6 - Encounter!

“-The primal fury of mankind-”

“I dunno about this, Hooty…”

I stood in the middle of my mind palace, a training dummy manifested by yours truly across me with an instructional video playing in the background.

“Adrenaline, the natural body enhancer with the ability to ignore pain-”

“Hoot!”

“What do you mean ‘scream every time I throw a punch’?! That’s kinda embarassing-”

“Hoot!”

“Yes I do know martial artists do that all the time, but-”

“-Common way to pull out that primal force is to simply shout as loud as you can while-”

“Hoohoo.”

“Yes, yes I know the instructional video said to do so but… ugh! Whatever, I’ll just give it a go. Not like anyone can see me here anyway.”

I raised my arm high up in the air, aiming for the softer leather wrapped around the log-shaped wooden dummy.

“H-hyah-!”

Thwack.

“O-Ooowwwww…?”

A sideways chop to the training dummy caused it to wobble back and forth; a great feat for someone as small as I. The problem was that it hurt. A lot.

I grasped my hand in agony, my eyes watering.

“This- this is nothing like you said!”

“Hoo…” Hooty sighed in exasperation.

“Not nearly loud enough? Needs more primal energy… what even is primal energy?!”

I turned back to the training dummy, preparing to strike at it once more.

“Hoot.”

I took a deep breath and readied myself.

“Foo… Foo… WAAHHHHH!!”

I swung my arm back, and with the momentum of the arc-

“HYAHH!!”

Thwack!

The training dummy shook violently, bobbing back and forth like a daruma. My hand also shook from the impact, my teeth gritted-

“No, nonono. It still hurts… Ow…”

“Hoot…”

“I need more training, you say? Of course I do, this is practically my first time!”

It’d only been an hour since I entered my mind palace, but it felt like I’ve been in here for a day. While everything I did here only affected my mind, I still felt the mind-fatigue and pain from hammering a wooden dummy with my bare hands.

While Woolie took a break from traveling, I thought the best way to make use of my time was to pick up some basic self-defense techniques in my mind palace, then practice them in the real world. With my abnormally strong body, I’d be able to make use of hand-to-hand techniques much more effectively than the average person.

Or so I thought.

As it turns out, having zero experience in any form of physical activity was just that; zero experience. All the latent talent in the world won’t do me any good if I’ve never thrown a punch in my entire life.

“And the only one who can guide me is…”

“Hoot!”

Hooty puffed out his chest, all the elegance of a training instructor with no actual experience himself.

Conjuring up an actively aggressive assailant was more ideal than a training dummy, but I was too afraid to try that, even with the knowledge nothing that happened in my mind palace would affect my real body.

Which ultimately led to this situation; me smacking a wooden dummy repeatedly to get accustomed to hitting things.

“Hoothoot.”

“Yes, I can hit things now, but the harder I hit the more painful the feedback… I’ll get used to it in time? I hope so, Hooty.” I sighed. “There are wolves out there, and who knows what else. I won’t be surprised if monsters exist too.”

“Let your rage consume you, let it flow-”

“Close tab.”

I flicked the video away as the speaker rambled on far beyond my stage of progression, performing lightning fast kicks in rapid succession.

“Hoot!”

“You’re right. At least I know the basics… if I really do get attacked, will this adrenaline thing really help me, I wonder?”

I learned how to throw a punch and how to kick without losing my balance, but that’s about it. The first thing any video taught me about self-defense, was to simply turn around and run, which made sense.

But my circumstances were different. I doubt I could comfortably outrun a wolf, and until I can find a tree to cling onto for dear life, I need some way to defend myself.

“Maybe I can fashion some kind of spear from a stick? I’ll have to check that out some time. Anyway, I should get going now. I’ll see you later, Hooty.” I waved goodbye.

“Hoot.”

I left through the door I manifested-

And opened my eyes to see Woolie’s face covering my field of view, drooling with his eyes closed.

“Did you fall asleep waiting for me, Woolie?”

“Muu, meh meh meh meh meh…” Woolie snored.

“It’s a little early to be- HUH?”

I was shocked to see the sun had set, the sea of stars above already coming into view.

“Oh no, we need to find some shelter- ah.”

I’d only just noticed I was sitting under the shade of a great tree. Woolie had picked me up while I was out- meditating, and found a place to rest for the night on his own.

“You must be used to this, huh.”

I lay down against Woolie, his woolly fluff substituting as the best pillow in the world.

“An early night couldn’t hurt, I guess.”

Maybe it’s because I’m still a kid, or maybe some of the fatigue from my mind palace managed to seep into the real world, or maybe the marshmallow pillow was just that comfortable, but I was able to fall asleep in no time, getting some much need rest for the journey ahead.

*

“Look, Woolie. A wild boar.” I whispered to the lazy face popping out of its fluffy coat.

We were hidden behind some bushes, spying on a boar with its back turned to us as it scrounged around for food beneath a tree.

It’d been about two days since we began traveling together, taking our time moving from place to place. I took a few more lessons in my mind palace and managed to make progress, giving me a bloated ego thinking I can now tussle with a boar equipped with two deadly spears along its snout.

“Muu…”

Woolie slowly shook his head, picking me up by my collar and placing me on its back.

“Okay then…”

We sneaked away, leaving the boar to its own devices.

“What are we going to do for food, though? I don’t think berries with sustain me… I’m still growing, after all.”

“Beh.”

“You’re always so carefree, aren’t you Woolie?”

Though we’d been traveling for two days, we didn’t make much progress in terms of distance covered. Woolie liked to take things slow with frequent breaks, happily grazing and chasing butterflies while I retreated into my mind palace.

While I did enjoy this lifestyle, I was starting to worry I really was thrown into a place completely devoid of civilization. Everywhere we went was the same sight; lush greenery-turn-yellow with a mountainous backdrop. Very, very mountainous.

If I did have anyone waiting for me, they’d be worried sick.

Back in the area I spawn- awoke at, it was a somewhat open plain with some trees about. Here however it was basically a forest, with a canopy of what looked like pine trees towering above blocking out half the sun we usually got.

It was a little strange; I’d thought a natural forest would have more variety than this. Frankly, it was starting to feel as if we might be walking into an abyss of darkness with unknown dangers.

“Woolie, are you sure this way is safe?”

“Behh.”

I trusted Woolie; as an inhabitant of this area he should be very familiar with the path we traveled, but I had no trust in his ability to defend us in the event of danger.

Acquiring valuable skills was quite tedious, however. I first had to learn and practice in my mind palace until I was comfortable with the process, then do it all over again in the real world to practice with my actual body.

In a way, it was similar to doing homework after lessons in school, except I didn’t have an expert to guide me whenever I did something wrong.

“Woolie, I think I see something up ahead…”

I squinted while laying flat on my stomach atop Woolie, making out a small, dark shape lurking behind a tree.

Woolie seemed oblivious to what I was seeing- or rather he simply couldn’t be bothered. He kept trudging along, until the dark shape suddenly darted out and-

“It’s coming toward us! Move outta the way, Woolie!”

I tapped Woolie on his back, but he didn’t bother trying to dodge it at all. Instead, Woolie hunkered down, squatting low to the ground-

Boing!

The black shadow rammed into Woolie and bounced off, tumbling over backwards.

“Beh?” Woolie let out a confused grunt.

“Y-You’re too fluffy to hurt…”

The black shadow was up on its feet in no time, and with the rays of sunlight shining through the leafy canopy above, I was finally able to make out its form; a boar, much smaller than the one we saw before.

It had an absolutely huge snout, the great sniffers constantly perking up like an elephant’s trunk. The bristles on its back were short, but its pupil-less, pure white eyes made up for it in the menacing department.

Nonetheless it was still an angry boar, and it was already lowering its body in preparation to charge again.

“Woolie? Watch out in front-”

“GROOO!!”

Wham!

Out of nowhere, a much larger boar suddenly charged in, smashing into the smaller one and sending it flying into the distance.

“WAAAHH!!”

“BEHHH!!”

It was the first time I’ve ever heard Woolie cry out like that, a sign that this foe was something he couldn’t simply shake off like the other.

“Go Woolie, go!”

Woolie scampered ahead, quickly gaining speed I never thought possible with his build. Even then, I turned around to see the boar chasing from behind, scarily close.

Except it was no ordinary boar.

Its tusks were unlike anything I’ve ever seen; instead of the smooth, cylindrical bone that curved upwards and tapered into a pointy tip, this one had tusks shaped like literal swords, straight and pointed at the end. Though the tusks had lesser girth than the usual, the edges appeared to be sharp enough to cut like a knife.

“Is that the same one from before?”

I wanted to fight THAT thing?!

“It’s catching up, Woolie!”

“Muuuu!”

Woolie ran for his life with streams of tears flowing from its beady eyes. I’d have found it comical if it wasn’t for the sudden dire situation we found ourselves in. It was then I remembered a line from a documentary I’d seen.

“Always be vigilant! The woods hide all sorts of dangers in its-”

“You never said anything about a frenzied wild sword-boar!”

Thump!

“Waahh!!”

The boar caught up, running side by side then slamming its full body into Woolie, sending us both flying across the air. I bounced off Woolie, landing on the ground beside his head.

“Woolie, you okay?”

“Muu…” Woolie sobbed with its head retracted so far into his woolly coat I could hardly see his forehead.

“GUOOO!”

The boar snorted, then let out a massive cry unlike anything I’ve ever heard.

“Boars don’t make noises like that!” I yelled back.

“Grr?”

Seemingly taken aback at my screaming voice, the boar paused its charge.

What did the video say?

“Remember, if you can’t run from something, it can be worth a shot to try scaring it away. Sometimes, a beast attacks not for predatory behaviors, but from wariness! Scare it away!”

“This is ridiculous.” I mumbled before taking a deep breath- “GET OUTTA HEREEEEEE!!”

I wasn’t even aware I could let out such a loud cry. Even Woolie perked up in shock, and the boar’s eyes widened at my sudden outburst.

Then lowered its head, the bladed tusks extending outwards like a spike trap, ready to skewer anything in its path.

“You can do that?!” I gasp in exasperation.

The boar stmped on the ground, preparing for another charge.

“FINE, HAVE IT YOUR WAY!”

I braced myself for the inevitable attack.

If there’s one good thing about the situation, its that I know exactly where the boar’s headed for; me. Once its charge begins, it won’t be able to change course with its heavy body. In other words, all I have to do is jump out of the way at the last second-

“Muuhuu!”

“Ah…!”

Woolie’s behind me, if I dodge it he’ll get skewered!

What do I do-

There’s no time to think; the boar’s already begun its charge-!

I have to take the hit-

I’ll be fine, my body’s small enough to squeeze between its tusks! I just have to throw everything I have at it!

“HYAAAAAAHH!!”

With complete reckless abandon, I kicked off the ground with all my might and threw my shoulder at the boar.

BAM!

I somehow managed to repel the boar with my strength alone, the resulting collision sending me flying across the air.

I landed on my back, quickly scrambling to my feet to see the boar on its side, squealing as it struggled to get to its feet.

I won’t get a better chance!

“Uoooohh!”

I ran at it with all my strength, jumping onto its bristled back and clutching on as it thrashed about.

“WAAAAH!”

I clasped both hands above my head and smashed my fists into the boar’s head, the impact causing my hands to vibrate from the shock.

As I whaled on the boar as best my fists would allow, it stumbled to its feet.

“GRROOO!!”

The boar jumped and bucked in rage, trying to buck me off its back as I held on for dear life.

Wait for the moment it decides to charge-

“Now-!”

As soon as the boar did its inevitable charge I twisted my grip and pulled to the right as hard as I could, pulling it to run head-first a large tree-

SMACK!

“Ugh!”

The impact threw me off the boar as it fell to the ground, dazed.

“Hah… hah…”

I got up, waiting to see if it still had the energy to-

“Oh come on…”

I walked up to the boar as it struggled to get to its feet. I didn’t see a need to go further than I already have, but if it still wants to fight…

I picked a large rock off the ground, holding it up with both hands threateningly.

The boar turned around, shaking its head as it puffed at me, the bladed tusks protruding outwards at full length.

It wants to continue.

“Fine… My voice is almost gone but… AAARRGHHHH!!” I cried out as loud I could to try getting the adrenaline pumping, and ran towards the boar with the rock raised over my head-

“BEH!”

“Woolie?!”

Woolie came charging in out of nowhere, slamming into the boar and sending it tumbling onto its side. Now that its vulnerable, I-

“HYAH!”

-smashed the rock onto the boar’s head. It squealed and shuddered-

Crack!

I swung down once more, twice more, thrice more, smashing until it stopped moving.

“Hah… hah…”

I tossed the rock aside and sat on the ground, catching my breath.

“Hah… how did I manage… to pull that off…”

I managed to slay a wild boar with my bare hands, but I didn’t feel particularly good about it.

“I guess all I needed was some adrenaline to kick me into high gear…”

“Muu.”

Woolie came to my side, tears still streaming down his beady eyes as he licked my face.

“Hehe, tickles. Thanks for the assist, Woolie.”

I rubbed Woolie’s head, his face returning to the lazy expression I’ve gotten so accustomed to seeing.

“Now… what do I do with this?” I muttered, staring at the dead boar.

It was a source of food, but I had no idea how to preserve or prepare pork. Should I go into my mind palace to learn how?

“No… it’s too dangerous to stay in a place like this for long.”

Even if I did learn how to prepare the meat, there was no way I’d be able to lug the thing around. At best I’d be able to cook a meal, and leave the rest for whatever creatures lay in wait; not worth all the effort.

“If only I had a base of operations…”

I sighed in disappointment, but safety is my first priority right now. I did however, have an idea.

“Oh! Give me a minute, Woolie.”

I went to the boar’s head, its freakishly long tongue rolled out onto the ground.

“This looks doable.”

I picked up the rock again, smacking it against the boar’s bladed tusk. It took a while, but I finally managed to crack it at the base of its skin.

“Now I just use… my brute strength-!”

Crack!

I ripped off the tusk as it slipped from my grip, flying through the air and penetrating itself into the dirt.

“Now that’s sharp. This’ll be useful as a tool.”

I did the same to the other tusk, breaking it off much more easily this time now that I knew how to do it.

“Sorry, mister boar, and thanks for the tusks.”

I cut down some vines to use as twine, looping them around the tusk-blades as makeshift handles. To finish the job, I pulled the corpse under a tree, leaving it for other animals to pick clean.

“Phew. Now that was quite an ordeal, wasn’t it Woolie?”

“Muu.”

Without any prompting from me, Woolie pick me up and placed me onto its back.

“Haha, I’ve gotten used to this.”

And with that, we continued the journey towards our new destination; anywhere that isn’t here.