Efren's words made the group pause.
"Fail us?" Dennis repeated.
The group couldn't help but think of the mistake they've possibly made.
For a moment, they considered that he was going to scold them for recklessness, or perhaps even say they weren't qualified for this work yet.
But instead, his tone carried an odd mix of approval and practicality.
"You did well just now," Efren said after seeing their shocked faces…
These words were genuine as they came from his experience, and it wasn't just flattery.
Rayven and the others exchanged looks, a bit confused now.
Still, hearing a positive reaction brought a smile to their faces. Their shoulders finally relaxed as they waited for Efren to continue with his evaluation.
"You're still new," Efren continued, "Did you forget that the Feral Boars aren't just beasts for practice? Every single one of these will be useful to the adventurers exploring the new dungeon. The meat, the hide, the bones—everything has a place. Food supplies, alchemical ingredients, or gear reinforcement materials. However…"
At this time, his words trailed for a bit…
The group quickly realized the mistake they've made…
Indeed, the quest wasn't just to teach them how to survive or fight against the Feral Beasts. They also had to consider that these Feral Boars had to be contributed to the greater purpose of the guild.
Unfortunately, many of the Feral Boars now had terrible cuts, and the hides were also in terrible condition.
In short, they only thought of defeating the Feral Boars without caring for the next thing they had to do…
Still, Rayven and the others felt that they had done a good job as Copper-Rank Adventurers, like what Efren had mentioned.
Indeed, Efren wasn't too strict and just teased or reminded them of what to consider in the future.
"Of course," Efren added with a chuckle, "since you're all still Copper-rank, it doesn't really matter… and you won't be asked to deliver these yourselves. Leave the heavy work to the porters and handlers. But you will learn how to handle your kills properly. That's something every adventurer needs to know."
The group nodded quickly, eager to show that they understood.
"First," Efren said as he pointed at the fallen boars, "check if they carry any beast cores. Don't just let them rot in the corpses. Even a grain-sized core has value."
Luke immediately stepped forward without hesitation. "I'll do it," he said.
As a hunter, this was familiar territory. He drew a thin dagger from his belt—different from his bow, but clearly well-used for field work. He crouched beside the leader of the pack first, pressing his hand against the beast's thick skull.
"Feral Boars usually have it here," Luke explained, tapping between the beast's forehead and slightly above the eyes.
"Not all of them, but the older ones sometimes form a core."
With a careful slice and a twist of his blade, Luke cracked through the bone. He reached in, fingers covered with blood, and pulled out something faintly shining.
It was a small, cloudy, dark purple orb about the size of half a fingernail in his palm.
"This one has it," Luke said, showing the others.
The group leaned in to look. It wasn't as dazzling as the cores described in what they've heard, but it gave off a faint shine that proved its worth.
Efren nodded in approval. "That's the leader's core. About half the size of a nail. Not bad for your first find."
Rayven, curious, asked, "And the others?"
Luke shrugged and moved quickly, checking each of the other fallen boars. His knife skills were efficient—cutting along the bone ridge, prying open with a practiced cut movement, and Luke was soon reaching inside without hesitation.
For most of the boars, however, the results were underwhelming.
"Grain-sized cores…" Luke said, pulling out tiny, bead-like fragments. He placed them carefully on a piece of cloth Efren provided, so they wouldn't get lost in the dirt.
"Small, but still worth something."
Efren crouched and counted them with a glance. "One grain-sized core is worth about a silver coin. Not much, but better than nothing. That bigger one from the leader? That's closer to six silvers. A fair haul for beginners."
Rayven's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected even a few silver's worth of value from this. "So small, and still worth coin…"
Efren chuckled. "In time, you'll hunt beasts with cores worth gold… But for now, don't underestimate the basics. Copper-ranks like you need every coin you can get."
Once the cores were secured, Efren gave another order. "Now, dismantling. You'll need to break them down for easier transport. The guild's handlers can't haul whole boars like this—too heavy, too messy."
He opened his pack and laid out some tools: sharp gutting knives, bone saws, and a set of thick gloves. Most important of all, he spread out a wide, dark-colored blanket that gave off a faint luster, clearly treated with some alchemical coating.
"This is a butcher's tarp." Efren pointed. "It's specially made so the meat doesn't touch the dirt. Use it to keep the cuts clean."
Rayven was surprised.
'We're going to dismantle this, too?'
He didn't expect that he'd even learn dismantling now. Well, he was quite experienced cutting open a fish, but definitely not a boar…
Still, he wanted to learn how to do this since he might be able to save money. After all, a butcher's fee could be expensive!