Through the Wolf Crown, Rowan dominated one brown wolf. It was power on a different dimension from taming. A powerful force obtained in the black world after catching the black wolf.
"Grrrrng."
At the growl mixed with pleasure, the brown wolf Dono made a sound. Someone seeing him for the first time would be creeped out, but Rowan scratched Dono's back with a smile on his face.
When he flopped over, he scratched his side while stroking his belly.
Dono understood Rowan's words like a knife, so he could carry out commands at a level far superior to dogs.
"Eat lots."
He chewed what was well-cooked and reeking of meat smell, bones and all. Since it had boiled for quite a long time, even the bones went in, making crunching sounds instantly.
'Weight's increased a lot.'
Unlike wild wolves that looked scrawny, Dono had a big build. As the beast's superior physical abilities were paired with human supply capacity, its weight instantly ballooned. Especially, Rowan, through long practice, could now shoot and hit birds 200m away with his bow.
Rowan, now 15 years old, had become a proper grown man.
On Earth, at this age, they'd normally be happily sucking on smartphones, but this world was different. Past 12, you had to walk the path of making a living and endure the time called greenhorn.
Since Rowan had made that ruckus from age 11, his greenhorn period was faster than others, and his overcoming time was fast too. Though starting early, he was only about three months faster than normal, so some said he had no talent.
Actually, it was so. The first goblin real combat that briefly shone had actually been from Kill the Battle's effect, and Rowan's actual talent was barely hitting a fixed target at 200 meters after over a year.
Even hitting meant not 10-point accuracy but just hitting roughly. Nevertheless, in Black Mountain Village, with quite a few forests and hills, 100-meter accuracy was enough, so difficulties from lack of skill were few.
Chomp chomp, crunch.
Between each chew, rough breathing was heard—a mouth-watering sound to Dono.
Rowan unknowingly gulped, and seeing that, Dono ate even more hurriedly.
"I'm not eating. You bastard."
Rowan said something in disbelief, but Dono's eating show continued endlessly.
"Let's go."
After confirming everything was eaten, Rowan was now a proper deep forest hunter. Unlike Geric, the reason for going far was to make one big haul.
'People naturally like big ones.'
Once every two weeks, Rowan headed to the forest, dreaming of one big hit. Right to the deep forest, which was nothing less than a beast paradise. Though dangerous as hell, Rowan wandered around like it was his own house.
The reason wasn't that Rowan's skill was tremendous.
Simply, the deep areas near Black Mountain Village were strongly gripped by wolves. It was also why the black wolf had shown itself in such a rural village.
Mavros lyko that ate even other wolves. Wolves famous for being smart would've fled obediently, and thanks to that, they could come this far.
Thanks to the Wolf Crown's efficacy, Rowan could dominate wolves and become friends with Mavros lyko. He could freely go to the deep forest.
"Going to the deep forest?"
"Yeah. Gotta bring back a big one today too."
"Whew~."
Rowan's income had risen high enough to belong to the Youth Association. The big ones he caught—the meat didn't fetch much price. Instead, the hides literally just waited for merchants to come, and the one-time income was tremendous. Besides that, if urgent, he'd also process them as leather.
'Wild boar's the best.'
Wild boar hide was thick. Plus, wild boar bristles were good for use as brooms and even combs. Not only that, but the meat was also a delicacy in this world that developed well in removing gamey smell.
The hide was well used for daily goods, and even the bristles could become products generously. Plus, catching one meant at least 120kg of meat acquisition was confirmed. Even eating until bursting on purpose, 2kg per person, so the meat for easily 60 people dropped.
'So far I've only caught wild boars of at least 150kg.'
Every hunt had been successful, dropping at least 150kg of meat. The deep forest was such a place, and naturally, also a scary place.
'There's a thrilling taste.'
For Rowan, forcibly ripped from modern culture and reincarnated in this world, it was no different from extreme sports. Though he'd nearly died, he couldn't quit. In the excitement from hunting big ones, there was no boredom.
Rustle, swish swish.
Pushing through bushes, as soon as Rowan encountered several wolves, he dominated them and entered deeper inside. Of course, he didn't just work them. He fed them jerky cut for easy swallowing in one bite and filled their bellies plump.
'Beasts are beasts.'
This work wasn't because Rowan was kind. Why would beasts be called animals for nothing? Wild wolves didn't eat and live well. That's why they hurriedly eat after hunting wild boar.
Though they don't attack Rowan, they don't listen to orders about eating.
Thanks to that, filling their bellies was important.
Ping!
Shooting a dead bird just standing there wasn't that impressive in the deep forest. Because branches and leaves greatly blocked vision, making it easy to create blind spots since they were so big.
Also, forests were noisy places. Since the deep forest was a place with all sorts of sounds layered haphazardly, arrow sounds were easy to miss, and since arrow sounds weren't heard often, it was effective.
"Keek!"
He grabbed the bird that fell after making a short sound. A bird so stupid that goblins called it a stupid bird. Easy to cultivate too, swarming in goblin settlements. Though they survived in the wild, it was thanks to their habit of liking high places.
Other than that, it was a bird so oblivious it couldn't complain even if it died.
He plucked off feathers roughly, broke joints with a snap, twisted off the head and cut the neck bones, then threw the rest. It disappeared instantly.
He pulled along four more wolves. Among them, Dono, who lived with Rowan and ate well, had a big build.
Leading five wolves, Rowan began searching for prey in earnest. Here he applied plenty of know-how obtained while together with hunter Geric.
'Lucky.'
He found bushes thick with wild boar bristles. Very thick wild boar bristles emerged firmly, even in very low places. A baby wild boar.
Following a wild boar family was easy as pie. Not only did tracks clearly remain, but even when entering the bushes, a path showed.
Like walking through mud with two feet leaves more definite traces, the path a family moved through thick bushes clearly entered vision.
Sniff sniff.
Grrrrr...
Seeing the wolves' drool dripping, Rowan ran first without hesitation. There was nothing like yapping barking.
'I see it.'
Rowan immediately drew his bow and shot the hind leg of the biggest one. As soon as confirming it hit, he shouted.
"Charge! Dono! You just circle the big one's side! The rest catch the babies and handle the other one!"
Even while speaking, the three arrows in one hand flew out and accurately stuck into the big wild boar. Two hit the big one's thick hind legs, and one hit the next biggest one.
"Squeeeal! Eeal!"
The male wild boar, making a strange cry, had tusks on its snout. Dono skillfully moved his body to the side to check, and other wolves barked while targeting baby wild boars and checking the mother wild boar.
"Keeeee! Keeek!"
The baby wild boar frantically burrowed into its mother's embrace. Even while between legs, the mother wild boar roughly turned her body while swinging her head around. Though lower in height than humans, she looked like a super-large wild boar of 150kg.
Even wolves with nimbleness and solidity couldn't easily dare.
Rowan, whose instantaneous speed fell far short compared to wolves, belatedly jumped into where dust rose thickly. First, Rowan threw a javelin to kill a baby wild boar.
As Kill the Battle was activated, everything slowed down. The powerful reincarnator's force he'd felt during the goblin fight!
Within that slowed time, Rowan's thinking raced as he instantly slashed the hind leg with his shortsword. A throwing dagger stabbed plunk at the hairless lower belly, then scraped past.
Swoosh!
Acrobatically pressing a wolf with his hand to jump over, he threw the shortsword. It stuck right in. A shortsword with a tip honed to a fine point. But unable to go deep, it seemed it would come out soon. It had torn through hide and hit bone to stop.
Matching the swaying movement, he shifted weight oppositely to balance while throwing a dagger, gripping another dagger in the now-empty left hand, and grabbing the scruff with the right hand. Lowering his upper body, he slashed the throat.
Slashing with all his might, Kill the Battle's effect was released.
'Ugh!'
He tumbled from the mother wild boar's power, which exceeded imagination. But the situation had already ended.
"Squeeeeek! Squeek!!!"
The hind leg was deeply slashed by the shortsword, the throwing dagger was stuck in the lower belly, and with the violent wild boar's movement and Rowan escaping, that powerful force collision ripped it long, and the entrails were flowing out in a line.
The male wild boar would die soon, still squawking loudly.
The mother wild boar collapsed as it was. Blood poured from the neck. From the glistening nose, snot was flowing down.
Rowan took the biggest one. The rest belonged to the wolves he'd brought.
He was delighted. Though hunting was fun and thrilling, his main purpose was developing the 12 secret technique improved swordsmanship.
'Let's go home quickly.'
The sky turned crimson.
Crackle!
Inside a nameless cave, camping preparations were in full swing. Some wore leather armor with fluffy leather fur clothes and untanned leather over the leather armor for sleeping in the wilderness.
"Boss. We'll arrive tomorrow. Aren't you excited?"
A man with a completely burned head and a face full of burns, the disfigured Setan, sat down holding a bottle and spoke. Beside him, bandit boss Handless Sendabil, who'd been blankly watching the campfire, suddenly let out a chuckle.
"Of course. Why ask? I haven't been able to sleep since yesterday. I'm about to go crazy wanting to rampage like mad."
He laughed kehehe, showing yellow teeth. But soon, with bloodshot eyes staring at the campfire, recalling the past, he closed his mouth.
'Rakson.'
He who spread notoriety and was called Double-Axe Sendabil was gone now. Only Handless Sendabil, living like a mayfly, running away and robbing small villages, existed. His right hand was precisely cut at the wrist.
Even with a build over 3 meters like a troll, he was famous for his violent temperament, so he couldn't even become a soldier. He killed more allies by beating them than by killing enemies.
"To think he's living in a mountain village, thinking he has no grudges worth mentioning."
"When they said he was playing village chief when I thought he'd died somewhere, I was so shocked!"
Rakson had enough ambition to command over 50 soldiers. Thanks to that, he could also purchase 10 criminal serfs, build a large mansion, and settle in the mountain village.
"Heave-ho! Meat coming up!"
The bandits' youngest hurriedly brought two skewered deer hind legs and placed them plunk on the campfire. He slathered crushed vegetables generously over them. This world's vegetables had the characteristic of being full of fragrance, so separate spices weren't needed.
Finally, just sprinkling salt lightly was enough.
"Keu!"
Handless Sendabil ate greedily with his left hand while drinking alcohol freely. On the empty right wrist was only a hook prosthesis. It could be used quite well in real life and was simultaneously suitable for combat.
The 20 bandits were all cavalry.
Though they didn't spread great notoriety, they were famous as cancer-like existences. Especially, large-built Sendabil had overwhelmed other bandits with momentum to instantly swell his faction's size and had devoured a subjugation team.
Though the devoured subjugation team's scale was very small, that was still notorious to ordinary bandits.
Especially in such shabby places, just seeing Sendabil's build made bandits run away, so drinking alcohol freely didn't matter at all.
"Old memories come flooding back."
Sendabil and Setan.
Both became soldiers but caused problems and were dishonorably discharged, then spread notoriety as bandits. Setan was a bandit boss who'd had a mountain stronghold that lost everything to Rakson's fire attack.
The mountain stronghold where bandits lived naturally had families too, and that day Setan literally lost everything.
"I think my surviving then was for this time."
Since revenge on nobles couldn't even be dreamed of, news of Rakson lit fire in his heart. A huge log.
"Kekeke."
Handless Sendabil was the same. In his hot-blooded prime, meeting veteran Rakson, he lost his wrist in one moment. Because his durability was so tremendous, he survived and was sentenced to mine labor.
Night deepened. The day of revenge was the very next day, and neither could easily fall asleep.