After this first encounter the fight against the fungal infestation escalates quickly. We run into individual myceloid foragers twice more. I don't get to shine in the fight against them though. Núira spots both well before they can get close and dispatches them with well aimed arrows.

Nothing is ever this easy though. The elven ranger can't keep sniping at the shambling fungi like this. Not forever. Her supply of arrows is severely limited. Even if she is able to recover one every once in a while, she will run out eventually. She is no slouch in melee combat, but neither of us wants to let it get this bad. Thus I'll have draw my blade again. Not that I mind.

And, as it turns out, this is the least of our worries. Loud crashing sounds herald the approach of something nasty. Something decidedly bigger and meaner than a mycelial forager. It isn't the king boletus at least. Another roar of the shambling fungal giant, reaching us from the general direction of Ediva's party reassures us of that. This in turn suggests that at least one other big monster is out here with us. Or rather, it is coming straight for us.

We move to an area where the undergrowth is less dense. That way I'll be able to actually see whatever is coming. Whatever it is, the undergrowth isn't slowing it down anyway. As I prepare to face or evade the enemy's charge at ground level, Núira takes to the trees. That way we won't both get trampled at the same time in the worst case.

I can't exactly say what I expect to come at us. I really can't. Except that I expect it to be big. Decent sized trees are being knocked over by it after all.

What breaks out of the undergrowth and comes at me is a giant boar with tusks the length of my arm, bloodshot eyes, and rocky fungal outcroppings covering its whole body like uneven natural armor. I have to admit I'm stumped. That and both impressed and a little terrified too. Damn. That thing is really massive.

I'm quick to make a decision. I'm not going to take that thing's charge head on. I'm going to dodge. I'm going to dodge by a wide margin preferably.

The question remains though. What is it even? A giant fungal zombie dire boar? That sounds about right, but the only way to know for sure is by using [Identify] on it. I don't have any other immediate use for my Mana anyway.

I focus on the beast and activate the skill. A little of my Mana drains away and I receive information on the creature in return.

[Dire Boar (Forest, Common, Level 5), Inheritor of Madness (Mountain, Uncommon, Level 6), Mushroom Zombie (Spore, Common, Level 5)]

The surprise has just become even more troublesome. Three classes? A soft exclamation from Núira suggests that I'm not the only one who is troubled. The only upside I can see is that its levels are pretty low.

One thing is for sure. We won't be outrunning this thing. Well, I won't be outrunning it at least. If Núira has some fancy skill for treetop running she might have a chance. I on the other hand? No, not a chance.

Thankfully the ranger doesn't just abandon me. Two arrows hit the charging beast in quick succession. They have an effect, but you have no easy way to tell how badly wounded the infected boar might be.

Núira was aiming for one of the bloodshot eyes, but the arrows did not quite hit that mark. They hit close enough thought to make the creature squint protectively on that side.

Even as I'm still pondering the best course of action the elven archer calls out from above.

"The pig isn't so tough! Go get it!"

Apparently that is not the right thing to say. The creature takes exception. To my, and probably Núira's surprise it does so very vocally.

"Boar! Not pig! BOAR!"

The the maddened creature is almost upon us, or rather me.

The creature's angry and maddened exclamation in mangled but still understandable Slyd surprised me so much that I almost get caught by it's charge. Only at the last moment I manage to dodge. I still get knocked aside and am pelted by dirt and detritus that is sent flying in the mad giant boar's wake. The massive tusks miss me though and that's the important part. I don't get trampled either. That too is a small victory.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 3!]

I can feel a whole array of my defense skills improve even if just a little. [Clothes], [Dodge] and surprisingly enough [Block] all progress even if not enough to earn me a level up. This could have been worse. Much worse. At the same time I come to share Núira's conclusion. This monster probably isn't all that tough despite having three classes. We should be able to deal with it without too much trouble.

Nice as this realization might be, defensive actions alone don't win battles. I have to strike back! Thus I do just that. Before the massive beast can finish turning for another charge I lash out with my sword. It's not a fancy fencing move. Not by far. I go for a nice and simple slash backed by all the power I can possibly muster.

If the creature sees it coming, and I'm not sure it does, it doesn't care. It doesn't even try to evade. Instead it takes the slash to its flank as it comes.

[*Ding!* Hit! Dire Boar's Health reduced by 19!]

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It's no critical, but it still is a very solid hit. A little worrisome is the fact that the mushroom zombie boar doesn't seem to care much. It just lets out and angry squeal. My skills improving distracts me from this little spot of trouble though. My [Melee Weapons] skill improves only a little. My [Blades] skill though levels up as the notification via divine whisper informs me.

[*Ding!* Your skill Blades has leveled up to level 6!]

This one is good. Very good even! Every little bit, every point of extra damage should help me end this fight all quicker.

I decide to follow through with a second attack before the boar can do anything, just as another of Núira's arrows buries itself deep in between two plates of petrified fungal growth. I thrust this time, aiming directly for the beast's snout which looks like a soft and vulnerable target.

[*Ding!* Hit! Dire Boar's Health reduced by 19!]

What is up with that? Shouldn't I have dealt more damage with this attack, even if just a little? Then I realize the error in my logic. I call out to Núira too, just in case. I do so in [Arngarm] though, hoping that the boar, which seems capable of speaking and understanding [Syld], will not understand the other language.

My understanding of the language is still rather lackluster, but I hope Núira doesn't mind and will understand anyway.

"I think it just leveled up a defensive skill. Given it's low levels we need to finish it before it catches a second wind!"

Given our perilous circumstances this seems enough to earn me another level up notification.

[*Ding!* Your skill Arngarm (Language & Script) has leveled up to level 2!]

Nice! This one should improve my magic power too. Too bad that I'm no spell caster. Right about now a big fat fireball would come in real handy. Or maybe a lightning strike or anything else that doesn't blow me up too.

Well, beggars can't be choosers. I'll just have to keep casting my very own brand of sword magic at the beast until it drops dead. Slash and stab are the most powerful spells I have in my arsenal right now. The silly thought is enough to put a smile on my face.

That smile is quick to fade again, as the boar rears back after the stab to the snout. It doesn't so to retreat or reconsider. No it's in preparation for another attack of its own. It fills it's lungs with air only to breath a roiling cloud of miasma at me the next moment. Grunted words in [Syld] accompany the nasty surprise.

"Let me share my curse with you!"

I have seen something similar coming from one of the mycelial foragers in the past. This time around it catches me entirely unprepared and thus flat footed though. The best I can do is to close my eyes and hold my breath as I stumble back out of the spore cloud.

Neither my defensive skills nor my equipment do anything about this attack, of that I'm certain. This is magic of some sort and it goes right up against my vitality.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 3!]

That first notification isn't too bad on its own. The one that follows right after makes me shiver though.

[*Ding!* Mushroom Zombie Disease contracted! 3 days remaining!]

Oh, dear gods and goddesses, that is bad. The damn boar wasn't just joking about sharing its curse.

Núira calls out in alarm from above and a few trees over.

"Viviona!"

I wave her concern away for now though to focus on our enemy instead. One thing after the other. I just let her know that I won't drop dead and turn into a mushroom zombie right away in short, terse words.

"Disease. I have time though. Three days."

I'm more miffed that the attack doesn't trigger the acquisition of a nice magic resistance skill for me. If this doesn't do it, what does? Could it be that there is no such skill? No, that is unlikely. I would take a disease resistance skill too! Any further thoughts will have to wait though, as the wounded beast comes charging through its own spore cloud.

I can't hope to block a charge of this colossus head on. It's way too close and moving too fast to properly dodge too. That leaves me with another very daring option. I counter charge!

At the last moment I go down to slide across the slippery forest floor, past its snout and under it, in between its legs. I bring my sword up in its soft belly, aiming directly for what I hope is the heart.

It's a crazy, desperate move, but it works. It works as well as I have hoped though at the very least if not better.

[*Ding!* Critical hit! Dire Boar's Health reduced by 72!]

[*Ding!* You have defeated a Dire Boar!]

Thankfully the beast keeps moving due to its own momentum, even as I land the deadly blow, just as I do too. Getting buried under it would not have been my idea of fun. No, not at all.

Both my [Blades] skill and [Melee Weapons] skill improve another little bit, but that is secondary right now.

Finally the boar collapses dead. Surprisingly enough the maddened look in its eyes seems gone now. Maybe something good came off this encounter after all.

I let out a sigh, shortly followed by a hacking cough. Damn it! Why did it have to pass on the curse of the fungal infection before dying? Stupid, quacking bastard! I straighten back up afterward. I take a moment to clean my sword too.

Núira hops back down from her perch up in the treetops and stops at my side. She looks genuinely worried.

"That billowing cloud it caught you with …"

She doesn't need to finish that sentence. I decide to share what little I know so far.

"A magical attack I think. A way to spread the fungal infection that turns people and animals apparently into mushroom zombies. It seems to be a disease of sorts. The notification mentioned something about three days remaining? Aila knows a spell to cure diseases, right? Or maybe Griselda or one of the others?"

She nods, looking a little relieved.

"Aila knows a prayer to that effect and so does Griselda I'm sure. Three days should give us enough time too. It's still a rather fast spreading infection."

I nod, pointing at the forest around us, which is showing entirely too many signs of the spreading infestation too.

"It sure is. We can't rest yet though. We have to keep going. I somehow doubt that we have seen everything coming our way yet."

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