Muscles protested with a dull throb. Leon exhaled, a cloud of vapor in the crisp morning air. His greatsword, Hearth-Ender, lay across the massive carcass of the Dire Boar, its obsidian blade reflecting the wan sunlight. Adrenaline slowly receded from his veins, leaving a pleasant exhaustion. He knelt beside the beast, its corrupted tusks still caked with dirt and blood. The strange obsidian shard, pulsing with a faint, internal light, remained embedded in its neck. He reached for it, fingers brushing the cool, smooth surface. Pulling it free proved simple. The shard detached with a soft *pop*, leaving a small, perfectly round indentation in the boar's flesh. It felt warm in his palm, humming with a barely perceptible vibration. He tucked it into a small leather pouch at his belt, a new trophy, a new mystery. Now, for the real work. Butchering a Dire Boar was no small task, even for someone with his strength. He needed to be efficient, precise. Valuable parts couldn't be wasted. Leon rolled up his sleeves, retrieved a smaller, wickedly sharp carving knife from his pack. His blade sliced through the tough hide with practiced ease. The familiar scent of blood and wild game filled the air. He worked quickly, his movements economical, fueled by years of experience helping his father on their farm. This was second nature, a comfortable rhythm. Deep crimson seeped from the cuts, but something else caught his eye. Something beneath the surface, darker than the blood itself. Dark, sinuous lines, like tree roots drawn in charcoal, pulsed faintly beneath the thick hide. They spider-webbed across the flesh, unlike anything his System had ever cataloged. Leon's usual cheer faded, replaced by a cold knot in his stomach. He paused, his knife hovering over the muscle. These weren't veins. They weren't nerves. They looked like... an infection. A spreading corruption, alien and deeply unsettling. He pressed a gloved finger against one of the dark lines. It felt hard, almost chitinous, yet it seemed to flex with a life of its own. His System, usually so forthcoming with information, offered nothing. No

Chapter 2: Whispers of the Blight