The remaining two whirled toward the sound, their tusks aimed at his direction. The Mid-Bronze leader's eyes locked onto Ethan's position with unnerving intelligence.
"SKREEEEE!"
Its battle cry echoed through the trees, a warning to its companion and a challenge to Ethan.
Ethan was already moving, Enhanced Speed carrying him to a new position as the second Peak-Iron boar charged his previous location. Another arrow nocked, another Accuracy Enhancement activated.
This shot punched through the second boar's eye socket, the beast's momentum carrying it forward several more steps before it crashed into a tree trunk.
<You have killed a Peak-Iron Razorback Boar>
'The small fry are down. Now only the main threat is left,'
The Mid-Bronze leader pawed the ground, tusks glowing with accumulated energy. Unlike the previous boars, the leader did not mindelessely charge at Ethan, it was clearly waiting and analysing him.
Ethan returned his bow to the storage ring and drew his sword.
'Arrows wouldn't penetrate that hide. I need to fight it in close combat,'
"Just you and me now," he muttered, activating Iron Enhancement as metallic sheen spread across his skin.
The boar's response was immediate—a burst of speed that belied its massive bulk. Ethan barely had time to raise Protective Shield before three hundred kilos of muscle and tusk slammed into his defence.
The impact sent him skidding backwards, boots carving furrows in the forest floor. His shield cracked but held.
'Stronger than I expected,' he thought, adjusting his strategy as the boar circled for another charge.
The Razorback's tusks scraped against Ethan's shield, the sound like steel on glass as fracture lines spread across the magical barrier.
'One more hit and it would shatter.'
'Need to end this quickly,' Ethan thought, acutely aware that the noise might draw attention from the gathering. 'Every second I waste is a risk.'
He released his shield and activated Enhanced Speed instead, darting to the side as the boar charged past him. His sword lashed out, scoring a hit along the creature's flank, but its Iron Enhancement deflected the worst of the damage.
Blood leaked from the shallow wound, enraging the beast further. It wheeled around with surprising agility, its eyes narrowing.
"Just die already," Ethan muttered, readying his stance.
This time, the boar feinted—a move no normal animal should know. Instead of charging directly, it veered at the last second, catching Ethan off-guard. One massive tusk grazed his side, tearing through clothing and drawing a line of fire across his ribs.
Pain lanced through him, but his Regeneration talent immediately began closing the wound. Not fast enough for comfort, but enough to keep him in the fight.
Ethan activated Iron Enhancement and Regeneration simultaneously, feeling his mana reserves draining rapidly with multiple talents active. He had minutes at most before exhaustion would leave him vulnerable.
The forest suddenly seemed too quiet.
The boar charged again, this time committing fully to its attack. Ethan waited until the last possible moment, gauging distance and speed with preternatural accuracy.
When he moved, it was with perfect precision. Enhanced Speed carried him not away but toward the beast, sliding under its massive body as it passed overhead. His blade drove upward, finding the soft spot behind the foreleg where the hide was thinnest.
The sword sank deep, piercing the heart.
<You have killed a Mid-Bronze Razorback Boar>
The boar's momentum carried it forward several more steps before it collapsed, legs splaying as life fled its massive body.
Ethan rose shakily, blood soaking his side despite his Regeneration talent's efforts. The wound burned like fire, deeper than he'd initially thought.
'I need to get out of here. Now.'
He stored the body of the boar inside his storage ring before he began his transformation.
His body contorted immediately as he activated his strongest transformation. Bones cracked and realigned, muscles bulged, and coarse brown fur erupted across his skin. Within seconds, a massive Brown Bear stood where Ethan had been.
<Transformation: Brown Bear (Mid-Bronze) Active>
The bear's superior regeneration kicked in instantly, the wound on his side knitting together much faster than the speed of his normal healing. E-Rank Regeneration versus his natural F+ made a noticeable difference.
Ethan immediately took off towards the city.
As he ran, he heard a distant howl from the ravine.
'They've found the bodies.'
He had to leave the bodies of the iron-ranked boars because he didn't have space in his storage ring, nor did he have time to hide them.
The bear's powerful legs carried him through the forest at surprising speed, crashing through undergrowth that would have slowed his human form.
Although he wasn't able to activate his Enhanced speed talent during his transformation, he was still fast due to the terrain and his powerful body.
Each thundering step put distance between him and the gathering horde.
More howls joined the first, clearly, they were scattering to find who was responsible.
Arriving in the city's parameters, he released the transformation, his human form returning as he collapsed against a tree trunk.
His side still ached, but the wound had closed completely thanks to the bear's enhanced healing.