“Now Krall!” Noah shot forward.

With the [Tamer’s Bond] Skill, he felt more in tune with Krall. But it still wasn’t perfect, not for Noah. He wanted everything to be seamless, as if it wasn’t Krall moving, but him. However, he knew there was still a lot of time until he reached that stage.

The group instantly noticed Noah as he charged out of the cave.

The young man in the lead glanced at Noah, then to the blue Skill Essence and rushed forward. His team rushed along within him.

“You fucking dare, Declan!” Noah shouted, and Krall roared. Krall could feel the anger bubbling inside his master as he mustered all the strength he could in his legs to fulfil Noah’s desires.

Noah noticed he wasn’t going to make it in time, and it only made him angrier. No, he was furious.

“Stop, we can talk about this!” Declan shouted, but Noah didn’t listen.

However, despite Declan’s words of peace, one of them pulled back the string of their bow. It was also a familiar face. The Trained archer hunter, Jake. A light blue hue covered the arrow as he charged up the attack.

Noah grit his teeth in preparation.

Jake loosed the arrow and it fired toward his head like a bullet fired from a hot weapon. Noah moved his shoulder forward and braced for impact with his shield protecting him. The arrow clanged against his shield, the tip penetrated through it, and lodged itself into his arm until it stopped.

Noah snarled and grabbed hold of Krall’s shoulder to stop himself from falling because of the impact. He felt a blazing heat surge through his chest as he glanced at the archer.

The man in front was about to touch the Skill Essence when a long pointed shaft skiffed past Noah’s ear. The throw was true and was about to impale the man. It forced him to roll to the side.

The spear gave Noah just enough time to reach the Skill Essence as he placed his hand on it.

You have obtained the Rare Strength Skill Essence - Overpower: Your next attack will be filled with an overpowering strength.

Glancing over the description, he accepted it within his body. The heat of the Skill pervaded his arm and shot up into his head.

Thraz quickly joined Noah as the humans backed up into a loose formation. It was clear to Noah that most of them were woefully unprepared. Their arms that held their weapons trembled as they gazed at the panting Krall.

His vicious teeth were on display, but that was nothing compared to the feeling Thraz instilled into their quaking bones. His hulking body waltzed up to Noah like an armoured tank and stood next to him.

“It’s rude to try and steal someone's property,” Noah said in a calm voice, but Krall was a perfect representative of his anger. Krall was itching to attack, much like Noah was. They were partners connected by mind.

With his cold eyes steeped with his experience within his gang, he gazed at the young man that stood at the front. He was obviously the leader. He had a curtain hairstyle and it was messy just like everyone else. The man was tall and lean muscle was visible just from his exposed forearms.

Declan was from a neighbouring school, but had never personally interacted with him before. Although, he did recognise a few familiar faces, but none that he talked with much–if at all. He only knew them as the Trained were practically celebrities.

Declan stood with two others that backed him up. One was the archer Jake, who didn’t hesitate to kill him; he had freckles and long hair.

The other was a man wearing a System granted shield. His tattered white shirt bulged from the thick muscles underneath. He sported a buzz cut. Cai.

Only Declan had an armour piece–a chest piece, to be exact. But it was just made of leather and wouldn’t provide much protection.

The thing that made Noah confident in charging was that he was the first to reach level ten. That meant that the humans in front of him didn’t have his strength. Of course, that was unless they held a spectacular Pathway, or a powerful Skill that was capable of making up the level difference.

But right now, Noah had thirty whole points of Strength coursing through his veins. That was three times as strong as any peak human on planet Earth. It provided him a level of confidence that was enough to face the youths in front of him.

“We didn’t know it was yours,” Declan said.

“Didn’t know.” Noah chuckled, his lips twitched. “Thraz, he said he didn’t know.”

Noah jumped off Krall’s shoulders. He crouched down as if to tighten his laces and grabbed a handful of dirt. He walked up to the leader.

Declan frowned and got into a fighting stance. Thraz stepped forward in preparation.

Ahh, the Trained of the rich families. His duty to the family is to earn glory. No doubt an early Rare Skill would help him. Noah thought.

He had seen many of the trained ones during the broadcast of Ubos. Yet most of them didn’t have the mentality to survive the bloodthirsty Otherworld. However, Noah left no stone unturned with his training.

Noah spent most of his childhood fighting on the streets for scraps of food. Blood was a common occurance to him. Just by the leader’s eyes, Noah could tell he wasn’t born for this life. They shook slightly at the sight of the beastly Krall, and the dominating sight of the dragonborn. One moment he was sitting pretty in his million dollar mansion, now he had no comforts to speak of. Unlike Noah.

“What do you want?” The young man said in caution.

“Your life,” Noah continued, “or maybe just a hand. The hand you used to grab at my precious Skill Essence. You can choose.”

“You think you can do it with just the three of you?” Declan said, but his words were filled with uncertainty.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Noah grinned and took a rushed step forward with his thirty strength. They flinched at the movement.

Noah swung his mace toward the leader. His expression changed as the man thrusted his sword forward.

But Noah already expected it. He used [False Step] and his movement changed. He dipped his shoulder, rotated his mace, then used [Overpower]. A raw, primal strength filled his body as he deviated his mace toward the archer. The speed of his mace crashed into the archer’s hand.

Or it would have if not for the tank intervening. He stepped to block the hit as the mace clattered against the shield with overwhelming might. The hit caused the shield user to crash to the floor with an agonising groan, his reactions weren’t a surprise. The trained had undergone many hours of sparring to react without thinking.

The moment the mace impacted the tank, Noah had already dropped his weapon and stepped forward.

The leader was quick to react and sliced his sword toward Noah. Noah quickly blocked with his shield, and his Skill reduced the impact. Then, his hand latched around the archer’s wrist, and yanked him toward Krall. The Dexterity focused archer didn’t stand a chance against his strength.

“His hand.” Noah ordered.

Krall roared a hiss as Noah activated [Kill Command]. The strength surged within Krall’s arms as he swung his club accurately against the human’s hand. With a crack, the human screamed out in pain.

Krall immediately grappled the human, not allowing him to move an inch, and grabbed his throat. The bloody mouthed tank and the leader took a step forward.

“Move and he’s dead,” Noah said

Krall’s grip tightened as the archer forced out a choked moan.

“Noah, what the hell are you doing?” A girl walked out from the back. She had beautiful golden hair. Her once pale skin was marred by a tender, peeling redness.

“Chloe?” Noah plucked up his mace from the ground. “Oh yeah, you were taken as well.”

“You wouldn’t do that, would you?” She continued. “We all need each-other here. We need to work together as a team to survive.” Tears formed at the corner of her eyes as she choked up. “A lot of us have–died. To those monsters.” She glared at Krall and Thraz.

“I see, that’s truly a shame isn’t it?” Noah nodded, then pointed to jake. “Just a moment ago he aimed for my life, did you forget about that? Or are you choosing to ignore it?” He glanced at the archer, he was cradling his hand, but it was clear it was just a mere fracture. Noah waltzed over to him.

“Krall, hold out his hand.”

Krall nodded, grabbed the archer’s throat, then stretched out his hand. He was too strong for the archer to resist.

“Does it hurt?” Noah asked the archer.

He gritted his teeth and nodded.

“Good,” Noah said. “Honestly, I've never killed someone before.”

Everyone turned silent.

“But I understand the importance of law and order. What’s your name?” Noah said despite clearly knowing his name.

“Jake.” He trembled, he gazed into Noah’s eyes with venom.

“Nice eyes, I’ve seen quite a few just like them. Well, Jake, I’m truly sorry, but because of the actions of your leader, you must bear the consequences for his actions,” Noah paused with a smile. “Okay?”

The archer ground his teeth together as he glared at Noah, then at the leader in front.

Noah’s friends had done many hours of research on human psychology. Apparently, it was better to punish the followers, rather than the leader. It would lower his standing, and trust. While the innocents would remain with their leader. He didn’t wish to have all their blood on his hands. Noah hadn’t a clue if it would work, but he had left all the thinking to them for a reason.

The leader was about to make a move when Krall tightened the grip around his throat once more. His step halted. Noah raised his mace.

“Fuck!” Jake screamed.

Noah swung it down with all his strength. As the mace struck his bony hand, he couldn’t even hear the sound of bones crack for Jake’s intense screaming and wails. The blood splattered onto Noah’s face.

The wound would be healed with a health potion, but pain was often the only reminder one needed.

The youngest within the group screamed and covered their mouths.

Noah was about to swing again, when Thraz interrupted him, a frown was etched onto his face. “Noah, hitting an injured man isn’t the sign of a warrior. I won’t let you continue. I can’t.” The last of his words were forceful. As if it wasn’t just his own feelings, but those of something else.

Scared of losing his sponsor, maybe? Noah stood up and moved beside Thraz.

The leader grit his teeth, he was about to lash out but his eyes remained on Thraz for a while, and seemed to come to a conclusion. He smiled. “Noah, is it? Would you like to join us?”

“Declan, are you kidding?” Chloe said, “Look at Jake’s damned hand! I knew Noah was in a gang, but to be this violent–how the hell can we let him near us?”

Noah may not be smart, but he was aware of people’s real intentions. Or at least he had a faint grasp of them from his time in his gang. Just from Thraz’s inaction, and his few words just now. The man named Declan must have come to a realisation.

Of course, it was the reason Noah himself was still with Thraz. He wasn’t the only one who had knowledge on the various different races within the multiverse.

“Chloe, please.” Declan sighed. “He has a mighty dragonborn on his side. Besides, he seems like a noble warrior. We need their strength. Think of the others. If only we had more strength–” His voice tapered off as the others hung their heads.

Chloe hesitated, before sighing. “If you think that’s best,” Chloe said in defeat. “But I don’t want them sleeping anywhere near us, and I want more on watch back at camp.”

“Are you fucking insane?” Jake screamed as he cradled his bloodied hand. He seethed in pain. “After what he did?”

“Jake, the first thing I will spend my Coins on will be a Rare tier potion for your hand.” Declan sighed. “Look at the others. Without strength, only more will die. I understand your anger, I do, and we will keep close watch on Noah, but it’s my duty to look out for the majority.”

Jake was about to lash out, but he looked at the others. They were injured, and scared. He tutted.

“We’ll do that then.” Declan nodded. “So how about it, would you like to come with us? There’s strength in numbers.”

“Mighty… noble warrior.” Thraz nodded at the words with pride and honour. Then he glanced at Noah. As if contemplating something.

Noah wiped the splattered blood from his face. “I’ll come with you, under one condition.”

“You think you’re in a position to–” The tank fumed, but was promptly held back by Declan.

“What is it?” Declan interrupted.

“I want the next rare or better drop,” Noah said as Declan’s face dropped. “Of course, I will be on the frontline taking the ferocity of the beasts head on. Besides, I’m still pissed off that you tried to steal my Skill. I’m rather petty, you know?”

Declan thought for a second, then agreed to his demands.

What Declan said was right. There was strength in numbers, and with more people, meant more Skill Essences would spawn. That bred the opportunity to steal Skill Essences right from under their noses. No doubt Declan also had that thought, and if he didn’t–then he was an idiot.

Noah trembled in excitement at the thought.

But he had no intention of joining them and risk being stabbed in the back. No, he had a better idea.

Suddenly, a pillar of blue light shot up and into the sky within the distance, interrupting his train of thought. It seemed to travel all the way into the heavens as it sparkled within everyone’s eyes.

The hub area has been created.

| First person to reach the hub will be awarded a World First Title.

| Time left for reward gain: 48:00:00s