Soon enough, Gojo sensed a large creature about 500 meters away and, without hesitation, ran toward it. When he got closer, Gojo began moving stealthily. To maximize his stealth, he jumped onto a tree branch and moved from one to another, his light steps barely making a sound. After leaping across nearly five trees, he finally spotted the large creature. It was what Gojo had expected—a wild boar—but its size was monstrous.
A faint smile appeared on his face beneath the blindfold. "What a good way to start my hunting career," he murmured, voice calm yet tinged with excitement. He gripped the sword in his hand—the same one he had bought in the Loguetown for 450,000 berries. Glancing at the blade, he said softly, "Hope my 450,000 spent on you is worth it."
With that, Gojo jumped down from the tree. The sudden thud of his landing startled the boar, which immediately backed away, snorting loudly. When it saw only a lone human—not some predator like a lion or tiger—it grew bolder, its eyes burning with rage. With a furious squeal, it charged straight at him.
Gojo tightened his grip on the sword's handle, waiting calmly as the pounding of hooves shook the ground. Closer… just a bit closer. As soon as the boar came within range, he sprang lightly into the air, twisting his wrist as he drew the blade. The sword flashed—clean, precise—and passed through the boar's neck in one fluid motion.
Gojo landed smoothly, dust rising around his feet. Behind him, the massive boar slid several meters forward before collapsing. A gush of crimson burst from the wound as Gojo sheathed his sword with a soft click. The creature staggered, trying to turn toward him again, but within a few steps it fell lifeless to the ground.
He didn't leave right away. Instead, he waited beside the corpse, watching as the blood soaked into the earth. He had a second motive—if other beasts were drawn by the scent, he could hunt them too. But luck wasn't on his side today. Minutes passed, and within the six to seven hundred meters of his perception, no ferocious creature stirred.
Finally, once the blood had drained completely, Gojo grabbed the boar by its hind leg and began dragging it out of the forest. The task took nearly an hour, his steady pace unbroken despite the weight. Emerging into the open fields, he turned toward the village to hire a cart—after all, hauling a boar carcass into town by hand would look barbaric, and the town guards would never allow it.
As Gojo made his way back, a small group of hunters approached from the opposite direction, weapons slung over their shoulders. From the nets and bows they carried, it was clear they were heading into the forest for a hunt. But what stopped them in their tracks was the sight of a boy—blindfolded, dressed in black, a sword in one hand, dragging a massive boar with the other.
The hunters exchanged stunned looks. One clean cut to the neck. One strike. They realized this boy had killed the beast alone.
One of the hunters muttered, "When did such a young hunter appear in our village, and powerful enough to take down a boar alone?" Among them, one man nodded knowingly. "I know him. He's new here—lives on rent in Rick's old house. Rick brought him here. I even heard he joined the sword dojo, but left after just ten days. And yet… he mastered basic swordsmanship in that short time."
The group exchanged astonished glances. One man with shifty eyes leaned toward the leader. "Brother, why don't we just snatch his boar? That beast could fetch at least three hundred thousand berries."
The head of the hunters glared at him. "Don't drag me into your foolishness if you want to survive. If a boy like that can kill a boar with a single strike, attacking him might get us all killed. His strength is far above what it seems—snatching his prey isn't an option."
The man shrank back silently, realizing the wisdom in the leader's words. Gojo, carrying his boar, passed by the hunters without a glance or greeting. They were strangers to him, and he had no reason to acknowledge them.
Soon, he reached the village gate. Around the gate, a few carts were lined up, ready to travel to the town. Standing before them, Gojo said, "Anyone here who can take my hunted boar to the town? I want to sell it there."
One cartman immediately stepped forward. "Yes, just tell me. I'll take it. And I won't ask for much—just a thousand berries."
Gojo, blindfolded eyes hidden beneath the cloth, nodded. "Alright, follow me with your cart. You should see my prey first before setting the price, right?"
The man quickly nodded, pushing his cart forward. They moved outside the village gate, and Gojo placed the boar on the grass by the side of the road. The cartman examined the beast carefully. "This boar is enormous. If another cartman saw it, they'd charge at least two thousand berries. But I'll take fifteen hundred."
Gojo's sharp perception noticed the honesty in the man's words. "Are you short on money?" he asked quietly.
The cartman bowed slightly. "Yes… I haven't had any customers for the past two days. I need the money."
Gojo nodded slowly. "I understand. Don't worry—I'll pay you two thousand berries, the price you deserve. And from now on, if you're free the days I go hunting, your cart will be the one I use."
Though Gojo was an introvert who seldom cared for others' opinions, his kindness showed in his actions. The cartman beamed, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.
Gojo said, "Alright, let's load the boar first."
The cartman nodded, and with Gojo's guidance, they began lifting the beast. Gojo did most of the work himself, the weight heavy but manageable—after all, the cartman wasn't particularly strong. The wind rustled the grass around them as they heaved the massive prey onto the cart, the midday sun casting sharp shadows over the scene.
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