinct, she took a step to the opposite side. Suddenly, the boar shot a kick, but it only hit the air. Lupa gracefully dodged the attack as if she had seen it coming from a mile away, almost like a future prediction from the new mysterious instinct. Vincent stared in amazement by this strange new behavior. Not only she seemed faster and more responsive to movement, but her golden eyes shone in the dark, and their appearance changed that of a wolf. It was as if Lupa was using a new ability. One, which gave her the predator instinct of reaction and calmness to hunt. It was potent enough to feel time become slower. Lupa didn't feel anger nor fear. She only stared at her target, the leg slowly falling back on the ground. Soon, her hand rose with five sharp claws hungry for blood. As fast as they rose, the claws violently fell. *Slash Blood gushed out, spraying everywhere. A trail of blood followed her fast-moving claws. It was a critical hit leaving a deep wound crippling the boar from any future charges. Lupa noticed another incoming kick, but this time her calmness disappeared entirely. Her eyes stopped shining, returned back to human eyes. Unfortunately, time flowed normally once again. With the hint of another incoming attack, Lupa vaulted back as quickly as possible, evading a brutal kick by a hair. One split second away from a devastating kick. *Squeal The boar squealed while it furiously shook its head. It tried to unstuck its tusk while immeasurable pain shot from its leg. The boar did its best while contorting its face in pain and anger. Soon, another tree fell, and the boar got unstuck. It glared at Lupa while emitting a murderous aura. However, Lupa could barely notice as she was still amazed by the instinct she had just lost. The boar prepared to charge once again, but the heavy body couldn't support a charge with three legs. Suddenly, the boar lost its balance and fell on the ground. It seemed the right time to strike since the boar looked vulnerable. It was also an excellent opportunity to go for the kill. However, Lupa stayed still; her survival instincts told her it was dangerous to approach. Lupa grabbed a rock and threw it at the boar who helplessly lay on the ground. As the rock approached the boar, in the blink of an eye, a pair of strong tusks violently swung, breaking it into many pieces. It was a trap like when Vincent had warned her to stop. An attack that if hit, Lupa would've been killed or gravely hurt in one strike. With a smirk, she thanked her instincts. The boar slowly got up, but it could barely stand. From the deep wound on the pained trembling leg, blood flowed while a puddle slowly collected underneath. The boar menacingly blew hot air from its nostrils, but it didn't seem to have any abilities or spells as the Great Gray Wolf had. The boar then limped towards Lupa with a pair of eyes filled with dense murderous intent.