The Demon emperor logged into a Divine Game

Chapter 6 — The First Hunt

The group followed the forest path until the noise from the village thinned behind them.

The road narrowed after a few minutes. Tree roots broke through the dirt underfoot and the canopy closed overhead. Other players were still nearby but most stayed close to the village entrance, fighting over the safer mobs.

Garrick kept walking.

Tobin glanced back. “We’re going this far?”

“You want to fight over rabbits with everyone else?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then keep walking.”

Tessa adjusted her grip on her staff. “There are still boars closer to the village.”

“And ten parties waiting for each one,” Garrick said. “We came out early for a reason.”

Ravan said nothing.

Garrick looked back at him. “You fine?”

“Yes.”

“Combat experience?”

“When needed.”

Tobin laughed. “Quiet one.”

Tessa looked at him. “Better than you.”

“Wow. First hunt and I’m already being attacked.”

“You started it.”

Garrick raised a hand before Tobin could answer.

The brush ahead moved.

A heavy shape pushed through the undergrowth and stopped on the path. Low to the ground but thick through the shoulders. Dirty brown hide. Two red tusks curved from either side of its mouth. Its hooves scraped the dirt as it lowered its head.

RedTusk Boar

Level: 1

HP: 250/250

Tobin lifted his bow. “Boar.”

Garrick stepped forward. “Mine.”

The boar charged.

WHAM—

Garrick caught it on his sword but the impact shoved him back half a step.

18

HP: 232/250 (RedTusk Boar)

Tobin fired.

Twang—

22

HP: 210/250 (RedTusk Boar)

The boar turned and slammed into Garrick’s side before he reset his footing.

26 HP

Tessa raised her staff.

+35 HP

Garrick looked back at him. “You fine?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve played games before?”

“Enough.”

The boar turned and charged again.

Ravan stepped forward.

He shifted half a step left as the tusk passed and cut across the side of the boar’s neck in one motion.

118

HP: 92/250 (RedTusk Boar)

The boar stumbled hard.

Nobody spoke for a second.

Tobin’s bow lowered.

Garrick’s smile dropped.

Tessa’s staff stopped halfway up.

Tobin blinked. “Wait… what?”

Garrick looked at the damage number before it faded. “Was that a normal attack?”

“Yes,” Ravan said.

Tobin stared at him, then at the boar. “Normal.”

The boar tried to turn into the brush.

Garrick snapped back first. “Finish it.”

He swung.

21

Tobin fired.

Twang—

19

Ravan stepped once and cut again.

96

Ding! RedTusk Boar defeated!

Loot Drop:

— RedTusk Fang x1

— Coarse Boar Hide x2

— Raw Boar Meat x3

— Bronze Coins x12

Nobody moved right away.

Tobin looked at the wound on the boar’s neck. Then his eyes went to the sword.

“That sword…” Tobin said.

Garrick looked at it too.

Tessa did not speak.

Garrick’s smile came back slowly. “Good damage.”

“It was slow,” Ravan said.

Tobin laughed, but it came out short. “Slow? That thing almost pushed Garrick over.”

Garrick’s expression tightened for a moment.

Then he opened the loot window and distributed the shares evenly.

Ding! Loot distributed.

Ravan accepted his share and they moved on.

The second boar came out faster, but the fight ended quicker. Garrick held the front. Tobin fired twice. Ravan waited until the boar turned too wide and cut once across the jaw.

112

The party went still for a beat.

Tobin stared at the number.

Then at the sword.

“There’s no way that’s just normal damage.”

Ravan did not answer.

Tessa said, “He didn’t use a skill.”

“That’s what I’m saying.” Tobin’s eyes stayed on the blade. “Then it has to be the weapon.”

Garrick cut in. “Loot first.”

He split the second drop properly. No deviation.

They found the next monster near a fallen tree further down the path.

A long greenbrown lizard moved low across the dirt, thornlike ridges running along its back. Its claws scraped against the roots as its head shifted side to side.

Thornback Lizard

Level: 2

HP: 320/320

Tobin raised his bow. “This one’s quick.”

Garrick stepped forward. “Then don’t miss.”

“Still on that?”

The lizard moved before Garrick could answer. It circled instead of charging. Garrick turned with it but he was half a beat slow. Tobin fired and forced it to shift direction. Tessa held her staff ready.

The lizard darted in and raked Garrick’s arm.

Skrrtch—

19

Tessa healed him.

+28

Garrick clicked his tongue. “Hate fast mobs.”

Ravan watched one full exchange.

The lizard turned too wide on the third pass.

He stepped in and cut.

104

HSSSsss—

The lizard jerked sideways.

All three saw the number this time.

Tobin did not speak.

Garrick did not either.

Then Tobin’s eyes moved to the sword again.

Garrick saw it and said nothing.

The lizard died after two more hits from the group.

They kept moving deeper.

After a while, Tessa slowed and looked back the way they had come.

“We’re farther than we said.”

“We’re fine,” Garrick said.

“We said outer path.”

“This is still outer path.”

Tobin looked at the sword. “With that kind of damage, we can go a bit deeper. Better drops too.”

Tessa did not answer.

Ravan said nothing.

First they had been shocked by the damage numbers.

Then they had decided the sword was the reason.

Ravan let them think that.