The ground trembled beneath Kael's feet.
A massive C-rank ground beast—a boar with jagged stone tusks and muscles like coiled boulders—charged straight at him, eyes glowing with fury. Every thunderous step crushed the dirt, sending rocks flying.
Kael froze, his heart hammering.
His grandparents had warned him about monsters like this. Not the weakest, but not the strongest either. A single C-rank beast could wipe out an entire patrol if underestimated. And here he was… alone, holding a spiked club that had been a stick two minutes ago.
"Great," Kael muttered, his throat dry. "My parents were killed by monsters, and now I'm about to follow them… to a giant pig of all things."
The boar roared, lowering its tusks.
Kael's instincts screamed at him to run, but the Gloves of Chaos pulsed around his fists, tightening as if they refused to let him flee. The club hummed with violent energy, waiting to strike.
Kael grit his teeth.
"…Alright then. If I die here, I'm haunting whoever made these gloves."
The monster charged.
Kael swung.
CLANG!
The spiked club smashed against the boar's tusks, the impact jolting Kael's arms to the bone. Sparks burst where iron met stone. He was thrown backward, sliding across the dirt, but somehow—he was still standing.
The gloves burned crimson, whispering in his head. "Strike again… harder… feed us."
The boar roared, shaking its massive head before stomping forward again.
Kael spat dirt and smirked.
"Alright, gloves. Let's feed you."
He charged back.
The club twisted in his grip, the spikes lengthening into wicked crimson blades. Kael leapt to the side as the boar's tusks slammed down, barely missing him. The shockwave cracked the ground where he had stood.
"Too slow, bacon-breath!"
He swung upward, slashing the beast's cheek. Blood sprayed, sizzling as it touched the glowing blades.
The boar howled in rage, whipping its tusks around. One tusk scraped Kael's arm, sending him tumbling across the dirt. Pain shot through his body.
"Ahhh—! Okay, okay, note to self: don't taunt the walking mountain."
But the gloves tightened, dragging him to his feet. The club pulsed, reshaping again—this time into a massive hammer, heavy and brutal.
Kael blinked. "Ohhh… I could get used to this."
The beast roared and charged again.
Kael braced himself, lifted the hammer, and swung down with everything he had.
BOOOOM!
The impact sent a shockwave blasting outward, flattening the grass and hurling dust into the air. The hammer slammed into the boar's skull, driving it into the dirt.
The monster twitched, dazed but not dead. Blood dripped from its mouth as it staggered back up, trembling with fury.
Kael panted, sweat stinging his eyes. His arms felt like lead, but the gloves wouldn't let go—they were still glowing, still demanding more.
The boar scraped its hooves, preparing to charge again.
Kael straightened, a grin tugging at his lips despite the pain.
"…Guess we're going all the way, huh? Fine. Let's end this."
The hammer shifted once more, shrinking, twisting—until Kael held a long crimson spear. Energy crackled at its tip, hungry and sharp.
The boar thundered forward, tusks aimed straight for his chest.
Kael exhaled, eyes narrowing. Time seemed to slow.
He sprinted forward.
At the last second, he vaulted upward, planting a foot on the beast's tusk and launching himself into the air. The spear glowed brighter, vibrating with chaotic energy.
Kael roared.
"Take this—CHAOS STRIKE!"
He drove the spear down into the boar's skull.
CRAAAAACK!
A burst of crimson energy exploded outward, shaking the ground. The boar screamed, convulsed, then collapsed, its body going still.
Smoke rose from its carcass. The only sound was Kael's ragged breathing.
He yanked the spear free, which instantly reverted back into the plain wooden stick it had once been. The gloves pulsed faintly, satisfied—for now.
Kael dropped to the ground, flopping onto his back with a groan.
"…Legendary warrior Kael Stormound, first great victory: one oversized pig. Reward: probably no dinner, because I dropped Grandma's vegetables somewhere back there."
He closed his eyes, grinning weakly despite the exhaustion.
But deep down, he knew it.
This was only the beginning.