THE BEAST HUNT (FINALE)

Helga quickly made her way through the forest. She climbed a tree at the edge of the clearing and watched as the boar crushed another cluster of trees, resulting in a yell of pain from an unlucky werewolf behind them.

Her eyes rested in the boar, It's thick skin and huge tusk bringing back memories buried deep within her. It turned around and ran back towards the smaller boar, allowing for her to catch a glimpse of a rugged scar across its forehead.

Helga bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Her yellow eyes turned into a full-on glare...

"'I'll kill you.." she growled

She jumped from the trees and made a beeline straight for the boar with her sword extended in her left arm.

The boar turned towards her and with a roar charged at her again with its head lowered. Helga used this to her advantage, and when it got closer, planted her foot on the tusk to launch herself up and onto the boar's back.

The boar continued its path forward and smashed its head into a tree. Helga took her sword and stabbed it down in the boar's back, hanging on with every shred of strength in her body.

"Helga, what the hell do you think you're doing!!?" Sal emerged from the other side of the clearing. He grabbed his sword and ran in to help her out, " I told you to retreat, didn't I!?"

"I don't care!"

She pulled out her sword, and placing it between her teeth, began crawling to the forehead of the beast.

'I don't care if I die!' She thought, "As long as it dies with me! I'll kill it, I'll kill it!...'

She grabbed her sword and rose it high over her head, "Die!!" She stabbed the boar directly in the mark on its forehead, making it jerk in pain and swerve towards the right.

Its blood coated her hand and face, and the sudden movement threw her back and off the beast. She landed on her feet and followed after the beast.

The boar ran back into the clearing it made previously. The blood leaking from its forehead blinded it in its left eye, preventing it from seeing Helga running beside it.

They both broke through the clearing and Helga stopped in her tracks at the edge of it. She held her sword in both hands and front of her, settling into a sword-stance; her body turned towards the left, with her left leg straight and her right leg in front of her at an angle. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused.

....

Magic in Quasar had always been a controversial thing; many people believed magic was a skill reserved solely for those born of high class, while some believed it didn't matter what class you were, you could get magic either way.

But one thing that had always been factual in all of these controversies was that a person could only get one magic skill in a lifetime.

Many of the magic skills amongst the rich and privileged were hereditary, passing from parent to child and ensuring your lineage remains at the top for all eternity. But there were...exceptions. Times when a member of lower-class received a magic skill, allowing for them to stand up to and beside members of higher class.

Whether or not the magic skill is useful or not, the person with the skill almost always becomes a higher member of society and ensures the future of his or her family.

These people with magic skills were called...The Gifted.

....

Quinn ran into the clearing and saw as Helga went into her sword stance. The air around her changed, an unknown breeze flowing through the clearing and drawing the beast back to her.

"M-Magic?" He heard a voice to his side say, and when he turned he saw that Sal had come up beside him.

"You didn't know she had this?" he asked

"No. No, I didn't" Sal replied

Quinn turned back to the clearing and watched as Helga simply stood there, seemingly unsung of the best charging her.

"Sword-Skill No.5," He heard her say as she rose her sword above her head-

".. Moeru Moegara!!" she shouted and then brought the sword down in a powerful slash.

From the slash flew a large crimson arc of fire, engulfing the beast in a huge blast.

"Damn.." Sal said as he watched the beast stagger back from the blast

Helga - having spent most of her magical energy during the blast - fell to a knee using her sword as a crutch

Quinn, meanwhile, watched the cloud of dust that rose from the ground around the beast. For a while there were no movements in the dust, making him think she had done it; but then he saw something move.

The boar shook the dust away from it and looked around the clearing before locking in on Helga's kneeling form. The beast had lost a tusk in the blast, and most of the left side of its face had been burnt up. But still, it prepped itself to charge her. It scratched its hooves on the floor, lowered its head, and charged.

"Gruuuhh!!"

Quinn took off like the devil himself was on his heels. He passed by some people who had come out to see Helga's magic skill and made a beeline straight for Helga.

He took out his knife, and once he and the boar were close enough, threw it straight at its wounded left side...

The boar recoiled in pain and slowed down a bit, allowing for Quinn to get past it.

He raced towards Helga and immediately grabbed her into a dive, just as the boar barreled its way through where she had been before.

He took her into the trees and dropped her under the covers of one of them. Her breaths were shallow and she looked to be extremely fatigued.

"Dammit, Helga..." He said. He checked her pulse; and after seeing that her heart was still beating, took a lock of her red hair that had fallen out of place and put it behind her ear, "Just stay right here. I'll be back soon"

She didn't answer.

Quinn left her there and walked back out to the clearing. The beast had started rampaging again, causing most of the people gathered to scatter.

The ones remaining in the clearing, and looking combat-ready were Drew and Sal, but he didn't pay them any mind.

He took out his sword and held it in his right arm. His teeth were grit tight and he stared down the boar across from him impassively.

< [ BloodLust ] has been activated >

< [ BloodLust ] has levelled up >

"Come here, you monster"

The beast reacted at the same time the system made its announcement. It hesitated for a brief second, but not for long.

Quinn took the same stance he had seen Helga take and watched as the boar charged him.

It roared

He went through movements he had never learned before, and brought the sword down faster than any of the people there could see.

"Ahh!!"

An arc of pure air flew from the sword and impacted on the boar.

There was a squeal of pain, and an arc of blood rising through the air...

Then, silence.

Quinn breathed in...

Then out.

.....

< Daily Quest > < Complete >

< Find and kill the [Great Boar ] >

< Deep in the forest, there is a great beast wreaking havoc on unsuspecting travelers. Join the hunting party leaving town and kill it. >

< Reward: 50 Exp, New class title unlocked>

< You have unlocked the class title [ Beast Slayer ] >

< [ Beast Slayer ]: Grants a boost to all actions against inhuman creatures and people.

+20% Strength against inhuman creatures

+20% Agility against inhuman creatures

+10% HP during a fight against inhumans>