Noxus Glory

Chapter 7 The Hunt Begins: Snow Boar

Within a sparse cedar forest.

The once upright cedars were now broken and fallen in large sections, with glistening icicles forming on the exposed stumps.

In the very center of the forest, a huge, dark, snow boar can be seen stirring up the pale snow.

From a distance, the wild boar in the snow was about seven feet tall and about thirteen feet long.

Its disproportionately large fangs, as thick as thighs, protrude upside down from its gaping maw; its four legs are short and stout, with triangular hooves.

As he moved, he left deep footprints on the thick snow.

At this moment, a ferocious snow boar was swinging its black tail, which was as thick as an iron rod, and tearing at a mangled corpse, leaving blood everywhere.

The remains appeared to be those of a small deer, likely a lone fawn that had strayed during a chase.

Under the biting of its sharp fangs, the flesh on the deer carcass was almost completely gone, leaving only a pale and broken skeleton, but the wild boar still did not give up and continued to lick and gnaw on the last bits of meat.

"Is this our hunting target?" Huo Jixing looked at the snow boar not far away, a slight tremor running through his heart.

This wasn't a composite image from a movie or TV show, but a real giant wild boar. Especially when he got close, he could smell the stench carried on the cold wind.

Huo Jixing's earlier mental preparations seemed somewhat fragile when he actually faced the situation.

Instinctively, he turned to look at DeWitt.

But suddenly he found that there was no one beside him. DeWitt and the other Noxian scouts were moving towards their target without any fear.

Huo Jixing took a deep breath; the cruel reality was laid bare before him.

He suppressed his inner trembling, gripped the sharp sword in his hand, and carefully took a step forward.

This was a hunt, and the pause in his steps had already made him clearly fall behind the group.

At the same time, he vaguely sensed the cold gaze of the sergeant Eric sweeping over him from behind.

Hmph! Hmph!

As they drew closer, the gnawing sounds of the snow boars echoed more clearly in the cold wind.

Huo Jixing truly witnessed the ferocious appearance of the snow boar.

Its entire body is covered with hard bristles, which freeze into sharp icicles under the cover of ice and snow; its ears are like banana leaves, fanning out gusts of cold wind; its gray-black skin is as hard as iron, and even after breaking so many cedar trees, it shows no signs of injury.

His crimson eyes were filled with ferocity and malice, sending chills down one's spine.

Or perhaps the distance is too close.

The snow boar, with its keen sense of smell, suddenly stopped biting, turned its large head, and its short, thick snout twitched.

Hmph!

The snow boar let out a low growl, its crimson eyes scanning the surrounding landscape with a fierce gaze that penetrated the snow, spotting the Noxian scouts closing in.

Hmph! Hmph!

A low, guttural squeal suddenly rang out.

The wild, untamed snow boars became agitated, exhaling blood-tinged white frost from their nostrils as they opened and closed.

It spun its body wildly, its short, thick limbs trampling the snow and stirring up waves of snow, before launching a charge without hesitation.

boom!

Dark clouds surged, their inverted fangs slicing through the snow like blades, their massive bodies crashing through the snow-covered pines that blocked their path.

The snow boar randomly selected its target and charged straight at Mur.

As Mur carefully made his way through the snow, he looked at the charging snow boar, his expression changed, he cursed under his breath, and immediately focused intently on the snow boar attacking him.

The wind and snow obscured his face, but Mur remained calm. His blue pupils reflected the ferocious posture of the wild boar running across the snowfield, as well as its straight and sharp tusks.

Just as the tusks were about to strike, he leaped to the left with all his might. As he swung his body, the sharp sword in his hand pierced through the snow boar's tough skin.

puff!

boom!

Another tall cedar tree broke.

Using the force of the rebound, the snow boar forced itself to stop, but the immense force made it unsteady, staggering and dripping blood onto the snow.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Noxian scouts who had surrounded them strode forward and attacked in turns.

The sharp blade sliced ​​through the air, piercing the hard skin and leaving delicate wounds on the snow boar, its blood staining the snow red.

The hunt officially begins!

Even with the snowy terrain as an obstacle, the Noxian scouts still demonstrated exceptional combat capabilities.

The fierce and ferocious snow boars, facing the Noxian scouts' pursuit, spun like unbalanced tops, emitting angry and helpless squeals.

The pure white snow was gradually stained with blood, the red and white blending together in a murky mess.

Hmph! Hmph!

After the wild boar broke the cedar tree again, it stood still, the white frost between its nostrils had turned red, and its hard, gray-black skin was covered with bloodstains.

With its violent movements, crimson blood flowed down its massive body, staining the snow.

Not only its body, but also its forehead was covered with several hideous scars.

The most conspicuous feature was his left eye, where a seven- or eight-foot-long wound ran right through it, with flesh and blood flying everywhere.

Perhaps it was because they knew they were about to die.

The snow boar's crimson eyes revealed a frenzied and desperate emotion. Its massive body thrashed about, crushing the surrounding cedar trees like a battering ram.

It launched another attack.

Its muscular body trembled across the snow like a speeding minivan. Sharp fangs sliced ​​through the dense snow, whipping up waves of snow.

This time, the snow boar's target is none other than Huo Jixing!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the frigid air, fine beads of sweat appeared on Huo Jixing's pale face.

He looked at the snow boar struggling in the distance, and the fear that had risen in his heart earlier gradually disappeared as the battle progressed.

"It was indeed an easy hunt!"

Hojixing surveyed his surroundings, where Noxian scouts, clinging to the cedar trees and wielding sharp blades, were attempting to end the hunt with their formidable combat skills.

Beneath the snow boar's terrifying appearance, significant blood loss has begun to diminish its former fearsome power.

Its staggering steps and painful groans all spoke of its impending doom.

But the Noxian scouts remained vigilant, spreading out and maintaining their formation, slowly wearing down the snow boar's stamina.

Hmph! Hmph! Hmph!

The angry squeals of pigs continued to ring out.

Huo Jixing's expression was solemn as he gripped his standard longsword tightly with both hands, staring at the wild boar in the snowy wilderness, facing a desperate situation.

The earth shook and the snowflakes danced wildly.

The wounded wild boar seemed to be preparing for its final, deadly attack. It pounded the snow, and its muscular body suddenly began to run.

This time, its target is itself!

"Damn it!"

Looking at the approaching wild boars, Huo Jixing's expression changed drastically. A thick, fishy wind, carrying waves of grayish-white snow, rushed towards him.

He smelled the rusty odor in the cold air; death was approaching.

In his previous life, he was just an ordinary person living in a peaceful country.

I graduated from junior college, and my job is neither good nor bad. I often work overtime and play games during my breaks.

A very ordinary and uninteresting life.

But at this moment, Huo Jixing looked at the snow boar so close at hand, and the intense visual impact made his mind go blank and his body stiffen.

Despite his previous rigorous training and lingering memories of hunting in the wild, when he actually faced it, everything seemed to drift away, leaving him frozen in place, as if his soul had been frozen.

"Move! Move faster!"

The roar of trampling echoed in my ears, and a chilling cold seeped into my soul.

Huo Jixing looked into the blood-red eyes of the snow boar, his previous relaxed demeanor vanishing. His face flushed red, and a roar erupted from the depths of his heart, attempting to urge his body to obey.

Hmph! Hmph!

Completely enraged, the snow boar charged forward with a thunderous roar, its hooves spurring down like a dark cloud pressing down on a city.

Right now!

At the critical moment.

Huo Jixing regained control of his body and rolled to the right with all his might.

He could feel his body contracting as it lifted into the air, and at the same time, it felt as if a spear had grazed his chest, a pain traveling along his nerves to his brain.

Pfft!

It felt like a long time had passed, yet also like a fleeting moment.

Huo Jixing was once again assaulted by the biting cold wind, and then fell heavily onto the snow. He rolled several times until he came to a stop when he crashed into a broken cedar tree.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Huo Jixing lifted his head from the snow, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily.

He looked down at his chest. His composite armor was undamaged, with only some dents, indicating that he had just brushed past a snow boar's tusks and suffered minor injuries.

But now is not the time for a thorough medical check-up.

Hearing the rumbling sound behind him again, Huo Jixing immediately propped himself up with his arms and quickly stood up.

As Huo Jixing turned his head, he saw the snow boar that had fallen down getting up, shaking its ferocious head, and looking at his disheveled self with its red eyes.

"Your mom, it's me again?"

Huo Jixing was losing his composure and cursed inwardly, but he kept moving, relying on the broken cedar tree, preparing to deal with the wild boar's desperate attack.

Before the wild boars could charge again.

A burly figure clad in deep red armor crashed through the snow and strode towards the wild boar.

It's Captain Eric!

Huo Jixing's pupils contracted as he instantly recognized the burly figure, a sense of doubt rising within him.

What is this? Like an ant trying to shake a tree?

The next instant!

A look of horror appeared on Huo Jixing's face.

The centurion, Eric, gripped the snow boar's inverted tusks with both hands, his rounded shoulders and arm muscles supporting his crimson armor.

Bang!

The heavy leather boots pounded the ground, kicking up large swaths of fluffy snowflakes.

In a daze, the centurion Eric seemed to be a ferocious tiger descended to earth, his arms transforming into sharp teeth, firmly restraining the snow boar, and then slamming it to the left as if overturning a mountain.

Boom!

A dull thud echoed through the cedar forest as the slumbering body fell to the ground.

One hug, one throw!

Captain Eric, as if uprooting a willow tree, slammed the badly wounded snow boar to the ground, the swirling snow mixed with a little blood and the crisp sound of bones cracking.

Then, under the watchful eyes of Huo Jixing and the others, Eric drew his greatsword from his back and plunged it straight into the neck of the snow boar, piercing it through. The gushing blood stained the ground red.

"This power is human!?"

Huo Jixing stared in astonishment at Eric's retreating figure, his heart churning with a turbulent mix of emotions.

Is it supernatural power?

Or is it the power of ordinary people?

Huo Jixing lowered his gaze, staring at the snow boar that had completely lost its life force and resembled a small truck. He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth and fell silent.

"Process the prey; take everything you can!"

Eric drew his greatsword, turned around, and surveyed the group in the snow, his calm face revealing no emotion.

"Yes, sir!"

Moore answered, pointing to several Noxian scouts, and together they walked toward the massive carcass of the snow boar.

Huo Jixing, who is a newcomer, is included.

Led by Moore, they began to butcher the snow boar.

Half an hour later, the Noxian scouts finished dealing with the snow boar carcass, put their fur cloaks back on, and stepped into the vast, boundless snowfield.

Behind them, pure white snowflakes fluttered down from the desolate sky, covering the blood-red ground.

(End of this chapter)