A month? With them? I can barely keep myself alive…
With one more forceful nudge, Corvin finally twitched. “Hey, Nera. I think we’re screwed.”
He stared at the screen, still confused, then exploded. “Fuck you, you damn system! Are you kidding me?! First, you tell me to defeat him, and now you tell me to save his people? Is this all just a game to you?!”
He roared, but the system gave no response. Fucking system…
“Guess what, dear. We now have to take care of the survivors.” He sighed as Nera began charging her Acid attack.
“No, no, not like that! Stop! We have to protect them, or we’re screwed.”
Corvin stopped the murderous snake just in time.
Defeated, he sighed, his mind a mess. “Damn it all. Fine. It’s not like I can risk losing fifteen levels. Ridiculous.”
He spat on the floor and stored the blue corpse in his inventory. If he was going to help these savages, he couldn’t let them see their dead Chief like that. Then he picked up the massive greatsword and appraised it.
[Chief’s Greatsword]
Rarity: Rare
Type: Greatsword
The blade that represents the Tribe's Chief. Only the worthy may carry it.
Each strike of the blade has a 25% chance to break the opponent’s guard and shatter bones.
Strength +18
“Not as good as Coilbreaker, but damn, it’s awesome too. So… does this mean I’m their Chief now? My head hurts.” He exhaled, unsure how to complete the quest.
“Okay, Nera, let’s head into the tribe. Let’s see what happens with this blade in our hands. If I’m right, we’re in charge now.”
He sighed and led Nera toward the tribe.
***
Within the tribe, fifteen women, twelve children, and seven low-level green-scaled lizardmen cowered together, hearts pounding as cold sweat trickled down their backs. Fear hung thick in the air like smoke.
Corvin pushed open the front gates slowly, careful not to startle them further. The massive greatsword rested on his right shoulder, its weight a silent declaration of dominance, while Nera slithered behind him, her scales rustling against the ground.
“Hello, everyone. I am your new Chief. Don’t be afraid, okay?” he called out, voice firm but warm.
The response was immediate, a chorus of terrified screams as the group scrambled backward, pressing themselves against the farthest wall of the enclosure.
Corvin sighed, shaking his head. I expected this. Well… I did kill their men and their Chief. His jaw tightened, anger simmering, not at them, but at the damn system.
Fine. Let’s feed them. That’s how you tame pets, right? You feed them first.
He dumped most of his remaining points into food and a massive table. With a shimmer of light, a feast appeared, a table large enough for thirty men, piled high with roasted meats, fruits, and steaming bread. He even set aside portions for himself and Nera.
“Eat! This is for you!” he shouted, then turned and ducked into the largest tent, the Chief’s quarters, he'd seen the blue lizard use it constantly. Inside, he laid out more food for Nera and tore into a drumstick, frowning at the situation.
Every few minutes, he triggered Echolocation, scanning the tribe outside. For a long while, nothing changed. The lizardfolk remained frozen, fear outweighing hunger, until a small child finally broke.
The little one darted forward, snatched a roasted bird, and began devouring it wildly. A cheer escaped its throat, and soon other children joined in, laughter bubbling as they feasted.
Corvin chuckled softly. Look at these little reptiles enjoying themselves. Ah, to be young. He sighed like an old man, leaning back against the simple bed.
Slowly, the adults followed suit, their fear melting away bite by bite. When the food was gone, they gathered outside the tent and bowed, silent and unmoving, waiting.
With a heavy breath, Corvin rose from the bed, gripped the greatsword, and stepped outside to face them.
***
As Corvin stood before the bowing lizardmen, his eyes flicked over their status screens. Almost all of them hovered around level twenty, while the children barely scraped level two or three.
Holy shit… and I’m supposed to make sure they can protect themselves with these levels? He shook his head, frustration gnawing at him.
“Okay, raise your heads!” His voice cracked like a whip. “From now on, you listen to me. You’ll be fed and defended, but if I even sniff a sign of rebellion, I’ll end this nonsense myself!”
The words hung heavy in the air. Without waiting for a response, Corvin turned and strode back inside, hoping they understood.
Nera coiled near the entrance, her golden eyes gleaming as she kept watch. Corvin dropped onto the crude bed and pulled up his stat screen. Time to allocate points.
Six into Magicka, four into Agility, three into Intelligence, and the remaining five into Luck. He still wasn’t sure how much Luck mattered, but something told him it would pay off eventually.
“Okay… that feels good.” He exhaled, rubbing his temples. “We’re growing stronger together, Nera. But this next quest isn’t about strength. We need to think this through, find someone who can protect them when we’re gone. I can’t waste a month here…”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
He scratched his head, mind spinning.
“Can you make sure nobody enters? I’ll take a short nap. My brain’s fried.” His tone softened as he glanced at her.
Nera hissed in approval, her coiled body tightening protectively around the entrance.
Corvin stretched his tall frame across the simple bed and let exhaustion claim him. The day’s chaos weighed heavily; it was too much, even for him. Was killing the blue lizard a mistake? Did the quest expect something else?
Those thoughts lingered until darkness pulled him under.
Next to him, Nera stood guard as night fell. The lizardmen retreated into their tents, their quiet submission a silent promise of obedience.
***
Early in the morning, Corvin twitched and sat up abruptly. Damn… how long did I sleep?
His eyes swept the tent. Nera lay coiled around the entrance, her massive body forming an impenetrable barrier. If anyone had tried anything, they wouldn’t have lived to regret it.
Sensing his movement, she stirred, warm yellow eyes blinking open. The single horn on her head glowed faintly in the dim light, casting soft shadows across the tent.
“Rest,” Corvin murmured, stepping closer. “I’ll go outside and see what we can do.”
He reached down and gently petted her head. Nera hissed softly, closing her eyes again, continuing to nap.
***
Outside, the camp was stirring to life. Lizardmen repaired torn tents, released small chickens from their cages, and tended to the morning chores. Children darted between the adults, shrieking with laughter, while women sat cross-legged, sewing simple garments from coarse fabric.
Yet none of them came near Corvin’s tent. They kept their distance, casting wary glances whenever his shadow moved.
Corvin stepped out, towering in full gear, the new gloves he’d gained from the Chief snug on his hands. Their eyes followed him, fearful, reverent, as he scanned the camp.
The place was pitiful. A flimsy fence marked the perimeter, but there were no defenses, no vantage points, nothing to warn of incoming threats.
He exhaled sharply. If something attacks, they’re dead before they can scream.
Without another word, Corvin strode past the fence and into the woods. Coilbreaker gleamed in his grip, its jagged edge hungry for work. Each swing of the blade sent a massive tree crashing to the ground.
When the clearing was littered with timber, he swapped to the Chief’s Greatsword, its weight perfect for splitting trunks into sturdy planks. His movements were precise, practiced, like a seasoned woodworker.
Funny, he thought bitterly. These skills… I owe them to Boridus. Years as his slave, building camps, watchtowers, and stakes for raids. If I screwed up, Roary’s fists reminded me fast.
Hours passed. Corvin stacked the prepared wood into his storage, then returned to camp. With the last of his points, he bought a simple hammer and nails.
The lizardmen froze as he began pulling timber from thin air. Yesterday, they hadn’t questioned where the food came from, but this? This was sorcery. To them, Corvin looked like a god.
He ignored their stares and set to work. Nera basked in the sun behind him, her scales shimmering as she kept watch.
Three hours later, a watchtower was completed, its frame solid and commanding. Corvin gripped the structure, muscles straining as he hoisted it upright and anchored it in place overlooking the valley before the mountain.
He added a ladder, climbed to the top, and surveyed the land. A grin tugged at his lips. Perfect.
Back on the ground, he spotted two green-scaled lizardmen gawking from afar.
“You two! Come here!” he barked. “This is your job now. You take turns watching. If anything comes close, you tell me. Got it?!”
Blank stares. No comprehension.
Corvin cursed under his breath. “Damn lizards…”
He jabbed a finger at them, then at the tower. “You. Two. Go. UP. Okay?” He mimed climbing, then pointed at his eyes and the horizon. “Watch!”
Still nothing. His patience frayed. With a sigh, he climbed the tower himself, pantomiming an archer aiming at invisible enemies.
Finally, the message clicked. The two scrambled up after him, screeching in excitement as they saw the sprawling region from above. Soon, five more joined, their voices echoing across the camp.
Corvin shook his head, smirking despite himself.
Turning to Nera, he muttered, “Let’s go hunt something. I’m out of points to feed them.”
Nera hissed in agreement, her body rippling as they vanished into the woods.
***
The duo moved silently through the forest until they found a trail of massive pawprints gouged deep into the earth.
“These are some big paws,” Corvin muttered, crouching to inspect the prints. “Let’s hope this is easy.” He chuckled, knowing full well life never was.
They followed the trail, pawprints, shredded bark, and claw marks, until they reached a cave mouth littered with bones. The stench of old blood clung to the air.
Nera slithered forward, her horn glowing faintly as her heat vision pierced the darkness. A hulking shape lay inside, breathing slow and heavy.
“Sleeping,” Corvin whispered. “Good. If we fight in the dark, we have the advantage. But let me scan it first.”
He wasn’t about to gamble their lives. Silently, he switched his title to The Night Lord, activating Nocturnal. Shadows thickened around him as the system fed him the details:
[Redpelt Volcanic Bear Lv. 111] [HP: 12,511 / 12,511] [MP: 570 / 570]
Not bad. Much weaker than my last enemy. Corvin grinned and drew the Chief’s Greatsword.
With a thought, Abyssal Dominion unfurled. A choking fog swallowed the cave, and fear seeped into the beast’s heart. The bear jolted awake, trembling, then roared in panic.
Nera struck first, two Miasma Beams slicing through the mist. Corvin dashed forward, activating Flurry. A storm of poison-covered slashes rained down on the disoriented beast, blood spraying as it howled in agony.
As the fear broke, rage replaced it. The bear roared, its entire body igniting in volcanic flame. A burning paw lashed out, and Corvin barely raised Aqua Barrier in time.
The barrier hissed, shattered in a single blow. Heat scorched his skin. Corvin ducked low, countering with a wide arc slash, one of his father’s techniques. The blade bit deep, shattering ribs as the Chief’s Greatsword triggered its bone-crushing effect.
Behind him, Nera spat Acid, the corrosive spray mixing with fire in a violent explosion that tore deeper wounds into the beast’s flesh.
Corvin dashed back in, slashing and weaving between the bear's fury-fueled swipes and bites. Then suddenly the beast roared and froze in place.
Desperate, the bear sacrificed its vitality, summoning a massive globe of molten fire. As the skill finished forming It hurled the inferno at Corvin.
He reached for Aqua Barrier and froze. His Mana pool was empty. Shit.
With nothing but steel and instinct, Corvin raised his blade, bracing for impact.
Behind him, Nera used the last of her mana to shoot two more Miasma Beams, burrowing through the bear’s chest.
BOOM!
The fiery globe exploded, searing Corvin’s body as he was expelled backwards from the cave together with Nera. The level-ups shone in his mind, but as soon as his body was healed, it was torched by the never-ending surge of flames.
With his mana restored, he activated Aqua Barrier and covered Nera with his body as it was again burned. Even his cuirass was shining red from the heat searing his flesh.
He chugged Lesser Healing Potions, his body healing and burning in a vicious cycle. Desperate, he dumped three stat points into Vitality, clinging to life.
*** Resistance Leveled Up: Fire Resistance Lv. 4 ***
The message flashed, and the pain dulled just as the flames began to fade.
Corvin staggered upright, coughing smoke. His pants and shirt were gone, his red bandana half-burned and dangling from his neck. The rest of his gear was scorched but intact; the scaly leather had saved him.
He glanced at Nera. Aside from a few burns, she was fine. Relief washed over him.
“Holy shit, Nera… Who saw that coming? What even was that attack?” He gasped for air, still trembling.
[Experience gain reduced due to the user’s Constitution]
[Experience gained: 7,859]
[Level Up!]
[Your Beast Leveled Up!]
[Experience toward next level: 51%]
[Congratulations! You have slain a Unique Beast.]
[The User survived against all odds!]
[Calculating…]
[Achievement Unlocked: Ouch, That’s Hot!]
[One of the Beast’s skills will randomly be rewarded to the User]
Achievements:
Do the Impossible – Kill an Epic-type monster while at level 1
Are you, my mommy? – Hatch a new species of monster and make it recognize you as its parent.
Ouch, That’s Hot! – Survive a fire attack that should’ve killed you within seconds.
Open Spoiler for stats!
Skills Leveled Up: Fire Resistance Lv. 2 > Lv. 4
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