First Encounter
(Quick Author's note):
I suggest you read the prologue and Chapter 0 or you'll be hella confused
Also, Mastery levels go as such (for now c: )
Novice
Apprentice
Adept
Superior
Expert
Master...
And maybe more ;)
(End of Author's note)
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Status:
Name: Mikael
Age: 19
Race: Human
Racial Passives: None
Divinity: oGpY52ZLqftipw
Loyalty: None
Latent Abilities: [Quick Learner]
Acquired Abilities:
[Unarmed Fighting] Mastery: Master
[Athleticism] Mastery: Master
[Charge] Mastery: Master
[Reaction Speed] Mastery: Adept
Followers: 2
Name: Raphael
Age: 18
Race: Human
Racial Passives: None
Divinity: None
Loyalty: Mikael
Latent Abilities: [The Generous]
Acquired Abilities: None
Followers: None
Name: Lucy
Age: 19
Race: Human
Racial Passives: None
Divinity: None
Loyalty: Raphael
Latent Abilities: None
Acquired Abilities: None
Followers: None
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Lucy was a short brunette in stature. About a head and a half shorter than me. But cute nonetheless. If she wasn't Raphael's sister she would definitely be my type. It was a long journey to the nearest town, and I didn't pack enough for three people, so I hope that they brought their own food. We would set up a campfire at night and it was on the second night that I got the courage to ask Raphael after Lucy was fast asleep why she was never the target of their father's beatings.
"Ahh.. Well its not what you think it is. Father blames me for Mother's death as she died soon after I was born. Sister overheard him crying one night after he gave me a thrashing and told me about it the day we left."
"So you confronted him?"
"Yeah haha… I wanted to know why he was keeping such a thing a secret."
"Well, regardless of his reasons he still has no right to beat you. And I stand firmly behind my decision to make sure he isn't able to hurt anyone for a long time."
"Oh yeah don't worry I don't hold any resentment for you because of what you did. I don't really agree with your methods of punishment, but I also don't think he's the best of guys."
…
We were four days into our trip when we encountered our first problem.
Lucy tugged on Raphael's arm and he turned towards me.
"H-hey… so umm, we didn't pack enough food for a long journey. We didn't think it would take this long h-haha."
(Predictable, the idiot.)
"It's fine we're almost there, can you guys last another day without food? I can split what I have remaining, but it's not much."
He looked to Lucy and she nodded. (What is up with this girl. Can she not speak?)
…
With the town just ahead of us, Lucy and Raphael's eyes both widened.
Hearth's fire: This town was not known for anything in particular. They had a simple system of acquiring food from the farmlands and made quite a bit of money from the passing adventurers at their local taverns and whore houses. The town was run by the same nobleman that had jurisdiction over the Village I grew up in.
Once we passed the town gate by talking to the guardsman, we asked for directions to the nearest guild. Thats right, in this world there are adventure guilds that offer quests just like in so many of those stupid Isekai anime's I've forcefully made myself watch. The town was quite what you would expect. Wooden as well as brick structures with iron nails to support the weight. Quite primitive infrastructure compared to the advanced technology of Japanese construction. Oh well, so be it. We walked into the adventurer's hall where quests are posted on the bulletin. From my reading in school there were some important facts that I memorized in case of having to accept quests.
1. Anyone can accept any quest. You don't have to have any sort of merit to go and kill a dragon. If you die you die.
2. Although anyone can accept quests, that is if there is no restriction put up by the person requesting (For example bodyguards).
And thats honestly about it. Nice and simple, the way I like it. I looked up at the bulletin and saw some low paying quests. With my current physical ability I wasn't looking for a basic gathering or hunting quest. I was looking for a monster elimination quest, and to my luck, there seemed to be an untouched notice for the beastmen village just 20 clicks north of here. I took it and went straight to the counter.
"Hey boy what are you thinking. You're gonna get killed! Hahaha!"
One of the drunks in the hall noticed me taking the notice off and everyone's eyes were peeled onto me and my group.
"Y-yo Mikael, this kind of quest is way out of our league."
Raphael and Lucy didn't know of my acquired physical capabilities, but rest assured I tried to comfort them.
"Do you trust me, Raphael and Lucy?"
I was testing their faith, as well as this new [Followers] as well as [Loyalty] status change.
Lucy looked to Raphael, indicating that she would follow his decision.
"Well, you've never been wrong for however long since I can remember. I'll trust you, partner"
A smile swelled up on his face and the fear he was holding instantly vanished. I guess this loyalty and follower status was quite strong.
I got up to the counter and paid the deposit fee of 2 silver crowns. The current system in this world was luckily similar to the once back in my world. One gold crown was equal to 10 silver crowns. And 1 silver crown equal to 100 bronze crowns. One bronze crown was about equal 1￥. So this expedition was going to cost roughly 200￥. As soon as we paid we got some food in the town and immediately set off. It was mid-day when we left, so we were expecting to get to the village just before dark.
I read about beast men during my schooling as the one thing which I lacked in was knowledge of this world. When it came to any topic regarding anything that could be deemed as inexplicable in my world, I spent quite a lot of time researching such topics.
Beastmen were by no means the offspring of a beast and a man. Beastmen were direct descendants of the land deities of this world. The village we were going to were descendants of of the ancient wolf deity, Fenrir. In their culture, strength is what determines justice. So I had a plan in order to subjugate them without having to mercilessly murder all of them.
When we had arrived, we were in for a shock. All of the houses have been burned down, and there were bodies lying everywhere. There was a creature in the center of the village, munching on what seemed to be the bodies of the deceased. Not everyone was dead though. There were those frozen in shock, as they clearly could not do anything. This creature seemed to be a mixture of a lion as well as a human. This was most likely a ravenous beast-man, descendent of Maahes, the lion god of war. Unlike the wolf-men that looked to be more man than beast, this creature was the complete opposite.
He stopped eating, stood up, and turned to me.
"Who dares to interrupt my meal."
"Why aren't they fighting back as you feast on their brethren?"
I asked the one question that was repeating over and over in my head.
"Silly human, I have killed their leader and they must now obey my every rule. I am hungry, and thus am feasting on their bodies."
I looked over to the remaining 50 or so wolf men and women. This guy took my tactic, but instead is still mercilessly eating them after he took out their leader. What cruelty.
"The little one's were especially delicious. Filled with baby fat still. Kuhahaha. It has been a while since I have tasted human flesh, I shall have you for dessert."
Raphael and Lucy were clearly unable to move. Shocked in fear.
"M-Mikael we have to leave."
Again, I had to reassure their comfort.
"Don't worry."
This was enough to shake Raphael's composure back, but Lucy looked as if she was about to soil herself still.
"Kuhahaha, don't worry you say. What an arrogant little human. Fine, I shall have you as my main course now."
And with that, with no warning, the lion beast-man charged at me. What he did not know, was the force which I have acquired through my training. With a simple kick, I sent the beast-man flying. His leg had been completely blown off.
(Ahh so that's what I can do with a full force kick.)
[Reaction Speed] Mastery: Expert
I started walking slowly towards the beastman who had struck the wall of what seemed to be the village main hut.
"GRUAAAAH!"
I couldn't help but start to chuckle at his pathetic state.
"Hehehehe… You took my prey from me, and now I shall end your miserable life."
"You ARROGANT human, I WILL MURDER YO-"
His head went flying and what lay in front of me was a lifeless, limp body of the beast man that was here before. I turned around and Raphael and Lucy's faces showed both an expression of shock as well as fear. I may have overdone it a bit. My senses were coming back to me when I opened my mouth.
"Sorry you had to see that guys, but don't worry I'm still the same old Mikael."
It seemed as though some sanity was starting to come back for the two. I guess I was going to let them take in the information for a minute, and so I turned to face the descendants of Fenrir. They all took a knee except for the man in the front.
"O' exalted one, I am Hati, second in charge of this village. We understand your fighting prowess and will not stand to challenge you. But please, if you wish to destroy us then give us the chance to let your hear these words."
I turned and faced Hati and stared in silence waiting for him to continue. (What is this beast-man saying..).
"First, I want to thank you for saving our people. And second, for avenging my fallen brother and leader of this village, Sköll. We are indebted to you with our lives and will attempt to answer any of your wishes."
(Huh, this is nothing like what I would have expected them to be like. The elimination request said they were ravenous creatures that had no sense of reason. Even the textbooks stated that they were unintelligible beings that only lived for the moment. This was quite different to what I was going for.)
I turned to Raphael to look for advice.
"What shall we do from here. I can't kill sentient beings that seemed to have caused no one trouble. Actually, why was there even an elimination request for them?"
Raphael was still shook from what happened, but was able to speak.
"I believe it is because we humans don't really know the descendants of the land deities quite well, and as they are physically superior to us they have been labeled as dangerous."
(I guess innocent until proven guilty is still a concept not yet born in this world. Either that or what is unknown is what is feared.)
"So, what shall we do?"
"Any choice you'll make, as long as it doesn't include murdering them, I will support"
(Oh? He seems to be quite the compassionate person. Maybe this is because of his latent ability. I can't be too sure though.)
"Well then," I turned to face the wolf-men. An idea sprouted in my head as to how I might be able to finally bring back Mom. "Will you guys trust in me and serve under me as my servants?"
Hati turned to face me. He then took a knee and lowered his head.
"In life and in death, you will be seen as our savior as well as our leader."
"IN LIFE AND IN DEATH!"
The remaining descendants repeated and this almost seemed like a ritual of acceptance.
"Then, I shall lead you people and we shall create a nation. One which will conquer the world by lending a hand to those in need, and crushing those that oppose!"
It was quite embarrassing to say such a thing, but the words appeared in my head. And suddenly, in my visions some words seemed to have appeared.
[Leader] Mastery: Novice
Title: [Tamer]
(Huh, I guess I've acquired some new traits).
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(He's amazing. Absolutely amazing. I don't know what it is about him, but just as the beast men, I will follow him until death. I make this vow to stop being useless to him. I will be a tool for him to use. And where did this power that he had come from. He never showed it while we were growing up. This is something I could have never imagined. Working with beastmen. This journey is getting interesting).
Raphael's thoughts were racing as he was amazed by his best friend.
__________________________________________________
Status:
Name: Mikael
Title: [Tamer]
Age: 19
Race: Human
Racial Passives: None
Divinity: xlpM0yyVQTNc4t
Loyalty: None
Latent Abilities: [Quick Learner]
Acquired Abilities:
[Unarmed Fighting] Mastery: Master
[Athleticism] Mastery: Master
[Charge] Mastery: Master
[Reaction Speed] Mastery: Expert
[Leader] Mastery: Novice
Followers: 2
Name: Raphael
Age: 18
Race: Human
Racial Passives: None
Divinity: None
Loyalty: Mikael
Latent Abilities: [The Generous]
Acquired Abilities: None
Followers: 1
Name: Lucy
Age: 19
Race: Human
Racial Passives: None
Divinity: None
Loyalty: Raphael
Latent Abilities: None
Acquired Abilities: None
Followers: None
Name: Hati
Age: 76
Race: Wolf-man
Racial Passive: Intimidating Aura
Divinity: Fenrir, God of The Pack
Loyalty: Mikael
Latent Abilities: [True-blooded]
Acquired Abilities: None
Followers: 56
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