Chapter 6: The Disaster Star goes hunting.
****
"Oh, our Enoch…! Look at him toddling along…!"
[Does that look like toddling to you? Is something wrong with your eyes?]
Hidden in a tree, Rionne and Undine whispered to each other.
Rionne was gushing over how cute Enoch looked just walking, but Undine didn't see it.
'That cunning brat. Today, I'll expose his true nature!'
Undine grinned wickedly.
That gait was ridiculous, to begin with.
He'd perfectly imitated Rionne's footwork when she taught him, and now he was walking like that?
It was a preposterous charade.
'Come on! Show your true colors!'
Undine's smile widened.
****
Enoch scratched his head, feeling a prickling sensation on the back of his neck.
He looked around, but saw nothing.
'Was it that gnat?'
The blue gnat that constantly interfered between him and Rionne was surprisingly skilled.
It was no wonder Enoch couldn't sense its presence.
"Ah."
As he waddled along, a cluster of round, black mushrooms caught his eye.
Deer nose mushrooms.
He gathered the mushrooms into the large sack he'd brought and stretched.
Now, all he needed was a rabbit, three-shadow herbs, and a few other miscellaneous herbs.
Except for the rabbit, he could find everything nearby, so it shouldn't take long.
He shouldered the now-heavy sack and looked around for his next target.
'Rabbit and deer nose mushrooms… barbecue for dinner tonight.'
He hummed cheerfully as he walked, then spotted something else.
Leaves that felt cool to the touch – three-shadow herbs.
They were mainly used to reduce fever.
Rionne probably collected them in case Enoch fell sick.
About ten minutes later, Enoch had gathered most of the items on the list.
Only the rabbit remained.
But for some reason, he wasn't seeing any animals today.
Usually, he'd spot a rabbit or a deer by now.
"Hmm…"
He considered for a moment, then ventured deeper into the forest.
It didn't seem particularly dangerous, and if it was, Rionne would protect him.
If she wasn't following him… well, too bad.
He walked on.
The deeper he went, the denser the trees became, and the darker the surroundings grew.
Birds chirped strangely, flitting between the trees.
He briefly considered catching one, but shook his head.
Rabbit was best.
At least a deer or boar would be better.
Perhaps the universe was moved by his fervent wish.
-Snort!
A loud snort made Enoch's ears perk up.
A boar.
He was about to hide and approach it when, strangely, the sound started getting closer.
Thump! Thump!
A crashing sound, and…
Crack! Crash!
The sound of trees snapping and falling.
"Oh…?"
Moments later, a tree before him fell limply, like a frail maiden, revealing a massive figure.
A boar, of course. But an incredibly large one.
It was as big as the house he lived in with Rionne.
Enoch gulped at its absurd size.
'That's months' worth of food.'
And strangely, the bigger these beasts were, the tastier they were.
Rionne said it was because the abnormally large ones usually contained mana.
"Dinner."
Crackle!
Electricity crackled around Enoch.
-Snort!
The boar snorted furiously, radiating rage.
Then, in an instant,
They charged at each other.
****
"Oh… what should I do…!?"
Rionne fretted, hopping anxiously.
Yet, miraculously, the tree she stood on didn't even sway.
[What's there to do? He'll be fine.]
"Shouldn't we help him!?"
[What nonsense. You're the one who trained him.]
If he couldn't handle a single boar, he might as well give up.
Undine lay languidly on a branch, watching the fight.
Two combatants: a cocky brat and a strangely enraged boar.
She pondered the boar's fury, then it hit her.
'Ah, is it a relative?'
The boar whose neck the brat had bitten last time.
If it was family, it made sense.
These creatures often had strange abilities, so it wouldn't be surprising if it knew the brat was the killer.
[Oh, it's starting.]
Undine's eyes gleamed as she munched on dewdrop.
'Ah…! Dewdrops are the best snack for watching a fight!'
Slash!
[First strike goes to the cocky brat! A huge gash on the boar's face! This is too one-sided! So boring!]
Rionne glared at Undine, who had suddenly started commentating, but Undine ignored her.
[Oh! But the boar isn't going down! Never underestimate the rage of a bereaved family member!]
"Undine, honestly…" Rionne sighed.
But as Undine said, the fight was one-sided. Enoch was dominating.
He'd started with a surprise attack using the Angry Hawk Claw Technique, inflicting a large wound, and now he was calmly circling the boar, keeping it off balance with small attacks.
Her worry faded, replaced by a teacher's pride.
"Ah!"
Rionne gasped.
Enoch had touched the ground, subtly leaving a magic circle. The boar, oblivious, charged furiously, and then…
Flash!
A bolt of lightning erupted from the ground, striking the boar in the belly.
"Did you see that!? Did you see!?"
Enoch hadn't made much progress with other types of magic, but he was advancing at an incredible pace with lightning magic.
He had an advantage with his lightning power, but even so, his progress was astonishing.
Rionne, forgetting her worries, started cheering him on.
"Go, Enoch…!!"
****
-Oink…
Enoch carefully observed the weakened boar.
He couldn't tell if it was feigning weakness.
Then there was no need to approach it.
Thump.
The pulse of mana spreads with his heartbeat.
He channeled that pulse into his fingers, drawing a pattern.
'Fast and strong.'
With his lightning power, he could skip many steps.
He removed the parts related to generating and controlling the electricity, replacing them with circuits focused solely on speed and power.
"Oink…!"
The boar, sensing danger, snorted violently.
It mustered its remaining strength and charged at Enoch.
Its unnatural size was threatening enough, but even more threatening was the mana it contained.
Whoosh!
The boar's eyes glowed red as it suddenly accelerated.
It was startling, but Enoch remained calm.
"Rip, burn, and kill."
An incantation was a mage's personal image of the spell they were casting.
With his grim incantation, Enoch slowly took a step.
He moved diagonally, and the boar's tusk grazed his side.
A hair's breadth closer, and it would have pierced him, but Enoch didn't flinch.
He extended his hand, completing the spell.
"Lightning Bomb."
A sphere of condensed violet electricity shot towards the boar.
The boar tried to dodge, but the spell was faster.
Rumble!
With a deafening roar, the forest was momentarily bathed in bright violet light. Birds took flight, startled, and animals held their breath.
Enoch, his chest slightly sore from overexerting his mana, stared at where the boar had been.
"Hmm."
Before the smoke cleared, a delicious aroma reached his nose.
He was certain the boar was roasted.
He waved his hand.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind, laced with lightning, dispersed the smoke.
And as he'd expected, the boar lay dead on the ground.
Enoch swallowed his drool and approached it.
"Hehe…"
He hummed, anticipating a bountiful dinner.
Rionne would praise him, wouldn't she? He was excited.
****
Rionne, having watched the entire hunt, hesitated.
'Should I help him carry the boar?'
It was the size of a house; it would be difficult for Enoch to carry it alone.
But if she intervened, he'd know she'd been following him…
[If he has any brains, he'll cut it up and bring it back in pieces.]
Rionne, convinced by Undine, returned home. She waited for Enoch, brimming with praise, when…
Crack!
"Ah."
Trees splintered as the giant, roasted boar burst through the forest.
Enoch scratched his head sheepishly and waved cheerfully.
"Errand, complete!"
'Should I tell him to be more careful with the trees?'
Rionne wondered.
****
That night, they had a barbecue.
Rionne, after showering Enoch with praise, had decided on a feast.
[Sigh. Hopelessly doting. Idiot.]
Undine grumbled, taking a swig of whiskey.
Rionne, also enjoying her drink, noticed Enoch's eager eyes and asked, "Do you want to try some?"
He nodded without hesitation. Rionne smiled faintly and poured some whiskey into his cup.
****
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