I was Betrayed then Reincarnated as a Kitsune

Chapter 216: Capturing a Boar

[Luna POV]

The day after Velvet and Soleil took the next step in their relationship, we all headed back into the forest to follow the lead me and the others found.  As we were getting ready to go, Velvet asked what the two of them missed.

Luna, did you manage to find what you were looking for yesterday? (Velvet)

Not entirely, but we found a promising lead.  Places that showed signs of boar activity were everywhere.  And even deeper in was signs of one large enough to match the description Lia gave us of the previous one.  Were going to start following the tracks again today. (Luna)

Doesnt the festival start tomorrow? (Soleil)

Yeah, but even then, we have a week to track it down, capture it, and bring it back.  Not that it will be that hard. (Luna)

After the explanation, we all headed out to where we were yesterday.  The place was deep in the forest where it would be somewhat hard to see without night vision in places.  It also had large clusters of fungus everywhere.

Ummm.  I dont know why, but Im somewhat creeped out about this place. (Soleil)

Its fine, nothing here is that dangerous, just some parasitic mushrooms. (Skadi)

Isnt that dangerous enough? (Velvet)

No.  Just wear a mask and youll be fine.  Take these. (Luna)

I handed Velvet and Soleil a mask each and they put them on immediately.  Everyone else but me did the same and we headed into the mushroom infested part of the forest.

{Luna, Ive been thinking about this for a while, but are you sure your status effect immunity will protect you from parasitic fungus?}

Yeah.  If it didnt, I would have been infected when I got a face full of spores yesterday.

{Good.  I was really worried when that happened.}

Dont be, I immediately used healing magic after that happened anyway.

As me and Tamamo discussed this, we got to the place where we found all the boar traces.  I even heard a few run off when we entered the area.

Such jumpy little things nya.  Makes me want to chase them nya. (Mio)

You want to participate in the festival separately than me? (Luna)

Nah nya.  I knyow I wouldnt win nya. (Mio)

Dont be like that Mio, its not about winning for me, I just want to catch the one boar to fulfill a goal.  Plus, wed all win since were doing this together. (Luna)

Just another reason to help here then nya. (Mio)

Master, just a thought, but what if the boars around here are infected with the mushrooms?  Wouldnt it be bad if we brought it our from here then? (Ophidia)

Ill just use healing magic to get rid of any paratization that is there.  Though I dont think well have to worry about it since, for all I know, the boars might be immune to the effects.  I mean, it seems like they eat the mushrooms, so why would they eat something that will consume them in the end. (Luna)

I agree with Luna on this one, there are a lot of things in the sea that are the same, so it would make sense. (Skadi)

Oh, so its kind of like the relationship I had with those people a long time ago? (Ophidia)

Kind of, I think? (Luna)

We looked around the area for a bit to find the tracks we found yesterday and once we did, we started to follow them.  After a few hours, we started to see the signs of larger and larger boars.  The further we traveled, the bigger the traces.

Mio, I want your opinion.  How old do you think these traces are? (Luna)

Old nya.  Of course, there are traces of fresh marks here and there, but for the most part they are old nya. (Mio)

Hmm. (Luna)

I went over and sat down on a fallen log.  A bunch of spores flew into the air when I did that, but I just ignored them.  I watched them float around as I dove into my thoughts.  As I was thinking, my mind wandered to random directions.  Once thought in particular stuck with me, but I put it off and got back onto the main objective.

Skadi, you think well still find what were looking for? (Luna)

I cant say.  We might or we might not.  Is there any reason that it needs to specifically be an Erymanthean boar and not just a giant one? (Skadi)

(Luna)

Ill take that as a not sure. (Skadi)

I mean, it would make sense to be that since the first three I did were all correctly named, so I just assumed that it would be the case this time.  It doesnt help that there is a record of one existing.  Heck, Ill settle for a Calydonian boar. (Luna)

Ugh.  Those are a pain to hunt.  Theyre so aggressive and unpredictable. (Skadi)

Oh, I think I killed one of those before as well.  It was all spiky and tough.  Tasted horrible too. (Ophidia)

Well, youd have to go to the beast kingdom to hunt one of those anyway.  I know that their habitat isnt here. (Velvet)

Even you know of them Velvet? (Luna)

Yeah.  Calydonian boars are somewhat common in the southern part of the beast kingdom.  Though I havent heard of any attacks in recent years. (Velvet)

Huh.  What is it with this world and mythological beasts from my old one? (Luna)

{Diviners seeing into other worlds is common, remember.}

Yeah, but to think it was THIS common.

I stood up again and we moved on from the area we were in.  We went even deeper until the sunlight was replaced by the florescent cyan glow of mushrooms.

We better not run into any mutated, blind elves here or any chaurus. (Luna)

Do I even want to know what youre talking about? (Skadi)

Its not that interesting so no. (Luna)

Lunya, the traces here are more recent nya.  Still old nya, but not as old as the ones before nya. (Mio)

We continued on even further before I stopped the group.

Soleil, wind magic in front of us.  Nothing spiraling though. (Luna)

Soleil nodded and used wind magic.  The almost invisible wall of spores in front of us dispersed.  I looked around to make sure there were no other spores before we continued.  It was then that I heard something approaching us from above.  I immediately stepped back and the thing hit the ground.  It was a relatively large bird, but it was strange.  It had small mushrooms growing off of it and its eyes seemed dead.  It had clearly broken its neck when it hit the ground, but it started to move again.

B-big sis, is it an undead? (Soleil)

No.  It IS dead, but its not an undead.  The fungus is moving it like a puppet. (Luna)

I made a purification fox fire and lit the bird on fire with it to demonstrate.

See.  Not being purified. (Luna)

Then I used some normal fox fire and lit the bird on fire.  It let out a silent scream as the fungus got burned away.

Hold on, big sis, when did your normal fox fire turn silver? (Soleil)

Im not too sure myself.  Maybe when I got my sixth tail?  Every time I get one, something changes with me, so thats the theory Im going with.  It is kind of pretty though.  It reminds me of Tamamos Moonfire. (Luna)

Oh, when did you see that?  Ive only ever heard of Tamamo using Moonfire once. (Skadi)

When we punished that mongrel together. (Luna)

Ah. (Skadi)

We were about to start moving on again when I heard another sound.  This time though, it was the sound of something eating.  I moved my ears in several directions to find the right way to go then started in that direction.  As we got closer, I started to see what was making the noise.  A boar that was way bigger than a wyvern was munching away at some glowing mushrooms.  It had giant tusks that curled around and were almost as thick as one of the smaller trees in the forest.  It looked up from its feast and looked around and huffed.

It turned to face another tree with mushrooms growing on it and started to eat again.  Then, a boar the size of a polar bear entered the clearing and started eating some mushrooms as well.  The boar that was already there huffed again and pawed the ground.  It lowered its head some and started to charge.  The new boar looked up just as the massive boar got too close.  I expected a gory scene, but instead, the bear sized boar was just turned into a mist of blood.  All of us were shocked at what had just happened.

So, lets avoid that from hitting us. (Luna)

It might not kill me or you, Luna, but it will be very painful.  But the others should definitely not get hit by a charge. (Skadi)

Everyone nodded their heads.  I then appraised the boar we were staring at and was disappointed.

Not what we are looking for. (Luna)

In response, everyone looked at me like I was insane.  Velvet looked like she was about to say something when a roar shook the ground and trees.  We turned out attention back to the clearing and saw a boar the size of the kraken from back then.  Its eyes seemed to glow red as it stared down at the other boar.  The one from before started to back away, but the newest one charged and yet another mist of blood was created.  Only this time, the mist of blood wasnt the only thing left behind.  Several trees that were behind the previous boar were smashed to splinters.  I appraised the new boar.

Thats the one were looking for. (Luna)

Um.  How exactly do we go about capturing that nya? (Mio)

The same as always, Mio, brute force. (Luna)

I jumped out from our hiding place and ran to where the boar was looking.  It responded by huffing at me and then pawing the ground.  It lowered its head and started to charge at me.  I dodged and opened a Gate.  I shot a chain out of it and it wrapped around one of the massive tusks.  When the chain went taut, the boars head jerked to the side and it tripped.  I made the chain loosen a bit as it slid and the boar stopped on its back.  I then shot another chain out of another Gate and made it immobilize the boars legs.

Well, that went well. (Luna)

The others moved towards me from the spot we were in earlier.  Just as they got to my side, I felt the ground beneath me shake.

Oh, will it not be easy this time? (Luna)

I stepped to the side as a spike or earth shot up from the ground.

{How feisty.}

Indeed. (Luna)

The boar tried to shake loose from my chains, so I moved to its head and tapped.  Its eyes went unfocused and it stopped struggling.

What did you do? (Ophidia)

Just a simple illusion.  It wont even know that its not here anymore by the time I release it.  Thing is, we now have to drag it back. (Luna)

Why? (Soleil)

Because itll be a spectacle.  Plus the festival starts tomorrow and I doubt Lia will let us keep it at her home for any amount of time.  And I really dont want to keep it on my island.  If it somehow wakes up and gets out of my chains, who know what itll do. (Luna)

*Sigh* You really like the spectacle, dont you. (Velvet)

Yep.  It makes it more fun. (Luna)

Nyahahahaha nya.  It really does nya. (Mio)

Then lets head back.  Im starting to get a weird feeling about this part of the forest. (Luna)

Oh, so now you dont like it. (Soleil)

Never said I did. (Luna)

We started to walk as I dragged the boar behind us.

Chaos Realm:

Fenrir: They're right, I get a weird feeling about that place.

Tamamo: Indeed.

Hmm.  Heh.  This'll be fun.

Order: Notice something?

Yep. We just have to wait and watch.

Fenrir: My Mio better not be in danger.

Fenrir, she's close to Luna, she's one of the safest people in this world.  And if anything DID happen, Luna can heal her.

Fenrir: Then I'll put my trust in her.

Tamamo: Ufufu.