CHAPTER 37 — THE WAR HOG
"What the f—"
The word tore itself from Zodac's throat as pure instinct seized control. His body moved before thought could catch up. Kogestu flashed, steel singing through the air as he slashed downward at the creature's face with all the strength he could muster.
*CLAAAAAANG—!*
The sound was wrong.
Not the wet resistance of flesh, not the crack of bone—but the brutal shriek of metal striking metal.
The impact jolted up his arms, numbing his fingers. Zodac's eyes widened as he was thrown backward by the recoil alone. He twisted midair, boots scraping dirt as he landed hard and skidded several feet away, barely keeping his footing.
His blade had not pierced.
It hadn't even scratched.
Before the shock could settle, the thing moved.
The dark mass exploded forward, tearing through the undergrowth with terrifying speed. Leaves, branches, and soil burst outward as if struck by a living battering ram. Killing intent rolled off it in waves—raw, violent, overwhelming.
Zodac's pupils shrank.
"It's fast—!"
Too fast.
There was no time to think, no space to dodge. His muscles screamed as he forced mana through his veins.
"Air Strike Shield!"
A massive wooden shield reinforced with dark-green vines materialized in front of him, its surface glowing faintly with elemental energy.
The war hog slammed into it head-on.
The shield didn't break.
It *exploded*.
Wood, vines, and mana shattered into a storm of fragments that ripped through the air. The impact sent a concussive wave rolling outward, flattening grass and snapping smaller branches. The creature tore through the remains without slowing—only losing a fraction of its momentum.
Zodac felt the rush of displaced air graze his skin as he threw himself sideways. The monster blasted past him by inches and smashed into the massive tree behind him.
*BOOOOOM!*
The trunk cracked like dry bone.
The tree shuddered, tilted, and collapsed, crashing into the forest floor with a deafening thud. Sunlight speared down through the newly opened canopy, illuminating drifting dust and falling leaves.
Zodac stared, chest heaving.
The war hog shook its head once and turned.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
"What in God's name is this abomination…?"
Now that he could see it clearly, the fear settled deeper.
The creature was enormous—easily over five hundred pounds of muscle and fury. Its body was covered in coarse black fur matted with dirt and blood. The face was nightmarish: a warped, boar-like skull with a dark, armored sheen, glowing red eyes burning with malice, and a mouth full of jagged teeth slick with gore. Two massive brown tusks curved outward from its jaws, thick and scarred, built to gore and tear.
It was not a beast.
It was a weapon.
The war hog threw back its head and roared.
*ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!*
The sound ripped through the forest, sending birds screaming into the sky and smaller creatures fleeing in blind panic. The ground vibrated beneath Zodac's boots.
"Scan," he said sharply.
The system panel flickered into existence.
......
Name: **War Hog**
Level: **Lv 40**
Class: ???
Traits:
• Deadly
• Vicious
• Aggressive
• Modified Carnivorous
Note:
A modified piglin bred and enhanced for warfare.
Zodac exhaled slowly.
"Lv 40…" he muttered. "So that's how it is."
The war hog pawed the ground, snorting violently as hot breath steamed from its nostrils. Its muscles bunched, veins standing out beneath fur and armor-like hide.
Then it charged again.
The earth cracked under its hooves.
Zodac jumped, narrowly avoiding the initial rush. He expected it to barrel straight ahead, like the boss mole in the caverns—but this thing was different.
Impossible.
Mid-charge, the war hog twisted its massive body with terrifying agility, redirecting its momentum instantly.
Straight at him.
Zodac's eyes widened in disbelief.
"It *turned*—?!"
He summoned a Hectorgon shield in midair and kicked off it desperately. The shield shattered as the hog struck it, fragments spraying everywhere. The beast slammed into another tree, snapping it clean in half before rolling and righting itself almost immediately.
Another tree fell.
Then another.
One after the other.
Fourteen trees.
Fourteen massive trunks lay broken or uprooted around the clearing, sunlight pouring in through gaps where the forest once stood tall.
And the war hog was still moving.
Still roaring.
Still charging.
Zodac stood hunched, sweat pouring down his face, lungs burning as he leaned heavily on Kogestu like a cane. His armor was scuffed and dented, his muscles trembling from strain.
"What… is this thing running on?" he panted. "Infinite gas…?"
The war hog snorted, red eyes locked on him.
Almost like it was waiting.
Almost like it knew.
Zodac straightened slowly, forcing air into his lungs. His mind raced, analyzing every movement, every impact.
"It's not like the mole," he muttered. "No recovery lag. No clear weakness after impact."
His gaze sharpened.
"…But it *commits*."
Every charge was absolute. Every attack was meant to end the fight in one blow.
"The only chance I have," Zodac said quietly, "is to strike while it's running."
The war hog lowered its head, tusks gleaming.
A grin crept onto Zodac's face—thin, dangerous, unhinged.
"I've got a crazy idea," he whispered. "And it just might work."
He stood fully upright, ignoring the screaming pain in his body. Kogestu hummed softly in his grip as he raised it, eyes locking onto the monster's.
The war hog roared and charged.
The ground blurred beneath its hooves as it accelerated, faster than before, rage pushing it beyond restraint.
Zodac didn't move.
Not at first.
Then—
"Blitz Drain."
Red light bled from his body, faint but fierce. His heart hammered as Blitz Mana surged, flooding his limbs with explosive energy.
He ran.
Straight at it.
Two forces of destruction hurtled toward each other, neither slowing, neither wavering. The wind screamed between them, pressure building as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Madness.
Suicide.
The war hog's eyes flared brighter as it increased its speed again, tusks aimed directly at Zodac's chest.
Zodac's smile widened.
"Just as expected," he thought.