Sid POV

  “Don’t throw too close,” Pallavi kept her voice low. She had slipped off her backpack and set it behind a bush. Sid crouched beside her, eyes fixed on the gap between trunks, and flicked a mushroom out with a quick snap of his wrist.

  The larger boar lay a few feet from the pond, chewing steadily. The smaller one lounged after its drink. Sid’s first throw landed about twenty feet from them.

  Both boars pricked up their ears. Heads lifted. After a beat, the larger boar dropped its snout and kept eating. The smaller one stepped toward the trees. It reached the mushroom, sniffed, then turned back.

  Sid threw another. This one fell about ten feet from the smaller boar. Pallavi’s eyes went wide. “Careful,” she whispered, catching his throwing hand and holding it for a second before letting go.

  The boar stepped forward again, drew in the scent, then ate.

  “Let’s move back.” Sid ignored Pallavi’s gaze, grabbing the bag and slipping quietly into the trees, ears tuned to the boar’s faint rustling.

  From their predetermined hiding place, they tossed another cap, keeping the line straight through a thin corridor of brush.

  Using the mushroom caps as bait, they pulled the boar along the chosen route. Some caps disappeared with quick snaps of its jaws. Others it dismissed after a brief sniff. Soon it reached a small pile of mushrooms near a narrow choke point, with Varun waiting just beyond the bait.

  The boar that had seemed docile suddenly burst toward Varun, tearing up wet leaf litter.

  “Get ready.” Naga nudged Rohan. Rohan had Mana Web primed and aimed at the pile of mushrooms.

  The ground ahead gave way with a brittle crumble. Soil sheared clean, and the boar dropped into the pit, set a few feet before the bait.

  “Bhaag, bhaag! (Run, run!)” Imran shouted. He and Bunty dragged a lattice of green branches across the hole.

  “Finish it before the other one arrives,” Naga said. The woods held a low hush, broken by the boar’s grunt and the creak of wood under strain from its charge.

  “Hold it down.” Sid rushed in with Pallavi to brace the frame as the trapped animal heaved.

  The boar surged again. The frame bowed but held as Sid and Pallavi leaned their weight into it.

  “Stab through the gaps,” Varun called. He slid a foot forward, tested the slick soil, and punched the wooden spear down between crosspieces. A jolt ran up the shaft as it struck. The point slid off its thick hide, ending with a dull thud that made him grimace.

  With another brutal charge, the frame shuddered. The jolt coursed up their arms, bones buzzing. Pallavi hissed through her teeth. Sid adjusted his grip. That frame won’t survive another round, he thought.

  Rohan and Naga stepped in and drove their points where they could. Pained cries rang out from the pit.

  “It is not working. We are just hurting it. Use the knife.” Rohan slowed his stabs, then turned to Naga.

  “It is moving too much. We cannot lose the knife before we deal with the bigger one,” Naga said, words broken by breath.

  “Sid, you and Rohan, keep a lookout for the other boar,” Naga said. He was panting now but still stabbed down, Varun matching him stroke for stroke.

  Naga tapped Rohan on the shoulders. “Keep your Mana Web ready. It will probably target us to rescue this one.”

  Rohan nodded in response.

  “Pass the spear,” Imran said to Rohan, standing to join the team already stabbing. The sharpened tips had splintered against the boar’s hide. They were doing more blunt damage than piercing now.

  “There,” Sid called, pointing across the ridge. The second boar was on them in less than a second. A splash of white cut the charge, and the animal fell.

  Rohan had hit the boar’s back with Mana Web. Its hind legs got stuck in webbing. The boar thrashed, fighting the strands.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Aim for the eyes or the top of the mouth.” Naga passed the knife to Bunty, who moved in to end the boar, along with Imran.

  Imran planted a foot on the boar’s head and forced it down. Bunty drove the knife into its eye. The boar thrashed harder, almost tearing free of the web. Imran toppled backward, while Bunty lost his grip and stumbled a step.

  Light flickered at the boar’s flank, and a crystal appeared next to it.

  Rohan stepped in and scooped it up, eyes already scanning the trees.

  “Let’s finish this fast.” Varun pummelled the trapped boar with renewed vigour. The others joined him—everyone but Rohan.

  Soon the resistance faded. Bunty dropped into the pit and pushed the knife into the downed boar’s eye, ending it.

  [Skill Crystal Detected—Compatible Skill: Dash (Common)]

  [Would you like to absorb? Y/N]

  [Skill Crystal Detected—Compatible Skill: Snout Compass (Common)]

  [Would you like to absorb? Y/N]

  “This one gives the skill Dash,” Rohan said, lifting the crystal in his left hand. He weighed it once, as if feeling its promise. “Same skill as Varun.” He raised the crystal in his right hand. “This one gives a skill called Snout Compass.”

  “Skills should go to the people who actually fought.” Varun’s gaze slid to Mahesh and stayed there. Mahesh didn’t look away, but his fingers tightened on the strap of his bag.

  “We all helped in the fight.” Aditi glanced at the trampled ground when she spoke, then looked to Rohan to see if he agreed.

  “Sure, and whoever gets these skills will help you all in the future.” Varun’s voice was heavy with sarcasm.

  “It is only fair that those who risked their lives are rewarded,” Naga said. He stepped into the space between them without raising his voice. “Otherwise, we set a dangerous precedent. This is not the end. There will be more chances for all of us to get skills.”

  “Let us start with the Snout Compass. Who wants it?” Does this turn your nose into a pig snout? Sid wondered.

  Bunty raised his hand but lowered it soon when Imran whispered in his ear.

  “If none of you want it, give it to the ones who set the fight up.” Mahesh cut a glance at Varun, with the hint of a smile there.

  “Pig nose might be an upgrade for you.” Varun had a grin on his face.

  Mahesh glared at him, teeth clenched, but he did not escalate.

  “It’s open to all, anyone who wants this skill,” Rohan asked again.

  “Go to the next one,” said Varun, a little too eager.

  “That skill might help with our food situation,” Sid said. “The boar kept sniffing the mushrooms before eating. Maybe it helps locate them or judge if they are safe to eat.”

  “Alright, then you take one for the team.” Varun tilted his chin at Sid as if daring him.

  Sid didn’t answer immediately. He opened his mouth to respond.

  “I will take it,” Naga said. Everyone looked at him. “If I can take the Dash skill as well,” he added, as if it were a simple trade.

  “What? No way. Then I can take both skills too,” Mahesh leaned in, eagerness obvious.

  “Just shut up,” Varun pinched his brow before turning to Naga. “You can’t take both. Give me the Dash crystal. I think I can level up or evolve my current skills.”

  “We should distribute the skills among more people,” said Rohan, his tone earnest.

  “Alright,” Naga said. He looked around the group and asked, “Who is taking the Snout Compass skill?” His voice stayed even, with no hint of provocation.

  “Give both of them to Naga,” Sid said. Weariness edged his words. “We cannot afford to waste a utility skill. Dash seems common enough that we can find it again.”

  “But,” Varun began.

  “Think long term, Varun. It is just one Dash skill. We got two of those today.” Sid glanced around, inviting objections that did not come.

  Rohan stepped closer and placed both shards in Naga’s hands. Light pulsed once in each and then unraveled into fine motes.

  Name: Nagaraj Gouda

  Race: Human (Tier 0)

  Traits [0/1]: None

  Strength: 3

  Agility: 7

  Endurance: 2

  Vitality: 2

  Perception: 8

  Intelligence: 3

  Willpower: 4

  Charisma: 4

  Affinities: None

  Skills [2/3]:

  Dash (Common)—Level 1

  Snout Compass (Common)—Level 1

  “My nose is still the same, right?” Naga asked. He pinched the bridge lightly, testing. The relief in his tone broke the tension by a notch.

  “Yeah,” Varun said. The word came out flat. He looked away, hiding the sting of losing Dash.

  Sid crouched by a shallow root and sifted the small pile of caps they had gathered. He chose a few and passed them to Naga. “Can you check these?”

  Naga lifted each cap under his nostrils and drew in quick breaths, eyes half-lidded as if listening for a note. “These two are safe to eat. The others are not.” He returned the good ones to Sid.

  “We might have solved our food problem for now,” Rohan said, his shoulders loosening. “Let us find a spot for camp and gather firewood.”