Chapter 45: The Reward
The three defeated Magic Boars lay before Lyra, Ella, and Yuki, their hulking forms twitching with the last remnants of life. The air was thick with the scent of the beasts' blood, and the surrounding forest felt eerily quiet after the ferocious battle. The boars, once an overwhelming force of nature, now lay in pieces, their magical auras dissipating into the atmosphere like the last embers of a dying flame.
Lyra stood panting, her wings fluttering slightly as she took in the sight. She had pushed herself harder than ever before, and the toll it had taken on her was evident. Her body ached, but the adrenaline of victory surged through her veins. They had done it. They had defeated the three Magic Boars and were now ready to collect their reward.
Ella wiped sweat from her brow, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Yuki, ever vigilant, kept her twin blades ready, her eyes darting around the perimeter as if expecting another attack at any moment. But the silence was thick, and it seemed that no more enemies were lurking nearby.
"We did it," Ella said with a smile, sheathing her sword. "Let's get to work."
The task at hand was grim but necessary. The boars, though dangerous, were valuable. They had to skin them, collect their parts, and bring everything back to the Guild. It was the only way to get their reward.
Lyra nodded and moved toward the nearest boar. She drew her dagger, its blade gleaming under the light that filtered through the trees. With careful precision, she began the process of skinning the creature, slicing through its tough hide. The work was slow, but Lyra’s steady hands made it seem almost effortless. The boar’s magic-infused hide was thick, resistant to ordinary weapons, but Lyra’s blade, infused with the power of the wind, cut through with ease. She worked in silence, the others doing the same as they harvested the valuable parts.
"Yuki, could you help with the tusks?" Lyra asked, glancing over at the Dark Elf.
Yuki, who was already starting to peel away the creature’s tusks with her blades, nodded. “Got it,” she replied, her voice focused but steady.
Ella took out her magic storage ring, a translucent band of silver that shimmered with arcane energy. “I’ll store the pieces in here. We don’t want to carry all this by hand,” she said as she held out her hand. The ring began to glow, and the boar parts disappeared into the ring as if they were sucked into an invisible vortex.
After a few more minutes of work, all the boars had been harvested. The tusks, hide, and other parts had been stored neatly in Ella’s ring, and the bodies of the boars were now just empty shells.
“Let’s head back,” Lyra said, looking toward the path that led back to the Adventurer’s Guild.
The walk through the forest felt surreal after the chaos of battle. The sounds of the forest returned, the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the occasional call of distant creatures. But even though the forest felt peaceful, Lyra knew better than to let her guard down. The Magic Boars were dangerous, but there were always worse things lurking in the shadows.
Chapter 45: The Reward - Part 2
After what felt like hours, they finally made it back to the Adventurer’s Guild. The tall stone building loomed before them, its weathered exterior marked with the same crossed sword emblem they had seen earlier. The air inside was warm and filled with the noise of chatter. Adventurers of all kinds, some rough-looking and others polished, stood at the counter, discussing their latest conquests and trading stories.
The representative at the counter looked up as Lyra, Ella, and Yuki approached, their hands full with the spoils of their hunt.
“You’re back,” the representative said with a professional smile, her eyes flicking to the large bundle the three of them carried. “I take it the hunt was successful?”
“Yes,” Ella said, her voice calm. “We’ve got the Magic Boars.”
The representative’s eyes brightened with interest. “I see. Follow me,” she said, waving them toward the back of the Guild.
Lyra, Ella, and Yuki followed the representative down a narrow hallway into a room filled with scales, magical implements, and alchemical equipment. The air was thick with the scent of ink, parchment, and dried herbs. The representative gestured for them to set down the boar parts on a large wooden table, and they did so with careful precision.
“We’ll need to verify the quality of the parts before we calculate the reward,” the representative explained, turning toward a shelf and taking out a set of magical tools. She waved her hand, and a soft glow illuminated the room, signaling the beginning of the analysis process.
Ella stood by, her arms crossed as she watched the representative work. “How long will this take?”
“Just a moment,” the representative replied, not looking up from her work. “The boars you hunted are a bit special. Not just any boar, you see.”
Lyra and Yuki exchanged a glance. They knew that the boars had been more dangerous than normal, but they hadn’t expected anything beyond the usual. “What do you mean by ‘special’?” Lyra asked.
The representative smiled knowingly. “These boars are infused with stronger magic than your average variety. They were probably a result of some magical experiment or mutation. That’s why the reward is higher than usual.”
The group waited in silence, watching as the representative carefully examined each part. The tusks, skin, and other components were placed under magical light, revealing their enhanced properties. The representative nodded in satisfaction and turned toward them.
“Okay,” she said after a while. “I’ve completed the analysis. This will be a hefty reward.” She handed them each a small slip of parchment. “Your total reward comes to 3,000 silver pieces and 3 gold coins. You’re lucky; these boars were much more special than regular ones. The magic they carry is quite rare.”
Ella’s eyes widened. “That’s a huge reward for just three boars.”
“Indeed,” the representative agreed. “You all did well. I’d say that was a job well done.”
The group nodded, satisfied with the result. But there was a sense of cautious excitement in the air. This was only the beginning, and Lyra knew that much bigger challenges awaited them.
“We’ll take it,” Lyra said, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
The representative handed them their gold and silver, and the three of them headed back toward the front of the Guild. They had done their job, and now it was time to plan their next steps.
“Now we just need to figure out what to do with all this,” Yuki said, holding up the small bag of coins.
Lyra nodded, her mind already turning over the possibilities. They had money, they had experience, and they had each other. With each mission they completed, they were one step closer to their goals.
But they weren’t done yet.
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