Chapter 71: Killing A Earth Armor Pig

The vast Dark Mist Forest was divided into five huge sections by the Guild Association explorers who had first charted the territory. Starting from the outside, it was partitioned into the outer circle, middle circle, and inner circle. Beyond those lay the forbidden death zone and the forbidden mysterious zone—the latter of which even the highest-level Players avoided like the plague.

The outer circle typically consisted of Level 10 to Level 20beasts. The middle circle housed Level 20 to Level 25 beasts—creatures that could flatten buildings and require military-grade ordnance to take down. As for the inner circle, that was where Level 30 apex monsters lived, beings that were practically forces of nature given flesh.

The ecosystem was strictly hierarchical. The higher-level beasts wouldn’t lower themselves to wander into the outer circles unless something was very wrong with the forest’s mana flow. Monsters had a strict dominance hierarchy, and trespassing into a stronger beast’s territory meant certain death—something even the dumbest monsters instinctively understood.

Igris and his teammates were currently in the outer circle. With the Tiger Vanguard team’s combat power, they were considered one of the most elite squads in this zone. Normal Level 10 or Level 15 beasts wouldn’t pose any threat to them whatsoever.

That was why they had slaughtered the nine gale wolves so effortlessly last night. The difference in levels was absolute. A Level 15 beast against a coordinated team of Level 20+ Players was a mismatch of epic proportions.

Lyon and his teammates had claimed they would need "time and effort" to deal with gale wolves. However, after seeing their combat prowess yesterday—the casual way they dissected the pack’s formation, the efficient brutality of their kills—Igris felt like sniggering.

’Pretentious~! All that complaining for a bunch of overgrown dogs,’ Igris thought with an internal eye roll. ’They made it sound like a struggle, but they were practically yawning through the fight.’

The group finally set off for Wind Valley.

The team had discovered the Level 25 Single-Horn Badger during their previous trip to the Dark Mist Forest. However, they had used up all their resources and potions back then and weren’t confident in killing it without casualties. They had been waiting for an opportunity—waiting until they were at peak condition and had a full complement of fighters.

Based on Lyon’s introduction, the Badger was extremely intelligent. There was a high chance it had birthed a Skill Bone—a rare organ that allowed Players to absorb the beast’s innate abilities directly into their own skill set. If they could kill it, the payout would be astronomical. Enough to fund their operations for months.

Since they had acknowledged Igris’s ability, they didn’t have to worry about babysitting him. That meant they could focus entirely on fighting the boss. They had already lost four days; if they wasted any more time, another team might stumble upon their goldmine. In the Ghadora Plains, possession was nine-tenths of the law, and finders-keepers was enforced at the tip of a sword.

•••

The trek through the forest was long and monotonous, broken only by the occasional sighting of low-level herbivore beasts that the team ignored entirely. The terrain shifted gradually from dense woodland to rocky, wind-swept ridges. The air grew thinner and colder, carrying a persistent howl that sounded almost alive.

Around mid-morning, Lyon suddenly stopped in his tracks and pointed with his chin at a huge Monster grazing in a small clearing ahead of them.

"Igris, can you handle the Level 12 Earth Armor Pig?"

Then, without waiting for an answer, Lyon leaned casually against the trunk of a tree, pulled out his canteen, and started taking leisurely sips without a care in the world.

The other team members immediately stopped. Some sat on the ground, while others leaped up into the branches. They pulled out dried snacks and water, their eyes gleaming with the anticipation of watching a good show.

The colossal Earth Armor Pig had noticed them too. It raised its head and glared with big, round, furious red eyes. Its body was covered in thick, sturdy tan scales, making it look like a living armored vehicle. It radiated an oppressive, heavy aura that made the ground beneath it tremble slightly with each breath.

Monsters had a common trait—they were huge! The gale wolves from yesterday were already large, standing 1.5 meters at the shoulder, capable of snapping a man in half with a single bite. But compared to this pig, they were puppies. The Earth Armor Pig was easily four meters long and two meters tall at the shoulder, weighing what Igris estimated to be several tons.

Igris felt a twitch in his eye as he saw his teammates making themselves comfortable, settling in like they were about to watch a movie.

’Are you serious right now?’ Igris thought, staring at Lyon’s relaxed posture. ’We’re in a monster-infested forest, and you’re having a picnic?’

He drew his Blade, the jagged teeth of the blade catching the pale sunlight, and stepped forward.

’Huff, puff...’

The Earth Armor Pig panted heavily, looking extremely irritated by the intrusion into its territory. It dug its hind legs into the soil, tearing up chunks of earth as it prepared to charge. Its small, angry eyes locked onto Igris, recognizing him as the closest threat.

At first, the beast was 200 meters away. But as Igris closed the distance to less than a hundred meters, the pig suddenly kicked up a cloud of dust.

"SQUEAL!"

It dashed toward Igris like a furry freight train, its massive bulk moving with surprising acceleration. The ground shook beneath its charge.

"Do you think Igris can kill it?" Yue asked, nibbling on a piece of dried fruit with genuine curiosity.

"He displayed his skills last night, so it shouldn’t be a problem," Lyon said, capping his canteen. "Rather than worrying about ’if’ he can kill it, why don’t we guess how long he’ll take? Are you interested in a bet?" Lyon smiled slyly, the look of a seasoned gambler who already knew the outcome.

"What are we betting?" Lyra licked her sexy red lips, her interest instantly piqued. She loved a good wager.

"Ten Crowns," Lyon suggested casually.

"Alright!" Lyra agreed right away. She thought for a moment, analyzing the beast’s thick armor and Igris’s relatively light weapon. "My guess is five minutes. That armor is no joke."

"Igris is fast, but I’m not sure about his raw strength against armored targets. My guess is 10 minutes!" Jin said, leaning forward on his branch.

"In that case, I’ll guess 20 minutes," Felix said mildly. "Earth Armor Pigs are notoriously stubborn. They don’t go down easy."

"Erm, I think... 9 minutes!" Even the normally invisible Yue joined the bet excitedly, bouncing slightly on her heels.

"I guess within one minute," Lyon said with a confident, knowing grin.

"Seriously? Leader, even if you have high hopes for him, one minute is a little exaggerated," Jin exclaimed, nearly falling out of his tree. "That’s an Earth Armor Pig, not a marshmallow!"

"Hehe, let’s wait and see. You’ll all be handing over your Crowns later," Lyon chuckled, his eyes never leaving Igris’s figure.

Fortunately, Igris didn’t know what his unscrupulous teammates were doing behind his back. If he had known they were treating his life-or-death battle like a sporting event, he might have been sorely tempted to redirect the pig toward their comfortable little viewing party.

At this moment, the Earth Armor Pig was right on top of him. The ground trembled violently as its charge reached full speed.

’BOOM!’

The pig barreled toward him at high speed, the frightening impact forming a powerful shockwave that preceded it like a wall of pressure. Igris activated his [Phantom Gale Steps], his newly acquired movement skill making his figure blur. He evaded the charge like an agile phantom, his body flowing to the side with a grace that seemed almost unnatural for someone wearing combat gear.

At the same time, he aimed his Blade at the pig’s neck and slashed down with all his might.

In the ’Marlin Academy Freshman Handbook’, it clearly stated: whether fighting a mutated beast or a Monster, always target the weakness. Usually, the abdomen, eyes, or neck—the areas where nature’s armor is thinnest.

While dodging, Igris swung his sword at the beast’s neck as he darted past. The pig was too massive to turn quickly; its momentum carried it forward, unable to prevent the hit.

’CLANG!’

The sound of metal hitting stone rang out across the clearing. Igris heard the sound, and his expression changed slightly. He looked at the spot he had chopped. There was only a white line—a superficial scratch on the thick, interlocking scales.

’Its defense is insane!’ Igris thought, his eyes narrowing.

The scales of the Earth Armor Pig covered its entire body like overlapping shields. They were exceptionally tough, making it a walking fortress. A straightforward assault wasn’t going to work.

Since his first attack failed, the Earth Armor Pig reacted instantly. It swung its massive head, charging at Igris with two thick, dagger-like tusks that gleamed with a faint, rocky sheen. If those tusks struck him, they would definitely pierce his body and turn his internal organs to mush.