The morning mist had already lifted by the time the camp fully stirred. The forest was alive with soft birdsong, and faint rays of sunlight filtered through the canopy, catching the edges of the Taurox horns stacked neatly beside their campfire.
The smell of roasting meat filled the air again. Omina flipped a slab of Taurox meat over the fire with practiced ease. She'd sprinkled crushed herbs and wild greens she had foraged earlier, creating a savory aroma that even made Baboar snort impatiently nearby. Char Kway's bear sat just beyond the firelight, watching the sizzling meat with sharp, hungry eyes.
They cooked more than usual this time—not just for themselves, but for their new companion and their guest's bear. The sheer volume of Taurox meat made it easy to be generous. Even after several meals, the pile barely seemed to shrink.
"Feels like no matter how much we eat, it just doesn't run out," Yoshiya muttered, turning a spit.
Omina smirked. "Good. We'll need all the energy we can get."
Baboar gave a low grunt as if agreeing.
After breakfast, Char Kway stood, brushing off her trousers. "Aiya, time for round two, lah. You tame one boar already, but for this kind of loot, one is not enough, leh. Come, girl," she said, motioning to Omina.
Omina wiped her hands and nodded eagerly. "Let's go."
Yoshiya waved them off. "I'll stay here and work on the second sled. You two bring me a strong one, alright?"
"Aye, aye~" Omina answered playfully.
While the two disappeared into the woods with Baboar trailing behind, Yoshiya returned to the task at hand. He walked around the loot pile, mentally sorting and measuring. Horns, hides, organs, bones, meat—everything had its place now, but without proper transport, it would all rot or be left behind.
He gathered long branches and vines, testing their flexibility. "This one'll do," he murmured, tying a thick vine around two sturdy poles. His hands moved steadily, the newly acquired Basic Craftsmanship skill subtly guiding his instincts. The sound of vines tightening and wood creaking filled the quiet clearing.
The forest boars were surprisingly strong, but without proper sleds, the hides alone would weigh them down too much. Yoshiya focused, trimming bark and smoothing out edges. By the time the sun climbed higher, he had the base frame complete.
A rustle from the undergrowth made him glance up. Char Kway and Omina emerged, triumphant.
Behind them lumbered another forest boar, slightly larger than Baboar, with a pair of curled tusks and curious eyes. It snorted, sniffing the air as if assessing the situation.
Omina walked beside it proudly. "Yoshiya! Meet our second helper."
Yoshiya straightened, wiping sweat from his brow. "You tamed another one already? That was fast."
Char Kway chuckled. "Wah, this girl got talent, lah. The boar see meat, then see her face—instant friend, leh!"
Omina puffed her chest. "Hehe. I offered him roasted meat. Worked like a charm."
Yoshiya raised an eyebrow. "And the name?"
Omina placed her hands on her hips dramatically. "LaBoar!"
He blinked. "…LaBoar? You mean… Labour?"
She tilted her head innocently. "Nope. LaBoar. Sounds cooler."
Yoshiya sighed, but a grin tugged at his lips. "Fine. Baboar and LaBoar… Cargo-kun Squad it is."
Char Kway burst out laughing. "Aiya! You two very funny, lah."
With both boars now tamed and secured, Yoshiya began constructing the harness for the new sled while Char Kway gave Omina further taming tips—how to guide the boars gently, how to keep them calm on uneven paths, and what signs to watch for when they were tired.
Once everything was set, Char Kway dusted off her hands and stood. "Alright, time for me to go, lah. My bear getting restless already, aiya."
She pursed her lips and let out a sharp whistle. A few heartbeats later, a large hawk-like bird descended through the treetops, wings spread wide. It circled once before landing neatly on a nearby branch.
Omina's eyes widened. "What's that?"
"My navigator," Char Kway said proudly. "He show me the way when forest too big, lah. If you strong enough, you can tame more than one beast too, leh. Just don't get greedy, aiya. Beast also got feelings, you know?"
Yoshiya chuckled softly. "Noted."
Char Kway swung herself up onto her bear's back with practiced ease. "You two take care, lah. And treat those boars nice. They might save your life one day, leh."
"Thank you, Char Kway," Yoshiya said sincerely. Omina waved both arms. "Bye-bye!"
With a final laugh and a wave, Char Kway rode off into the forest, her hawk soaring above her.
Once she was gone, the clearing felt quieter—but not empty. Two strong boars, neatly organized loot, and a pair of newly gained skills gave the scene a sense of progress.
Yoshiya and Omina spent the rest of the morning distributing the loot between the two sleds. Horns were bundled carefully and tied to LaBoar, while organs were wrapped in leaves and secured to Baboar. Hides were stacked on both sleds, evenly distributed for balance. A small portion of meat and some bones were packed at the rear.
By the time they were done, the once-overwhelming pile had been split into two neat, transportable loads. Yoshiya tightened the last vine strap and exhaled.
"This… might actually work," he said, a touch of satisfaction in his voice.
LaBoar snorted, stamping its hoof. Baboar simply chewed on a stray vine, uninterested in logistics.
Omina clapped her hands together. "Perfect. Now we're ready to head back!"
But Yoshiya's brow furrowed as he stepped back to assess the situation one last time. The distribution looked good… but he couldn't shake a nagging thought.
"…Even with two boars," he murmured, "we're cutting it close on weight."
Omina tilted her head. "Huh?"
He gestured to the sleds. "If the terrain gets rough, this could be a problem. We might need to get creative again…"
She followed his gaze, then looked at LaBoar and Baboar, who were both happily sniffing at patches of grass.
A slow grin spread across her face. "Then we'll just tame more, right?"
Yoshiya chuckled under his breath. "You're getting too good at this."
The chapter closed with the two of them standing side by side, looking at their newly expanded little caravan—two boars, two sleds, and a mountain of loot finally starting to look movable. The real journey home was about to begin.