2 Hunting

It was a cold morning, Shun could feel the cold coming through the holes in his poor clothes and into his fragile bones.

Despite all the experience Shun had gained, hunting and fighting criminals to protect his family, he was noticeably malnourished, as most of the food he got was given to Aiko and Jiro.

As Shun walked through the dirt roads on his way to the forest of wild beasts, he began to see more and more people. Their looks would make a normal adult shudder, scars all over their bodies, they had machetes or knives, and there was even someone missing an eye and an arm.

Still, they looked at Shun with caution and some fear, as there were many rumors that he was a crazy killer.

Shun noticed the looks on him and knew what they were thinking.

*Mm those looks must be because of the stupid rumors about me, that I killed several men, well it's not true, but it's good for me so they won't be bothering me*

Shun never killed anyone, at most he gave them a beating and some broken bones so they wouldn't try things again. He considered himself a man or boy, rather, righteous.

That is, because of all the teachings his mother gave him since he was a child. So he is not a cold-blooded killer.

While he had all these thoughts in his head, he arrived at the forest of wild beasts, it was not far from the wasteland, about 30 minutes walking at a good pace.

*Okay here we go* He said to himself encouraging himself as he walked deeper and deeper into the forest.

He was getting closer and closer to the depths of the forest, with every step he took his alertness increased. Shun knew that if he took one wrong step he could die. It wasn't the first time he went to the depths of the forest, for that very reason he knows how dangerous it is.

After searching for a while, he found a good place to position himself, set up a trap, and lay down on the ground, well-camouflaged while he waited.

After about 4 hours, it began to rain, but Shun made no move. If he could not catch any animals today, he and his family would starve to death. And his sick mother would not be attended by a doctor.

So the pressure was on, for not only did he need food for the three of them, but he needed extra to sell to save more money for a doctor.

Shun heard the flapping of a bird's wings. However, the rhythm of his breathing did not change. His trap consisted of using the black cauldron as a cage while holding a stick, and underneath the cauldron, he scattered some bread crumbs.

This sparrow landed near the cauldron and looked around with an alert gaze. The size of this one was a little smaller than the black cauldron. Shun made no move and kept waiting for the exact moment.

The sparrow finally let its guard down and approached the cauldron to peck at the bread crumbs, but when it entered the boundary below the cauldron, Shun pulled the string in his hand, then immediately jumped up and ran at full speed towards the cauldron. Before the sparrow could turn him around.

He gathered all his strength and immobilized the cauldron.

"Phew!"

Shun exhaled a sigh of relief, as he had been standing still for about 4 hours to hunt this sparrow. The cauldron was constantly moving as the sparrow wanted to escape.

After a few minutes, the activity in the cauldron calmed down, Shun put a cloth around his hand, lifted the cauldron slightly, and reached in quickly to grab the sparrow's neck without it having time to react and peck at it.

He pulled the sparrow out of the cauldron by the neck, put it under his arm, and with a strong twist of his hand twisted its neck and it went limp.

He then tied the sparrow's legs together, threw it over his shoulder, picked up the cauldron again, and left quickly.

As he returned at a light trot to the wasteland, the silhouette of an adult person appeared with a bone knife in his hand standing in his way.

"Give me your catch you smelly brat-"

Plaf

Before he could finish speaking, he saw it approaching at a great speed, a black cauldron, straight at his face. He didn't have time to react and the cauldron impacted with a great force on his face, breaking some of his teeth.

*Damn it* thought the thief as he fell backward, he didn't think Shun was going to attack so fast.

As the thief fell backward, with a few fewer teeth, Shun quickly lowered the cauldron, put it on his head, and grabbed the bone knife that the thief dropped with his other hand.

The thief was robbed.

All this happened in a few seconds and Shun was already far away. The thief was in shock, there was something he could not understand, in most situations, there should be some interaction between them.

How many times had this 12-year-old boy encountered a similar situation to react so instinctively?

Because of the sudden robbery, Shun arrived a little later than usual, but he didn't head straight home. It was not yet dark, so there was a bit of order on the part of the guards, they were not doing this with good intentions but it was simply so that it would not affect the mine's manpower.

"Oh, crazy Shun, he had a good harvest today!"

Someone exclaimed when they saw Shun with the sparrow on his shoulder. This person's face was not visible because of all the dirt on it, as most of the people in the wastelands work in the coal mines to get some food.

In addition, there was very little drinking water, as most of it was contaminated, and what water there was not, the people of the kingdom divided it into very small quantities among the poor people.

Shun never worked in the coal mines or any other similar work, he has his way of surviving. He did not respond to anyone who greeted him as he knew they were only interested in the sparrow and might stick a knife in his back if he let his guard down.

As he walked to his new destination, which was the store of old man Matsumoto, a merchant with some prestige within the wasteland, Shun held the knife he stole earlier in his hand with an icy stare. People who had evil intentions held back at the sight of him.

Finally, he arrived at the store, put the knife away, and entered.

Upon entering he found a rustic store, with various items, compared to the huts it was quite a luxury in this medium-sized store.

"Brat looks like you have succeeded after so long," Matsumoto said as he smiled.

"Yeah old man, I hope you give in return a good price, if you know what I mean" Shun replied while having a greedy smile and making the bellys sign with one hand.

"For a 12-year-old brat you are very greedy hahaha" Matsumoto replied while laughing out loud.

Shun walked over to the counter and put the sparrow while asking Matsumoto.

"How much will you give for this sparrow in perfect condition?" asked Shun with a raised eyebrow.

"Mm for the beak you can get a good price, the feathers can also be used to make expensive coats that nobles like and the meat inside is of good quality, I'll give you 850 bellys" Offered Matsumoto.

"Come on old man, don't be stingy, raise the offer to 1,100 bellys and we have a deal" Replied Shun.

"The most I can pay is 950 bellys, don't be greedy midget" Counter offered old Matsumoto.

"No one else in the wastelands can offer you this sparrow and the nobles of the city really like its fur as luxury clothing, besides the price I'm asking is not too unreasonable, since we are in winter and there will be less meat than usual, so no deal" Shun sentenced.

As he was about to grab his sparrow and leave the store, Matsumoto stopped him and said:

"It's okay, brat you get 1,100 bellys for the sparrow."

Hearing this Shun smiled with a satisfied face.

"Now if we are speaking the same language old man, from that 1,100 bellys subtract some meat and give me two coats, one a child's size and one for an adult woman."

"Well, brat, between the 2 coats would be 250 and the meat about 70, making a total of 320 bellys, so you would have about 780 bellys left, wait for me to go get the meat from the pantry" Matsumoto replied.

Shun nodded and thought to himself:

*With what I made today I already doubled everything I had saved in months, if I could hunt sparrows every day...I don't have to be greedy, discounting meat and coats I have 1,280 saved up only about 720 bellys left so I can hire a decent doctor*

While I was thinking about this, Matsumoto already had the meat and coats ready.

"Here you go brat, 2 coats and meat, plus the change you have left from the sparrow, now beat it" Matsumoto said angry at having to overpay.

Shun laughed as he knew Matsumoto wasn't really angry, the old man was stubborn like that, and taking out his family, he was the person he trusted the most in the wasteland.

Whenever he could he helped him because he knew the situation Shun was in.

"Hey old man here's 3 coats just as-"

"Shut up kid, just take it away it's courtesy of the house" Matsumoto interrupted him.

"I don't need charity, I can survive on my own" Shun said with a frown.

Shun didn't like to be beholden to anyone.

"Damn brat, you think by gifting you a ratty coat you'll be in debt, I was already going to throw it away so it better not go to waste, grab it and get out" Matsumoto shouted.

Shun reluctantly agreed as he grabbed the stuff to leave he thought, *Old tsundere*.

Before walking out the door Shun said:

"Thanks, old man."

Matsumoto only had a slight smile.