CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35

Xylas froze at Bravus’s words. He stared, curious about what was going through the man’s mind. But Bravus remained calm and cunning, his gaze fixed in one direction, void of expression.

Xylas followed his line of sight—and everything clicked the moment he saw where Bravus was looking. As if a silent understanding passed through them, the group nodded subtly, whispering among themselves with sly glances.

Beneath a tree, Clayton sat enjoying the shade, resting peacefully. Though he appeared relaxed, the mini skeletons around him remained on high alert.

Just when Clayton thought he could enjoy a moment of peace, a man began walking straight toward him. At first, Clayton assumed the man was headed elsewhere, but as he drew closer, it became clear—Clayton was his destination.

Seeing him approach, Clayton offered a small, silent gesture of greeting.

Xylas smiled warmly. "Hey, Brother Clayton. Everything alright?"

Hearing the friendly tone, Clayton remained cautious but replied nonetheless. "All good. How about you, Xylas? Something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to ask you something. I heard you’re really skilled in farming, and I was hoping to get some advice," Xylas said casually.

Clayton frowned, his curiosity piqued. But Xylas began asking thoughtful, well-structured questions—like someone genuinely interested in agriculture.

Their conversation flowed naturally. The sincerity in the discussion slowly eased Clayton’s suspicion, and he began sharing what he knew. After a while, Xylas looked satisfied—and genuinely grateful.

"Brother Clayton, no wonder people say you’re an expert! Your ideas are brilliant—things I never would’ve thought of," Xylas said sincerely.

"Haha, you’re giving me too much credit. I’m just following my father’s notes," Clayton replied modestly.

Xylas nodded, offered a few more compliments, then excused himself. They shook hands, and Xylas walked away—leaving Clayton with lingering suspicion.

He hadn’t expected the conversation to go so smoothly. Part of him had feared the worst—that Xylas might attack him or try something underhanded. Especially now that Xylas had grown close to Bravus, someone Clayton found increasingly suspicious.

But since nothing happened, he brushed it off and returned to resting.

Meanwhile, Xylas strolled away casually—like nothing had occurred—until he regrouped with Bravus.

"Well?" Bravus asked eagerly.

"Everything went according to plan," Xylas replied flatly.

Bravus burst out laughing. "Hahaha, excellent!"

Xylas smiled too—though deep down, he felt a twinge of regret. To him, Clayton was a genius. Given time, he could become someone great. Building a friendship with him would’ve been far more valuable than pleasing Bravus.

But it was too late now. The arrow was notched, the bowstring drawn. All Xylas could do was watch the show unfold.

After a deep breath, he composed himself. This was the reality of a world ruled by swords and sorcery.

---

The group of farmers, now rested, began gathering again for patrol. It was the same monotonous task, but no one complained—this was already the best outcome they could hope for.

Suddenly, a loud snort echoed from the distance, followed by the thunderous stomp of heavy footsteps.

Squel!

Everyone tensed and turned toward the sound. And sure enough—danger had arrived.

A massive boar, nearly a meter tall at the shoulder, charged toward them with terrifying speed. Scars covered its body, a testament to its savage, brutal life.

Seeing the familiar beast, Bravus grinned like he’d just won a prize.

Panic spread among the farmers. They scattered in all directions, desperate to avoid the charging beast. But the boar had locked onto a target—as if it knew exactly who it was after.

It didn’t take long for everyone to realize—the target was Bravus.

The grin vanished from Bravus’s face, replaced by sheer terror.

"What the hell?! Wasn’t it supposed to go after Clayton? Why me?!"

He panicked, trying to piece together what went wrong. Had the scent gotten mixed up? Did he somehow end up wearing the perfume meant for Clayton?

Everything seemed in order. All he could do was run.

Swoosh!

Luckily, the boar’s speed made sharp turns difficult, and Bravus narrowly dodged the first charge.

But it didn’t stop there. The beast turned and charged again—this time with savage fury. Bravus wasn’t ready. His body was heavy, his movements sluggish.

Puchi!

The sickening crack of snapping bones echoed through the air. Silence followed.

Bravus stared pale-faced at the shattered remains of a mini skeleton. It had intercepted the blow—it had saved him.

"Why are you all just standing there?! Attack!" Clayton shouted.

The others snapped out of their daze and began launching attacks at the beast. But even as its body was riddled with wounds, the boar barely flinched.

It locked its eyes on Bravus again, its rage burning even hotter.

Bravus was exhausted. His head spun like his brain had been shaken loose.

As he was about to pass out, the boar charged again.

Once more, Clayton stepped in to save him.

Bravus looked at him with a complicated expression. Deep inside, something shifted—a strange light flickered in his heart. One he couldn’t understand.

The boar paused, sniffed the air... as if remembering something. Its expression twisted into pure hatred, and it lunged at Bravus again.

Clayton struggled to keep defending him. He scanned the field, looking for an opening.

Finally, one of the farmers launched an attack that distracted the boar.

Seizing the moment, Clayton let go of Bravus and pulled back.

He was panting, his body aching, his breath ragged.

But instead of gratitude, Bravus—now out of danger—felt only resentment. He believed Clayton should’ve stayed to protect him to the end. He didn’t care about Clayton’s condition—and that only deepened the hatred in his heart.

The boar rose once more, eyes burning, scanning for a new target.

And then—it shifted.

Everyone gasped.

The boar was now going after Clayton.

Clayton panicked, trying to dodge, but he couldn’t avoid a grazing strike.

He ran as fast as he could, the beast relentless in its pursuit.

With every passing second, Clayton’s movements slowed. The support fire from the others began to falter.

That’s when Clayton noticed—Bravus was slowly sneaking away, trying to escape unnoticed.