As soon as Garret spoke, Gobulo was taken aback, barely managing to keep his composure.
"I didn't eat anything disgusting; I just grew this big suddenly. Never mind that. Are you full?"
"Not full," Garret admitted, shaking his head, curious about Gobulo's growth spurt.
But Gobulo cut him off before he could ask.
"If you're not full, follow me and do as I say."
"Oh, okay." Intimidated by Gobulo's previous display of strength, Garret followed obediently.
"Don't talk, just follow." With that, Gobulo turned and led the way.
Garret followed quietly, suppressing his questions. He knew Gobulo was stronger now and decided it was best to comply.
Soon, Gobulo found a few sturdy wooden sticks along the path and handed one to Garret. Though he planned to hunt alone, he knew he couldn't consume an entire beast before it spoiled, so he decided to train Garret. After all, Garret had been kind enough to call him for meals.
They arrived at their usual hunting grounds.
"We're hunting together this time. Don't tell any Goblin or Troll, understand?"
"Understood," Garret replied, unsure why they were hunting in secret but unwilling to argue with Gobulo.
Gobulo soon spotted a wild boar in the distance. He turned to Garret: "Stay here and guard. I'll drive the boar towards you. Once it's close enough, hit it hard with your stick, okay?"
"Okay, okay," Garret nodded eagerly.
Garret hid behind a large tree as instructed, while Gobulo crept behind the wild boar.
Sensing something, the wild boar, previously grazing, raised its head warily. Although it spotted nothing amiss, it was still uneasy.
Seeing the boar prepare to flee, Gobulo leapt from the grass with a strange cry. Being larger than a typical Goblin and appearing suddenly, he startled the small boar, which instinctively bolted in the opposite direction.
Gobulo pursued it fervently, his speed surpassing that of the small boar. He knew he would catch it soon.
"Bang!"
As the boar passed a large tree, Garret swung the stick from his hiding spot, hitting the boar's body. The surprise attack caused the boar pain, slowing it down. However, the impact sent Garret's stick flying, preventing a second strike.
By the time the boar regained its pace, Gobulo had caught up, picked up the fallen stick, and delivered a Lv.5 critical hit, landing heavily on the boar's body.
"Thwack!"
Unlike Garret's hit, Gobulo's strike splattered the boar's flesh. The stick broke in two, and the boar let out a pained cry.
But the cry was short-lived. Gobulo thrust the broken stick into its throat, silencing it instantly.
"Thud."
The boar collapsed, lifeless.
Garret stared at the carcass in shock. How had they succeeded so quickly? Previous hunts were long and arduous, yet now, with just the two of them, they prevailed. Garret felt as if he were dreaming.
Gobulo hesitated over roasting the meat, fearing the aroma might attract Trolls. Instead, he tore off a large leg and handed it to Garret.
Garret, hesitating only briefly, grabbed the leg and began to devour it.
'Well, Gobulo told me to eat it, so it should be fine...' Garret thought.
Seeing Garret's eagerness, Gobulo frowned, reclaiming the leg. Garret glared at him, confused.
"Slap."
Gobulo's slap brought Garret back to his senses.
Garret looked fearfully at Gobulo, puzzled by the mixed signals. Gobulo had told him to eat and then taken it away.
"Take it slowly from my hand; don't snatch." Gobulo said sternly. Having decided to mentor Garret, he needed to teach him properly to avoid trouble, even if it meant using harsh methods.
Garret hesitated, then slowly took the leg from Gobulo, occasionally glancing at him.
"Eat," Gobulo instructed.
Garret resumed eating, and Gobulo didn't bother correcting his eating habits—such details were trivial.
Gobulo then rummaged through the boar's insides and soon uncovered a black crystal.
It was a magic crystal.
**Item Name:** First-order Magic Crystal
**Effect:** Can be used for equipping weapons, formations... Consuming ten first-order magic crystals allows for the next simulation.
'Only ten crystals for one simulation? At this rate, gathering ten won't take long.'
Satisfied with the find, Gobulo bit into the boar, his larger size demanding a bigger appetite. Even so, he couldn't finish the entire boar. Noticing Garret's lingering gaze on the leftovers, Gobulo chuckled, knowing they still had plenty to eat.