"Let's look for a capybara… yeah, damn it to hell."
Daily missions were taking more and more of his time, yet he still tried to complete all of them… especially after penalties were introduced alongside rewards. He was literally living between the carrot and the stick. And because of that, his daily hunting time was gradually shrinking.
Four days… each worse than the last. Literally: utter failure.
Not a single hunt.
Not even a pigeon to save his dignity.
He raised his rifle toward the sky and fired an angry shot that tore through the air.
"AAARGH! Damn you, forest! When I want your animals, you don't show them, and when you decide to… you send me your worst predators!"
The trees trembled at his voice. Birds took off in frightened flocks, and monkeys and apes leaped from branch to branch.
Then… a spark struck his mind.
"This world is real—and it's affected by what happens!"
For three weeks he had been roaming the area, hunting and sweeping every inch of it.
Naturally, any animal with even a shred of intelligence would try to avoid him at the very least… or change its habitat entirely.
How far could the sound of gunfire travel?
He sighed, trying to estimate the distance the animals might have migrated.
There were several ways to hunt, and many methods Renji avoided because he hated failure… but he also hated trying.
Among the hunting methods he knew were:
1. Ambush hunting: building a hide and waiting for a long time until the prey passes by.
2. Slow tracking: following footprints, scents, and disturbed soil—difficult for a beginner like him.
3. Chase hunting: forcing the animal to flee, then closing the distance and bringing it down; he had failed miserably at this several times.
4. Trap setting: ropes, pits, weight traps… less effort but requiring time and preparation, which never suited him.
5. Hunting at water sources: watching a river or pond until thirsty animals come—except there was no water source at all.
Renji… by nature hated failure, but he also hated trying.
So he preferred the first method: observation and waiting until his prey passed before him generously.
And he never ventured more than a few kilometers from his camp.
But now?
Now he had an additional reason that forced him to move.
Capybaras.
He had to find a river, a swamp, or any kind of water outlet—that was their natural habitat.
Otherwise… that side quest would keep growing algae on it… and rot forever.
He opened his personal data:
────────────────────────
■ Name: Yosukawa Renji
■ Talent: B+
■ Level: 4 (150/101)
■ Wealth: 81 Coins
■ Core Attributes:
• Accuracy ...... B
• Stability ...... D+
• Focus ...... C-
• Perception .... E+
• Motion Reading ... D-
• Readiness ..... D
• Endurance ..... C-
• Discipline .... E
────────────────────────
He had used every elixir he obtained. All of them were rank C, so only the attributes known to respond to that tier had increased:
Discipline rose slightly…
Stability improved noticeably…
As for accuracy? He already knew it wouldn't move even a centimeter.
He had always noticed this in video games: if your talent is higher than the enhancement tier, the stat won't change.
And since his accuracy was B, a C-rank elixir wouldn't affect it at all. He needed a B-rank elixir or higher.
But that didn't matter.
What he needed now was stability… discipline… and readiness.
Accuracy was the least of his worries as long as he fired from a fixed position.
He closed the system as he walked absentmindedly, just to protect his visual field from distraction.
Then… he stopped abruptly.
He smelled something.
The scent of water.
He surged forward at a faster pace, following the moisture in the air, until a wide riverbank appeared before him…
And it was teeming with life.
Long-legged river birds searched for fish near the shore.
Small monkeys drank while nervously glancing around.
A pair of deer bent down to wet their lips.
And a crocodile, half-buried in the mud, watched in utter silence.
But none of that mattered to him.
What mattered… what made his saliva flow against his will…
Was the large herd stretched out under the sun, utterly carefree.
Capybaras.
The largest rodents in the world… and the target of his damned side quest.
He lowered himself slowly, crawling toward a low bush that provided excellent cover.
He chose a stable firing point, planted his elbows into the ground, and aimed the rifle at the closest one.
Ding!
The notification arrived late.
[Target detected: Giant Capybara]
Rewards: 40 Vital Points or 55 Coins (Optional)
Renji did not look calm or professional, the way he had imagined.
His heart was pounding rapidly.
His hands were shaking—despite the increased stability, it was still poor.
And sweat gathered at the back of his neck from the tension.
One breath…
Two…
Three…
He fired.
The shot sliced through the air like a slap.
One of the capybaras leapt into the air from the shock before collapsing onto its side.
The herd didn't understand what had happened… for a single second.
And that second… was a heavenly gift.
He reloaded the rifle with a speed he didn't know he possessed.
He swung the muzzle toward another that was trying to flee.
Boom!
He hit it.
Not in the same spot, but enough to bring it down.
Suddenly, the river erupted into complete chaos:
Bodies splashing into the water, animals screaming, frantic movement everywhere…
Then the herd vanished entirely into the jungle.
Renji remained seated where he was, his hand trembling from a mix of adrenaline and shock.
The readiness and stability stats were still weak…
And if not for the surprise that paralyzed the herd for a moment, he wouldn't have hit even one.
But he did… hit two.
Two… in a single operation.
He smiled… a slow, feral smile, filled with confidence.
He had found it.
His own private hunting paradise.