Chapter 41: Essence of the Beast
Kellar stepped away from the rotting carcass of the first boar, wiping the blade of his dagger on the clean snow while processing the new information on his interface.
"That meat is useless," said Kellar, looking over at Mila, "but we’re not going home empty-handed."
Mila nodded, keeping her eyes alert as she scanned their surroundings.
"If we want the meat intact, we have to take it down before it senses the threat and triggers its Berserker state," explained Mila in a low voice, adjusting her bow. "A strike to the heart or the base of the neck from the shadows."
Freyja leaped onto a low branch, flicking her tail impatiently.
"I won’t play around with the prey this time, Master," Freyja’s voice echoed in Kellar’s mind. "I found another trail. This one is bigger."
"Lead the way," said Kellar.
They advanced a few hundred yards through the frozen pines until the cat stopped atop a large boulder. Down below, in a small hollow, a second mountain boar was scraping at the snow in search of roots. It was massive, boasting dark brown fur and even more prominent tusks.
"I’ll draw its attention from the left," whispered Mila, nocking an arrow. "When it turns its head, you deliver the finishing blow."
"No," said Kellar, tightening his grip on his ceremonial dagger. "If its skill triggers, we’ll be in trouble. We’ll use the cat’s speed to pin it down for a second, and I’ll go straight for the heart."
Mila looked at him with slight doubt but she nodded.
"I trust your judgment. I’ll cover your back if anything goes wrong."
Kellar signaled Freyja. The small white cat turned into a blur of speed, appearing above the boar’s head. With a lightning-fast swipe of her claws, she blinded the beast before it could react. The animal let out a bellow of confusion, but it didn’t even have time to activate its rage.
Kellar lunged forward at full speed. Taking advantage of the split-second distraction, he drove his ceremonial dagger with precision, piercing the beast’s chest with a single direct blow to the heart.
The boar collapsed instantly onto the snow, dropping lifelessly before the toxin inside its body could release.
In that very moment, the dagger vibrated in Kellar’s hand, and System notifications flashed before his eyes:
[Essence Thief] [Guarantees the extraction of high-purity vital essence upon delivering a lethal blow to any magical beast.]
[Innate Mimicry] [Grants a 5% baseline probability to permanently siphon and inherit a random innate ability or physical trait from the prey upon successful harvest.]
A warm, soothing surge of energy flowed up through the blade of the weapon, channeling into Kellar’s body. He felt a refreshing wave wash over him, dispelling every trace of exhaustion, followed by a sudden rush of knowledge that settled into his mind, showing him how to invoke this newly acquired power:
[Boar Fury] [Increases Strength by 50% and Dexterity by 25% for 10 seconds. Upon effect expiration, the user will be immobilized for 3 hours. If the user is severely injured, activation can be fatal.]
"We did it," said Mila, stepping closer in awe as she touched the animal’s hide, which remained firm and cool. "The meat is clean. It’s a perfect kill."
Kellar looked down at the dagger in his hand and offered a subtle smirk.
"Not bad for a day’s hunt," thought Kellar.
As soon as the animal’s life faded completely, a fresh blue notification chimed in Kellar’s vision.
[Quest Completed: Winter Hunt]
[Objective Met: Capture prey weighing at least 100 kg (Actual Weight: 820 kg)]
[Reward Delivered: 1 Tech Point]
"This thing is massive... easily over eight hundred kilos," said Kellar, sizing up the boar’s sheer volume.
"There’s no way we can carry it on our backs all the way to the village," said Mila, frowning as she looked down at the enormous beast.
"We don’t need to," said Kellar.
Following Kellar’s instructions, the two began cutting thick, sturdy branches from the nearby pine trees. Within a few minutes, they built a basic yet solid makeshift sled, tying the prey down securely so they could haul it over the packed snow without blowing out their arms.
As they trudged back, pulling the sled at a steady pace, Kellar opened the tech tree panel in his mind. He finally had the point he needed to solve their biggest problem.
Without hesitation, he spent his point on the final option available:
[Primitive Leather Tanning & Curing]: A chemical and physical methodology using animal brains, smoke, and basic scraping tools to turn stiff, rotting raw hides into soft, durable, and weather-resistant leather clothing.
A torrent of practical knowledge flooded his mind: the exact ratios for using animal brains as a tanning agent, smoke temperature control for waterproofing the hides, and scraping techniques to keep garments from freezing stiff as a board in extreme cold.
"Finally..." thought Kellar, a satisfied smirk gracing his lips as he hauled the sled forward. "With this, we can say goodbye to these clumsy, bulky coats."
Upon purchasing the final available technology, a golden and blue light flashed within the System interface, accompanied by the sound of an ancient gear clicking into place.
[Congratulations! You have completed all technologies in the Basic Stone Era.]
[Completion Bonus Granted]
[Growth-Type Skill Acquired: Butcher (Lvl 1)]
[Effect: Grants the ability to instantly perceive the anatomical weak points, joint hinges, and vital organs of any prey. Provides a passive +10% Strength boost exclusively when cutting, skinning, or carving meat.]
Kellar felt a faint tingling in his hands as his eyes focused on the boar’s carcass resting on the sled; suddenly, fine red lines lit up across the animal’s hide, marking with millimetric precision exactly where to drive his blade for the cleanest cuts.
"A growth-type skill... this will make butchering a hundred times easier," thought Kellar with satisfaction.
Immediately after, the technology tree in his mind expanded with a brilliant flash. Kellar felt his heart race with excitement as brand-new branches bloomed across the interface, ready to reveal even more advanced capabilities.
"This is just getting started..." whispered Kellar, a smile of pure anticipation spreading across his face.
Hauling the sled alongside Mila under the gently falling snow, he couldn’t wait to dive into the details of what the System had prepared for his next step.