Chapter 126: Hunting alone.

Zyra’s hand hovered over the herb, pondering the perfect response to the latest response. The system was both right and wrong. It was right because she had not learned about this herb and the berries she had just picked in school. But it was wrong because the missing gap in her education was not deliberate. It was because humans had never ventured this far in the wild lands.

Everything here was new to them. Rather than arguing with the system, it was best to continue scavenging while it was in a mood to help without charging extra.

She took a deep breath and replied, "Well, that’s why I have you."

[And that is why you should praise me more often before Hunter. I am clearly the foundation of your survival.]

Zyra snorted and gathered the herbs, tucking them into a beast pocket. Each discovery felt like a small victory, proof she could adapt.

The forest stretched endlessly, a frozen labyrinth. Zyra’s breath puffed out in clouds, her spear dragging slightly as fatigue gnawed at her. Beauty’s commentary was the only company she had.

[You know, most people train indoors. Warm, safe, fewer chances of meeting an alpha snow wolf and being eaten. But not you. You had to pick the scenic route over the field in Beast Valley and the gym where Hunter was.]

"Scenic? Beautiful as it is, this is a wasteland....no, treasure land."

But Beauty was already replying. [Exactly. Scenic wasteland. That gym was better. Let’s go back there.]

"Am I in danger?"

[No.]

"Is this because Hunter was shirtless?"

[Noooooo.]

She giggled despite herself. If the system was a human woman, it would be vying for her husband’s heart. Or, it would be a fan, and Hunter the idol. Thinking of her husband’s face and physique, it was not surprising. The thought led her to a question. Hunter had scars on his torso and back, but his face was clear. Was his skin care very good?

Did he protect his face in fights the way Achilles protected his hair? Or, had those scars come from elsewhere?

Snow crunched under Zyra’s boots as she pushed deeper into the forest. Her muscles screamed from two hours of spear drills, but stubbornness kept her moving. Suddenly she spotted a cave mouth, dark and steaming faintly in the cold.

The system’s voice sharpened. [Alert. Hostile beast detected. Fight or flee?]

She tightened her grip on the spear and stepped closer. First identify the beast before making a decision. If it was a beast, it meant something mutated. From the shadows emerged a hulking shape: a boar. Its hide was pure white, bristling like frost-coated armor, and its eyes glowed red. It had tusks that curved wickedly, dripping with saliva that hissed when it hit the frozen ground.

[Identification made: Frostfang Sow. Yes, a female, not a boar. Strength is almost mid-level. Weakness: eyes. Also, it hates being stabbed. just saying.]

Zyra smirked. "Good thing I brought a spear. Is the meat edible?"

[All you care about is food. But yes, edible.]

The sow charged, snow spraying like shrapnel. Zyra planted her feet, heart hammering. She thrust forward, using the thrust and pivot move. The spear tip grazed the sow’s cheek as she sidestepped. The beast roared, swinging its tusks dangerously close.

The system quipped. [Excellent. You have annoyed it. You can end this with a single punch you know. One blow to the head can save you from being flattened.]

"Shut up." Zyra exhaled, muscles burning, and launched into Arc slash. The spear hummed, slicing across the beast’s flank. It staggered, enraged, and lunged again.

Her goal was not a quick death for the beast, but a learning experience. Minutes blurred into brutal rhythm: thrust, pivot, slash, dodge. Snow churned beneath them, the ground trembled, but adrenaline kept her moving.

Finally, when she was tired of playing around, she decided to end it. As the beast lowered its head for another charge, she jabbed straight into its glowing eye. The beast shrieked, thrashing wildly. Zyra pivoted, swung the spear in a wide arc, and slashed across its other eye.

The Frostfang sow collapsed, blood steaming against the snow. Zyra stood panting, spear dripping, her breath ragged clouds in the frozen air.

Beauty broke the silence: [Well congratulations. The energy stone is mine. You can save the meat for Spice and Hunter.]

She wiped sweat from her brow. "What about me? I hunted the beast. Don’t I get anything? A reward from you? A big chunk of Frostfang thigh?"

It didn’t reply.

She chuckled and crouched beside the carcass, inspecting it. The hide was thick and beautiful, but she had ruined it with her slashes. The tusks were sharp enough to be used as weapons and added to any kind of iron to strengthen a blade. A collector would also pay highly for them. Everything about the beast was useful.

She retrieved the energy stone, barely getting a look as the system took it from her. This time, she didn’t complain. She just put the meat in the beast domain and ventured into the cave, hoping to find special herbs or some other special loot. There was nothing to find.

Zyra left the cave a little disappointed, but at the same time, proud of herself. She had fought an almost mid-level beast on her own and won. It was proof that her training was not wasted. She could face beasts stronger than her and survive.

And with that, she teleported back home. Hunter was waiting for her in the beast pavilion, with the look of a man ready to commit murder. He grabbed her hand and practically hauled her from the ground and shook her like a blade of grass.

"Are you crazy?" He bellowed. "Who gave you the guts to return to the frozen wild land at night on your own? Do you know how everyone has been losing their mind when they realized you were gone? What possessed you Zyra? Don’t stay silent, answer me."

She couldn’t reply because he was manhandling her and she wanted to buff. Maybe he noticed, because he set her on her feet, but his glare remained. "Give me one good reason why you did something so stupid that I want to break your neck and save myself from an early death due to a heart attack caused by you."

Zyra lifted her finger, asking for a minute. She opened her beast pocket and dropped all the things she had brought back, and the Frostfang sow.

She crossed her arms on her chest, looking at him smugly, daring him to say something else.