A few months later…
"You want to join us on our hunts?" Ichigo said, with one brow raised. "This isn't playtime, you know," she warned.
"Yeah, you can't always count on your instincts alone to keep you safe. Plus… stronger beasts have been appearing more often lately," Mikan added.
"But… I think I'm ready. I want to help our family!" I said with conviction.
The two sisters glanced at each other, hesitating.
"Hmmm… what do you think, Ringo?"
They both turned to her.
"Sure," Ringo said calmly. "I can protect him. Easy."
"Besides, I've seen his strength. It's not bad for his age."
After a moment, Ichigo let out a sigh. "Fine. But you have to stay close to Ringo. She's the only one who can focus on protecting you, alright? My offensive fighting style needs freedom so I can fight effectively, and I can't do that when I also have to worry about you." She paused. "And both Father and Mother have to agree."
"I thank the heavens for my sisters! I won't let you down!" I exaggerated, dropping to my knees in an overly deep bow.
They all smiled and laughed.
"Stand up, you silly boy. Prepare your things for tomorrow. We take our hunts seriously," Ichigo said.
"Also, getting a successful hunt is great, but we prioritize the safety of our family, got that?" She looked at me sternly. "You must promise to put family first, no matter what."
"I promise."
All three of them smiled at me.
That night, my sisters and I brought the matter up to our parents. Since mother was resting with her illness, is was all up to father.
He hesitant at first, I could see his conflicting feelings of putting his children in danger versus letting his family starve in the winter.
Regarding that... it seemed to be a difficult topic in the family for some reason, and I'm not dumb enough to ever bring it up or ask.
He eventually agreed, looking away and holding back frustrated tears over his inability to protect us.
We did our best to console him, and he praised the heavens for blessing him with such capable children.
In the end, he agreed—after hearing my sisters promise to protect me, and my own promise to listen to them without question.
That was how dire our life had become.
Winter was coming.
—————
In the morning, I was woken by the sound of my sisters preparing their equipment.
Winter was nearing; I could already feel the cold air biting at my skin. It meant thicker, layered clothing. Each of us wore conical hats and straw raincoats to keep warm.
We set out, with Sister Ichigo walking ahead, her sheathed katana at her side. Sister Mikan moved a few paces in front, acting as our scout. Sister Ringo stayed at the back, her straw gauntlets wrapped in hemp, and I walked right beside her—no weapons, just good vibes and a tail.
After a few hours of trekking through the forest, Sister Mikan reported spotting deer and wolves here and there, but they all seemed on edge, easily spooked. It made sense though. Stronger beasts had been roaming the forest lately.
As for me, I was thrilled. This was the first time I'd truly explored the forest.
Well… the first time since I crash-landed.
I don't really remember anything about what happened after I transformed, but from what my sisters told me, They found me injured inside a totally devastated area. Whatever had caused it disappeared by the time they found me.
The good thing is, it seems they still don't know about my ape transformation.
I've been very very careful during night time, causing my sisters to think I'm obsessed the moon or something... as I'd always confirmed whether or not the full moon was up before doing things at night.
If it were up... then I'd use the "I'm eepy" excuse.
Speaking of my transformation, wasn't that terrifying?
Somewhere in this forest, there was a creature capable of defeating a Great Ape.
Noticing my expression darken and my brows knit together, Ringo spoke up. "Don't worry too much, Merun. If we don't find anything today, we can always come back tomorrow."
"What? Oh, no, hehe. I was just thinking about something else," I said.
Before I could explain further, Mikan raised her left hand, signaling that she'd spotted something. Then she made another gesture, one that roughly translated to jackpot.
It was another Erymanthian boar.
This thing was basically a ton of delicious meat, plus the tusks and hide sold for a decent amount.
Suppressing my excitement, I peeked out and saw it by the river, looking utterly relaxed as it drank from the water.
Was it relaxed because it was the apex predator around here?
hehe I could already smell roasted pork
Mikan signaled for us to surround it. Once we were in position, Eldest Sister Ichigo finally charged.
Her footsteps were surprisingly quiet as she closed the distance, katana unsheathed.
Only when she was a few steps away did the beast notice her.
By then, it was too late.
SLASH.
Blood sprayed as the rear of the beast's hind legs were cut deeply. Almost totally severed even. Its legs buckled under its own massive weight, collapsing into the ground.
As the boar squealed, immobilized, Ichigo stepped forward and, in one smooth motion, drove her blade into its eye—ending it instantly.
My jaw dropped.
SISTER ICHIGO IS FUCKING STRONG!
Mikan appeared beside me, grinning. "Surprised by how easy that was?"
"That's what experience and preparation do," she said. "Last time, we were caught off guard. Afterward, we talked it through. Strategies, weak points, stuff like that."
"This is the result!" she added proudly. "What do you think, Merun? Aren't your sisters the coolest?"
"The coolest!" I shouted.
As my sisters discussed how to transport the boar, I began thinking of modern dishes I could introduce to this world... hmm.. something something pork...
Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt it.
A shiver ran from my tail and up my spine.
"DANGER!" I shouted, scanning the forest for the source of the feeling.
My sisters reacted instantly, taking battle stances. Ringo stepped in front of me without hesitation.
I couldn't see anything at first—but then Mikan froze.
She'd spotted it.
Following her gaze, I saw it too.
…Fuck.
The past two boars we'd killed were juvenile. That explained the short tusks.
It was also why that fucking boar was just chilling.
From beyond the river emerged a massive, towering boar. Dozens of long, razor-sharp fangs jutted from its face, almost covering it's burning red eyes. Its thick brown hide was scarred and dense, it was clearly furious.
The air itself seemed to tingle.
Not wasting a second, "Mikan, hide! Ringo, protect Merun!" Ichigo barked.
They had talked about what to do when emergencies like this arrived.
The mother erymanthian boar charged.
Despite its size, it moved with terrifying speed—like a runaway train barreling straight toward us.