Tave moved cautiously through the dense forest, keeping his senses sharp and his focus at its peak.
Seriously, he still couldn't believe he was actually doing this.
Not even twenty-four hours had passed since he was pulled into this world, and now here he was, hunting monsters in the depths of a forest.
Not long ago, he'd been sitting comfortably in front of his computer, outlining the next twists and turns of a story he thought he controlled. And now? Now he was in it.
Living it.
And this wasn't just any forest. This was a place crawling with monsters.
Real monsters. Not wild animals, not imagined beasts. But living, breathing, deadly creatures born from Gaia Force.
The moonlight, dim and hazy, filtered weakly through the thick clouds and the dense canopy of trees above. But thanks to his enhanced vision, the darkness around him felt almost bright.
He could see the leaves, the shifting wind patterns, the faint movements in the distance, and most importantly, he could already sense the presence of a monster nearby.
What was the actual difference between monsters and normal animals anyway?
Did normal animals even exist in this world?
The answer was simple.
A monster was any creature that had been infected by Gaia Force, its instincts enhanced and pushed toward feral aggression.
So, yes, if there was a monster rabbit, there was also a normal rabbit. However, over time, the monster population had vastly outnumbered the normal ones.
Humans could consume both, though monster meat, having absorbed Gaia Force, had unique properties that made it more beneficial for those who had awakened Gaia Force themselves.
Even then, only around 40% of humans had actually awakened to Gaia Force, and the majority of them never advanced past Gaia Novice before hitting a wall.
***
Rustling. Movement. A sniffing sound.
Tave instantly stilled, focusing.
A low, snorting noise echoed to his right. He tilted his head slightly and spotted movement within the thick undergrowth.
Then… A wild boar emerged from the bushes.
A massive, dark-furred beast, thick tusks curving outward. Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, and in that moment, he recognized it, it should be a Tier 1 monster.
Even normal boars on Earth were already physically powerful compared to humans.
This? This thing was probably the strongest wild boar he'd ever seen.
The monster snorted aggressively, stomping at the ground. Then, as if driven purely by instinct, it charged.
The earth shook beneath its massive weight, a low, guttural roar ripping from its throat as it rushed straight for him.
Tave drew his sword, planting his stance firmly.
Come to me!
The boar thundered closer, tusks ready to impale.
And the moment it was about to hit! Tave rolled to the side.
The monster slammed headfirst into a tree, sending a powerful shockwave through the ground.
CRACK! Bark splintered. Leaves rained down. The boar staggered, shaking its body violently, trying to recover.
But Tave didn't give it a chance.
In that split second, he moved.
His sword flashed. Slashing into the boar's side.
The monster thrashed wildly, letting out a deep, enraged squeal, but Tave pushed forward, using his weight to drive it to the ground.
Then, he twisted the blade.
A deeper wound. More blood.
The boar kicked wildly, but Tave stomped on its head, forcing it down.
One more.
He yanked his sword free, gripping it tightly. The boar's legs thrashed, kicking up dirt as its body refused to surrender to death.
With a deep breath, Tave stepped in. Then drove the blade down, straight into its skull.
A final, guttural squeal ripped through the air before the beast twitched, its body jerking one last time.
Then, stillness.
Dark, crimson blood pooled beneath the fallen beast.
[ You have successfully slain a Common Wild Boar Lv. 8 ]
Tave let out a deep breath. His first monster kill in this world!
Hooray, victory!
But he didn't waste time celebrating.
He quickly turned the wild boar's massive body onto its side, his gaze locking onto its chest.
Sigh.
This was the most annoying part of monster hunting. Extracting the core.
Tave pulled out a dagger from his waist and dug into the boar's chest.
Damn, this is tough.
Thankfully, he had enough physical strength to push through. But still, slicing through flesh and muscle felt… different.
The smell of blood hit him immediately. He grimaced, his stomach twisting slightly.
This was his first time butchering an animal, let alone a monster.
Taking a steady breath, he forced himself to continue, sinking his hand into the open wound.
His fingers searched through the warm, pulsing flesh until he felt something hard beneath his touch.
It was small, about the size of a quail egg.
There!
He gripped it firmly and yanked it free.
Monster Core!
Lifting it into the air, the dark orange gem caught the faint glow of the moonlight.
This… was the core left behind when monsters died.
Not every monster dropped one. Only about a 50% chance. But Tave had gotten lucky on his first try.
Monster Cores were a powerful energy source.
The magic within them made them valuable for weapon forging, armor crafting, and even powering tools and machines across this world.
And yes, Monster Cores were worth a lot.
Tave stored his first Monster Core in the small pouch at his waist, a faint smirk forming on his lips.
Not bad.
Luckily, the Wild Boar had Earth properties, which meant it wasn't compatible with him at all. That was why he hadn't even considered using it as a sacrifice for his Bloodline Override.
Besides, the idea of inheriting traits from a boar didn't exactly sound appealing to him.
His eyes flickered back to the carcass lying at his feet.
Technically, he could carve out some of its parts to sell later. But there was no space for that in his bag.
So yeah, he'd just leave it here.
For now, Monster Cores were his priority.
Taking a steady breath, he resumed his slow, careful pace, keeping his breathing steady as he adjusted after his first real battle in this world.
And then, one more thing.
There was actually something even more valuable than Monster Cores, something incredibly rare that could be harvested from monsters.
Monster Soul Stones.
A Monster Soul Stone was, in essence, a Monster Core, but with a crucial difference. A fragment of the monster's soul remained within it.
Physically, it could be identified by its faint, natural glow, the soft energy pulsing from within.
Since the drop rate was significantly lower than that of regular Monster Cores, its value was far, far higher.
Functionally, it could be used the same way as a Monster Core, but with one major advantage, the potential to awaken something far greater when used.
And the most valuable use of all?
When a Monster Soul Stone was forged into a weapon or armor, there was a chance that the monster's soul would engrave itself into the item.
This would automatically transform the item into a Relic!
And that was why Monster Soul Stones were so insanely valuable.
And then, speaking of sacrificed creatures for his Bloodline Override, there was actually a better option than monsters. Races that were naturally attuned to the Dark Element would be far more effective. Creatures born with darkness in their veins, whose very essence resonated with the energy he now wielded.
One of the best choices? Demons.
Most demons had an extremely high affinity for the Dark Element, though some also had mixed elements, like Fire or other variations. But finding demons wasn't easy. They had their own separate world, entirely disconnected from Yunatea, a realm known as Hell. That said, some demons did exist in Yunatea, but they were deeply hidden, making them incredibly difficult to track down.
Another great option? Dark Elves.
They also possessed a strong affinity with the Dark Element, but like demons, they were reclusive and hard to find. And honestly, the idea of him, at his current weak level, hunting Demons or Dark Elves?
Yeah. That was pure insanity.
What's the difference between Dark Elves and Forest Elves, like the ones from Vensalor Floating Island Kingdom?
They were simply sub-races of Elves.
There were three main Elf sub-races: Forest Elves, common, widely spread across forests. Dark Elves, attuned to Dark Element, mostly hidden from the world. High Elves, the strongest and most powerful, ruling over the Central Continent.
So yeah. Dark Elves weren't an option either.
Tave had no choice but to hunt a monster with a natural Dark Element.
After wandering the forest for some time, he once again sensed movement in the bushes. His entire body tensed as he focused in on the presence. Then, a pair of glowing red eyes emerged from the darkness.
Tave froze, keeping himself as silent as possible.
The creature remained hidden behind a tree, lurking, watching him.
Then… a step.
Not a reckless charge. Not the blind aggression of the Wild Boar.
This was calculated. Deliberate.
Tave's breath caught in his throat. His fingers twitched around his sword hilt as the presence moved closer, slow and confident.
Then, finally. It revealed itself.
And… yes. This was the monster he needed!