The corpse of the fanged rabbit suddenly shimmered with faint blue light, its body breaking down into glowing particles of energy that floated upward like embers.
The spectacle lasted only a second before the rabbit completely vanished from the forest floor.
Damien’s gaze flicked back to the inventory window—and sure enough, in the very first box, the image of the rabbit appeared.
The box glowed faintly brighter than the rest, its contents preserved neatly within the storage space.
He smirked, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
"Cool..." he muttered, dragging the word out slightly.
The corner of his lips lifted into something sharper, his expression carrying a quiet thrill.
With one last glance at the glowing boxes, he willed the inventory window to disappear. It faded out of existence in a ripple, leaving only the calm forest once again surrounding him.
Turning on his heel, Damien slid his daggers back into a ready grip, the faint sound of metal whispering against his hands as he adjusted his hold.
His eyes scanned the forest ahead, their sharp gleam piercing through the gaps in the foliage.
He had no intention of stopping with just one rabbit.
His plan was already clear. He would hunt down at least ten of the creatures.
That way, he would have enough meat to store for himself at home, while also selling the excess for cash.
Money was something he needed, and the sweet, tender meat of fanged rabbits was always in demand.
Not to mention, having a stockpile of it would ensure he never had to worry about meat for at least the next few weeks.
His gaze shifted upward, watching as faint beams of sunlight pierced through the canopy, illuminating his path deeper into the forest. His mind was calm, his resolve steady.
Several minutes later, Damien stood calmly in the middle of the forest, his daggers glinting faintly in his hands, and at his feet lay yet another fallen beast.
The brown-and-white body of a fanged rabbit sprawled across the earth, its once fierce eyes now glazed over in death.
A thin line of crimson stretched across its neck, evidence of the precise strike Damien had delivered only moments ago.
He smirked, the faintest curl at the corner of his lips, as he crouched slightly toward the corpse.
Without hesitation, he stretched out his hand, his fingers splayed loosely in the air, and willed the system to act.
"[Inventory." he murmured.
The glowing window of stacked blue squares flashed into existence before him.
Just as smoothly as before, the rabbit’s body shimmered with light before dissolving into particles, its form vanishing into thin air.
In an instant, the eighth slot of his inventory glowed faintly, now occupied by the fresh corpse.
Damien’s smirk widened as he straightened, rolling his shoulders once with quiet satisfaction.
’Now that’s eight,’ he thought to himself, his gaze flicking briefly over the glowing squares. ’I only need to hunt two more.’
The efficiency of the hunt left him in a good mood. Fortune was on his side today.
Fanged rabbits were more common in this forest than he had expected, and that meant he hadn’t needed to wander too far or put himself in unnecessary danger.
Each hunt had been straightforward, his prey practically offering themselves within his reach. It was the kind of opportunity that made survival—and profit—all the easier.
He exhaled softly, allowing the inventory window to vanish before him in a ripple of light. Then he turned slightly, ready to press on and finish what he had started.
But before he could take more than a step, a sharp sound split the calm around him.
Crack!
The unmistakable snap of a twig echoed from behind.
Damien froze in place, every sense immediately sharpening, his instincts screaming at him to react.
Before he could move, another sound followed—loud, heavy, and rhythmic.
The sharp impact of hooves slamming against the ground resounded across the clearing, carrying a weight and power far beyond that of any rabbit.
Damien’s eyes widened slightly, his head snapping over his shoulder as he turned quickly, his body coiling into readiness.
From the thick bushes behind him, a massive beast emerged. Leaves rustled violently as branches bent aside, and then it came fully into view.
It was a huge boar, its size easily dwarfing the rabbits Damien had been hunting.
Its body was covered in coarse, jet-black fur, so thick that not even the gaps of its skin were visible beneath the dark layers.
Its hooves struck the ground heavily, the sound reverberating like distant drums, and with each step, the earth seemed to quake beneath its weight.
But the most striking feature were its tusks. They jutted out from its maw, thick and sharp, curving upward with a menacing gleam that suggested they could pierce straight through flesh and bone without hesitation.
Growl!
The boar’s eyes glowed faintly red as it raised its head, and then it growled—a low, guttural sound that rose into a fierce roar, reverberating through the air.
The noise sent a shiver of pressure across the clearing, as though the beast itself was declaring its dominance to anything foolish enough to stand in its path.
Damien stood his ground, though his brows furrowed slightly in surprise. He hadn’t expected this.
’I made sure not to go too deep into the forest...’ his thoughts ran sharp and fast. ’So how the hell did I meet a boar here?’
There was no hesitation in his actions, however. He immediately narrowed his gaze and activated his skill.
[Inspect]
At once, glowing blue tabs flickered into existence before his eyes, the details of the creature etched clearly across the system window:
[Specie: Wild Black Boar]
[Rank: E]
[Health: 100/100]
[Mana: -/-]
Damien clicked his tongue sharply, his jaw tightening as his eyes lingered on the glowing system window.
’An E-rank beast?’ he thought grimly, his brows knitting closer together. ’That shouldn’t even be here!’
The weight of the realization pressed down on him like a stone.
The rabbits he had been hunting earlier weren’t even in the same league as this creature.
Compared to them, this black boar was something else entirely. One casual strike from those tusks could rip a man’s body in half if he wasn’t careful!