Chapter 64: The Mother Boar

The journey was slower than I had anticipated.

Although most of the goblins could walk, several were still recovering from their injuries.

They couldn’t maintain a steady pace for long, which meant the rest of the group had to adjust to their speed.

I walked near the front with the Doom Axe resting against my shoulder.

Drake was perched on my other shoulder, occasionally turning his head to observe the goblins behind us.

Gunther was a little farther back, helping one of the injured goblins keep up with the group.

He hadn’t said much since our conversation about Bruz, and I hadn’t made any effort to approach him again.

The surrounding forest was relatively quiet.

We occasionally heard birds calling from the trees or the rustling of small animals moving through the undergrowth, but there were no immediate signs of danger.

Even so, I remained alert.

We were travelling through unfamiliar territory with a large group of weakened goblins, making us an easy target for anything looking for food.

I was beginning to wonder how long it would take us to reach the neighboring clan when one of the goblins near the front suddenly stopped.

"Something’s moving!"

I immediately turned in the direction he was pointing.

Several bushes ahead of us shook violently, followed by the sound of heavy hooves striking the ground.

Before anyone could react, a group of wild boars burst out of the undergrowth.

They were considerably larger than ordinary pigs, with thick bodies covered in coarse brown fur and curved tusks protruding from their mouths.

Their eyes were fixed on our group as they charged toward us.

"Get ready!" Talia shouted.

The goblin fighters immediately moved to the front, raising their weapons to intercept the animals.

A few of them positioned themselves between the boars and the injured members of the group, while the others spread out to avoid being caught in a single charge.

I watched the approaching animals for a moment.

They weren’t particularly threatening.

At least, not compared to the things I had fought recently.

One of the boars charged directly toward me, lowering its head as its tusks pointed in my direction.

I stepped aside at the last moment, allowing it to rush past before turning and swinging the Doom Axe.

[Thunder Cleave]

Lightning crawled along the blade as I brought it down.

The attack cut through the boar’s thick hide and struck deep into its body, killing it almost instantly. Its momentum carried it a short distance before it collapsed onto the ground.

Another boar charged from my left.

I shifted my stance and swung again.

The Doom Axe tore through its neck, sending the animal tumbling onto its side.

A brief flash of lightning passed through its body before it stopped moving.

The remaining boars were already being handled by the goblin fighters.

Some had managed to avoid the initial charge and were attacking the animals from the sides, while others used their spears to keep them away from the weaker members of the group.

The fight should have ended there.

Unfortunately, we had only dealt with the smaller members of the group.

A loud squeal suddenly rang through the forest, so powerful that several goblins instinctively turned toward the sound.

The ground trembled as something much larger emerged from the bushes. Branches snapped beneath its weight, and a massive brown boar came charging into the clearing.

My eyes widened slightly.

That thing was enormous.

Its body was nearly twice the size of the other boars, with thick muscles beneath its coarse fur. Its tusks were longer and more curved, and its small eyes were fixed on the goblins surrounding the dead animals.

The mother.

I barely had time to register its appearance before it charged.

"Get out of the way!" someone shouted.

The goblins scattered, but the creature was moving too quickly.

It slammed into the first group before they could completely disperse, sending several fighters tumbling through the air.

One goblin struck a tree with a sickening thud, while another rolled across the ground after being hit by the boar’s shoulder.

The others hurriedly raised their weapons.

"Protect the injured!" Talia shouted.

The mother boar turned toward the nearest goblins and swung its massive head.

One fighter was caught by its tusks and thrown aside, while another barely managed to avoid being trampled.

The creature was much stronger than its smaller companions, and its size made it difficult to stop with ordinary weapons.

Gunther stepped forward.

"Get back!"

The hulking goblin planted his feet and raised his weapon as the mother boar charged toward him.

He waited until the last moment before swinging, striking the creature across its head.

The impact made it stumble, but it didn’t fall.

Gunther’s expression tightened.

The boar shook its head and charged again.

This time, Gunther braced himself with both hands gripping his weapon.

The collision sent a shock through his body, and his feet slid backward across the ground.

He managed to avoid being knocked down, but the force of the impact was enough to make him stagger.

The creature didn’t give him time to recover.

It swung its head again, catching him with its shoulder and sending him crashing onto the ground.

Gunther rolled several times before coming to a stop.

He tried to get up, but the boar was already turning toward him.

"Gunther!"

I moved before anyone else could react.

[Lightning Step]

My body surged forward, and the distance between us disappeared in an instant.

The mother boar had lowered its head for another charge when I reached its side.

I tightened my grip on the Doom Axe and activated [Thunder Cleave]

Lightning enveloped the weapon.

I swung with all my strength, directing the attack toward the side of its neck. The blade tore through its thick hide and buried itself deep into its flesh.

The creature let out a deafening squeal as electricity spread across its body, disrupting its muscles and bringing its charge to an abrupt halt.

I pulled the axe free and stepped back.

The mother boar staggered, its legs struggling to support its enormous body. It tried to turn toward me, but its movements had become uncoordinated.

Before it could make another attempt to attack, I swung again.

The second blow struck its neck.

The creature collapsed heavily onto the ground, kicking up dust and scattering leaves in every direction. Its body twitched for a few seconds before finally becoming still.

[You have defeated a Greater Forest Boar]

[You have levelled up]

[You have levelled up]

I looked down at the corpse and let out a breath.

That was easier than expected.

I turned toward Gunther, who was slowly pushing himself up from the ground.

He looked annoyed, though I couldn’t tell whether it was because of his injuries or because I had intervened before he could finish the fight.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

He grunted and rubbed his shoulder. "I’m fine."

He certainly didn’t look fine, but I decided not to argue.

The other goblins were beginning to regroup.

Those who had been knocked aside were helped to their feet, while the injured were checked for serious wounds.

Fortunately, the mother boar hadn’t managed to trample anyone to death.

A few goblins had suffered bruises and cuts, but nothing appeared severe enough to prevent them from continuing the journey.

Talia approached, looking between the dead animal and me.

"Thank you," she said. "That could have been much worse."

"Just make sure everyone is alright."

She nodded and began checking on the injured goblins.

Meanwhile, a goblin who had been travelling with us approached the corpses.

He was carrying a collection of knives and other tools, and I remembered seeing him helping prepare food before we left the settlement. He was apparently the clan’s butcher.

He examined the dead boars, particularly the enormous mother, before looking at Talia.

"We should...