Chapter Sixty-Two: Roast Pig

“These two beasts both look ferocious,” Night Without End muttered, frowning as he watched the heated struggle between the animals. He shifted his position slowly, settling in more comfortably to observe the battle between bear and boar.

The fight atop the stone platform did not cease with his arrival—in fact, it grew even more intense. The bear let out a thunderous roar and brought both paws crashing down upon the boar’s head, intent on ending its life.

“This black bear is too vicious!” Night Without End was astonished by the bear’s relentless advance. “But such an attack won’t work. Why is it doing that?”

His confusion was soon dispelled. The bear’s paws suddenly turned pitch black, glowing with an eerie light, and when they struck the boar’s head, the impact rang out like clashing metal.

“A beautiful blow! What a clever bear.” Night Without End nodded in approval. Though the strike couldn’t kill the boar, it would surely leave it dizzy, perhaps even cause internal injury. Clearly, the bear possessed a spark of intelligence.

“If I go down and help, would it be grateful?” The bear and boar were evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand. If he inserted himself as a wild card, the outcome could change.

“No rush. Let’s see how the bear handles this.” Night Without End planted his sword in the earth, sat cross-legged, and peered over the edge of the ravine to observe the next moves.

The bear, sensing the boar’s resilience and its own iron claws’ inability to break through, retreated a step. But the boar, holding a grudge, would not let the bear withdraw. With a direct charge, it rammed the bear’s massive frame, its half-meter tusks stabbing viciously at the bear’s belly.

Staggered by the impact, the bear’s rage ignited. With a furious roar, its enormous paw crashed down on the boar’s head like a falling log.

The boar tumbled, its bulky body rolling across the ground, shaking the earth and crushing boulders into powder. Its scaly hide, hard as iron, turned aside blade and spear alike.

Shaking its head, the boar’s bulk wobbled as it charged once more.

The bear reared up, striding forward on hind legs, its black fur bristling like steel needles. Sparks flew as their hides collided.

Blow after blow, though they clashed countless times, neither could truly injure the other. They circled, searching for a fatal opening.

“Their hides are tough as armor!” Night Without End observed their ceaseless probing. “Their only weak spots are likely beneath the ribs and the eyes—and perhaps the mouth as well.” Calmly, he analyzed, “The bear’s not easy to deal with. If I can bring down the boar, tonight’s dinner will be assured.”

“Let me lend you a hand! Tonight’s meal will be decided among you!” With his mind made up, Night Without End drew his sword from the earth. A surge of sword intent soared skyward, breaking through the oppressive clouds. Sunlight pierced the gloom, casting a faint glow on the valley.

Sensing the change in weather, both beasts looked up, seeing Night Without End leaping from the ravine's edge. Their roars grew fiercer.

“Beasts without awakened minds!” Night Without End snorted coldly. He had rested enough these past days. Though his cultivation was gone, an old serpent never truly dies; his sword intent had largely recovered. Slaying a boar was child’s play!

He leveled his sword at the nearest boar, unleashing a torrent of sword energy. The boar grunted, its hide shimmering with dark light, its scales gleaming eerily, and its white tusks darkening, growing even more formidable.

“Fortifying your defense is pointless,” Night Without End scoffed, condensing his intent into beams of white light, which he used to slice repeatedly at the boar’s hide.

The pain drove the boar mad. Abandoning its assault on the bear, it charged at Night Without End instead.

He was startled. He had underestimated the boar’s armored hide; his barrage had failed to mortally wound it, instead provoking its fury and a reckless, desperate attack.

But before the beast could reach him, the black bear barreled between them, its glowing paws striking the boar and knocking it back. With a roar, the bear vented its own rage upon its rival.

Night Without End regarded the bear in surprise. The bear, sensing his gaze, glanced back and let out a roar before hurling itself at the boar once more.

“Interesting!” Night Without End grinned, twirling his sword and charging to join the fray. “Come, let us fight side by side!”

A deep sense of unease gripped the boar. The sword intent emanating from Night Without End filled it with dread. It gathered its strength, facing down both man and bear.

“Let’s go!” Night Without End called, seeing the boar pawing the ground. With a flick of his sword, a milky beam of sword energy shot forth.

The boar dodged, rolling to the right, but the bear seized the moment, pouncing and striking the boar’s wounded flank with glowing paws.

“Well done!” Night Without End praised the bear, not slowing in his own assault. Stab, slash, sever—each blow pried away another scale.

The bear, now aware that Night Without End could breach the boar’s armor, focused its attacks on the injured spots. Soon, the boar’s defenses faltered, its vigor waning.

As the bear grappled with the boar, Night Without End gathered his sword intent to its peak. The blade hummed, its glow intensifying.

“Move aside!” he shouted, bringing his sword down in a mighty arc. The bear roared, striking the boar’s head and darting aside as the boar staggered, dazed.

Before the boar could react, Night Without End’s sword energy cleaved it in two. Blood splattered across the stone platform.

Though the attack had drawn deeply on his restored strength, Night Without End had not expended everything—he remained wary of whether the bear might yet turn on him.

But the bear, sensing his caution, merely roared and turned away.

Night Without End let out a sigh of relief. Gazing at the boar’s corpse, he thought, Dinner is settled.

He dragged the carcass back to the spot where he had gathered fruit, washed it in the stream, and admired the lustrous meat. Delighted, he built a campfire to roast the boar.

As he turned the meat over the flames, a shadow loomed. Night Without End grasped his sword, looking up—and found himself facing the black bear.

Remarkably, the bear wore a pleading look, its eyes fixed hungrily on the roasting meat, drool trickling from its mouth.

“Want some?” Night Without End chuckled at the comical sight.

The bear, its intelligence evident, nodded in response.

“Wait a bit then. There’s plenty of meat, but it’ll take time to cook.” Amused, Night Without End reflected that an awakened bear in these remote woods might be just the companion he needed.

The bear seemed to recall something, lumbered off, and soon returned carrying two enormous honeycombs. The golden honey, fragrant as amber, filled the air with its sweetness, soothing Night Without End’s weary body.

“Now this is a treasure,” he exclaimed, surprised at the bear’s resourcefulness.

He spread honey across the roasting meat, its golden sheen making his mouth water.

The bear sat across from him, eyes bright with intelligence, never looking away from the roasting meat for fear it might burn.

Night Without End laughed at the bear’s anxiety. “Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty for you! Just a moment longer. Patience—good things take time.” Whether the bear understood or not, he kept up his chatter, turning the meat as it sizzled over the fire.

At last, the meat was done. Night Without End seized a slab, tossing half to the bear before tearing into his own share with abandon. After nearly half a month unconscious, this was the first meat he had tasted since waking—and it was the most delicious roast boar of his life.

The bear seemed insatiable, disappearing briefly before returning with more chunks of boar and several honeycombs, gazing at Night Without End with hopeful eyes.

“Haha! Come on, I’m not full either!” Night Without End accepted the bounty and resumed his culinary enterprise.

Time slipped by quickly. Soon, only bones remained around the man and bear. Night Without End patted his stomach, content, and sprawled beneath a tree. The bear lounged lazily by the fire, as if time itself had stopped.

Suddenly, Night Without End noticed thick smoke rising in the distance. His brow furrowed. “What’s happened?”

The bear, startled from its rest, roared and charged toward the flames.

“Wait for me!” Night Without End grabbed his sword and raced after the bear into the unknown.