Chapter 0044: Battle Against Wild Boars, Frantic Movements

"Goddamn it!"

Di Ping cursed under his breath, launching a powerful kick to the wild boar's head. The impact sent the boar crashing to the ground with a loud thud. The force of the blow caused his leg to go numb, but he quickly used the momentum to propel himself backward, flying several meters away to escape the boar's reach.

"Roar..."

Di Ping had underestimated the boar's ferocity. After being struck by his sword, the injured boar staggered backward, shook its head, and let out a low growl before charging again, moving even faster. Di Ping had barely touched the ground when the boar was already upon him. He dared not let it hit him—the boar was not only incredibly powerful but also armed with dangerous tusks. A collision would either injure or maim him.

At that moment, Di Ping realized his sword was not nearly as effective against these massive creatures. Even with his skills, he found it difficult to land a fatal blow. The Han sword, which had accompanied him through countless battles, now seemed ineffective—too light and incapable of fully utilizing his immense strength.

Additionally, the wild boars' thick hides and their approach differed greatly from that of mutated dogs. While mutated dogs often attacked vulnerable points, these boars aimed low, targeting areas that made it difficult to wield his sword effectively. Even striking their backs would only result in minimal damage. No wonder, Di Ping thought, that in martial arts novels, characters often sneered at those who couldn't deal with such beasts.

Di Ping had no choice but to dodge again as the boar lunged at him. With a swift motion, he jumped onto the roof of a nearby bridge vehicle.

"Boom!"

As soon as he landed on top of the vehicle, the boar he had previously knocked to the ground charged at him once more, slamming into the vehicle door with a deafening crash. The vehicle was sent flying several meters away. Di Ping, caught off guard, was hurled from the vehicle by the impact.

"Thud."

He crashed into the trunk of a massive sycamore tree, the blow knocking the wind out of him and nearly causing him to vomit blood.

Frustration filled Di Ping's mind. He hadn't expected to encounter three wild boars on his first day hunting. What's more, he hadn't anticipated how difficult it would be to deal with the two boars working in tandem. Their relentless attacks left him no time to react. Although his strength far surpassed that of these creatures, he found himself struggling to defeat them.

Just then, Di Ping noticed the injured boar had been momentarily blocked by the vehicle, which had been sent flying. The boar was disoriented from the shock and had yet to spot Di Ping. Meanwhile, the other boar, still shaken from the collision, briefly lost track of him, but upon seeing him, it charged at full force.

"Perfect!"

A flash of realization struck Di Ping. Remaining motionless, he waited until the boar was nearly upon him. Then, he exerted force with both legs, launching himself over two meters into the air.

"Boom!"

With a deafening crash, the boar collided with the massive sycamore tree, its tusks embedding into the trunk, unable to pull free. Di Ping's heart leapt with excitement as he remembered watching a documentary in which wild boars would not avoid large trees when charging. He had planned to use this to his advantage, and now, it had worked—one of the boar's tusks was stuck in the tree.

Without hesitation, Di Ping leapt down onto the boar's back. He reversed his sword and thrust it downward with all his strength.

"Flame Empowerment."

At that moment, Di Ping activated his latent skill, "Flame Empowerment," which he had yet to use. His body vibrated as an intense energy surged from deep within him, flowing into his Han sword.

"Whoosh!"

The blade of the sword glowed a fiery red, as though engulfed in flames. The heat radiated from the sword, and the air around him grew heavy with the scent of burning metal.

"Shh."

The sword sank into the boar's back with ease, the sound of it cutting through flesh accompanied by the sizzling of burning meat. The wound did not bleed; instead, it emitted steam as the blood appeared to have been vaporized. The air smelled strongly of roasting meat.

"Roar..."

The boar howled in agony, causing Di Ping's ears to ring. The beast began to thrash violently, trying to throw him off. Perhaps driven by the threat of death, its power surged. The boar swung its body back and forth, attempting to shake Di Ping off, but he tightened his grip, using his legs to keep himself in place and his hands to maintain control of his sword.

Di Ping twisted the sword, causing the boar to scream louder with each turn. Its cries echoed throughout the forest, reaching far into the distance. The other boar, momentarily stunned by the sight of its companion's suffering, hesitated, unsure of how to assist.

"Roar..."

Unable to endure the pain any longer, the boar let out one final scream before it broke its tusks, twisting its body violently in a desperate attempt to escape. However, its internal organs had already been shredded by Di Ping's relentless attack. It managed to run about a hundred meters before collapsing, its body twitching as it lay on the ground, still making weak noises.

The other boar, although severely wounded with a large gash, had been too distracted by the chaos. Now, seeing its companion fall, it charged at Di Ping with a fierce growl.

At this moment, Di Ping's legs were pinned beneath the wild boar. Seeing the new threat charging at him, he knew he couldn't afford to hesitate. He swiftly kicked the boar off, drawing his sword and glaring at the approaching beast.

"Come!"

Fueled by a surge of adrenaline and fierce determination, Di Ping shouted, his strength surging with such intensity that the surrounding grass bent under the pressure.