He leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree and slid down until he was sitting on the ground. Folding his arms, he watched silently as Marcus and the others prepared to engage again.
This time, the four cousins moved more carefully. Elias positioned himself in the branches of a tall tree, his bow already drawn, eyes fixed on the herd's leader. He nocked multiple arrows at once, prepared for a flurry of shots. Marcus gripped his staff firmly, advancing steadily instead of rushing in blindly. Lucas and Calvin stayed close behind him, swords ready, waiting for the right opportunity.
The leader of the wild boars, a massive beast with thick bristles and sharp tusks, noticed their approach almost immediately. Its small eyes narrowed, and it began to shift its weight, preparing to bolt. But before it could move, Elias released his arrows.
One after another, the arrows streaked through the air in a rapid rhythm. The gap between each shot was barely more than a heartbeat. By the time the tail feathers of one arrow had settled, the next had already left the bowstring. Kaito, watching from beneath the tree, raised his eyebrows in surprise.
His cousin's archery was remarkable. The speed of his shots left no pause, each arrow flying as if part of a seamless chain. Kaito nodded in approval. If this were inside the game, he thought, Elias would probably be worshipped as an archery god. For the first time, Kaito felt certain that encouraging his cousins to join the game early had been the right decision.
While Kaito considered this, Elias's arrows found their mark. The leader of the herd attempted to dodge, but two shafts buried themselves into its torso, and a third struck its neck. The beast squealed in pain, stumbling from the force of the hits.
At that moment, Marcus reached it. He swung his staff with all his strength, aiming to crush its head. The wounded leader staggered sideways, avoiding the blow, but left itself open to Lucas and Calvin. The two brothers moved as one, their training evident in the coordination of their strikes. From opposite sides, they brought their swords down together in a perfectly timed attack.
The blades cut clean, piercing deep into the neck of the wild boar leader. With a final squeal, the beast's head slumped forward, its massive body collapsing heavily onto the ground. The leader was dead.
The rest of the wild boars froze for a moment, their small eyes darting nervously. Then, as if struck by panic, they squealed and scattered in all directions. Some bolted into the forest, while others ran deeper into the territory.
Marcus threw his head back and laughed loudly, his earlier predicament forgotten. Without hesitation, he rushed after the fleeing boars, swinging his staff with wild enthusiasm. Lucas and Calvin followed suit, each picking out a target and charging with their swords ready. Up in the tree, Elias's bow twanged again and again, arrows flying at the retreating boars.
Watching this chaos unfold, Kaito knew the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived. If left alone, Marcus and the others would continue hunting recklessly, and the hidden cave might never be discovered. He needed to act now.
Kaito picked up a small stone from the ground. Measuring the distance with a glance, he flicked his wrist and hurled it with precise force. The stone struck a wild boar that had been running toward the edge of the territory. The blow landed squarely, sending the unranked creature flying into a stone wall at the far side.
The boar's body smashed into the rock face and dropped heavily to the ground, motionless. Whether it was dead or alive didn't matter Kaito's attention was fixed entirely on the wall.
Almost instantly, the stone surface began to tremble. Cracks spread outward like veins, and loose rocks tumbled down. Within seconds, a section of the wall collapsed, revealing the dark outline of a hidden cave entrance.
The rumbling echoed across the clearing, drawing everyone's attention. Marcus and the others, who had been caught up in chasing their prey, stopped abruptly. Turning toward the noise, they stared wide-eyed at the newly revealed cave, shock written across their faces.
Seeing the cave entrance revealed, Kaito knew his plan had worked. A small smile of victory appeared on his face. Without wasting a second, he moved directly toward the opening.
Marcus, Elias, Lucas, and Calvin also rushed over, curiosity written all over their faces. But before they could approach the cave, Kaito raised his hand and stopped them.
"First take care of the wild boars," he added. "If any of them are still alive, finish them. If they're dead, collect their resources. After that, we'll see what this cave is about. I'll wait here."
The others nodded reluctantly and turned back toward the battlefield.
Kaito stepped closer to the entrance. Faint light flickered from within the cave, just enough for him to confirm his suspicions. He had only known the approximate location in advance, but now he was sure this was the right place. Caves were common in the mountains, and it would have been easy to mistake another one. But this faint glow was exactly what he had expected.
He glanced back briefly. The wild boar he had killed earlier with a stone lay sprawled on the ground. He lifted it with ease and carried it to where Marcus and the others were already working.
The four of them were busy gathering up the slain boars, their hands moving with unusual speed. Kaito could see where their thoughts were though they handled the carcasses with practiced efficiency, their eyes kept darting toward the newly revealed cave. Their movements were so quick and eager that, to an outsider, it might even look like they were seasoned hunters who had mastered the process. But Kaito knew better.
Their fast work was driven not by skill, but by impatience and curiosity. He could almost read their thoughts. When they were younger, they had all read martial arts stories about characters who stumbled across mysterious caves, obtained ancient legacies, and soared to the peak of the world. Now, faced with an actual hidden cave, they were filled with the same restless excitement.
Kaito sighed quietly. That adventurous heart so natural to the young was exactly what had led to disaster in his previous life, when nine of his cousins had perished. The memory weighed heavily on him, even now.
Pushing the thought aside, he bent down and began helping them collect the rest of the wild boar corpses. Together, they gathered the prey and organized it properly. Including the leader, they had killed five wild boars in total.
By the time they were done, their sacks were packed full. The first sack they had brought was already bulging, and even the spare one they carried as a reserve was now filled.
Kaito looked at the haul and nodded. Though this trip had not been meant for hunting, the results were still plentiful. It was a bountiful harvest, more than enough to satisfy any hunting team.
Marcus and the others, however, were hardly focused on the prey. Their gazes kept drifting back to the cave's entrance, their eyes shining with curiosity. Seeing their impatience, Kaito chuckled lightly. "Alright," he said at last. "Let's go."
With that, he slung one of the sacks over his shoulder. Marcus picked up the other, while Lucas and Calvin shouldered the medicinal kit between them. Elias, as usual, fell into position at the back, bow in hand.
When they reached the mouth of the cave once more, Kaito stopped. His eyes scanned the area carefully. After a moment, he pointed to a spot nearby.
"Let's keep our things here," he said. "If something happens inside, we need to be able to respond quickly. Carrying these things will only slow us down."
Marcus and the others nodded, this time without complaint. Though they were still curious about the cave, they understood the wisdom of caution. Their earlier clash with the wild boars had sobered them, pulling them out of their excitement.
Together, they set down the sacks and the kit at the spot Kaito had chosen. They even gathered some nearby branches and leaves to cover the supplies lightly, making sure they wouldn't attract unwanted attention.
Once everything was secured, Kaito studied his cousins. Their excitement was still there, but now it was tempered with focus. He nodded, satisfied.
"Form up," he said.
Immediately, they slipped back into their usual hunting formation. Kaito took the lead, sword ready at his side. Behind him were Marcus with his staff and Elias with his bow, ready to provide support. At the rear, Lucas and Calvin carried their swords, guarding the back of the group.
Kaito looked over them one last time, making sure they were ready. Seeing their determined faces, he gave a final nod.
"Let's go," he said simply.
With steady steps, Kaito entered the cave first, his cousins following close behind.