Anger was always an issue for me. it was one bad part of my personality and often led me to a lot of trouble. I used to just let my anger take over and bring danger to people around me. everything started to change when I had to start working on my own. I learned to control my anger issues so that I can be less dangerous and less troublesome for my coworkers.

things get even much better when I get married to my wife. she was such a wise woman. she knows how to manage my anger and where I should channel it. With her, I become a very peaceful person and will only be angry when my wife lets me.

that is also one of my new weaknesses, my wife has become the only one who has total control over my emotions which means without her, I am prone to go back and become an angry man.

*****

the three Saber Pandas look at me warily. they look at my eyes and see that the current me is different from what they fought before. the middle Saber Panda looks at its friend and appears to have a different type of strategy in mind.

two of the Saber Pandas quickly charged at me, and they looked like they had some dangerous plans. Meanwhile, the third Saber Panda started to run away from me, trying to take some distance.

Meanwhile, I am still in the middle of my effort to control my emotions. Anger might be a powerful weapon but at the same time, it was also a deadly poison. Anger is sweet and addictive, like some sweet wine but at the same time, it also kills you slowly from the inside. change you into a creature you don't want to be.

trying to control my emotions means my focus is now split between the battle outside and the battle inside. I see the two Saber Pandas charging at me, ready to pounce and rip me apart at any moment while at the same time, my emotions are starting to get out of control.

GGGGrrrrrrrr!!!

the two Saber Pandas are close and they are already pouncing at me from two different sides. at this moment, I usually respond with a 'dodge and counter' style, but my anger and my skill Hybrid Instinct said otherwise. Their claws are sharp and deadly but at this moment, such a thing feels like a child playing.

pain is an old friend, a relief that I have longed for years. pain is about to come to me and it would be foolish to ignore its presence.

instead of taking a step back, I took a step forward while my hand was swiping upward, trying to put my own claws in the Saber Panda's neck.

SCRAATCHH!

SCRAATCHH!

SCRAATCHH!

Both my shoulders got a deep claw wound that quickly turned me wet from bleeding blood. at the same time, both Saber Pandas also had deep claw wounds near their necks. One of them got it worse and his wound was bleeding profusely. it instantly got a seizure.

the other Saber Panda was also bleeding badly but it still had some fight inside. I was trying to get my attention with a threatening growl, but my focus was already elsewhere. i could feel my shoulders hurt so bad, the pain started to climb up to my head. at the same time, I got this little sense of joy. like a little happiness for a small achievement that you get when you manage to finish some small task.

Crack!!

a sound comes from behind me that makes me take a look. behind me, the last Saber Panda is trying to tear down a Treant with its claw. It begins to swipe as hard as it can as if it is in a hurry. and they are indeed in a hurry because the moment I see the Saber Panda clawing the Treant, I quickly run with my all in it. I have only one aim, which is to smash the Saber Panda's head and turn it into a pulp.

ROAAARRR

I roar angrily, but not using the skill, while I run with my fastest speed toward the clawing Saber Panda. the Saber Panda is surprised when it hears my roar and cannot help but take a look, where it starts to panic as it sees me running fast toward it.

the Saber Panda quickly ran away, taking a long route to avoid me and join up with its only friend who was chasing me. The moment I see the third Saber Panda running away, I take a hundred eighty-degree turn and change my target back to the wounded Saber Panda.

the wounded Saber Panda is surprised to see me changing direction and failed to run away as I pounced at it and started to tear its body apart!

Scraattchh! Scraattchh! Scraattchh!

I clawed it repeatedly, ripping flesh from the bones and turning its body into mangled flesh. I didn't know that I was capable of such a gory act but it felt nice to finally put my enemy's dead body into a mess.

two down. one last cuddly bear remains.

The last Saber Panda got scarred when it saw its two friends fall into terrifying conditions. It begins to speed up and straight up runs away from me, leaving its two dead friends behind. i was about to chase it but then decided to let it run. these creatures might be intelligent and probably going to come back with more numbers.

of course, it is scary to get surrounded by such dangerous creatures, but at the same time, it was also exciting! I know I have done a bit of fighting before, but now i just realize how great it is to kill your enemy. especially if they are a bit strong and I can kill them.

Stolen novel; please report.

I went back to the Treans Forest to check on the wounded Treant. the wound is not too bad, only a shallow cut on one of the roots and nothing more. I think I did a good job of not letting it claw the Treant for a longer time.

i can feel my anger quickly subside and I finally have my clarity again. Well actually, I didn't feel as cloud-minded as when I was back home. I think my mind remains clear and normal throughout the battle. If anything, I guess my fighting skills get better when I am angry. maybe haha.

*****

I am quite thankful since there is no more attack for the rest of the day until the Treants wake up once more and we continue our journey at snail's speed. I told Oak Treant about the attack and he confirmed that such creatures often attack his forest, mostly they leave after killing one Treant but sometimes they go for more.

Oak Treants is about to tell me about the tale of a Great Beast that he once fought but before he can continue further, I stop him and ask his permission to sleep on one of his branches.

I manage to sleep peacefully throughout the night and Oak Treant wakes me up when morning comes. I look at the trace behind the forest and see that we have made quite a distance from the previous location, with these paces we might be able to arrive at Boroboro Village in about a week. maybe more, who am I to decide?

I checked on my body as I suddenly remembered that I was wounded yesterday. it seems that my skill Enhanced Regeneration manages to work its magic as i can see my wounds were completely healed. there is no scar left behind, it is as new as newborn skin.

I am lucky to have this healing skill and I hope this skill can grow stronger. Please be stronger pleaseeee!

I am also lucky because there was no attack today. And the day after. Everything was just as calm as a mute chatterbox!

On these two days, Oak Treant shared with me some stories about his day back when he was a younger tree. One of those stories is when he fights to defend his Treants from the attack of Termites. As wooded beings, Termites are one of their biggest nemesis. Oak Treant managed to save his Treants from Termites by learning to wield Fire Magic.

"A Treant wielding Fire Magic? Isn't that a bit odd?"

"Of course it is, challenger.

but it is also necessary to cover our weaknesses.

most of our enemies are often weak against Fire Magic."

"That is quite, interesting.

Can I learn magic too?"

"Everyone can learn magic.

even more so if you are a Great Beast.

and since you are also a challenger, I believe your potential to learn magic is even higher than any Great Beast."

"I see.

oh, by the way. why do you call me a challenger?

Luvia also called me a challenger but I didn't understand what she meant and I couldn't ask her."

"Oh, you have met Luvia?

how is she?"

"I killed her, sorry.

our mission conflicted with each other so it was either she or me."

"I understand.

Don't worry about that challenger.

death has long been my dear friend for years.

Luvia wasn't the nicest Great Beast that I ever knew, but she was okay."

"yeah, sorry about that.

Anyway, about the challenger?"

"Ah! Yes!

there are two kinds of beings, based on their souls, that live on this planet.

the first one was for us, creatures that come and are born from this planet.

we were called based on our races. Treants, Humans, Elf, anything we are born to be.

the second one was for creatures like you, taking a similar form to us but with different souls.

you are called Copies, but most with a power call you a Challenger.

being of another world who come to challenge us from our places."

this is such an eye-opener. no wonder my mission is to be ranked one. The world wants me, or those with similar cases with me, to take over the power in the world and make them us.

"Do you know why we are chosen to challenge the inhabitants of this world, Oak Treant?"

"I am sorry, challenger.

none of us in this world can ever know about that.

but I could probably guess who will have a clue about your question."

"Who?"

"The Monsters!

they are the apex of creatures on this planet!

Everyone worships them like gods and their fight shakes the world like no one has ever seen before.

the Monsters are the only beings that could possibly understand why you are chosen as a challenger."

Monsters are godlike beings with power beyond understanding. their might and wisdom were beyond anyone on this planet.

They sound so cool.

"Where and when can I meet these... Monsters... being, Oak Treant?"

"Meet? HAHAHAHAH

you want to meet them?"

"Yes! I want to meet them!"

"Are you sure?

you really want to meet them?"

"Yes! I want to meet them!"

"then be one of them! HAHAHAHA "

"What!"

"You are the Challenger!

you are the one destined to be at the top of our world!

become one of those Monsters and rule the world!

if not for yourself, do it for the little village that you helped today.

hehehe."