Small Match

Chapter 53

A slightly sour feeling enveloped Alex as he gazed upon the two lifeless bodies before him. It reminded him of the first encounter he had with these two individuals – back when they were hunting a bear to obtain its bile.

During that initial encounter, Alex managed to evade capture and instead salvaged what remained of the bear's carcass, left behind by the duo.

Observing their actions, Alex was quick to recognize their capabilities and made a mental note to exercise vigilance during his future forest explorations. He cherished the idea of a secure and stable life, harboring a deep aversion to unnecessary trouble.

However, whether due to an unwarranted sense of confidence stemming from his advancements or the passage of time causing him to overlook his initial concerns, Alex had recently taken risks within the forest. He even ventured into unnecessary wolf hunting.

The notion of consuming wolf meat or utilizing wolf fur in modern times seemed obsolete and impractical.

Realizing the importance of this memory, Alex could only shake his head, hoping it would remain ingrained in his mind, preventing him from carelessly leaping into danger once again.

Despite his current state of triumph over the two adversaries before him, Alex recognized the potential peril he could find himself in if he allowed his vigilance to waver and fell victim to deception.

Having conducted a thorough self-assessment, Alex proceeded to search the bodies of his opponents. In doing so, he acquired a highly sharpened dagger and a sword that had been split in two.

Upon closer examination, it became evident that these weapons were far from ordinary. The sword displayed an exceptional level of hardness and remarkable chakra conductivity. Yet, even though they possessed commendable attributes, these weapons paled in comparison to the resilience and effectiveness of Alex's own machete.

Afterward, there were no other remarkable items found on the bodies of the two individuals.

Alex then utilized an invisible force to lift the two corpses. With a solemn expression, he closed his eyes and issued a commanding directive to the ring room.

Gradually and resolutely, the bodies of the two individuals disintegrated into visibility before ultimately assimilating with the ring space, providing nourishment for its growth.

Ironically, those two individuals who had sought his life and possessed such potent magical abilities had now become fertilizers for Alex's sanctuary. Their ill intentions led to this transformation.

Alex perceived a subtle shift occurring within the ring space, although it was somewhat challenging to discern.

Exiting the ring room, Alex prepared himself for sleep. However, due to the events of the day, he found it difficult to drift into slumber.

"Why were these individuals with supernatural abilities searching the mountains?" Alex pondered, his mind filled with questions.

Alex suddenly became intrigued by the motives behind those individuals' presence. Initially, he assumed they might have been hunting, but given the circumstances, it seemed implausible that individuals of such significance would be there solely for that purpose. There had to be more substantial reasons hidden behind their arrival.

The intensity of his contemplations kept Alex awake into the late hours of the night. He eventually managed to drift off to sleep only at around 4 a.m.

However, his rest was abruptly disrupted by a loud crowing sound of a rooster.

kukuruyuk!

Annoyed by the disturbance, Alex promptly covered his ears with a pillow. Yet, what followed added to his headache.

kukuruyuk!

Kwak-Kwak!

Kwak-Kwak!

The rooster's crow echoed once more, accompanied by the harsh cries of other birds that were far from melodic.

The distractions were too much for Alex to bear, and he finally woke up from his sleep. His face looked tired, and there were dark circles under his eyes due to the lack of sleep the previous night. As he had just woken up, Alex lazily stretched his body and rubbed his eyes.

Just as Alex was beginning to relax, he was startled once again by the cacophony of crowing roosters and cawing crows.

"Ugh, so noisy!"

With a sigh, Alex stepped out of bed and made his way toward the source of the commotion. Soon, he spotted two crows and a chicken perched on a nearby tree.

The three blackbirds puffed out their chests, seemingly engaged in a competition among themselves, each trying to make its presence known.

As the trio of birds appeared ready to unleash their cries once again, Alex promptly scolded them, "Hey, hey, quiet down! If you keep making a racket, you might just end up as lunch for Jamu!" His voice carried a threatening tone.

Out of nowhere, Jamu appeared and dashed excitedly toward Alex.

"Wang! Wang!"

"Master, where's the roasted chicken? Where?" Jamu inquired, his mouth watering as he scanned the surroundings.

The yellow sheepdog eagerly searched for the mentioned delicacy.

Observing this, Alex couldn't help but offer a wry smile.

"Who knew this dog would be such a food connoisseur?"

Meanwhile, the three perched black birds suddenly froze, genuinely deterred by Alex and Jamu's actions. The preventive measures put in place for the birds had proven effective.

With this, the three birds maintained a subdued presence, refraining from making any noise.

Observing this outcome, Alex nodded in approval. In the short time these animals had been under his care, they had shown remarkable improvements both physically and mentally. Their appearances had become more vibrant, boasting solid and glossy plumage. Moreover, their spirits seemed to have heightened, enabling them to grasp the simple language he used.

After acknowledging this progress, Alex turned and reentered the house. Meanwhile, the persistent barking of the yellow sheepdog, still craving the promised roasted chicken, echoed outside.

"Wang~ wang! Where's the grilled chicken?!"

Alex, seemingly unfazed by the insistent barking, continued indoors. Jamu, on the other hand, shifted his attention away from Alex and began scanning the surroundings.

After a while, the keen-eyed dog spotted the three black birds perched silently, trembling on a tree branch. A spark of inspiration flashed in the yellow dog's eyes.

…

In the kitchen, Alex was engrossed in processing the honey he had acquired from the forest the previous night. Due to the intense battle for survival, he had been too preoccupied to attend to this task.

When Alex was preparing to brew a comforting cup of warm tea to help alleviate his sleep deprivation, he was finally reminded of the honey he had collected. Consequently, he proceeded to separate the beeswax from the honey.

After a while, Alex emerged from the house, intending to sit on the terrace and enjoy the soothing morning sun. Armed with a glass and a teapot, he was met with the pleasant sounds of the girls' laughter and various animal calls.

Upon reaching the terrace, Alex beheld a scene of two teenage girls joyfully interacting with a variety of animals.

"Go, Charcoal, outrun those ponies!"

Moo~

"Ponies, are you ready? Display your strength in front of that cheeky girl!"

Heh-hah~~

"Hmph! C'mon, Charcoal, let's go!" Lilith urged, responding to Rose's challenge.

The two girls had managed to find some boxes and were now seated on them, while the buffalo and the donkey were hitched and ready to pull their respective loads.

Although it was meant to be a race, the donkey and buffalo were moving at a leisurely pace, resembling the stroll of a human walking casually. Alex, observing from the terrace, wasn't the least bit concerned; instead, he found himself enjoying the pleasant Sunday morning sunlight.

The two girls playfully continued their good-natured rivalry.

"Go, Charcoal, just a bit more!"

"Come on, Pony, catch up! You can't be left behind!"

The buffalo was slightly faster than the stubborn donkey, which brought great excitement to Lilith and Rose.

In the end, Lilith and Charcoal emerged victorious by a narrow margin.

"Yeah, way to go, Charcoal! We won, woohoo! After this, I'll treat you to some delicious, aromatic grass!"

"Hmph! You smelly donkey! Can't you at least catch up to that chubby buffalo?"

Hih-hih!

"Heheheh, your donkey is such a dolt! It hasn't even been noticed."

"Hmph, whatever. What matters is that our score is 101, mine and yours is 115."

"Oh no! I'm at 117, and you're at 70!"

"No-no, I'm at 120, and you're at 115!"

Watching this scene from a distance, Alex was flabbergasted. These high numbers indicated that these two had been bickering for a while.

"But how are they keeping score? This seems quite chaotic," Alex mused, feeling a bit perplexed.

As the two girls were on the verge of escalating their argument, Alex intervened by shouting for their attention.

"Alright, let's not argue. You can play again later. For now, come have a drink over here."

Their squabble diminished, and the girls approached, their interest piqued by the prospect of refreshment.

Upon arrival, Alex had already prepared water for them.

This prompted the girls to recall something and become cautious.

Observing their reactions, Alex was initially puzzled but then realized the cause.

"Don't worry, this isn't Jamu!"

His reassurance brought visible relief to the girls. However, they still scrutinized the beverages Alex offered before taking cautious sips.

"Mmm, this is so good!!!"

"Yeah, it's sweet."

The two girls expressed their contentment.

As Alex was about to comment on the delicious sauce on the girls' lips, a familiar female voice interrupted.

"Hey, what are you three doing so early in the morning?"

"Ah, Aunt(sister)!" they chorused in unison.

"Why are you coming to my house this early?" Alex asked.

"Has your son gotten too proud to forbid his older sister from visiting?" Reva feigned anger playfully.

"Oh, no, not at all. Of course, big sisters are always welcome. Please come in."

"Good morning, Uncle!"

"Yes, good morning, Raksha. Come in quickly!"

…

After spending some time in the kitchen, Alex emerged with snacks and a jug of water.

Observing the different teapots, Lilith couldn't help but inquire, "Dad, what drink did you make?"

Alex responded nonchalantly, "Oh, this is aromatic ginger Honey Rice Jamu."

Lilith and Rose exchanged glances, a mischievous spark in their eyes.

"Really, Daddy? I love Jamu. Don't you like it too, Auntie?" Lilith asked playfully.

Rose chimed in, "Absolutely, Lilith. Your dad's Jamu is the best!"

Alex was taken aback by their sudden change in behavior.