Chapter 7: Strength Of A Tiger

The task given to the examinees was simple, reach the mountain summit within 6 days. Any resources you might need to survive is up to you to find on your own. Even before Lionel finished giving them the task and disappeared, Kaito had already begun formulating a plan. With Zhuo Qianlong offering to team up, the workload for the test decreased. After thinking for a bit, Kaito broke down the situation and his plan to him.

[Our goal is the summit. Given the size of the mountain relative to our position right now, the base should be at least 5 kilometres away. We need to procure things such as food ourselves, and we were warned about this place being dangerous. For now, let's secure some water while making our way towards the mountain. Any animals we find on the way can be a potential meal if we can take it down. If that isn't possible, we could resort to foraging.]

[Sure, you're in charge Kaito. I'm not all that good when it comes to things like scavenging, but if we're going on the hunt, I'm sure I'll be pretty handy.]

After finalizing their plans, Kaito and Qianlong started to head off deeper into the forest. Just as Kaito and Qianlong had done, other examinees had started forming their own groups and set off towards the mountain. Some of the more daring among the examinees ran off on their own to reach the summit as soon as possible. Not long after they had set off into the forest, Kaito and Qianlong managed to find a stream. It was a stream so clear one could see all the fish swimming within it as well as all the plant life within. Qianlong was celebrating upon seeing all the fish.

[That's food and water secured right Kaito?]

[Not exactly. We still don't have anything to carry the water in and while there are lots of fish in the stream, we haven't actually caught any yet.]

[So what's the plan? I'm thinking of trying to use a makeshift spear to catch some of the fish. What do you think Kaito?]

[While it might take some time, I think our best option would be making a trap or net if we can. The leaves on the trees are also pretty big and seem strong. It's almost nightfall as well, so why don't we set up camp here. Can you help gather some dry wood from the forest for a campfire? I'll get to work on trying to catch the fish.]

[Okay see you in a bit.]

With that, Qianlong set off back the way they came in search of material to use for the campfire. Kaito started to gather a large stack of leaves from the trees. Since the leaves were large and seemed sturdy, he thought they would be good material to make a net. He began pulling apart the fibres and weaving the leaves into rope. After that he made a net to trap the fish and set it up in the stream. After that, Kaito began to search for material to make a shelter. Around 2 hours later, Qianlong had returned with firewood and some plants he found along the way which he thought might be edible. Among the plants was a bunch of purple and white mushrooms. Recognizing them, Kaito told Qianlong that they were extremely toxic and could be used to help ward off any animals just in case. With the materials gathered, the two of them got to work, Qianlong started to set up a pit to put the firewood in while Kaito got to work making a tent. They toiled away until evening when everything was completed. While Qianlong was busy trying to get a fire started, Kaito went to check on his traps.

[Hey Qianlong, it worked. We managed to catch a dozen fish.]

[Really? Nice going man. I just got the fire going too. We can roast them for dinner now. By the way, you figure out how we're going to transport drinking water yet?]

[I saw some bamboo growing nearby, so I harvested some to make into bottles.]

[Great! Looks like we're all set.]

The two boys sat across from each other, cooking their meal over the campfire. As they ate, they told stories and got to know one another, chatting into the night. It was near the middle of the night when they decided to get some sleep.

[You should get some rest Qianlong. The proctor warned us about this forest being dangerous. I'll take the first watch. I'll wake you and we can switch in 3 hours.]

[Sure, thanks. See you in a bit then.]

Qianlong went into the tent while Kaito sat staring at the campfire. As he stared into the flames, Kaito started to reminisce.

Somewhere in a remote mountainous region, the night sky was lit ablaze by a raging fire consuming all in its path. Adding to the destruction of the flames, was a stampede of beasts charging forth as if possessed. Desperately fighting off these beasts was a group of around 2000 strong. They were heavily injured and exhausted. Most of their weapons and armour had been damaged or broken. The battle against the rampaging beasts had dragged on for nearly a week without any time for rest. The 2000 company still fighting on was what was left from an initial 40,000 men army.

A swordsman with short, brown hair shouted as he made a swing at red, wolf like beast that lunged at him.

[There's no end to them!]

A female mage shouted at him from across the battlefield while firing off a ball of lightning at a teal, bipedal, reptilian monster that was charging her at a speed that rivalled some supercars.

[If you have the energy to complain you should use it to take out a few more of these things instead!]

From the air, 35 large wyverns had gathered and hurled out breathes of blue fire which combined and swept through as if blanketing the battlefield in a wave of heat. The flames were launched at a force which tore down the trees and mountains before they were incinerated as they fell.

The blaze consumed both the beasts below and the troops fighting them. Several dozen magic users had made a barrier to try and prevent being swallowed up. However, hiding within the flames were also beasts that were immune to fire, with some even benefiting from it. Shadow Hounds, monsters that resembled chihuahuas with the size of a rhino, easily took care of the mages keeping the barrier up. These hounds had an ability that allowed them to slip into the darkness and appear in any shadow nearby. Furthermore, they were intangible when they did this, making them hard to counter. They had managed to sneak in and sink their fangs into the magic users, killing them and breaking the barrier protecting everyone.

Archers and long range magic users were able to take down the wyverns after surviving several of the combined waves of flames. As the long range fighters were trying to take down their airborne foes, others protected them from the ground based monsters that survived the fire of the wyverns. Scorched goblin riders charged forth on their steeds while they were still burning. The beast army was made of serpentine monsters with barbed spikes around 5 metres long but as thick as a sofa, goblin riders, shadow hounds, wyverns, red wolf monsters the size of a bus, teal lizards, and much more.

While a majority of the remaining army fought against these monsters, the leader and about a half dozen troops were surrounded a bit further ahead. They were encircled by a ring of lion like beasts. These lions had golden eyes with manes of ice. Their fur was icy blue while their fangs and claws were as sharp as blades. Leading the beasts was a tiger standing at almost triple the size of a normal tiger. It was purple with white stripes, had 6 horns, fangs like a saber tooth, and 3 tails that tapered off into arrowhead shaped spikes.

The tiger's opponent, the commander of the army. A man who stood at 192 centimetres tall. Most of his armour had already been destroyed by waves of monsters. What was left was an arm guard on his right, half a chest plate, a shoulder guard on his left, a tattered cape, and his boots. The man was armed with a sword that had a curved blade with an eastern dragon carved onto the top half of the blade. He had silver eyes with a hint of blue in them. His black hair was short and unkept. Preparing for the fight about to occur, the man tensed up and his blade began to emit an aura.

Facing down the tiger, he issued commands to the group with him.

[Keep those lions off me, I'm going to have my hand full facing this thing.]

The half dozen troops shouted in unison...

[[Yes sir!!]]

[Like it or not, this is probably the fight of our lives. We might lose them, but we'll take down as many of them with us as possible.]

The tiger and commander both let out a roar to signal the start of the battle. Both sides charged forth at full fury. The commander started by aiming an upper slash at the tiger while it met his blade with its claws. The beast pushed down against the blade, while the commander resisted with both arms, trying to push the tiger's claw back up. The resistance led to the ground beneath him splitting and forming a crater. The tiger seemed as if it was smirking while pushing down the commander. Seeing this, his eyes narrowed and he let out a scream and summoned his strength. The aura around his blade erupted and forced the tiger back.

Now angry, the tiger growled, standing there gazing at the commander, making him wonder what the next attack from the beast would be. Then...he felt it....

[EVERYONE GET DOWN NOW!!!]

The tiger let out a blast from its mouth that tore across like a concentrated laser. Not only did it pierce through the ground when it hit, but it also emitted a sort of gas as well. As if timed for a combined attack, the lions had also collectively backed off from their opponents and launched a cold breath that formed ice pillars, caging the troops in.

The gas started to fill the enclosed space while the beasts watched on from the outside.

[Hurry, break through the ice! We have no idea what this gas is and does!]

Those commands fell on deaf ears however, as the men had already started to drop to the ground. Seeing this, the commander was seething with rage and swung his sword around him, launching an attack that sliced the ice wall trapping them in half. As soon as the wall came down, the commander and everyone else were already preparing their next attack. The commander had used the cover of the gas to get in the air and was above the tiger. His sword above his head, he swung down with all his might, aiming at the tiger's head.

Noticing the oncoming attack, the tiger pounced and met the commander's attack mid swing, twisting its tails together and shooting it towards the commander.

The two sides continued exchanging blows. The sounds of the clashes echoed through the night. Soon sunrise came and all the lions had been slain. All that were left was the tiger. Looking around at the battle, the commander remarked to the tiger....

[Ha....ha....ha...Looks like we're the only ones still fighting.]

The battlefield was covered in large ice shards jutting out in every direction, with some set ablaze. The ground was both frozen and on fire, with lifeless bodies of both beasts and men strung about. Everyone that survived was heavily injured and unable to move. As for the commander and tiger, they were both covered in blood and wounds, both now seemed exhausted after fighting throughout the night.

[Seems neither of us have much energy left... but this won't end until one of us falls.]

The commander dug his heels into the ground, using it as a spring to launch himself forward. He let out a shout as he swung his sword once more. The tiger, glaring daggers at the commander, also began to charge forward. Just like their first attack, blade met claws, this time from both of the tiger's paws. Both sides gritted their teeth, struggling to surpass the other. Then the commander saw it. The wounded tiger opened its mouth, revealing the orb of energy forming within. As if smiling in mockery, the tiger launched the laser at point blank range, swallowing the commander. This stunned the surrounding troops who were watching on with wide eyes.

[FATHER!!!]

The one who screamed was the lieutenant, the second in command, and the daughter of the commander. Like everyone else, she was covered in wounds and in tattered clothes after the conflict. She had short black hair that almost reached her shoulders, with a blue butterfly hairpin adorned within. Her silver eyes glistened as tears began to form. She collapsed on the ground, heartbroken. Her fellow company men also started to shed tears, believing their commander to have fallen. The tiger seemed satisfied as it had claimed victory, smiling as it looked at the warriors now in tears. It was laughing until it felt it, a blade sinking into its flesh, piercing through its throat, before slicing outwards. The commander had survived, barely. Heavily wounded and panting, he addressed the tiger.

[You celebrated too early, it seems this battle is our victory.]

Staring at the commander, as blood spilled out, the tiger collapsed to the ground. The commander turned and started limping towards his men, using his blade as support.

[Well done. I never thought it would end like this, but the outcome isn't that bad. I can die with the honour of a warrior.]

A look of shock swept over not only the commander, but also everyone else. They had thought that their opponent was just a simple beast that could not be reasoned with. However, their belief had just been shattered with the voice they heard. The tiger that commanded an army of beasts had spoken to them as if it was intelligent. The commander turned his head to face the tiger again.

[What....what do you...]

[We may seem like mindless beasts to you, and in some cases that is true, but you should be careful. This group that you faced... we were just a scout group. This is just the beginning.]

[Beginning?]

[I wonder how many survived. You left behind quite a large amount of your pawns to chase us down.]

[They aren't pawns! They are....]

[Haha, I don't have much time left...so listen carefully. The corpses of my subordinates and myself, they will be useful in your battles ahead...if you can figure out how to use them. One more thing... up ahead... the village. I know not why, but we....]

Before it could finish speaking, the tiger had perished. One word from the tiger stuck in the mind of the commander, who repeated it.

[...village?]

Understanding what this meant, he quickly commanded his group to get up. While he was busy dealing with the tiger, his subordinates had begun using recovery magic and items to treat themselves. After hearing what their commander had to say, the group rushed towards the village.

As they searched around the destroyed village, they found something.

[Commander! We found a survivor!!]

The commander rushed towards the voice.

[A child?]

The child, seeming to be around 3 years old, was barely conscious, but the commander was able to ask.

[Can you hear me? Do you know what happened? Can you tell me your name?]

Looking up at the commander, the child uttered weakly.

[K.....Kaito.]