However, in silence, his heart murmured anxiously.
"I haven't told Dad and Mom that I'm going hunting today... If they find out, I'll definitely get scolded badly..."
Shaking off his thoughts, Tian put on a cheerful demeanor again.
"Well then, I'm off! I'm heading to the market!"
Old Man Edward nodded while waving his hand.
"Be careful on the road! Don't fall, young man!"
Tian just chuckled lightly, then with a firm motion, he lifted the large boar onto his shoulder. Under the astonished gaze of the villagers, he continued his steps toward the village.
A few seconds passed in silence until Fredrick finally spoke softly, yet with pressure.
"Hey... Damian, don't we usually need a cart to carry something that big?"
His eyes still followed Tian's receding figure.
"How could he lift it by himself?!"
Damian crossed his arms, squinting as if trying to comprehend it again.
"Thinking about it... he also defeated its mother by himself. So... maybe it's possible?" he said quietly, though his tone sounded uncertain.
Fredrick shook his head quickly.
"Still, even a Rank B adventurer usually needs help to carry a carcass that big. Can we still call that kid normal?"
Damian just sighed.
"I don't know... But it seems we just witnessed the beginning of something extraordinary."
The villagers said nothing more. Their eyes were still fixed on the direction Tian had gone— a 13-year-old boy seemingly carrying more than just a wild boar.
The midday sun shone brightly as Tian finally arrived at the edge of the village market. The atmosphere of the market, which had previously been bustling with bargaining voices and laughter, gradually began to quiet down as the vendors and buyers noticed something strange—or more precisely, someone carrying something impossible.
A street vendor who usually sold there sat in his chair, looking relaxed while gazing at the road. However, as soon as his eyes caught sight of a giant boar approaching, his face turned pale.
"Oh my God! A WILD BOAR?!" he exclaimed, his body jolting so much that the chair he was sitting on toppled over.
"CRASH!"
He fell with a face full of panic.
His scream attracted the attention of other vendors in the market square. One by one, they stopped their activities and turned to see Tian coming with the wild boar on his shoulder.
"W-what is that... a wild boar?! But... how did it get into the village?!" shouted a meat vendor with a horrified expression.
The fruit, vegetable, fish, and spice vendors were also shocked. Some even took a few steps back, worried that the boar might still be alive and could go berserk at any moment.
"W-wait! Is that... Tian?!" shouted one of the vegetable vendors, starting to realize.
Seeing the panicked reactions of the vendors, Tian could only smile slightly. This scene reminded him of the uncles at the wheat field earlier. With confident steps, he approached the fallen vendor.
"Uncle Vendor! It's me, Tian!" he called out enthusiastically.
However, the vendors still looked wary.
"I brought my catch again! This time, my catch is HUGE!" he said proudly.
Instantly, the atmosphere of the market turned lively. The vendors, who were initially panicked, now surrounded Tian with curiosity.
"Impossible! The weight of a wild boar can reach thousands of kilograms!" exclaimed a vegetable vendor with wide eyes.
"He also went hunting and lifted two piglets yesterday, so don't be too dramatic. Although it is indeed impressive," replied a relaxed fish vendor.
"Piglets? That's different! Piglets can still be lifted by one or two physical-type adventurers, but a wild boar needs a cart to transport it. If an adventurer can lift it, they must be one of the TOP Rank B adventurers!"
"Exactly! Even professional hunters need a team to catch it! How could Tian catch and lift it all by himself?!" added another vendor.
The vendor sighed deeply, still unable to believe what he was seeing. He approached and patted the large boar several times.
"You always surprise me, Tian... But a boar this big... it's hard to believe you could lift and bring it here." His eyes sparkled as he examined the boar's body. "Alright, let's check it together."
Tian carefully lowered the boar from his shoulder.
BOOM!
The ground trembled slightly as the large body hit the ground, startling several vendors nearby.
The street vendor squatted down, starting to inspect the boar's body. He felt the meat, checked the condition of the skin, and pressed on several parts of the body to ensure its quality.
"Hmmm... thick fat, solid muscles, and almost no serious wounds except on the head... Tian, this is an extraordinary catch." Other curious vendors gathered to take a look.
Tian helped tilt the boar's body. "Thank you, Uncle!"
The street vendor nodded, increasingly impressed with Tian.
"This kid is not only strong but also smart in hunting... amazing."
"Alright, Tian! I will buy it from you. With the quality of this meat, I can sell it at a high price. I will give you the best price."
Tian nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you, Uncle!"
Several other vendors who were still crowding around Tian could only shake their heads.
"This kid is truly extraordinary..." murmured one vendor in awe.
"If he's this strong now, how will he be when he grows up?" whispered another vendor.
While Tian was busy talking with the street vendor, the villagers in the market began spreading the story. In no time, news of Tian successfully conquering a wild boar all by himself spread throughout the market and perhaps even to the entire village.
"Alright, Tian. For the price, the meat and skin are about 1320 silver coins, and for the two pairs of tusks, 500 silver coins. Also, since this wild boar has a magic stone, I will add around 500 silver coins more. Tian, here it is, a total of 2320 silver coins. To avoid carrying too much money, I'll give you gold coins, so it's 23 gold coins and 20 silver coins," said the vendor while handing over a bag of gold coins.
Tian looked a bit shocked upon hearing the amount. "Wow, is it okay to have this much? Thank you so much, Uncle," he said.
Usually, monsters start to possess magic stones when they enter adulthood. At that time, the magic core within their bodies begins to form and strengthen, becoming a source of power that enhances their bodies and instincts, including creatures as strong as the Giant Boar.
On the other hand, the vendors who were initially stunned by Tian's arrival began to return to their routines. After observing Tian busy with his money for a while, the vendor still looked incredulous. Finally, he asked, shaking his head,
"Tian, you are truly remarkable. I still can't believe you managed to defeat a monster this big all by yourself and even carry it to the village! Not to mention, at such a young age, you're already diligently collecting money. What are you working so hard for, Tian? Do you want to help your family?"
Tian, hearing the question, spontaneously replied innocently, "Eh, not really, Uncle. Actually, I'm hunting and collecting money to buy a female goat. So that the male has a companion and my goats can multiply." Tian smiled, feeling that his answer was clear enough.
The vendor was a bit surprised and stared in disbelief at Tian's innocent response. "Huh? So all this time, you've been collecting this much money just to buy a female goat?" he asked, his face half astonished and half laughing.