The Real Monster

A week has pa.s.sed since we temporarily settled in here.

At the break of dawn the ladies were already awake and I gave them the same task and told them to do this for the whole week, however, I added that if they don"t want to go to long distances just for gathering herbs, then they should adapt the way of picking herbs by the alchemy masters. Leaving some stalks for replenishment. Since after a few days, new stalks would grow and then those stalks would then be the new harvest materials they will pick. They understood me well and did just that. So they have been doing that for a week.

After this particular week, I will then teach them how to cultivate those herbs and grow them in our own backyard so that they won"t have to go far to harvest herbs to make medicine and to stabilize our source for herbs. Then after that I will finally teach them how to use magic the way I do and then after I will teach them how to produce the pots to sell. That way, they"ll have income.

As for the men, they have already finished setting the perimeter and are now constructing the watchtowers. The tents were easy to make so I already finished it up as really, we lack man power. As it was needed, I had to move. The men have also been given rings for training their body. Although it made their burdens harder to carry, they still gritted their teeth and did it. I admired their perseverance and determination so I let them be. As long as they finish their tasks, I won"t complain.

Most of the time, I would be with the three who are training with intensity, close to insanity. This started when I mentioned that whoever can beat me will be their leader. Although, I don"t doubt that they know that that"s close to impossible, they still put up a show like this, is being leader really that awesome? I wonder.

They have been using the pots to heal their muscles every day before sleeping and their muscles should be stronger now and their rings should be on the double gravity setting. Beating this hurdle will take a week of getting used to it I think, since their bodies are not like mine. Although they do not know the intention I have in making them drink the pots before sleeping, they should still notice the difference in strength that they have after waking up.

A month then pa.s.sed by and the little community we have made has completely stabilized. Caltec, Jon, and Mor have already progressed to having quadruple gravity from the ring they wore each. They haven"t totally noticed their growth as the only thing they did each day of the past month was to run and run and then spar with me till they drop. I don"t sweat at all, so I also don"t get exhausted unlike them, so I can accommodate them properly each time. Fufufu.

I also learned some skills for this month:

[Leadership]

Enhances authority over subordinates and boosts those under the bearer of the skill"s abilities. The effect enhances 30 – 40% of the subordinate"s abilities.

[Pugilist – Basic]

Proficiency in fighting with bare-hands increases much easier. Strikes using the fists gives a 2% chance to knock out an opponent instantly.

[Teaching – Basic]

Instructing others to learn something you are proficient with becomes much easier. Those taught by the teacher will experience growth in INT faster and easier.

[Spartan Training – Basic]

Those trained by the Spartan become warriors without fear of battle. In battle, those influenced by the bearer of the skill will never surrender.

Those are the skills. I got them about a week after we settled here and well, I welcomed the skills very much as teaching the ladies who wanted to become alchemists learned faster and their magic proficiency also rose each day. By now most of the ladies that came to learn alchemy can brew the pots to a considerable degree that they can already sell. I told them to sell only those inferior products so they h.o.a.rded it by the sides to bring with them next time they visit a town or something. Because of their proficiency, I already left them to make their own combination of potions from what they learned from me. I also told them that from now on, they will supply Caltec, Jon, and Mor three potions a day to increase their proficiency and also deal with the three"s needs. Two birds.

Next, I instructed the Wind Elementalists on how to use magic without chanting and it went well. I then taught them a concept of using the air to detect enemies or to detect scents and other such things using the magic they had. Thus, they came up with an original magic they created. They called it and I tasked those who can use it to be the ones in charge of detecting enemies and threats around us and I served as the back-up for them, without telling them. Next, I taught the Earth Elementalists how to build walls and simple structures using earth magic. There was no name for it since there were no fixed shape and size for the earth structures. There were Light magicians as well, but I haven"t explored light magic that well so I tasked them to think of how to use the affinity they have and that only their imagination limits them. Of course I taught them how to do it without chanting as well; in fact I taught every person here how to use magic without chanting. There were no Dark and Null magicians here so we skipped that and I focused more on the s.p.a.ce magicians. I have certain plans for them both, so they have to train under me from now on.

After the day ended, we had our usual sparring. First it was a sparring with three-on-one, and the result was they lost miserably. They still can"t match my speed. By the way, I did not try to wear the rest of the accessories I picked that time on the road since I wanted to that only when I have full confidence that we will not be attacked once I did that stunt again.

So then the next match came and was now a one-on-one. First was Caltec, we started immediately and he pounced at me. With that pounce I stepped back and tried to give him a light tap on the shoulder but he dodged it and sent a counter with a backhand. I caught the backhand and gave him quick tap on the chest while holding his hand that is still caught in my grip. My grip was not something that can be broken by anything right now and I am actually not going to let up since this has been the way our sparring always has been. Knowing that he could not escape my grip, he twisted that same arm as the force of my tap propelled him backwards. And his arm broke free of my grip along with its state.

"So you broke your arm to break free from me, reckless, but necessary to survive. Remember this, your enemy will never give you a chance to launch an attack in desperation unless they stupid and foolish. Many heroes have fallen because of that same foolishness. Never give mercy in battle, only give mercy when you are not in the heat of battle."

[Yes, sire.] Caltec probably knows this but I want the three of them to know this, since they tend to chat when they are fighting to distract the opponent; it"s a good strategy but too much of it will only lead to losing focus and dying, so it"s not ideal, at all.

So Caltec picked himself up after getting away from me. His arm is dangling but his eyes are still alive. Good. So I gestured to him just like how those kung-fu movies sometimes provoke their opponents, telling them to come while fanning my fingers towards me. Caltec pounced again and this time he led with a kick, I dodged that kick and stepped back. He continued his rush and I kept dodging it. When I found a suitable timing to get one in, I sent a punch towards his stomach. He was able to notice it and abruptly kicked towards my head and I covered my face. He then used that as a foothold to jump backwards to avoid my punch. This happened simultaneously. He really is the most experienced here, but my cheats are always getting the better of them. Just a month ago, they can still toy with me while sparring but now I"m the one toying with them. My rate of absorption of knowledge and experience is insane even if I say so myself.

*Hah*

Panting, Caltec raised his good arm and said, [Wow sire, it"s only been a month and I already cannot match you in fist-fighting, truly admirable!] He said and bowed down in surrender. Although I want us to continue, he clearly has to get that twisted arm fixed up. I guess he"s done for the day. "Hey, rest up and eat your dinner then drink a pot before sleeping. No night-activity for you tonight." I commanded and also teased at the end. Jon and Mor laughed out loud when they heard it and Caltec showed an embarra.s.sed face. You"re a d.a.m.n pest in the night Caltec, do you know that? My hearing can filter out other voices but moans and groans can still be heard and whenever you pair of husband and wife do it, my ears rot!

"Laugh while you still can, you guys are next." I said as I gestured again to make them come. This time it was Jon. Jon has a different style of fighting than Caltec in which he waited for an opportunity to land that single devastating attack. It"s a good idea when you have a lot of defensive capability. However, as I am the one facing him, his defense (equipment) means squat, yet he still does it. He only sees me as a training dummy. I like his guts, but it irritates me like that. So I go on offensive and rain him a flurry of punches fast enough to make it look as if I had hundreds of fists. While I do that, Jon does his thing and waits. "I don"t tire Jon; you"re going to lose stamina first if this keeps going." I told him but he just seriously bides his time and looks for opportunity.

After a few seconds of flurry I switched to kicks and it was at that moment when I switched that he struck. Of course I baited him to attack at that timing. Although it was good to cash in on any opportunity, he has to learn that not every opportunity leads to success. I abruptly stopped my kick in mid-air while Jon was launching his counter which I now am countering. Jon let out a gasp of air and couldn"t stop his motion so he went through with it. With that, he was knocked out cold when my kick that I stopped mid-air started to accelerate again to his chest. I told Mor to come and get Jon and let him rest in his bed after forcing him to drink his pots.

"You"re next Mor" I beckoned towards him and he slowly came to me. I immediately went on to the offensive and gave him the same as I did with Jon, a flurry of punches that drowns anyone when faced by it. Well, Mor also has a different kind of style in fighting. He parries attacks like a pro. My attacks get redirected each time we clash. I think this guy has potential to be someone who cannot be touched.

"You"re really good at utilizing this technique Mor, keep it up, but remember, just having yourself turn soft is not enough to be called a warrior. You need to have the means to not only protect yourself but also your family. What I probably mean is, you have to make sure that those sparks of war that you parry and redirect somewhere else doesn"t haunt your family who"s behind you." I said to him while he kept on parrying my punches then I put it a strong feint and he also moved to intercept that. Seeing that, "Tch!" made me click my tongue in disappointment a bit. When he followed my feint to parry it, I had the split second opportunity to strike his chest with a tap and he was blown backwards while bulldozing the ground. "You see Mor, you focused too much on taking my hits instead of escaping them. As if you want it to be a slugfest of your opponent punching and you parry waiting to see who would come out on top. It"s a good idea yet again, but you can only use that on opponents who are not me." I got annoyed by how they are using me as the reference to hone their techniques as if saying, "if this does not work on him, it will surely work on those not him." Mor did not answer and slowly got up with his head down. "If you"re able to walk then you must be fine. Go and eat then drink your pots before sleeping." I told him.

With this, my day is also over, yet finally I hear a roar just a few miles away from our camp and seem to be heading this way very fast. Flying up and scanning the surroundings, I saw nothing else that could threaten us here, so I redirected my sight towards the fast approaching Lion-headed winged monster. I don"t know what made it come here like this ignoring my presence, but whatever it was, it must have been d.a.m.ned frightening for it to actually run away frenziedly like this.

I flew towards it to intercept it but it did not even look in my direction and just went straight as if his only goal is to run away and not look back. Dammit, my people are trying to rest up in there and you think you can just go ahead and run our camp through with me here?

Annoyed, I chased after it and immediately caught up. Without hesitation, I clenched my fist and sent one punch towards its torso and move it away from its trajectory where my camp will be overrun.

*BANG*

My fists found its target and the beast stopped on its tracks after digging a valley with its body in the originally flat ground. Groaning, instead of fainting, I was a bit surprised because even if I held back, that shot could have blown a city apart, how come it"s only injured after that?

It was already dying but it was in pain. "I did not want to kill you, but you would have killed people under my protection, that of which I cannot allow. So accept my kindness and let me end your suffering, creature." I offered it a solution to its current plight and without waiting for it to respond, I split its head open with a fist. I had to hurry up, because whatever spooked it, must be coming to chase after it, and when it comes, I"ll also give it a piece of my mind. I wonder what that beast is to frighten such a big lion-head.