The next few hours are spent teaching the youngsters to work together, defending their buff specialist most central of all, followed by Alex ensuring he remains close enough to the two ranged team members. Most especially, to prevent threats from reaching them before they have the opportunity to whittle down the enemy HP enough to deal with at close range with their slightly subpar close combat skills.

I find myself pleased at their progress, proud to help these wayward teens to better handle this new world.

But our time draws swiftly to a close, the sun reaching its zenith and the faintest stirrings of movement emanating out from the forest to my sensitive ears. A theory soon confirmed by the mental sending from Horus, our resident eyes in the sky, of a swarm approaching.

“To battle!” I shout, Artemis howling her agreement and buffing everyone around with her Call of the Forgotten while my own Viking Defender Skill activates as well, my attacks soon to aid my allies just as much as they harm my enemies.

As the buff takes effect, I notice a number of the trainees stand a bit taller, move a bit quicker, even their eyes seem to be more determined, more alive with fire burning internally, a fire of survival.

We are as ready as we can be.

Belina has her defenders lined up with shields raised and at the ready, my own trainees and the scouts who now return filing in behind them and preparing weapons and Spells.

As the Beasts begin streaming out of the tree line, the System helpfully labels them for us, almost like the ring announcer at a cage fight!

{Rogue Raccoon, Lv.18}

{Majestic Mountain Lion, Lv. 19}

{Brutal Bear, Lv.18}

{Feral Rat, Lv.16}

And more Beasts follow behind these…

Most of the assembled creatures are all around the same levels, on the cusp of Journeyman tier but thankfully just short. Also, as the tide seems to ebb, it seems the wave is affected by the number of village inhabitants, the number of Beasts far fewer here than the ones that attacked the Viking Village.

As the full swarm fills the clearing, I catch a glimpse of the final Beast to exit the forest, a previously undiscovered species (to us anyway) which takes its place at the back of the swarm like a conquering general.

{Wily Wolf, Lv.22}

Now that one is a big boy…

Larger than the size of a Clydesdale even!

A fierce grin finds its way onto my face, perhaps a worthy challenge has appeared after all—plenty of that sweet, sweet XP!

I see the trainees begin to despair, fearing their small force won’t be enough, that they are too young, to weak.

“Look to those around you, those who were forced to bow and scrape for every tiny morsel of XP, starving due to those quicker to reach power merely lording it over you, forcing you to their will, their Path…..” I shout to them, all eyes locked on me.

“Across this clearing, marching right to your doorstep, is a FEAST! The time for your hunger is over. The time for your subservience is over. The time for your rise….BEGINS!” I roar, hatchet raised as the horde rushes us.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“AHHH!” my small army roars in agreement at my words, despondence leaving them to be replaced by fire: one of drive, of hope, of strength.

The next moments I merely watch, our shield users keep the Beasts at bay with Belina stepping in here and there to catch any that sneak through the line.

The ranged fighters remain in place, arrows and spells streaming over the tops of tower shields to devastate the creatures.

Their levels may be higher, but each Beast receives multiple arrows and/or Spells, this much quantity a quality all its own.

Seeing the defense is well in hand, I turn to the close combat fighters, at the ready to my right, for some offense. Alex stands at their lead, his hands shaking with nervous energy, his anticipation nearly palpable as Artemis and I walk over.

“You ready?” I ask, receiving a jerky nod in reply, “I’ll clear a path, use it to strike at enemies to either side, pull back if you begin to get overwhelmed. Artemis will join you and Horus will likely dive down in support as well. If they try and herd you one way or another: LISTEN, it will likely save your lives. But most of all, do not follow me.” I tell him.

“Why? What will you be doing?” he asks with a frown.

“I’ll be handling the big one.” I tell him, an anticipation of my own lighting a fire in my eyes as I stare hungrily at the wolf.

Alex, eyes wide, merely chokes out, “Ahh, understood.”

Spinning my axe a few times to loosen my wrist up, I see Alex and his team ready themselves, and, without further ceremony, leap into the fray!

My hatchet blurs left and right, up and down, strike after strike as I advance at fast jog through the enemy force.

I fell all I encounter, my blade crunching skull and piercing flesh as I fall into the beginnings of my Style.

Soon, the Beasts give me a wide berth like the proverbial rock in a stream, suiting my purposes just fine as I speed up into a sprint toward my target.

A quick look back before I attack confirms that Alex and his team are holding their own, staying in a tight circle to keep from being attacked in the back and using the lane I formed as a fall back. I even notice their HP bumping up occasionally as my Skill comes into helpful effect.

Artemis swipes her claws at any attacker that tries to leap over them or go through them, even Horus swooping down to take out unsuspecting enemies as needed.

Worries settled about our youthful teammates, I let my challenging gaze fall upon the wolf general, his own eyes regarding me in turn, before in near unison, we charge at one another!

The Beast blurs towards me, his speed a rival to my own, his claws taking on a ghostly greyish light as he moves forward, great divots forming in the ground at each pawfall.

A wild smile grows on my face, my own hatchet taking on a greenish tint as Wild Rampage takes its tithe from my health as we draw near.

With ten yards remaining, we leap at one another, claws and blade poised to strike!

His grey tinted claw swipe just under my hatchet, gashing messily along my side through my armor, my own attack plunging into his shoulder and splintering the joint in a small gout of blood.

As we land beyond each other, I yell out unconsciously in anger at my pain, a yelp escaping the Beast from his own wound.

We turn back to each other, our fighting spirits far from spent. Much to the contrary, I feel my hunger for growth, for the hunt, for battle filling my mind as we begin rushing at each other once more.

Done messing around, I let my Style swell, a great tide approaching the shore that is this powerful Beast.

But I don’t intend to break upon the rocks of it, oh no.

I will erode him, wash him away, flood all that he ever was, ever is, and ever will be with my power, my might.

I move with the help of the wind, my steps steadied by the very earth as we approach each other once more.

This time, the grey glow is stronger and surrounding the wolf’s huge maw as he opens it wide in preparation to chomp down on me!

Not this time!

I spin to his left like a pro running back, hatchet building momentum with my motion, before the head slams into the Beast’s spine in a shower of blood, bone and gore, penetrating nearly through his chest with the power of a rushing river, a flowing ocean that fills my strike.

With nary a whine, the wolf falls at my feet, my breaths coming in great heaves as I recover, my Style fading from my mind as I let it go, looking behind me to see the swarm on its last legs, trainees rushing here and there to eagerly chase down the stragglers.

I let out another breath, deep only by choice this time as my relief wells up inside.

We were able to keep these young ones alive, even helped them to advance!

This is how the world should be…

But I know it won’t be, many will be held captive: exploited and enslaved by the more powerful.

This is but the beginning though, the first step.

After the Contest ends, I will have the time to set things like this straight.

We just need to win first.

Else it will all be moot.

Just more motivation to feed the ever-growing bonfire of will burning away inside me.

We will win.

I will it so.

For this reason, and every other besides.