40 - Towards the Dwarf Territory

The dawn rose over Tinaver as Rygar made the final preparations for his departure. In front of the Iron Legion base, a small group waited to say their goodbyes. Taes, Rufus, Kidar, and the wolves, Geri, Freki, and Skoll, were lined up.

Taes, with a firm gaze, was the first to speak: "Take care, Chief. I know you're strong, but it's like you always tell me... Never let your guard down."

Rygar nodded with a confident smile. "Don't worry, Taes. You all take care of the Legion while I'm away."

Rufus, looking anxious, handed over a small wooden talisman. He was anxious because he hadn't been apart from Rygar for a long time after being rescued. "It's a protection talisman, Mr. Peikak said the dwarves use one when they go on long journeys."

Rygar took the talisman and tied it beside the sheath of his sword. "Thanks, Rufus. I'll use it as a reminder to come back in one piece." He ruffled the little dwarf's hair.

Kidar, who would now take command of the Legion, stepped forward. "Don't worry about anything here. I'll keep the Iron Legion in order. When you return, we'll be even stronger."

Rygar placed a hand on Kidar's shoulder, showing his trust. "I trust you. I know you'll do a great job."

The wolves approached, led by Skoll. The large wolf, with ebony fur, looked at Rygar excitedly, as if he understood the importance of the moment. Rygar petted his companion's head, climbed onto his back, and adjusted his posture.

The silence was broken by a howl from Skoll, echoing through the forest, followed by others from Geri and Freki. Rygar gave the group one last look. "See you later."

And then, with a swift movement, Skoll dashed down the forest trail, leaving a trail of dust behind.

The run was intense. Skoll's speed made the trees blur around Rygar. He was used to moving fast, but riding Skoll was a unique experience. Despite this, he estimated the journey would still take about 15 to 20 days, even at that speed.

"If I ran alone at full speed, I'd probably get there in less than half the time," Rygar muttered to himself. "But I think I can use this time to hunt some monsters, train some techniques, and test new tactics."

Rygar felt that he was about to enter a period of great physical growth in the near future. His senses were becoming sharper with each passing year. He could hear the faintest snap of twigs on the ground or the distant sound of a river flowing. His eyes, adapted to the wild environment, could distinguish shapes and movements even in the twilight of the forest.

His physical strength was already impressive, capable of rivaling weaker Saint-level warriors even without Touki. However, his mana capacity was slowing his growth. He felt that his progress was becoming slower with each passing day.

Rygar knew from his experiments that a person's mana capacity increased exponentially during childhood but slowed as they approached the age of 10. After that, growth would be insignificant, often taking decades to notice any significant change before eventually halting completely.

"Maybe it's something that varies from person to person, but I don't have to worry about that for now. I think I'm already one of the people with the most mana in the world right now, and I know more than a hundred spells of different elements and uses," he reflected. "That, combined with my physical strength and Touki, already places me at a level that few can reach in their lifetime, and I'm still only almost 10 years old."

Still, Rygar was not satisfied. He desired more. In his thoughts, the idea of becoming the strongest in the world surfaced. But he knew that such a title was not easily attained. He didn't even know who the Three First of the Seven Great Powers were.

The Demon God Laplace, the fourth-ranked, was the strongest known, and his mentor, Verdia, had described his strength as 'divine'. Rygar thought that, eventually, he could surpass him after learning a bit about what he was capable of. But the others... The Dragon God, the God of Technique, and even the missing Fighting God were enigmas.

"It's no use thinking too much about it now. I have plenty of time ahead," Rygar said, giving a light pat on Skoll's neck. "A long lifespan means many opportunities to improve."

He also pondered his future plans. The Iron Legion was just starting, but he already envisioned its influence expanding throughout the central continent, reaching Milis and maybe even the Demon Continent. His goals were grand, but he knew he needed to be cautious and patient.

After hours of running, the sound of the forest changed. Skoll slowed down, his ears standing up, signaling danger nearby. Rygar dismounted carefully, adjusting his sword while scanning the surroundings.

"Monsters?" he murmured.

From the trees, a group of grotesque creatures emerged. They were mutated wolves, with black fur and red eyes, larger than any ordinary wolf. Rygar counted at least five of them, moving in formation.

"Well, looks like the training has already begun."

He signaled for Skoll to take a defensive position. "I'll handle this alone."

With a swift movement, Rygar advanced. He used reinforcement Touki on his legs, increasing his speed. The first strike was direct, snapping the neck of one of the wolves. He spun in midair, dodging the attack of another while kicking the attacker in the jaw.

Rygar's senses were at their peak. With each step, each movement, he anticipated as if he could predict the next few seconds. When the last wolf attacked, he grabbed the creature by the neck with his bare hands and slammed it into a tree with brutal force.

"That was a good warm-up," he said, wiping his sword with a quick swipe.

Skoll approached, barking softly, as if approving of the performance.

That night, while they rested around a campfire, Rygar looked up at the starry sky. Skoll was lying beside him, his eyes alert to the surroundings.

"There's still so much to do, Skoll."

The large wolf responded with a small grunt, resting his head on his front paws.

Rygar smiled, watching the flames dance. "Let's see what tomorrow brings."

And so, the journey continued, with new challenges and discoveries ahead.

As Rygar and Skoll continued their journey through the vast and wild land, Rygar's thoughts wandered far beyond the dangers of the road. His immediate goal was clear: reach the dwarven territory. But in moments of silence, his mind occupied itself with matters he had long avoided.

"I need to start looking for a wife when I return, it would be good to find someone soon," Rygar reflected, with a slight sigh. Among his many thoughts about the future of the Iron Legion and his own plans to become the strongest in the world, he had always wanted someone by his side.

The first person who came to mind was his master, Verdia.

"At least the first step has already been taken, I need to win her over gradually when I meet her again..." Rygar murmured to himself, with a small smile, though there were obvious complications.

It was widely known that elves, even the most affectionate ones, had a low libido, which initially left Rygar conflicted about it. He didn't see himself as an insatiable sexual beast, but he knew he wanted a more active relationship with his future wife.

This dilemma, however, was gradually resolved as he adapted to the social peculiarities of this world and to his master's teachings, who had said that she herself had once had a passion for someone who already had three wives. Polygamy was common in this world, especially among nobles, tribes, and cultures like his own, and he realized this could be a solution to his dilemma. He still remembered the moment when Gustav, the tribe leader, suggested with absolute seriousness, "You should take the two heirs and your master as wives."

At the time, the suggestion shocked him. But the more time passed, the more he grew accustomed to the idea of polygamy, as long as he had the approval of his other eventual wife. "Of course, it would have to be someone I really like... and who likes me too," Rygar pondered.

He began to catalog his preferences. "I like more mature women. That hasn't changed since my past life," he thought. He still remembered the women he admired back on Earth, but here, in this world, something had changed. He had developed an admiration for powerful women. Not just physically, but those who possessed undeniable strength of character, skill, and presence.

"Back on Earth, strength or power didn't mean much. Maybe if the girl went to the gym and did some workouts, she'd gain some points," he thought with humor. "But here, it's different. Strength is a symbol of effort and influence, of domination. And I really want someone who shares that."

He mentally evaluated the women in the Legion. Some were attractive and competent, but he knew they would fall far behind in terms of strength, power, and skill. This thought made him wonder if his preference for strength and power had been influenced by living among beastfolk. "Maybe I've been more influenced by the tribe's culture and my beastial DNA than I realized," he thought, laughing to himself.

But even amidst these reflections, the name of his master always returned to the center of his thoughts. "Verdia..." he whispered, remembering her fondly.

Her image was clear in his mind: her golden hair waving in the wind, her eyes full of wisdom and kindness, the confident posture of a mage with countless accomplishments and stories, and a teacher. It was an irresistible combination. Verdia was not only beautiful, but also strong, experienced, and caring.

He thought about the things his master still desired, flying through the skies and diving into the depths of the seas.

Among her goals was the development of flight magic. He had clear ideas for creating it, as he could already fly with wind magic, but it was still rudimentary, based on multiple small wind bursts. He had an idea, but needed to gather practical information to make it work. His main reference would be the Chaos Breaker, the floating fortress of Perugius, the Armored Dragon King. He believed that, by understanding the principle of magical buoyancy applied there, he would be able to replicate something similar, even on a smaller scale.

"I'll need to reach the Central Continent to see this up close," he murmured.

In addition, there was water magic. He had a skill in mind that he had seen in Avatar in his past life—something related to precise control of water and air to create protective spheres that maintained oxygen inside. This would be relatively simple with the amount of mana he currently possessed; he just needed magical control.

Even so, there was something that worried him: the creatures of the ocean depths. Even in his previous life, where there was no mana, marine animals were terrifying. He didn't want to imagine how dangerous they could be in this world, where even the most common beasts were already lethal.

"I'll need to be cautious when I get to that stage," he thought.

For now, Rygar decided to leave those thoughts for the future. He was confident that time would bring him the answers. And if he couldn't find anyone to interest him, his master would suffice.

With a determined smile, he looked at Skoll, who was tirelessly running through the forest.

"Yeah, Skoll, the goals keep piling up. But, one step at a time."

And so, Rygar continued his journey, his thoughts divided between the challenges ahead and the possibilities of a future yet to be built.

----

The metallic sound of swords being unsheathed echoed through the forest. Rygar had already noticed the ambush even before the bandits revealed themselves. Five men emerged from behind the trees, their faces marked with greedy smiles and cruel gazes. All were armed, surrounding him.

"Hey, kid, why don't you leave your stuff and save us the trouble?" one of them said, wielding a heavy axe and looking at Rygar with disdain.

Rygar responded with an incredulous look. Did this guy not notice that he was mounted on a massive wolf? This was getting ridiculous—was his intelligence being reduced by the plot?

He advanced without a word. One of them attempted an initial strike, swinging his sword toward Rygar. Rygar dodged with an agile movement, leaning to the side, and in the blink of an eye, drove his fingers into the man's throat. A choked sound echoed as the bandit fell, clutching his neck.

"Next." Rygar's voice was focused.

The others hesitated for a moment, but rage quickly spurred them on. Two of them charged together, attempting to coordinate an attack on both flanks.

Rygar spun his body, dodging a vertical strike, and in a fluid motion, delivered a kick to the knee joint of one attacker. A sickening crack echoed as the man collapsed to his knees, screaming in pain. Before he could react, Rygar delivered a straight punch to the man's temple, knocking him out instantly.

The second bandit tried to seize the moment, but Rygar was faster. He ducked, passing under the opponent's strike, and with a savage movement, drove his fingers like a blade into the man's heart. The bandit fell backward, dead before he hit the ground.

The two remaining bandits were terrified. One of them took a step back, but the leader shouted, "Don't retreat!"

Hesitation proved fatal. Rygar dashed toward the leader, his movements like those of a wild beast—agile and unpredictable. He landed a direct punch to the man's chest, shattering his sternum. The bandit dropped his axe and fell to his knees, coughing blood.

The last bandit dropped his sword and tried to run, but Skoll appeared out of nowhere, grabbing him from behind with a ferocious bite. The man fell, screaming desperately as the wolf held his limp body between its teeth.

Rygar stood in the clearing, looking at the bodies strewn around. His breathing was controlled, his gaze disinterested. "Weak."

He approached Skoll, who still held one of the bandits by his tattered clothes.

"Drop it." The wolf released the corpse, licking his lips, his tail wagging.

Then Rygar heard a sound coming from the road: shouting and the sound of a moving wagon. He turned toward it and saw a small caravan being attacked by another group of bandits.

Without hesitation, Rygar climbed onto Skoll. "Let's go."

With a few powerful leaps, Skoll crossed the forest, quickly reaching the caravan. The bandits turned toward him, startled at the sight of Rygar mounted on a colossal wolf. They barely had time to react before Rygar leaped off Skoll and dispatched them with the same ease as the previous group.

The travelers, initially terrified, soon approached with looks of relief and gratitude. A man, apparently the group's leader, bowed. "Thank you, sir, for saving us. We can never repay you..."

Rygar waved a hand, cutting him off. "Just move along. Take care of yourselves."

He climbed back onto Skoll and left without looking back. It had been seven days since he began traveling, and the recent fights had helped him refine his technique.

Rygar was developing something unique. Deciding to start unarmed, his recent battles had helped him lay the groundwork for what he had long planned to create: a versatile and powerful style adaptable to any situation. Inspired by the aggression of the Sword God Style and the versatility of the North God Style, he incorporated constant movement, precise and brutal attacks on the enemy's weak points.

He also adapted elements from his previous life, recalling an Israeli combat style focused on survival—Krav Maga—attacking quickly at lethal points like the throat, heart, and joints. Mixing these techniques with the wild style of the Doldia tribe and some grappling advances, he created something unique: a fighting style that embodied the ferocity of a beast.

It was still just the beginning. He knew he had much to learn. The three great styles still held many secrets he needed to master, and there were other fighting styles scattered across the world that he had yet to discover. But he wasn't in a hurry. There was time for everything.

His goal now wasn't to instantly create a combat style but to have an initial idea in his mind of his preference in battle. As Rygar reflected on this, a name came to him. "Beast God Style…" he murmured to himself.

He smiled. That would be the name. One day, when he became worthy of carrying the title of God, the style would be complete.

With Skoll running through the vast forest and the road ahead of him, Rygar felt he was on the right path. The future was promising, and he was ready to conquer it.