[14th Everdusk 2103], DC-23 City, Dyna Crest country, CGA Branch, Beast Grove Fields.
In the beast grove field dungeon, many hunters were hunting boars left and right.
In the field of the dungeon, a single boar moving around, unnoticed by the other hunters.
However, it seemed that someone was indeed eyeing this boar. The boar's expression grew gloomy as it walked ahead, as if it sensed several eyes targeting it.
It stopped and tried to find the culprit when it heard the sound of grass being stepped on.
It turned its head in the direction of the noise and saw a few skeletons running toward it with swords in their hands.
The boar roared and charged toward the skeletons, sensing that none of them were stronger than it.
It lunged at one of them and slammed its tusk into the skeleton's body. The skeleton didn't shatter, but it did fall backward.
Just as the boar was about to move toward another skeleton, something happened.
[Spark] {-10 MP}
A small spark hit its body from behind. The boar screamed so loudly that many hunters who were hunting boars turned to look.
The culprit of the skill, Evan, stood some distance away from the fight. He had used another skill on the boar.
[WeakCurse] {-20 MP}
The skill struck the boar, and as effect took hold, the boar's strength, agility, and defense were reduced by five percent.
"Now charge," Evan shouted as he drew his sword, ready to strike the boar when the time came.
The skeletons began attacking the boar, which overwhelmed for the first time as the curse took effect, though the skill's duration was short.
Evan waited for right moment to assist the skeletons in killing the boar, but it wasn't necessary as the boar was easily subdued by his summons.
"Well, even this strategy works if the summons can handle this much for me. Who wants to get hit when the undead can do the work?" Evan said himself as he approached the boar's body as the System Notifications appeared.
[You've defeated (Lv.24) Forest Boar, gaining 340 EXP. (+20 extra for level difference)] [1060/2,200]
[
As the notification disappeared, he used his talent again. "Plunder," he said, looking around to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one, he sat down in front of the monster as the talent activated.
The energy appeared and start covering the whole body and the notification of the talent appeared.
[
"Huh, now what is this thing used for? What type of mutation did that candidate perform with his talent to acquire so many features?" Evan said as he tried to open the skill fragment icon that had just appeared when the talent even helped him know about it.
[
A mysterious and versatile resource that contains traces of skill energy something even desired by higher tier beings. These fragments can be used to enhance, modify, or even create new skills. The effectiveness and potential of a fragment depend on its quality and compatibility with the user's abilities.
Uses:
-> Skill Enhancement: Increases the proficiency or potency of an existing skill.
-> Skill Fusion: Combines with another fragment or skill to form a stronger or altered ability.
-> Skill Creation: If enough fragments are gathered, a completely new skill can be synthesized.
-> Skill Restoration: Can be used to repair degraded or lost skills.>]
The description left Evan's face in shock. (O o O)
"Hahh~~~! What the hell, what is this happening with these talents? Aren't they too much?" Evan shouted as he instantly recognized his mistake and looked around to see if anyone was watching him, but luckily there was no one eyeing him, or maybe not.
"Maybe I should thank this talents owner later when I meet him for the last time, as he won't be friends with me for sure," Evan said and opened his inventory space to put the boar corpse in it.
He lifted it from the ground and started squeezing it inside, and after a few struggles, he accomplished it.
"Wheep~~! Now I just have to hunt some more, get home for rest, and eat some tasty meals," Evan said to himself and started thinking of the food he could eat now with the money he would make today after selling the corpse. ヾ(≧▽≦*)o
And he started moving again to find his new prey.
__
In another place, two hunters were standing and trying to find somebody. One was Lucas and the other was Tess, who were trying to find a solo hunter who came here to hunt without any teammate and maybe also trying to find some group to hunt with.
Tess and he were looking around to find some hunters to join them. Tess was trying to find hunters with her skill, but even though Lucas didn't have a sharp eye skill, he had something else which was several times stronger than her skill.
His talent, Draconic Insight, was much more powerful than most eye skills. He was using it to see the other person's status in large radius. He found some hunters looking for groups, but their potential was much lower than he needed.
After few minutes later,
'Hmm~~! Yes, found you, the person who is going to become my team's third member,' Lucas said as his eyes landed on a person who was trying to find a team to hunt with.
"Tess, let's go. I see a hunter who may be good for the team," he said as he pulled Tess along with him and approached the person he was referring to.
"Hey, do you want to join our party?" he directly asked the person, who looked back at him. Upon seeing the face, Tess was shocked.
-- To be continued --
What caused Tess to be shocked upon seeing that person's face? Is it someone they know, or is the person Lucas found related to Tess in some way?