《Fighting God》 Prologue - The Deal *COUGH!* *COUGH!* *COUGH!* A man in his early thirties was stuck lying on a bed and coughing heavily. When he removed the handkerchief from his mouth, a glob of black-red blood stained the cloth. The Heavens were unfair...the man trained all his life to become the best fighting expert in the seven continents...however, disease struck him unaware. Now, at the late stages of his terminal illness, the man was filled with regret. He hasn''t achieved his goal of number one fighter...he hasn''t fallen in love...he hasn''t produced a heir to continue his family name...there were too many things that he still wanted to do. Will I, Feng WangLang, really die just like this? Unfulfilled and filled with regrets? The man thought. "No...no...NO! YOU HEAR ME! I WANT TO LIVE!" Feng WangLang screamed at the Heavens. Suddenly, blood started filling his throat causing him to spray out a mouthful. With a exhale, the man collapsed back onto his bed...his eyes slowly close...his movements diminished gradually until finally, he died. .......... "...p.... ...up.... ake up.... Wake up.... WAKE UP!" A voice roared in Feng WangLang''s ears. With a start, Feng WangLang jerked awake. He stared around groggily, "Am...am I in Hell? Is this Judgment Hall?" "No, this is not Judgement Hall." Feng WangLang turned towards the sound of the voice and sees an old bearded man with strong broad shoulders and a muscular built. The old man looked to be about 80 years of age and wore a brown-yellow colored full-bodied leather armor. Feng WangLang looked around his surroundings and found that he was still in his room. He turned around and almost jumped in surprise. There, lying on his bed, was...him...how is this possible? "It''s because you are a spirit now." The old man replied as if knowing what he was thinking, "What you see there is your physical body." "W-who are you?" "Haha, all these years of learning my cultivation technique and you still don''t know who I am?" "You...you''re the Earth God - Tu BoShen!" "That''s me." "It''s an honor to meet you. Are you taking me to Hell?" "No. I finally found a good candidate, I can''t lose you to the Reincarnation Cycle." Tu BoShen replied. "What do you mean?" Feng WangLang asked. "I''ve talked with King Judge and pulled some strings. Finally, I was granted ownership over your soul. Tell me...do you want another chance in life?" "You mean...as a human?!" Feng WangLang asked in shock. Now when a person is judged in Judgment Hall, his or her life''s experiences determines what he or she is reincarnated into. Only those with a fulfilled life with a plethora of good deeds and actions will have a chance to reincarnate as a human. With the experiences of Feng WangLang, he would at best be reincarnated as a rodent. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Yes, not only will you be reincarnated as a human, but you will also keep your memories." "Really? Why are you doing this for me?" "Haha, naturally you aren''t doing this for free. There''s a few conditions." "Conditions?" "Yes. The world you will reincarnate to is Zestonia of the Magic Realm. It is a world where magic dominates. There are warriors but no one has ever reached past power equal to the Core Condensing 3rd Stage of this world. Maybe there you will be able to start a new life with new abilities. Of course, it will depend on the gods of those world." "A place where warriors are weaker than Core Condensing? That''s too weak!" "Don''t judge them based on their warriors. I have said before, the world has mages whose power rival the peak warriors of this realm. Don''t be cocky, you might regret it." "Is that so...interesting. What about the conditions you mentioned?" "You''ll know when you get there. Okay...it''s time to leave. Come." Tu BoShen gestured for Feng WangLang and took him to a portal. After Feng WangLang jumped in, Tu BoShen sighed and closed the portal, "Hopefully you can pull through even with the handicap...." .......... Tu BoShen''s Flashback.... .......... "What do you mean by that?!" Tu BoShen asked. "Hey! We''re already kind enough to let your precious successor reincarnate to our world and now you want him to keep his memories?" A woman retorted. This woman was the Fire Highgoddess of Zestonia - Igniss. "Please...I''ll agree to any conditions." "No means no! We-!" "Wait! We can make an exception...but I want to make it interesting." A man interjected. This man was the Water Highgod - Triton. "What do you mean?" Tu BoShen questioned, his eyes squint with caution. Triton was known to make unexpected and unreasonable conditions. "No affinity to any of the elements...basically, he cannot do magic." Triton replied. "Ooohhh...that''s a good idea!" Igniss clapped as the other highgods all agree with amusement. "That''s too much! He won''t survive." Tu BoShen rejected. "If he can''t survive with this handicap, then, you should just look for another successor. The conditions are set. Take it or leave it." Triton argued. "This...fine." Tu BoShen sighed. He did not like this but he believes that his successor will succeed through any obstacles. "Haha, then we have a deal." Chapter 1 - One in a Hundred Million *WWWAAAAA!!* *WAAAAA!* *WAAA!* "Congratulations Captain! It''s a baby boy!" A woman - the midwife - rushed out while holding a bundle. "Really!?" The man - the Captain - cried with joy as he rushed towards the woman, arms raised. The midwife gave the bundle to the Captain, who held it carefully in his arms. Looking through layers of the bundle, he sees an adorable baby face looking intently at him. The baby had a head of black hair with the silver eyes that all Silverstones have. There''s three marks on the baby''s right shoulder that looked like a beast''s claw mark, but the man dismissed it as an unusual birthmark. The man looked at the baby and smiled, "Hello son, can you say dada?" "Captain, the baby was just born...don''t expect too much of him." The midwife laughed. "Ah...sorry, I was too excited. Here, how''s Elena doing? Is she alright?" The man asked as he gave the baby back to the midwife to take care of. He was worried because his wife Elena was a delicate woman and was considered physically weak. It was predicted by the village''s healer that childbirth would be extremely tough on her. "Don''t worry, Mistress is safe. She just needs some rest. You can go see her." The man already rushed into the house even before the woman finished speaking. Upon entering the building, he sees his wife lying on the bed, soaked with sweat. He rushed over to his beloved wife and sat beside her. He grabbed her hand and smiled, "How are you doing?" "I''m fine. Did you see our baby?" Elena replied weakly. "Yes. He is beautiful. I can guarantee he will have many girls chasing him in the future." "Haha, true, he has your features. Have you decided on a name?" "Ah!...In my excitement, I had forgot about it. Hmm...how about naming him after your father?" "Really? Okay! Hmm...Aldred Silverstone...I like it." .......... Nearly a year has passed.... .......... In the months that passed, Feng WangLang - now Aldred Silverstone - grew up carefree and happy. He liked his new life and the interesting magic that filled the world. Because he retained his memories, he was mature for his age and didn''t trouble his parents much. Although his mentality is mature, his body is not and was still that of a baby so obviously he could not start practicing magic at his age or read for that matter. So, over the days, he learned many things by listening. His parents are Kyle Silverstone of the Silverstone Village - a small village in the countryside - and Elena Goldensol of Sola City - a third rank city. Cities are ranked first to fifth. The higher a city''s rank, the more populated it is and the more power it holds. His father works as the Captain of the Border Guards at Sola City while his mother worked as a baker. There are two general types of people in this world - Mages and Muggles. Muggles do not necessary refer to people with no affinities but rather to those with little talent and cannot breakthrough past the Novice Stages. His father was unable to break past the Novice Stages and decided to switch his career and become a warrior. However, for warriors - even a genius warrior - cannot be stronger than an early stage Meister. Nevertheless, his father''s talent as a warrior can be considered good...having reached Warrior 1st Stage at the age of 35. While his father did not have the talent to be a mage, his mother on the other hand was able to breakthrough to the Apprentice Stages and reach Apprentice 3rd Stage at the age of 31. However, she loved baking and decided to become a baker instead of continuing her magic studies. There are many stages for Mages and Warriors. For mages, people start at Novice stage and move on to Apprentice, Magus, Grand Magus, Meister, Grand Meister, Magus Demigod, Magus God, Magus Highgod, and then they become apprentices to the current Highgod of their respective element. As for the warriors, they too start out as Novices but they move on to Fighter, Warrior, Master, and Grand Master. No one has seen or heard of any warrior break through the Grand Master stage and so being a warrior is usually discouraged. Anyways, in this world, many people have magic powers, and it was extremely rare for anyone to not have an elemental affinity. Every year, babies who have reached one year of age are sent to the Affinity Ritual in the nearest city to test for their elemental affinities. A few days from now, Aldred will also be attending his Affinity Ritual. He could not wait to find out what type of affinity he has. He had hoped to have Fire-affinity like his mother but he can settle with Earth-affinity like his father. Although his family was poor, they still loved him dearly and had saved a large amount of money for his school fees once he found out about his affinity. They wished for his best and Aldred hoped for his best as well. The restless days went by slowly but finally, the day of the Affinity Ritual had arrived. Aldred''s parents took him to Sola City along with a few other parents of the Silverstone Village and their babies. Upon arriving, they see a bunch of other parents with their one year old kids from other villages converging nearby. "Attention! Everyone get in line...it is time for the ritual. All parents please provide a drop of your kids'' blood for testing. Once your child has completed his or her ritual, have them moved to the temples of their respective element to receive their blessings from the Highgods." An elder spoke out as he stood on a podium. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The parents all got in line with their children. The testing began and the first parent pricked the finger of his son, letting a drop of blood splatter on the Ritual Crystal. The Ritual Crystal absorbed the blood and multiple distinct colors started appearing and swirling in the crystal. One by one the colors disappeared until one color remained - a blue color. "Water Affinity! Please report to the Water Temple to get your child''s blessing." The elder told the happy parents. "Next!" The ritual continued...many children received Fire, Earth, Water, and other elemental affinities...some even received the rare Holy affinity. Suddenly, an outburst resounded the air. "Fire and Water Affinities! Dual-Affinity!" Excitement filled and surrounded the stage as people discussed the extremely rare appearance of a dual-affinity. Dual-affinities appear one out of a million. To have more than one affinity, that child will become famous throughout the lands. The joyous parents of the lucky child hugged each other in tears and happiness. Many people stared at them with envy...even Aldred''s parents flashed a brief look of envy. Though it was brief, Aldred was still able to see it. He was determined...determined to get a good affinity and make his parents proud. Finally, after a long time, it was his turn. Kyle pricked Aldred''s finger with a needle and let a drop of blood fall onto the Ritual Crystal. The crystal absorbed the blood and multiple distinct colors appeared. One by one the colors disappeared until finally a brown color remained. Will Aldred have Earth Affinity? Could this be due to his preference of Earth-style techniques in his past life? Smiles appeared on his parents face when they saw the brown color. Earth Affinity is a good affinity and it shows that Aldred is truly a descendant of the Silverstone family who all possessed Earth affinities. However, life did not go as planned. The brown color remained for a few seconds before quivering and subsequently disappearing, leaving the crystal devoid of color. Gasps echoed as people saw the blank crystal. Both the elder and Aldred''s parents gaped in shock at the unexpected results. Aldred...is a No-Affinity...an one in a hundred million occurrence. "It can''t be! Could the Ritual Crystal be broken?" Kyle shouted at the elder, his face revealing a slight panic and disappointment. "No, there isn''t anything wrong with the crystal. I''m afraid your son does not have an affinity. I''m sorry." The elder shook his head and apologized. He pitied the child. He knew that it would be hard for the child to survive in this magic world with no ability to channel mana. The audience of parents and city people whispered continuously and pointed at Aldred. Some even laughed at his misfortune. Kyle and Elena grabbed Aldred and embarrassingly hurried off the stage. They quickly left the gossiping crowd. Aldred looked at his parents and saw the embarrassment in their faces and the disappointment in their eyes. Though he could not understand most of the language yet, he knows that something is terribly wrong with the Affinity Ritual. For the first time since he was born, Aldred felt very sad. When they arrived home, the village head and the elders of the village had already found out about Aldred''s results. They heard about it from a transmission sent by another group of parents and child. "Are you sure this child is yours?" An elder asked Kyle. This elder was an old, bearded man with dark gray eyes and silver hair. His muscular built contradicts with his age. This elder hated Kyle because of Kyle''s talent as a warrior. In the past, his son and Kyle were both competing for the position of Captain of the Border Guards in Sola City, however, it was Kyle who defeated his son in combat and obtained the position. The embarrassment was hard to forget. Now, with a chance for revenge, the elder immediately jumped at the opportunity. "Tyron! How dare you! He is my son." Elena pointed out in anger. "Hmph! Who knows! How can someone be a descendant of our Silverstone Family if he doesn''t even have an Earth affinity?" "I...we...." Elena tried to reply but words did not come out. "Even so, Aldred is my...our son." Kyle interjected. "Even without an affinity, I will raise him to be the strongest warrior." "Hmph! Who knows...maybe he doesn''t have any talent either." The village head grunted. This man was Kyle''s granduncle. Although he had no grudge with Kyle or his family, he did not favor them either. He did not approve of Kyle''s marriage with a baker and not a mage as the village had hoped. "I''ll swear it on my life that Aldred will become the strongest." "Well, you can guarantee all you want away from this village." "W-what do you mean by that?" Elena asked. "Who knows if your son isn''t contagious, I don''t want any more bad things to happen to my village. Leave this village." Tyron shrugged as the other elders nodded their heads in agreement. "Please don''t kick us out." Kyle pleaded. "Sure...abandon your son and we''ll let you stay." "You!...Fine, we''ll leave." Kyle growled as he pulled his wife and son away. After packing some things, the family of three left the village. Chapter 2 - Cultivation Several months later.... .......... It''s been months since Aldred and his parents had moved out of Silverstone Village. Kyle was upset at how little valued the familial ties were in Silverstone Village. It angered him so much that he decided to change his last name to that of his mother''s - Blackehearth. And so, the Blackehearth family traveled around looking for a place to stay. Initially, they had hoped that Elena''s family - the Goldensols - would take them in, however, given Aldred''s status as a "No-Affinity," the Goldensols felt that they could not sustain such an embarrassment and refused the family''s request, even going as far as cutting familial ties with Elena. Having lost the privilege of the Goldensols name, Elena changed her last name to Blackehearth. With no place to go, Kyle decided to bring his family to the old log cabin he had built in his late teens. The log cabin was situated by a river filled with many kinds of fish. If it was like before, Kyle wouldn''t want to bring Elena to this old place...however, now that they don''t have a place to stay, the old cabin seemed to be a gift from the Heavens. Upon arriving at the old, battered cabin, Elena burst into tears. She, a city girl, now have to live in the wild in an old cabin on the verge of falling apart. However, she steeled her mind because she will do anything for her child. "This doesn''t look much, but I''ll fix it up quickly. By the time I''m done with it, you''ll be proud to live in such a place." Kyle boasted as he started modifying and repairing the log cabin. "I-I''ll help clean then." Elena replied as she placed Aldred in his crib by a tree stump. While his parents started renovating the cabin, Aldred was pondering about his future. He knows that he has no affinity to any of the elements, thus losing the ability to channel mana and generate magic. This obstacle would have crushed other people''s hopes, however, Aldred was not affected. If I cannot use magic, then I will cultivate! Aldred thought. I will grow strong and make my parents proud. In the future, no one will bully my family. After motivating himself a bit, Aldred moved into Full Lotus position and began focusing. Initially, he worried that there was no Qi in this world. However, after seeing the way his father powers up to fight even though he had little talent in channeling mana, Aldred knew that there must have been some form of Qi that permeates the atmosphere. After an hour, he was able to sense a sliver of Qi as it flowed along his skin. For a beginner, to break through into the Qi Gathering 1st Stage, one must first be able to feel the Qi running along his or her skin. Once one can feel like he or she is submerged in Qi, then one can break through and began gathering Qi. Currently, Aldred can only feel a small sliver of Qi. This progress is considered slow as if it was back in the Cultivation Realm, one hour is enough to feel submerged in Qi. This only goes to show how little Qi there is in this world. Aldred continued to sense and draw in the Qi towards him. After some painstakingly long hours, he was able to feel three-quarters submerged. Ideally, it would be best to be fully submerged, however, Aldred did not think he would be able to continue drawing in more Qi. With 75% of his body submerged in Qi, he can only have a 75% chance at breaking through. Taking the risk, he began attempting to break through. If he fails, nothing bad would happen, just all the Qi he had drawn in towards him will disperse...thus wasting all those hours of meditating. Aldred made a few hand signs and began his first attempt at absorbing the Qi. There are two ways to absorb Qi - the first way is to let the Qi move into you naturally...however, this takes a long time and Aldred just doesn''t have that much leisure time. He needed to break through as soon as possible or he will be put at an disadvantage once he grows up. The second way is to forcefully absorb Qi. This path is shorter but less stable and raises the chance of Qi Dispersion. However, Aldred took on this risk and began to forcefully push the Qi into his body. After a few more hours, success presented itself to him. He was able to absorb a small amount of Qi. Having gathered this small amount, he was finally able to officially call himself a Qi Gathering 1st Stage cultivator. Next step in cultivating is to continue gathering Qi until he reaches a peak. At this peak, he will attempt to break through and form his own type of Qi - this is called Qi Forming. Of course, this will be saved for another time as Aldred''s parents have just finished renovating the cabin. Wow! A lot has changed in those hours. The once battered cabin now looks like a resort. Elena walked over to Aldred and picked him up. "Did you miss me while I was working Al?" Elena said as she called him by his short baby name. "Look at what mommy and daddy did. Isn''t it wonderful?" Kyle said as he approached the two. Aldred wanted to agree, but his stomach suddenly growled. He blushed with embarrassment and tried to hide himself. His parents chuckled lightly at his inconvenience and comforted him. "Come, let''s go eat something." Elena said as she brought Aldred into the new home. .......... Four and a half years passed.... .......... In the four and a half years, Aldred''s family had experienced many hardships. His mother quit her job as a baker after she couldn''t take any more of the gossip and insults from her co-workers and the shop''s customers about her "trash" son. She did not mind much as she told herself that it was for the best. She reasoned that with the free time she has now, she could stay home and focus fully on raising Aldred into a proper man. To add misfortune on misfortune, Kyle was fired from his post as Captain of the Border Guards. Sola City''s military department felt that it was an embarrassment to their city if they had someone related to the "No-Affinity trash" working in a high position like Captain of the Border Guards. Naturally, they offered him a position as one of the Border Guards but Kyle refused in the heat of the moment out of outrage and pride. Unemployed, Kyle regretted his outrageous decision and struggled to find another job in order to support his family. Finally, after many days of searching, he was able to land a job as a caravan escort for the Merchant Union. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Kids at Aldred''s age were out playing and forming friendships, however, that was not the case for Aldred. Because of the constant gossip of the parents and the adults of the city and the surrounding villages, the children learned not to associate themselves with Aldred. They began to think that it was okay to insult and bully Aldred as well...after all, their parents were already doing it. If Aldred was a kid, he would have fought back...but with his mature mentality, he chose to ignore the abusers. After some months, the children and the adults got tired of the cold shoulder and stopped abusing Aldred. Eventually, they forgot about his existence. This was for the best...with the outside disturbances gone, Aldred can wholeheartedly focus on his cultivation. After Aldred became a Qi Gathering 1st Stage cultivator, he decided to start cultivating the technique he used in his past life - the Earth God Cultivation Technique. This cultivation technique was something he discovered in his past life while out venturing an ancient ruins. When a cultivator first begins to cultivate, he or she can choose what type of cultivation to use. Each cultivation technique will help determine the way their Qi is used. For instance, Earth-style Qi focuses on strength and defense - tough like rocks, unwavering like mountains, destructive like avalanches. And if it was Fire-style Qi, cultivators generally focuses on power and ferocity while Wind-style Qi users would focus on sharpness and speed...and so on. So, Aldred began his cultivation in the Earth-style use of Qi. Qi exists everywhere - in the skies, in the water, in animals, and naturally in the earth. To cultivate in the style of the Earth, one must meditate in Full Lotus position on a patch of grass-less soil. Then, one must wait and focus and contemplate, until he or she could feel the Qi beneath them. Each breath must be long and deep. With each inhale, Qi should be absorbed or gathered into the body and with each exhale, Qi should be circulated throughout each meridian point of the body - thus tempering the body and expanding the Qi veins. When cultivators first start out cultivating Earth-style Qi, they must picture themselves to be a huge human-shaped boulder - unwavering and solid. Of course the cultivation isn''t only meditation, breathing, and visualization. There are practical parts including stances and movements. For an Earth-style Qi user, strong lower body that is deeply rooted to the ground and connects the user to the earth is valued as top priority. To not have a well-trained foundation is to be vulnerable to collapse and failure. Just like how mountains have a wide base that supports the mountain as a whole. In addition to a strong lower body, a powerful upper body is needed as well. In short, strong upper body and an even stronger lower body. Stances included standing in different postures for long periods of time while channeling and circulating the Qi from the body to the earth and back in order to help the user form connections to the earth easier in the future. Postures include standing upright on two legs and on one leg, squatting with knees bent and back straight on two legs and on one leg, crouching with arms stretched out and butt almost touching the ground on two legs and on one leg, etc. All these stances are to help increase the strength of the core where the center of gravity is at and the lower body. These stances can be repeated with hands as well to increase the strength of the arms and shoulders. Naturally, there are more advanced forms of stances but they are usually a derivation of the basic stages mentioned only with slight changes in arm position and body position. Basic movements of punching, kicking, and stretching are used so that the arms won''t become too rigid. For the first four years, Aldred continued with the meditation, breathing, and visualization portions of cultivation. Just by this alone, he was able to break through to the Qi Gathering 2nd Stage. After reaching five years of age, he began incorporating the stances and movement portions of cultivation. Other than cultivation, Aldred had also learned to read, write, and do simple arithmetic from his mother. He learned the general history of the world as well as the geography. When he reached five, along with the secret cultivation training, he was also taught basic swordsmanship and shield training from his father. Being a fighting expert in his past life, he was quick to understand and grasp the concepts of the training. This led his father to believe that he was talented as a warrior. Delighted, Kyle even tried to teach him strategic maneuvers but was scolded by Elena for putting too much on a plate. This everyday process continued for half an year until finally, it was near the Autumn season - the time when school was about to start. Aldred is finally able to attend school but with his "No-Affinity" status, what school would want him? He couldn''t attend a Military school to train as a warrior because those schools only accept adults, which in this world adults are 15+ years old. Aldred was unfortunately only 5 1/2 years old. Aldred wondered why his parents won''t just continued to tutor him instead and when he asked, his father told him that he needed to experience the outside world and form social connections. They believe that despite Aldred''s status, he will still be able to attend a school, no matter how low rank it is. It''s the actions and connections that Aldred make that counts, not the school''s ranking. They will always support him and his decisions. "Don''t worry father and mother," Aldred replied on the fateful day as tears of gratitude formed in his eyes, "I will become a strong warrior that you will be proud of." "Don''t get into too much trouble dear." His mother cried as his father embraced her tightly. Nodding his head, Aldred set off to Sola City where many schools'' representatives are testing and recruiting. NAC - Stages Mages and Warriors have different ranks in their training. For Mages: If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Once a Mage reaches the peak of Magus Highgod 3rd Stage, they are offered a chance to become direct disciples to the respective Elemental Highgod. For instance, a Fire Magus Highgod 3rd Stage will become a direct disciple to the Fire Highgoddess Igniss as a Fire Apprentice. For Warriors: Because there are less stages for Warriors with each stage equivalent to the respective Mage''s stage, Warriors at Grand Master 3rd Stage can never be stronger than a Meister 1st Stage. For a Cultivator: Naturally, for Aldred''s cultivation stages, each stage is comparable to two of the stages for instance, a Qi Gathering 1st Stage is on par with Novice 2nd Stage, a Qi Gathering 2nd Stage is on par with Novice 4th Stage, and so on. Once Aldred breaks through to the Aura Stages, each stage is comparable to three of the stages so, at Core Expanding 3rd Stage, it is comparable to Grand Meister 1st Stage, but when Aura 1st Stage is reached, the cultivator will be on par with Magus Demigod 1st Stage and so on until the Highgod stage which is as powerful and maybe more so than the (Element) Highgod stage. Chapter 3 - Encounter Aldred set off from his home and headed to a nearby building. This is where all the children, in nearby villages, who were old enough to attend school would come to in order to be mass-transported and escorted to Sola City. Upon arriving, Aldred received many stares from the other children. They knew who he was and they knew of his "No-Affinity" status. Nostalgic gossiping whispers erupted, due to his appearance, followed by pointing and laughter. The insults did not affect him in the past so why would they affect him now? Ignoring the idiots, Aldred walked towards the back of the group and waited patiently. A few minutes later, the leader of the escort motioned that it was time to set off. "Hurry! They''re leaving!" A shout echoed. A few of the children including Aldred turned to look and saw two children, a boy and a girl running towards their group. The boy had red straight hair with golden eyes, broad shoulders, and a goofy grin. Although he was about Aldred''s age, he looked to be as tall as a ten year old. The girl had similar features with the boy and she too had long red hair with golden eyes, except she had a more cold demeanor. Both children were wearing red and black outfits, the only difference is that the boy had dragon markings sewed on and the girl had flower markings. When they caught up, the boy said, "Whew! Thought we were gonna be late." "It''s all your fault Mel! If you hadn''t overslept, we would have made it on time." The girl pointed out. "Can''t blame me. I was too excited that I couldn''t sleep well last night. Didn''t you oversleep as well Dora?" Mel excused. "Hmph! T-that''s different. I was just getting my beauty-sleep." Dora blushed as she stammered. She was about to say more when she caught sight of Aldred. "Mel, look. Isn''t that the No-Affinity?" "Huh? Where? Eh, you''re right it is! Let''s go say hi." Mel said. "No wait!" Dora said as she tried to pull Mel back but Mel was too strong and instead pulled her with him. "Hi, my name is Nimel Dragonfire of the Dragon Clan but you can call me Mel, this is my sister Dora. What''s your name?" Mel asked. Aldred looked at them curiously before remembering his mother''s teachings, "My name is Aldred Blackehearth." "Aldred eh? Can I call you Al?" "Whatever." "Great, is it true that you''re a No-Affinity?" "Yes. What about it?" "Wow, that''s cool. I''ve only heard about No-Affinities in stories. Let''s be friends. Dora, you too right?" "I...um...fine." Dora stammered before resignedly agreeing. Aldred peered at this curious boy in front of him stupidly grinning. He initially wanted to refuse because he thought it would be too much trouble befriending such an overly optimistic person. But he had heard about the Dragon Clan and how powerful they were. Not to mention his parents had pushed him to connect with others his age. After some thought, he finally agreed. The boy jumped with joy and wrapped an arm around Aldred. Pulling him close, Mel began talking about how Aldred made the right decision in befriending him. The two newly made friends continued traveling with the rest of the group while ignoring the shy Dora who was following close behind. In the time it took to travel to Sola City, Aldred learned many things about Mel and Dora like how Mel is a Fire-Affinity Novice 4th Stage and Dora is a rare Lightning-Affinity Novice 3rd Stage. In addition, Aldred learned that both Mel and Dora came from the Dragonfire family - one of many branches of the Dragon Clan. Their family can be considered powerful having boasted of producing three Grand Meisters. Mel and Dora are twins and both are six years old. Of course the information doesn''t stop there. Blabbermouth kept talking about favorite foods, favorite places, favorite Mages, etc. Aldred even, at some point, regretted his decision to accept this guy''s friendship. After what seemed like forever, the group finally arrived at Sola City. At the front gate, a fat man in his forties was sitting by a desk and assigning each of the children their identification cards. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Hmm, you are a Wind-Affinity Novice 2nd Stage? Hmph, trash, here''s your identification card. Don''t lose it during the recruitment. It''ll provide easy information to recruiters." The fat man grunted as he thrust a card at the timid girl, "Next!" "I''m Konnor Frost of the Frost Saint Village. I have both Water and Fire affinities." An arrogant young boy with short black hair and brown eyes replied as he stepped up to the table. He had a slim but muscular figure teeming with magic strength. A smirk appeared on his face as he looked at the shocked fat man. Aldred frowned when he saw the boy. It''s him...the Dual-Affinity from my Affinity Ritual. Judging by his aura, he must be at least Novice 5th Stage. "A Dual-Affinity?! Genius! What stage are you boy?" "Novice 5th Stage! I will be breaking through soon." "Wow, this guy is strong." Mel whistled, "Remind me not to get on his bad side." "If you don''t talk, you won''t." Dora joked causing Aldred to laugh out loud. Konnor heard Aldred laugh and mistook the laugh to be directed at him. He turned around angrily and asked, "Who just laughed?" Some people pointed at Aldred and Konnor immediately glared at him. Aldred shrugged and made no excuse to his outburst. He didn''t think his laughing would be such a big deal. However what he thinks isn''t what Konnor thinks. "I know you. You''re that trash, the No-Affinity. What are you doing here?" Konnor pointed at him. "Same as you, finding a school to attend." Aldred replied. "Haha, is there any school willing to take weaklings like you?" This remark caused many children to laugh as well. Aldred didn''t pay much attention to it and continued to shrug. However, Konnor mistook his actions as cowardice, "Look at this coward, why don''t you just get lost already?" "Hey now, why don''t we just stop for a moment and calm down. No need to get aggressive here." Mel interrupted as he tried to mediate the worsening situation. "Who are you to tell me what to do punk?" Konnor glared. "I''m Nimel Dragonfire from the Dragon Clan." "Dragon Clan eh?" Konnor was about to make another remark but one of his lackeys whispered to him, telling him that it''s not good for their village if they became enemies with a powerful clan. Konnor peered at Mel before leaving with a humph. After this incident, the fat man continued assigning and passing out identification cards. Finally, it was Aldred''s turn. The fat man sneered at Aldred and said, "No-Affinity trash. You should just go home and stop wasting your time here." "Just give me my identification card." "Hmph! I warned you. Don''t cry to your mommy when you get rejected by every school." "We''ll see about that. The name is Aldred Blackehearth. I''m at the Novice 4th Stage, No-Affinity." "Fourth stage?!" The fat man jumped in shock. How can an useless person with no way of channeling mana be fourth stage, let alone first stage? Maybe he is lying. "How can you be fourth stage when you can''t even channel mana? Are you sure you''re not lying? Drop some blood onto this crystal. I believe you are lying about your abilities." Aldred humphed while pricking his finger and dripping a few drops of blood on the crystal. The crystal absorbed the blood before shining a few words. When the fat man saw the results, his eyes widened...turns out the boy was right...he was really at Novice 4th Stage. "Even if you are at the fourth stage, the chances you have of finding a school is still low." "That''s something I will worry about, not you." Aldred replied curtly while grabbing his identification card. Aldred entered the gate where Mel and Dora were waiting on the other side. Chapter 4 - New Friend "Come on Al, let''s go check out some of the schools." Mel said as he dragged Aldred and his sister towards the recruiting area located at the City center. The city was bustling with people - especially recruiters from the many schools that set their tables at the City center. There were all kinds of schools. There were specialized schools owned by individual temples like the School of Igniss that only accepts Fire-Affinities or the School of Teryan that only accepts Earth-Affinities. There were private schools funded primarily by the king like Welkin Academy who provides opportunities to graduates to join the royal court or the royal armies. And then there were schools founded and formed by famous sects like Silver Moon Institute founded by the number one sect - Silver Moon Sect who get first pick of graduates. And finally, there were the public schools founded by famous retired mages like the Sacred Heart Academy - that any novice can attend - with the soul purpose of teaching new mages and researching new magic. Although there were more public schools than private schools, the quality of the public schools vary from 1st rank to 5th rank and even some No ranks. Conversely, private schools tend to have higher quality - being no lower than 3rd rank. As the children wandered around in the midst of the recruiters, many school representatives shouted out and advertised their schools. "You there! In the blue frilly dress, I see you have the personality of a calm river. You must be Water-Affinity right? How about joining the School of Triton? We specialize in raising Water Mages and we can bring out your potential to the fullest." A recruiter shouted out as she dragged the timid young girl towards their recruiting table. The young girl had a shy and panicky personality that borderline cuteness. She had light blue curly hair with ocean blue eyes. Of course, just because one has the affinity doesn''t mean he or she will be accepted to any school. There is another factor that is considered...his or her talent. "What?! You''re only a Novice 2nd Stage? Weak! Get out, we don''t want you anymore." That same recruiter of the School of Triton growled as she pushed the sniveling girl away. Aldred saw this exchange and felt outraged. After all, he was raised by his mother to be a kind person. Forgetting his initial determination to avert the attention of others, he walked up to the sobbing young girl and tried to comfort her. Naturally, he had no experience in comforting girls both in his past life and in his present life...so things felt awkward as he talked to the girl. "Don''t cry. Um, here use this." Aldred said as he handed her his handkerchief, "I''m sure you''ll be able to find a good school." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "T-thanks." The young girl sniffed as she accepted the handkerchief. "Uh...my name is Aldred Blackehearth, what''s yours?" "Tanya Moonscreek." "What''s this? You like her or something?" A voice shouted from behind, drawing a few gazes. Damn, I forgot about this blabbermouth! Aldred cursed in his mind. "Uh...no...." Aldred tried to deny while looking towards Tanya for backup only to find her blushing and head bowed. "Moonscreek? I think I''ve heard of that name before." Dora chimed, "Could you be related to the famous rising star Tamalin Moonscreek?" "Y-yes...Tammy is my older sister." Tanya replied. "Wow, that''s amazing! Can I get her autograph?" "Uh...sure." "Anyways...why don''t you join us? We can search for a school together." Aldred interjected. "O-okay." Tanya nodded as she handed the handkerchief back to Aldred. Aldred, however, didn''t know what to do with a dirty handkerchief used by someone else so he strategically told her that she could keep it. And so the four children set off to find a school. While they walked around the City center, Mel and Dora formally introduced themselves to Tanya. They were just about to as her what kind of school she would prefer to go to when a male recruiter suddenly approached Mel. "Hey! I see that you''re a Novice 4th Stage, want to attend Owlhaven Academy? We''re a 3rd rank public school." "No, sorry, I''ve already decided on a school with my sister." Mel refused as he and the others walked away. "Oh really? What school did you have your sights on?" Aldred curiously asked. "We were thinking of attending a public school, especially Creekspire School of Magic Arts. They''re a 3rd rank school that accepts novices of all stages. What about you? Have you decided on where to pick?" Dora asked him and Tanya. "You said Creekspire accepts novices of all stages?" Tanya asked hopefully. "Yea...why you want to apply?" "Ehm!" "That''s great, what about you Al?" "I don''t know...would they accept a No-Affinity like me?" "Oh...I forgot about that...." Dora mumbled. "Aldred is a No-Affinity?" Tanya asked in shock. "Yea. There won''t be any problems would there?" Mel responded. "No...I''m not one to judge...." "Ah...okay...." "Enough of that." Aldred replied as he broke up the awkward silence, "Let''s go look for the Creekspire School''s recruiting table. Who knows, maybe they''ll accept me." "Ok." Tanya and the twins echoed. NAC - Demonic Beast Tiers There are stages or tiers for Demonic Beasts. Now the comparisons these tiers have with a mage''s stages are as follows: The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
  1. For each tier from Fledgling Tier 1 to Demon General Tier 12, they are equivalent to three of the stages. So, Fledgling Tier 1 is on par to Novice 3rd Stage, Fledgling Tier 2 to Apprentice 1st Stage, so on to Demon General Tier 12 on par to (Element Name) Apprentice.
  2. Then, Demon Lord Tier 13 is on par with (Element Name) Grand Magus.
  3. Demon King Tier 14 is on par with (Element Name) Grand Meister.
  4. Demon Emperor Tier 15 is on par with (Element Name) God.
  5. Thus, there are no recorded demonic beast with strength on par with a (Element Name) Highgod.
Chapter 5 - Accepted to a 3rd Rank School "That must be Creekspire School''s recruiting table." Mel pointed. Aldred and the others looked in the direction and see a table where a crowd of children were enthusiastically listening to the male recruiter tell stories of achievements that the students of Creekspire had done in the past. The current story being told was about a senior saving a village from a demonic beast raid. The story was very interesting and it drew the attention of Aldred and his group. "...and so Senior Brother Bryant killed the demonic beast and saved the village from certain destruction." The male recruiter finished with a flourish. The wide-eyed children clapped in awe and interest, "So any questions?" "Oh, me! Me! Me! Me!" A number of excited children raised their hands hoping to be picked. The recruiter looked around and then chose a hand. "You, state your name and your question." "Ah...my name is Terence Klemanot." The boy replied, he had a set of short, curly purple hair and big owl-rimmed glasses. "I want to know about the strongest demonic beast ever defeated by a student of Creekspire School." "Ah, that''s depends on what you mean by strongest. In the history of Creekspire, we had killed many powerful demonic beasts. The strongest...well, there were two." "Two? Were they both at the same tier?" "Nope, one was at King Tier 10 and the other was at Adult Tier 7." "Tier 7? How could a Tier 7 be as strong as a Tier 10?" "It''ll depend on the type of demonic beast. For instance, the Tier 10 demonic beast we fought was Star Frost Ape but the Tier 7 demonic beast we encountered was a Desert Wyvern." "Oh...I heard Desert Wyverns are super fast and had a special attribute that allows them to tunnel into the ground." "Yes, not to mention it was dark. So we had as hard of a time with it as we did with the Star Frost Ape." "I see." "Okay, who''s next?" "Me! Me! Me!" More hands were raised as the crowd of children hopped around excitedly, hoping to be picked. Another kid was picked and she asked about the strongest magic skill offered by the school. At this time, Aldred was pondering about the existence of demonic beasts. Though he had lived in the countryside, there weren''t any news of demonic beast sightings or attacks on villages. This was thanks to the famous Mage team, a hundred years ago, who had drove all the demonic beasts back to the Demon Forests that surrounded the kingdom hundreds of kilometers away. In addition, he had heard of his father''s exploits and how he was able to kill an Adolescent Tier 4 beast before. He had also heard about how difficult it was for his father to kill the demonic beast because of its intelligence. Aldred thought of a question and decided to ask the recruiter. "...and that is why this skill is the strongest our Creekspire could offer. Okay, last question." "Here! Here! Over here!" Aldred immediately jumped into action, hopping high into the air and waving both his hands. "Haha, you over there then. What do you want to ask?" "I was wondering if it was possible to tame or befriend a demonic beast?" When Aldred spoke out that question, everyone started laughing. Aldred looked around in confusion, did he ask a stupid question? That''s strange, he knew that in his past life there were people who had befriended beasts that would fight alongside them. Couldn''t this be possible here as well? Why does it seem like it''s an unnatural occurrence? "Haha, it is impossible to befriend demonic beasts as they are very aggressive by nature." "What about taming?" "There are no records of successful taming. People have tried but demonic beasts are known to be prideful and stubborn. They would rather die than to become a servant." "How about finding an egg and hatching one?" "That''s a good question, however, though we tried, there was no success. The parents would rather smash their eggs than have them be used by us. I''ve even personally witness this happening when a Fire Skylark dropped its eggs off a cliff to prevent a senior sister from acquiring one." "I see." "Okay. It''s getting late, how about considering our school? Anyone want to join?" Many of the crowd lined up to apply. Aldred and his friends also lined up. One by one everyone who was lined up was accepted. When Aldred and Tanya saw this, their eyes lit up with anticipation and delight. Maybe they would have a chance. Finally, it was Aldred and his friends'' turn. The first person of the group to step up was Tanya. "Hmm...Tanya Moonscreek...Water-Affinity...Novice 2nd Stage is it?" The male recruiter mused as he looked at Tanya''s identification card. "Yes...t-that won''t be a p-problem r-right?" Tanya stammered nervously. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The male recruiter looked at her and smiled, "No problem. Here, take this badge. It''s proof that you are now a student of Creekspire School of Magic Arts. Congratulations." "Thank you! Thank you so very much!" Tanya exclaimed as she burst into tears. "Woah! Don''t cry." "Sorry...I''m just too happy." "Haha, okay, go to that group over there where all the other accepted students are. Next!" Mel walked up to the table and projected. "Hi, I''m Nimel Dragonfire, but you can call me Mel. What''s your name?" "Haha, you sure are energetic. My name is Shawn Blastmoor, you can call me Senior Brother Blastmoor." "Nice to meet you Senior Brother Blastmoor." "That''s good, hmm, let me see...Fire Affinity...haha as expected...Novice 4th Stage? Wow, you''re talented too. Here''s your badge. Welcome to the school." "Thanks." "Okay, take care. You know where to go from here right? Okay, next!" Dora walked up and introduced herself as well as her affinity and stage. As predicted, she was accepted as well. Finally, it was Aldred''s turn. "Hello, let me see your identification card." The male recruiter smiled towards Aldred. When he saw Aldred''s status, his smiled disappeared. He muttered, "No-Affinity...." "Is something the matter?" Aldred asked hoping it''s not what he was thinking. "Uh...I...I''m sorry. We can''t accept you." Shawn Blastmoor apologized as he explained his decision. "As you know, our school is a school of magic...with your No-Affinity status, you won''t be able to learn anything and you won''t be able to pass the class. Even if you were accepted, if you couldn''t pass the first grade after three tries, you would be expelled...even though the first grade is the easiest to pass as long as you have magic...which you don''t. You understand right?" Aldred felt dejected but he understood. His status as a No-Affinity makes it hard for him in this world of magic. "I understand senior Blastmoor." "Sorry." Shawn Blastmoor apologized again. Aldred left the table and met up with his friends. "Why you look so down? You didn''t get in?" Mel asked. "Yea." Aldred replied. "That''s not good. What will you do now? How about we leave as well and join you to find a school that will accept all of us?" "No! You should stay. I don''t want to affect your future with my problem. I''ll keep looking." "But-!" Mel tried to argue but when he saw the look on Aldred''s face, he resignedly agreed. "Okay." "I guess this is goodbye." "No worries. Go find a school and then we can meet in 5 years during the interschool tournament." Dora assured. Tanya nodded as well. "Okay...I''ll try. See you in 5 years. If I don''t find a school, you can bet I''ll be in the audience cheering you guys on." "Okay. We''ll wait for you." Tanya said. "Bye." Aldred waved as he turned to leave. "Bye. Take care." His friends waved back. Aldred left his friends and ventured around, looking for a school. It was getting dark and most of the schools have recruited their limit and left. There were mostly No ranks left and some ranked schools as well. As he walked around, he suddenly caught sight of a sign. "Accepting all Stages, Affinities don''t Matter" Aldred approached the table and saw the name of the school: Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic. Combat magic eh? Maybe I have a chance there. He walked up to the recruiter and asked, "Can I apply? I want to learn combat." "Sure." The male recruiter shrugged. He looked to be in his late twenties and wore all black with pale skin and black hair. "Do you want to look at my identification card?" Aldred asked as he showed the recruiter his card. "Whatever. The sign says it all, but we can look at it if you want. Don''t want people to say we aren''t legitimate if I didn''t check your card. Hmm, No-Affinity eh? I see why you want to learn combat instead of combat magic." "Is it not possible to just learn just combat?" "It''s possible. We''re aren''t a 3rd rank combat magic school if we don''t have a good number of combat skills to teach. Go join those kids over there while I clean up." "Don''t I get a badge or something that identifies me as a student?" "Ah...yea, I forgot to bring them. No worries, you''ll get one once we arrive." "Okay." Aldred nodded, not suspecting anything as he was happy to be accepted...especially to a 3rd ranked school. He walked up to the group of children and nodded a greeting towards them. Once the recruiter cleaned up, he led the group out of the city and headed north of Sola City. Chapter 6 - Deceived It had only been a few hours since Aldred and the group of children were accepted by Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic. The children had followed the school representative a few kilometers north of Sola City. Since it was getting dark, the group decided to set up camp. Currently, the group of children were huddled next to a large campfire. The school representative left saying he was going out to hunt for some food and will be back shortly. Aldred looked around and judging from the surroundings and his limited knowledge of geography, he assumed that they were somewhere in the Shimmering Savannah - a place where many silver glowbugs became active at night...giving the place a shimmering feel. He looked towards his would-be classmates and observed each one of them. Most of them were short and skinny save a few stronger looking kids. Overall, it seems the majority only applied to the school after being rejected elsewhere and saw the sign as their only ray of hope. Well, what can he do? Can''t complain since he too was drawn in by the sign. Suddenly, a stir caught his attention. Aldred looked up to see a small skinny boy with brown eyes and silver curls stand up. "Hi, my name is Kory Silverbrush. What''s your names?" The boy greeted. There were some murmurs, but nobody answered. They all just stared at the boy, causing him to fidget with awkwardness. "Come on guys, the least you can do is answer. It took me a lot of courage just to introduce myself. We''re gonna be classmates soon. Might as well get acquainted now than later, am I right?" A few yes and a few stares but at least answers were given. There were two Jennys, a Kris, a Manny, an Audrey, and a Luke. There were five others who didn''t introduce themselves...including Aldred. Kory looked at them expectantly, hoping someone would break the silence. Luckily, Aldred gave in to his pleading looks. "I''m Aldred Blackehearth. Don''t think those four will be saying anything. So anyone of you ever heard of this Nightingale Institute?" "Not really, but they say it''s a 3rd rank school." Luke replied. "Yea, I don''t think any of us had ever heard of this school. I only joined because I saw the sign haha." The blond hair Jenny laughed in a cute way with her tongue sticking out. She had a tomboy kind of personality and an easygoing attitude. "So no one knows about this school...doesn''t this strike you as suspicious? I hope we''re not falling for a trap or a kidnapping." Aldred mused. "I don''t think so...after all recruiters have to go through heavy scanning in order for them to be able to enter the city. So it is a guarantee that this school is legitimate." Kory assured. "Is that so?...Okay. I guess there isn''t anything to worry about. I was probably just too paranoid or something haha." Aldred chuckled as he scratched his head. Everyone else laughed a bit as well at his self-deprecation. "So, what are your thoughts about the combat part of our studies?" Kris asked. "I don''t know, I''m not really good at fighting. I only joined because Jenny was going to be here." Audrey replied as she nodded towards the blond haired girl. "I''m actually interested." Aldred chipped in, "I aim to be a strong warrior like my dad." "Wow really? You must be strong." The green haired Jenny exclaimed as she grabbed onto Aldred''s arm, "Wow, I can feel your muscles. Can you fight?" "I..uh...I trained with a sword and shield for half a year." Aldred blushed as the cute girl started feeling his arms. Luckily, Luke saved him from further embarrassment by pulling him aside. "Big Bro! No, Master! Teach me the ways to be strong." "Shucks Luke, you''re embarrassing Aldred." Manny retorted. "Haha." The group all shared a laugh. At this moment, the representative arrived back from his hunt. He was followed by two burly looking men. One of the men looked to be in his mid-forties and had a Leviathan tattoo coiled around his right arm. The other guy had a shaved head with a big pulsating scar traveling from the middle of his forehead down diagonally through his right eye and ending at his right ear. They were carrying two deer and a few rabbits as well as some vegetables. "Senior Brother, who are they?" Kory asked as the others stared at the newcomers cautiously. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Oh...uh, they''re your fellow Senior Brothers. The tattooed guy is Senior Brother Gano and the shaved head is Senior Brother Nial. They''ve come to help escort us back to the school. See how strong looking they are? You guys will get to be as strong as them once you start learning." "Oooohh!" The boys of the group echoed. It is natural for boys to want to be strong and seeing the two powerful looking men standing in front of them, they couldn''t help but sigh with envy and anticipation...maybe one day they too will become like that. "Anyways, we''ll start preparing and cooking. You guys go set the tables." The senior brother replied as he and the other two men began dismantling the deer and rabbits. After an hour, the tables are set, plates are out, and a big pot of deer stew as well as a few pots of stir-fry rabbits and vegetables laid in the center of a table. The senior brother motioned to the children, signaling them that it was time to eat. As Aldred and his newfound friends and classmates got up and prepared to line up for food, four swooshes could be heard from behind them. Four figures rushed past them and approached the serving pot first - it was the four kids who did not join them in their socializing. Some of the children commented on how rude those four were, but they didn''t do anything and just lined up behind them. When the four got their food, they immediately wolfed them down. Before the others were served, one of them chirped about how tasteless the foods were. Embarrassed, the senior brother laughed it off. He reached into his belt and pulled out a small container. Looking at the curious kids, he told them it was salt. Then, he proceeded to dump a good amount into the pot of deer stew and some in the stir-fry. "Alright, I''m sure this will taste much better. Here, have some." The senior brother beamed as he continued serving the food. When everyone received a portion, they began eating. Jokes were made, stories were told, idle chatter and light gossip filled the warm atmosphere. In fact, it was so peaceful that many of the children started feeling sleepy as if tired from an exciting day. Most of them dozed off, some even while eating. Kids...using too much energy to *yawn* get overly excited with even the *yawn* tiniest things...wow, even I''m *yawn*...feeling...sleepy.... Aldred''s inner alarm went off as he felt that this sudden lethargy was a bit strange. In fact, how come the four anti-social kids weren''t falling asleep? Don''t tell me...the food.... .......... "Are they all asleep?" The senior brother asked one of the burly men - the tattooed guy Gano. "Yes, why? You don''t trust the power of my drugs?" Gano smirked. "No, no. I dare not. Well, anyways, here are the group of children. Should you be paying me now?" The crafty senior brother said as he rubbed his fingers. "Haha, naturally we always pay. Us slavers don''t want to lose the trust of such a valued and frequent supplier." Nial said as he threw a pouch towards the young man. "You sure you should be revealing this secret to those four over there?" Gano asked as he nudged his head over to the four kids who sat their watching the interaction taking place. "No worries, they knew what was going to happen when they first applied...and not to the Nightingale Institute. After all, Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic is only a paper school. Our real school is called the Toroh Academy of Demon Magic." "Haha. Devious as always. Well, it''s nice working with you. I''ll take my leave first." Gano chuckled as he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, out of nowhere, eight shadowy figures stepped into the clearing. They walked towards the sleeping children and picked them up. Then, they Gano and Nial as they departed from the camp. "Alright you four. Go get some sleep. We have to arrive at the academy by nightfall of tomorrow." The senior brother clapped as he ordered the four kids to bed. He looked at the pouch of gold coins in his hand and grinned. Chapter 7 - Enslavement *THUD!!* *HSSSS!!* Pain coursed through Aldred''s body as he gasped awake. He rubbed his bruised side and looked around. It was dark save a bright light coming from a doorway...wait, a doorway?! Weren''t they outside near the Shimmering Savannah? W-where was he? Suddenly, his senses flashed in alarm as another kick smashed into his side. "Aarrgh!" "Git up ya slave!" Someone slurred. What? Slave? What happened? Aldred tried to clear his mind as the pain numbed his sides. He looked up and saw a gnarly looking fat man. "W-where am I?" "Heh! Slaves ain''t supposed ta talk!" "S-slave...me?" "Haha, forgit ya dinna know. Ya was sold ta us jist yesterday. Now git up! It''s time for the masta ta examine ye wares." Sold yesterday? Fuck! That son of a bitch! No wonder he didn''t provide us with badges. Does that mean that school isn''t legit? Wait...wares...where are the others? Aldred thought. From the corner of his eye, another kick came rushing towards his face. Aldred rolled to the side and scrambled up only to be rapped in the head. "Don''t ya dare dodge ya trash! Stop wastin'' my time and git outta here!" Aldred groaned in pain and dizziness. Not wanting to suffer from another beating, he stumbled out of the dark room. Bright light pierced his eyes, blinding him for a while until his eyes adjusted to the changes. Looking around, he sees many battered, dirty, and naked people lined up in rows - men and women both. Aldred was roughly pushed towards a newly formed row. "Everyone of ye trash strip now and prepare ta be examined!" A slave overseer shouted. People in the row that Aldred was in started stripping. One of the women didn''t strip quick enough and was subsequently whipped. Seeing this, Aldred quickly stripped as well. He didn''t want to be hit again. When everyone was stripped, a door to their left opened. Everyone looked at the entrance in anticipation. Footsteps were heard and three figures appeared. It was the tattooed guy from last night! His name...was Gano. Behind him was the scarfaced...um...Nial and another guy who looked like a gentleman or butler. Dammit! I knew something was suspicious when that bastard brought those two people to camp out of nowhere. Aldred cursed. "Alright folks. As you know already. You have become slaves. A good portion of you will be sent to the mines. Some of you will be sent to the underground auction. And the remainder will be put on display for purchase. Now, which path you will be sent to will be decided by your health and affinities." Gano spoke as he gestured the two men behind him to start examining. After Gano finished speaking, he too also began to examine a group. At this time, Aldred snuck a few peeks at his surroundings. After looking around for a bit, he saw Kory, Manny, and the blond haired Jenny but no sight of the others. Jenny was crying quietly while both Kory and Manny were visibly trembling. When his and Kory''s eyes met, he saw Kory''s eyes were dazed like in a trance as if Kory was looking through him. Nial approached Jenny and after checking her teeth, body, and affinity, he pushed her towards the butler. "Take this to be displayed." When Jenny heard of this, she started screaming and kicking only to be knocked unconscious by the butler. Manny roared in anger and tried to save Jenny only to be smacked back by Nial. "Feisty this one is. Take him to the mines." Nial sneered as two slave drivers grabbed a hold of Manny. They placed a collar on Manny''s neck and dragged him away. Then, Nial turned towards Kory and checked him, "Hmph, sent him to the auction. There''s probably someone who is interested." Aldred turned his gaze back to Gano who was currently examining his row. Once Gano reached him, the tattooed freak smiled. "I remember you. You''re a cautious one...almost had our cover blown. I recall you were a No-Affinity? Haha, that''s good. There are many who liked collecting rare items. With your status as an ''one in a hundred million,'' you''ll fetch a decent price. Take him to the auctions." Aldred was then dragged away. A neck collar was placed on him and then he was thrown into a cell where all the other slaves who will be auctioned were staying. Aldred groaned as he got up. "Aldred...." A voice called. Aldred turned around and saw Kory, who was also naked except for the collar around his neck. He looked at his friend and smiled wryly. "It''s good to see someone I know. I saw Manny get sent to the mines and Jenny put on display. Do you know about the others?" "No...when I woke up, Audrey, the green haired Jenny, and Luke were gone. Kris...he died. His head caved in...I heard it was because he attacked a slave driver." Kory sniffed. "Damn...what about the other four?" "I didn''t see them. I asked around but it seems no one saw them." "Wait...don''t tell me.... I...when I passed out, I didn''t see them falling asleep. They ate the food before us...ah!" Kory looked at me curiously, "Do you remember something?" "The bastard who sold us put something in the food after the four got their share! He said it was salt...I bet my life it wasn''t." "Then those four...." Kory began. "...were in on it as well! They knew and yet they still helped! Does that mean there really is a school called Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic?" Aldred finished. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "I don''t know...." The day passed by and dinner came. It was a big pot full of cold slop. There were no bowls to hold the slop so the slaves had to use their hands. Everyone''s dirty hands had dipped into the pot that by the time it was Kory and Aldred''s turn, they could not stomach the disgusting sight. There was dirt, grease, and slime mixed with the slop making it look like yellowish brown diarrhea. Kory''s stomach turned and he hurled his stomach out, which wasn''t much so only spit came out. Aldred also gagged and moved away from the pot. Some of the slaves, seeing Kory and Aldred not eat, rushed towards the pot to eat the rest. Both Kory and Aldred grimaced at the sight. After the pot was cleaned, it was taken out. Hours passed and it was nighttime or at least Aldred assumed it to be so judging from his internal clock. The slaves fell asleep, they knew that they need as much rest as possible. Suddenly, a groan emitted out. A man moaned in pain as he held his stomach. With a loud *PFFT!* the man exuded a sickening smell...and then everything came out. A spray of watery shit came flying out from the man and it continued to spray before ending in a trickle. Everyone tried to dodge but some were still hit...even Kory. With nothing to wipe the shit off of their bodies, they could only use their hands. "Why didn''t they use their abilities to wipe?" Aldred whispered. "From what I gathered, these collars restrict our abilities." Kory replied as he grimaced at the shit stain on his body and his hand. "Really? They had technology like this?" "Yea, it''s made by the royal court and is usually legally used as confinements for criminals but somehow the slave merchants were able to get their hands on some of these items." "Ah...." Aldred wanted to continue but he heard another groan from a corner of the room. Turning his head, he sees another guy start discharging like his life depended on it. Chaos ensues as people tried to dodge. More people started shitting as well. Luckily, Aldred had good footwork and was able dodge the projectiles and a healthy immune system to protect him from an infections caused by the lack of hygiene. The most likely cause of this disaster had to be the slop that was served...the contents didn''t even look edible let alone digestible. Anyways, this goes on for a couple of days - slop, shit, slop, shit...are they cleaning our intestines or something? Many people were weak due to this process, even Kory had contracted a fever. When Aldred asked for help, the slave drivers ignored him. Aldred couldn''t do anything to ease Kory''s pain and suffering so he continued to try and call for help. Finally, one day, the door finally opened and a huge jet of water poured in. Everyone was soaked. The dirt, grime, and shit were washed off of their bodies. After a while of full blast washing, a voice came from the doorway, "It''s time to move to the auctions! Everyone get out!" People walked out as more water gets blasted in their faces. Kory and some of the weaker people couldn''t stand the blast and were knocked to their feet. When Aldred told one of the slave drivers that Kory was sick and needed medicine, he nodded and asked to be taken to Kory. Once he saw Kory, he nodded again before telling Aldred to go ahead and get ready to depart. Aldred left thinking that the slave driver would heal Kory. .......... When the slave driver saw Aldred leave, he proceeded to gather the other sick people while telling the healthy ones to proceed towards the group that was ready to depart. Once they left, he turned to the sick who were lying or sitting on the ground. Kory peeked up at the slave driver, his face flushed with fever. Kory mumbled something before pain erupted in his eyes. Wide-eyed, Kory looked across his body...at the sword that stuck out from his stomach. Blood rushed out of his mouth as he weakly tried to reach for the blade. The blade twisted and was pulled out sharply, guts and blood spurt out from the opening. Kory''s hand faltered a bit before collapsing. His mouth twitched once...twice...before a sigh escaped. Kory relaxed...his eyes slowly close...and he fell asleep...forever. The slave driver wiped his bloodied blade and looked at the other sick people. They looked back at him in panic. They were too weak to move...to escape. One by one, the sick people were killed. Then, their bodies were piled together and burned. Finished with his work, the slave driver left. .......... Aldred was walking with a group of slaves. They had just departed from the slave market and was heading towards the place where the underground auction will take place. He had a bad feeling when Kory didn''t appear. *Sniff!* He turned his head and saw the source of the smell...smoke in the direction of the slave market! He tried to go back but was pushed along by the slaves behind him. He saw the slave driver that he asked for help come back, a sneer on his face. He saw him cleaning his sword with a cloth. He saw the bloody cloth. Putting two and two together, Aldred was able figure what had happened. Tears streamed down his eyes for the first time since he was born. He felt that it was his fault Kory had died. If he did not tell the slave driver about Kory''s condition, maybe...just maybe he would still be alive. This feeling of guilt ate at him. He was too young and too weak to do anything. He gritted through his pain and feeling of loss. He promised himself...he will have his revenge. POLL - Who to kill off? So, I am currently outlining and brainstorming ideas for upcoming chapters. I want to kill off a character to use as motivation, personality-changing, or life-changing for the other side characters. Basically...who should I kill off? Post your answer as a comment. Who will die, you all choose:
  1. Nimel "Mel" Dragonfire
    2. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
  2. Dora Dragonfire
  3. Tanya Moonscreek
  4. Tamalin "Tammy" Moonscreek
  5. Shawn Blastmoor
In the later chapters, I will switch to these characters'' school life and spend a few chapters on it...but I need to kill off one of them to be used as a turning point for the others. Who should I kill? Chapter 8 - City of Sinners It has been an hour since they left the premises of the slave market. They''ve been walking east without any change in direction. By this time, Aldred had calmed down a bit. Although he was still furious at the slavers and his incompetence, he reasoned that he could not be rash. Kory''s death will be avenged...however, he needed to become stronger first. Charging towards those slavers with his measly abilities would only send him to his death like what had happened with Kris. Aldred looked around and observed the other slaves who will be auctioned off along with him. There were a number of normal slaves and a number of abnormalities. There were slaves with weird markings on their bodies, young androgynous men and women, handsome men and voluptuous women, and of course children as well. Then, there were the abnormalities such as the man with three eyes, woman with a beard, brother and sister siblings with bits and pieces of metal growing from their bodies, and the incredible "tears to diamonds" girl. Most were crying while the rest could only accept their fate and stare into hopelessness. After half an hour more, they finally arrived at the city where the underground auction would take place. Looking at the sign above the gate, Aldred read "City of Sinners". Hmm...City of Sinners...according to the limited knowledge he had on this city from the books he read, this city was a nest of evil. Thieves, rapists, killers - you name it, they have it. This city was founded by the 8th generation Bandit King Yolek the Cannibal. It was initially meant to be a safe haven for his bandit army...but as time went on, new generations of Bandit Kings replaced the previous as owner of the city. And with each change in position of power, changes within the city occurred as well. After the 19th generation, the doors were opened to any and all criminals. After the 25th generation, the underground auction and the black market came into existence. The city started to associate with nobles as well as the wealthy. Currently, the 39th generation Bandit King Olar the Butcher runs the city allowing the city to see prosperity for some time now. It was truly a perfect place to host the underground auction. After the slavers went through some identifications as well as examinations, they were allowed to enter the city. With whip in hand, the slavers thrashed at the slaves, urging them to hurry into the city. Once in the city, Aldred and the other slaves all ogled at the mixture of chaos and order. Although one can see people being actively killed or mugged, things like mass-killing, gang wars, basically anything large-scale were stopped or controlled by the bandits who acted like some form of security. Naturally, as the slaves walked deeper to the heart of the city, there were some instances when a mugger tried to rob the slavers or when a killer slashed at a nearby slave. The bodyguards escorting the slavers would handle the muggers however, if a slave was killed before the bodyguards could do anything...well...that slave is dead and there''s nothing anyone could do about it. During the time it took to reach the underground auction from the city gates, the slave group had lost three slaves...thankfully, well according to the slavers that is, only the normal slaves were killed. After all, to them, abnormalities earn more money when they are sold to the auction. "You, you, you, you, you, and you! Go with him. The rest, follow me." One of the slaver said as he pointed at the normal slaves...wait...does that mean he was an abnormality too? That...is kind of insulting.... Anyways, the group was divided between the normals and the abnormalities...and Aldred. The normal slaves followed the other slaver who led them towards a host of the auction. It seems that those slaves will be auctioned off first...or not. Aldred and the other group followed their slaver towards another room where another host was on standby. Ah...there were two different auctions occurring - the auction of normal things and normal slaves for the less wealthy...and then the auction of rare treasures and abnormalities like them for the nobles and the extremely wealthy. While the slaver was conversing with the host, Aldred picked up the words No-Affinity which was followed by a gasp of astonishment from the host. The host looked at Aldred and nodded his head. The host thought to himself Truly a rarity - to be so unblessed by the elements that you can see no sign of them around him. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it."So, are you satisfied with today''s haul? Do we have a deal?" The slaver said. "Haha, as expected from your slave market, truly wonderful to have even a No-Affinity. It is a deal. Here''s your payment." The host chuckled as he threw a pouch full of gold coins at the slaver. "I''ve brought you a No-Affinity. That''s extremely rare. Give me more or no deal." "Haha, don''t be so uptight. Here, have another pouch. Satisfied?" The greedy bastard immediately snatched the bags up and placed them in his embrace...as if the bags would be stolen the moment they left his embrace. "That''s m-much better. W-well, I''ll be off then." Seeing the slaver leave, the host slightly turned his head backward and whispered, "No one talks to me like that. Hmph! That was a lot of money...steal it from him before he leaves the city." A slight muffled "yes" was heard before a shadow figure left the vicinity. Knowing what will happen, Aldred couldn''t help but feel a bit satisfied. A sneer appeared on his face. *WHAP!* A back hand slapped him across the head, causing him to see stars. "Bitch! Don''t you dare sneer at me again or I''ll skin you alive!" The host roared as he thought Aldred''s sneer was directed towards him. "You''re lucky you''re a No-Affinity. If you had been something else, I would have killed you on the spot. Do I make myself clear?" "Kuuu....yes" Aldred groaned as a throbbing pain danced on his head. "Now, you lot follow me." The host replied as he gestured the group of slaves to follow. The host led Aldred and the other slaves to a room where a couple of more slaves were residing in. "Stay here until you are called." As the door opens and Aldred and his group entered, the group inside trembled at first before they sighed in relief and turned their gazes towards Aldred''s group. Those were the stares of sadness, despair, reluctance, helplessness, and understanding. While they were being observed, Aldred was observing his surroundings as well. He saw that almost all of the slaves had weird and even disgusting abnormalities. There were two-headed humans, two-bodied humans, people that looked like trees, etc. And then there were the Dual-Affinities, the rare Unholy-Affinity, divine bodies, etc. The slaves all stood or sat. Family or friends would try to comfort each other though they know full well what will happen when the host comes for them. Strangers would just ignore each other...there was no room and no mood for social interactions. Beastly roars could be heard in the next room. Aldred could partially understand the roaring sounds because of a skill - Language of the Beasts - one of the few skills he was able to bring across from his previous life. Though the demonic beasts of this world differ with the beasts of his previous world, there were still some similarities allowing Aldred to pick out a few words. The jarring roars and screeches were roughly translated to screams of help and anger, as well as torn separation. It seems that rare and unique beasts are also sold here. As time passed, the door opened again. Everyone held their breaths as they looked towards the opening with anticipation. When the host walked in with guards behind him, everyone starting sobbing whether its soft sniffling or straight up bawling. "QUIET!" The host roared. He pointed at a few people, "You, you, you, and you two. Take them!" The guards rushed in and dragged the reluctant slaves out the door, separating family and friends. Looking at who was dragged out, Aldred was able to conclude that slaves will be taken out by abnormality-type for instance the ones who left just now were slaves with special body protrusions. When the door closed shut, sounds of excitement could be heard. After half an hour, the host came back and threw back a slave. "Hmph! It seems I wasted my gold buying this useless shit! Can''t even get sold. Guards, make sure to send him to the mines once this is over." The host grunted. After that, he chose a few more slaves and dragged them out. This process continued, sometimes a slave is sent back because he or she couldn''t be sold and other times, a group of slaves were completely sold off. Finally, it was time.... The doors opened and the host walks in. He looked at a few slaves until he landed his eyes on Aldred. With a smirk, "You special affinities, get out here! It''s your turn." Chapter 9 - Sold The guards led or dragged Aldred and the other special affinities to the backstage of the auction room. Chains coupled with the neck collars that prevent wearers from channeling their elements disallowed the slaves from any attempts to escape. As the slaves await their impending fate, the host was out in the front introducing to the customers about them...the wares. "...And next up we have a special group of slaves. These slaves'' unique characteristic is their affinities. We have all kinds of rare or unique affinities. Let me introduce to you the first batch." The host introduced as he motioned to a guard, "Bring them in." The guard nodded before going backstage. He walked up to a couple of slaves, unchained them, and dragged them to the front. When the customers saw the slaves, there were some roars of excitement. The host lined up the slaves and presented them to the audience. "Now as you can see, these slaves are all very healthy. There are no diseases and no injuries to worry about." The host pointed out as he stripped the slaves and showed their bodies to the audience. There were many leers as the audience - both men and women - gazed at the bodies. As the host continued on about the health of the slaves, a person from the audience hollered, "Go on with the auction dammit!" "Haha, it seems we have an impatient customer. Very well, let us begin. First up, this woman, age 21, is a Water and Earth Dual-Affinity. Let''s have the starting bid at 300 gold." Murmurs erupted in the audience. 300 gold for a person is pretty expensive...however, for a Dual-Affinity, the price seems reasonable. Bids began and the price increased. There were even a few fights occurring between customers...both with their money and with their fists. Finally, the bidding stopped and the female slave was sold to a masked old man for 850 gold. The host brought out another slave - male and a Fire and Earth Dual Affinity. Bidding price increased after a few bouts from the customers and the slave was finally sold for 780 gold. This process continued until all the slaves from the first batch were sold. The guards brought out more slaves and the bidding continued. Finally, most of the slaves were sold, with the exception of a few who didn''t catch anyone''s attention. "Now that the appetizers are finished, let''s move on to the main dish. This here is a slave of only 12 years old with an unique ability that rivals all the other affinities - an Unholy, Holy, and Poison Triple-Affinity. There''s nothing much to mention about the Poison Affinity, but you all should know the immense incompatibility between Unholy and Holy affinities. Not to mention, this is an "one in a hundred million" Triple-Affinity." Loud noises of excitement erupted throughout the auction room. A Triple-Affinity! And to have Unholy and Holy...that is a must-have...an incredibly rare and unique slave that can be comparable with a legendary highgod level artifact or treasure. "Let''s start the bidding price at 2000 gold!" The host responded. "5000 gold!" The masked old man who bought the female Dual-Affinity previously called out. He wanted to increase the starting price tremendously in an attempt to force others to reconsider bidding for the slave. However, the masked old man was not successful as another shout sounded out, "5500 gold!" "Hmph! Young man, you dare to compete with me? 6000!" The young man who tried to compete with the masked old man immediately retorted, "10,000 gold!" "YOU!" The old man pointed. "Do you know who I am?" "Hmph! Aren''t you just the Medicine Freak? Do you know who my master is?" Gasps burst out from the surrounding audience. Medicine Freak! He is a powerful and influential character of Zestonia. Medicine Freak Hersol was known to be an eccentric. He loved to experiment on humans with his new medicinal creations regardless of whether there were negative or positive aftereffects. Not to mention, there were many rumors that he liked to use humans as medicinal ingredients. "Hmph! Who can your master be that a child still wet behind his ears won''t even give me face?" "Haha, wash your ears clean and listen! My master is Wiltin Kraspuus!" Even more gasps sounded out...even some from the Medicine Freak. Wiltin Kraspuus?! That...that''s the Demonic Venom - a renowned killer who specializes in torture and poison! Since when did the Demonic Venom start taking disciples! "I-impossible! That crazy bastard treats other humans as shit! How can he possibly have disciples! YOU! You lie!" Medicine Freak denied vehemently as he lunged towards the young man. "How dare you lie to me, DIE!" The young man humphed at the charging old man and waved his hand out. To the surrounding people, all they could see was a simple wave of the hand, however, the Medicine Freak immediately jumped backwards as if frightened. He staggered a bit before spitting out a mouthful of black blood. "Death''s Hand! You really are Demonic Venom''s disciple!" Medicine Freak proclaimed as another mouthful of blood spewed from his mouth. He reached into his pockets and pulled out a pill. Consuming it, his paled features quickly regained its color. "Luckily, you are only an apprentice otherwise...." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Hmph! Anyone else wants to bid against me?!" The young man arrogantly ignored the old man as he turned his gaze towards the others. Seeing that no one else was going to increase the bid, the host sighed...although 10,000 gold was a lot, it was still lower than what he had expected for a main dish. Nevertheless, situations like these where the masked bidders would reveal their identities in order to prevent the price from raising were common practice in any auction. The host swept his eyes across the entirety of the room once more. "The current bid is at 10,000 gold. Anyone higher? Going once...going twice...sold!" The host pronounced. The young man smiled curtly and grabbed the Triple-Affinity slave. He dragged his purchased slave and prepared to leave the auction. "This young sir will not stay for the rest of the auction?" The host asked when he saw the young man attempt to leave. "No, I''ve got what I came for, there shouldn''t be anything else that''s interesting." The young man replied as he left the building. Once he left, a sneer voiced out, "Hmph! Probably didn''t bring enough money." The owner of the voice was, of course, the discontent Medicine Freak. He was feeling extreme dissatisfaction having the Triple-Affinity taken away from under his eyes. Now that a competitor had left, Medicine Freak felt slightly elated and refreshed as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He looked towards the host and shouted, "Now that the main dish is over, if I know you...and I do, you would always prepare a dessert that''s equally astonishing as the main dish. Bring it out." "Haha, you''re right." The host chuckled as he motioned to a guard. "Bring him out." Led by the guard, Aldred stepped out onto the stage. He looked around and saw a number of masked or hooded people in the seats below the stage. Voices were heard in the crowd as the customers tried to determine what was so special about the young boy standing on the stage. The host walked up beside Aldred...his next words shocked everyone in the crowd. "This here is a slave not even 6 years of age and is rivaled to the Triple-Affinity in terms of uniqueness." The host replied. "What is he? A Triple-Affinity? A rare affinity?" The crowd asked. "He is none of those... he is an infamous...No-Affinity!" "WHAT?!" Medicine Freak as well as a few others stood up in utter disbelief. "Now a No-Affinity, although rare, cannot be considered much as a treasure. However, as a collectible, I''m sure there is someone in this crowd who is interested. So, as per tradition, I let you guys start the bidding price." "50 gold." Someone in the crowd replied half-heartedly. "Anyone else?" The host replied, a clear sign of discontent in his eyes...50 gold is way too little that there''s practically no profit. "Haha, it''s interesting. I''ll call 100 gold." Another person replied. "110 gold." The price kept increasing by small increments until finally it reached 391 gold. Minutes passed but nobody bothered to answer. "Anyone else want to bid? It is after all a No-Affinity....no? Fine, 391 gold going once...391 gold going twice...SOL-!" "500 gold!" "5-500 gold? T-truly?" The host stammered in amazement when he heard the interruption. He looked at the source and sees a beautiful woman who had just removed her hood. Although she had a mask on to cover her upper face, people could still see her sunrise-golden hair...her jade-like complexion unblemished and untarnished by the sun...and her rosy full lips that carried a sweet scent of honey. She had a well-endowed body and a dainty figure. She moved like a well-mannered noblewoman. The host looked at the woman and knew who she was. His well-trained eyes allowed him to see and recognize anyone no matter how much they tried to disguise themselves. To see through a simple mask was nothing to the host. The woman who brought up the price of the No-Affinity to 500 gold was Saintess Caroline Moonkist. Now why a Saintess would appear in the City of Sinners, no one knows for sure, however, the host reasoned that it was to try to save a poor soul from impending doom. He glanced at Aldred and thought, Though the elements have forsaken him, it seems Lady Luck has not. "500 gold it is...anyone else?" The host asked as he looked around the crowd. However, the crowd was staring intently at the beauty and did not pay attention to the auction. "Going once...going twice...SOLD!" Aldred looked at the Saintess who bought him. She peered at him with a calm smile and reassuring eyes. The Saintess held out her hand and beckoned him towards her. Aldred walked up towards her and took her hand. A flash of something indescribable crossed the Saintess''s eyes momentarily before disappearing. However, Aldred caught it. Gazing at the woman''s face once more, Aldred shivered.... Chapter 10 - New Home "Well, we''re here. Do come in." Saintess Caroline Moonkist replied as she motioned for Aldred to come into the house. "Um...Mistress...um...what will I do as a slave?" Aldred asked as he stood outside nervously. He rubbed his neck where the neck collar used to be but it was taken off by Saintess Caroline. Aldred didn''t know what to make of it...was he still a slave?...Or was he something else? "Oh, don''t worry about that. You''ll do nothing of that sort. And call me Big Sis Caroline." Saintess Caroline smiled. Aldred nodded slowly and tentatively walked in and looked around. The place looked...well...big. The walls were made with a combination of furnished wood and brick and dyed in a deep mahogany color. What laid before him was a short but wide hallway with numerous openings from both sides. In the middle of the hallway, a stairway protruded from the right side that led to the second floor. The ceiling of the house was incredibly high and a chandelier hung above that illuminated the house. The floors felt wooden but was entirely covered with a flowery-patterned, red and pink carpet. While Aldred was still looking around, the Saintess quickly walked towards the stairs. "Kids! Come downstairs! I have someone to introduce to you guys." The Saintess called. Soon, rumbling footsteps could be heard as they all converge to the top of the stairs. Children of all ages ranging from 3 years old to 11 years old all clambered down the stairs. They formed around Aldred and examined him with curious eyes. "Um...who''s that, Big Sis Caroline?" A four year old girl asked while she was sucking on her thumb and holding a toy doll. "This here is your new brother. Come, introduce yourself to everyone." Saintess Caroline replied. "My name is Aldred. It''s nice to meet you." Aldred greeted. "Nice to meet you too Aldred. My name is Jake and this is Vicky, Tristan, Kally, Yela, Pammy, Will, and Tommy. There''s two more but they''re shopping with Uncle Ralph. They''re siblings Robbie and Shelly." The 11 year old introduced as he named the other kids. "Uncle Ralph?" "Ah, he''s the housekeeper but we call him Uncle Ralph." "I see." "Alright, I have some business to take care of so I''ll head out first. Jake, go show him around the house please." Saintess Caroline asked as headed towards the door. "Yes Big Sis Caroline." Jake replied. Saintess Caroline flashed them a charming smile before exiting the house and closing the door behind her. "So, how old are you?" Jake asked as he turned his gaze back at the newcomer. "I''m almost 6 years old." Aldred replied. "Really? You talk like an adult." "Haha, I get that a lot. What about you guys? How old are you?" "Robbie and Shelly are 10 and 11 respectively. Vicky is 4, Tristan is 3, Kally is 7, Yela is 10, Pammy is 9, Will and Tommy are both 8. Lastly, I''m 11. I''ll be 12 next month." "So, have you been here the longest? Is it nice here? How does Saintess Caroline treat you guys?" "Don''t worry so much. We were all slaves who were meant to be sold to perverted or evil creeps, but it was thanks to Big Sis Caroline that we are able to live in peace. Big Sis Caroline treats us like family. Oh, as for your first question, I''ve stayed here the longest compared to the other kids however, there were many children before me." Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings."Oh? What happened to them?" "Once they reach the age of 12, Big Sis Caroline comes and takes them away. She says that once we reach that age, we need to learn some skills in order for us to survive in the harsh world. So, she would find us apprenticeships. I heard that Dave - he left last year - is working as a blacksmith apprentice these days." "Who did you hear that from?" "From Uncle Ralph of course." "How''s is the housekeeper by the way? Is he nice?" "You can call him Uncle Ralph...we all do. He is one of the nicest people I know. He always gives us candy to eat and he cooks the best meals. Well, enough of that...how about we show you around the house?" "Ok." So, Jake began showing Aldred around the house while the other children followed. There were general rooms and furniture like the kitchen room, dining room, couches, cushioned chairs, tables, play room, and storage room as well as a few closets. All the rooms downstairs, except for the closets and the storage room, did not have doors so everything was revealed for all to see. After Aldred had a general tour of the first floor, they ventured upstairs where all the bedrooms were. The bedrooms are shared between the children - Jake and Robbie took one room, Shelly and Yela shared another room, Will and Tommy in another, Pammy and Kally in another, and finally Vicky and Tristan in the last room. "Hmm, is it alright if you share a room with Vicky and Tristan?" Jake asked. "Sure." "Great, anyways, there''s the bedrooms and the bathing rooms are here and here. They''re separated so boys on the left side and girls on the right side. And, toilets are located on the outside obviously." "I see...do we just do our business outside and bury it or what?" "Uncle Ralph is an Earth Mage and has created a pit where you can do your business. Once a week, Uncle Ralph would fill the hole. He says our poop makes good fertilizer for the surrounding plants and the garden in the backyard." Jake explained. At the sound of poop, the other children all giggled and was soon hushed by the older boy. "Anyways, the room at the end of the hall is the library or study room. Big Sis Caroline has a lot of books from stories of heroes to Novice Stage magic books. Big Sis Caroline let''s us read whatever we want from the study room." "Oh, that''s good." "Oh, by the way, don''t go down to the basement. Big Sis Caroline said she''s preserving some meat and vegetables in preparation for the winter and doesn''t want anyone to open the doors and ruining them." "That''s true...winter is coming soon and food usually gets harder to save up." "Yea...so a few rules. Although we can go to the forest to the east and swim in the river nearby, don''t venture towards the cave that''s located half a kilometer away." "Why not?" "Big Sis Caroline said she and Uncle Ralph severely weakened and sealed a demonic beast in the caves. Don''t worry about it running loose, the seals on the monster is super strong. Big Sis Caroline says that as long as we don''t go disturb the monster, it won''t escape. So...now that you know the general details of this place, do you have any questions?" "Yea...when''s supper?" Aldred replied bashfully as he rubbed his stomach. He hadn''t eaten anything all day. "Hahaha!" The kids all chuckled at Aldred''s question. Chapter 11 - New Life Days passed and Aldred enjoyed every bit of his new life with the other kids...his brothers and sisters. In the mornings, he would wake up and help around with some chores before breakfast. Food was delicious. Jake was right...Uncle Ralph was a good cook. After breakfast, he was tasked to play with and take care of Vicky and Tristan. Aldred adored the two young children. Now, although the two kids were close to his age, Aldred did not feel that that was the case. Since he was, after all, reborn and had previous memories, this meant that his mentality was like an adult in his early thirties. Aldred would spend most of his mornings reading to Vicky and Tristan stories of famous mages as well as princesses and heroes. After a delicious lunch, he would continue to play with Vicky and Tristan as well as with the other kids. During his interactions with the others, Aldred learned some more about them. Jake wanted to become a tailor. His designs were comparably fashionable and even Big Sis Caroline had complimented about his artistic talents. Robbie and Shelly both had talent in cooking. Robbie wanted to open up his own restaurant and Shelly wanted to become a baker. Currently, they''re learning more about cooking from Uncle Ralph. Will adored Dave and wanted to follow his footsteps as a blacksmith. Tommy and Yela loved reading and writing. Tommy wanted to become a teacher so he can teach other children like how Big Sis Caroline taught him, while Yela wanted to become a scribe. Pammy was learning how to fight from Uncle Raph. She wanted to become a warrior once she grew up. Lastly, although Kally hasn''t decided on a future yet, she had shown talent in drawing. Maybe she will become a painter. Hearing about all these dreams, Aldred truly wished for their success. Living with a kind Saintess will undoubtedly allow such dreams to come true. However, Aldred couldn''t help but feel a bit...unsettled as if something bad was occurring but he couldn''t explain why. Shrugging it off as paranoia, Aldred continued on with his daily routine. As evening passed and dinner came, Uncle Ralph cooked up whatever he and the others wanted to eat. After the meal, Uncle Ralph would give them some candy for dessert like he would do so after every dinner. The first time Aldred saw the candy, he thought that the candy strangely looked like a pill from his past world, however, after sampling it, Aldred revealed a smile - so sweet and creamy with a hint of bitterness that complemented well with the other tastes. Aldred didn''t hold back and popped the whole thing into his mouth. The sugary sweet candy melted in his mouth causing him to feel somewhat energetic. "Haha, is this your first time eating candy Aldred?" Tommy asked. "Yes, how did you know?" Aldred asked in surprise. "Look how energetic you are. This is what Uncle Ralph calls a sugar high." "Really? It doesn''t feel like a bad thing." "Of course not. Haha." The number of days he spent living in his new home turned into weeks, which turned into a month. Finally, the day has arrived...Jake finally turned 12 years old. After a birthday celebration, Big Sis Caroline came in a carriage to pick Jake up. It was time to for her to take Jake outside to experience the real world. While she waited in the carriage, Jake said his goodbyes. "Don''t worry guys. In five years, I''ll learn my trade and become a tailor. At that time, I''ll come back and see you guys. I''ll make you all kinds of pretty clothes." Jake replied as he comforted the younger crying children. Then, he turned towards the older children. "You guys will have your time soon as well, make sure to visit me when you arrive." "We understand." Everyone responded, some sobbing and some quietly nodded. Jake reached over and grabbed his bag. Then, he walked to where Big Sis Caroline was waiting. Once Jake got on the carriage, they departed. Aldred turns to the sad kids and comforted, "Don''t worry guys. We''ll see Jake soon. Five years will go by quickly." .......... Two years later.... .......... Two years had passed since Jake left. During this time, Shelly, Robbie, and Yela had all reached twelve and left with Big Sis Caroline to learn a trade. Everyone had grown in the last two years. Aldred, now almost 8 years old, had found some interest working in the garden taking care of the vegetables and helping out Uncle Ralph. The other children had also grown. Pammy was now 11 and even more active. She never stopped aiming to become a strong warrior and was now strong enough to become a Novice 4th Stage. Will and Tommy were both 10 now and their rowdiness had increased. Both had started taking interest in Kally and would constantly vie for her attention. As for Kally, her shyness had increased proportionally with her artistic abilities. Often times, it would be hard to talk to her and she would only respond using a notebook. Vicky and Tristan, having spent the most time with Aldred, continued to adore him. The adoration that Vicky showed had reached a point where Vicky proclaimed that she wanted to marry Aldred once they become adults. Aldred, however, could only laugh embarrassingly and dismiss it as childish nonsense. As for Tristan, he won''t stop calling Aldred ''Big Bro'' even though Aldred wasn''t the oldest. In addition, little Tristan was curious of everything. Every time he sees Aldred, he would ask him a lot of questions. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. In these past two years, Aldred didn''t stop cultivating the Earth God Cultivation Technique. The two years of stance and movement training allowed his body to become strong and tough as well as flexible and fast. The Qi in his veins that he had gathered through breathing and meditation had accumulated almost to its full capacity and allowed him to break through to the Qi Gathering 3rd Stage. One more breakthrough and he will be able to form his own Qi...his inner Qi. The magic books he read in the library did not help much. Aldred decided that he needed to create his own techniques otherwise he would not be able to progress. Soon, winter will come once again. Usually, at that time, Big Sis Caroline would venture into the basement to check on the preserved meat and vegetables. Although Aldred had some initial suspicions the first winter he stayed at the house, they were dismissed when he saw Big Sis Caroline go into the basement only to come out later with a basket full of preserved meat and vegetables. When he smelled some of the meat that was put in a cooking pot, it clearly smelled like mutton. In his past life, he had fought with a cannibal before. On a whim, he asked the cannibal what human flesh tasted like and the answer he got was a mixture of pork and veal with a sweet aftertaste...then he killed that son of bitch. Anyways, since the meat from the basement was clearly mutton and when he asked Uncle Ralph what the meat was, the answer confirmed it as well. Maybe the basement is really a storage of preserved meat and vegetables. Maybe he was just too paranoid. So, Aldred had dismissed that thought and continued on with the happy life. And so days went by until one day...it was Pammy''s birthday. She had become 12 years old. Being a Novice 5th Stage warrior, she was allowed to work under a city guard as an assistant. Everybody prepared for the birthday. Aldred tended the vegetables and selected some fresh produce. Kally drew a portrait of Pammy in a valiant pose. Will made Pammy a wooden mace with pieces of metal protruding from one end. Tommy wrote a poem to celebrate Pammy''s birthday. And Vicky sang some cheerful tunes while dancing with Tristan. Everyone enjoyed the celebration - the food was delicious and the atmosphere was lively...even Big Sis Caroline was there for the celebration. When the party quieted down, everyone went to sleep. Although today was a day full of happiness, tomorrow there will be sorrow...it would be Pammy''s last day to be with the other kids. .......... Tomorrow came and everybody got up early to say their goodbyes with Pammy. As usual, there were lots of tears, lots of comforting, and promises of coming back to see them. Pammy got on the carriage with Big Sis Caroline and they departed for the city. After seeing the carriage gradually become smaller and smaller, Tommy told everyone to go back inside. After comforting each other some more, they continued on with their daily routines. Hours later, Aldred finished his chores and went into the study room to read. Bored with all the books in the room, Tristan, who followed Aldred into the library, wanted to play with Aldred but Aldred told him that he was busy and that Tristan should play by himself for today. Dejected, Tristan agreed not to bother his Big Bro and headed outside. Maybe there would be something interesting outside. While outside, Tristan decided to go exploring. Even though he had explored the place many, many times, he would still search around in hopes of finding something interesting to satiate his curiosity. Suddenly, he heard a noise...it was at the side of the house where the basement was. Curious, Tristan tip-toed towards the corner of the house and peeked at where the basement was located. What he saw surprised him...Big Sis Caroline came out from the basement. What was she doing there? "Hey Big Sis Caroline! What you doing?" Tristan happily pounced towards the Saintess. "Whaa! Tristan! You scared me." Big Sis Caroline sighed as she placed a hand over her chest. "Are you checking up on the preserved food?" Tristan asked. "Preserved food?" "Yea, the preserved food in the basement." "Ah...yes...the food is preserved very well. Now, time to head back inside okay?" "Big Sis Caroline...what''s that?" Tristan asked as he pointed at a piece of wood with pieces of metal on it lying near the basement door. Big Sis Caroline paled when she saw the object. Thinking quickly, she turned towards Tristan with a smile. "Tristan sweety, do you want to go on a trip with me to the city? There''s a lot of cool things there." "Really?! Will I see Jake and the others?" "Ah...yes...yes you will." "Okay! Let me call the others." "NO!...I mean, it''s just between you and me." "Between me and you?" "Yes." "Umm...okay! Let''s go!" Tristan exclaimed as he held hands with Big Sis Caroline and headed towards the carriage outside the gates. Chapter 12 - Guilt "Hey Aldred...have you seen Tristan?" Vicky asked worriedly as she came into the study room. "No...is something wrong?" Aldred inquired. "I can''t seem to find him anywhere." Vicky panicked. "He''s not in the house or in the backyard where he normally goes to play." "What?! This is a serious matter." "W-what should we do?" "Let''s call everyone to search. I''ll notify Uncle Ralph." "Ok." Aldred got up from his seat and hurried to the garden where Uncle Ralph is usually found at. Vicky went to the play room to look for the others. As Aldred approached the garden, he sees that Big Sis Caroline was also there. Strange...why did she come back? Did she forget something? "Big Sis Caroline! Uncle Ralph!" "Hmm? Is there a problem Aldred?" Big Sis Caroline said as she flashed one of her charming smiles. "It''s Tristan...Tristan has disappeared!" "What? What happened?" Uncle Ralph asked as he stood up from the garden. "Earlier this morning, Tristan asked me to play with him but I was busy reading so I told him to play by himself...and...and now he''s gone." Aldred responded as a drop of cold sweat slid down his back. What would he do if something happened to Tristan? It was practically his fault for not playing with Tristan and watching over him. "That''s a big problem. Quick, let''s go search for him." Big Sis Caroline urged. So, the three rushed to the front of the house where they met up with the rest of the children. After gathering, Big Sis Caroline assigned each person a different location to look for. After an hour of searching around in the house as well as a hundred radius around the house, the group came back together to report. "Did you guys find anything?" Uncle Ralph asked. "No." Everyone else shook their heads dejectedly. "Think...did anyone see him before he disappeared?" Aldred asked. "No...." The children said. "Hmm...I did see Tristan head to the river to play...." Big Sis Caroline replied. "You don''t think he fell into the waters do you?!" "Oh no!" Vicky cried as she ran towards the river, followed by everyone else. .......... Minutes later.... .......... "Tristan! Tristan! Where are you Tristan!" Vicky cried out when she neared the river. Scrambling around, she looked around the nearby bushes for traces of Tristan. Once everyone else caught up, they began searching the vicinity as well. Still no traces.... This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "Tristan is a curious child by nature...could he have headed towards the cave?" Big Sis Caroline said after some thought. "No! That...that can''t be." Tommy paled as he thought of something. "What is it? Do you know something?" Aldred asked. "Tristan...last time we were here...he...he was curious...he wanted to go to the cave. But I didn''t let him...no matter how much he begged." Tommy grimaced. "Don''t tell me...." Aldred muttered as he ran towards the cave. Everyone looked at each other anxiously before following after. When Aldred approached the cave...he saw something on the ground. It was a shoe...Tristan''s shoe. A terrible gut feeling ate at him. He approached the shoe and picked it up. There were some bloodstains mixed with some kind of grime on the heel of the shoe. Looking towards the entrance of the cave, he saw something...a thin...frail...arm.... "Did you find him Aldred?" Vicky ran forward as she looked around the cave. Aldred tried to cover Vicky from seeing what he had just saw but he was too late. Vicky saw the arm and screamed. The shock was too much and she fainted into Aldred''s arms. The rest of the group came as well. Kally screamed in horror and sadness as well but she was strong enough to stay conscious. Tears formed as she ran and hugged Big Sis Caroline. Will and Tommy both shuddered with sorrow as tears began to well up from their eyes. The sight of the torn off arm was too much for the two boys and they vomited soon after. Uncle Ralph ran towards the cave and picked up the arm carefully. He looking inside the cave and motioned to Big Sis Caroline. She comforted Kally for a bit before approaching the cave. Minutes later, Uncle Ralph came out with a bundle. Big Sis Caroline looked at the children and sighed, her head bowed. Aldred stared at the bundle...he knew what was inside. Guilt raged in his heart...if...if only he had played with Tristan...if only he had watched over him...if only.... Tears welled up in his eyes as he continued to stare blankly at the bundle. His eyes moved towards the arm and noticed...it was dried up.... What kind of demonic beast could make an arm dry up as if devoid of any liquid? Uncle Ralph told everyone to go back to the house for now. He will prepare for the funeral soon. After some more consoling, the children headed home. Aldred carried the weak and still unconscious Vicky, his mind still tormented with guilt...his heart pained with sorrow. Chapter 13 - Training: Fist of the Elusive Mole Part 1 It was a week after Tristan''s funeral. The kids all seem to be quieter than usual, especially Vicky. Vicky grew up with Tristan...they shared everything and they played together the most. Vicky treats Tristan as her real brother. Ever since Tristan died, Vicky was a whole level less energetic. Her eyes would stare blankly and her mind would wander elsewhere. But at least she still continued on living and did not have any thoughts of suicide. Aldred, on the other hand, was worse. In addition to staring vacantly, he barely ate and moved. Everything, from the books in the library to the toys in the play room, served as a painful remainder of Tristan. Aldred would lock himself in his room for days on end. Initially, he had blamed Uncle Ralph and Big Sis Caroline. Why didn''t they kill the demonic beast? Why did they have to seal it? But the answer he got, he knew too well. The demonic beast was a peak Adult Tier 8. Given Uncle Ralph''s abilities back then as a Meister 2nd Stage coupled with Big Sis Caroline''s abilities back then as a peak Grand Magus 5th Stage, they were only able to severely wound it but were not able to kill it. So, they had to seal it...however, it cost them greatly - a whole level of their stages was lost. Now Uncle Ralph is stuck at Meister 1st Stage and Big Sis Caroline is at Grand Magus 4th Stage. These types of incidences have also occurred in Aldred''s past world where beasts that were stronger and harder to kill would be sealed instead. Aldred, however, did not believe that the weakened beast could still not be killed. After all, a sealed demonic beast could not heal itself unless there was outside interference. Coupled with the fact that both Uncle Ralph and Big Sis Caroline had spent years recuperating from their wounds. The only answer is that the demonic beast, though weakened, was still to strong for the two adults. This led Aldred to infer that the demonic beast must be around an early Adult Tier 7 now. Then...that means in order for him to kill the beast and get revenge for Tristan, he must reach at least Core Expanding 1st Stage. Aldred realized what he must do. To protect those near him, he must grow stronger...he must train. Aldred spent most of his days cultivating. He needed to break through to Qi Forming quickly. The fastest way...and the most unorthodox way...was to lie on the ground for as long as possible each day while absorbing the Earth''s Qi directly to all parts of his body. Though he was cultivating, to the others, it looked like he was just lazing about on the ground. Aldred would position himself like a corpse - palms open and facing up towards the sky, feet pointing up as well - and start meditating while regulating his breathing. He would visualize in his mind the Earth''s Qi flowing into his body and circulating in his veins. After spending an hour in this position, he would switch to the fetal position on his right side for an hour. Then, he would lie on his stomach - chin resting on the ground, face facing forward, feet pointing towards each other, and palms open and facing the ground. He would lie in this position for an hour as well before switching to the fetal position on his left side for an hour. This process would repeat itself over and over again most of each day. If it was like before, someone would come over and ask him to do his chores...but ever since the death, they just let him be. Day in and day out, Aldred would cultivate on the ground until finally, he was able to achieve ''One With Earth'' - a status or level of cultivation that allowed Aldred to become one with the ground, camouflaging him and making it harder for both people and beasts to spot him. At night he would look at the stars while lightly sleeping. In this world, the stars were nothing more than balls of excess energy that the elemental highgods released during their lifetime. However, in Aldred''s past world, the stars were thought to be the souls of the dead as they flicker and watch over their beloved ones. The constellations were souls of powerful beasts and heroic humans who placed their legacies in the stars. That was why there were many powerful cultivation techniques that were developed after analyzing and receiving the legacies of the constellations. Anyways, although Aldred knows that Tristan''s soul was not in the stars watching over him, he still liked...wanted to think that way. He looked up in the sky and saw a flickering brownish-yellow star...almost as if playful...could it be...Tristan? From that day on, Aldred would constantly watch the stars...especially the flickering brownish-yellow star that he had referred to as Tristan''s soul. With each passing day, his spirit calmed down as he watched Tristan play. This was good for Aldred''s cultivation as a calm spirit will induce faster and richer Qi absorption. As the nights continue like this, the mornings were different. Sometime ago, while Aldred was meditating on his stomach, he would sense the earthworms squirming in the dirt. It''s amazing how fast the earthworms could dig through the dirt. He enjoyed watching the worms move...another thing to get his mind off of the death. This continued for weeks now. One day, as Aldred was watching the earthworms move in the dirt, he suddenly sensed a creature speedily approach the earthworms. With a swoosh, the creature attacked the earthworms and ate them. This shocked Aldred. What creature could be faster than earthworms in their territory? Aldred waited for the creature to near the surface of the ground. The creature dug around in the earth for a bit more until it aimed towards the surface. Just as its head popped out from the ground, Aldred reacted. He reached forward and grabbed the creature...it...it was a mole! Aldred observed the amusing little creature as it struggled for freedom. With a smile, he laid it back on the ground and it immediately dove into the earth. What a strange yet fascinating creature. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. After a few hours, the mole came back. The mole did not sense Aldred as he had become one with the earth. Aldred watched as the mole went about its business hunting and eating earthworms. Suddenly, another creature...a snake...slithered along and lunged at the mole. However, the mole had extremely quick reflexes and was able to dodge the attack. It circled around the snake and struck with its sharp claws. The snake withdrew from the incoming attack and then lunged forward with its fangs out. The mole retreated and while it was retreating, it swiped away the snake''s attack with its claws. Then, it jumped to the side and bit the snake - tearing off a chunk of flesh in the process. The mole ran circles around the snake in order to confuse the enemy. To make matters worse, the mole would sometimes dive into the ground and emerge from another location. This caused panic to rise in the snake. As the snake tried to retreat, its back was exposed. The mole jumped out of the ground and pierced the snake from behind. After an intense struggle, the snake finally died - its neck torn bloodied by the mole''s teeth, its back scratched to pieces by the mole''s claws. What a powerful and ferocious fighting style! Aldred''s eyes glistened with excitement as he watched the mole fight. He thought that this style really was without equal. As the days go by and Aldred saw more of how the mole fought off other moles and other predators, he began to imitate the way the mole fights. Because a mole''s paws rarely grip together, its claws are always pointed outwards. It slashes and swipes with its claws and occasionally tear a chunk off with its teeth. As Aldred continued to imitate the mole, he wondered about how the mole was able to quickly sense danger...aren''t moles nearly blind? Could it be...moles can sense the energy of its enemies? Aldred focused his senses on the mole to see if his conjecture was correct. A thin, sliver of Qi enveloped the mole like sensitive armor and a clump of Qi clustered at the nose. Disturbances around the mole activates the Qi armor allowing the mole to react. The Qi on the nose helped the mole sense movements and smell its prey or enemies as well as detect light. Overall, the mole used Qi to sense enemies, claws and teeth to fight off enemies, and speed to evade attacks. Aldred continued to imitate the mole''s movements until he had a general idea. Aldred would have continued observing the mole, but one day, while Aldred was busily watching the mole, Uncle Ralph approached him and asked what was so interesting. When he saw the mole, he immediately killed it. "What? NO! Why did you do that?" Aldred cried out in shock and anger. "Moles are pests that will damage the earth. Not to mention, they eat our vegetables." Uncle Ralph responded with a stern face. "But...." Aldred wanted to protest but he too knew that moles were considered as pests even back in his previous world. "There isn''t anything interesting about moles except that they have a paralyzing toxin in their saliva which they would use on prey and predators. Other than that, they were no more but pests of the earth. There was an origin story involving how moles came into existence. The first moles were created by the Earth Highgod Teryan as servants to help with his landscaping. However, the moles were made with all the characteristics of earth, that included unwavering, solitude, and domineering. Because of these characteristics, the moles were hard to get along with and caused a lot of destruction. Teryan finally put an end to the first moles by wiping them from existence. Their descendants lost their eyesight and were forced to live most of their lives beneath the earth. Because the moles today were like the first moles and caused damage to the earth, we Earth Mages take it upon ourselves to get rid of these pests whenever we see them." "But you didn''t have to kill it!" "Doesn''t matter. Even Big Sis Caroline would kill it if she sees one." "Why would Big Sis Caroline care?" "Well, she is a Dual-Affinity of Water and Earth so she has some duty as an Earth Mage to defend the earth and destroy pests." "That...." "But anyways, you shouldn''t spend your days like this...at least do something productive. Alright?" "O-okay...." "Anyways, it''s almost dinner, come inside soon." Uncle Ralph said as he walked inside. Aldred sighed at the dead mole in front of him. He picked up the bloody corpse and buried it. Even though there was little to no interaction between the two, Aldred, at least, felt grateful for the mole for allowing him the chance to witness such a domineering fighting style. He decided to modify and refine the general movements he had imitated in order to create a Fist Technique. He would call it...the Fist of the Elusive Mole. Chapter 14 - Training: Fist of the Elusive Mole Part 2 And so, Aldred began conditioning his body in order to fully utilize the Fist of the Elusive Mole. There were many methods to temper and condition the body, but it all came down to which body parts were important and which training methods benefited the most for the Fist Technique. Naturally, one wouldn''t train their legs for a fist technique and vice versa. So, what was needed for the new Fist Technique that Aldred was striving to perfect? Well, it was a known fact that moles depended a lot on their powerful claws - they needed them for digging and for fending off against predators and other moles - as well as their speed which they needed in order to evade attacks and travel quickly underground. Thus, Aldred began training his hands, wrists, and especially his fingers. There were two parts that he needed to train for - the first was the strength of his hands, wrists, and fingers and the second was the speed of the movements of his arms and hands. He needed strength in order to dig through earth, sand, and rocks as well as for defense and attack. He needed speed in order to quickly maneuver in the ground as well as on the surface. So, in order for Aldred to train these two aspects, he devised a few plans. There was an age old method for tempering and conditioning one''s hands, wrists, and fingers - the old sand in the bucket method. However, Aldred did not believe his hands could initially handle the roughness of the sand. So, he decided to start easy...with water. Filling a barrel with water, he positioned himself near the opening of the barrel. Bending his knees so that he was in a horse stance, he began thrusting his open-palmed hands and into the water over and over again. After one or two hours of continuous thrusting, he could feel the fruits of the training. His wrists, fingers, and palms felt sore but that''s just how the body signals to the brain that the affected parts were being strengthened. Next, he took a break from body training and started cultivating the Earth God Cultivation Technique. He started meditating and absorbing the Qi from the soil. He regulated his breathing with each absorption of Qi and visualized how the Qi was being absorbed and circulated within his body. After about an hour of this, he stretched his muscles by doing stances and basic movements. Then, Aldred started doing some push-ups as well as pull-ups. Starting easy, he would only attempt to finish twenty of each. Naturally, the repetitions increased by 20 after each week. Afterwards, he would clench and unclench his fists a few hundred times. All this in a morning''s worth of training. During the afternoon, he''ll continue his training by doing some more stances and basic movements before starting on some speed- and stamina-increasing exercises...in other words, he started running. First, he would sprint a couple of short distances for about 100 repetitions. Then, he would add weights of around 10 kilograms to his body and started long-distance running for an hour or so. After completing these exercises, he would meditate to regain some energy and decrease fatigue. Then, he would begin training the speed of his arms, wrists, and fingers. Aldred used another age old method to train the speed of his arms, wrists, and fingers - the boiling water method. Taking out a pot of water and bringing it to a boil, he dropped a few pieces of metal into the boiling water. Then, he quickly snatched the pieces out of the pot. Obviously, it was initially hard to even take one piece of metal out without feeling the pain of scalding water. But with practice and time, Aldred was able to take all the pieces of metal out of the boiling water without hurting himself. This training goes on for a month before he increased the level of difficulty. This time, instead of using water for the strength training, he used a bucket of millet. He would thrust his hands all the way into the millet and out over and over again for an hour. The initial few hundred thrusts were the most painful. For a body that had never experienced such tempering, it was natural for the skin of the hands to tear away and leave a bloody mess. Gritting through the pain, he would continue training. But this time, he would only thrust his fingers in for an hour. Afterwards, he would grab handfuls of millet over and over again. The cultivation continues as normal. However, push-ups and pull-ups increased in difficulty as well. Push-ups went from hand push-ups to five-finger push-ups. Pull-ups changed into pulling on a rope up a tree. Nothing much changed with the speed training for the arms, wrists, and fingers - he still used boiling water...but instead of clear water, he used murky water so that it would be harder to locate the metal pieces. After a month of using millet, he switched to sand. The training was the same as with the millet. Five-finger push-ups became four-finger push-ups. Pulling on a rope up a tree became pulling a rope up a mountain. Hot murky water became hot ash. Weights for running increased as well. With each passing month, the four-finger push-ups became three-finger...two-finger...and finally one-finger push-ups. Pulling on a rope up a mountain became mountain climbing using both legs and hands, which became mountain climbing using only hands. The barrel of sand became a barrel of mud....a barrel of earth... a barrel of rocks...a barrel of crystal and metal ores. The hot ash switches to hot coal and then fire. Weights for running kept increasing until it reached 70 kilograms. The training started in the beginning of winter and finally ended at the beginning of autumn of the next year. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. After so many months of training, he had tempered, conditioned, and strengthened his hands, wrists, and fingers so much that he could pierce through solid rock like butter. He could run hard all day without breaking a sweat. He could run very fast as well and the speed of his arms were blurrily fast. His arms were strengthened to a degree that he could climb up mountains with ease. During these types of training, Aldred did not forget to cultivate the Earth God Cultivation Technique and after a few months of cultivation, he was finally able to break through to the Qi Forming Stage. Now, Aldred can generate his own Qi. Forming one''s Qi was also a form of body refining and tempering. Qi was energy and energy was needed to power the movements of one''s body as well as toughen the natural defenses of the body. By having the ability to generate Qi, Aldred can generate energy and thus have the necessary amount of power he needed to execute certain movements and attacks. After a year''s worth of cultivation, Aldred had made a few more breakthroughs and was able to become Qi Forming 3rd Stage. Aldred needed one more breakthrough in order to become Core Condensing Stage. At Core Condensing, he will be able to condense all the Qi he had gathered into a ball-shaped gassy-like Qi cluster. This cluster, after solidifying, will be shaped into a core...a dantian of some shape. The shape of the dantian will depend on his inner self. Once his core was formed, he would be able to envelop certain parts of his body with Qi...something like Qi armor In addition, he would be able to envelop objects he was holding with Qi as well, for instance enveloping Qi on a sword to make it sharper. With this goal in mind, Aldred continuing training. During the days of his training, he was able to clear and calm his mind. He did a lot of thinking...some things just didn''t make sense. Why was Big Sis Caroline at the house so early? Didn''t she take Pammy to the city? By carriage, for a round trip, it would still take at least a day of traveling. If she saw Tristan travel to the direction of the cave...then, that would mean she was already back at the house! Less than two hours had passed since Tristan left the study room! This...was suspicious. Also...why were there blood and grime on the heel of Tristan''s shoe? It...it''s as if Tristan...was dragged.... Also, where''s the grime? When he ran towards the cave, there was no grime anywhere on the ground. If the beast was truly sealed...why would Tristan''s shoe be so far away from the cave? If the beast was truly sealed deep inside the cave, how would we be able to see Tristan''s arm near the entrance of the cave? How did Uncle Ralph and Big Sis Caroline discover the body so fast? In fact...why was the body in a bundle? Both Uncle Ralph and Big Sis Caroline didn''t bring any cloth-like material into the cave.... This...it can''t be.... Aldred made a conclusion...but he didn''t have any hard evidence. He can''t just accuse Big Sis Caroline and Uncle Ralph or warn the other kids since the kids all adore them. If it was between them and him, the kids would trust them. There''s only one way to find out...he needed to go to the cave and see for himself whether the beast really killed Tristan or not. The next day, he got up early and headed towards the cave on the pretense that he was going to the river to wash clothes. .......... A year ago.... .......... "You were too careless." Uncle Ralph reproached. "No worries, the kids don''t suspect a thing." Big Sis Caroline replied. "Hmph! I won''t be so sure. The drastic measures you took were too contradicting. Why would you leave the arm out near the entrance of the cave? Why would there be a shoe out there as well?" "I was in a hurry when the shoe fell off. And who knew the arm would crumble so easily." "Hmph! You''re lucky the kids were stupid. If they could put two and two together, our plans would be exposed immediately." "Ha! Even if they found out, so what? With our ranks, we can just kill them off, no trouble at all." Big Sis Caroline scoffed. "You''re right...let''s just hope so." Uncle Ralph sighed as he looked out the window. Chapter 15 - Truth and Plans As Aldred trekked through the forest towards the cave where the demonic beast was sealed, he kept thinking about all the occurrences that had happened in the past few years. The breakthroughs in cultivation that he had experienced had helped clear and sharpen his mind. He thought about the children who left for the city once they turned 12 years old. Judging from the reactions of the children he knew personally, they all promised to be back after five years of training...so...how come he hasn''t seen anyone who left five years ago come back to visit? Now that he thought about it...why do the children leave when they turned 12? Why 12? Shouldn''t it be more reasonable for the children to leave once they turned 15, since that was the age when people can be officially referred to as adults in this world? If Aldred was to assume Big Sis Caroline and Uncle Ralph to be evil, why did they need 12 years old children? Where do they take them? To slavery? No, that can''t be. Why would Big Sis Caroline spend massive amounts of money to buy children from slavery just to sell them later? There had to be another purpose...what could it be? Nevertheless, everything will be answered once he entered the cave. Aldred looked up from his thoughts and found himself at the front entrance of the cave. The place had been tidied most likely by Uncle Ralph. Aldred took a deep breath, readied himself, and stepped in. Using a makeshift torch, he wandered deep into the cave. If Tristan''s body was discovered near the entrance of the cave, then the demonic beast must have attacked him near the entrance...however, there was no signs of struggle...or anything for that matter. In fact, how can the demonic beast attack if it was sealed? Using his sensitivity to Qi and energy, he began to feel his way around the darkness for anything he could have missed with his eyes. However, the only thing he felt was a small and feeble energy pulsating further into the cave. That must be the demonic beast. Such a weak pulse...yet why was it kept alive? For what purpose? As he continued deeper into the cave, he saw a light in the far distance. There must be an opening! Aldred hurried his steps and rushed towards the opening...to step into a wide clearing. There...in the center of the clearing...was a huge light yellow crystal-like structure. At the center of the crystal-like structure, Aldred was able to make out what looks to be a blurred figure. Could this be the sealed demonic beast? Aldred descended the sloped path towards the crystal structure to get a closer look. D-did it just move? It...seemed to be twitching...nah, it''s just snoring. Aldred knocked on the structure waking the demonic beast. "Hnngh! Hmm? Back already? Didn''t you get your last dose of my poison last year?" The demonic beast sneered. "Poison?" Aldred asked, a little surprised that the demonic beast could talk but given how beasts in his old world could speak the human language and transform into human form once they were strong or old enough, then it seemed not as surprising here. "Oh-ho! You...you''re not that bitch. Although your image is blurry...but you''re significantly shorter than that bitch." "You mean Saintess Caroline?" "Ha! Saintess? More like Demoness." "D-demoness?" "You don''t know? Want to know why she had me locked up in here instead of killing me?" "Why?" "Because of my poison. My poison can paralyze any living creature and preserve them but not potent enough to kill." "So...that''s why you mentioned about the poison earlier. What did Caroline need your poison for?" "Who knows." The demonic beast shrugged. "But one thing I can say is that whatever she''s using my poison for, it''s making her appear younger than her actual age." "What? How can you tell? The structure between us blurs our appearances and-!" "She sounded younger." "Ah...how old is she?" "I''m not sure but when she sealed me, she was in her late twenties. Now...it''s been roughly 30 years." *GASP!* Aldred gasped in shock. "So, I''m guessing from your reaction, she hasn''t aged a bit?" "Eternal youth...there were many theories on making eternal youth possible. However...the only one that required 12 year old children...is the...is the bathing and consumption of the blood of pre-teen children! The closer the children were to become teens, the better the efficacy!" "Ho! Eternal youth eh? Then, why need my poison?" "I''m guessing to paralyze and preserve the children." Aldred muttered as he gritted his teeth and seethed in anger. "That bitch killed my friends...my family. I will have my revenge!" "Haha! Kid, you got courage. I like it. How about a deal?" "A deal? I thought demonic beasts were stubborn and prideful by birth and doesn''t make deals?" The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Well, I''m bored. Plus...we have a common enemy. That bitch had been extracting my poison as well as my life for thirty years now. I need compensation for this matter." "Makes sense. Go on, what is the deal? I''m listening." "Free me. Free me from this seal, and I''ll help you fight off that bitch and her lackey." "What makes you believe I would trust you? What if you decided to run off once you were freed?" "How dare you! I, Skaal, am not a coward." "Hmph! Then, what if you attack me once I had my back turned?" "Are you stupid? Didn''t I say that I am not a coward?" "Ah...yeah you did...haha." "So, deal or no deal?" "I still don''t know if I can trust you. I heard that you demonic beasts are cunning and devious creatures." "Then, what do you want to do?" "Hmm, let''s sign a blood contract. If either one of us opposes the agreement, then he will be crippled for life." "Harsh...but for my revenge...I agree." The demonic beast sighed, "Wait...from what I can sense of you, you don''t have an affinity." "Yes, I am a No-Affinity. Would this affect the blood contract?" "Yes, we need to use magic while declaring the contract. If you''re a No-Affinity, then I''m afraid we can''t do it." "What about if we declared the contract using the Language of the Beasts?" "What?! You can speak in the tongue of the Beasts?" "Yes. Not as fluent but if you tell me the contents of the contract in the language, I can repeat it." "Amazing...never have I ever heard of a human speak our language. You are indeed an interesting one. The contents are as follows...." After the demonic beast finished speaking the contents of the contract in the Language of the Beasts, he spat out a few drops of blood. The blood seeped out of the crystal structure and flowed towards Aldred. Aldred too spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood of the demonic beast and the blood of Aldred merged together and glowed. "I, Skaal, will uphold this blood contract...." Skaal began the contract. "I, Aldred, will uphold this blood contract...." Aldred began as well. "...and if I violate the conditions of the contract, let the Heavens strike me and cripple me for life." The two finished. Once the contract was complete, the ball of mixed blood glowed brighter before condensing and shrinking until it became a drop. The condensed drop split in two and separated - one went into the middle of Aldred''s forehead and the other went towards the demonic beast. "Now that the contract is settled, hurry and free me." The demonic beast urged. "Fine, fine...so...how do I do it?" "See those words at the top of this crystal structure?" "Hmm...oh I see it." Aldred replied after looking around at the top of the crystal structure. The words were roughly scribbled and looked to be an Earth-type sealing formation. Aldred had read something similar in the library back at the house. "I read about this type of formation. It extracts the vitality of whatever it seals and uses the extracted life essence to replenish and repair the words from smudging and wear." "So you know...then, you also know what to do." "Yes. Hang on a minute." Aldred replied as he scrambled up a slope to a higher level. Looking around, he walked towards the path closest to the crystal structure. With a leap, he landed on the structure. Since he had strengthened his arms and grip with daily mountain climbing, he was able to scale the structure with ease. He scrambled up towards the place where the words were and dug out a chunk of the words, thus disrupting the sealing formation and dispersed the formation. As the formation dissipated, Aldred expertly landed on the ground without a sound. "That''s done, now let''s move out." Aldred as he looked up. "Hmm?" The demonic beast...looked like...a scorpion! A giant 20 meters long scorpion from claws to tail. The scorpion beast was of a dark brown color with light, pale green spots. Its tail had a sharp, blade-like end. This scorpion...he knew what type of beast it was. It was of the Giant Scorpion family...of the Earth Scorpion genus...of the Razortail species. Since the demonic beast had poison as one of its skill set, then the demonic beast must be a mutant version...Toxic Razortail. "What are you looking at?" Skaal snapped. "Toxic Razortail?" Aldred inquired. "Yea...and? What about it?" "But your poison isn''t toxic...." "Hmph! I''ve been weakened so naturally my poison decreased in potency as well." "Oh." "Well, enough of that. Let''s go. I want to taste that sweet revenge." Clarification A lot of the readers have asked about why the MC is so naive even though he had retained his memories and thus his experiences from the previous world. The MC, as vaguely stated in the prologue, trained all his life to become the strongest. A muscle for brains kind of idiot if you will. That meant no social interaction with other people except fighting. So no friends, no family, no lover. That''s why even though he retained his memories, he does not have enough experience. So think mature mentality + naive/inexperienced outlook on life and other people. Besides...why must I follow the trend of "smart, cunning MC who retained his past memories so he won''t suffer any setback or get tricked by people in present world"? If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The stuff I''m writing is plain obvious to the readers because I make it so, but it is not obvious to the characters especially when they are children...innocent...too trusting...children. Would an innocent, naive, overly trusting child suspect why the Saintess would only go to the Slave Market to rescue children? No, they won''t even acknowledge that fact because they are blinded by how kind the Saintess is treating them. I may lose some followers because my story is like this and it may continue on like this but oh well. I''m writing because I have a story in my mind that I want to get out. If you have any other questions, post it in the comments below. Chapter 16 - Poisoned "Skaal, the way you look now is too conspicuous. Is there a way to change your form?" Aldred said as they approach near the entrance of the cave. "Hmm, you''re right. Me walking around in this gigantic form will certainly attract a lot of unwanted attention...especially if we''re trying to kill someone." Skaal mused. "I know just the form." Skaal suddenly glowed a bit before shrinking considerably into a 5 cm long small scorpion. Skaal scurried up Aldred''s leg and hid in his right pants pocket. Aldred looked at the scorpion with surprise. "How did you do that?" Aldred asked. How can such a giant creature become such a small creature? Where did all the mass go? If it was condensing, then the small scorpion would weigh as much as a giant scorpion but he felt as light as a feather. So what happened? "Haha. This is actually a secret amongst us demonic beasts. We have always shown you humans our giant forms. However, after reaching a certain age or a certain strength, we can change into other forms. There are actually seven forms a demonic beast can change into. They are small beast form, giant beast form, demonbeast form, godbeast form, human form, spirit form, and the extremely rare weapon form." "Weapon form?" "Yes, if a demonic beast and another being shared an everlasting strong bond between each other, the demonic beast can become a weapon to be used by the other being. It''s a form of trust...to put one''s life in the hands of others so to speak." "So...what forms do you have?" "So far, I can only transform into small beast form, giant beast form, and demonbeast form." "I see. Anyways, once we get there, what should our course of action be?" "Naturally, we kill them." "I know that, but how? I''m only a Warrior 2nd Stage, but Caroline is a Grand Magus 4th Stage and Ralph is a Meister 1st Stage. What stage are you at?" "Kuuu...I''m at peak Adolescent Tier 6...." "See, both of us together won''t be even considered as a threat to them." "Hmm...if you can make them consume my poison, then even if they are Meister 2nd Stage, they would be paralyzed and defenseless for a few minutes...plenty of time to finish them off." "Okay, we''ll attack during dinner. I heard Caroline will be visiting us during that time. She will definitely stay for dinner." The two hurried home just in time. Caroline was already there. She stood next to Ralph and helped him apply some finishing touches to the food. Then, Caroline and Ralph brought the dishes to the dining table. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "Dinner time! Kids, come and eat!" Caroline shouted. The children came rushing towards the table, each child sparkled with excitement and happiness. "Mmm, smells good! Did you help too Big Sis Caroline?" Tommy asked as he stared at the food and wiped some drool from his mouth. "Yes! I personally made some of the dishes. Be sure to try them out." "Okay!" The children replied. "Hmm, where''s Aldred...oh, there you are. Come, sit down and try my roast beef." "Okay." Aldred replied as he walked past the table. He reached towards the teapot and poured two cups of tea. With a sleight of hand, he also managed to slip a few drops of Skaal''s poison into the cups. Then, he brought the cups over and sat them down next to Caroline and Ralph. "Here, you''ve worked hard. Have some tea." "My, how thoughtful of you Aldred. Come, sit down and eat the food while it''s hot." Caroline smiled as she sat Aldred down. Aldred looked at the roast beef across the table and reached for his fork, his nose tingled at the wonderful scent. The other kids were already devouring the delicious food. As Aldred reached for a slice of roast beef, he glanced at Ralph and Caroline. "You guys aren''t eating?" "Don''t worry, there''s more. We just like watching you eat." Ralph replied as he pointed to the closed pots and pans on the stove. "Okay, well drink the tea while it''s still hot." Aldred said as he took a bite of the juicy slab of roasted meat. While Aldred was chewing on his piece of roast beef, he kept glancing at Caroline and Ralph. Caroline''s charming smile seemed...off...almost eerie-like. Aldred kept glancing at the tea as well. Ralph already downed his cup but why hasn''t Caroline touched it? Does she suspect something? Suddenly, Will started groaning as he reached for his stomach. Then, Vicky and Tommy groaned as well. Kally''s face paled as she immediately fainted. Afterwards, Will, Vicky, and Tommy also fainted. Aldred looked around the table in surprise and panic. "W-what happened? Why did they fain-?" Aldred began but he too felt a sharp pain twisting around in his stomach. Groaning, Aldred started sweating...this feeling...poison?! Aldred glared at Caroline who was still smiling as he collapsed from his chair. As Aldred fell into unconsciousness, the smile imprinted in his mind...that eerie...creepy smile.... Chapter 17 - Anger *GASP!* Aldred''s eyes fluttered open as he jerked awake. He stared groggily at the dimly-lit room. Where was he? A horrible stench of preservation and blood tickled his nose. This place...could it be...the basement? He tried to move but realized that he was tied to a chair. The bindings weren''t particularly strong but now wasn''t the time to rip away the ropes. He needed to make sure of his situation. "I see you''re awake." A charming voice exclaimed. Aldred turned his head towards the sound of the voice and blurrily saw a figure. As both his mind and his eyes cleared, he saw Caroline and Ralph standing before him. "H-how?" "How what? How I wasn''t poisoned by your tea? Or how we found out about your plans?" Ralph sneered. Seeing Aldred''s silence, Caroline smiled, "What you don''t know is that Ralph isn''t just an Earth Mage...he is a Dual-Affinity with Earth and Poison Affinity. So, that weak poison you slipped in our tea had no effect on Ralph. Even I would have no problem since I''ve developed some resistance to it as well." "Damn it!" Aldred gritted. "Then, how did you find out about my plans?" "We didn''t." Ralph replied. "But, we figured something was wrong when you spent an entire day by the river washing clothes that should only need at most an hour to do." "That''s right. And so, I urged Ralph to check out on you." Caroline continued. "When he arrived, lo and behold...you weren''t there." "So I pieced the information together and guessed that you were at the cave. I headed towards the cave and what do I see? Your footprints." Ralph replied. "Shit." Aldred muttered. He should have covered his tracks, but he was too agitated about what he would find while in the cave. "Where''s the others? What did you do to them?" "Haha...why don''t you take a look yourself?" Ralph chuckled as he turned Aldred around. The sight before Aldred was...traumatizing...unsightly...devastating. If Aldred did not have past experiences of massacres and tortures, he would have been unable to stomach the sight. Bodies were naked and hung on meat hooks...all children...all dried up...all preserved. Each body had large puncture wounds at the arms and legs. Each body was drained of blood. Most of the bodies had their stomach slashed and organs removed. There were three bodies that seemed to still be dripping some blood, their organs intact. Upon closer inspection...they were the bodies of Will, Tommy, and Kally. Tear stains streaked their faces...their last moments must have been in disbelief and shock. Aldred screamed in anger as he clenched his fists until they bled. He wanted to tear away from his bonds and lunge at the two devils but he knew he was not their opponent. Charging recklessly was just throwing his life away. "Why did you do this to them?" "For health and beauty of course. How else can I be this young?" Caroline replied as if it was common knowledge. "For health and beauty? Can''t be...the blood?!" "Yes! There are many safe and harmless ways to maintain my beauty and voluptuous body but those take too long to be effective. However, one quick and easy way was to wash my body with the blood of young children. The closer to a teenager, the more effective and potent the effects of the blood." "Then, why must you desecrate the bodies by removing their organs!?" "Don''t you know? Organ powder made from children works wonders on your health...especially when fighting against aging. Hahaha!" "Why are they preserved? Why couldn''t you just bury them once you were done? Couldn''t you at least do that?" "Why should I? Besides...human flesh makes good fertilizer.... Why else do you think the vegetables were grown so big and rich in flavor?" "You demon!" Aldred cried out as his stomach flipped and he vomit all over the ground. He spat out the remains of the vomit from his mouth before glaring at Caroline. "Where''s Vicky?" "Right here." Ralph replied as he revealed a chair behind him. There sat Vicky. She was barely conscious and her body was paralyzed by Skaal''s poison. Four large needles connected to tubes that all converge to a large barrel were pierced into her arms and legs. Tears and snot streaked her face. Although she was paralyzed, but her eyes still moved and she could see what was going on. Her ears could still hear so she had heard everything that was said. "Vicky! Vicky! Can you hear me? Don''t die Vicky!" Aldred shouted as he saw the sorry state. This was the only friend he had left from the ten children he first met. He must save her. Suddenly, something stirred within his pants pocket. It was Skaal. Skaal whispered softly to Aldred. He told him to try and get Ralph and Caroline to turn their backs to him even if it''s just a few seconds. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Just a few more minutes and her blood will be drained completely." Caroline said as she approached Vicky and lifted her face to check up on her. They''re both in front of Aldred...it''s now or never. "What''s that brown and green scorpion over there?" Aldred spoke as he looked at the wall past the two devils. "What?" Ralph exclaimed as he turned towards the direction Aldred was looking at. "Impossible, did the demonic beast escape?!" Caroline proclaimed as she turned towards the direction as well. But nothing was to be seen. Realizing that they were tricked, they turned around in anger, only to be met with Aldred who had torn off the ropes and lunged at their backs. As Aldred rushed towards Ralph, he threw Skaal towards Caroline. Since Ralph was immune to Skaal''s poison, then the obvious attack arrangement would be for him to attack Ralph while Skaal aimed at Caroline. Though there was a significant difference in ranks, Aldred had hoped that the surprise attack would make up for it. As Skaal was thrown towards Caroline, his stinger was readied as venom dripped from the end. Caroline''s back was still turned towards him. It was just as he was very close to Caroline''s head when she turned around. With a stab, the stinger pierced into the demoness''s face. The success was short as he felt the wind knocked out of him. He flew across the room and came to a skidding, painful halt. Caroline screamed in agony and fury as she grabbed her face. It was swollen black with poison and spread all across her right side of her face. Lacerations appeared on the skin causing her to look very ugly. The paralysis affected her movements a bit as she collapsed to the ground. While that occurred, Aldred was dealing with Ralph. His hand formed into a claw and aimed at Ralph''s back. Sensing something wrong, Ralph immediately turned around. Seeing Aldred lunging towards him arms raised, Ralph immediately cast Earth Armor and raised his guards. A thick layer of earth enveloped Ralph''s arms as the attack connected. Even though Ralph had his defenses up, he was still blown away by the attack. His Earth Armor crumbled and his arms bled as five holes appeared. Surprised showed on his face...he did not know that Aldred could bring about so much piercing power. He crashed into a wall and crumbled to the ground. Aldred looked at the fallen and unmoving figure. He assumed that Ralph was unconscious. Turning towards Caroline, he saw that the demoness was still clutching her face. She seems to be preoccupied with her wound. Aldred quickly ran to Vicky''s side. There was no more time to lose. Any longer and Vicky would die. Aldred removed the needles and bound the wounds. "Vicky, are you alright? Stay awake! I''ll get you out of here soon. Stay awake Vicky! Vicky!" Aldred cried out. Vicky opened her eyes, her breathing faint and labored. "A-alderd...it s-seems I w-won''t b-be able t-to be y-your w-wife any-anymore...." "Vicky, what are you saying? You won''t die. We''ll survive this. When we leave this place, I''ll take care of you. We will grow up together and grow old together. Stay with me Vicky! Vicky!" "I''m t-tired...want t-to sleep...s-so tired." "Don''t sleep Vicky! Keep talking! Stay awake Vicky! Don''t fall asleep!" "O-okay Aldred. I''ll tr-." Vicky began to reply...but her eyes suddenly widened. A faint but clear thud was heard. A needle made of earth protruded from below her ribs...it had pierced her kidney and liver. Blood trickled out of her mouth and her eyes dulled. She stared at Aldred and tried to say something, but there was too much blood in her mouth. Then, her eyes rolled and she exhaled...a long, long exhale. "V-vicky? Vicky? Vicky?! VICKY!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Aldred screamed in sorrow and grief. Vicky had breathed her last. Aldred trembled in grief as his mind went blank. "Caroline! Stop fretting. This kid is strong. His blood is guaranteed to have immense benefits. Help me take him down." Ralph replied as he scrambled back up. "Help yourself! Bastard, can''t you see me in pain! Aarrghh! My face!" Caroline screamed hysterically. "Hmph! Useless. That bitch is dead kid, it''s your turn now." "...vicky..." Aldred mumbled. "Hmm? What did you say?" "I SAID HER NAME IS VICKY YOU BASTARD!!!" Aldred screamed as his anger reached its peak. His killing intent unleashed itself and his aura burst outwards. *BOOM!* *BOOM!!* *BOOM!!!* Three booms sounded out, surprising Ralph. In his anger, Aldred had broken through into the Core Condensing 1st Stage. Chapter 18 - First Kill "What happened?!" Ralph shouted as he peered at Aldred. The young boy suddenly burst forth an immense amount of power and killing intent. A thin layer of some unknown gas-like substance enveloped around the young boy. What could this be? It''s clearly not mana...is this a new magic? No, the boy is a No-Affinity. It''s impossible for him to use magic...so then, what is this? Aldred stared at his hands...at the Qi that enveloped his hands as well as the rest of his body. He had finally reached Core Condensing. With this new boost in power, he can finally use the Fist of the Elusive Mole in its complete form. Now why could he not previously? Because, the Fist of the Elusive Mole not only allows one to fight like a mole, but also to move like a mole...meaning submerging underground. With his core condensed and formed, he can now envelope Qi around his body like a Qi Armor of sort. Though it is not a complete or true Qi Armor, it can still allow him to move underground without worry of suffocation or harm. Aldred looked up at his enemies and snarled, "You bastards are dead meat." "Haha. All bark, no bite...just like the bitch you are." Ralph laughed evilly. "Fucker!" Aldred roared as he charged towards Ralph once again. Ralph laughed once more before jumping backwards. He crouched and placed his hand on the ground. Activating Earth Wall, he blocked the incoming attack. Aldred sneered as he tore through the thick Earth Wall like paper. The wall did not slow down his charge at all. Ralph fired a few shots of Earth Needles at Aldred - the same Earth Needle that killed Vicky. Aldred dodged the needles and dove into the ground. While underneath the earth, Aldred tunneled through the ground expertly and quickly with his powerful hands. Above the surface, Ralph panicked as he gaped at how the young boy, he had underestimated, disappeared into the ground. What sort of ability was this? Did the young boy realize that he couldn''t defeat him and decided to escape instead? No...that can''t be the case. This guy had such killing intent...it must be that he was hiding beneath the earth, waiting for a chance to strike. Ralph looked around trying to figure where his opponent will emerge from next. Suddenly, Aldred emerged silently from the ground behind Ralph and slashed his hand at Ralph. Ralph caught sight of Aldred at the corner of his eye and dove forward in an attempt to avoid the incoming attack. However, he realized too late and four lacerations appeared on his back. Although the wounds weren''t deep, but it still hurt a lot. Ralph grunted and turned around...only to see Aldred diving into the ground again. While this was occurring, Caroline finally stabilized herself and stopped the spread of the poison in her face. However, her face had distorted into an ugly visage and she looked more like a demon now. She scanned the room and saw the battle between Ralph and Aldred. She was stunned at how the young boy was able to force Ralph on the defense. Caroline rushed towards Ralph to help but she was stopped by a murderous aura that suffocated her. She turned around and saw Skaal...in his giant beast form. "Bitch! Where do you thing you''re looking at? I''m your opponent!" Skaal growled. "Hmph! You''re only a Tier 6. You think you can defeat me?" "We''ll see." Skaal smiled. When Caroline saw that smile, she shivered.... Does he have something up his sleeve? Caroline readied herself. She activated an Earth Wall to cover herself from Skaal''s view. Skaal jumped over the wall but was met with a Water Blast. The Water Blast smashed into Skaal''s body, sending him flying backwards. However, water-type attacks weren''t as effective towards earth-type creatures so other than having the wind knocked out of him, Skaal wasn''t hurt from the attack. Skaal scrambled back to his feet, but his smile was still on his face. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Caroline narrowed her eyes when she saw the smile. "What are you smiling at? You can''t even harm me. Prepare to die." Caroline rushed forward, raised her hand, and threw a couple of Water Balls mixed with Earth Needles at Skaal. Skaal skillfully dodged the attacks. Some of the attacks hit but Skaal gritted his teeth and powered through the attacks, his smile never faltering. At this time, Caroline was feeling irked. Why was this damned beast still smiling? What...! Caroline stumbled suddenly. She stopped moving and grimaced. Why does she feel weak all of a sudden? Her vision blurred and focused and blurred again. "This...p-poison?! Impossible! I should at least have some resistance to your poison!" Caroline panicked. "Haha, not all of them. The poison I showed you back then wasn''t even 40% of my total prowess. What you just experienced was my poisonous gas. Odorless, tasteless, slow-acting but extremely potent...you won''t know what hit you until it''s too late. Now you know who is stronger. Go die bitch!" Skaal roared as he rushed towards Caroline. Caroline could not do anything as she was powerless and paralyzed. Skaal quickly approached the woman and pierced her abdomen with his stinger. He pumped in a full dose of his poison at full power. Stepping back, he watched the changes that occurred soon after. Caroline, though paralyzed, was still conscious. She could feel everything that occurred including the pain of the stab and the feeling as the poison coursed through her veins. Suddenly, she felt her skin burn as if she was lit on fire. Her skin started itching as if thousands of ants were scurrying about on her. Her body began to change colors. It changed from red to yellow to green to blue to white and finally to black. Caroline could feel her body start to expand. She could even see her stomach bulge at an incredible pace. The last thing she saw was her eyelids expanding and covering her eyes. Pain started shooting forward in her body. She tried to scream in agony but her throat swelled up and forced down any sounds that tried to escape. Caroline''s body continued to expand until...*CRACK!* *SNAP!* *CRACK!!* *POP!!* *BOOM!!!* She exploded. Guts, blood, and pieces of flesh flew everywhere. Even Ralph''s back was splashed with some of her blood and flesh. Ralph turned around and saw the horrendous sight. He grimaced but this was not the time to worry about a dead person. With Caroline gone, now it was only him versus Aldred and the Toxic Razortail. Skaal rushed towards Aldred and stood beside him. Aldred looked at Skaal and then looked at the mess he had caused. He gave the Razortail a nod of approval and then continued to observe Ralph. All that''s left was the Meister 1st Stage. Unless there was a miracle, it would be near impossible to defeat this enemy...even with the both of them. Skaal charged towards Ralph, his claws raised. Aldred dove into the ground and tunneled towards the enemy. Ralph looked at the incoming attacks and prepared himself. Chapter 19 - Losing An Arm *CRASH!* The basement door blew open and Ralph rushed out followed by Aldred and Skaal. The basement was too small. There wasn''t enough room for Ralph to unleash his more powerful attacks. Once they were outside, Ralph faced towards the two opponents. Aldred seeing his enemy stop, dove towards the ground once again. "Earth Giant Stomp!" Ralph roared as he struck out with his right foot. The ground that was hit shook and cracks appeared as the earth split apart. The rumbling caused Aldred to stumble. With the ground split, it was difficult for him to maneuver underground. Aldred continue to rush towards Ralph as he slashed here and there. The disadvantage of his Fist Techniques was that it was new...there were no special attack moves as he had not invented or perfected any yet. As Skaal rushed in high and pierced with his tail, Aldred attacked from below as he tried to decapitate Ralph''s legs. Ralph dodged the low attack from Aldred and jumped high in the air. He had experienced Aldred''s claw attacks earlier and its prowess so he felt a little threatened towards the young boy than towards the Razortail. While in the air, he looked towards Skaal and raised his right arm. "Stone Skin! Earth Enforcement! Rock Armor!" After consecutively casting the three Earth-type spells, his arm turned a gray, rock-like texture. Earth formed on his arm as well, giving it a brown hue. Then, small rocks gathered at his arm, forming a layer of rock armor. Ralph met Skaal''s stinger attack with his right fist. *BOOM!* As the collision occurred, pieces of rock flew outwards. The strength of Skaal''s attack, though powerful, could only penetrate through past the second layer of defense. The Stone Skin was cracked...but it was still able to block the stinger. Ralph sneered as he saw Skaal''s surprise. Having his attack blocked, Skaal was completely defenseless at that moment. Ralph knocked Skaal away with a roundhouse kick and activated another Earth-type spell. "Quicksand!" Ralph roared causing the ground where Skaal collapsed at to suddenly become fluid-like. No matter how much Skaal struggled, he would sink even farther. Skaal had a dejected look on his face. Is he going to die? He''s still too weak to break free by himself and Aldred...why would that young child help him? Skaal''s distrust of humans was still lingering. After all, demonic beasts and humans have a long history of hate and slaughter. Though they were fighting together, this was just a temporary truce. The young boy had no reason to help him. Seeing that the Razortail was immobilized, Ralph turned his attention towards Aldred. Aldred lunged towards Ralph with his claws out. He enveloped his Qi around his whole body in order to provide some sort of protection. Aldred started slashing all over the place in a random fashion as he tried to get a few strikes in. Ralph dodged the attacks and sneered at the young boy''s useless attacks. "Hmph! All you know how to do is swing your arms around aimlessly. There''s no way you can hit me with just that! Plus, with the ground split, your movements are cut by half." "Shit...he''s right...what can I do?" Aldred muttered as he cursed inward. However he did not let up his continuous barrages. It was true that the ground was split into uneven pieces, it had only meant that he could not dive below. However, with the training he did while cultivating the Earth God Cultivation Technique, his balance was top tier. He could still maintain his speed even on such rough and uneven ground. Using his fastest speed, Aldred instantly appeared at the enemy''s side and he thrust his arm out with his hand like a spear. Ralph narrowed his eyes before forcefully rolling to the side. He luckily escaped a mortal wound, but his side still ached as three shallow holes appeared below his ribs. So close! Any slower and he would have been pierced through. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "FUCK! You bastard! Earth Shackles!" Ralph roared as vine-like earth rose up from beneath Aldred and bound him in place. "Hmph! Go die! Rock Crush!" Hundreds of large rocks flew towards Aldred from all directions crushing him. Whew! Ralph thought. Finally got rid of this nuisance. When Ralph turned around to face Skaal, he noticed a slight disturbance in the rock pile. Upon closer look, he saw the pile tremble. Suddenly, the rocks flew outward as Aldred freed himself from the encasing. Aldred tore away the Earth Shackles and stepped forward. "Impossible! How did you survive?!" Aldred chuckled. If it wasn''t for his Qi Armor, he would have been severely injured. It was extremely fortunate of him to break through to Core Condensing. But no time to think, he immediately dodged to the right as a Poison Arrow flew towards where his head was. "DIE! Earth Needle! Poison Arrow! Toxic Shrapnel!" Ralph screamed as he continuously fired different attacks...just how much mana does this guy have? While Ralph was focusing on Aldred who was skillfully avoiding all his projectiles, Skaal crept behind Ralph. Suddenly, Skaal lunged at Ralph with his left claw and grabbed a hold of him. Skaal''s pincer dug deep into Ralph causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood. "H-how?!" Ralph stuttered...how did the Razortail escape from the quicksand? "Hmph! With my intellect and power, it was simple for me to escape." Skaal arrogantly replied. He too was surprised at his strength. He did not know that in his act of desperation and willpower, he would be able to brute-force his way out of the trap. "Brag...keep bragging!" Ralph grunted but he groaned in pain as Skaal squeezed harder. Ralph channeled some of his mana to his sides and formed an incomplete Earth Armor. With some breathing room available, Ralph raised up an Earth Wall from below Skaal. The wall shot up, slamming the Razortail upwards and knocking the wind out of him. Skaal grunted...he''s been having his breath knocked out from him so many times today...was this a sign? Or pure unluckiness? During this development, the scorpion dropped Ralph from his grasp. Skaal collapsed onto the ground, his mind stunned to confusion. "Ooooo...look at all them...pretty little female Razortails...dancing around me...." Skaal tried to speak as his mind continued to daze. Ralph turned towards Aldred and deflected the young boy''s arm. Then, he smashed his fist - enhanced with Earth Enhancement - into the boy''s stomach, sending him flying backwards. "I need to take out that scorpion first!" He muttered. He turned back towards Skaal again and raised his arm upwards. "Stone Blade!" A giant Stone Blade formed from above his raised palm. He looked at the unmoving scorpion once more before bringing his arm down. The giant stone blade dropped down along with his arm and towards the direction of the Razortail. Skaal so the incoming stone blade and grimaced. He didn''t want to die as there were still many regrets. He closed his eyes and awaited his death...but none came...only a feeling of his body being pushed. Skaal opened his eyes and saw...the young boy...Aldred.... He had pushed him out of harm''s way. But, in exchange for saving his life, the young boy...had lost his left arm. "You...!" Skaal was stunned. Chapter 20 - Brothers by Bonds Aldred stood up from where he was sent flying. He looked up at Ralph and saw him form a giant stone blade above his head. NO! That bastard was going to kill Skaal! He willed himself to stand and rushed towards Skaal. As he approached the Razortail, he realized he could not reach Skaal in time. He jumped forward with his left arm raised. Arriving near the Razortail, he pushed the demonic beast out of harm''s way with his arm. At the same time, the stone blade fell...and decapitated his left arm. Aldred gritted in pain as he grasped his bloody stump while collapsed on the floor. He channeled some of his Qi and stopped the bleeding. Skaal saw the wounded boy and was astonished. "You...! Why did you help me?" Aldred looked at Skaal and gave a wry smile, "We may not be friends...we may not be family...but...we are comrade-in-arms. Though we humans have our differences with you demonic beasts...you are still my ally...naturally...I should look out for you.... I''m sure you would do the same for me." When Skaal heard his reply, he was silent. What did he just hear? He still couldn''t wrap his head around why Aldred had did what he done. This...boy...comrades? Does he really trust me that much? W-would I do the same for him? Maybe not in the past.... Maybe.... "Haha! Your stupidity knows no bounds! For a vile demonic beast, you even sacrificed your arm. Haha!" Ralph laughed. He raised his hand once more and shouted, "Toxic Swamp!" The ground below Aldred immediately became damp with a shade of dark green. Potent acid pooled in the marsh. Aldred jumped backwards to evade but some of the acid splashed onto his legs. Aldred screamed in pain as the drops of acid ate through his flesh. Aldred tumbled backwards and fell on the ground, his legs throbbing. He quickly scrambled away. If only he had some ranged skills...or at least a weapon. Spotting some fist-sized rocks nearby, he pounced towards them. Picking one up, he launched the rock at Ralph as soon as he turned around. The rock flew at breathtaking speed. This was due to the unnatural arm and wrist strength Aldred had developed over the months of intensive training. However, even though the rock flew towards its target at an incredible speed, there was not much in terms of accuracy. Naturally there was no accuracy...after all, Aldred did not train his current body for ranged attacks. "Hmph! Futile! Although you got some speed, but you can''t even hit shit with that!" Ralph scoffed as he dodged the rock. "Let me show you how to throw rocks...Meteor Shower!" As Ralph began casting the spell, large rocks floated high into the air. Ralph pointed towards the young boy and the rocks soared towards his target. Though the speed was not to par with the speed that Aldred threw, however, the accuracy was ten times better. The huge number of rocks flew towards Aldred in a fashion similar to that of a meteor shower. Aldred saw the incoming attack and started moving right away. However, even with his speed and quick reflexes, he was only able to dodge most of the attacks. This was due to the ongoing pain and initial loss of blood from his wounds and his severed arm. Suffering under these restrictions, it was obvious Aldred could not perform at his best. Out of the hundreds of rocks, ten smashed into Aldred. There were ten purple bruises all over his body...but strangely not anywhere else...did that bastard aimed for his body on purpose? Aldred cringed...one...no, two ribs were broken. As he tried to catch his breath, Ralph fired a few more Earth Needles. Aldred dove head first and rolled out of the way, however, because of the pain, he wasn''t quick enough as one of the needles grazed him. A wide gash formed as blood welled up from the opening. He was in a precarious situation...was he going to die? Aldred coughed up blood as he shakily tried to get up. "You still trying to fight? You are no match for me. Just die already." Ralph mocked. "Even if I die, I''ll drag you down with me." "Haha, wishful thinking. Stone Javelin!" Ralph shouted as he fired a larger version of the Earth Needle. The stone javelin approached Aldred who could not move. He was too tired and too injured, his body littered with bruises and bloodied wounds. Death was impending and Aldred could do nothing to prevent it. He saw the attack come...everything moved in slow motion. The stone javelin was less than 10 feet away. Suddenly, a brown blur dashed past the javelin and appeared in front of Aldred. It was Skaal. Skaal knocked Aldred over and covered him with his body. The stone javelin pierced the Razortail''s body but fortunately missed the vital organs. Skaal, in his pain, partially collapsed onto Aldred, their blood and wounds mingled with each other. "W-why did you do this?" Aldred asked. "Why did you save me?" Skaal replied. "Because...we''re comrades...allies." "Exactly...because we''re comrades...brothers." To demonic beasts, loyalty and trust were valuable characteristics. Demonic beasts hate being betrayed. They were extremely loyal to those that they placed their trust in. Naturally, humans had never experienced this aspect of demonic beasts because of the innate hatred between the two species. When Aldred first saved Skaal from Ralph''s attack, this action stunned Skaal as it was not a normal human thing to do. But Skaal did not know that Aldred was not a normal human. He did not know that the young child was a reincarnated mortal of another world. The words that Aldred responded sparked something in Skaal. Comrades...in the human continent, comrades meant allies - temporary teammates...however, in the beast lands, comrades meant brothers - permanent friends...allies forever. The word ''comrade'' was used interchangeably with ''brother''. The word ''brother'' was used strictly for someone that one would place their complete trust in. Even though the meanings were different, nevertheless Skaal still felt the trustworthiness that Aldred displayed. When Skaal saw the young boy cornered by Ralph''s attacks, he rushed forward to help. Though the time he and the boy knew each other was short, he had developed a sense of reliance and conviction with the boy after observing the boy''s positive attitude towards him. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. As Skaal leaned gently on Aldred, his green blood trickled into Aldred''s wounds and the boy''s red blood smudged into his wounds. Suddenly, a glow emitted on the duo. Skaal recognized this occurrence...this...this was the Ritual of Brotherhood. The glow covered the two completely causing Skaal and Aldred to close their eyes from the blinding light. When they reopened their eyes, they found themselves in a land filled with lush grasslands, a bright sky, and beautiful nature. "Where are we? What happened to my wounds?" Aldred exclaimed as he looked around. His wounds had disappeared but his arm was still missing. "We...we are in the Ritual of Brotherhood. This place is...was what the world once looked like many eons ago." Skaal replied as he also looked around dazed. How was this possible? The Ritual of Brotherhood should be strictly accessible to demonic beasts...but Aldred was a human? "Ritual of Brotherhood?" "Yes. I''ve heard of it from my family. Come, we need to walk forward. The beginning and end of this ritual should be somewhere nearby." Aldred nodded as he followed Skaal. He was curious of his predicament. The two walked for what seemed like an hour before finding themselves in front of a temple. The temple was large with seven pillars engraved with the Seven Primordial Godbeasts - Nalia the Abomination, Oceanas the Vast, Orin the Free, Arthro the Terror, Lusca the Soft, Echino the Immortal, and Nelid the Helpful. These seven primordial godbeasts were the predecessors of all demonic beasts in existence. Legend has it that the Seven were the ones who first performed Form Change and each represented one of the Form Changes that they specialized in. Nalia represented Demonbeast Form, Oceanas represented Godbeast Form, Orin represented Human Form, Arthro represented Weapon Form, Lusca represented Giant Beast Form, Echino represented Spirit Form, and Nelid represented Small Beast Form. As Skaal described the history of the Seven who paved the way for demonic beasts to thrive as well as the wars that they fought with the demons and the humans, the two entered the temple halls. When they approached a set of stairs, a thunderous voice resounded in the near empty halls. "Welcome to the Temple of the Seven Primordial Beasts! You, who had passed the trials of friendship and loyalty, have been granted the eminent honor of Brotherhood! Please step forward!" The two looked at each other before climbing up the steps towards the ritual table that was set up before them. The ritual table had a incense pot wit three sticks of incense placed inside - upright and lit. A bowl of some strange blue liquid rested in the middle of the table. Behind the table sat a large statue of the Seven Primordial Beasts. Somehow, they knew what must be done and what must be said. This ritual of brotherhood was a ritual of blood. The two dripped a few drops of their blood onto the bowl. The blood mixed with the blue liquid and became a golden color. To have a golden color represented their trust towards each other. They were comrades...allies...brothers. The golden liquid split into two and each portion floated towards Aldred and Skaal. The two each grabbed an incense stick and held it in front of them in respect towards the Seven Primordial Beasts. "I, Aldred/Skaal, a human/demonic beast, have come together as brothers...." The two began their oath. ".... From this day forward, we are family. Our bonds formed from blood and trust. May the Seven Primordial Beasts witness our brotherhood and strike me dead if I dare betray the other." After the oath, the golden liquid entered the two''s bodies, forming a tattoo-like mark. The black mark looked like scorpion fangs. The mark was located on Skaal''s back while the mark on Aldred was located on his face - one fang on each side. "Congratulations on forming your brotherhood. Your bonds are stronger now...who knows, maybe you can unlock a new Form. Go forth!" A bright light shone causing the two to close their eyes once more. When they opened their eyes again, they were back - their wounds miraculously healed. Aldred looked to his left, but was slightly disheartened that the arm didn''t grow back. He looked up and saw Ralph staring at them in astonishment. To Ralph, the bright light had covered the two initially and then disappeared the next second to reveal the two healed of their injuries. He did not know of the ritual that occurred. "How did your wounds heal instantly like that?! Was that light a healing spell? Impossible!" Aldred stood up with Skaal. After the ritual of brotherhood, Skaal felt his power increase...it seemed like he might be able to Form Change! Skaal looked at Aldred and a telepathic conversation was exchanged between the two. I think I can change into a new form. Skaal said. Which form? Aldred asked. It''s most likely the weapon form. Remember I am the descendent of Arthro who specialized in Weapon Form? Well, that also goes with his descendants. We are more likely to Weapon Form Change than any of the other special Form Changes. I think I am able to change. Should we try it out? Alright! As soon as the conversation was over, Skaal concentrated on himself right away as he gathered his power. He wanted to be helpful to his sworn brother...how can he be helpful? What weapon should he be in order to benefit the most for his brother? Suddenly, his eyes brightened...he had figured out what to become. He turned into a brown blur and flashed towards Aldred. Chapter 21 - Weapon Form Aldred saw Skaal changed into a brown blur and headed straight for him. The brow blur split into pieces and covered Aldred. When the blur refocused, the Weapon Form was completed. Although the Form Change was known as Weapon Form, however, when Skaal concentrated on what he believed to be the most beneficial to Aldred, he changed into something more than just a weapon...he became armor as well. Was this due to Skaal''s wish to be helpful to Aldred? Or was some other factor in play? When the Form Change finished assembling, a surprised Aldred checked on the alterations to his appearance. A gauntlet-like arm was formed at where his left arm used to be. A full-arm gauntlet was formed as well for the right arm. Skaal''s smaller pincer acted like an arm guard and positioned on the right arm, the pointed part facing outwards at the elbow. Skaal''s larger pincer acted like a shield/arm guard for the left arm with the pointed part facing outwards at the elbow as well. A hole formed at the end of the shield and a spear like tip protruded from the hole. The gauntlets were a little pointed with dark green spots, which manually produces small doses of paralyzing poison. The scorpion''s head formed into a simple helmet and face mask which covered the lower face, with the scorpion''s fangs placed at the sides of the helmet. Skaal''s body covered Aldred''s back, while his legs covered Aldred''s front. The appendages of his tail protected Aldred''s legs like shin guards. Aldred looked at his newly formed left arm and clenched his fist. The comfortableness and familiarity felt as if it was his own arm. The pointed parts of the pincers stop at his elbows. He imagined the destruction he could cause whenever he elbowed someone. The pointed spear-like tip coming out of his shield looked to be poisonous. When he clenched his fist, the spear tip extended outwards and when he unclenched his fist, the tip retracted. Aldred looked at Ralph and wanted to test out his new power. Ralph gaped at the transformation in amazement and disbelief. What happened? How did they merge? Why did they merge? Ralph fired a few Earth Needles at the boy, but the needles were blocked by Aldred''s shield. Aldred dove underground and dug towards Ralph. Ralph took a few steps backward to survey the surroundings. He was prepared to counterattack once Aldred emerges. However, contrary to his expectations, Aldred did not emerge anywhere. Instead, his hand burst out from under Ralph and grabbed the Earth Mage''s leg, his claws dug into the leg and injected some extremely strong paralyzing poison. Aldred pulled with his strength and pulled Ralph''s leg into the ground. With one leg in the earth, Ralph was at a disadvantage. Coupled with the gradual paralyzing power of the toxin, Ralph could not sustain his consciousness for long. Gritting his teeth, Ralph stabbed his leg to bleed the poison out as well as wake himself with the pain. Then, he loosened the earth with some mana and freed his leg. Ralph was not a healer...that was Caroline, but she was dead. Every wound he takes, he was stuck with it. For the first time during the battle, he felt a bit of fear. Unpredicted movements, paralyzing poison attacks, high-penetrating power attacks, incredible speed, incredible defense...that combination...was dangerous. Aldred! We must hurry and defeat him. I don''t think I can hold onto this form for long. Skaal suddenly notified Aldred as he was savoring the feeling of power. Is that true? Damn...okay, I understand. Aldred replied. Aldred looked towards the cautious opponent. He rushed towards Ralph, his left fist clenched and the spear tip protruded from the shield. A green, viscous liquid covered the point. Ralph saw the charging boy and fired some Stone Javelins. Since Earth Needles don''t work, he figured that he needed to increase the piercing power. The stone javelins launched towards the charging boy. However, Aldred raised his shield and blocked all the stone javelins without slowing down. As he neared Ralph, he lunged towards Ralph. Ralph smacked his foot on the ground and activated Stone Tower. A stone tower shot up from under Ralph, sending him upwards. Seeing Ralph high up on the stone tower, Aldred unclenched his fist and plunged his hands into the stone tower. With a pull, he split the tower in half. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. As the tower crumbled, Ralph lost his balance due to the unstable ground and tumbled off. When he crashed, he quickly scrambled up and searched for the boy. However he could not find Aldred...the boy must have submerged underground again! Ralph scanned the perimeter for any likely spot that the boy may emerge from. Suddenly, the earth in front of him trembled and burst forth. The boy shot from the ground and stabbed with his left fist. Seeing the spear-like tip, Ralph brought his arms up and crossed them in front of him He quickly wrapped Earth Armor around his arms in order to further increase his defense. But the defenses were not enough as the spear tip pierced through the armor and bore a hole into one of Ralph''s arms. Ralph screamed in pain as he flew back. He grimaced as he saw the state of his arm...it was nearly blown right off and was just hanging on a tip. "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, arm for arm." Aldred sneered. "You bastard! I''ll rip you to pieces and feed you to the dogs!" Ralph fumed. Aldred! Enough talking, time is running out! I can''t hold this form any longer. You must finish him of this attack! Skaal urged. I know! Aldred nodded. "Haha! Ralph, you don''t look so well...let me put you to rest." Aldred shouted as he charged again. Ralph fired more Earth Needles and Poison Arrows, but Aldred''s shield arm deflected them all. Realizing his attacks did not slow Aldred down one bit, he activated Earth Wall and jumped backwards. After putting some distance, Ralph raised his hand for one final powerful attack. He stood there and waited for Aldred to burst through...but nothing.... What happened? Oh no! Ralph realized as he turned around just in time to see Aldred emerge from the ground below. Aldred had dove into the ground right after Ralph erected the Earth Wall and tunneled his way behind Ralph. He could sense exactly where Ralph stood by the aura the Earth Mage emitted. When Ralph realized what was wrong, it was already too late. Aldred burst out from underneath and slashed with his right arm. The slash connected and dug a huge chunk of flesh. The force of Aldred''s slash blew Ralph back as he toppled onto the ground in agony. He skidded a few meters away until he laid, face up and wearily looked at the young boy. Impossible...that was the word to describe the events that had occurred. How can a boy who was several stages below him be able to push him to this state? His eyes blurred as the pain numbed his mind. On his chest, four claw marks stood out. The attack was incredibly fast...so fast that blood did not well for a good few seconds. Ralph was able to see his ribs and some of his organs. As blood started to form from the wounds, he looked at the approaching boy. Aldred walked up to Ralph with a grin and prepared for his final attack. Ralph may be tenacious, but he won''t survive this next attack. He raised his right hand and, with the intention to behead, slashed down towards Ralph''s head. However...time was up...midway through his attack, Skaal''s Weapon Form deactivated. Skaal landed beside Aldred, exhausted...and Aldred lost all that boost in power. When Ralph saw Aldred revert back to his original form, he grinned. If he died, he would bring Aldred with him. As this thought flashed in his mind, his hand touched the ground. He muttered, "Earth Spikes!" Chapter 22 - The Demon Forests Spikes made of earth shot from below and penetrated...no one. The moment Aldred reverted back to his original state, he knew immediately that Ralph would try to do something. He had formed a layer of Qi Armor surrounding his body that protected him from most of the piercing power of the spikes. Suffering only a few light grazes from the spell, Aldred turned his attention back to Ralph. Ralph was sitting there in disbelief. He had no clue about the wonders and formidability of Qi so he could only gawk in confusion. However, Aldred did not wait any longer. The second he broke away from the spikes, Aldred slashed down with his arm and decapitated Ralph''s head into five pieces. A fountain of blood spurted out from the neck and pooled around the headless body. Whew! Aldred exhaled. Finally...finally killed this bastard. He squatted down and wiped his bloody hand on the corpse''s clothes. He turned his head back and looked at the exhausted Razortail. "How are you holding up?" Aldred asked. "I''m alright...just need to rest some more." Skaal replied. "Ok, you rest here. I''m going to take care of a few things." Aldred got up and walked back into the house. He packed a few necessities and food into a bag before leaving. Once outside, he headed towards the basement. In the basement, he looked at the hanged bodies and grimaced. The sight was still sickening no matter how many times he saw it...this was not a sight to get used to and it would be forever engraved in his mind. With the strength that he had left, he unhooked the bodies and laid them on the ground. Then, he took the lamp that hung on the ceiling and threw the lit candle onto the ground. There were a lot of flammable liquids and materials in the basement so the fire spread quickly. Aldred hurried out the basement and turned around. He watched as the fire in the basement increased in intensity and spread to the rest of the house. "Rest in peace my friends...my brothers and sisters." Aldred muttered sadly. He wiped his eyes a bit...must have been the dust. Walking towards Ralph''s body, he lit it on fire as well. Then, he looked at Skaal. "You still tired?" Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Yea...Weapon Form takes too much mana. I need to hurry and increase my rank if I want to increase my mana capacity and efficiency." "I''m going to leave this place. If you want, change into Small Beast Form and rest in one of my pockets." "Ok." Small Beast Form and Giant Beast Form are the only two forms that did not require the use of mana or stamina, while Spirit Form and Weapon Form required mana. Demonbeast Form, Godbeast Form, and Human Form required stamina. So once Skaal shrunk into a small scorpion, Aldred picked him up and placed him in his right pocket. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Aldred left the premises. After wandered around aimlessly, Aldred asked Skaal about where they should go. "Where should we go next? I don''t have a map, so I''m not sure exactly where my home is." Aldred asked. "Hmm...you humans are so inconvenient. We demonic beasts can sense our family from large distances away through a form of spiritual and mana connection. How about this, let''s go northwest to the Demon Forests. I have family that I''m on good relations with there." Skaal answered. "The Demon Forests? I heard that place is extremely dangerous. There are many demonic beasts there." "I know what you''re thinking. No worries! Don''t forget I''m a demonic beast too. I''ll guarantee your safety...most of the time." Skaal replied, but muttered the last part. "What was that?" "What was what?" "That last part...something like ''most of the time'' or something like that." "You must have heard wrong." "Did I?" "Yea. Anyways, enough talking, let''s get moving. At our pace, we''ll reach the borders in a week." "Alright." Aldred grinned. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This ends Part 1 of this novel. Part 2 will begin in a day or two so stay tuned for updates. Chapter 23 - Bandits at Fortimer It has been three days since Aldred left for the Demon Forests. Throughout his journey, he had hardly seen anyone. There were a few ruined villages here and there but judging from the burnt marks and damages, they were not done by demonic beasts...but by something scarier...humans. Bandits have pillaged and murdered through the villages. Aldred was curious...why were the bandits so active. Were they trying to instill fear? Or were they looking for something? Suddenly, Aldred saw smoke in the distance. He quickened his pace. He ran past some trees and into a clearing...to see a burning village. The fire was still burning, meaning the raid was recent. Aldred scanned the vicinity to look for survivors. *RUSTLE!* *RUSTLE!* Aldred turned towards the source of the sounds - a man, blood pouring from his chest...a fatal wound. Aldred rushed towards the dying man and knelt before him. He asked, "What happened? Was it bandits?" "...no...*cough* *cough*...it...was the Count...of Fortimer...he... *cough* *cough*...they...dressed up as bandits.... *cough* *cough*...I recognized one of them...." The dying man said. He grabbed Aldred''s sleeve, his eyes dazed and blurry. "Please...my son...find help...." With his dying wish, the man breathed his last and died. Aldred sighed, there was nothing much he could do to help. He was after all only one person...and a child at that. Unless...it''s true he won''t be able to do a lot with his current abilities...but if he were to play it smart...maybe.... What will you do? Skaal asked Aldred. Although he did not trust humans and was disinclined to help them, however, he trusted Aldred and would follow him if he decided to help. Hmm, I don''t know. A Count has his own army of 1,000 soldiers. That''s a lot to handle considering it''s only you and me. However, who said that we needed to attack head on. We can play it smart. Nevertheless, it''s best if we go check out on the situation first before deciding whether or not we should meddle. Aldred mused as he conferred his plans with Skaal. Okay. As what I remembered before I was sealed, Fortimer Castle was located just a few kilometers west of this village. Alright, let''s go. The two changed their original destination and headed west. After an hour, they arrived at a small hill. Below the hill was Fortimer Castle. A few hundred houses surrounded the castle and a castle wall encircled the buildings. The guards at the gates were pretty lax and Aldred was able to easily enter without having to provide any form of identification papers. While in the town, Aldred had heard of many praises about how kind and generous the count, who was recently appointed to their place, was. If only those commoners knew the truth. Approaching the castle, Aldred saw that there were some guards on duty. Naturally, they would not let anyone in. So, Aldred told Skaal to infiltrate the castle and find any clues or information. Skaal, while still in Small Beast Form, crawled out of Aldred''s pocket and scurried into the castle. As Skaal was in the castle, Aldred decided to look for an inn to stay for the time being. After searching around and asking for some directions, he finally arrived at a cheap inn - Rabbit''s Paw. *DING!* The bell rang as Aldred opened the door. A waitress smiled as she rushed towards Aldred. However, she frowned when she saw that Aldred was a child...not to mention, he was missing an arm. Nevertheless, she remembered her job and smiled, "Welcome. Little boy, where are your parents?" "They have business to attend to in the castle. Mommy told me it was inconvenient for me to be there with them so she told me to get a room at an inn for a few days." Aldred lied in his cutest voice possible. He gagged inwardly as he felt disgusted with his cute act. "Oh, okay sweetie. Um...do you have money? It is 30 copper coins per room plus meals each day." "Ah, yes. Here you go." Aldred replied as he took out 1 silver and 50 copper coins. One silver coin equaled 100 copper coins, 1 gold coin equaled 100 silver coins. "One silver and 50 copper coins, that''s five days of room plus meals. Follow me to see the innkeeper." The waitress said as she led Aldred to a counter. Behind the counter stood a middle-aged lady. She looked sturdy with brown curls and a jovial expression. Her body figure, though not voluptuous, was still curvaceous enough to attract a few stares from her lustful male customers. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "What is it Lila?" The innkeeper asked the waitress when she looked up and saw Lila lead Aldred over. "This young boy wants a room plus meals for five days. Here''s the money he had paid." Lila answered as she placed the coins on the table. "Oh? Where are his parents?" "He said they had some work at the castle and wanted him to stay at an inn for a few days." "I see. Well, you are a big boy now aren''t you, little one." The innkeeper said as she patted on Aldred''s head. "Ah...don''t!" Aldred replied as he pushed the innkeeper''s hand away. He was feeling uncomfortable already from acting cute, now being patted was making it worse. So, he had to come up with an excuse. "My daddy says patting on my head hinders my growth." "Ahaha! Your father''s right. Sorry, sorry. My name is Cayla, what''s your name?" "Aldred." "Fine name, Aldred. Here''s your room key, it''s upstairs. Do you need help finding it?" "No thanks, I''ll manage." Aldred waved goodbye to Cayla and Lila who both commented once more on how cute he was. As he walked upstairs and out of sight from the two women, he shuddered a bit and grimaced at how uncomfortable being cute was. Aldred walked down the hallway of the second floor and saw the room number of the room that he was given. Unlocking the door, he entered. The room was pretty nice...it was clean but smelled a bit like alcohol. There was a table, a chair, a candle in a candle holder, and a medium-sized bed. There was also a window that showed a good view of the castle. Aldred put his bag on the floor next to the bed, locked the door, and climbed on the bed. The bed wasn''t as soft as the bed at Caroline''s house...but it will do. Aldred laid in his bed, tired...and soon fell asleep. .......... In Fortimer''s Castle.... .......... Wow, this place sure is nice.... For someone who was dubbed generous, he sure lavished on himself. Skaal thought as he darted through the halls of the castle. Hmm? What is that? What caught Skaal''s attention was a door at the far end of the hallway that was cracked open with light slipping out. If there''s light...then there''s people. Skaal quickly dashed towards the opening and peeked inside. An old man of roughly 50 years old was discussing with another man of about 30 years old. The old man had bushy gray hair and an unkempt beard. He had a scar running from the right corner of his mouth all the way to the bottom of his right eye. He was dressed like a bandit...in leather armor and a metal breastplate. The other man was well groomed and carried an air of nobility. He had some loose fitted clothing on...it seemed that he had just woken up. In his hand was a cup of warm tea. This must be the Count. From his expression, Skaal could guess that the Count was not happy with the discussion. "What do you mean you couldn''t find the child? The priests have predicted that a child with the so-called impossible Quadruple-Affinity will appear in this vicinity. That''s the whole reason why I chose to become the count of this godforsaken place!" The Count retorted angrily. "We''ve searched everywhere but we couldn''t find that child. Could it be the child did not awaken yet?" "That!...That''s a possibility...." The Count slouched as he stared at his cup dejectedly. "What...what will we do with the kids we captured?" The old man asked. "They''re of no use to me, kill them and bury them. Leave no trace that will connect them to me." "Yes sir!" "And keep searching! That Quadruple-Affinity will be of great use to me once the child is in my hands. Do not disappoint me again!" "Y-yes sir!" And...that''s is my cue to leave. Skaal thought as he scurried away quietly. Before he left the castle, he waited until the old man walked past him. Swiftly, he struck with his tail and pierced the old man''s skin. The strike was very fast and very precise that the old man only felt a slight itch of his skin. The old man stopped and bent down to scratch his itch only to further spread the poison. The poison was very weak and wasn''t strong enough to kill. The only purpose of the poison was to serve as a marking so that Skaal can track him later on. As the old man scratched his ankle, he did not look down as he was busy pondering about the order the Count had given him. After scratching a few times, the old man got up and continued walking. Skaal also hurried out the castle and headed towards the inn. Chapter 24 - Robbed I''m back. Aldred opened his eyes and got up. He rubbed his eyes a bit as he looked at Skaal. "Did you find anything?" Yes. The Count is connected to the bandit raids. They also kidnapped many children. Skaal answered. "Slavery?" No, there were news of a Quadruple-Affinity and the Count wants to take advantage of it. "Oh...a Quadruple-Affinity...that''s rarer than my No-Affinity status. So, where''s the Quadruple-Affinity?" The Count couldn''t find one yet. They think the child hasn''t awakened yet. "Oh...so what happens to the other kids? Is he going to kill them?" Aldred asked. Seeing Skaal nod, he muttered. "I thought so." I marked the bandit leader with my poison. It will be easy for us to track him. "That''s good. Let''s get some dinner first." Aldred opened the door to his room and walked downstairs. Cayla was busy doing some calculations on today''s gains and losses and Lila was busy serving hot food to a group of customers. When Lila finished, she saw Aldred walked downstairs. She smiled and walked over to the boy. "You need something Aldred? You hungry?" "Food." Aldred nodded. "Extra meat." "Haha, okay. You''re a growing boy. Do you need my help to bring the food to your room?" "No need." "Oh...okay." Aldred smiled his most innocent smile and waited for the cook to make his food. Suddenly, he sensed some killing intent...though small, but was still detectable. He sneakily glanced around and scanned the customers sitting by the tables. There were two burly men close to the door. They wore leather armor and had one-handed axes strapped on their waists. From the corner of Aldred''s eye, he could see the two men eyeing him greedily. Skaal, who was situated in Aldred''s right pants pocket, glanced at the two men and grunted. "They probably think you''re a rich boy and an easy target. Watch out, they may want to mug you." "Hmph! They''ll soon regret it." "Here''s your food young boy." Lila said as she brought out a platter of food for Aldred. "I''ve put in some extra meat. It''s a bit heavy...are you able to carry it all?" Aldred saw Lila eye his missing arm and understood her intentions. "Ah, don''t worry. I trained myself so I have enough strength to at least lift this much." "Oh...okay. Well, if you need anything, just tell me." "Alright." Aldred brought the food upstairs to his room. Obviously he couldn''t finish all this food by himself, however, he''s sharing the food with Skaal. After finishing the food, Aldred and Skaal quickly left the inn. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. .......... "See. There he is." A man pointed as he looked over a corner towards the young boy that exited the inn. "You sure he''s a rich brat? He''s dressed up so poorly." Another man replied. "Haha, Second Brother, don''t worry. You should have seen his coin bag...it was practically full of coins." "Is that so...yea you''re right...this will be easy-pickings. Look at him...he''s even missing an arm." "Exactly, like taking candy from a baby." "Alright enough talking, let''s follow him." .......... Those two men from earlier are following us. Skaal reported. "Hmph, time for a little after-dinner exercise." Aldred grinned. Aldred slowed down his pace and waited for the two men to catch up to him. The two men quickly surround him with their axes drawn. One of the men pointed his axe towards him. "Give us all your valuables if you want to live." The man snarled. "Haha, with just you two? You idiots overestimate yourselves." "What did you call us?!" The other man shouted. "Hmph! Are you stupid? What can a kid like you d-?" Aldred dove underground before the man even finished talking. Even though he had only one arm, he was still able to dive underground. Though his digging speed had deceased by more than half, it was still more than enough to deal with these small fries. "Huh? What happened? Where did that bitch go?" "First Brother! Look out! Behind you!" The First Brother turned around at the warning and saw Aldred emerge from the ground. The young boy slashed out with his right arm and left five deep and bloody wounds on the man''s chest. The man died in shock and confusion...how did he die...how was this boy so strong? "First Brother!! Bastard, you''ll pay for this!" The remaining man cried out as he lunged towards Aldred with his axe. But he did not go far. His whole body started going numb...what happened? His legs trembled as the strength in his body left him. Dropping his axe, the man fell to his knees. "W-what happened? Did I get poisoned? H-how?" Seems like Skaal poisoned him while Aldred was handling the other guy. Aldred walked up to man with an eerie smile. "Shouldn''t have messed with me." "S-spare m-me!" "Ah, I want to...but I can''t. Don''t want people to know about my abilities. Just blame yourself for messing with the wrong guy." Aldred replied as he thrust his hand into the man''s chest and pulled out a still-beating heart. "Kurgh...urk...haaa....." Dropping the heart, Aldred stared at the dead man. He knelt down and searched through the two dead men''s clothes. After looting the bodies and taking the axes, Aldred said. "Skaal. Let''s get going." Chapter 25 - Bandit Hideout Okay, the bandit leader is over there. Skaal replied as Aldred arrived near a mountain. The mountain housed a large base. In the middle of the mountain was a huge house made of wood, bones, and stones. "Hmm...the security here is very strict.... Oh? What''s that? There''s a group of them eating? Skaal, think you can poison their food?" Who do you think I am? Such an easy task. Skaal responded as he scurried towards the hideout. Minutes later, Skaal came back. It is done. The effects will hit in a few minutes. "That''s good. I''m gonna tunnel towards that huge house over there. When the poisoned bandits fall and cause a distraction, the leader will definitely step out of his house to see what the disturbances were." Aldred dove into the ground and made his way towards the main house. With the help of Skaal''s mark and his sensitivity to energy, Aldred was able to tunnel directly towards the main house. He emerged slowly and quietly from behind the house. Luckily there were no windows at the back that could notify the residents of his presence. "When?" Aldred asked. 3...2...1.... Skaal muttered and as if on cue, confused and panicked voices sounded out within the base. .......... "What''s wrong Jarlor? Why did you collapse?" "Myke! Wake up man!" "Kikam, what happened?!" "Boss! Boss! Something happened to our men!" People rushed out from the huge house including an old man...this was the old man that met with the Count earlier. He surveyed the chaos and shouted. "Quiet down! You, speak! What happened?" "Boss, I don''t know what happened. They were fine just a moment ago, but when they got up, they all collapsed." A bandit replied. "Hmm." The bandit leader pondered as he gazed at the conditions of the collapsed men. "Call the healer!" .......... As the bandits assessed the situation, Aldred stealthily slipped into the huge house. Using his sensitivity in energy, Aldred was able to sense many weak energies from below. The kids must have been held there. Aldred closed his eyes and focused on the energies...where exactly were they.... After a few seconds or so, he was able to sense the cluster of energies somewhere down the hall of the house. Aldred closed in to the energies until a door blocked his way. He opened the door and peered inside. There was a horrid smell of blood, piss, and feces. Wrinkling his nose, he descended down the stairway, which led to a makeshift dungeon. There were three holding cells filled with children of all ages. Some of their eyes were vacant and dead. They must have been traumatized from seeing their home destroyed and their family killed. Others had terror in their eyes as they flinched when they heard Aldred walk down the stairs. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Most of the children cowered when they saw Aldred, but one girl still had some traces of defiance and vigilance in her eyes. The girl looked to be about nine years old - Aldred''s age. She had long red hair and blue eyes. She was dressed in rags with scratches and dirt covering her arms and legs. She got up and approached the edge of the cell. "W-who are you? How did you get here?" The girl asked. Aldred put his finger to his lips signaling them to be quiet. "My name is Aldred. I''m here to save you." "You? That''s disappointing. How are you gonna save us with one arm? You should leave before they come back." "Don''t worry. I''m strong. These small fries aren''t my opponents." "How can you be so sure? You should-! Oh, no! They''re back! You need to hide!" Aldred smiled. This girl...still worried about others even with her circumstances. To the shock of all the children, Aldred dove into the ground like it was nothing. The spot where Aldred dug into only looked like a clumped pile of earth...hardly noticeable to an average person. While beneath the ground, Aldred waited for the bandits to come in. .......... "Is the healer here?" The bandit leader inquired. "Yes boss, I''m here." A skinny, clean-shaven and pale-faced man appeared. He bent down and examined the unconscious men. "They seemed to be poisoned as shown by the foam from their mouths and blueness under their eyes and on their lips. Judging from the tint of the blueness and the amount of foam, I think the poison is not fatal. Looking at the events that have occurred, I believe poison was slipped in their food." "So the poison used was not to kill...but...to distract.... No! The dungeon! Quick, you five come with me! The rest guard the entrance of the house. Don''t let anyone suspicious get out." "Yes boss!" The bandit leader and his five subordinates rushed into the house. Upon entering the dungeon, they looked around for any suspicious persons. Strangely, nothing was out of the ordinary...no intruder...no missing children...nothing. One of the five men walked towards the cells...and stumbled. "Fuck! What''s this pile of dirt doing here?" The man exclaimed as he angrily kicked the dirt. "Wait!" The bandit leader yelled. "Isn''t that a hole?" "Ah, boss...you''re right. How did it get he-?" Another man replied but he was interrupted by a hand coming out of his chest. The bandit leader and the other four men gaped in shock. As the hand slid back leaving behind a bloody hole, the dead bandit crumpled to reveal a young boy with black hair, silver eyes, fang-like tattoos below his eyes, and an arm missing. The bandit leader quickly regained his senses and shouted. "What are you idiots doing? Get him!" Chapter 26 - Taking out the Trash Aldred did not wait for the bandits to attack. He dove below the ground and tunneled around the bandits. The surprised men panicked as they glanced around the room. Suddenly, Aldred emerged from behind one of the bandits and slashed forward. His claw like hand tore of chunks of flesh from the helpless bandit. Even with their leather armor, they could not defend against Aldred''s sharp and powerful claw that had been trained and strengthened to dig through solid rock like tofu. As the second bandit died, Aldred prepared to dive in again. However, never had he imagined that the bandit leader was a Fire Mage as fire shot towards him causing him to flip backwards in order to dodge. A piercing scream caught his attention. He turned back and saw that the fireball had hit one of the cells causing the ground inside the cell to burn. A couple of Water-Affinity children managed to put out the fire but some other children were still caught in the flames and were burned. None of the kids knew healing and the burnt children could do nothing but bear with the pain. Shit, I forgot about the hostages. I need to free them out. Aldred thought. Aldred sneered at the men. He lunged towards them, surprising them with his incredible speed. He charged towards the bandit leader, intending to kill him first. There was a saying from his past life - Severing the head will destroy the body, which was applied to both immortals and armies. However, what Aldred didn''t expect was when the bandit leader used one of his subordinates as a meat shield. The bandit died in Aldred''s arm and was subsequently thrown at the young boy. Both bandit and Aldred crashed into the floor. The bandit leader activated Fire Pit at the ground below them. The bandit''s corpse was burned, however, Aldred fortunately escaped unscathed. With his current cultivation coupled with his powerful and well-tempered body, Aldred was unharmed by the fires in the pit. Aldred dove beneath the pit and tunneled towards the Fire Mage. "You, go alert the captains!" The bandit leader ordered the last bandit. As the bandit rushed out the basement, the bandit leader raised his defenses as he scanned the ground below. A hand erupted from the ground and grabbed the bandit leader''s leg. The bandit leader screamed for help, alerting the bandits outside. As many bandits rushed in, Aldred shot out from behind the bandit leader and decapitated him. Just as he cleanly beheaded the bandit leader, a group of powerful looking men charged in. They were the captains of the bandit army. These three men looked at their leader''s body and seethed in anger. "Big Boss was done in by this bastard! Second Boss, we must avenge him." One of the captains said. "You men from the outside! Come inside and help us kill this bitch!" Aldred! Let me hold them off while you free the children. Skaal said as his heart stirred for a fight. Aldred agreed and tossed Skaal towards the bandits. Skaal immediately changed into his Giant Beast Form and body-slammed into a group of bandits. Both the bandits and the children gawked at the sudden appearance of a demonic beast. Some of the children screamed in utter terror but they shushed when Aldred told them to calm down. Aldred slashed the cell bars with his hand and created openings for each cell. The children hurriedly rushed out of the cells. Aldred slashed towards the back wall a few times before kicking the pieces of stone and wood apart. The children all rushed out through the back. Some bandits came charging over but Aldred rushed to meet them head-on. "Run! Run as far away as you can!" Aldred urged the children. The kids scurried away, while Aldred killed a few more bandits. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! While Aldred took care of the bandits outside, Skaal was dealing with the bandit captains inside. Skaal rammed his pincers into the bandit captains. Although they were strong, none of them were able to hurt Skaal even with his weakened state. The bandits died left and right whether it''s from decapitation or from crushing - they all suffered gruesome defeats. It was simply as easy as taking out the trash. After finishing the bandits inside, Skaal rushed out to help Aldred. They continued to kill off the bandits until finally, none was left. Even though all the bandits were dead, something still egged at Aldred''s guts. His instincts told him that something was wrong. Aldred wondered about it but he just couldn''t put his finger on it...until, that is, Skaal brought it up. Strange! Why are there missing a couple of bandits? There should be at least 100 more. "You''re right! That''s what I was wondering about as well...where are the rest?" Aldred mused. Suddenly, he thought of something...the children! Oh no! The 100 bandits must have chased after the kids! Aldred rushed towards the direction that the children headed off to. Skaal sensed that something was amiss and followed him as well. A painful shriek echoed the night. Aldred and Skaal sped up as they heard the scream. When Aldred approached a nearby grassland, he saw bodies...children and bandits alike. Standing in the center of the massacre was the girl that talked with Aldred earlier. Her hair was disheveled and fluttered in the night air. Her blue eyes flashed with anger and sadness and her clothes stained with blood. "What happened here?" Aldred muttered as he took in the sight. Aldred! That girl! I sensed that she has awakened...and a Quadruple-Affinity at that! She must be the child that the Count was looking for! It seems the slaughter that had taken place here caused her emotions to erupt. You must calm her down or this will not be good for all of us. Skaal notified. Aldred continued watching the girl. She knelt down beside a dying child...it was her little brother. She had promised her parents on their dying breath to protect her little brother...but now...she was unable to fulfill her parents'' wish. The girl lifted the corpse in her arms and cried. Aldred walked up to the crying girl, making sure to not make any sudden movements and presented himself so that the girl can see him anytime. The girl looked up at Aldred with vacant eyes - her once bright eyes, now dull with pain and suffering. "A-aldred?" She murmured. "Yes...it''s me. You alright?" "Kev...he...he''s gone.... I promised our parents that I''ll take care of him.... I-if only I had more power.... If only I had awaken sooner.... *SOB!* *SOB!*" "It''s not your fault. Come! Get up, your brother wouldn''t want you to behave like this." "How can you say that?! You don''t know! You don''t know how it feels to lose someone precious!" "But I do know! I...I''ve also lost someone...many. They all died because I wasn''t strong enough. But I did not give in. I vowed to become stronger and smarter so that I can protect my future loved ones. You can do the same." "But...." "Think of Kev! Would he want you to destroy yourself with grief? Or would he want you to continue living?" "C-continue...living...." "For your sake." "F-for my sake." Chapter 27 - Rare Affinities After Aldred and the girl, whose name was Julia Kreole, buried all the dead children, Aldred led the girl to his inn. When Lila saw the two, she gave them a questioning look. "Why Aldred, who''s this?" Lila scolded while looking at the raggedy young girl. "Don''t tell me you found her in the slums? Aren''t you a little too young to be doing those immoral things?!" "Ah! You''re mistaken, this is my cousin Julia. She''s dressed like this because she ran away from home. She didn''t like studying if you know what I mean?" Aldred lied. "Haha! I know. There are always some wealthy family''s son or daughter running away from home because they were too bored of their restricted life." Lila agreed as she looked at Julia''s attire once more. "Come little one, I''m sure you don''t want to stay in that outfit right? I might have something that will fit you. Aldred, go on to your room." Lila led Julia to the staff room as Aldred walked to his room. After entering in his room, he pulled out Skaal and placed him on the table. What should we do with Julia? Aldred asked. Drop her off somewhere. Skaal shrugged. We can''t leave her here or people will get suspicious. Plus, I don''t know if she has any living relatives. True, if people found out about her Quadruple-Affinity status, she will be in a lot of danger. We could always bring her along. Haha! You sure know how to joke! I wasn''t.... Julia won''t be accepted by demonic beasts. In fact, even you will have a hard time where we''re going. It''s best for her safety and ours that she does not tag along. O-ok. *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* "Who is it?" Aldred asked when he heard the knock. Skaal scrambled back into his right pants pocket. "It''s Julia." Aldred got up from his chair and opened the door. A rather cute girl stood before him. She was wearing a red dress that further accentuated her red hair and black shoes. "H-how do I look?" Julia asked, her head bowed and a tinge of red crept along her cheeks. "Ok, I guess." Aldred nonchalantly shrugged. When Julia heard the answer, she felt a bit disappointed...this wasn''t what Lila said. Didn''t she say that all men liked pretty women? How come Aldred wasn''t affected? Was she ugly...or...? Julia was about to think something forbidden when Aldred tapped her shoulder. She looked up in surprise. "You alright Julia? I called your name a couple of times. Did you not hear?" Aldred questioned worriedly. Seeing Aldred worry over her, Julia smiled. "Ah nothing, I was just thinking of something. So, what did you need?" "I was asking you about what you want to do from here on out. Do you have any relatives I can send you to?" "No...they all died. Can''t I just go with you?" "You can''t. I''m going to a dangerous place." "I''ve become strong. I can handle myself. I won''t let you down." "No. I''m going to the Demon Forests." "Demon Forests! W-why?!" Julia gasped in surprise. "My brother has family there." Aldred answered as he pulled out Skaal and showed him to her. "A demonic beast!...Y-your brother?" "Haha, I know that look. No, I''m not a demonic beast. We are sworn brothers. We are going to the place where my brother...Skaal''s family is currently residing. Even though we are sworn brothers, the chances of me being accepted is low...not to mention an outsider like you." "I-I''ll manage. You don''t have to worry about me. Please, let me follow you. I-I won''t survive out here by myself with all these strangers." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "But you know Lila, you can stay with her." "We only just met. She''s still a stranger to me." "Haha, then by that logic, you and I are strangers too." "T-that...that''s different." "How about this. I''ve heard that Quadruple-Affinities have higher perception and can breakthrough their stages quicker than others. If you can break through past the Novice Stages by the end of this week, then I''ll consider taking you along. For now, I''ll go get you a Ritual Crystal and see what type of affinities you have." Are you really going to consider taking her along if she breaks past the Novice Stages? Skaal asked. I should give her a chance. If she does break through, that means she is determined and won''t become a burden to us in the future. If not, then she lacks the motivation and will affect us if we bring her along. She''s a smart girl. She knows this too. Fine, we''ll do as you say. Aldred left the inn and headed towards a temple. He told a priest who was on-duty that he wanted to buy an one-time use Ritual Crystal. Because people rarely buy one-time use Ritual Crystal, the priest asked what he needed the crystal for and Aldred told him that his parents had asked him to buy it for his little brother. Now the Ritual Crystals that he used during his assessment years ago was a permanent crystal and those types of crystals were not for sale. However, the one he was able to buy was an one-time use and temples sell them for 1 gold each. Taking out 100 silvers, Aldred paid for the Ritual Crystal. After buying the crystal, he quickly left the vicinity. Unfortunately, he did not see the priest leaving his post and entering the inner temple with an excited look on his face. .......... "Head Priest Zol! You were right! There was someone who came to buy an one-time use Ritual Crystal." The priest exclaimed as he rushed into the Head Priest''s quarters. "Really? What did the person look like?" Zol Lightbring, an aging man with white beard and a bald head, inquired. "A boy, missing an arm, black hair, silver eyes...about nine years old." "Hmm...could he by the legendary Quadruple-Affinity? Can''t be...he''s too old." "The boy said the Ritual crystal was for his younger brother." "That must be it! The younger brother is the one we''re looking for. Tell the Subjugators! Our targets are two boys, one missing an arm with black hair and silver eyes, while the other is a younger boy probably with the same hair and eye color." "Yes Head Priest." .......... Aldred entered his room and saw Julia sleeping on the bed. He shook her awake and handed her the Ritual Crystal. "Here, drop a blood into this crystal and see what colors you get." Julia nodded her head as she rubbed her eyes groggily. Dropping a drop of blood onto the crystal, she anxiously waited. Many colors appeared and soon, one by one, the colors disappeared. What affinities do you think she will get? Aldred asked Skaal. Probably the typical ones - fire, water, earth, and air.... Oh what''s this! Skaal replied but suddenly did a double-take at the results. Initially Skaal had imagined that fire, water, earth, and air would be the four affinities that Julia will obtain...however, contrary to expectations, the four colors disappeared. The four that remained were light green, dark green, purple, and white. "Light green, dark green, purple, white...what do they represent?" Aldred asked. "Light green - Plant Affinity, dark green - Poison Affinity, purple - Lightning Affinity, and white - Holy Affinity. All four affinities are rare. To all compile in one person...this girl''s future will be bountiful and endless." Skaal muttered in response. NAC - New Novel So, I''m starting a new novel called Ping Pong King that will have daily releases. Do not worry. This doesn''t mean I''ll stop writing Fighting God. I just need some time to research. Expect some more chapters from Fighting God in three or four days. For now, have a look at Ping Pong King. The prologue is out and chapter one will be posted soon. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Link: http://royalroadl.com/fiction/8421 Chapter 28 - Breakthroughs Over the rest of the week, Aldred decided to continue training. He needed to be as strong as possible before he reached the Demon Forests. Who knew what would happen when he arrived. What if he suffered from hostility instead of hospitality? He needed to be able to defend himself if the time comes. He thought over the fights he had experienced over the few days that had passed...his fight with Ralph...his fight with the bandits. He used a few moves that felt unique...but what should he name them? For instance, the move he used to dive into the ground...should he call it ''Mole Drill''...nah.... He was never good at naming things. So, he asked Skaal for advice. "Hey Skaal, how should I name the move I used to dig underground?" "Hmm...how about Mole Drill?" "Haha, I''m guessing you don''t have a good naming sense either right?" "Y-yea...." "What are you mulling over?" Julia asked as she walked over. It''s been a day and Julia had already reached Novice 2nd Stage. Her leveling speed is monstrously fast. "You remember that move I did when I dug into the ground? We''re trying to decide on a name for it but our naming abilities aren''t so good." "Hmm...you said your technique was based off of observing moles right? Why not just name your moves based on that? Like digging through the earth can be...um...something like Tunnel...I guess. Haha, my naming sense isn''t good either. I''m sorry." "No, don''t be. Why don''t we just call it Tunnel? Yea, Tunnel it is. Thanks." "R-really? No problem." "So how''s your training doing?" "Pretty good. I''m on the verge of breaking through to Novice 3rd Stage." "So...." "Hmm? Ah...I know, I''m going." Julia said as she walked away. "We really gonna call it Tunnel?" Skaal asked as soon as he saw Julia out of sight. "You want to call it Mole Drill?" "Good point." "Okay, let''s continue." The two continued thinking of names for the moves Aldred did. Regular strikes didn''t warrant any names, but the spear-like move Aldred did when he dug out an enemy''s heart was subsequently named as ''Drilling Spear''. Over the few days left, he continued to train in his cultivation and in his fist technique. During his training, he managed to breakthrough once more to the Core Condensing 2nd Stage. Now that he was able to generate his own Earth Qi and cultivate in it, he was able to train faster than when he had to absorb Qi from the earth. As for his fist technique, he was able to have some success in creating and perfecting three new skills. The first skill was called Fury of the Berserker Mole. It involved a continuous barrage of fierce slashes. The power of each slash was huge but the cost of stamina was great as well. In addition, the second skill was called Mirage. It involved dodging and moving at an incredible speed that caused afterimages of himself. He can use this skill to attack and both his afterimage and himself would do damage. This skill was made possible once he reached Core Condensing 2nd Stage when his speed and strength increased significantly. But, like Fury of the Berserker Mole, this skill required a lot of stamina. Aldred reasoned that he would only be able to use these moves sparingly. Once he reach the next stage, however, he will be able to increase his stamina usage efficiency. Finally, the last skill was called Mole''s Bite. Unlike the previous two skills, this skill did not require a lot of stamina. In addition, unlike Fury of the Berserker Mole, this move can be used without Weapon Form. This skill was inspired by the way a mole used its teeth to tear chunks of flesh off of its opponents. Aldred forms his hand so that his fingers are bent. Using Mole''s Bite, he would dig his ''teeth'' into his enemies and tear off chunks of flesh. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. While Aldred was training and creating new skills, Skaal also started cultivating the Earth God Cultivation Technique. With his initial affinity to Earth, he was able to quickly acquire large success in this cultivation. Skaal was finally able to regain his lost level and even broke through to the next tier - Adult Tier 9. Julia, too, was also training quickly. However, it was the last day but Julia was still stuck at Novice 5th Stage...she was at a bottleneck. "It seems you could not reach your end of our deal." Aldred spoke. "Wait...there''s still time left. The day hasn''t ended yet!" Julia frantically replied. "Fine...let''s wait till the day''s end. If at that time you still haven''t broken through to the Apprentice Stage, you will have to stay here." "Just one more stage...just one more stage! Why can''t I break through?!" Julia anxiously muttered, her face intense with concentration, as she walked away. Julia continued to train and stress and groan in failure. What was she doing wrong? She was doing so well the first five stages...but going from Novice to Apprentice was like heaven and hell...the difference was tremendous. Doubt began to creep into her heart. Doubt was a serious and dangerous predator that have ended the lives of many. Julia had heard of many people who could not breakthrough to the Apprentice Stage because of such doubt...could she become one of them? Julia continued to meditate and train. Sweat poured relentlessly down her body and pooled on the ground below. She did not sleep all night. She was so focused on her breakthrough that she did not pay attention to the passing of time. Suddenly, a brightness blinded Julia as it crept through the window - startling Julia out of her training. She gasped when she looked outside. "Oh no! It''s morning! B-but I haven''t broken through yet! NO!" *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* "Julia. It''s me. Have you broken through?" Aldred asked. "N-no...." Julia said disconsolately. "Then, this is goodbye. I''ll tell Lila of your situation. I''m sure she will take care of you." "Wait...no!" Julia opened the door to her room and saw Aldred''s distant back. "Stop...please wait!" Aldred stopped. He did not turn around. He just looked ahead. "Goodbye." Seeing Aldred leave, Julia tried to say something but doubt and hesitation forced her words back. She struggled with her inner self until finally...with the last of her courage, she shouted towards Aldred. "Wait! Come back!" With her shout let out, she was able to break through her wall of doubt and with her doubt broken, her bottleneck followed. Through an explosion of mana, she broke through to the Apprentice Stage. Aldred, sensing Julia''s success, turned towards her with a smile. His next words brought unbelievable joy to Julia. "What are you standing there for? Let''s go." Chapter 29 - Test "There it is...the Demon Forests. It looks as magnificent as it had all those years ago. Hopefully, nothing much as changed." Skaal exclaimed as he admired the view and indulged in reminiscence. However, the scenery did not correspond with how Skaal described it to be. The forests were tall and dark...not a single light could penetrate through. The trees were bunched close together but luckily Aldred and Julia were able to squeeze through the cracks. "Have you told your family we were coming?" Julia asked. During their travels together, Julia had became more familiar with Skaal as well as his abilities to fight and telepathically communicate. "Yes. They were a bit surprised but that was expected since I mentioned to them that Aldred was my Brother and you were a friend. Hopefully they will see past your race and accept you guys. However, I doubt that they would do it so simply. Be careful, there may be a test or something similar." "Okay." "Hmm...oh, there''s my cousin. She''s come to pick us up." Aldred and Julia peered into the darkness. Julia was just about to say that they don''t see anything when something caught their eyes...two glowing balls of light floated around like will-o''-wisps. On closer look, the two balls of light were two eyeballs of a giant Toxic Razortail. Julia quickly hid behind Aldred as he instinctively brought out his right arm. "Relax guys." Skaal said as he walked forward to greet the other Toxic Razortail. "She''s harmless. Sherul! Have you come to guide us to the den?" "Yes. When mother said you were bringing a brother and a friend, she was surprised...but who knew they were human?" The Toxic Razortail called Sherul replied as she peered towards Aldred and Julia. "And children at that." "You didn''t tell them we were human?" Aldred muttered towards Skaal who embarrassingly scratched his head. "Oops...couldn''t really bring myself to say it.... But I''m sure they''ll understand." Skaal answered. Then, he looked towards Sherul and asked. "They are my Brother and my friend, hopefully there''s no problem." "Hmph! I''ve already notified Mother and Father of this situation. We''ll see what they have to say." Sherul snorted. She paused for a moment as if receiving a telepathic reply from her parents. After a while, she turned around. "Mother and Father said they need to see these humans for themselves. Come." Sherul speedily departed. Skaal told Aldred and Julia to climb onto his back as the paths were quite dangerous for the inexperienced. After the two children climbed on and positioned themselves so that they won''t fall, Skaal rushed after Sherul. When Sherul looked back and saw the two children on Skaal''s back, she shook her head in dismay. To think Skaal, one of the more prideful and stoic Toxic Razortails, would let two humans ride him...this...has the world come to an end? No, Skaal could be considered as an eccentric even when he was young. This...could just be another result of it. Minutes later, they arrived in front of a cave. There were a number of Toxic Razortails peering curiously at Aldred and Julia. All of a sudden, from the entrance of the cave, an elderly couple emerged. They were...human?...no, they were Toxic Razortails but they have reached Human Form. These must be the Mother and Father of Sherul. "What is this Skaal? Did you become a pet to these humans?" The elderly woman scoffed. "No...it''s just they are not familiar with the paths...." Skaal tried to explain as Aldred and Julia quickly scampered off of Skaal''s back. Aldred cupped his hands and bowed towards the elderly couple. "This one is known as Aldred Blackehearth. This one greets Aunt and Uncle." Aldred replied in the Language of the Beasts. Initially he wanted to say ''Uncle and Aunt'' but since it seemed that the elderly woman made all the decisions, this family must follow a matriarchy rule. The elderly man as well as the other Toxic Razortails were surprised when they heard relatively fluent Beast Tongue from the young human. The Matriarch was surprised also and her cold expression softened a bit, "What Aunt and Uncle?! I haven''t accepted you yet. Skaal, what are you guys standing out here for? Come in." If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Skaal nodded towards Aldred and Julia. Though the Matriarch did not express it, she had shown some approval towards Aldred...though not so with Julia, however, she did not explicitly forbid Julia from coming in either. The trio entered the den along with the elderly man and Sherul followed by a group of curious Toxic Razortails. Sherul approached Aldred with some interest, "It seems you know some of our ancestral tongue. I can see why Skaal took an interest in you. Hmph! That still doesn''t mean we have." However, even though Sherul said that, she couldn''t stop the curious gazes of the other Toxic Razortails...in particular, the younger ones. The young Toxic Razortails kept asking questions to Aldred and Julia, however, Julia could not understand the words because they were spoken in the Language of the Beasts. Apparently, young demonic beasts are taught the Language of the Beasts before learn the human language. After a good amount of time had passed while they continued walking deeper into the den, they arrived at a large room. The room was fairly empty. On one side of the room...the furthest side from the entrance, a few tables and seats made from stone and wood were placed. The room was a bit stuffy and dry, but nevertheless warm even though it was near winter. "Where are we?" Aldred asked. "This is the Main Hall, where all matters are discussed. That includes your situation." The Matriarch answered as she sat on a seat. Her husband sat by her side and started fanning her. "So, what will become of us?" "Given that you are Brother of Skaal and that girl is a friend who was approved by Skaal, we will not drive you away...that is, without giving you a chance to prove yourself." "How should we prove ourselves to you?" "If you truly want to stay here, you must complete a task. The two of you must kill a demonic beast...a demonic beast of a rival clan." "Aunt...don''t tell me...you want my Brother to kill one of them?!" Skaal gasped in surprise and worry. "Skaal, you cannot interfere. This is my final decision." "Skaal, don''t worry. We''ll be okay. Respected Matriarch, who do you want us to kill?" Aldred replied as he held up a hand to calm the protesting brother of his. "Haha, I like your attitude. We, the Toxic Razortails, are one of the four major families ruling this part of the Demon Forests. The other families are the Fiery Boarheads, the Deathblooms, and the Sharpfangs. The Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs are our enemies, while we have a temporary and fragile truce with the Deathblooms. Sherul, explain to these young ones what these three families look like." Sherul stepped forward and responded, "The Fiery Boarhead is a humanoid with a boar''s head. These demonic beasts are called ''fiery'' due to their affinity to Fire. You may or may not know but our poison is weak against fire. The Deathblooms are butterfly-type demonic beasts with powerful Plant-type abilities. They have blood red wings with black markings. The only reason we have a truce with the Deathblooms is because of our common enemy - the Sharpfangs. The Sharpfangs are mouse-type demonic beasts who prey on us Toxic Razortails and our allies the Deathblooms. They look like mice except for their extremely tough and extremely sharp front teeth. They are our most hated enemies. The Sharpfangs have Earth-type affinity as well, so our Earth-type skills do no harm to them. The only reason we were able to keep them at bay was all due to Mother''s lethal poison." "So...let me guess...you want us to kill a Sharpfang?" "Yes." The Matriarch nodded. "You have till tomorrow''s sunset. Sherul, show them the general direciton." "Yes, mother." Sherul bowed. Chapter 30 - Completion "The Sharpfangs like to hunt for food over there. They usually come out at night...hmm, you guys have about two hours left. They like to hunt close to their dwellings, so they tend to move from time to time. They''re dwellings are...there!" Sherul replied as she pointed towards a large tunnel at the bottom of a hill. "Any weaknesses?" Aldred asked. "Hmph! You''re really going to do this? Can you even harm one with your disability?" "Don''t worry about that. I can manage." "Fine, they''re weaknesses are small in number. Their main weak point is their sensitivity to light, having been adjusted to the dark environment for so long. Though they have extreme speed, they''re defenses are relatively weak...at least not as strong as Fiery Boarheads." "Okay...how should we contact you when we finish?" "Ha...you mean if you finish." "Whatever, just tell me already." "I''ll be observing nearby. If I see you in trouble, just call for me and I''ll intervene. However, by doing so, you would have failed the test." "No worries, we don''t plan to fail." Julia boasted in confidence. She knew of Aldred''s capabilities as well as her own. There shouldn''t be a problem. Sherul stared at her with a strange look and then turned her gaze to Aldred, who nodded his head in approval of Julia''s words. "Fine...I''ll leave you guys too it." Sherul shrugged - or at least she would have if she had human shoulders - and scampered out of sight. "So what should we do Aldred?" Julia asked nervously. She still hasn''t adjusted herself to the darkness of the foreset. "Let''s climb up some trees. We''ll observe the Sharpfangs from there." "O-okay." The two children climbed up a nearby tree and waited for the Sharpfangs to exit their dwellings. After an hour of boredom, a group of Sharpfangs dashed out and split off in all directions. Aldred and Julia climbed down from their tree and crept towards the dwelling. Peering inside, they were lucky enough to see an elderly looking Sharpfang snoring away. This Sharpfang must be the parent...or one of them at least. Aldred examined the dark surroundings for signs of another Sharpfang, but luckily, he wasn''t able to find any. Aldred motioned to Julia to watch the entrance as he tip-toed towards the sleeping demonic beast. Suddenly, the Sharpfang twitched its ears and rolled to the side - scaring Aldred so much he nearly pissed his pants. Aldred froze in his steps for a few long seconds before inching forward once more. Several feet away, Aldred stopped. His gut feeling kept alerting him that if he moved any closer, the Sharpfang would notice his presence. Aldred bend down and rummaged around the ground a bit while his eyes stayed on the Sharpfang''s sleeping body. His hand grabbed a hold of something and he lifted it up to get a closer look. It was a skull...a boar''s skull. Looking at the skull, Aldred suddenly thought up a brilliant plan. Aldred slid his right leg back and assumed a low position. With a quick lunge, he jumped towards the Sharpfang. His hand formed into a claw and he activated his recently developed skill - Mole''s Bite. With a thrust and a swipe, Aldred tore off a huge chunk of flesh from the Sharpfang''s side...revealing bone and organs. The Sharpfang squealed in pain before quickly dying. The high-pitch screech echoed the cave causing both Aldred and Julia to flinch. Fearing that the scream was heard by the Sharpfangs that went out hunting, Aldred quickly finished up. Then, he slashed his hand across the rocky wall so fast that sparks flew out and landed on the straw floor. The place quickly ignited. Aldred and Julia hurriedly left the burning dwelling and called out to Sherul. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Sherul arrived and looked at the scene. "Seems like you passed. What''s the reason of setting this place on fire?" "It''s to cover our tracks and divert attention elsewhere." Aldred replied calmly. "Elsewhere?" "You''ll know soon enough. Quick! Let''s leave before the other Sharpfangs get here." "Alright." Sherul nodded as she grabbed the two children gently by her pincers and rushed back to the den. After traveling some distance away, screams of sorrow echoed the forests. .......... When the Sharpfangs heard that scream...they knew immediately that something had gone wrong back at their dwelling. They all rushed back as quickly as possible. Upon arriving, they saw their dwelling in flames. The eldest Sharpfang of the group frantically rushed in. What he saw caused him a massive amount of grief. His beloved...his mate of many years...the mother of his children...dead. With no time to mourn, he quickly dragged his wife''s corpse out of the burning dwelling. When the other Sharpfangs saw the state of their mother, they too started tearing up. "WHO! WHO DID THIS TO MOTHER!?!" The eldest son roared. "Brother! Look!" The second eldest pointed. The eldest son as well as everyone else turned to look at where the second eldest was pointing at. They saw marks...tusk marks all over their mother''s body. Tusk marks...the Fiery Boarheads?! Those bastards! The Sharpfangs burned with anger. It all made sense now. The Fiery Boarheads killed their mother and burned their dwelling. Who else could it be since the Fiery Boarheads were the only ones with enough bravery to fight them. They were the only ones with Fire Affinities. "FUCKING BOARHEADS! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" .......... When Sherul heard these words roar out, she was surprised. She looked at Aldred who had a smile on his face...did he knew beforehand? How did he do it? As if sensing Sherul''s questions, Aldred explained. "It''s simple really. All I did was stab the corpse with the boar skull that I found lying on the floor in the dwelling. Then, I sat the place on fire, burning away all tracks and sending falsified information to the Sharpfangs about who really killed their mother." "Haha, interesting. No wonder Skaal favored you...even I might do the same. With this test completed, Mother will have no reason to decline your stay." "That''s good." Chapter 31 - Traitor "So it seems your test was completed successfully eh?" The Matriarch replied. "It''s true Mother, though they did not attack the Sharpfang head-on, they still killed a Sharpfang. In addition, they even made it seem like a Fiery Boarhead was responsible for the attack." Sherul answered excitedly. "Oh? How did you manage to do that, boy?" "It was simple, Revered Matriarch, all I did was grabbed the boar skull that was lying around in their dwelling and stabbed the corpse a few times. Then, I set the place on fire. When the other Sharpfangs came back, they were too blinded by sorrow and anger to notice anything wrong with the lacerations on the corpse except that there were boar tusk marks and fire. Who else could they blame except for the Fiery Boarheads, am I right?" Aldred explained. "Haha. Wonderful! With this, we can decrease the number of enemies we have by having them finish each other off. It is true that the Fiery Boarheads are on a fragile alliance with the Sharpfangs like how we are with the Deathblooms. You did a good job. You have proven your worth and gained our trust. We welcome you to our den." "Thank you, Revered Matriarch." "Haha, no, call me Aunt Sheila." .......... It has been a month since Aldred and Julia were accepted to join and live with the Toxic Razortails at their den. During that time of peace, Aldred and Julia continued to train and cultivate. With the help of Sherul and some younger Toxic Razortails, Julia was able to increase her power and abilities with Poison. She had become rather proficient with the use of poison. Skaal had continued making small improvements with the Earth God Cultivation Technique. He was able to increase his affinity with Earth, thus giving some boosts to his Earth-type abilities. In addition, he was able to change into Human Form...though the time-limit was only ten minutes. Aldred continued training the cultivation technique and the fist technique. He had to modify those techniques a few times in order to accommodate the loss of his left arm. After a month of close-door training, he was able to double his proficiency with his right arm. He could dig as fast as when he had two arms and his overall arm strength increased significantly as well. Aldred would have continued on training if not for the fact that his Aunt, the Matriarch, had called for a general meeting and Aldred was invited...rather ordered to attend. When he arrived at the Main Hall, Skaal and Julia were already there. He walked up to them and stood with them. The rest of the attending members were all powerful figures who managed to obtain their Human Form. Of course they''re in their Human Form right now cause the small Main Hall cannot house all of these Toxic Razortails in their Giant Beast Form. "I had called you all here because of something important that had occurred outside our den." The Matriarch explained. "You may all know that the Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs have been involved in a few skirmishes this past month. This is all thanks to young Aldred here for stirring up a big misunderstanding between the two families." The audience murmured in agreement and understanding when they heard this. Some looked at Aldred and gave approving smiles. An elder walked up and asked, "We know of this...but this can''t be the only thing you want to tell us, is it? This type of news shouldn''t warrant a general meeting." "That''s is correct. Last week, the Fiery Boarheads and Sharpfangs had initiated war against each other. They have lost quite a few members...however, just yesterday, I received word that the two families ceased fighting...and abruptly at that. To suddenly stop fighting and even made an alliance...something was definitely wrong." "Could they have figured out something?" Aldred asked. "This was my thought as well. I had already sent out Sherul to gather some intelligence. She should be back soon." Just as the Matriarch finish this sentence, Sherul rushed in and whispered something to the Matriarch. The Matriarch''s face paled a bit before she looked at the crowd once again. She replied slowly, "Sherul had just gotten back from gathering intelligence on why the Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs stopped fighting with each other." This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "What is it? What''s the reason?" The crowd asked curiously. "They found out...they found out that it was all a set-up!" "Y-you don''t mean...!" "Yes...we have a traitor!" "WHAT?! Who''s the traitor?" "We don''t know yet but only the people here knows about the real cause that spurred the war between the Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs. This can only mean one thing." Yes...this could only mean one thing, the traitor was in their midst. But who could it be? The attendees looked around at each other...who was most likely the traitor? However, everyone here was a respectable member of the Toxic Razortail family. Could the Matriarch be wrong? Maybe there was an outsider.... At the mention of outsider, they all looked at Aldred and Julia. However, a few dismissed the thought. After all, it was these two who started the whole set-up. But most of the Razortails kept their suspicions. Aldred saw the looks in their eyes and immediately knew that they were suspicious of them. In order to dispel these suspicions, Aldred voiced out, "Matriarch! Isn''t there an elder who can use a special type of poison that can make someone tell the truth?" "Ah! There is! Elder Rell! Sherul, go summon him here." The Matriarch exclaimed. "This is a good idea Aldred. Everyone, I ask you to give me some face and allow yourself to be examined. Of course, you don''t have to...but that would only make you the most suspicious." Everyone had secrets and many were nervous. Most of them did not want to tell the Matriarch of their innermost secrets...but they also did not want her to treat them as potential traitors. When Sherul came back with Elder Rell, everyone held their breaths in anticipation. Elder Rell was notified of the situation and quickly proceeded towards the first Toxic Razortail. While the elder conducted his tests, Aldred observed this old scorpion. The Toxic Razortail had a gray and dark green exoskeleton. He was missing a leg and his tail seemed to be limp and flat. If Aldred didn''t know any better and saw this elder from a far away distance, he would have mistaken this elder for a giant lobster. The elder pricked his tail into the first examinee. When the poison set in, the elder proceeded to ask some questions. After a series of tests with a number of Razortails, there was still no traitor...only loyal family members. Finally, one Razortail answered a bit differently from the rest. "Are you a Sharpfang?" Elder Rell asked as a preliminary question. Victims of Elder Rell''s truth poison always enter a trance-like state and could only say yes/no answers. So the questions were worded for convenience. "No." The Toxic Razortail answered. "Have you had dealings with the Fiery Boarheads?" "No." "Have you had dealings with the Sharpfangs?" "Yes." The crowd gasped at this answer. Could he be the traitor? "Do you work for the Sharpfangs?" "Yes." "Are you a traitor?" "No." The crowd breathed out in somewhat relief. Though the Razortail being tested was involved in some suspicious activities, he was not the traitor they were looking for. The Matriarch told Elder Rell to end the test with this examinee and move on to the next one. Then, she ordered some guards to bring in the Toxic Razortail for further questioning. Elder Rell moved on with the next one¡­and the next and the next until finally...someone couldn''t take it anymore. That Razortail immediately backed up and quietly tried to sneak away. However, Matriarch''s sharp eyes caught sight of this and shouted, "Her! Don''t let her escape!" Chapter 32 - Her Past Elder Croa was a loyalist who hated humans and any form of human-demonic beast interactions as well as any demonic beast that she considers inferior to the Four Families. She was also a strong contender against the current Matriarch. She was a dark green scorpion with brown spots. In her Human Form, she looked like a middle-aged tall woman with dark green hair that showed slight hints of gray. She had a stern face and she rarely smiles. Her poison-type specialty lied in hallucinations. Elder Croa fought for the position of Matriarch years ago against the current Matriarch...but she suffered a crushing defeat that she blamed the cause on the people under the current Matriarch''s wing. From that moment on, Elder Croa despised the Matriarch and tried to find ways to secretly overthrow her. Elder Croa had four daughters and one son. Given her personality, it''s a wonder how someone could fall in love with her. There were even rumors about how Elder Croa forced her recently deceased husband to marry her. There were even rumors about how her deceased husband had something to do with her...but those are just rumors. Anyways, Elder Croa adored her four children...her daughters - Stella, Gretta, and Mallie - and her son - Jarl. But wait...didn''t she have four daughters? That''s right...there was her youngest daughter...Shylie. Elder Croa gave her best to the four children that she loved...however, there was nothing to give to Shylie. What was the reason for this apparent unfair treatment? It was due to Shylie''s personality...Shylie, unlike her mother and her siblings, had a cheerful disposition - she sang, she laughed, she enjoyed interacting with other species. She was friendly to many other demonic beasts including families not part of the Four Families. This difference that Shylie displayed resulted in utter despise from her mother and her siblings. Shylie worked hard everyday and tried to get the approval of her mother and her siblings...but most of the times she failed. With no love inside her home, Shylie constantly ventured outwards. One day, while playing and singing in the small pond within the forest, Shylie met someone...a Sharpfang. Initially, Shylie was horrified and ran away immediately...but when she realized the Sharpfang did not pursue after her, she stopped running. Curious, Shylie stealthily approached the Sharpfang and hid herself in the bushes. This Sharpfang was...different. He was smaller...scrawnier...and seemed overall weaker than all the other Sharpfangs. It seemed he was lost in thought and did not notice Shylie earlier. What came out of this Sharpfang''s mouth next surprised Shylie...the Sharpfang...he started singing. This was truly something that Sharpfangs don''t do...or at least so she was told. As her curiosity grew, Shylie was attracted to the singing and subconsciously revealed herself. She walked out of the bushes and the two species finally met. They stared at each other in awkward silence as they sized each other up. Both of them did not know what to do...should they run...should they attack? Finally, Shylie broke the silence and said. "You sang well. I didn''t know Sharpfangs could sing." "T-thanks. Unfortunately, I''m the only Sharpfang that likes singing...it''s something my family disapproves of." The Sharpfang replied. "Tell me about it." Shylie said as she rolled her eyes, "My family is the same. The treat me badly because I''m not a diehard loyalist." "Haha...same here...my name is Nomil. What''s yours?" "Shylie." "Shylie? That''s a pretty name." The two continued talking about themselves and about trivial things. They found out that they both hate the violent natures of their respective families. Shylie told Nomil that she was the youngest of five children and Nomil told Shylie that he had a twin brother who looked exactly like him. The only difference between them was that his brother swears a lot and has a taste for arthropods. They found out that they shared interests like singing and moon-gazing. By the end of the day, they became friends. The two continued to meet and their friendship continued to grow...until finally...a forbidden flower blossomed between them...the flower of love. They had fallen in love with each other. This love was forbidden and they could not let their families know about this relationship. However, as if punishment for this illicit relationship, the Heavens did not let their secret love go unnoticed...Nomil''s father found out. He was curious as to why Nomil keeps leaving the dwelling so early in the morning and coming home so late. It''s clear to him that Nomil was not doing anything productive like hunting for food. When he saw the interactions between Nomil and Shylie, he was enraged. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "What the fuck do you think you''re doing you bastard!" Nomil''s father shouted as he smacked Nomil at the back of his head. "F-father! What are you doing here?" Nomil exclaimed in panic and fear. His father had found out of their secret relationship...would his father kill Shylie? "What am I doing here? I was curious as to why you kept spending more time outside...and look what I found! You...you bastard...fucking a Razortail! Abomination!" "Father! Please forgive me! I-I love Shylie." "YOU!! I''ll kill this bitch!" "NO! If you kill her, you might as well kill me too!" "This bastard! Fine! You''re coming home with me! You will not see this Razortail ever again!" Nomil''s father growled as he dragged the reluctant Nomil away, leaving a stunned and shivering Shylie alone in the forests. "Don''t worry Shylie, I''ll convince father." Nomil cried out as he tried to reassure Shylie while he gets dragged away. "Convince shit you bastard!" Nomil''s father roared as he smashed Nomil unconscious. "I''m going to lock you up for the rest of your life!" Is this the end of their relationship? Shylie did not want it to end. As the days go by and still no sign of Nomil, Shylie became quiet...listless. She had thoughts of suicide. The stress that has built up throughout her life after the incident caused Shylie to enter depression. Finally...after unable to continue on with this life, she decided to commit suicide. She walked to the place she and Nomil first met and decided to kill herself there. Just as she was about to hang herself, Nomil rushed out and hugged her. They stood there hugging and crying for a while before Shylie asked how he was able to come out and see her. Did he escape from captivity? Would his father get angry? Nomil comforted Shylie, telling her not to worry and stating that he was able to convince his father. "H-how?" Shylie whispered in disbelief. "Though my father had shown you his angry side previously...he isn''t really a close-minded man like you made him out to be. He agreed to our interaction as long as you help us out with a few things." "Y-you mean like a traitor?! I can''t do that!" "Please Shylie...for me. You don''t have to betray your family...just help us do away the current Matriarch." "No...I can''t!" "Didn''t you say that your family has always been in conflict with the current Matriarch? If you do away with the Matriarch...then won''t that benefit both you and your family?" "B-but...." "Just think about it. Once the Matriarch is killed, your mother will be the next best candidate to be Matriarch. When she finds out it was all due to your help...she will treat you better. Who knows...maybe she will be more lenient with you and even accept our relationship like how my father did." That reasoning...though flawed...sounded very rational to Shylie given her stressed mental state from waiting and worrying for Nomil all those days. She tried to wrap her head around what she had just heard....it made sense. If she could get the approval of her mother and her siblings...then her life would be set. In the back of her mind, she felt a slight tug of her intuition that something was wrong with the reasoning...but she dismissed it off. With a nod...Shylie agreed. "That''s great. Shylie...I love you." "I love you too." The two stared at each other deeply before slowly kissing...they collapsed in heat at this clearing where they had first met...rustling echoed throughout the night. Chapter 33 - Escape Shylie was happy...she felt as if a huge burden was suddenly lifted from her shoulders. That night she spent with Nomil was memorable. While they laid on the ground talking and cuddling, Shylie talked about how two humans came to their den recently and were actually accepted. Shylie talked about how one of the humans, a young boy with one arm, was able to form the Ritual of Brotherhood with her cousin. Nomil shook with amazement...to think that there would be a day when a demonic beast and a human could form a brotherhood bond between themselves. After a night of talking, they gradually fell asleep in each other''s arms. After a good night of sleep, Shylie and Nomil woke up - still wrapped in each other''s arms - to the caresses of the morning air. Nomil had to head back home but Shylie was reluctant. Nomil smiled at Shylie and promised her that he will be back tomorrow. As Nomil left, Shylie decided that she too should head back home...just in case someone wondered about her absence...which, as usual, did not occur. Her mother and her siblings did not even know she had stayed out the whole night. The day went by slowly and Shylie couldn''t wait to meet with Nomil again tomorrow. She had already missed him so much. The day went by and tomorrow came. Shylie quickly rushed to their regular meeting spot and waited for Nomil...and waited...and waited. Something tingled in her gut...this feeling...did something happen to Nomil? She shook her head and shrugged it off. She was just too worried. There shouldn''t be any problems...after all, didn''t Nomil say his father had approved of their relationship? Maybe he''s just late or something was holding him up. Shylie sat there waiting for Nomil. She waited and waited but still no sign of her beloved. The day went by and night came. Shylie still waited outside, shivering in the cold night breeze. After a while, Shylie reluctantly got up and headed home...it seemed that Nomil won''t be coming today. The next day, Shylie went to the same spot again and continued to wait. A strange feeling suddenly emerged from her womb...this feeling...she...she was pregnant! A bright smile appeared on her face...she was pregnant with her beloved''s child!...but, that smile disappeared quickly. How will she tell this to her mother? How will she hide this from the Matriarch? Should she keep it and risk everything? Or should she abort it? No, she must wait for Nomil and they will make the decision together. She waited for Nomil and another day passed. Day after day went by until finally a week had passed. Shylie was just about to give up on waiting when the bushes in front of her rustled. She got up in a defensive position...who could this be? Could it be an enemy? Or Nomil? Shylie tensed up as a figure emerged from the bushes, but she immediately relaxed thereafter. Nomil walked out of the bushes and smiled at Shylie. He opened up his arms and Shylie rushed into his embrace. "What happened? Didn''t we agree to meet last week?" Shylie asked worriedly as she snuggled in Nomil''s embrace. "Y-you smell different...more aggressive!" "Ah...you don''t know? We, the Sharpfangs, broke off our alliance with the Fiery Boarheads recently. Those bastards attacked one of us. We''ve had quite a few skirmishes with them." "Strange...even so...didn''t you say you do not like conflict...even with your enemies? What made you change?" "That...I-I did. But, the Sharpfang that was killed was my nanny who took great care of me. You remember Nanny Mishia right?" "Ah...I see. You did mention a nanny that raised you when you were young." "Come. Enough talking. I miss you dearly." Nomil said as he kissed Shylie fiercely, pulling her towards him to the ground. They struggled passionately for a long time. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Shylie and Nomil would continue this activity with each other once every two days. Shylie felt that Nomil was more vigorous...more aggressive than usual...but that didn''t feel bad either. One night, after a rough hot exercise, Nomil quickly got up and turned to leave. He did not stay and cuddle like he had previously. Shylie asked what was wrong and he replied that the Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs had declared war against each other last week and that he will be participating in the upcoming battle. "Do you have to fight?" Shylie asked Nomil anxiously. "I have to. Those Fiery Boarheads kept denying their involvement with the killing of my nanny. It''s laughable that they even blame us for attacking first. There''s no more time. I must leave now. My group leaves for battle at dawn." "Wait! I-I have something to tell you." Shylie exclaimed. She had heard from her mother that the ones who actually killed Nomil''s nanny and caused the misunderstanding between the Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs were the humans who were accepted to live with them. She didn''t want to give this secret away as it would endanger the humans who she had just recently befriended...especially the young girl Julia. The girl''s temperament was similar her own. But...Shylie didn''t want to lose Nomil either...after all, he was the love of her life...the father of her unborn child. "What is it?" "The Fiery Boarheads did not kill your nanny. I know who did." "Who?" Nomil replied, his eyes narrowed. "It was the humans who recently started living with us. I''ve told you about them before." "Humans?" "Yea. Aldred and Julia. I''ve told you about them, don''t you remember?" "Ah...yes, I do. Where did you get this information from? Is it reliable?" "I heard it directly from my mother when I overheard her rant about how the Matriarch treated them kindly." "This...why are you telling me this?" "B-because I don''t want to lose you." "Don''t you know...that by telling me this, the Razortails will be in trouble as well?" "T-that...I didn''t think about that. Please Nomil...at least don''t do anything to the Razortails They did not kill your nanny...it...it was all the humans'' fault." "Don''t worry. I''ll try to convince father." "T-thank you." Nomil smirked, "Haha, I need to thank you dear. With this info, I won''t have to fight anymore. I''ll be sure to visit you when the war ends." .......... Back to the present.... .......... "Catch her!" The Matriarch roared. A number of Razortail guards rushed towards Shylie, blocking her path. As they closed in on her, Shylie spat out an acid attack. As the guards scrambled to avoid the spray path of the acid, Shylie swiftly slipped through the gap. "Useless idiots! After her!" Sherul growled at the useless guards. Shylie rushed out of the den and dashed towards the clearing where Nomil promised to meet her. Aldred, Julia, and the rest of the Razortails who attended the meeting closely followed after her. Shylie saw Nomil with a group of Sharpfangs and Fiery Boarheads in the distance and called out to him. Nomil turned and their eyes met. He smiled and opened his arms. Shylie fell into Nomil''s arms and they stayed like that for a while. When they parted, Nomil still held Shylie tightly. Shylie looked at Nomil...his reassuring eyes...his smile...his.... *CRUNCH!!!* Chapter 34 - Tragedy "N-Nomil...w-why?" Shylie asked in surprise as pain coursed through her body. Nomil had bit her...no...the correct term was ATE! Nomil took a huge bite off of her and was greedily chewing her flesh with relish. The giant bite wound appeared on Shylie diagonally from the right side of her neck to the middle of her chest. Blood welled up from her wound and dyed her body green. The Sharpfang looked at the feeble Toxic Razortail trembling in front of him and sneered, "Haha, you really thought I was that weak bastard?" Understanding finally appeared in Shylie''s mind as her eyes widened in shock and anger, "Y-you!" "That''s right! I''m the one and only...Novile - Nomil''s twin brother." Tears and blood welled up as Shylie shook in pain and grief, her mind numb with confusion and shock. So...so where''s Nomil? Did something happened to him? W-why is Novile staring at her like that? That smirk looked so familiar...that gaze...that.... "I must say...those times I played with you were the most fun I''ve had in a long time. I''ve always had a taste for arthropods...both physically and sexually." Novile smiled as he licked his lips. "Would this be considered rape? Nah...shouldn''t be. After all...hehe...you enjoyed it too haha! You were crying out for more that it was so funny I almost blew my cover haha!" Shylie stared towards the distance, her eyes vacant...her mind racing. She muttered to herself, "T-then...all those times...." .......... Nomil''s Flashback.... .......... "Where did you go?" Nomil''s father Narkal growled. "Did you went to see that bitch again!" "Father...please. She is the love of my life. Ple-!" Nomil tried to explain but he was sent flying by his enraged father. "You disappoint me greatly! No son of mine would fall in love with food! No son of mine will beg like a weakling! From now on, you are not my son!" "Father! Give me a chance! I''ve convinced her to help us! She will help us kill the Matriarch of the Toxic Razortails!" "Oh? Is that true? Haha! Well done! You have shown me your usefulness at last." "R-really? Then, will you accept Shylie? Will you accept our marr-?!" Nomil asked hopefully but he was cut off as a hand thrust out from his chest. "T-this?!" "But now your usefulness has been used up...am I right Fahter?" A voice asked playfully from behind Nomil. "That''s correct...haha, as expected of my son. Novile, you understand me." Narkal chuckled. As Nomil''s last breath left his body, he slid off of Novile''s arm and collapsed onto the ground...a pool of red crept out and enveloped the corpse. Novile licked his bloody hand and cackled. Then, he looked at his father. "Should I take care of the female Razortail?" "Yes. Get as much information as you can from her." "Hehe...do you mind if I play with her for a while?" "Hmph! This is your only bad habit that I disapprove of. Fine, do what you want...but I want results." Narkal snorted. He knew from the beginning of Novile''s disgusting habits and his violent and cruel nature. But, because Novile was his pride, Narkal chose to ignore these habits. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. .......... Presently.... .......... As Aldred and the rest arrived at the scene, Novile kicked the dying Shylie sending her skidding to their feet. Novile sneered at the group and signaled to the warriors behind him. "Get ready to slaughter these bastards!" Novile ordered as the Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs raised their weapons. "You dare?!" The Matriarch roared as she arrived at the scene. Her tremendous power flowed out and pressured her enemies back. "Kuh...." Although Novile was considered a genius within the Four Families, he was only considered as such in the younger generations. He was still many ranks below the more powerful older generations like the Matriarch of the Toxic Razortails that stood before him. Thinking that it''s best to leave, Novile ordered a retreat. His allies gratefully complied and they hastily left the scene. The Matriarch took one look at the dying Toxic Razortail and frowned. Though she was a traitor...she was still family. It left a bad aftertaste in her mouth to see one of her own killed so brutally. But there was nothing she could do and, in order to keep appearances, she could not take the side of this traitor. She gave one last glance at the Shylie before turning around and headed back to the den. One by one, the rest of the Razortails left as well. Elder Croa was the last to leave. She looked at her dying daughter and their eyes met. Shylie could see the disdain in her mother''s eyes...that cold appearance...she knew that she had been abandoned. No love...no family...no future...oh how sad her life was. Shylie looked at the humans who stood before her. They did not leave unlike everyone else. This gave Shylie a sense of warmth. Shylie looked at them and said, "M-my baby...please t-take care of m-my b-baby." "Shhhhh. Don''t talk, you''ll be alright. Don''t waste your energy talking. We''ll take care of you and your baby." Julia tried to comfort her but to no success. The pain that Shylie was feeling only served to further confirm for her...that she was going to die soon. Shylie looked at Aldred and Julia once more before muttering. "I''m sorry...." Her limbs went limp...her breath dissipated...her eyes closed and lacked any movement...Shylie...daughter of Elder Croa...a cheerful and kind Razortail who loved to sing...had died. Julia started weeping as she cradled the corpse. Though their time of interaction was short, Julia still considered Shylie a friend. Julia looked at Aldred...her eyes begging for vengeance. Aldred nodded his head...he will kill those Sharpfangs and Fiery Boarheads someday. Aldred suddenly remembered something...the child! He reached down and felt Shylie''s womb...the child...it''s...it''s dead. There was no life force. What a sad day for these two unfortunate beings. Chapter 35 - Soul It has been a month since Shylie''s funeral. Not many Razortails attended that funeral...after all, Shylie was considered as a traitor who destroyed their trust in her and severed her loyalty to them. The only ones who bothered to attend was Sherul, Aldred, Julia, and Skaal. According to demonic beast custom, a demonic beast must have a proper burial ceremony in order to move on to the afterlife. Different demonic beasts had different burial ceremonies. For the deceased Earth Scorpioins, they would have their bodies cremated and then buried so that their essence may fuse with the Earth. However, for Shylie''s case, she was given a traitor''s burial despite Aldred''s and Julia''s protest. Shylie did not have the honor of cremation and was buried whole...her corpse left to rot and significantly lowering her chances of fusing with the Earth. In that month, Aldred and Julia would either come together or come separately to Shylie''s burial site and clean it once a week. One day, while Aldred was cleaning Shylie''s burial site, he sensed a disturbance in the earth. He looked at the burial site and sensed a presence...this...is this Qi? Could there be a scavenger trying to eat Shylie''s corpse? After all, she was not buried in a container but rather just dumped into a pit and then covered. Aldred used his senses and his Qi to locate where exactly was the presence. The presence was moving...but very slowly. It was digging upwards! Where did it come from? Right as the presence left the vicinity of Shylie, Aldred reached forward and pierced his hand into the ground. Grabbing a hold of the presence, Aldred pulled his hand out. What he grabbed shocked him. This...a baby creature? It looked like a rat or a mouse with a scorpion tail. The tail was like that of the Razortails, the pointed end was shaped like a razor blade. The claws of the creature''s front feet had nails that were large, thick, and sharp like the fangs of a scorpion. What kind of creature was this? Wait! Mouse...scorpion...hybrid...isn''t this Shylie and Nomil''s child?! How can this be? How can this child survive?! I need to report this to Aunt Sheila. Aldred carefully held the creature in his arm. This tiny baby was currently weak given that it had survived off of the decaying nutrients of its own mother. But even so, its dead mother could only provide about a week''s worth of nutrients...then, what happened for the rest of the month? How did it survive then? What did it live off of? Not to mention it had survived being buried alive and dug its way towards the surface. This child was tenacious...a natural survivor. Upon arriving, he immediately went to the Matriarch''s room. *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* "Come in." A tired voice answered. "Excuse me then." Aldred replied as he entered the room and walked towards the table where the Matriarch, in her Human Form, was sitting at and sorting through some papers. "Ah! Aldred, how are you doing today? Is there something you need?" The Matriarch looked at Aldred with a tired smile. "This." Aldred replied as he held up the baby hybrid by its neck. The baby was too tired and weak to resist and just hung there staring at the Matriarch with feeble eyes. "This? What is this?" "I found this at Shylie''s burial ground. This...I believe this must be the child of Shylie." "WHAT!? H-how''s that possible?!" "It must have lived off of its mother''s dead body." "But even so, that only lasts like what? A week? What about the rest?" "That''s what I thought too. Maybe this creature had started absorbing other creatures?" "No...it looked too weak. Do you think it''s an ability of some sort?" "Doesn''t seem like it.... Could...could it be that it absorbed the nutrients from the earth directly?" "That?! To absorb the nutrients of the earth...that is an abominable nature. It is taboo for the Earth Scorpions to rob the earth of its nutrients." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "There was no choice in that matter for this kid. It wasn''t at fault." "True...but even so, this is still an unthinkable act of abomination. Not many demonic beasts will accept it if they knew what it had done. What will you do with this...this...what do you even call this? This is neither a Toxic Razortail nor a Sharpfang. In fact, I didn''t even think it was possible for this type of mix breed to exist." "This...then...let''s call it a Sharptail. Sharptail isn''t taken is it?" Aldred asked...he''s naming sense was bad and he did not know if the term Sharptail was already taken or not. "Sharptail...that could work. In the past, there was a species known as Sharptails. They were powerful rodent-like demonic beasts with furry, spear-like tails. But, they became overconfident with their power and strength that they defied the Heavens. They were exterminated by the other families as punishment. This baby can be considered as a Sharptail, except his tail is like that of a Razortail." "Then, Sharptail it is." Aldred replied as he lifted the baby and stared at it. "Kid, you''re a Sharptail now. Remember that." "Okay...the only problem left...is what are we going to do with that Sharptail? I don''t think any of the other Razortails would take care of a traitor''s child. Even Elder Croa, given her personality, would most likely refuse as well." "Then, I''ll take care of it. This demonic beast...it seems I can feel a special connection with it." Aldred responded. He had felt a resemblance of Qi in this demonic beast. Could this demonic beast have cultivated Qi in his desperate situation? "Hmm, fine. If you can take care of it, then so be it. This is the least I can do for Shylie. Although she was a traitor, she was still family." "Okay, then, I''ll be going now." "Alright, take care. I''ll notify the other elders of this child." "Alright." Aldred left the Matriarch''s room and headed towards his room. There, Julia and Skaal were busy training. When the door opened, they looked at Aldred. When they saw the baby Sharptail in Aldred''s hand, they all rushed over with questions. "What''s that? Where did you find it?" Skaal asked. "Aww, such a cute little baby, what species is it from? Whose kid is it?" Julia asked, her eyes sparkled. "This is a Sharptail...I named its family. This is...Shylie''s child." Aldred responded. "Impossible!" Skaal and Julia yelped in shock. "How is that possible? Shylie and her child died that day. You yourself checked for any signs of life!" Skaal questioned in disbelief. "I know. I thought so too." "Then, what caused this to happen?" Julia asked. "I think I know how. We all underestimated Shylie...and her motherly love for her unborn child." "What do you mean?" "It seemed even in death, she forcefully concentrated all of her nutrients and energy to her womb...keeping her child alive as long as she could. This tenacious will can only be described as Motherly Love." "I see...so, you going to take care of it?" Skaal asked. "Yea." "What''s its name?" Julia asked. "I haven''t decided yet. Did Shylie ever mention to you about her child...maybe like what she will name it?" "Hmmm...actually, she did mention it. She said that both her and her lover, Nomil, loved singing...so they decided to name their kid either Soul if it''s a boy or Hymn if it''s a girl." "Hmm...yep, it''s a boy. I guess Soul it is." Aldred replied after checking the child''s gender. He faced the little Sharptail and said, "From now on, you are Soul the Sharptail." Chapter 36 - Alliance and War "Where are you Soul? Where did that little rascal go to now?" Julia gritted her teeth as she searched around for the young Sharptail. Suddenly, the Sharptail emerged from the ground below Julia and tackled her playfully. Julia crashed into the ground a little bruised up. The Sharptail then ran off laughing mischievously. "That''s not funny Soul! That''s just mean!" Julia screeched as she massaged her bruises. "This child...he was so adorable back then...what happened?" It''s been half a year now. Soul grew up as the adoptive son of Aldred...which made him the adoptive nephew of Skaal. Soul viewed both Sherul and Julia as friends of the family. Other than these close relationships, Soul had no one else. Now, to everyone else, it felt weird for a young demonic beast to be raised by a human...not to mention a human that recently turned ten years of age. But, he didn''t have much choice since no one else would raise him. Personality-wise, Soul initially was a quiet child. Coupled with the fact that many of the Razortails ignored him, Soul grew up with little to no friends of his age. Maybe it was due to the lack of friends that Soul became a mischievous prankster. Soul had also grown physically and spiritually at an increased rate. Because Soul had some affinity towards Earth Qi, Aldred helped him absorb and form his own Qi as well as cultivate the Earth God Cultivation Technique. In addition, Aldred had also taught Soul the Fist of the Elusive Mole when he found out about Soul''s innate ability to dig underground and even stay under the earth for more than an hour at a time. Soul was a quick learner and in the short period of time, he was able to reach Fledgling Tier 3. In terms of combat strength, he does not lose to any of the younger generations. Though this would be considered as a blessing to the family for having raised a genius...but because Soul looked very much like a mouse-type demonic beast, many Razortails wondered about whether his loyalty would lie with the Sharpfangs or with them in case a war erupted between them. The Matriarch believed that the young Sharptail will fight for the Razortails and she placed her life on the line to show her complete confidence in Soul. Though many thought that she would be wrong, they were not a hundred percent sure. However, six months later, their doubts were given a chance to be proven. It was a nice breezy day, not chilly and not hot, like the previous day. The days were peaceful...but anxiety filled the air. There were news of a few skirmishes between the Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs with the Deathblooms...but strangely enough, there weren''t any attacks on them - the Razortails. Many Razortails felt suspicious towards these occurrences. Why were the Deathblooms only attacked during these past few skirmishes? When will they suffer an attack as well? The Razortails all felt tensed as they worry. Suddenly a guard rushed in to where the Matriarch was sitting and chatting with Sherul. The Matriarch was initially annoyed for being so rudely interrupted but she still allowed the guard to proceed with his report. What the guard said next greatly shook both Sherul and the Matriarch. The Fiery Boarheads and the Sharpfangs have finally made their move! They''ve sneak-attacked the Deathblooms and wiped out all of the Deathblooms'' elites, elders, and their Patriarch. Initially, the Matriarch was curious as to how the Deathblooms could lose without giving so much as a small fight or something that could notify them of what was happening. The only possible solution to this was that there was a traitor on the inside. This assumption of hers was confirmed to be the truth when the next sentence brought her doubts into the light...the second prince or the second son of the Deathblooms betrayed the current Patriarch in order to become the new Patriarch. Right now, the armies of all three families were heading towards them! Their numbers reaching an amount of two thousand warriors!You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The Matriarch immediately called the elders. It was time for war. Luckily, she had prepared for the worst situation...though not what she had primarily expected, it was still within her general expectations. During the past six months, in order to prepare for the worst case scenario, the Matriarch had contacted all one hundred of the minor families of demonic beasts for assistance. However, only five of them replied positively. These families were the Deerkin, the Thunder Lizards, the Pincherheads, the Fiercejaws, and the Mud Wyrms. The Deerkin were deer-type demonic beasts with two antlers and an upward curved horn in the middle. Their fur were of a deep white with brown spots. Their affinities leaned towards the Holy Affinity and they were known to be good healers. The Thunder Lizards, as their name states, were lizard-type demonic beasts with a strong affinity towards Lightning. Their attacks were always imbued with a lightning aftereffect that numbs their enemies, preventing them from healing their wounds. The Thunder Lizards looked like greenish brown frilled lizards with purple undertone. The Pincherheads were beetle-type demonic beasts with two large pinchers near their heads. They were blessed with very tough exoskeletons making them excellent tanks. They''re usually black in color with some exceptions of brown. Their affinities were generally towards the Earth Affinity like the Earth Scorpions. The Fiercejaws were ant-like demonic beasts with fierce jaws and very strong offensive capabilities. They were black in color with some hints of crimson. Their affinities were generally towards Earth as well, but some mutants were born with Fire abilities in addition to their innate Earth abilities. Those with both Fire and Earth abilities were considered the elites of the Fiercejaw family. Lastly, the Mud Wyrms were worm-type demonic beasts that swim below the earth. Because of their size and ferocity, they were subtly named after the extinct Wyrms - wingless snake-like dragons who ruled the underground world in the past. These Mud Wyrms were even considered a far away descendant of the Wyrms. Their affinities were towards Earth, but some had affinities towards Plant as well. These five families agreed to help not because the Matriarch of the Razortails asked them to...but because they too were tired of suffering at the hands of those hated Fiery Boarheads and Sharpfangs. Both the Fiercejaws and the Pincherheads were able to send 500 warriors each. The Deerkin was able to send 50 of their combat healers. The Mud Wyrms had sent 100 of their finest and the Thunder Lizards were able to send 350 of their strongest warriors. With the five families'' warriors, the alliance of six families had a little over 2500 warriors. Though they outnumbered the three major families, their fighting strength was not as comparable. This upcoming battle will be considered a very tough fight for both sides no doubt about it. .......... "Come on Aunt Sheila, let me go too." Aldred begged, "I need to play my part as a member of this dwelling." "No." The Matriarch shook her head. "You''re not strong enough. You will only become our burden." "I can help...definitely." "You can help by staying here and defending the home front. Protect the children and the other weak members of our family. If you die in the frontlines, what will happen to Julia? What will happen to Soul?" "I...y-you''re right...." "Don''t worry. Your brother Skaal will stay with you. Make sure to evacuate the children and the weaker Toxic Razortails to the underground bunker below our dwelling." "Okay." "Good." The Matriarch nodded. Then, she looked at the warriors who stood at the ready. "Prepare to march my warriors! We meet our allies at the Crimson Brights!" Chapter 37 - Casualties of War At Crimson Brights, a little more than 4500 warriors of different families of demonic beasts were situated at opposite ends. On one side, there were 2000 warriors consisting of the Fiery Boarheads, the Sharpfangs, and the Deathblooms. These three families were dubbed the Three Major Families or the Three Majors. On the other side, there were more than 2500 warriors consisting of the Toxic Razortails, the Deerkins, the Fiercejaws, the Pincherheads, the Mud Wyrms, and the Thunder Lizards. They were dubbed the Great Alliance. Of course, in the eyes of the Three Majors, they could only see about 2400 warriors in front of them. This was because, before the confrontation, the Matriarch of the Razortails had directed the Mud Wyrms to move underground near the middle of the would-be battlefield to lie in wait. The Three Majors did not know about the Mud Wyrms because the spies they sent to infiltrate the Toxic Razortails were provided false information stating that only four families allied themselves with the Razortails. The demonic beasts were all in their human forms because of the limited space in the forests. Although being in their Human Forms requires stamina, at the level they were in, such small levels of stamina consumption could be considered negligible. The commander of the Great Alliance was the Matriarch of the Toxic Razortails - Matriarch Sheila and the commander of the Three Majors turned out to be the rising young genius, Novile of the Sharpfangs. The commanders and their warriors glared at each other, sweat trickled from their backs. They silently dared each other to make the first move...after all, the group that makes the first move was usually considered to be at their most vulnerable state. This was because making the first move allowed the opposite side to observe and plan ahead in order to counteract their move. Finally, after ten or so long minutes, one side decided to attack first. "Warriors! They are but weaklings! We have nothing to fear from them! Let us kill! Charge!" Novile roared as he raised his fist into the air. "UUOOUUWWAAAA!!" Everyone in the Three Majors roared as they charged towards the Great Alliance. "They''re coming! Stay on your feet warriors! Long-range casters take aim. Steady...steady...steady.... Now Thunder Lizards! Paralyze them!" Matriarch Sheila issued. All 350 Thunder Lizards fired their lightning attacks at the charging enemies. The lightning attacks smashed into the enemy ranks, paralyzing many and even wounding some. Most of the frontlines stopped in their tracks, causing those behind them to collide and collapse. As if rehearsed, Mud Wyrms immediately flew out from the ground and tore off chunks of enemy flesh. Some Mud Wyrms even managed to drag some of the more hapless demonic beasts into the ground, suffocating them and essentially burying them alive. Even with the ambush, the Three Majors were quick to recover as they rapidly regroup and warded off the continuous assault. Seeing that there were only casualties of their own, the Mud Wyrms dove back into the ground to regroup and await for further instructions from their Patriarch. With the Mud Wyrms below ground and away from the battlefield, the Three Majors gradually moved towards the Great Alliance in loosely grouped wedge formations while paying some attention to the ground in order to prevent another ambush. "They''re coming! Fire Affinities, attack!" Matriarch Sheila commanded. Every Fire Affinity warrior started shooting long-ranged fire attacks like Fireballs, Flame Arrows, Fire Waves, Flame Needles, Fire Bombs, Explosions, etc. The ensuing barrage of fire attacks smashed into the enemies. However, as if they were expecting it, the Fiery Boarheads rushed to the front and blocked the fire attacks. Because the Fiery Boarheads were considered the strongest in terms of fire-based abilities, they were naturally very resistant to them as well. Most of the fire attacks were blocked by the Fiery Boarheads, though some unlucky demonic beasts from behind were still hit by some stray attacks. Nevertheless, what was expected to be a great mass slaughter turned out to be only a few killings.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Hmph! Have a taste of your own medicine!" Novile roared as he commanded the Fiery Boarheads to attack with fire as well. Even more powerful fire-based attacks flew towards the armies of the Great Alliance. Most of the Fire Affinities tried to block the attacks, but because of the difference in power, the Fire Affinities were pushed back and some of the weaker ones were even injured. Most of the fire attacks weren''t blocked as they flew into the midst of the Great Alliance. Chaos scattered the Great Alliance and caused mass panics. Matriarch Sheila tried her best to call for order. After some time, she was able to successfully gather the allied armies and regroup. There were some casualties and there were some deserters, however, most of the warriors stayed. "Warriors! Now''s the time! Charge!" Matriarch Sheila roared as she pounced forward towards a nearby enemy. All the other warriors also charged with her. Seeing their opponents rushing towards them, the Three Majors charged as well. However, right before they made contact with the opposing side, they were ambushed once more by the Mud Wyrms. The Mud Wyrms, sensing the oncoming battle from the vibrations of the earth, emerged from the ground and attacked the Three Majors'' armies...most of them had lowered their guards because they had forgotten about the Mud Wyrms. This attack caused some pause within the enemy ranks, slowing down their charge and lowering some morale. Not giving them any time to regroup, the armies of the rest of the Great Alliance arrived and crashed into them. The two sides clashed and immediately there were tens of victims. The Fiery Boarheads were tough and strong with abnormal senses...a natural enemy to the Deerkin and Mud Wyrms. The Sharpfangs were fast and ferocious with some resistance to poison...a natural enemy to the Toxic Razortails and Pincherheads. The Deathblooms...well, they could fly which gave them some advantages over those who couldn''t. Vice versa, the Thunder Lizards have lightning-based area attacks as well as lightning-imbued normal attacks which proved to be devastating to their enemies. The damage and paralyzing effects of the lightning attacks serve to be the worst for enemies like the Sharpfangs who depended on their speed and the Deathblooms who depended on their flight advantage. In addition, the powerful offensive capabilities of the Fiercejaws and the lethal poison of the Toxic Razortails, when combined, serve to counteract the defenses of the Fiery Boarheads. The Deerkin heals most of the injuries that the Great Alliance received while the Three Majors did not have any healers on their side. Overall, the battle was stalemated and would continue so unless some deciding factors were to occur. And those deciding factors appeared in a timely manner. Seeing the stalemated situation, Matriarch Sheila and the Patriarch of the Fiercejaws both changed into their Giant Beast Forms. As Giant Beasts, their capabilities increased by ten-fold compared to their Human Forms. Matriarch Sheila immediately spat out a powerful and lethal Acid Wave at a group of Fiery Boarheads and Sharpfangs. The slower ones to react to this attack died immediately...but those Sharpfangs who were quick enough dodged the brunt of the attack and only suffered some minor burns and dizziness. As for the Fiery Boarheads who were quick to react, they immediately activated their Flame Body and engulfed themselves in fire. The flames quickly burned the acid to harmlessness. However, their Flame Bodies lacked their initial defenses and were weak to any powerful physical attacks. That''s where the Patriarch of the Fiercejaws came in. The Patriarch charged forward and crushed the Flame-Bodied Fiery Boarheads, killing them. However, the two leaders of their respective families were only able to attack once as the Patriarchs of the Three Majors and Novile all changed into their Giant Beast Forms. As according to the domino effect, seeing some of their powerhouses change into Giant Beast Forms, the other strong demonic beasts also changed into their Giant Beast Forms. Finally, there were over 300 Giant Beasts scattered amongst the armies. It seemed that the height of the battle was about to begin. Chapter 38 - Defeat? Only the elite demonic beasts chose to change into their Giant Beast Forms in order to bring out the best of their abilities that they couldn''t in their Human Forms. The weaker demonic beasts knew in their hearts that even if they changed into Giant Beast Forms, they won''t be of much help. As the Giant Beasts and their respective armies from both sides started attacking each other, two distinctive strategies were displayed by each side''s actions. While most of one side''s Giant Beasts stopped attacking the regular demonic beasts and instead aimed for the other side''s Giant Beasts, most of the other side''s Giant Beasts attacked and purposely aimed at the unchanged warriors. Now one may deduce that the Giant Beasts who appeared to be shameless and attacking weaker demonic beasts were from the Three Majors and the Giant Beasts who appeared righteous and fair were from the Great Alliance. Sadly, that was not the case. Surprisingly, the side that appeared to be righteous and fair were from the Three Majors. They, given their stubborn and prideful personality, could not bring it upon themselves to attack weaker demonic beasts as per their customs, such actions were considered cowardly. And the side that appeared to be shameless were from the Great Alliance. This was because they were more realistic on things like the war they''re fighting. Because of their inferiority in power, they decide to compensate that with more kills. By killing off the weaker ones first, they would be able to decrease morale, cause confusion, and quickly focus on the stronger ones without worry of being attacked by a lucky shot from a weaker demonic beast. "Cowards! Fight us like real warriors!" The Giant Beasts of the Three Majors roared upon seeing what the other side was doing. They rushed over to fend off the Giant Beasts, but as if the Great Alliance knew what they were going to do next, the Thunder Lizards cast wave upon wave of paralyzing lightning attacks, slowing down the Giant Beasts. The paralyzing effects of the lightning attacks though separately were only able to slow down the Giant Beasts, but stacked were able to paralyze them long enough for the Mud Wyrms to make another wave of attacks in order to whittle down the enemies'' defenses and health. As the Giant Beasts of the Great Alliance continued to wipe out the weaker demonic beasts, most of them panicked and changed into their Giant Beast Forms in order to increase their strength even by a little. However, this was a bad move on their part. Not only do they not contribute to any increase in fighting power for their side, but they also took up a lot of space and got in the way of the other Giant Beasts. The Great Alliance took advantage of this disorder and attacked the entangled and helpless Giant Beasts. Many died and more wounded with the first wave of attacks. Gradually, the Three Majors were able to regroup and fight back. After several clashes, the Great Alliance took victory. However, both sides suffered major losses. The Three Majors suffered the most losses. Both the Sharpfang''s Patriarch and the Fiery Boarhead''s Patriarch died in the battle. The young Patriarch of the Deathblooms, along with his warriors, retreated and used the other two families to cover their retreat. What started out with 2000 warriors had decreased to a mere 703 warriors. There were 301 Fiery Boarheads and 402 Sharpfangs left. That was how many alive...but when the Fiery Boarheads and some of the more weak-willed Sharpfangs saw the retreating Deathblooms, they too decided to sneak away and desert the battlefield...leaving only about 200 Sharpfang warriors left.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Of course, like the Three Majors, the Great Alliance also suffered heavy losses. Of their over 2500 warriors, they''ve lost 1850 warriors. There were only 1 Deerkin alive - the Patriarch, 114 Fiercejaws excluding their Patriarch, 127 Pincherheads excluding their Patriarch, 32 Mud Wyrms including their Patriarch, 149 Thunder Lizards excluding both their Patriarch and his eldest son, and 227 Toxic Razortails including Matriarch Sheila and Sherul. Unfortunately, many elders including Elder Croa had perished in the battle. Matriarch Sheila had lost an eye and had received damage to her mana core, essentially causing her to drop a level. Technically, this was a victory for the Great Alliance, but it felt like defeat. Matriarch Sheila walked up to the collapsed and tired Novile. With a sharp kick, she send the Sharpfang tumbling towards a tree trunk. "H-how? We had better...stronger warriors...." Novile mumbled to himself but apparently it was loud enough for the demonic beasts nearby to hear it. "Simple. We used our brains. I could guess, ever since your renewed alliance with the Fiery Boarheads, that you would plan for a war like this. That''s why I had hurriedly met with all of the minor families in hopes of acquiring help." Matriarch Sheila sneered. "I know this dammit! I had spies everywhere!" "Yes, I know. I made sure to feed your spies false information. They may know that we made a successful alliance with four families...but they didn''t know about our alliance with the Mud Wyrms. Not to mention, the secret training and planning our warriors did in preparation for the war. Your spies had no clue of any of it." "So that''s why you were able to move in such an orderly and controlled fashion...." "Exactly. And that''s also how you Three Majors weren''t able to coordinate your attacks with each other, causing disorder and clumsiness. In other words...we were prepared, you weren''t." "Dammit!" "Hmph! You have lost. Surrender now." "Hehe...we may have lost here...but I''m sure we had won over there." Novile snickered as he spat out a mouthful of blood. "What do you mean? Where''s over there?" "Your H-O-M-E-S." "Our homes...?" "Like you...I had also used my brains." "What are you...? No!" Matriarch Sheila realized something. She looked at the other leaders of their families and saw that they too realized that something was wrong. She turned back to Novile and roared, "What did you do to our homes!" "We gave each of your homes a little surprise...well, at least five of you that is. You see, I too had made an small alliance with a group outside the Three Major Families." "No! Sherul! Have a few watch over them. The rest, follow me!" Matriarch Sheila ordered. "Respective Patriarchs and new Patriarchs, your homes may be in danger. You should go and check. Patriarch Mud Wyrm, I''ll trouble you to help Patriarch Deerkin." After sending the other families off, Matriarch Sheila quickly headed back to their dwelling along with a hundred warriors. Upon arriving, they were shocked and depressed at the sight. .......... A few hours ago.... .......... "I hope Aunt Sheila and them will win." Aldred prayed as he helped with the evacuation of the young. "Come along kids, get in here. Just think of this as a drill." Suddenly, Skaal stood up frantically, his senses on high alert. "I sense something...ominous." "What is it, Skaal?" Julia asked as she peered outside of the dwelling. "I don''t see anything." "Careful!" Aldred bellowed as he pushed Julia out of the way. An Ice Spear flew to where Julia was at a few moments ago. "Everyone! Get to the bunker, we''re under attack!" NAC - Combined Stages/Tiers
Mages Warriors Demonic Beasts Cultivators
Novice 1st Stage Novice 1st Stage Fledgling Tier 1 Qi Gathering 1st Stage
Novice 2nd Stage Novice 2nd Stage
Novice 3rd Stage Novice 3rd Stage Qi Gathering 2nd Stage
Novice 4th Stage Novice 4th Stage Fledgling Tier 2
Novice 5th Stage Novice 5th Stage Qi Gathering 3rd Stage
Apprentice 1st Stage Fighter 1st Stage
Apprentice 2nd Stage Fighter 2nd Stage Fledgling Tier 3 Qi Forming 1st Stage
Apprentice 3rd Stage Fighter 3rd Stage
Apprentice 4th Stage Fighter 4th Stage Qi Forming 2nd Stage
Apprentice 5th Stage Fighter 5th Stage Adolescent Tier 4
Magus 1st Stage Warrior 1st Stage Qi Forming 3rd Stage
Magus 2nd Stage Warrior 2nd Stage
Magus 3rd Stage Warrior 3rd Stage Adolescent Tier 5 Core Condensing 1st Stage
Magus 4th Stage Warrior 4th Stage
Magus 5th Stage Warrior 5th Stage Core Condensing 2nd Stage
Grand Magus 1st Stage Master 1st Stage Adolescent Tier 6
Grand Magus 2nd Stage Master 2nd Stage Core Condensing 3rd Stage
Grand Magus 3rd Stage Master 3rd Stage
Grand Magus 4th Stage Grand Master 1st Stage Adult Tier 7 Core Expanding 1st Stage
Grand Magus 5th Stage Grand Master 2nd Stage
Meister 1st Stage Grand Master 3rd Stage Core Expanding 2nd Stage
Meister 2nd Stage Adult Tier 8
Meister 3rd Stage Core Expanding 3rd Stage
Grand Meister 1st Stage
Grand Meister 2nd Stage Adult Tier 9 Aura 1st Stage
Grand Meister 3rd Stage
Magus Demigod 1st Stage
Magus Demigod 2nd Stage King Tier 10 Aura 2nd Stage
Magus Demigod 3rd Stage
Magus God 1st Stage
Magus God 2nd Stage Legend Tier 11 Aura 3rd Stage
Magus God 3rd Stage
Magus Highgod 1st Stage
Magus Highgod 2nd Stage Demon General Tier 12 Legend
Magus Highgod 3rd Stage
(Element Name) Apprentice
(Element Name) Magus Demon Lord Tier 13 Demigod
(Element Name) Grand Magus
(Element Name) Meister Demon King Tier 14
(Element Name) Grand Meister God
(Element Name) Demigod Demon Emperor Tier 15
(Element Name) God
(Element Name) Highgod Highgod
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Chapter 39 - Infiltration "We''re under attack! Warriors, come protect the bunker!" Skaal roared as he stood before the entrance of the dwelling in his Giant Beast Form. Aldred mounted on Skaal''s back while ten or so warriors flanked Skaal''s sides. Julia wanted to rush into battle as well, but Aldred told her to stay in the bunker and look after the evacuees especially young Soul...making sure to fend off any enemies that got past their defenses. Julia wanted to protest but in the end, she understood and headed back in. Now, Aldred did not belittle Julia and her capabilities...he just wanted to protect her from harm. In addition, even though Julia had witness death...she hadn''t actually killed anyone yet. So, Aldred feared that Julia would freeze up during the battle. Once Julia had entered the bunker, Aldred turned his attention to the direction of the location where he and Skaal had sensed the enemies. Aldred shouted, "Stop hiding, we know you''re here. Come out!" Thirty-three shadowy figures emerged from their hiding positions and presented themselves in front of Aldred and the other warriors. These enemies looked like black foxes with some parts of their bodies covered in scaly armor and bat-like wings growing out of their bodies. There were three Giant Beasts and the rest were all in their Small Beast Forms. The warriors and Skaal all gasped in astonishment. Curious, Aldred asked what was up...why did their reactions sound so exaggerated? "They...they''re Fox Dragons! I-impossible...they don''t even live here in this part of the Demonic Forests!" A warrior gaped as he explained. "What do you mean? Why would they attack us? If they were not from around here, then there shouldn''t be any enmity between us." Aldred asked. "The Fox Dragons...were part of an assassination organization/family." Skaal gritted his teeth. "Assassins! They''re hired help?! I bet I know who had the audacity." "Yea...Novile!" "Enough whispering. Since it seems you know why we''re here and who sent us...then you should know that you will not live to the see tomorrow''s morning sun." The Giant Beast that stood in the middle growled. "I am Aldred Blackehearth. Tell me your name?" "Why? So you''ll know who killed you? Haha, then clean your ears and listen! I am the great Vulpiro - young master of the Fox Dragons. Haha, aren''t you honored to be killed for my first mission." "Haha, Vulpiro is it? Good, I''ll know what to write on your tombstone." "YOU! Hmph! Kill them!" Vulpiro, having realized that he was played, immediately went red with anger and ordered the attack. "Don''t hold back! Let them know that we Toxic Razortails are not easy to mess with!" Skaal roared. Both sides charged and attacked. At the first clash, each side had immediately suffered a few deaths. The Fox Dragons, even in their Small Beast Forms, were able to deal massive damage and even killing blows to the inexperienced young Toxic Razortail warriors. Conversely, the powers of Skaal and Aldred were very strong...contrary to what the Fox Dragons had expected. And through this loss of valuable information, the Fox Dragons suffered some deaths and even one of their Giant Beasts. "Chiaro, no!" Vulpiro grimaced as he saw his best friend die, his head squished into pieces and pulp by the hand of the human boy. It seemed he had clearly underestimated the human. "Ptera! You and a few Small Beasts go take care of that Toxic Razortail while I personally take care of this bastard."If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ptera nodded in confirmation as she ordered a few Fox Dragons to follow her. She and the Fox Dragons following her hurled themselves toward Skaal, who was fortunately prepared for their onslaught. Vulpiro growled as he looked at the one-armed young boy. Surprisingly, the boy was calm even in the midst of this battle...like he was experienced in killing and death. With a few small yips, he called for five Fox Dragons to surround the young boy. With a yap, the Fox Dragons pounced at the human. When Aldred saw the five Fox Dragons launch themselves, teeth first, towards him, he immediately used Tunnel and dove into the bottom of the earth. As the Fox Dragons land at where he was at just a few moments ago, they looked around in surprise. At this moment, Aldred emerged from the ground high into the air and aimed his body down towards the Fox Dragons below. As the Fox Dragons look up in shock, the last thing they saw was a flurry of sharp, mole-like claws raining down on them. Aldred had used Fury of the Berserker Mole. Within seconds, the five Fox Dragons were torn into pieces of flesh, bone, organs, and blood. Once Aldred landed, he looked towards Vulpiro and sneered. Vulpiro was astounded by the prowess of this human. It seems he had underestimated him too much. Vulpiro threw away his pride and immediately charged towards the boy with his full strength of a King Tier 10 demonic beast. His speed was incredibly fast...but what he did not know was that Aldred was even faster. In the past few months, Aldred did not sit back and lazed around like an idiot. No, he trained with all his might...further strengthening, hardening, and sharpening his body using the Earth God Cultivation Technique. And with an accumulation of small successes, he was able to breakthrough two times...going past Core Condensing 3rd Stage and into Core Expanding 1st Stage. After reaching the peak of Core Condensing, he had finally created and condensed his core, which in his Qi Space was the size of a fully-grown pumpkin. Unlike a regular core, his core was not shaped completely spherical. It was shaped more like an egg. This confused Aldred since in his previous life, his core was spherical...in fact everyone''s cores were spherical. Never in history had there been a non-spherical shaped core. Could this be a side-effect to being in a Magic World? Anyways, once Aldred reached Core Expanding, he was able to expand his core. The larger the condensed core expands to, the more pure his Qi would become...and thus the stronger and faster he would become. In addition, he would be able to heal wounds quickly because of the purity of his Qi. Aside from making a few breakthroughs in cultivation, Aldred had also increased his movement speed and reflexes as well as the number of skills in his fist technique by two. These two new skills were badly named as Tempest and Raging Claw. Tempest was basically Aldred lunging forward towards an enemy and twisting his body speedily like a cyclone with his claw extended outwards above his head. Then, he would aim at the enemy''s body and bore a hole through the body where he would emerge from the other side of the enemy''s body. Raging Claw was an idea that Aldred came up on whim one day. He was doing his regular training sessions when he got frustrated with his bottleneck at the peak of Core Condensing 3rd Stage that he ferociously kicked at a tree. Now, Aldred had trained his body so that they were extremely strong, hard, and sharp and so, when his foot connected with the tree, his foot tore off a huge chunk of the tree. Surprised at the sight of half the tree''s trunk missing, Aldred received a moment of inspiration...and that was how Raging Claw was born. In other words, to put it simply, Raging Claw was a move that uses the feet as alternative claws to attack. When Aldred dodged the charging Fox Dragon, he quickly launched a Raging Claw towards Vulpiro''s side. Sensing danger, Vulpiro hastily dodged to the side. Thanks to his incredible reflexes, he was able to dodge a fatal situation, however, he was still unable to fully escape from harm. Although he dodged the attack, the mere pressure of the Raging Claw, however, was able to claw away a small chunk of his flesh. With a stinging pain and constant blood loss, the King Tier demonic beast started to feel...fear. Even though there was a significant difference in their levels, Vulpiro still felt like he was battling a demonic beast at the level of Adult Tier 9 at the least. Suddenly, a sharp cry emitted into the ears of the warriors. Everyone turned to the source of the cry. Some faces showed elation...and some were troubled. Apart from Aldred, Skaal, and a Toxic Razortail, the other Toxic Razortail warriors had all perished. However, their deaths were not in vain as they had managed to drag 14 Fox Dragons down with them. But even so, coupled with the 11 Fox Dragons that Aldred and Skaal killed, there were still 8 more Fox Dragons. Two of them were engaged in combat with Aldred and Skaal...however...the other six.... They...were inside the bunker! Chapter 40 - Scream "What are you standing there for?! Go after them!" Skaal roared at the last remaining Toxic Razortail warrior, who quickly shook out of his daze and charged towards the bunker. "Not so fast!" Ptera roared as she spat out a black smog-like substance that immediately propelled towards the running warrior. The smog landed on the back of the Toxic Razortail, causing him to squirm in pain. The smog ate away his exoskeleton and into his flesh and organs. The Razortail collapsed where he started twitching uncontrollably. Seconds later, the Razortail stopped moving and it was clear to anyone that he was dead. Soon, the smog-like substance ate through everything until not a single bit of the Razortail was left. When Skaal saw this, he swallowed nervously. This was a high-level attack known as Smog of Gluttony. In the past, Fox Dragons were considered to be servants and worshippers of the Demon Emperor Gluttonous. After years of serving faithfully under this Demon Emperor, they were given benefits such as inferior versions of the Demon Emperor''s skills. For instance, the Smog of Gluttony, if used by the Demon Emperor, would consume everything until nothing was left and would continue to consume other things until the Demon Emperor orders it to stop. The Smog of Gluttony that Ptera used only consumed one target until there was nothing left and would not consume other things. "Hmph, if my memory serves me well, your Smog of Gluttony was an once-per-day skill. That is indeed fortunate for me." "It''s true I had used such a high-level skill against trash, but I still have a repertoire of other skills that are equally as powerful. You won''t stand a chance against me." "We''ll see about that." The two Giant Beasts continued to fight each other after that short exchange. Meanwhile, Aldred couldn''t help but keep looking at the direction of the bunker. There were constant noises of screams and crashes coming from the bunker. Aldred hoped that Julia and the rest were safe. "You''re looking to die, eh? Do you even have the time to look elsewhere?" Vulpiro sneered as he spat out a fireball at Aldred. Aldred flipped backwards in order to evade the attack. He needed to end this quickly. Without a moment of hesitation, Aldred dove deep within the earth using his skill Tunnel and roamed around trying to find a perfect opportunity to attack. Vulpiro, having seen the skill earlier, was prepared as he leapt to a nearby tree. Without Vulpiro''s actual contact with the earth, Aldred was unable to sense where the Fox Dragon was. Having felt the Fox Dragon disappear from his range, Aldred knew that something had happened. However, Aldred did not panic or emerge to look for his enemy. He wasn''t stupid or at least not when he''s fighting. Given his battle experiences from both lives, Aldred could figure out that there was a strong possibility that the Fox Dragon may have jumped into a tree. But which tree? That was the question. No...there was that solution. Aldred thought as he grinned. Although Vulpiro knew that Aldred could not detect him anymore and would soon emerge from the ground and thus show himself. However, he did not expect that Aldred and Skaal were brothers.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Aldred directed his thoughts to Skaal and asked. Skaal, where is that Vulpiro hiding? Which tree? Skaal looked at where Vulpiro was and replied. He''s at the tree right above you...a little to your right. Ah, okay. Thanks brother. No problem. Having found out exactly where Vulpiro was, Aldred began his plan of attack. He quickly burrowed down until he was at least 50 meters below the tree that Vulpiro sat on. Then, using his new skill Tempest, he began his attack. He drilled upwards, through the earth and into the tree. Now, given how hard Aldred had trained and how much he had honed his skills to near perfection, he was able to drill into the tree while causing only the slightest, most minimal amount of disturbance. This disturbance was naturally felt by Vulpiro but he had naively dismissed it as trembles caused by the fierce fight between the Toxic Razortail and the Fox Dragon nearby. Now, if this battle was seen by anyone else, they would have assumed that Skaal and Ptera were on par with each other. However, Vulpiro knew Ptera since they were children and he knew that Ptera had the upper hand. Ptera was lauded in their family for having mastered the most skills of the demonic arts and from this battle, she had not even used half of them. Vulpiro grinned in satisfaction as he predicted what the outcome of the battle would be. However, it was too bad for him to not be able to predict the outcome of his battle with Aldred...well, correctly that is. Suddenly, the tree below Vulpiro cracked and exploded outwards. Aldred emerged from within the tree and, not giving Vulpiro a chance to fly away, pierced his hand deep into the Fox Dragon''s body. Vulpiro screamed an ear-piercing howl causing Ptera to flinch from her fight and look towards the source of the scream. As she tried to call out, Skaal pounced on her back, grabbed a hold of her wings with his pincers and bit at the Fox Dragon''s neck. With a jerk of his head, he ripped off a chunk of her flesh. Then, Skaal threw away the dead Fox Dragon and spat out the flesh. He turned his head towards Aldred''s battle. Aldred drove Vulpiro into the ground, his hand still inside the Fox Dragon. As they crashed into the ground, Aldred had both of his feet on top of the Fox Dragon''s wings, preventing him from flapping away. Vulpiro squirmed as he stared at Aldred with fear, their eyes meeting only intensified Vulpiro''s fear...those eyes...they were like the Death himself. Every time Vulpiro tried to fire an attack, Aldred would twist his hand causing Vulpiro to scream in pain instead. "What are you staring at, Skaal? Go help Julia!" Aldred shouted. "Ah!" Skaal replied as he turned around and headed towards the bunker. "My...father...is the s-strongest demonic beast...in all of the eastern Demonic Forests! He...won''t let you get aw-kuaaaaaaa!" Vulpiro tried to threaten but had his insides twisted and torn by Aldred. "Y-you...b-bastard..y-aaahhhhhhh!" "I''ll kill you...I''ll k-uuwwaaahhh!" "Please...no more...kill me...kill me now!." "Haha, if that''s what you want. Then, that''s what you won''t be getting." Aldred sneered as he pulled out Vulpiro''s intestines and wrapped it around the Fox Dragon''s neck. With a fling of his arm, he sent the intestines and the dying Fox Dragon to a branch of another tree. The intestines hung on the tree and tightened around the Fox Dragon''s neck. Slowly, Vulpiro suffocated to death by his own intestines before the significant loss of blood took his life. After making sure that the Fox Dragon had died, Aldred hurried over to the bunker to check on the situation. As he neared the bunker, a scream rang out. "KUWAAAHAHAA!!" It...that...that was Skaal''s voice! Chapter 41 - Death Aldred rushed into the bunker hoping nothing bad had happened...and jerked his head back. There was a horrid stench of charred flesh, acid, and death. As Aldred scanned the room, he saw four charred corpses near the doorway. The corpses laid in a pool of melted flesh and acid that gave off a horrendous rotting smell. The corpses were burnt with intense lightning attacks, so much that they were unrecognizable. But judging from their sizes, Aldred was able to deduce that they were Fox Dragons. As his gaze lifted, he saw more and more deaths farther down the room. Many Toxic Razortails were dead, each either smashed or clawed to death. Then, there were two more charred Fox Dragons. The only difference was that these two corpses had their hearts ripped out and their heads ripped off...as if done by someone with an intense grudge...or a severe psychological problem.... Suddenly, Aldred thought of someone. Julia!...Although she had tried to move on in the past few weeks and forget about what had happened to her and her family, Aldred felt that her mentality was barely stable and only a slight push would cause everything to come crashing down. When she saw the death of Soul''s mother a month ago, Aldred could sense some disturbances in her heart as if she was struggling to stay in control. Fortunately, Julia was able to calm herself down as she found some inner peace through the interactions with the young Toxic Razortails and Soul these past few weeks. However, Aldred knew that that would not last. This was why Aldred did not want Julia to fight with Skaal and him earlier...he was afraid that something from the fight would trigger something deep down in Julia, causing her to go insane. Quickly, Aldred looked up to see where Julia was. There! Julia was standing there in the corner, in front of a group of huddling Toxic Razortails and covered with blood. She stood there frozen and looking at her blood-stained and guts-stained hands. A terrified and disbelieving expression displayed on her face. Tears started streaming down her unblinking eyes as she slowly lifted her head and stared trance-like at Aldred. But Aldred was not looking back at her...he was staring at the body below her feet...it...it was Skaal.... Aldred rushed forward to the dying Toxic Razortail who had an arm-sized hole at the center of his back that pierced through to the other side. His mind went blank at the sight of the wound. Aldred tried pressing his hands on the wound, struggling to close the wounds with his hands...but his hands were too small. Tears welled up in his eyes as he silently cried. This was his brother...his family...his friend. "I...I didn''t mean too...." Julia tried to explain, "I-I didn''t k-know what I w-was d-doing. I''m r-really sorry." Aldred looked towards the sound of her voice but his mind was blank. He was about to lash out in anger but a feeble voice stopped him and snapped him out of his daze. "I-It''s not her f-fault." "Skaal! You must live! We can get through this! I''m sure there''s a way to heal you!" Aldred cried out. "No...t-there''s no t-time. I can feel D-Death approaching...c-coming to t-take me away." Skaal murmured tiredly. "No! Stay with me Skaal! Don''t die!" Suddenly, some rustling sounded out from behind them. Aldred turned around to look and saw Matriarch Sheila enter along with a hundred or so warriors. When Matriarch Sheila saw the corpses, she grimaced. However, when she saw Skaal, she rushed over and mourned loudly. "What happened?!" Matriarch Sheila bellowed grievingly towards Aldred and Julia. .......... A while ago.... .......... Julia was taking care of the scared children and the sickly elders while sounds of fighting could be heard outside. Periodically, Julia would stare at the entrance and muttering about how she should be out there helping. This was the exact thing she had been training for in the past few weeks. She believed that she was ready. Why couldn''t Aldred see that? She heard a faint rustling to her left and she turned to look. Apparently she wasn''t the only one who was feeling a bit restless. Soul was acting like he wanted to fight as well. Julia reached over and hugged Soul tightly, embracing his warmth.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "Don''t worry Soul, Aldred and Skaal will be fine." Julia replied as she stroked Soul''s fur and reassured the young agitated Sharptail. Time went by and the intense battle sounds lessened. Curious about what was occurring outside, one of the elderly Toxic Razortails got up and approached the doorway. Julia tried to urge him to come back to the group, but the stubborn old Razortail refused and said that he was just going to take a quick look at the situation that was happening outside. As soon as he opened the door, a sharp claw barged its way in and smashed into the elderly Razortail, sending him flying back. The Razortail died from the attack before he hit the ground, his head caved in with blood and brains leaking out. When six Fox Dragons entered the bunker, all the Razortails began to panic. Some cowered at a corner while others tried to make a break for it. However, the enemies did not let anyone pass and killed everyone that was nearby. In the midst of chaos, Julia tried to calm everyone down and asked them to stay behind her. But no one listened to her. The Fox Dragons advanced forward and slaughtered anyone in the way. Two of the Fox Dragons lunged towards Julia who, in a state of panic, froze and did not have the courage to retaliate or the strength to dodge. A blur flashed before her eyes...it was Soul. Soul charged towards the two Fox Dragons in hopes of deterring their attacks. Julia tried to shout out for Soul to come back as it was too dangerous, but the words were stuck in her throat. Soul rushed forward, claws out and attacked the nearest Fox Dragon. The Fox Dragon was surprised by the speed of the young Sharptail and was caught off guard. Soul smashed into the Fox Dragon, sending it flying to a wall. But the Fox Dragons were stronger and thus they were tougher as well. The blow that Soul did was not able to injure the Fox Dragon. This surprised Soul which attacked his self-confidence. In his surprised state, the other Fox Dragon attacked and smacked Soul. Soul flew backwards and tumbled to ground near Julia, blood trickled out of his mouth and nose. This was the first time Soul was scared. Unable to cope with the fear, he cowardly dove into the ground to escape. When Julia saw the wounded Sharptail, her mind went blank. As if some invisible force broke through her mental wall, Julia suddenly went berserk. With a scream, she rushed towards the two Fox Dragons with the strength and speed of a monster...most likely caused by the breaking through of her human limits with that sudden burst of aggression and insanity, and pierced her hands into the Fox Dragons'' bodies. With a sickening rip, she pulled out their hearts. Dropping the still-pulsating hearts, Julia grabbed onto the heads of the two Fox Dragons and ripped them cleanly off the bodies. As if that was not enough, Julia then proceeded to send waves of lightning attacks into the corpses - lighting them on fire. As the two Fox Dragon corpses continued to burn, Julia turned her attention onto the remaining four. These four Fox Dragons were cautious of the young human girl in front of them. To be able to kill two of their own so quickly and so brutally, this girl was dangerous. Julia did not wait for them to make the first move as she leapt forward and cast a couple of lightning spears at them. The Fox Dragons dodged the attacks and flanked the young girl. One of the Fox Dragons lunged forward and bit into Julia''s left arm, causing her to stop. Once Julia''s movements were stopped, the other three Fox Dragons charged as well. However, as if unable to feel any pain, the ferocious young girl sent out a wave of acid bombs into the three unsuspecting Fox Dragons. Then, she heavily threw the Fox Dragon gnawing at her arm and paralyzed it with a Shock skill. The Fox Dragon collapsed on the floor with other struggling Fox Dragons, their fur and flesh melting at the intensity of the acid. Sensing fear, these Fox Dragons hobbled towards the door in an attempt to escape. However, Julia was not feeling merciful. She roared angrily and cast another wave of acid onto her weak enemies. As they lay dying in the pool of torturous acid, Julia started mercilessly firing lightning attacks at the corpses, burning them and charring them. As Julia continued to do so, her angered expression slowly loosened...and a faint sneer appeared. Julia was subconsciously showing a new side of her...a dangerous and evil side.... Finally, she stopped. Julia turned around and faced the cowering Toxic Razortails at the corner of the bunker - the sneer still on her face. Her appearance gave off a devilish sensation which terrified the scared demonic beasts. They whimpered in panic and terror as Julia slowly lumbered towards them. It was at this time when Skaal entered the scene. He grimaced at the sight of the dead Fox Dragons as well as the dead Toxic Razortails. When he saw Julia''s back, he rushed over to her while calling her name. After seeing Julia respond to his calls, Skaal sighed in relief and lowered his guard. As he approached Julia, the young girl suddenly turned around and quickly fired a lightning attack at him. The attack caught Skaal off guard and paralyzed his movements. There was something wrong with Julia! Skaal tried to call out to Julia...he tried to wake her up from whatever was affecting her but Julia just stood there before him. An eerie smile appeared on her face as she raised her arm up. "Julia? Julia?! JULIA! WAKE UP! JULIA!!" Skaal tried with all his might to wake Julia up as he struggled to break free of his paralysis. "No, Julia. What are you doing? NO...Don''t! NOOOO-!" *PIERCE!!* Chapter 42 - Merge "What happened?!" Matriarch Sheila repeated as she glanced frantically at Aldred and Julia. "I-I didn''t mean to. I''m s-so sorry." Julia tried to apologize. "It was the Fox Dragons. Novile somehow had connections with the Fox Dragon family. We were only able to hold off most of the attackers...but six of them slipped past us and entered the bunker. I''m so sorry for what had happened here." Aldred explained. "Who killed the six that entered? Was it Julia?" "Yes." "Who did this to Skaal? Was it also Julia?" "That...yes. But please don''t blame her! She...when the Fox Dragons attacked them, she tried her best to defend. All these killing, blood, and death...she wasn''t ready for them. She...I''ll take full responsibility for her actions!" Aldred tried to explain but Matriarch Sheila held up her hand for silence. "Excuses will not save Skaal and what can your so called responsibility do? " Matriarch Sheila replied coldly. Then, she turned towards one of her warriors who was trying to save Skaal''s life. "How is it?" "The wound''s too fatal. There''s hints of lightning that''s paralyzing the nerves and preventing self-regeneration. Not to mention a high lethal dosage of poison has entered his bloodstream. Even with all that blood loss, there''s still a good amount of poison in his body. Regrettably, I don''t have enough power to save him." The warrior stated as he bowed his head in regret and helplessness. "There must be something we can do." Aldred replied. He racked his brains trying to recall anything helpful from the books he had read in the past. Unfortunately there was no luck. If only this was like his previous world where even if a companion beast died, as long as the beast''s spirit was still present, he could offer his body as a vessel and combine with the beast. Although this won''t bring the beast back to life, it could at least keep the spirit from entering Purgatory. By doing this, he could extend the time needed to resurrect the beast. And there were numerous ways of resurrection in his previous world...unfortunately the only method he has read about was of an immortal who submerged his dead beast in a pool of Divine Beast blood and left the body there for 1000 years. Only then did the immortal''s companion beast resurrect. Aldred would go the distance just to resurrect his brother Skaal. However, can such methods really work in this world? He was just about to dismiss this thought when he recalled something. There...there were quite a few similarities between this world and his previous world. Not to mention, for a world that was supposedly created with the intent of being a world of the Magic Realm...it surprisingly had small traces of Qi. In addition, didn''t the Earth God Tu BoShen say that he personally knew the Highgods and Gods of this realm? Could the Magic Realm and the Cultivation Realm...be created by the same creator?! Then, doesn''t this mean that some of the laws in this realm could coincide with the laws of the Cultivation Realm? "I-I may have an idea...but I don''t know if it would work. The chances...are not in our favor." Aldred replied as he looked at Skaal as if to direct the suggestion for him to hear and decide. "What is it? We''ll try anything!" Matriarch Sheila quickly replied as she squeezed Aldred''s arm. Aldred proceeded to explain the idea of using his body as a vessel to contain Skaal''s soul and then bathing Skaal''s body in high quality blood for 1000 years. Matriarch Sheila immediately refused the idea in her mind. What kind of idea was that? She had never heard of it...how could she trust the reliability of that method? When Aldred asked for her decision, she was about to refuse, but then Skaal interjected. "Aunt...I trust Aldred...let...let him try...." Skaal muttered with the last bit of his strength. With a deep sigh, he stopped moving. At this time, everyone present knew what had happened. Skaal...had breathed his last.Stolen novel; please report. Aldred turned his gaze towards Matriarch Sheila, his eyes pleading for her to agree. Now''s the time to make the decision. Any time later and the spirit will be gone. Matriarch Sheila also knew of this, having been told of how this farfetched technique worked. Finally, Matriarch Sheila agreed. Agree or reject, Skaal was still dead. At least by agreeing, there may be a miniscule chance of saving Skaal. Aldred rushed over to Skaal''s body and bit his hand. Blood trickled down his hand as he pressed it on Skaal''s head where his mana core was. Now, mana cores were considered the intermediaries that connect the souls of humans and beasts alike to their magic. So, Aldred thought that since the mana cores helped the humans and the demonic beasts connect with their magic, why couldn''t he use Skaal''s mana core to connect to his soul? Aldred closed his eyes and concentrated. He muttered a few incantations to forcibly trap Skaal''s soul into the mana core and then transfer a part of himself into the mana core to meet with Skaal''s soul. When Aldred opened his eyes, he found himself in a brown colored space with dark green spots. This must be Skaal''s mana core. The color of the space for a mana core depicted the affinities of the owner and their strengths in the affinities. For instance, with Skaal''s mana core, the brown color indicated Earth Affinity and the dark green spots indicated Poison Affinity. Naturally, since there was more brown than dark green, this showed that Skaal was stronger with Earth than with Poison. Aldred looked around and saw Skaal in the distance. In his state of excitement and joy, he rushed over to where Skaal was standing. "Why are you here?" Skaal asked worriedly. Did Aldred kill himself in grief? "I came to offer you a chance to live. Even though the success rate is close to none, are you willing to trust me on this?" Aldred explained quickly. This process that he was doing only lasts a minute. He needed to combine Skaal''s soul with his own in order to bring Skaal''s soul out and store it in his body. "Who do you think I am? I''m your brother. I''ll be willing to follow you with no regrets even if this chance ends in failure." Skaal grinned. "Good brother...good brother!" Aldred smiled as well. He reached over with his hand and Skaal grabbed it. Aldred closed his eyes and muttered a few chants. A pulling feeling occurred briefly and their two souls dispersed into the space, blending in with each other. Aldred opened his eyes and found himself outside back to reality. Skaal''s body was nowhere to be found but a glowing orb appeared before him. The orb floated in the air for a few moments before shooting towards the middle of Aldred''s forehead and piercing through. Aldred felt an intense and hot pain surging through every inch of his body. He began experiencing a few changes to his body. His cultivation surged until he broke through to the Core Expanding 2nd Stage. However, it did not stop there. His cultivation continued to increase until finally, he had reached the peak of Core Expanding 3rd Stage. His body had also undergone some modifications including a huge boost in strength, defenses, and speed. However, that was not the most ridiculous and amazing change. Aldred''s body writhed in pain as the hot feeling all started residing in his left shoulder. I will be your left arm! A thought, not Aldred''s own, flashed in his mind. Was this...Skaal''s? As all of the hot feeling and pain accumulated at Aldred''s left shoulder, a tearing and wrenching sound could be heard. The old wound at his left shoulder opened as tentacle-like flesh and bone started forming and protruding out from the wound. After what seemed like a forever of pain and burning, it stopped abruptly. Aldred calmed his nerves down and tentatively opened his eyes. He looked around and saw the gazes of Matriarch Sheila, Julia, and everyone else. Those were gazes of worry mixed with astonishment and disbelief. "Ku!" Aldred winced as he reached over and massaged his left shoulder. What was that pain? Suddenly, Aldred raised his head in alertness. What is this feeling? He looked at the place where his right hand was touching...this...this is an arm?! My left arm!! Aldred raised his left arm up to have a closer inspection. This arm of his was brown and dark green in color and had the texture of the exoskeletons of Razortails. A plated shoulder gauntlet was situated on his left shoulder and a small oval-shaped plate wrapped around his wrist essentially acting like a wrist guard. "Wow...don''t tell me...." Aldred muttered. That''s right brother. After our merge, I gathered parts of my body and formed an arm for you. I may not be there physically to help you in your future travels, but I can at least help you this much. Skaal replied. "Skaal...you''re here! This process was a success?" Aldred muttered, a glint of happiness welled up in his eyes. Yes, it appears so. "But why did you take apart your body? How will I resurrect you now?" Haha, isn''t my body your left arm now? Every enemy you kill will replenish my body. "And in a thousand years, you will be reborn. Don''t worry Skaal...I will resurrect you. This is my promise to you as brothers." Chapter 43 - Food for the Grieved Having seen the success of Aldred''s method, Matriarch Sheila calmed down a bit. However, she still looked like she wanted to behead Julia or something. With an order to her warriors, she had Julia confined in a room far away from the rest of the Toxic Razortails. She wanted Julia to reflect on her actions for a year. No one was allowed to go near her except for the guards who would bring her food everyday. Even Aldred and Soul were forbidden from approaching her. Speaking of Soul, Aldred later found him snoring in a clearing beneath the ground...this little bastard. Aldred was about to smack him awake but when he saw the wounds and dried blood on Soul''s body, he softened a bit and gently shook the young, asleep Sharptail. When Soul woke up, he immediately went in full alert but when he saw Aldred, he felt a bit ashamed. He remembered how he had cowardly ran away and lowered his head in humiliation. Aldred patted Soul''s head gently and assured him that it was not his fault...that he was just inexperienced . Soul looked at Aldred as tears slowly trickled down his face. He asked Aldred where Uncle Skaal was. He could smell Skaal''s scent but he could not see him. When he saw Aldred''s expression, he knew that something must have happened to Skaal. "Soul...Skaal...I couldn''t protect him.... H-He was injured so he had to go somewhere to rest. But don''t worry, he will be back...but it might take a very long time." Aldred replied as he looked at Soul sadly. "When will he come back?" Soul asked, not sure of what Aldred''s emotional display meant. "I''m not sure...I think he will come back once you have gotten strong...strong enough to protect your loved ones...your family and your friends." "Oh...when will I become strong enough to do so?" "Hmm...once you become a Demon Emperor, then your Uncle Skaal will come back." "Really?! Promise?" "Promise. Come, let''s go back up." Aldred replied as he led Soul up to the surface where the surviving Toxic Razortails were burying their dead brethren and mourning for their losses. "Where''s Big Sis Julia?" Soul asked as he looked around. He wasn''t able to protect her previously and wanted to know if she was okay. "Julia is fine...she...she''s training...yea...she''s training to get stronger, so you should also do so as well." "Oh...okay...I''m gonna go see Big Sis Julia." Soul replied as he shot towards the room. However, he was stopped by Aldred. Soul looked up at him curiously. "Julia is doing some close-door training. You shouldn''t disturb her." "Oh." Soul muttered as he looked dejected. Aldred patted Soul''s head once more and told him to not worry so much about it. Then, to change the topic, Aldred brought him over to help the others clean and bury the corpses of their deceased. .......... A week later.... .......... It has been a week since Skaal''s soul had merged with Aldred. A lot had happened over the course of this week. All the families of the Toxic Razortail warriors that had died in the battle were able to bury their deceased and even held some funerals. What used to be a large family numbering up to 1500 members had been reduced to less than 400 Toxic Razortails. Reports from their allies also bore grave news. Each of the allies suffered massive damage to their homes and their families. They have all suffered colossal losses which would affect their well-being within this forest. The Deerkin, especially, other than the Patriarch and a granddaughter, the rest were killed before the Mud Wyrms were able to assist them. Matriarch Sheila and the Patriarch of the Mud Wyrms both offered protection to the others, who readily accepted. It seemed that the battle they had fought together served to strengthen their bonds of friendship and trust.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. As for the Three Major Families, their defeat cost them greatly. Not only did they lose a large amount of warriors, but they also lost a great deal of reputation. After all, a Major Family was only considered "major" if they were powerful and had garnered either fear or respect from the other "minor" families. Unlike the Toxic Razortails, the Three Major Families were more conceited and boorish and had generated more fear and hate than respect from the other families. Thus, when the minor families saw the weakened state of the Three Major Families, they became more arrogant towards the three families. With all those hate that had built up through the decades, they started gathering together to attack and raid the three families as many times as possible. As for Novile and the leftover Sharpfang warriors from the battle, Matriarch Sheila had ordered their execution to be put on public display for all to see and sent out many messages to all of the minor families in the forests to come. More than 500 demonic beasts attended the public execution...some even curiously attracted by the "Free Food" that was written with the messages. Though the Sharpfang family wanted to stop the execution, they did not have the necessary power to do so. After all, most of their best warriors were the ones to be executed and not to mention the audience were all families that hated them. They feared that if they were show up, not only would they be unable to rescue their warriors, but they would also be unable to leave. All they could do were to watch in anger and horror from afar as Matriarch Sheila signaled for the execution to begin. Head by head was separated from his or her body. However, for Novile,...there was a more cruel and...interactive...death waiting for him. Novile had both his legs and arms broken and tied to a post. The post was held vertically over a large bundle of dry grass and branches. Matriarch Sheila looked at the large crowd watching the execution and bellowed, "Families! Friends! Guests! The Sharpfang tied to this post is the Young Patriarch of the Sharpfangs. I know you all have your grievances toward the Sharpfangs for the ways they had treated you throughout the years. I know that many of you have had families...friends...lovers...children slaughtered and eaten by those Sharpfangs. Today, we the Toxic Razortails will burn...cook these hated Sharpfangs. Come...join us for dinner!" Excitement and curiosity swelled within the attending demonic beasts as they watched Matriarch Sheila toss a burning branch into the bundle. As the fire spread, Novile screamed in pain. Without his mana core, he could not protect himself from the fire...he was just a crippled. Minutes later, Novile had screamed his last. His fur burned to ashes and fell from his body. As Novile''s corpse continued roasting, Matriarch Sheila ordered the beheaded Sharpfangs to be prepared for consumption. Both Soul and Aldred felt nauseous at the sight and excused themselves from the "party". Hours later, an aromatic scent permeated the air. Many demonic beasts gleamed in hunger and satisfaction as they stared at their "food". With the cooking done, Matriarch Sheila chopped the bodies into slices and presented them to the audience. Everyone rushed over to take a slice of Sharpfang meat. As if famished, they wolfed down the meat. The sight enraged the Sharpfangs who were watching and they could do nothing but grit their teeth and leave the premises. After the event, the minor families had a better opinion of Matriarch Sheila and the Toxic Razortails. Each demonic beast showed his or her respect to Matriarch Sheila and support for the Toxic Razortails. They did not mind it if the Toxic Razortails were to continue on as a Major Family despite their diminished numbers. Once the event was over, everybody left the grounds. As Matriarch Sheila and her family cleaned up the mess, a Toxic Razortail rushed over and whispered a few words in Matriarch Sheila''s ear. "WHAT?!" Chapter 44 - Insanity An hour ago, in Julia''s room.... .......... "N-No...no...I-I didn''t m-mean to...it''s n-not my f-fault...it''s not...it''s NOT...I...it...it''s not...it...could be...." A low mumbling echoed the room. Julia was terrified, her mind blanking out at times and confused at other times. Her eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and parts of her hair pulled out as she stressed over what had occurred that fateful day. She had killed all those Fox Dragons...she had killed...Skaal.... No, it wasn''t her fault. It was just an accident. She killed the Fox Dragons...they deserved it, just like those bandits who killed her brother and her parents. Like the bandits, those Fox Dragons killed her friends...they hurt Soul...they hurt her...they deserved it...they.... But...why did she kill Skaal? No, she was confused...scared...she didn''t realize it. It was an accident...it...but why did she have to kill Skaal? Not only did Julia obsessed with this matter throughout the week, she also began to think of other things...or rather...the voices...those damned voices...they just won''t stop! "I didn''t kill him...that wasn''t me...no...that...that was you...that was YOU...YOU!! Kuaaawwaaaahhhhh!!" Julia gasped as pain bore through her head. These types of episodes would occur and repeat over and over again each day...the pain at the end would increase exponentially. Today''s pain was extra intense. She felt like she was dying...that her head would explode at any moment. *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* "Lunch time." A Toxic Razortail guard replied outside of Julia''s room. "It wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...it wasn''t my fault...so...who''s fault was it?" Julia mumbled as she ignored the Toxic Razortail and rocked back and forth on the bed. "Hey, you alright in there? Come get your food! I don''t have time to waste on you." The guard called out as he opened the door and peered inside. "Who''s fault was it...who''s fault was it...who''s fault was it...was it yours? Was it mine? Was it yours? Was it mine? Was it yours? Yes...it was you...you...you...you...YOU! JULIA! YOU JULIA!! YOU WERE THE ONE THAT KILLED HIM NOT ME! It''s all Julia''s fault...all Julia''s fault...all her fault...all her fault...not mine...not mine...it was all Julia''s fault...then...who...am...I? " Julia mumbled intensely. Suddenly, she stopped mumbling. She fell to the ground and curled up, her ears covered as if she was trying to block out something. The guard, worried about her situation, hurried in to check up on her. Just as the guard knelt down beside Julia, Julia screamed and flailed her arms at the guard. With some unknown power, Julia smashed the guard into a wall. The sound of the scream coupled with the loud crash drew the attention of the rest of the guards. They rushed in and saw the Julia standing in a corner, her back facing the guards. The guard that came to bring Julia food laid crumbled by the wall next to the door. One of the guards rushed over and checked the unconscious guard. She sighed with relief when she made sure he was not die. The other guards cautiously strode towards the girl, making sure to encircle her in case she tried to escape. When one of the guards called her name, Julia turned around slowly, There was blood trickling down her eyes, her hair a mess and scratches on her face and neck.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. She looked creepily at the guards for a long minute before she suddenly screamed, "I''M NOT JULIA!!" The girl pounced at the guard who called her Julia and started to punch and scratch and bite and kick. The other guards grabbed her off the half-beaten guard and attempted to restrain her. One of the guards looked to another and roared, "Hurry! Tell Matriarch Sheila! The girl has gone insane!" .......... "What do you mean she''s attacking the guards!?" Matriarch Sheila hissed at the messenger. Some nearby Toxic Razortails turned at the outburst, curious as to what could have made their Matriarch so angry and surprised. "When the guard went give her food, he discovered the girl curled up and covering her ears." The messenger began, "As the guard called out to her, all he could hear was gibberish mumbling. When the guard opened the cell door to check up on her, she screamed unintelligibly and thrashed him to a wall. The other guards are currently trying to restrain her." "What are we waiting for? Let''s go!" The Matriarch and the messenger along with a few of her personal guards hurried over to the room where Julia was confined in. When they arrived, they saw Julia raving mad as she knocked most of the guards that tried to restrain her down. Matriarch Sheila was just about to call her personal guards to contain the young girl when a blurry figure ran past her. The figure stopped between her and the girl. The figure was...Aldred. "Julia! What are you doing? You need to stop this and calm down!" Aldred called out with his right hand held out. However, when Julia heard the name "Julia" being directed towards her, she exploded with anger. She dropped the half-conscious Toxic Razortail in her hands and pounced towards Aldred screaming, "I''M NOT JULIA!!" Aldred flinched at the inhumanly fast charge and reflexively brought up his hand to counterattack. His fist collided with the charging girl and a large boom followed. As Aldred stepped back, he anxiously called out to Julia hoping that she was alright. This, however, only caused the girl to incense even harder. Julia ignored her bruises and charged towards Aldred once again. Aldred backed away and exclaimed, "Okay! You''re not Julia...but at least you should know who I am, right? It''s me...Aldred!" As if on cue, Julia stopped all her movements. She stared blankly at Aldred as her mind tried to register what she had just heard, "A-Aldred?" "Yes...it''s me Aldred. So, please stop." "...no...no...no...NO...NO...NOOOOOO! IT WASN''T ME! IT WAS HER! IT WAS JULIA WHO KILLED SKAAL NOT ME! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Julia screamed out as terror appeared in her eyes. She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head fiercely. Aldred and the Toxic Razortails behind him stared at the mentally ill girl in front of them. She looked and acted like she was possessed. Aldred tried to calm her down once more but Julia erupted and blasted a hole into the wall opposite to the entrance. While still screaming unintelligibly, she ran out of the room and into the forest. Aldred rushed after her but just as he was about to catch her, Julia let out a large shock that blasted Aldred away. Numb and paralyzed from the sudden lightning attack, Aldred could do nothing but watch Julia disappear into the forests...her screams of terror and confusion growing fainter and fainter...until nothing. When Aldred''s numbness and paralysis died down, he rushed towards the direction that Julia ran off to. But no matter how much and how long he searched, Aldred was still unable to find the girl. It was like she just disappeared from existence. Aldred sighed a deep regret. If only he had not bring her here and instead forced her to stay at the inn, maybe...just maybe, Julia would be able to live a peaceful if not normal life. But now...now it was too late. Aldred sighed once more before heading back to the dwelling. Matriarch Sheila took one look at the dejected young boy and knew that he had failed to find Julia. She walked over to Aldred and comforted him. There was nothing he could do. Matriarch Sheila told him to forget about her and that he should focus on his training and bringing Skaal back. Aldred looked at his aunt and nodded in agreement. Chapter 45 - Departure Somewhere deep in the Demon Forests.... .......... "Third Elder! What do we do now? Both Patriarch and Young Patriarch are dead. The Grand Elder had fallen ill from the events that had transpired and is currently physically and mentally incapable of leading us. It all depends on you now." A young human-form Sharpfang bowed to a middle-aged gray beard Sharpfang in human-form. This was Third Elder Neil the third most influential Sharpfang in the Sharpfang family. "There''s not much we can do. With our strength cut down by more than half, we can only lay low. Fuck! We might need to move out of here and head back to the main family." Third Elder Neil sighed. "Should we prepare ourselves for departure?" "Hmmm, alright. Let''s do that. Go notify everyone that we will leave by tomorrow sunrise. How''s the situation with the Fox Dragons? Any word from them yet? Have they...have they found out about their Young Master?" "No, there hasn''t been any news from them. Our spies indicated that they showed no signs of movements. The Fox Dragon family might not know about their Young Master''s situation." "I hope that''s the case. We need to move out of here before they find out...." The Third Elder Neil trailed off as a familiar scent of blood pierced through his nostrils. "What''s that smell? Hey! Do you sme-!?" The Third Elder of the Sharpfang family gaped in surprise as he saw the Sharpfang in front of him stiffen with eyes bulging out in a dull and trance-like state. A thin trickle of blood flowed out of his mouth. The Sharpfang collapsed forward in front of the Third Elder, revealing part of his head sliced clean off. An eerie laughter resounded throughout the room. Third Elder Neil looked up and searched through the darkness until his eyes landed on a slight subtle and continuous movement. "YOU!!" The old Sharpfang gasped. "Haha! As expected of an elder from a branch family of the Sharpfang Clan. To be able to sense me...it''s truly a waste." The shadowy figure laughed dryly. "W-What do you want?" "Speak! Why did our Master suddenly lose his spirit connection with our Young Master? Where is Young Master? Did something happened to him?" "That....AARRRGGGGHHHH!!" The Sharpfang hesitated only to receive a piercing stab to his right shoulder. As the Sharpfang clenched his wound in pain and fell to his knees, the powerful Fox Dragon growled, "Are you a sissy? Stop acting like an idiot and speak or I swear I''ll tear you apart limb by limb and feed you to my snakes!!" "Please don''t kill me!" The Sharpfang bowed as low as he could go, terror filling his entirety, "It was not our fault! It...it was the Toxic Razortails! They were giving asylum to a human. It was that human who did it...it was him!" "What happened to the Young Master!" "That...that human...he killed the Young Master...."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "What!? Who?! Give me a name!" "Will you promise not to kill me?" "Give me a name and I''ll think about it." "Thank you so much. The human is a young boy that goes by the name of Aldred Blackehearth." "Good! Aldred Blackehearth...we the Fox Dragons will never let you go!" The Fox Dragon vowed as he suddenly grabbed the throat of the startled Sharpfang and lifted him up. "W-Wait! I''ve told y-you the human''s n-name! Y-You said y-you would let me g-go!" "No...I said I''ll think about it...and I''ve thought about it. Now die." The Fox Dragon explained before he clenched his grip. With a crack, the Fox Dragon crushed the Sharpfang''s throat. He dropped the limp corpse and dusted himself. He surveyed his surroundings and spoke one sentence before disappearing into the shadows. "Kill them all!" That night, hundreds of heart-wrenching screams echoed throughout the forests. .......... "Matriarch! Bad news! Terrible news!" A messenger rushed into the Main Hall, an apprehensive expression plastered on his face. Matriarch Sheila looked at the Toxic Razortail who barged in sweating and fretting. "What is it?" Matriarch Sheila asked. "The Sharpfangs...they...they''ve all been wiped out last night!" "What!? How did this happen?" "We don''t know but we did find that there were traces of Shadow magic! The Third Elder of the Sharpfang family was found with his throat crushed and his body half-devoured by snakes!" "Shadow magic? Snakes?! Oh shit! Shalik the Snake Blade! Quick! Bring Aldred here!" "Yes!" The messenger replied before leaving the hall. Matriarch Sheila sat down heavily and massaged her head. They know...the Fox Dragons now know who did it...who killed their Young Master. She needed to protect Aldred...she needed to send him away! *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* "Come in!" Matriarch Sheila replied. "You wanted to see me Aunt Sheila?" Aldred asked as he opened the door and walked in. "Sit down Aldred. I have some unsettling news to tell you." "What is it?" "The Fox Dragons...I just received news that they had wiped out the entire Sharpfang family last night. Elderly, children, women, crippled...none were spared." "This! So you think they know I killed their Young Master?" "Yes! You need to leave this place immediately. Go hide...um...I''ll contact the Mud Wyrms'' Patriarch. Maybe he will take you in for a while. The Fox Dragons don''t know of their involvement with us and even if they did, they have no way of finding the Mud Wyrms." "Okay. Then, I''ll go pack my things." Seeing Aldred leave the room, Matriarch Sheila sent a mental transmission to the Mud Wyrms'' Patriarch, "Patriarch Loam, I need a favor." "Well, what do we have here? Matriarch Sheila? It''s an honor. What can I do for you?" Patriarch Loam replied. "The Fox Dragons have caught wind of who it was that killed their Young Master.... Can you shelter him for a few months?" "Hmmm...we talking about that human boy right?" "Yes. Is there a problem with him being human?" "No...not really. But you do know we tend to travel in the dirt most of the day. Last I recall, humans suffocate underground...." "Oh, you don''t need to worry about Aldred. He''s developed an unique skill that let''s him tunnel underground and even stay there for long periods of time. So, it shouldn''t pose a problem." "A skill eh? Interesting! Fine, I''ll have someone come by in the afternoon to pick him up." "Thank you, thank you." "No problem. I''m sure you will return the favor someday." With the conversation ended on a positive note, Matriarch Sheila sighed with relief. She could feel a burden lifting from her shoulders. .......... A few hours after lunch.... .......... "They''re here! The Mud Wyrm escort is here!" A Toxic Razortail exclaimed. Aldred Blackehearth walked out with a bag of necessities slung over his shoulders. Soul followed him...he had begged both Aldred and Matriarch Sheila for permission to follow Aldred. After some time, they agreed. Matriarch Sheila contacted Patriarch Loam about the new addition and he agreed as well...carefully citing that Matriarch Sheila now owed him two favors. "You are the human Aldred correct? And this is Soul?" The Mud Wyrm escort asked. "Yes. And what may I call you?" Aldred replied. "This one is known as Tobalt. I am the nephew of our Esteemed Patriarch. You don''t have to be so formal...we are of the same age after all." "Ah, yes. It''s nice to meet you Tobalt." "Likewise." Chapter 46 - Terrible News At a small cabin next to a large flowing river.... .......... "Dear! I''m home! What''s for dinner?" A middle-aged, bulky man with graying hair and silver eyes bellowed cheerfully as he entered a small but homely log cabin. The man was Aldred''s father - Kyle Blackehearth. "Welcome home honey! We''re having your favorites - braised fish with chopped vegetables and roast pork." A slender and delicate woman replied as she walked out of the kitchen carrying a steaming dish of roast pork. She laid the dish on the table next to the fish dish and a basket of bread. After setting the last of the dishes, she walked up to her husband and gave him a kiss. The woman had rich golden hair with violet eyes and rosy lips. Her face, though beautiful, showed some signs of age. This woman was naturally Aldred''s mother - Elena Blackehearth. Elena looked at her husband expectantly. "So...did you find out anything about our boy?" "Yes! I asked an acquaintance...a fellow city guard. He said that our son was able to enter a school and a third ranked school at that." "Really?! That''s wonderful! Which school was it?" "I''m not particularly familiar with this school...this Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic. Elena, do you know of it?" "Nightingale Institute...of Combat Magic? Hmmm...no...it seemed that I don''t have any knowledge of this school. Could it be a recently formed school?" "Possibly. I had asked around at work, but none of my colleagues had ever heard of such a school." "I see...if Aldred had found a school, why hasn''t he written back?" "I don''t know...maybe he''s busy...maybe he had a lot of things to do and prepare for. After all, it''s only been a few days since he left. Besides, he''s in a school of magic yet he could not use mana. He''s going to have to put in extra effort and compensate by learning the various combat styles the school could offer." "Could something have happened to Aldred?" "It''s highly unlikely. All of the schools that had been given permission to recruit in Sola City had their validity checked by an official of the city. Don''t worry too much about it, dear. The school semester has just started...after Aldred gets situated, I''m sure he will write to us. Here, let''s eat before the food gets cold." "En...." .......... Three months later.... .......... "Is it true Elena?" Kyle rushed home from work as soon as he heard the news. There, sitting on the bed, was Elena. Beside her was a middle aged woman, most likely the midwife. "It''s true dear." Elena smiled as she saw her husband burst in excitedly. "Congratulations! You''re wife is one month pregnant. You must keep her from doing too much strenuous work. In addition, she needs to eat healthier and have plenty of rest. Anyways, you can see to her now. I''ll take my leave." The midwife replied as she walked over to Kyle before bowing and taking her leave. "Uh...yea I got it. Um...Elena, do you know...is it a boy or a girl?" "Haha, it''s only been a month...you can''t tell whether it''s a boy or a girl." Elena giggled as Kyle scratched his head in embarrassment. "What do you want?" "A baby girl would be nice." "Haha, I knew it. Will Aldred be happy with a sister?" "If it''s him...he''ll be the happiest."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Speaking of Aldred, any news from him? How come he hasn''t written to us yet? I''m a little worried." "There hasn''t been any news lately. Maybe he''s just busy with schoolwork. Here...how about you come with me tomorrow to the Merchant Union and we can both ask around for Aldred''s situation. The merchants there have traveled to many places and have heard of many things, maybe one of them will have what we want to know." "Okay." .......... The next morning.... .......... "Come on! Get up!" Elena said as she pulled Kyle out of bed. She was excited that there was a chance for her to inquire about the Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic and about her son''s situation there. "Alright, alright! I''m up. Elena, honey, you shouldn''t get too excited. Think of the baby." Kyle replied as he massaged his wife''s shoulders. "Ah...sorry. I''m just excited." "Don''t get too excited. You should know that we''re only there to ask. It''s not like they will definitely have the answer." "I know. But there''s still a chance they might." "Alright. Don''t fret. We have all the time we need. Why don''t we have some breakfast before going? You need to take care of yourself and the baby." "Okay. What do you want to eat?" "Let''s have something light...how about some porridge?" "Okay, just wait for a bit. I''ll make it quickly." "Don''t strain yourself. I''ll do it." "Oh? Are you able to? I''ve never seen you cook before." "Well, prepare to be amazed." With that, Kyle got out of bed and went to the kitchen to make some porridge. After breakfast, the Blackehearths got ready to leave. Kyle helped Elena saddle up his horse. Once she was situated firmly, Kyle mounted on behind her and they galloped towards the Merchant Union in Sola City. After an hour, they arrived at the gates of the city. Upon entering, the excited wife hurriedly pulled the old husband towards the Merchant Union branch office. "Welcome to the Merchant Union! What can I do for you?" A receptionist professionally asked as he saw Kyle and Elena walk in. "I want to inquire some information." Elena said as she pulled out a pouch containing some silver coins. "Okay. What type of information are you trying to find?" "I want to know about...." .......... An hour later.... .......... A disheartened couple languidly walked out of the Merchant Union building. The middle-aged man hugged and comforted his depressed wife. "Maybe the school is a pretty unknown school. I mean, how else can our boy be accepted given his No-Affinity status." "What are you saying Kyle? Even without magic, our son is strong and talented." Elena pushed Kyle away and gave him a stern look. "And he is. Just give it some time. All schools give out year end breaks. Students usually come home at that time. And I''m pretty sure Aldred will feel a bit homesick as well. I''m sure we''ll see Aldred then." "Okay." "Come. Don''t be too depressed. Why don''t we have some lunch? Let''s go to this restaurant, Elena. Isn''t it your favorite?" Kyle replied as he pointed towards a two-story brick building with a wooden balcony and a dragon head signpost. "En." After Kyle successfully comforted Elena and prevented any stress she may have had that would prove harmful to the baby in her womb, he led her to a well-known restaurant called Dragon Heart Tavern named after their famous dish. Once they found a table, Kyle signaled to a nearby waiter that they were ready to order. "What would you like to have?" The waiter bowed as he brought them the menu. "Hmm...let''s get the roasted salmon with sweet potatoes...and the scrambled eggs with sauteed onions. Oh, and bring a bottle of Revitalizer." Kyle replied as he handed the menu back to the waiter. "Very well. Please wait a moment." The waiter bowed again before heading towards the kitchen to process the order. "And here I expected you to order the signature dish - grilled dragon hearts with seasonal herbs." Elena replied with a light chuckle, her hand covering her mouth and her eyes sparkled with mirth. "Got to think of the baby. Grilled dragon hearts are too salty for you." "At least you know what''s right." The two quieted down after their short teasing. As they waited for their order, they listened to the gossip circulating around the restaurant. Some were news of demonic beast appearances while others were about which schools produced a genius and so forth. Suddenly, someone said five words that perked both Elena and Kyle''s interest - Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic. They both leaned closer in order to listen more clearly. "So, have you guys heard about the Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic that came to this city to recruit students?" Someone said. "No, I''ve never heard of that school. What rank was it? No-rank?" Another person asked curiously. "Third rank." "Really? That''s pretty decent. How come I''ve never heard of it?" "That''s the point. It turned out that school is just a paper school." "Paper school? What does that mean?" "You stupid or something? Paper school means that Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic isn''t a legitimate school...to put it more clearly, it was a fraudulent school...a fake." "What?! But aren''t all of the schools validated for their authenticity before they can send a recruiter into Sola City?" "Apparently, the official who was in charge of that was paid off. When the City Lord found out, he was pissed. That off-!" *CRASH!* Surprised by the loud noise, the people in the vicinity turned around towards the sound and saw a woman squirming on the floor, her face distorted in pain as she moaned laboriously. The middle-aged man next to her had rushed to her and held her tightly as he called out to her. "Elena! Elena, are you okay? Elena! Someone! Someone get a healer! Quick! Elena, you got to hold on! Elena!" Chapter 47 - Miscarriage "Miss, what''s the situation? She kept touching her abdomen and her face distorted with pain. Will she be alright?" Kyle asked the healer after she finished checking Elena''s body. "She was suffering from sharp pains to her stomach. These pains were caused by cramping due to extreme stress usually from a traumatizing event of some sort. But don''t worry, she will be fine." The healer replied, her head shaking as she said those words. "Is the baby going to be alright as well?" "That is the main issue I will be warning you today. Your wife was really lucky to have treatment for her pains so quickly after the cramps. If I had come a minute later, she wouldn''t be able to keep the child." "Then, the baby?!" "The baby is fine...for now. If the mother is to be exposed to any more traumatizing events, then the consequences will be dire. You understand right?" "Yes. I do." "Good, here is a list of medicinal herb she should take for the next couple of days. If something comes up, be sure to notify me as soon as possible. Now then, I''ll take my leave." "Thank you Miss Healer!" Once Kyle escorted the healer out of his house, he rushed towards his wife who was resting on the bed. Kyle pulled the blankets over his wife and brushed away some hair that was prickling her face. As Elena slept on, Kyle mused over what had happened today at the restaurant. He too heard that the school that his son was able to get accepted to turned out to be a fake school. What was going on? What happened to his son? Kyle worried that something might have happened to Aldred. However, he had a gut feeling - call it a father''s instinct - that his son was still alive. "My son is a natural born warrior. He won''t be kidnapped or killed so easily." Kyle muttered under his breath and he stared at the wooden floor in a trance-like manner. A stirring sound interrupted his train of thought. Kyle looked down at the source of the sound and smiled. His wife stirred peacefully and calmly in her sleep. Kyle caressed his wife''s cheek and muttered, "Don''t worry dear, Aldred will find his way home to us. We must believe in him. You must take good care of your health as well as the baby. Don''t you want to surprise Aldred when he comes back home?" .......... Two months later.... .......... It has been two months since the incident and Elena''s collapse. Since that day, Kyle had strove his best to calm Elena down and to keep her and the baby healthy. He had fed her well, prevented her from doing any house chores, and gave her plenty of fluids and rest. But most of all...he kept any news of Aldred and the Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic from Elena. Kyle did not want his wife to hurt herself again. Of course that did not mean Kyle had stopped inquiring about Aldred and the fake school. He tried every day to ask around the Merchant Union for any information, but each time he failed to obtain any. However, one day...he received a letter from a merchant he had befriended a few years ago. Kyle hurriedly grabbed the letter from the messenger''s hands and shakily stared at it. After a momentary pause, Kyle ripped open the seal and took out the letter. Slowly unfolding the letter, Kyle mentally prepared himself. He glanced down and quickly skimmed the contents. As soon as he finished, his eyes widened with shock and dread. No! This can''t be true! Kyle reread the letter but slowly, making sure not to miss any details however, the result was still the same.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Kyle staggered back as his knees started to numb. In the letter, it detailed that the so called Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic was a fake school and was instead a front to kidnap weak and desperate children to be sold to slavery. This meant that his son was sold as a slave to who knows where! The chances of his poor son surviving as a slave was low. Kyle lamented at the distressing news. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought about his poor child suffering at the hands of a slave owner. Suddenly, the door opened and Elena walked in. When she saw the teary-eyed husband of hers, she worryingly asked what was wrong. It was rare to see him cry. "Nothing, dear. I just got some dirt in my eyes." Kyle wiped his eyes as he quickly and secretly crumbled up the note and threw it into the fireplace nearby. However, Elena saw Kyle''s movements and quickly dispersed the fire, preventing the crumbled note from burning. Elena rushed over to pick up the balled-up piece of paper and asked Kyle what it was. When Kyle did not answer, Elena proceeded to open the letter. Kyle panicked and reached over to seize the paper from her hands, however, Elena sidestepped and tripped Kyle to the ground. The pregnant woman opened up the paper and read the contents much to the dismay of her husband. Kyle scrambled to his feet and snatched the letter from Elena''s hands...however, he was too late. Elena had already read the important portion of the letter. "Elena...you need to calm down. Our son is a warrior. He can take care of himself. He-!" Kyle tried to pacify his wife as he could see the agitation about to surge and erupt from Elena. However, it was too late. Elena was already in a daze, her mind blanking out as she ignored Kyle''s words. She was trying to register what she had read in the letter. Something about Nightingale Institute of Combat Magic...Aldred''s school. But the school was fake...it was...a front! That was what the letter had said. The school was actually a disguise used to lure children in and sell them as slaves...oh no! Then that means...Aldred! Upon realization, Elena screamed in terror, her mind bursting with stress. She looked at Kyle and tried to say something, but a sharp and stabbing pain pierced through her womb. She clutched her stomach and collapsed to her knees. She looked at Kyle desperately before fainting from the pain. As she collapsed stomach first, Kyle rushed towards Elena and held her in his arms. The panic-stricken middle-aged man cried out to his wife, trying to wake her up. He reached down to check for any wounds on Elena''s stomach and saw a terrible thing...Elena was bleeding profusely between her legs! Kyle grabbed onto his wife and quickly carried her to bed. Then, he quickly rushed out to bring in the healer from last time. After half an hour, Kyle and the healer hastily arrived at the log cabin. When they entered the bedroom, they saw Elena out of bed and huddling at a corner in the room - her face pallid and contorted with pain. She had her arms wrapped around her abdomen as she continued to moan in throbbing pain. There were a massive amount of blood on the bed and on the floor. Some grayish substance was mixed with the blood. When the healer took one look at the grayish substance, she shook her head in sorrow. She rushed towards Elena and cast a series of recovery and healing spells. Once Elena settled down and her face softened and reddened with health, the healer haggardly stood up and walked to Kyle. She pulled him out of the room told him of his wife''s condition. "Your wife is safe now. She will feel some numbness but there will be no more pain." The healer replied bluntly. "H-How''s the baby?" Kyle asked worryingly as he sighed with relief knowing that his wife was okay. "I''m sorry." The healer shook her head and apologized. Hearing this, Kyle froze. He knew that something bad had happened to the baby but he still asked. He wanted to make sure...he wanted to hear the healer say it. "Don''t tell me...miscarriage?" "I''m afraid so. I am truly sorry for your loss." The healer bowed apologetically. "I-Is there anything you can do?" "Sorry. The baby is dead. There''s nothing I can do." The healer replied before leaving the stunned man. Tears flowed down Kyle''s cheeks as he walked towards his traumatized wife. She looked up at him but did not see him...tears flowed down her face as well. Kyle embraced her tenderly and comforted her. He muttered and repeated words of comfort to Elena until fatigue overtook her and she fell asleep. Kyle lifted her up and carried her to the living room. He placed the sleeping woman onto the furred couch and covered some blankets over her. He knelt down and gently caressed her face as he sorrowfully muttered.... "Don''t worry my love. I''ll be here for you. We''ll get through this together." Chapter 48 - Entrance Exams at Creekspire Creekspire School of Magic Arts was one of the many 3rd ranked schools founded by a famous mage some hundreds of years ago. The academy consisted of a number of buildings scattered across a thousand acres of land. Most of these buildings were divided among five major departments - Combat Magic, Support Magic, Healing, Magic-Forging, and Potion-Making while the rest were used for housing and minor departments. When Nimel, Dora, Tanya, and the other newly recruited children arrived at the entrance of the school led by the recruiter Shawn Blastmoor, they were immediately brought over to be tested based on their magic potential, knowledge, and ability in order to determine what class they would be placed in. There were three classes - Stream, Creek, and River. Those who were placed into the Stream class were students who barely passed all three subjects. Those who were placed into the Creek class were students who scored according to last year''s average. Finally, those who were placed in the River class were the three top scorers of the new recruits. They were all geniuses with massive amount of potential, vast knowledge, and powerful abilities. And so, the children approached the testing platforms and turned their attention towards a trio of mages standing on the centermost platform. A bespectacled and bearded mage gnarled with age walked towards the children and introduced himself. "Greetings children. Welcome to Creekspire School of Magic Arts. I am the Head Proctor of the entrance exams and the Head Instructor of the Combat Magic Department - Darius Lionspark. You may address me as Head Instructor Lionspark." The elderly mage replied as he observed the group of children below the platform. The Head Proctor looked back to his left and to his right and introduced the two mages standing behind him. "The green haired and green robed mage here is the Head Instructor of the Support Magic Department - Trevion Chenalier. The black haired and blue robed mage is the Head Instructor of the Magic-Forging Department - Jarlos Manilk." "Welcome to the school children." Head Instructor Chenalier smiled as Head Instructor Manilk gave a curt nod. "Alright children, step up to each of the three platforms one by one and take your exams. For the first test, we will be testing your magic potential. Place your hand on this crystal obelisk and a number quantizing your potential will be displayed. For the second test, you will be tested on your knowledge of magic and will have to complete a short written exam within fifteen minutes. Finally, for the third test, you will be tasked to display a few of your most powerful spells in order to be judged." The Head Proctor replied as he explained the details of the tests. Then, he looked at his notebook which contained a list of the new students'' names. "First up is...." When it got to Nimel''s turn, he was able to score pretty decent. He displayed his powerful fire abilities and his vast potential by unleashing many fire spells ranging from low-tier to mid-tier. However, unfortunately, he barely scored past the average mark for magical knowledge so he was placed in the Creek class. Dora fared better as not only did she practiced her magic skills, she also studied vigorously and reviewed magic concepts daily. She was able to score second on the knowledge test and first overall in the group of new recruits...surprisingly the top scorer on the knowledge test was Terence Klemanot, the owl-rimmed glasses wearing kid with purple hair. However, his potential and magical abilities were rather weak so he was placed in the Stream class. And thus, with Dora''s test scores, she was able to enter the River class. Finally, after a number of other students had finished testing, it was Tanya''s turn. When Tanya stepped up to the testing platform, she placed her hand on the crystal obelisk. After a few seconds, a number displayed...gasps ensued from the observing crowd. Tanya''s number was high...record-breaking high! Could this be the rise of an Extraordinaire? The proctors hurried Tanya to the next test in order to prove or disprove their thoughts. Tanya approached the exam paper and began solving the questions in the given allotted time. After ten minutes, the young girl finished and turned in the papers. This was considered rather fast, but the main point to consider was whether Tanya was able to answer most of the problems correct or not. The other children gazed anxiously at the proctors who were judging the exam. Soon, a gasp was released from within the graders. Tanya had scored above a 90%. Though not full marks, this was still considered of genius level. Now, everyone was excited. The crowd below chattered with each other about the possible rise of a new Extraordinaire, but some people within the crowd grimaced at Tanya''s situation. They knew that she had no chance of being an Extraordinaire.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. When Head Proctor Lionspark asked Tanya to display her strongest spells for the third and final test, Tanya nervously chanted some incantations and cast a low-tier Ice Arrow. This brought a few disapproving expressions from the proctors. Seeing their faces, Tanya felt a bit light-headed and distressed. She wanted to meet their expectations but what could she do? After all, she was only a Novice 2nd Stage. There weren''t many spells for someone of her rank to learn and master. Oh...there was one spell that she had learned from her sister Tammy - Healing Rain, a mid-tier spell. But this spell used a lot of magic and Tanya knew that she did not have enough mana to cast it. But still...the way the judges looked at her and their ugly expressions when she fired the Ice Arrow...she did not want to disappoint. Maybe she will be able to cast the spell presently. Maybe she will have enough mana for the task. Tanya steadied her breath and steeled her nerves. She raised her hands and began gathering mana. "Healing Rain!" Tanya shouted as she let loose her mana into the skies. A bluish white light pierced the sky and began to attract the nearby clouds. The white clouds collided with each other and fused with each other, eventually becoming gray with a tinge of blue. The proctors looked at the formation in surprise and satisfaction. Healing Rain! This was a top level mid-tier healing spell. The young girl in the blue frilly dress before them will most likely be sent to the River class. This will be a great benefit for their school to raise an Extraordinaire. However, their joy dispersed seconds later. The gray clouds let loose a few drops of Healing Rain before stopping. Moments later, the clouds dispersed and a thud was heard on the testing stage. Tanya had overused her mana and fainted! Nimel and Dora rushed towards Tanya to check on her condition. "Head Proctor! My friend Tanya had fainted, will you permit us to take her to the Healing Ward?" Dora asked as she looked towards the three proctors. "Alright. Student Shawn, you show them where to go." The Head Proctor waved as he turned towards the other proctors without sparing Tanya a second glance. As the two brother and sister carried Tanya off the stage and followed Shawn, Proctor Chenalier asked the Head Proctor. "What should we do with this examinee?" "Hmph! What do you mean what should we do? Did you not see that sorry display of magical abilities?" Proctor Manilk snorted in disdain and dissatisfaction. "Brought my hopes up for nothing! For a moment, I thought our school will be able to produce an Extraordinaire, but who could have known how sad her abilities were?" "Yes...it was disappointing. Her name was Tanya...Moonscreek? Any relation to that promising rookie adventurer Tamalin Moonscreek?" Head Proctor Lionspark mused as he glanced at his fellow colleagues. "Yes, they''re sisters." Proctor Chenalier replied. "Hmph! To think the Moonscreek family could produce such a disappointment. How unfortunate!" Proctor Manilk humphed, a dark look appearing on his face. "What class should we place her in?" "Was there a need to ask? She will obviously be placed in the Stream class." "But she did so well in the other two tests." "What use are the other two tests if her magic capabilities amount to only that little? Since she did poorly on the test for magical ability, though barely passing, she should be placed in the Stream class as in accordance to our rules." Head Proctor Lionspark reasoned. "Alright, that''s that. Let''s finish up with the other new recruits and send them to their dorms." "Alright." The other proctors nodded their heads in agreement. Chapter 49 - First Day "Time to get up Mel! Today''s the first day of class. You shouldn''t be late." A voice boomed, waking the young master of the Dragonfire clan from his peaceful slumber. The owner of this thundering voice was none other than Stent O''Rian - his new roommate. They were randomly assigned as such when then both arrived at the dorm at the same time. The huge lumbering boy was the second son of a famous blacksmith in the West Market. Having discovered his potential for magic coupled with his love for smithing, Stent had decided to register for Creekspire in hopes of joining the department of Magic-Forging. Nimel groggily sat up and gazed at Stent, a hint of irritation swimming in his eyes. Though this roommate of his towered over him by two heads, the young Magic Forger was surprisingly a month younger than Nimel. Under Nimel''s red gaze, Stent embarrassingly scratched his head and habitually ran his hand through his short blond locks. "Sorry for waking you up Mel, but it''s the first day you know...and I''m just excited to go to class." "Don''t be, Stent. Come, I''m awake...let''s go get some breakfast." Nimel replied as he changed into his school uniform and swiftly departed the room with Stent following close behind. As the two young students approached the school cafeteria, Nimel spotted Dora and Tanya already eating at a table. Nimel pointed towards the girls and told Stent to sit over there when he received his food. Then, the young red-haired boy made a beeline towards the pastry section. After picking a selection of delicious sweets, Nimel brought his tray of food and sat down next to Tanya. Shortly, Stent approached the table with a bowl of creamy soup and three loaves of bread. Dora and Tanya stared at the large boy curiously as Nimel quickly introduced him. "This is Stent, my roommate." Nimel explained. "Stent, this is my twin sister Dora and our friend Tanya." The three students greeted each other with short nods before awkwardly digging into their food. Seeing the uncomfortable atmosphere, Nimel broke the silence with a light joke about the principal''s bald head and gnomish stature. "So, Tanya, have you decided on which department to enter or are you still undecided?" Nimel asked after chuckling with the others. Tanya tucked back a dangling lock of light blue hair behind her ears and smiled at Nimel. "En! I''ve decided to enter the Healing Department." "Healing? What about your Ice Spells?" Nimel asked with a jolt. "Don''t fret," Dora chuckled, bemused at the sight of Nimel''s slight distress. "Tanya''s going to major in Healing and minor in Combat Magic. That way, you can be with her for a few classes." "Ah, that''s good. I thi- wait! What do you mean ''I can be with her for a few classes''? There''s nothing going on between us." Nimel stammered as his face tinged with a hint of red. Fortunately, Tanya was focused with her croissant and did not pay attention to Dora''s remark. Luckily, the young boy''s short pause of embarrassment flitted away as his sister started talking about the classes they will be attending soon. Minutes later, the first bell for class rang. The four students hurriedly finished their breakfast and waved goodbye to each other before parting ways. Nimel and Dora headed to the Combat Magic Department where there first class in Magic Manipulation began while Tanya steered towards the Healing Department and Stent lumbered to the Magic-Forging Department. Of course, even though Nimel and Dora both have Magic Manipulation course, they are of different classes - one Creek and one River. Upon reaching the department, the twins separated as Dora headed upstairs and Nimel continued down the hall. Once Nimel entered the classroom and found a seat in the third row, the final bell rang - signaling the start of class. A bearded man walked in, his back slightly hunched and a monocle perched on his right eye. The middle-aged man stopped at the podium near the left end of the room and swept his beady eyes at the anxious students before him. He cleared his throat a few times before opening his mouth to speak.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Morning class, I am Professor Merlock. I will be your instructor for this Basic Magic Manipulation course." The gray haired professor boomed. "There will be a few exams both written and physical, as well as a group project at the end of each semester. You are not required to attend class...but it is recommended if you want to pass the class." The instructor continued on with his introduction of the course as well as the first lecture of the textbook. Nimel was never one to be interested in lectures over one hour long and thus he had fallen asleep multiple times. When the lecture was finally over, the class bell rang once more, awakening the young sleepyhead. The rest of his classes went by similarly with the exception of Magical Education also known as ME, where Nimel and the other students were tasked to perform various magical exercises and training. After the last of his classes had ended, Nimel rushed to the front entrance of the school to meet with Dora and Tanya. They had planned to go shopping for daily necessities after class. As they prepared to leave, a voice called out to them, stopping their tracks. When they turned around to look, they found Stent running towards them. "Oi! Wait up! W-Where are you guys going?" Stent asked as he finally caught up to the three friends. Nimel looked at his roommate who was bent over panting, trying to catch his breath. "We''re going shopping for some stuff. You want to come?" "Sure. I was going to do it tomorrow, but I can do it today." Stent looked up at his Nimel, a smile blooming on his face. "Okay, let''s go then. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back." Dora replied as she grabbed Nimel''s hand and pulled him along. After a few minutes, the four students arrived at the small market near the school. Most of the shop owners in the market were either alumni members of the school or they were well acquainted with a professor. Because of this, the small market was a relatively safe zone for young students like them. Consequently, there were many students of Creekspire roaming around within the market, looking for things to buy. As the four students wedged through the bustling crowd, they looked with wonder at the sights before them. Now remember, they were only young kids of six years of age...there were many interesting sights that their inexperienced eyes had not seen before. After goggling at a variety of objects, the four finally entered a potion shop. "Greetings young ones. What can I help you with?" The shop owner, a plump lady with dark green hair and rosy cheeks, smiled as she scrutinized the four individuals before her. With her years of experience, she could differentiate the "customers" from the "not interested" and the "just curious". From the looks of the four before her, she could tell that they were only curious. Knowing this fact, the shop owner immediately changed her attitude. Since the four students were just curious, the shop owner cleared her throat and began sweet talking. After all, a person who was "just curious" was like a cup filled halfway with water. It can be considered "half-empty" or "half-full" depending on one''s outlook of the contents. Now, depending on how one affects the water, they can change the status of the cup. One can drink the rest of the water to make it empty...or one can fill the cup with more water in order to make it full. Like this analogy states, a person who was "just curious" can be dissuaded from buying anything and become one of the "not interested" category or that same person can be persuaded...sweet talked into buying something and become one of the "customers" category. "I see this young lady has such beautiful skin. You must take good care of yourself. Why don''t you consider buying this potion...." The shop owner replied as she tried to seduce Tanya into buying a moisturizing potion said to freshens the user''s skin and protects it from the drying power of the sun. As Dora and Tanya looked with interest at the moisturizing potion, Stent and Nimel scanned around for anything interesting. Suddenly, Stent saw something shining in the corner. He walked towards the glow and picked up the source. It was a weirdly shaped glass filled with a golden-colored liquid. As if by a trance, the young Magic Forger stared at the potion and was only able to break free when Nimel shook him awake. Stent turned towards the shop owner excitedly and asked what the potion was. The shop owner saw the potion in the large boy''s hands and chuckled, "That''s what is known as the 2x potion." "2x? What a weird name." Nimel replied as he curiously peered at the glass bottle. "Well, you know those Alchemists, they sure have such poor naming sense. But still, the effects are legitimate." "What does it do?" "It gives a 2x boost to all stats for an hour. This potion is pretty uncommon and has a starting price of fifteen silvers. You still want it?" "Yes, I''ll buy it!" Stent called out as he happily nodded his head. But just as he replied, another voice coincided with his own. "I''ll take it!" Chapter 50 - Trouble at the Market "I''ll take it!" The voice called out as everyone turned towards the source of the voice, some out of disbelief and some out of curiosity. Standing by the doorway was a young boy of about ten years old. He had a skinny and pale appearance giving the impression that the young boy did not venture out in the sun often. The young boy had a rather cute appearance and would be considered adorable to many if not for his arrogant outlook towards others. Judging from the boy''s outfit, Nimel and his friends could discern that he was a rich noble. At a step behind the boy was a man wearing a suit of leather armor with a large broadsword holstered behind his back. The man had a calm complexion and his sharp eyes observed the store''s surroundings as if to check for anything suspicious. One look and people can see that the man must be the boy''s bodyguard. "Ah, if it isn''t Young Master Bredon. What can I do for you today?" The shop owner rushed towards the young boy and gave a small bow. "I want that potion." Bredon replied as he pointed at the 2x potion in Stent''s hands. "Now hold on a minute! Stent saw that first!" Nimel rushed forward, moving Stent behind him. As the older of the two, he felt that it was his obligation to protect his younger roommate. The guard standing behind Bredon, having judged the attitude of the young red-haired boy as presumptuous, dashed towards Nimel faster than the eye could see. And with a swift swipe, the man smashed Nimel to the side, barreling him into a wall and causing many potions on display racks to fall and break on top of Nimel. Such display of power marked the man to be no less than the Warrior Stage. The guard did not give a second glance towards the dazed young boy and proceeded to glare at Stent. With a thrust of his arm, he fiercely pushed Stent back before he could say anything, causing the large boy to drop the potion in his hands. Gasps were heard from the two girls who watched unmoving with surprise. Immediately after his push, the guard swiftly caught the falling potion and immediately withdrew to his young master''s side. The guard gave a small bow as he presented the 2x potion to Young Master Bredon. The ten-year old glance at the potion with a satisfactory nod and flicked a pouch full of silver coins to the shopkeeper. "That''s for the potion and any damages." "Thank you, thank you Young Master Bredon." The shop owner smiled as she grasped the pouch tightly. Just as the two were about to leave, Nimel staggered up and cried out, "Wait! How can you be so rude? Apologize to us!" These words caused the pre-teen to stop in his tracks. The boy slowly turned towards Nimel and glared at the young red-haired boy, a sneer crawled out from his originally calm expression. "A mere Creek class dared to tell me what to do?! You must be tired of living?" As if on cue, the guard by his side moved again. With a powerful lunge, the guard rammed into Nimel, knocking him to the ground once again. But now, the force of the impact sent poor Nimel spiraling into unconsciousness. The guard was just about to kick the unconscious boy when someone blocked his path and a streak of blue zigzagged towards him, causing him to jump back. It was Dora. She had rushed in front of her collapsed brother and shot out a Lightning spell at the guard. Even though the guard jumped back to avoid the attack, he miscalculated the range of the attack. The spell struck the guard, causing him to spasm. Now, normally, if this spell was to hit a normal person, they would be paralyzed for a few hours. But, for a Warrior, the effect would only last for a few seconds. Immediately after the effects wore off, the guard angrily raised his hand to slap the young girl when Bredon suddenly ordered him to stop. Dora, who had her head slightly turned to the side and her eyes closed, had expected a blow. However, there was no impact or pain. Curious of the situation, she slowly opened her eyes to peek. Standing before her was the snobbish noble who was sizing her up and down, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "And who are you?" Bredon asked. "T-That is none of y-your business!" Dora spluttered, a slight blush of anger and fright tinged her cheeks. The young master gazed at the blushing young girl and couldn''t help but feel a slight tingling sensation tugging at his heart. What an adorable girl! Interesting! With a sniff, Bredon turned around and exited the shop. His guard glared once more at the four children before following after him. A distance away, next to a horse-drawn carriage, Young Master Bredon stopped and held his right hand close to his mouth. A shadowy man suddenly appeared behind the boy. The man dressed in all black with a black wooden mask covering the entirety of his face. He walked closer and leaned forward, pressing his ear near the boy''s hand. "Find out who those four are and whether or not they have any powerful connections." Bredon replied without looking at the man. "Yes young master." The shadowy man bowed. With not a word more, the man quietly disappeared. Bredon climbed on the carriage along with his guard and signaled for the driver to start. With a snap of his whip, the driver urged the two horses to move, drawing the carriage away from the market. Meanwhile at the shop, Tanya knelt by Nimel''s side, her hands hovering above Nimel''s bruised chest. A greenish blue glow emitted from her hands and spread over the unconscious boy''s wound. After a few minutes, Nimel stirred and his eyes fluttered open. Dazed, he struggled to sit up. He looked around and saw Tanya tiredly wiping away sweat from her brow. Putting two and two together, Nimel knew that it was Tanya who had healed him. Gratitude overflowed in him and he was just about to thank Tanya when his sister rammed into him, knocking him back down. "Kugh! Easy Dora, that hurts." Nimel winced as he pushed Dora to the side. Stent approached him with an open hand and helped pull him to his feet. When Nimel asked what had happened to the rude boy, Dora told him of the events that occurred while he was out cold. After understanding the situation, Nimel told his friends that they should quickly buy their supplies and head back home. Both he and Stent were hurt and it would be dangerous if they had met with a similar situation again. Everyone seemed to agree to Nimel''s proposal and thus, they left the shop. The four soon found and bought their daily necessities. With no time to waste, they returned to their school. By the school gates, Nimel edged towards Tanya and quickly gave her a word of thanks for healing him before the boys and the girls separated to head to their dorms. .......... In one of the many privately owned housings in Creekspire, a blond-haired boy sat by a long table and was busy cutting a large slice of steak. Suddenly, a shadow flickered and a masked figure stepped out from within. "Speak!" The blond boy calmly voiced as he continued to cut his steak into bite-sized pieces. "Young Master Bredon, I have investigated the four children you had met earlier today at the market. The two red-haired children are Nimel and Dora Dragonfire of the Dragonfire family. They are twins. The boy is a Fire-Affinity Novice 4th Stage in the Creek class while the girl is a Lightning-Affinity Novice 3rd Stage in the River class. They are both six years old." "Dragonfire family? Aren''t they a branch family of the Dragon Clan?" "That is correct." "Will there be any problems?" "No, as long as they are not part of the main family, then there are no problems. You won''t incur the wrath of the Dragon Clan." "Then, that''s good...what about the other two?" "The large boy is called Stent O''Rian, the second son of a famous blacksmith in the West Market. He is an Earth-Affinity Novice 3rd Stage. He belongs in the Creek class. The blue haired girl is Tanya Moonscreek of the Moonscreek family. She is a Water-Affinity Novice 2nd Stage. She belongs in the Stream class. They are both also six years old." "Moonscreek family? Never heard of them." "They''re a small family with no major backing. Young Master does not need to worry about them." "Anything else?" "No young master." "Then, you may leave." "Yes young master." With another flicker of shadows, the man disappeared. Bredon sat on his chair, processing the information. Then, a smile played about his lips. Dora! What a cute name! Bredon took a bite of steak and chuckled to himself. Chapter 51 - You Again? "Hey Mel! How did you do on the exams?" Stent roared as he waved at the red haired boy leaning on the railing at the roof of Mireson Hall. Mel peered down at Stent, amazed at his enthusiastic behavior. With a wry grin, Mel vaulted over the railing and descended to the ground below. With a roll, he landed safely before his towering roommate. As the young boy dusted himself, he looked up and grimaced. Seeing Mel''s expression, Stent was able to deduce what his roommate scored on the year end exams. "Don''t feel bad bro. I''m sure you did fine." "Thanks for the comfort Stent." Mel smiled. "You know when they post our grades?" "Probably in an hour. What should we do in the meantime?" "I barely had anything to eat this morning, let''s go to the cafeteria and grab some brunch." "Okay." The two roommates headed towards the school''s cafeteria for some food. At this time, the cafeteria is transitioning from breakfast to lunch so the leftover breakfast items are still provided while new lunch items are dished out. The students of the academy had coined this transitioning period as brunch time. As Mel and Stent entered the cafeteria, they saw Dora and Tanya standing in line at the omelet section. The four friends greeted each other before the boys headed towards their favorite food sections. Minutes later, the four friends converged at one table where they began to eat and chat. After all, it has been many months since they last sat down and chat. It was a good chance to finally catch up with each other. "My word, Stent." Dora pointed, "That''s a lot of food." "I can''t help it. Forging artifacts drain me. I need lots of food to replenish my energy." Stent responded in between bites. "Then where did that belly come from?" Mel joked as he grabbed a handful of Stent''s belly fat. "T-That...." Stent stammered as he tried to think of an excuse. "Haha. Alright, alright, don''t tease Stent anymore." Tanya replied before turning to Mel, "So, how was your year? Ever since you raised your ranking and became a direct disciple to Elder Karen, we haven''t seen you much lately." "It was tough. All I did was hole myself in Master''s training room, training and studying." "Must be tiring. I''m sure you''ve improved though, right?" "Yea, under the strict teachings of Master, I was able to breakthrough to the first level of the Apprentice Stage." Mel remarked as he flexed his biceps, "I feel at least ten times stronger than before." "Wow, Apprentice 1st Stage? That''s amazing! I''m still only at the 3rd stage." Tanya pouted, "Even Dora is only at the peak of the Novice Stage."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Yea, well if you were to go through Master''s strict training, you would definitely breakthrough a couple of times too." "I don''t think I have the courage and determination to do that." "Haha. True, true. Anyways, what about you? What have you girls been up to these past months?" "Not much, as you know, we both broke through.... Oh, just yesterday, an elder asked Dora if she was willing to become his disciple." "Really? Who?" Stent asked. "It''s Elder Harrison of the Magic-Forging department." "Master Harrison? Why did he ask you?" "Master?" "Yea, I was accepted to be his student a few months back. I really liked his methods in forging and it took me quite a bit of pleading before he was willing to look at my skills. After he saw my craftsmanship, he was very impressed and accepted me." "Really? So that''s how it is." "So, have you decided on accepting?" "No...I needed more time to think." "I see...ah, that''s right. Dora, you''re a Combat Magic major like Mel." "Yea, Elder Harrison was impressed with my potion-making skills and he just happened to need an assistant in his potion research. But potion-making is only my minor." "That''s true." "Well other than that, nothing big has happened so far." "You forgot about that one incident." Tanya pointed out, causing Dora''s face to fall suddenly. "Wait, what incident?" Mel asked as he noticed the apparent change in his sister''s expression. "Did something happen to you Dora? Tell me!" "It''s nothing. Don''t worry about it. I can take care of it myself." Dora shook her head, not willing to tell Mel. She looked at Tanya, gesturing for her to keep her mouth zipped. "You''re lying. Every time you lie, you would scratch your left hand!" Mel exclaimed as he pointed at Dora''s hands. Realizing she was subconsciously scratching her left hand, Dora immediately clamped her hand down under the table in embarrassment. "Don''t worry about it. I''m serious." "We''re all friends here, you can tell us anything." Stent replied as he tried to reassure the dejected young girl. "Stent''s right. Not only am I your friend, I am your brother. There''s no need for secr-." Mel responded. But before he could finish, a shadow loomed over him. Mel turned around and saw a young man, roughly three years older standing before them. The blond, pale boy had a sneer on his face as he stared at the four friends. Behind him were two richly dressed boys, each with a sneer of their own. Something about this skinny man seemed...familiar, but not in a good way. "What do you want?" Mel asked as he looked at the trio disapprovingly. He had mostly kept to himself the past few months and didn''t involve himself in any trouble with other students. So, why did three popped up out of nowhere? The blond haired young man pushed past Mel and Stent, making his way towards Dora. Tanya grabbed at Dora''s sleeve, a sense of discomfort flushing over her. Dora glared at the young man and growled. "You again? What do you want?" "Dora, have you decided on my offer?" The young man asked as he flashed a haughty grin. "Give it up. There''s no way that''s going to happen?" Dora snapped, annoyance welling up from inside her. "It seems you don''t understand the situation here. Many girls want to have this opportunity but don''t get the chance. You should be honored to be given the fortune of becoming my girlfriend. You should understand that someone of your status can only be paired with someone of my status." "Hmph! Not happening means not happening!" The blond haired young man''s eyes flashed cold as he frowned. One of the lackeys behind him stepped forward and snarled, "Listen up bitch! Don''t think just because young master Bredon favors you, you could reject him like that. You better agree or else!" "Shut it!" Bredon roared as he gave a sharp kick towards the boy. With his strength at Apprentice 2nd Stage, a mere kick was able to send the boy skidding some distance away. Bredon turned towards Dora again and leered. "Become my girlfriend. This is your last chance. If you don''t comply, don''t blame me for using force!" Suddenly, a voice sounded behind Bredon as a hand clamped onto his right shoulder. "What did you just say, you fucker?!" Chapter 52 - Fight and Defeat Upon hearing this outburst, Bredon turned around in annoyance. Mel, who was angered by the rude and arrogant attitude the person before him had shown towards his sister, was furious to the point that veins bulged from his temple. He glared at the young master before him and gripped his shoulder tightly. Bredon shrugged his shoulder and slapped Mel''s hand away. He sneered at Mel and growled. "What the fuck do you want?" "You''re making my sister uncomfortable. Leave!" Mel spat in anger. "Fucking trash! How dare you speak to the young master like that? Do you want to die?" One of Bredon''s lackeys snarled as he stepped forward with his magic staff raised. Mel pretended to wince as he rubbed his ears. "You need to train your pathetic dogs more. They bark too much." "What!?" Bredon held up his hand and silenced the people beside him. Then, he glared at Mel and leered. "If you don''t want to become crippled, you should mind your own business." He turned to Dora and continued. "Many girls line up to have a chance with me. You should be honored for me to have my eyes set on you." "Thanks but no thanks. You''re not my type." Dora rejected with a humph. Bredon''s eyes narrowed as his expression stiffened a bit. No one has ever rejected him...no one. Though Bredon showed some anger after the rejection, he quickly changed his expression and grinned. "Interesting." Mel couldn''t stand to be ignored once again and placed himself between Bredon and Dora. He raised his hands and pushed the young master back. "Back off!" "Do you think I won''t beat the shit out of you?" Bredon pointed as his face burned with annoyance. "Who''s afraid of who? Bring it on!" Generally, fights were ignored by the teachers of the academy. They view that fighting was a good way for conflicting students to solve problems and gain battle experience. As long as no one was severely injured or killed, the teachers would turn a blind eye. As if experienced in such situations, Bredon followed Mel as he led them towards a large clearing. Dora, Tanya, Stent, as well as Bredon''s lackeys followed after them to watch. A couple of passerbys also heard the commotion and stopped to watch the fight. Some whispering to each other about who would win. Mel and Bredon both ignored the gossip and focused on each other. They had begun circling each other, fists raised and trying to spot an opening to attack. Suddenly, Mel saw that Bredon''s right arm was slightly lower than before. Chance! Mel lunged forward and thrust out his palm, a red aura enveloping his arm. This was known as Fire Enhance - an enhancement magic typically used to enhance weapons and armor with fire-based abilities and protection. For Mel to be able to use this magic on his own body proves how capable he was in Fire Magic. The enveloped palm darted forth and almost landed on Bredon''s chest, however, as if he was expecting it, Bredon quickly parried the arm with his left and twirled around quickly to unleash a sharp chop with his right. Mel dodged the chop attack and smashed his left fist forward. A loud boom erupted as his fist connected with Bredon''s left arm. The young master couldn''t withstand Mel''s explosive power and retreated a few steps while rubbing his numb arm. "Pretty good." Bredon muttered, a weird smile emerging from his face. "Ha! I''ll show you more!" Mel threw out a couple of more straights and hooks at his opponent who somehow seemed to easily dodge them. As Mel lunged forward sharply and punch out a right straight, Bredon suddenly jumped high in the air and attacked Mel with a spinning kick. Mel saw the attack and flipped back to avoid. However, as soon as he flipped back, a powerful gust of wind collided into him, blowing him off balance. As he landed on his butt, he realized the gust of wind was from Bredon. The spinning kick turned out to be a feint! Not wanting to be put at a disadvantage, Mel hurriedly scrambled to his feet and assumed a defense stance. He carefully observed the older boy in front of him, keeping close attention at his opponent''s body movements. As Mel tracked Bredon''s movements, the older boy stepped out with his right foot and with a spurt of energy...he disappeared! No! This was an Apprentice level wind-based skill called Wind Walk! Wind Walk was considered a strong movement spell that allowed the users to move as fast as the wind. However, that didn''t mean the move was overpowered. It had a weakness. Wind Walk allowed the user to move like the wind, however, it did not change the direction of natural wind. Thus, sometimes, when the user moved in the direction opposite to the direction of the natural wind, he or she could cause some fluctuations that can be sensed by people with some perception skills. Thus, Mel scanned his surroundings and tried his utmost to detect where his opponent went.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Suddenly, he noticed a small fluctuation in the air to his right. The fluctuation, though slight, was edging behind him. Mel sneered at the typical strategy Bredon was trying to do. Mel raised up his fist and sharply opened it, bursting intense fire magic from his palm. He threw the fireball over his shoulder and spun around. The fireball smashed into Bredon, causing him to grunt and reveal himself. As the older boy patted himself to rid his body of the flames, Mel darted towards him and kneed him with a flying knee to the chest. Bredon tumbled back and rolled a couple of times before smashing into a nearby tree. Mel roared in victory and smirked at the fallen boy. "Had enough? If so, scram!" However, an eerie laugh answered him. Bredon, seemingly uninjured, rose from the crash site and walked towards Mel as he dusted his clothes. The older boy rubbed his neck and cracked a few knuckles. "How weak! Your attacks only sting a bit. Did you not eat or something? Or is this all you got?" Mel roared once more and threw fireball after fireball at Bredon. The older boy dodged the fireballs as he walked towards Mel, all along while laughing and commenting on how insignificant Mel''s attacks were. Initially, Mel''s friends were cheering after seeing how Mel was having the upper hand, but when Bredon admitted that he was just toying with Mel and that he was just testing the kid''s capabilities, they became worried. Could Bredon be telling the truth? Was he really testing Mel''s limits? The more Mel missed, the more worried he got and the more worried he got, the angrier he became. Despite unable to land another hit, Mel continued to attack. Mel cupped his hands to his mouth and inhaled sharply. As soon as his lungs reached their limits, he gathered fire magic to his mouth and blew deeply. Fire emerged from his mouth and sprayed all over Bredon, who had quickly lifted his arms up and swooshed a draft of air upwards. The "Wind Wall" was barely able to block Mel''s "Fire Breath". Once the fire attack dispersed, Bredon noticed that Mel wasn''t in front of him anymore. He surveyed his surroundings using both his ears and his eyes. The older boy was able to expertly locate Mel''s position by the sound of his footsteps and turned to counter any attacks coming his way. BOOM! Mel''s raging right uppercut smashed upwards into Bredon''s jaw, knocking him flying towards unconsciousness...or at least that''s what he had planned to happen. However, contrary to his expectations, his opponent had turned towards him all of a sudden and swiftly caught the uppercut. With one hand caught in what felt like an iron grip, his entire right side became defenseless! Bredon pushed forward with an open-palm attack and connected at Mel''s side. A creaking sound emitted from the young Dragonfire and a groan of pain erupted from his mouth. Mel slumped down onto the ground, his hands clutching his side as he writhed in agony. It felt like his entire insides had been scrambled by Bredon''s palm attack. This could not be any ordinary attack. "Painful isn''t it? This is one of my Vyndol family''s special martial skill - Raging Cyclone of the Cyclone Fist. You probably won''t be able to move for a day or two." Bredon sneered as he continued to kick the collapsed boy. "Mel! You bastard! Stop it!" Stent roared as he saw Bredon continue to beat his collapsed roommate. Bredon kicked Mel to the side and met Stent''s charge with a flying kick. The sharp kick embedded into the lumbering giant''s stomach, knocking him down. Stent groaned in pain as he curled up on the ground. Bredon looked around at the bystanders and raised his hands in arrogance. "Who else wants to interfere?" All of the passerbys who had stopped to watch earlier immediately turned their heads and left. In less than a minute, only Mel''s friends and Bredon''s lackeys were left. Seeing that no one was going to intervene, Bredon continued to kick the two collapsed boys. Dora stepped out and pleaded for the older boy to stop. When he did not, Dora reached out and held onto his hand. Bredon turned his attention towards the young girl and said one word...beg. Dora''s expression stiffened at the word. She was a child of the Dragonfire family - one of the more noble families in the country. For her to kneel and beg...would humiliate not only her but also her family. When Bredon saw her hesitation, he raised his foot and prepared to stomp on Stent''s leg. The glint in his eyes clearly showed his intention to cripple the child of the O''Rian family. Right before the stomp made contact, a thudding sound burst out and a gasp could be heard. Dora had fell to her knees. She didn''t want Stent to become crippled...she didn''t want him to be thrown under the carriage for her mess. Dora glanced at Bredon, her glaring eyes gradually softened to a plead. Seeing her pleading expression, Bredon smiled. "Much better." "N-Now will you let them go?" Dora asked tentatively, a tired look emerging from her pale face. "Hmmm, go on a date with me." "T-That...." "Bredon, don''t go overboard!" Tanya managed to respond after bringing up what little courage she had, but she quickly shrank back as one of Bredon''s lackeys raised a fist towards her. "Well?" The older boy asked expectantly. Dora''s lip quivered slightly as her eyes welled up. After a moment, she silently and reluctantly agreed. "Hahaha! That wasn''t so hard. I''ll be waiting for you by your dorm tomorrow after class." With a wave of his hand, the young master of the Vyndol family departed from the scene, his lackeys following closely after him. After Bredon left, tears began to uncontrollably roll down Dora''s eyes. She wavered a bit before swooning over. Tanya rushed over and hugged Dora. She held the young girl up as they walked over to Mel and Stent. Tanya bent down and checked on the two boys'' injuries before the two girls helped them to the infirmary. Chapter 53 - Regrets and Determination "Stay here and get some rest. I''ll notify your teachers." The nurse ordered as she brought over a couple of paper slips for the young boys to sign. "It''s not serious is it?" Dora asked, her eyebrows furrowed with worry. "Apart from the bruises, there are some fractures and minor broken bones. But don''t worry, it''s nothing worrisome. After a healing session and a few hours of rest, they''ll be good as new." "That''s good. Thank you so much." "No problem. Alright, you girls should leave. They need their peace and quiet." "Okay." After seeing the girls off, the nurse turned back to Mel and Stent. "I''m going to go submit these forms to the Principal so he can notify your teachers of your absence. You guys stay here and don''t move about, okay?" "We understand." After hearing their confirmation, the nurse smiled and left the room. In the peaceful state of the infirmary, Stent suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "Mel.... Am I weak?" "No, Stent. Why do you say that?" "The fight...I couldn''t do anything to help...I was useless." "There''s no helping it. That bastard was just too strong. Even I couldn''t do anything. I-I should have paid more attention in class. I was too conceited." Stent gingerly rolled to the side and looked at Mel, "I want to get stronger...no, I need to get stronger." "Yea. We both need to get stronger or how else will we be able to protect our friends? Like my old man used to say...''To protect his family and friends, one must be powerful.''" Stent repeated those words silently and nodded in agreement. "I think I''m going to minor in Combat Magic." "Minor in Combat Magic? You shouldn''t."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "W-Why not? Are you worried about my grades? Don''t worry. I also have the foundation for Combat Magic. It shouldn''t be a problem for me to pass the classes." "No, it''s not that." "Then, what are you talking about?" "Didn''t you say you wanted to become Grand Forger?" "Yea?" "How can you accomplish that if you don''t focus solely on Magic Forging?" "Magic Forging won''t make me strong. How can I defend myself or protect my friends without Combat Magic?" "That can be solved easily. I can teach you some fighting techniques and Combat spells. There are a few Foundation Techniques from my family you can use freely." "Your family is proficient in Fire Magic...different from what I''m good at. Those Foundation Techniques of yours are probably not suitable for me. That can also be said for those Combat spells of yours. I think learning from a teacher would be more helpful." "But the expenses...." Mel glanced towards Stent worryingly. Mel knew that even though Stent came from a middle-class family, he won''t be able to pay for the tuition garnered from both a major and a minor. "Don''t worry about it. I''ve earned some coins from my part-time job working for the city''s blacksmith. I''ll manage." "Oh, alright. But, if you are ever short on money...ask me. I''ll help out. After all, we''re friends." "Thanks." The two boys laid on their beds after their conversation and both looked towards the bleak future with hope and motivation. .......... At Dora''s room.... .......... Tanya walked up to Dora and hugged her. "Don''t be sad, Dora. I''m sure things will work out." "You don''t know for sure. Who knows what that bully would do to me." Dora glared at Tanya before her eyes softened once more with depression. Dora wiped away her tears and climbed on top of her bed. She huddled at the head of the bed and hugged her knees. "My parents initially didn''t want me to join an academy." "What do you mean?" Tanya asked curiously as she sat next to her friend. "They told me that they were worried about my well-being. Especially mother...she said I should stay home and learn from a home tutor. I thought she was just being ridiculous. I mean, why was Mel allowed to venture out but not me?" "Then, how did you convince them to let you go?" "I...I didn''t. I ran away from home. By the time my parents found out my whereabouts, I''ve already joined this school." "I see." "I was so stupid. I should have heed my parents'' warnings and stayed home instead. Now, look at me.... I''ve brought too much trouble to you guys." At this point, Dora could not hold in her depressed emotions anymore and tears began to well from her eyes once more. Hearing the young girl sob, Tanya too began to feel that she was about to cry as well. And so, the two friends sobbed silently in each other''s arms. Once the two young girls cried their hearts out, they finally settled down. Dora thanked Tanya for being there for her. Feeling better, Dora remarked with some determination. "Right now, I am too weak. If I want to protect myself, I need to get stronger." "Me too." Tanya chirped in. "I want to be stronger as well. I want to have the power to protect you from bullies." "Thanks Tanya." Dora chuckled as she hugged her best friend again. "We''ll protect each other from bullies." Chapter 54 - Baby It has been a few months since Elena''s miscarriage. Kyle tried everything in his power to cheer his wife up. However, even with the help of some friendly neighbors from a nearby village, he was unsuccessful as his wife''s health slowly and continuously deteriorated. She became unresponsive and had seemingly given up on life. Kyle would regularly see Elena huddle up by the living room''s window, staring outside and disregarding bodily needs such as hunger and sleep. Scared for his wife''s condition, the middle-aged warrior begged the healer from the nearby village to help out. After a few visits from the village healer, the old man recommended Kyle a temporary treatment for Elena''s declining condition. He described to Kyle a list of key ingredients that could boost his wife''s immune system and vitality. So, with that in mind, Kyle set off for the mountains early the next day carrying only his hunting knife and a bag. Before he headed out, Kyle left a note for his wife, detailing his trip to the mountains so that she would not worry about him though it seemed highly unlikely whether she would read this note or not. Nevertheless, he wrote that he would come back before sundown and should she feel hungry, there were a few sandwiches plated on the dinner table. As Kyle headed towards the mountains of Kuuri, he reviewed the contents of the list. The materials, the village healer had Kyle retrieve, were mostly for increasing blood circulation and fighting fevers. Kyle had to search for meat of a Trihorn Elk which was known to be very nutritious, blood of a Rock Turtle to increase blood circulation, a few stalks of Water Bamboo as well as some sap of the Phoenix Willow to fight off infections and fevers - all of which he could locate in the Kuuri Mountains. With his energetic pace, the journey to the mountains took him only a few hours. When he reached the base of the mountains, the sun was just peeking out from the horizon. Kyle took a deep breath and savored the fresh scent of morning air. After a few deep breaths to calm his nerves, it was time to search for the materials. The easiest option on the list was the Trihorn Elk who loved to graze the moist morning grass in a grass clearing at the foot of the mountains. These animals were peaceful creatures who traveled in large groups and tended to be more "flight" than "fight" so there would be less chance of retaliation. Kyle searched the base of the mountains for suitable grass clearings until he found one that was conveniently located by a small stream. As it was still early in the morning, the herd of Trihorn Elk had not arrived yet, which allowed Kyle some time to quickly set up a few makeshift traps. The choice of traps that the middle-aged man had decided upon was the simple swinging spiked log. After setting up the traps, the old warrior hid behind some tall bushes and waited for the animals to arrive. Unfortunately for him, animals other than the intended Trihorn Elk scurried over to graze the grass or drink from the small stream. Not wanting his traps to be tampered with, Kyle rushed out to shoo away the animals. This went on for an hour or so until finally, everything was settled down and the middle-aged man crouched behind his hiding spot once again. About half an hour later, Kyle heard some rustling and galloping sounds in the distance. He strained his eyes towards the direction of the sounds to check and smiled when he saw that it was indeed a herd of Trihorn Elk. Every animal within this herd had three horns each, regardless of gender. The only difference was the shape and size of the horns. For the males, they had deer-like antlers on each side and a curved horn in the center. As for the females, they had three straight horns of medium length with the center horn a little bit longer than the other two. These Trihorn Elks were not suspicious of their surroundings as they confidently strode into the grass clearing. As some began grazing, others skipped towards the stream to drink the cool water. While the animals lowered their guards, Kyle decided to carry out his plan. He carefully approached them at one side. ROAR! The middle-aged man hollered at the top of his lungs, frightening the Trihorn Elks. The scared animals stumbled upon one another as they ran away from the man...straight for the traps. Kyle dashed after the elk, carefully herding them towards the direction of the traps. As he neared a tree, he suddenly pulled out his sharp hunting blade and slashed at a rope tied to the tree. With the rope cut, a spiked log swung out of nowhere and pierced towards some Trihorn Elks. Most of the elk herd saw the incoming sharpened log and managed to avoid the deadly trap. However, there were a couple of unlucky ones who were either stabbed or knocked back. While Kyle kept herding the elk, he unleashed the second log trap. This time, the Trihorn Elks expected the trap and thus none of the elks were hit...pity, a waste of a good trap. As the remaining elks escaped into the forests, Kyle strolled towards the wounded elks. The middle-aged warrior surveyed the scene before him. Two elks dead, with gaping wounds at their sides, and three more slightly wounded. Kyle was not a greedy person by nature and thus, he allowed the wounded elks to retreat. Quickly, the warrior went to work. He started to dissect and prepare the two elks for storage. First, Kyle sawed off the horns of the two male elks and stored the horns in his bag. Next, he slashed off the heads and dropped them into a small pit he had prepared earlier. Afterwards, he would open up the bodies and pull out all of the organs. As he separated the inedible organs like the intestines and stomach as well as the reproductive organs with the edible organs, he dumped the inedible organs into the small pit. Once he cleaned the body, he buried the inedible organs along with the heads. But he cannot rest as the preparation process was only halfway done. He still had to skin the animals and cut the meat and edible organs into manageable pieces. As soon as that was done, he would began smoking the meat and some of the organs for preservation. By the time he was finished, it was nearly noon. Kyle began to set up camp by building a fireplace using nearby stones and dead branches. He strode towards the river and searched around in the waters until finally, he pulled out a large thing plate-like stone. Washing off the dirt, he placed the slab on top of his fire. Then, he grabbed the hearts and lungs of the Trihorn Elks and grilled them over the stone plate.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Soon, a rich aroma flurried in the air. The sound of grumbling hunger erupted from within the middle-aged man. Even though he was the only one in the vicinity, Kyle still blushed with slight embarrassment. After prodding the slices of cooked organs with a stick, he nodded with satisfaction and began to eat. Kyle wolfed down the delicious food with gutso, ignoring the pain that came with the hotness. Suddenly, the middle-aged man made a pained expression. He pounded on his chest a couple of times and fervently glanced around him. Upon seeing the river, he rushed towards it and plunged his head into the waters. After taking in a couple of long gulps of water, he reemerged with blissful satisfaction. He had just suffered from eating too fast...nothing like a few mouthfuls of cool spring water to wash it down. As he washed his face and hands, his ears suddenly perked up. There was a distinct sound coming from the distance...farther in the mountains. It...it sounded like crying...a baby''s crying! Why would there be a baby so deep in the mountains? Then, Kyle remembered something he had heard from the neighboring village gossipers. Because of hard times, unwanted babies, whether they be deformed or just another mouth to feed, were abandoned in the mountains or in the forests. Could this be something similar? Kyle rushed towards his campsite and kicked dirt into the fire. Then, he packed up everything and headed towards the mouth of the Kuuri Mountains. The sounds of the baby''s cries were faint but they were loud enough for a strong and sensitive warrior like Kyle to detect. The middle-aged man worried that the baby might meet some danger and hurriedly entered the mountains. Making sure he stayed on the hiking path, he rushed towards the sound of the wails. After a few minutes, he was able to pinpoint the sound coming from a cliff some distance off course away from the hiking path. As he approached the cliff, the cries stopped and a loud thud could be heard. Fearing the worst, Kyle clambered up the rocky surface. What laid before his eyes at the top was a naked baby boy, covered in dust and sitting on a pile of chipped stones. There was a dazed look in his eyes. A large, weirdly shaped boulder cratered beside the baby. The baby sat there, too tired to move or cry. His eyes met Kyle''s as they stared at each other curiously. The middle-aged man slowly approached the baby, his hand held up to soothe the baby. "Hey little fella, you alright? I won''t hurt you. Are you by yourself?" Kyle crouched down and smiled at the boy. "Don''t worry, you''re safe now. You''re safe." As if all of his energy depleted upon hearing those words, the baby closed his eyes and collapsed asleep on the stones. Kyle quickly took off his outer jacket and wrapped the baby in it. Upon closer examination, the baby had dark brown eyebrows with cute features. His ears were small and a bit pointy at the end. Kyle saw that the baby had a distinct reddish mark on his right shoulder. The mark looked almost like the character for ''earth''. However, the middle-aged man did not think too much of it and dismissed it as just an unique birthmark. Kyle did not waste anymore time and decided to return home first so that he can find some proper help with the baby. As for the treatment for his wife...at least he was able to bring home some Trihorn Elk meat. He''ll have to make do with that and forage for the remaining ingredients some other day. As Kyle departed from the scene, something occurred behind him that would have shocked the middle-aged warrior if he had seen or heard it. The large boulder that was found next to the baby trembled slightly and opened up with a low hiss. What was inside was revealed to be the bruised mess of a monster! This rock wasn''t just an ordinary rock...it was a Rock Spider! The Rock Spider was dead. It looked as if someone...something had thrashed it into pulp. Just who could have done that? .......... It was well in the afternoon when Kyle descended from the mountains. Before he went home, he visited the nearby village''s elder and asked him whether or not anyone had abandoned or lost a baby. Seeing that no one claimed the baby boy as their own, Kyle decided to bring the baby home first and visit the other neighboring villages tomorrow. Upon arrival, he noticed that Elena had not moved from the window. The sandwiches were untouched as well. Kyle grimaced and sighed heavily. As he entered the living room, he dropped the bag containing his equipment and the Trihorn Elk meat. The baby boy slung over Kyle''s shoulder suddenly woke up from the loud noise. The baby began to cry upon seeing the unfamiliar scene before his eyes. Kyle reached over and tried to cradle the baby in order to calm him down, but to no avail. Then, Elena appeared before him. Kyle was startled by the sudden appearance that he nearly dropped the baby in his arms. However, Elena hurriedly reached over and held the baby in her arms. An unusual expression surfaced on her face as the middle-aged woman cradled the baby and cooed him back to sleep. "That...Elena...I found him in the mountains. I need to take him to the other villages." Kyle held his hand towards the baby but Elena spun around, hugging the baby close. "What are you talking about? This is Kal." "K-Kal?" "Oh, you silly-head. This is Kal, our son." "O-Our son...wait Elena, are you feeling alright? Our son''s name is Aldred. He...he died...remember?" "What are you talking about? How can you make such a crude joke? Aldred is studying as a student in a faraway academy. It''s hard for him to contact us but I''m sure he''ll return home when he gets the chance." "T-That...." "Besides, this is our second son. Don''t you remember?" "But...but...." Kyle tried to refute but seeing his wife''s calm and cheerful expression, a far improvement from her original state, he could do nothing but nod his head. Since Elena''s mind had deteriorated so much that she now believed that their son Aldred was still alive and that the baby in her arms was their second son, Kyle didn''t want to disrupt this weird peace of mind and decided to play along. The child was abandoned. That was...must be the case. The two of them might as well adopt him in order to ease the pain and suffering they had experienced. And so, the middle-aged man accepted this twist of fate. He walked towards his bags and began preparing some food. When he called his wife over for dinner, Elena strolled over and began to eat. Seeing her finally eating something, Kyle smiled. Updates I know that I haven''t posted any new chapters lately. Don''t worry. This doesn''t mean I''m dropping this novel. In fact, after formulating a number of summaries for each arc, I realize that I may need to rewrite some of the earlier chapters. Now this doesn''t mean that it will be a complete rewrite, I''ll just add a few things and change a few things. Also, I may want to change the title to something better. While I do that, I will also continue with the story.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But, that will have to wait. You see, I''m near finishing "Ping Pong King" with about 20 pages left. Also, I have two chapters left until I finish Part One of "Rise of the Shadow Walker". I would like to get them done first in order for me to have more time to spend on "Fighting God". If you guys can''t wait, I suggest you try reading "Rise of the Shadow Walker". Thank you for your patience. Chapter 55 - Kyle and Kals Little Secret During the couple of months Kyle and Elena spent with Kal, a few strange things popped up here and there. While Elena did not pay too much attention to it, Kyle, however, was keen to the strange occurrences. Having asked around the nearby villages and still have not found any signs of where the baby came from or whose baby he was, Kyle began observing the baby cautiously. Maybe he could determine some things about the baby by the way he acted and behaved. Soon, weird incidences appeared, causing Kyle to become even more curious. Hard objects broke near baby Kal. Having given up on milk in a matter of days, the baby had a ferocious appetite for meat and bananas. Teeth had already grown from his mouth with four long canines. The kid could even walk now, though sometimes at night, it would walk on fours and growl at random things. He had a penchant for climbing as often Kyle would find the baby up a tree or on the roof of the house. Not to mention, the baby was highly intelligent and was able to speak and understand quite a few words. One day, while Elena was out shopping after having recovered substantially, Kyle caught sight of Kal transforming into...a baby primate! This baby was not human but a demon beast! Kyle knew that only powerful demon beasts could transform into human forms. Does this mean that the middle-aged couple were in danger? Kyle must get rid of the baby. However, the old warrior could not bring himself to do it after a few minutes of internal struggle. No matter what, the baby had brought happiness to their depressed life. And, even if it was a demon beast, it had not harmed them in any way thus far. Therefore, Kyle made up his mind and decided to continue raising it. Nevertheless, there are a few things he needed to make clear with the baby. In the meantime, he would try his best to keep the secret from Elena. Kyle walked up to Kal while he was still in beast form, making sure that the baby noticed his movements. When Kal saw his adopted father come in, he panicked. He scrambled up a tree and hid behind some branches. Two glowing golden eyes peered out at the middle-aged man. Kyle stopped a few feet from the tree and beckoned towards Kal with a gentle smile. "It''s alright. Kal, you don''t have to worry about anything. I...I''m not a bigot. I won''t treat you with disdain. Please come down here. I want to talk to you." Kal whimpered slightly and questioned suspiciously, "You aren''t afraid of my appearance? You won''t kill me?" You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. "Heavens, no! You have not brought harm to me and my wife. Instead, you have brought peace into our once depressed life. Why would I kill you? Where did you get that idea from?" "I-I don''t know. I just did." "Just did? Like instinct?" Kyle widened his eyes slightly. "M-Maybe? I''m not sure." "Alright. Enough of that. Come down here. Don''t be afraid. I said it earlier. I''m not going to hurt you." "Really?" Kal asked as he hesitantly peered at the human male who had taken care of him these past few months. Upon seeing the man''s kind smile and gentle disposition, he agreed soon after. Kyle sized up the young demon beast as he swung down, landing right next to him. Kal had short, black fur with piercing golden eyes. Now that the young demon beast dropped his initial hostile look, Kyle found that the young demon beast looked kind of adorable. Kyle smiled at Kal and asked. "What type of demon beast are you? Some sort of monkey? Hmm, no, you don''t have a long tail...then, an ape?" "I''m not sure either. I-I don''t know what I am." "Hmm, well, it doesn''t really matter. So, what is your real age? Are you truly just a baby? I thought those that can transform into human forms should at least be in their adulthood?" "I...I don''t know. I don''t remember." Kal bowed his head and muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Kyle murmured back. Could this be¡­amnesia? ¡°S-So, what¡¯s going to happen to me now?¡± The primate questioned, a look of worry flashed through his expression. ¡°As long as you promise me two conditions, I¡¯ll allow you to continue living with us.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Oh ho, now hold up. Aren¡¯t you curious about the two conditions?¡± ¡°Ah¡­yea. Kind of¡­what are they?¡± ¡°First, never show your true form to anyone else¡­not even Elena. Second, my wife has taken a liking to you. Please treat her as your mother from now on¡­and you can also treat me as your father as well. Can you do that?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m willing¡­I can!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Kyle raised up his hand, palm facing Kal. ¡°Our little secret, okay?¡± The young demon beast reached up and swung his paw, a resounding high-five could be heard as the two sealed their agreement. Suddenly, a rustling sound could be heard from the distance. Kyle quickly turned around, shielding Kal from any potential observers, and peered towards the trail. It was Elena; she had just come back from shopping, her arms limping from too much groceries. ¡°Kyle! Don¡¯t just stand there! Help me out!¡± Elena dropped the bags onto the ground while she massaged her strained arms. Kyle quickly ran up to his wife while Kal reverted back to his human form. Elena unloaded everything onto her husband and greeted him with a kiss. ¡°What were you guys doing outside in this breezy weather?¡± ¡°Oh, just bonding.¡± Kyle responded as grabbed a hold of the bags. ¡°Aw, how sweet.¡± Elena chuckled as she rushed towards the young child with open arms. She cooed gently as she reached down and scooped Kal up into her arms. ¡°Kal, did you miss mommy?¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± Kal gave Elena a hug, causing her to brim with happiness. As she returned the child¡¯s hug, Kal stared at Kyle and raised up a thumb. The middle-aged man responded with a thumbs up of his own. He grabbed the bags and quickly entered the house. He called out to his wife, urging her to come in so to not let the chilly wind affect the two of them. Once Elena entered the building, she handed Kal to Kyle before making her way to the kitchen. ¡°Help Kal wash up and set the table while I make my famous fried pork sandwiches!¡± ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll be done in a blink of an eye!¡±