bookbashuk Chapter 5 Hunting the Bear
Chapter 5 Hunting the Bear
Lynn shook his head at old Abel's suggestion.
His gaze swept across the deep darkness inside the cave, and he offered an explanation: "This cave is in a very good location, well hidden, with a water source nearby, and I'm confident I can hunt this black bear."
As for the real reason...
It can't be that Lynn knew there was a water element gathering point inside, which was perfect for nurturing Leah's physique, and that it also produced rare and precious materials.
However, if this black bear stays here for a long time, it might awaken water magic and turn into a monster.
However, water magic and bears are incompatible, so the level will definitely be low (bears are more compatible with earth element).
Lynn picked up his hunting bow and said to Leah, "Leah, do you remember what I told you on the way here, about the theory that a simple combination of water and earth elements can create a swamp effect?"
"You might need to try this in a moment. It doesn't need to be too complicated; just something that can temporarily slow down its actions will do."
"Okay, I...I'll give it a try!" Although Leah was nervous, her trust in Lynn and her newly established confidence in magic made her nod vigorously.
Abel hesitated for a moment, then asked Lynn, "What about me? Is there anything I can do?"
After saying that, old Abel tightened his grip on the hunting bow.
"Dad."
"You just need to provide support from the sidelines and mainly protect Leah's safety," Lynn said after thinking for a moment, looking at old Abel who seemed ready to go all out.
Even without Leah and Abel, Lynn was confident he could take down the black bear.
Lynn gripped the bow, weighed it in his hand, and the familiar feel made him feel as if he were back in the game, drawing the bow countless times.
He drew an arrow and nocked it, but didn't draw it fully. Instead, he whispered to Abel, "Father, stay by Leah's side and hold the torch. If anything happens, use the light and noise to scare her away and protect Leah."
Abel held in his hand a simple torch that he had previously lit with the fire he had brought with him.
"I'll go in first and lure it out, then we can relieve ourselves outside the cave entrance, where there's more space."
He finished speaking without waiting for Abel's response.
Lynn took a deep breath, slowly channeling some of his magic into his eyes to enhance his night vision, then crouched down and silently slipped into the darkness of the cave.
Abel and Lydia's hearts were in their throats as they stared intently at the dark entrance.
Lynn had only been gone for less than five minutes, but Leah felt that time was going on forever.
"roar--!!!"
A violent, deafening bear howl suddenly erupted from the depths of the cave!
Immediately afterwards—
It was the sound of heavy running and impacts!
"They're here! Back off!"
Lynn's shout came from inside the cave, and then his agile figure darted out of the cave first, creating distance, while his bow was already drawn like a full moon!
The next moment, a black bear the size of a small hill charged out in a rage!
It was plump and strong, over two meters tall, with foul-smelling saliva dripping from its mouth, but an arrow was stuck in one of its private parts.
It rushed toward Lynn like a small car, with a not-too-large water sphere gathering in front of its mouth.
Abel was terrified—it was a monster.
As the black bear drew closer, Lynn instinctively dropped his torch, grabbed his hunting bow, and charged forward.
In the blink of an eye!
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Two sharp, almost consecutive whistling sounds rang out!
In the instant Lynn came within range, he had already completed the entire process of turning, drawing the bow, aiming, and releasing with astonishing coordination!
And it was a double attack!
The first arrow struck the black bear's bulging left eye with perfect accuracy!
The black bear let out a miserable howl, and its pursuit immediately slowed down.
The second arrow followed almost immediately after the first, piercing the black bear's right eye along nearly the same trajectory!
"Awooo—!!!"
The black bear went blind instantly, and the excruciating pain drove it into a complete frenzy. The water sphere in its mouth dissipated, and its massive body staggered due to loss of vision and balance.
but.
It continued to charge wildly toward Lynn's general direction, relying on its sense of smell and sound!
"Lia! Now!"
Lynn shouted as he moved quickly to avoid the black bear's charge.
Leah, whose palms were already sweating with nervousness, suddenly brightened her platinum gray eyes when she heard her brother's call.
She stretched out her hands, pointing to the ground in front of the black bear, concentrating all her attention on recalling the feeling of water and soil blending together that Lynn had described.
"Sinking down...becoming soft..."
She murmured softly, not as a spell, but as a form of self-guidance.
The next moment, the soil in a small area in front of the black bear suddenly turned darker, and the originally solid ground instantly turned into a sticky swamp of mud!
Although the area is small and the depth is limited, it is enough for the black bear that is blindly charging forward!
The black bear stepped into the mud, its forward momentum suddenly halted, its massive body lost its balance, and it fell forward, with most of its chest and head sinking into the mud!
It struggled even more angrily, but couldn't break free for a while.
"Well done!!" Lynn praised Leah.
As expected of you, [Morphin] – Lydia Sias.
Then he drew another arrow.
This time, he did not shoot immediately.
Instead, he poured all the magic power in his body, along with an unyielding and sharp will, into the arrow!
Ordinary wooden arrows, starting from the arrowhead, were shimmering with a barely perceptible pale blue light, and the surrounding air seemed to hum softly.
First-tier magic – [Magic Arrow]!
The bowstring twanged!
The arrow shot out of the bowstring, its speed so great that it left a pale blue trail in the air!
It didn't shoot at the black bear's thick fur or skull, but rather precisely into the black bear's gaping, tooth-filled mouth, which was wide open as it roared!
"Pfft!"
The arrow shot into the mouth, carrying the infused magic, piercing through the soft palate and drilling straight into the depths of the brain!
The black bear's violent struggle suddenly froze, and a muffled gurgling sound came from its throat.
immediately--
Its massive body went limp and collapsed onto the edge of the swamp, splashing mud everywhere, before falling silent.
silence.
The only sounds were the crackling of the burning torches and the heavy breathing of the three men.
Old Abel, gripping his hunting bow, froze on the spot, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
He looked at the giant bear that was dead on the ground.
Look at the two arrows in the bear's eyes.
Then look at the arrow shaft that is faintly visible in the bear's mouth.
Finally, he looked at his son Lynn, who was slowly putting away his bow. His face was pale from exhaustion, but his eyes remained calm.
And beside her, her daughter Leah, her face flushed with excitement and slightly out of breath from successfully casting the spell…
His mind went blank.
Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?
My son… shot two arrows that blinded the raging black bear?
And those... glowing arrows?
My daughter... turned the ground into a mud pit with a single point of her hand?
Are these really my son who always wants to run around and my obedient, shy daughter?
Europe!
Seven Gods above!
Hunting black bears, even for experienced hunters, requires setting traps in advance, coordinating with multiple people, and taking huge risks to have any chance of success.
Just now, right before his eyes, his two children, one with superb archery skills and an unheard-of "magic arrow," and the other with a legendary spell, had been dealt with swiftly and decisively.
A robust adult black bear?
Is this... the great power of the sorcerer?
"Phew..." Lynn let out a long breath and rubbed his throbbing temples.
The feeling of running out of magic power is unpleasant, but the result was perfect.
Lynn walked over to the bear carcass, examined it, and confirmed it was dead.
Then, looking at Abel, who was still in shock, and Leah, who was excited but a little exhausted, he smiled and said, "It's resolved, Dad, Leah."
"Dad, help drag this guy into the cave and deal with him, otherwise the smell of blood might attract other monsters."
"Bear skin, bear bile, and bear paws are all valuable, and the meat can also be smoked and stored."
"Lia, well done! You've shown remarkable talent in your very first real battle!"
Hearing the praise, Leah blushed even more and whispered, "It's because my brother directed us well."
Abel then seemed to snap out of his daze, swallowed hard, and looked at Lynn with a complex expression—shock, confusion, and pride. Finally, as if remembering something, he let out a heavy sigh.
He didn't press Lynn about what she had just shown, but instead stepped forward to help her deal with the bear carcass.
After disposing of the bear carcass, Lynn led the two to carefully inspect the inside of the cave, confirming that there were no other dangerous creatures.
The cave was indeed an ideal temporary base.
After settling in, we lit a small, safe campfire.
Lynn did not rest, but instead, based on the fluctuations of the water element he sensed, he led Abel and Leah to explore along a narrow crevice deep inside the cave.
After walking for about several dozen meters, the faint sound of flowing water could be heard ahead, and the air became moist and fresh.
After turning a corner, the view suddenly opened up before me.
A small natural stone chamber appeared before us. In the center of the chamber, there was a spring about the size of a washbasin, from which crystal-clear water gushed upwards, forming a shallow pool.
There is a hollow in the pool, and the bright moonlight falls gently down, illuminating the entire pool.
Some ferns grow along the edge of the pond, creating a lush green scene.
Most remarkably, the spring and the surrounding air were permeated with a much denser concentration of water elemental magic than the forest itself!
Every breath it takes is invigorating.
Especially Leah, whose platinum gray eyes brightened noticeably, as if every pore on her body had opened up.
"This is it." Lynn walked to the spring, squatted down, and reached his hand into the cool spring water.
really!
Not far below the spring, he touched something cool and smooth, radiating pure water energy—irregularly shaped, about the size of a fist, lying quietly at the bottom of the spring.
This is a mid-grade water element crystal.
This should be enough for Leah to complete her initial awakening.
Lynn didn't take it out, but instead said to the two of them, "This spring water contains magic, and drinking it regularly is good for your health."
Lynn did not reveal the secret of the spring, but continued to Abel and Lia: "Moreover, this place is secluded and rich in elements, making it a rare place to stay. Let's rest here for a while."
Hearing Lynn's words, Leah curiously scooped up a handful of spring water and drank it, a comfortable expression appearing on her face.
It's not time to take out what's at the bottom of the spring yet. After Leah is in better condition and meditates for a while, we might be able to use it to stimulate the initial awakening of Leah's bloodline.
After settling their luggage back in, they lit a campfire inside the cave.
By the light of the moon and the clear water of the pool, Lynn also saw her own reflection.
Black hair and brown eyes.
Her appearance was almost identical to that of her previous life.
However, I have no memory of anything before I was 5 or 6 years old.
It seems I'm not Abel's biological son?
Lynn looked at the blond, blue-eyed old man beside her and slowly asked with a hint of doubt, "Dad, am I not your biological son either?"