Chapter 14 - Elite rank

Putting aside his lingering thoughts, he turned his attention to the lifeless body on the ground.

He crouched, reaching for the small ether energy device strapped to the corpse's wrist. A soft hum filled the air as he activated the scanner.

[Transferred 410 PT.]

Nex scoffed, his lips curling in disdain. That's it?

"Such a small amount of energy... You were really poor," he muttered, shaking his head.

Besides hunting creatures in the wilderness, stealing from the dead was another way to gain points. This guy had probably planned to do the same, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Too bad for him, Nex had turned the tables. He felt no guilt as he took the points and moved on to search for the rest of the belongingss.

His fingers brushed against something solid inside the man's jacket.

Curious, he pulled it out and examined it. The device was smooth, metallic, and compact, fitting comfortably in his palm. A small digital screen flickered to life as he tapped it.

[Capture Capsule: Wild Hound]

[Description: CC. A special item used to capture wild creatures.]

[Current captured creature: Rank Advance - Wild Hound.]

Nex's eyes lit up.

"Finally, something useful," he murmured.

Back in the city, he had wanted one of these. A Capture Capsule could be a game-changer, allowing him to tame and use captured beasts in battle. But they were ridiculously expensive, way beyond his budget. He had given up on the idea.

And now, by sheer luck, he had one for free.

"Lucky," he said with a smirk, flipping the device between his fingers before tucking it into his backpack. "This guy must've used his everything buy this but why didn't this guy use it?"

If he had released the Wild Hound as a distraction, Nex might have had a harder time. The guy could have struck while Nex was dealing with the beast.

Then again, the symbiote's tentacles would have likely handled the situation.

Either way, the man had made a mistake.

Nex stood up, brushing off his hands, and gave the corpse one last look.

"You almost got me," he muttered, his voice cold. "But I guess luck was on my side."

Just as the words left his mouth, a sudden chill crawled down his spine.

A warning.

His body reacted before his mind could catch up. Without thinking, he launched himself into the air.

BOOM!

A deafening impact shook the ground beneath him. Mid-air, he twisted his body and looked down.

The spot where he had just been standing was now a gaping crater, torn apart by an unseen force.

A hulking creature stood at the center of the destruction.

It was massive.

Grotesque.

A twisted, mutated boar-like beast with three heads, each bearing jagged, bloodstained tusks. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, filled with pure hunger.

As Nex landed, rolling into a crouch, his gaze shifted to that guy's corpse. His stomach turned.

The monster's three heads were already feasting, ripping apart flesh and bone with sickening crunches. Blood dripped from its gaping maws as it devoured its meal with eagerness.

Nex swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead.

That thing is fast. If I hadn't moved in time…

He exhaled sharply, steadying his breath.

If it hit me head-on, my bones would've been dusted.

The monster let out a piercing shriek, shaking the air around him. Its bloated body pulsed as it finished tearing apart the corpse's remains.

"This thing's a nightmare..."

[Three-Headed Boar King Identified!]

[Rank: Elite]

[Description: Due to mutation from the deep Ether-coated region, this boar has evolved into its current state. It is known for its relentless pursuit of its target. It will not stop until its prey is dead.]

Nex's eyes widened as the Mod's report flashed across his vision.

"An Elite rank monster? And that's the description?" he muttered under his breath. "It won't stop until its target is dead?"

He didn't need to be a genius to know that fighting this thing head-on was suicide.

Without a second thought, he turned and ran, his boots pounding against the rough terrain.

If I can't fight it, I'll have to outrun it.

For now, the boar was still tearing apart the corpse, its three massive heads ripping flesh and bone like paper. It hadn't given chase yet, but Nex knew better than to assume he was safe.

Then he glanced over his shoulder.

His stomach dropped.

The boar had stopped eating. Its heads lifted in unison, sniffing the air. Then, as if drawn by an invisible thread, three pairs of glowing crimson eyes locked onto him.

"Oh no…"

With a bone-chilling screech, the beast lunged forward.

Despite its massive size, it moved like a bullet, with short, muscular legs launching it forward with terrifying speed. The ground trembled beneath its weight.

The gap between them closed fast.

Nex gritted his teeth. No time to escape anymore…

He skidded to a stop, spinning on his heel. If he couldn't outrun it, he had to fight.

His fingers fumbled through his pocket, grasping for the Capture Capsule. Pulling it free, he pressed the activation button and hurled it forward.

The capsule burst open mid-air. A flash of light erupted, and in an instant, a large hound materialized between Nex and the charging beast.

Its fur bristled, eyes burning like embers as it faced the monstrous boar. A low, guttural growl rumbled from its throat as it braced for battle.

The boar wasted no time.

It lunged, its middle head snapping its massive jaws, aiming to crush the hound in one strike.

But the hound was also fast.

With a swift, almost unnatural movement, it sidestepped, dodging the attack with inches to spare.

Its claws dug into the dirt as it steadied itself, eyes never leaving its opponent.

The boar roared in frustration. It reared back, preparing to charge again.

This time, the hound moved first.

With lightning speed, it darted forward, slashing at the boar's thick legs. The attacks landed, but the beast's hide was too tough. The scratches barely drew blood.

Nex cursed under his breath. Not enough damage.

Then, the hound did something unexpected.

It tilted its head back and let out a deep, resonating howl.

A second later, fire erupted from its jaws.

A stream of scorching flames engulfed the boar's heads, forcing the monster to screech and stumble back.

The blaze crackled and spread across its coarse fur, scorching patches of flesh.

Nex's eyes sharpened. "Ether magic"

The boar snarled, shaking off the flames, but its movements had slowed. Its heads turned wildly, two attacking the hound while the third swung low, aiming to crush its legs.

The hound leaped back just in time, dodging all three strikes in one fluid motion.

Then, without hesitation, it countered, another fiery breath, this time aimed at the boar's chest.

The flames struck true.

The beast howled in agony, staggering as its thick hide began to crack. Blood seeped from its burnt wounds.

Nex's lips curled into a smirk.

He tightened his grip on his ether gun.

"This thing's strong," he muttered, raising his weapon. "But it's not invincible."