After resting for a while, Tian lifted his head and saw a group of small wild boars in the distance.
The offspring of the wild boar he had just defeated.
They stared at Tian with expressions that were hard to interpret.
Tian suddenly grinned oddly.
"Don't worry... you're safe now," he whispered in a tone that sounded suspicious.
In an instant, the little wild boars shivered in fear, then bolted into the depths of the forest.
"Hahaha... they know who to be afraid of."
Tian shrugged and let out a long sigh.
He stood next to the massive body of the mother boar he had just defeated. Sweat still trickled down his forehead, but he didn't want to leave the body in the forest just like that.
"Alright... now I have to take you to the market."
He took a deep breath, then spread his arms wide. With all his strength, he began to lift the massive body.
"Hmmmpphh... t-this... is so heavy!" he muttered with strained voice, the muscles in his arms tensing as he lifted a weight nearly thirty times his own body mass.
Tian stepped forward slowly, each stride feeling like he was carrying a boulder on his back. His feet pressed hard into the ground, leaving deep marks in the grass.
After a long and tiring walk, he finally arrived at the grassy field where he usually rested. Panting heavily, he lowered the mother boar under a shady tree.
"BOOOM!"
The ground shook as the giant body hit the earth.
"MBEEEE!!"
Tian's goat, who had been napping peacefully, suddenly woke up with wide eyes. It jumped in shock, almost running away in fear.
Tian chuckled softly. "Sorry, sorry... I think I startled you," he said while gently patting the goat's head to calm it.
Feeling exhausted, Tian sat down, leaning against the tree trunk, enjoying the soft midday breeze.
As the sun reached its peak, Tian decided to head to the market. He brushed off his pants, fixed his slightly messy hair, and began walking through the wheat field.
In that field, five villagers were busy working. They were absorbed in their tasks until suddenly—
"Oi, something's coming!" shouted Joseph, squinting towards the forest path.
Roby, standing beside him, also looked over. As soon as his eyes caught the massive figure approaching, his face turned pale.
"W-What?! THAT'S A MOTHER WILD BOAR?!" he screamed in panic.
The other villagers' eyes widened. A creeping fear began to take hold.
"D-Don't tell me that mother boar is fleeing from a pack of Green Wolves!" said old man Edward nervously.
"We need to run now!" he added, his voice slightly trembling.
Some villagers started preparing to flee, but—
"Wait a second, everyone," said Damian, a young man who had been observing more carefully.
"What are you waiting for?! We need to run! Don't you see that mother boar getting closer?!" Fredrick shouted in panic.
Damian shook his head. "That's not it... look closely."
He pointed at the moving wild boar.
"It looks like... the boar is being carried by someone."
Everyone fell silent.
Fredrick scoffed. "What do you mean?! No one could carry a mother wild boar alone! That's impossible!!"
Damian remained calm. "I know it's hard to believe... but my eyes aren't lying. It's definitely being carried."
As they were still arguing, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in the air.
"Heyyyy!! Uncles! Did something happen?"
They paused for a moment, exchanging glances.
Then Roby, who had run a bit farther, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Ehh?! That voice... don't tell me... Tian?!"
The others began to realize.
Fredrick looked in disbelief. "Don't tell me... the one who fought that mother wild boar was Tian? Not a pack of Green Wolves?!"
His eyes widened, as if rejecting that reality.
"Impossible!! He's still a kid! Even defeating one mother boar usually requires several rank C adventurers!!"
Old man Edward just chuckled, stroking his white beard while nodding.
"Ho ho ho... it seems David's son is truly talented and quite special."
"Oi! Hold on a minute!" Roby suddenly shouted. "Isn't Tian only 13 years old? That means he hasn't even received his physical or magical blessing! He hasn't gone through the church's coming-of-age ceremony yet!"
Damian nodded. "That's right. Even if he had received the warrior's blessing, his body shouldn't be that strong yet. Normally, it takes years of training to be able to handle a monster like that!"
"See?!" Fredrick chimed in, still confused.
"Alright, alright," old man Edward spoke again. "It's true this seems impossible. But that doesn't mean it can't happen. Long ago, there was an 11-year-old boy who defeated a Scythewing Reaper with nothing but a dagger... though he was severely wounded."
Damian's curiosity was piqued. "Who was that, Grandpa Edward?"
The old man smiled faintly. "That boy was David Anderson."
"What?!" Roby almost shouted.
"T-That can't be! David-san only came to this village around 14 years ago!" Fredrick said in disbelief. "Please don't joke around, Grandpa Edward!"
"You might not know this," Edward continued quietly, "but David lived in this village 28 years ago with his parents, though only for a short time."
"Huh...?!"
"David's mother... was from this village. So even though he left, his roots have always been in Thorn Root."
The four other men exchanged glances, unable to hide their shock.
"Is that true, Grandpa Edward?" Joseph asked.
"It is," the old man replied calmly.
And just then...
Tian finally arrived before them—walking casually, his body dusty, sweat still dripping down his forehead, but a wide smile on his face. Then he laid down the boar's body on the ground.
The villagers fell silent, not a word escaping their mouths. Only the sound of breathing and the rustling wind filled the air.
Joseph stepped forward, his face filled with astonishment, his eyes locked on the boy before him.
"Tian... don't tell me you took down this mother boar by yourself?" he asked, his voice trembling between awe and disbelief.
Tian gave a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his sweaty neck.
"Y-Yeah, Uncle... I did it alone. But honestly... it was really heavy."
Damian quickly approached, eyes carefully scanning Tian's body.
"You're not hurt, Tian?" he asked with concern.
"Don't worry, Damian-san. I'm totally fine."
Tian replied while patting his dust-covered chest.
Damian slowly nodded, still stunned.
"I see... amazing..."
Suddenly, a booming laugh filled the air.
"Ho ho ho! So young, yet already capable of taking down a mother boar alone!" exclaimed old man Edward, his eyes gleaming.
"Your father must be proud of you, Tian-kun! You're truly the pride of Thorn Root Village!"
Tian bowed slightly, a shy smile forming on his face.
"Ahaha... Thank you, Uncle Edward."