The Ironhide Boar thundered across the road.
Each step shattered the asphalt beneath it.
Chunks of stone burst upward as its massive body barreled forward.
Straight toward Alice.
She froze.
For a single, empty moment—
Her mind went blank.
All she could see—
Were the tusks.
Closing in.
"Alice!"
Ryan's voice cut through the panic.
Sharp.
Grounding.
"Move."
Her body reacted.
Instinct.
Not thought.
She stumbled sideways—
Just as the boar tore through the space she had occupied.
The wind of its charge whipped past her.
Hot.
Violent.
The creature skidded across the road, hooves carving deep gouges into the asphalt before it twisted around again.
Alice's heart hammered in her chest.
"That thing almost killed me!"
Ryan stood a few meters away.
Watching.
Calm.
"Yes."
Alice stared at him.
"Yes?!"
Ryan rolled his shoulders.
Loose.
Relaxed.
"That's why this is training."
The boar snorted.
Steam burst from its nostrils as its glowing amber eyes locked onto them again.
It pawed the ground.
Once.
The asphalt cracked beneath its hoof.
Alice pointed at it.
"That is not training—"
Her voice rose.
"That is attempted murder!"
Ryan smirked.
"You'll survive."
Inside his mind—
Iris giggled.
[Your teaching methods are questionable.]
She'll learn faster this way.
[You could end this instantly.]
Ryan didn't deny it.
He already knew where to strike.
Eyes.
Throat.
Joints.
One clean hit—
And it would be over.
But that wasn't the point.
The boar roared.
Then—
It charged again.
"Alice," Ryan said.
Calm.
Steady.
"Focus."
She forced herself to breathe.
In.
Out.
Her hands trembled as she reached inward—
Toward that strange new feeling.
Mana.
The knowledge stirred again.
Plants.
Roots.
Growth.
Control.
The boar was closing fast.
Too fast.
"I'm trying!"
"Stop trying."
She blinked.
"What?"
"Just do it."
The distance vanished.
Alice thrust her hands toward the roadside grass.
Mana surged.
It slipped.
Flickered—
Almost failed.
For a split second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The ground exploded.
Vines erupted upward, thick and twisting, coiling violently around the boar's legs.
The creature shrieked.
Its momentum shattered.
Alice gasped.
"It worked!"
The vines strained immediately.
The ground cracked further beneath it—
Like it might rip free at any second.
The boar's muscles flexed beneath its armored hide—
And the earth itself began to tear apart.
It thrashed.
Violently.
Chunks of soil ripped free.
Roots snapped.
But for a moment—
It held.
Ryan nodded once.
"Good."
Then he moved.
The boar tore one leg free and swung its head toward him.
Ryan ducked beneath the tusks—
And drove his fist into its shoulder.
Thud.
The impact echoed.
Heavy.
Dense.
The boar staggered half a step.
Alice stared.
"You punched it?!"
Ryan slipped back as the creature lashed out again.
"Your vines won't hold it."
Right on cue—
They snapped.
The boar tore free completely.
Dirt exploded outward.
Alice's breath hitched.
Ryan pointed.
"Look."
She forced herself to focus.
The creature's hide gleamed.
Thick.
Layered.
Almost metallic.
"It's… armored?"
"Exactly."
The boar charged again.
Ryan stepped aside smoothly.
Effortless.
"It's strongest across the back and shoulders."
He kicked its hind leg as it passed.
The joint buckled slightly.
The boar stumbled.
"But not everywhere."
Alice's eyes widened.
"The joints…"
Her breathing steadied—
Focus replacing fear.
Ryan grinned.
"Now you're thinking."
The boar turned.
Fury blazing.
This time—
It lunged at Ryan.
Alice reacted instantly.
Mana surged again.
Vines burst from the ground—
Wrapping around the creature's front legs mid-charge.
The boar stumbled forward.
Ryan moved.
Fast.
His fist shot upward—
Driving beneath the creature's jaw.
Crack.
The force lifted its front hooves slightly off the ground.
The sound was sharp.
Final.
The boar's body went limp.
It collapsed.
The ground shook when it hit.
Silence followed.
Alice stared.
Breathing hard.
"…Is it dead?"
Ryan nudged it with his foot.
No movement.
"Yeah."
Alice dropped onto the grass.
Exhausted.
"I cannot believe we just did that…"
Ryan wiped blood from his knuckles.
"You did well."
She looked up at him.
"You punched a horse-sized boar to death."
Ryan shrugged.
"You held it still."
Inside his mind—
[You held back.]
Ryan smiled faintly.
Of course.
Alice sat up slowly, looking at the massive corpse.
"So… what now?"
Ryan crouched beside it.
"Now we take what's useful."
She frowned.
"…Like hunting?"
"Exactly."
Ryan ran a hand along the boar's hide.
"Awakened beasts are resources."
Alice glanced toward the forest.
Nervous.
"Can we do that quickly?"
Ryan followed her gaze.
The forest had gone still again.
Too still.
His expression shifted.
The air felt…
Different.
Heavier.
Denser.
Mana.
Stronger than before.
Iris spoke softly.
[You noticed.]
Ryan's eyes narrowed.
Something changed.
This wasn't just one beast.
This area…
Was evolving.
Faster than it should have.
Then—
A roar echoed through the forest.
Deeper.
Louder.
Heavier.
Alice shot to her feet.
"Please tell me that was far away."
Ryan didn't answer immediately.
His gaze remained fixed on the trees.
"…Not far enough."
And this time—
Whatever was coming—
Wouldn't be something he could casually hold back against.