The morning sun had barely climbed over the horizon when the village buzzed with its usual rhythm.
Under Kael's leadership, the once-struggling settlement now moved like a living machine.
Fields stretched farther than before.
Titan cows grazed calmly behind reinforced wooden barriers.
Weapons crafted with System Points rested in the hands of trained guards.
Kael stood on the watch platform, eyes sharp.
Something… felt off.
---
Warning from the Forest
Angelika suddenly stiffened beside him.
"Kael," she whispered, voice low, "multiple presences… coming fast."
Elara's hand moved to her weapon instantly.
Abyssari, who rarely showed emotion, narrowed her violet eyes.
Then—
WHOOSH!
Spears flew out of the forest.
"ENEMY ATTACK!" a guard shouted.
Kael's eyes turned cold.
"Defensive formation!" he commanded.
---
The Desperate Raiders
From the tree line burst nearly thirty tribal warriors.
They looked… desperate.
Thin.
Hungry.
But dangerous.
They wore rough animal skins and carried crude but deadly weapons.
At their front stood a massive young warrior.
He was impossible to miss.
Wild bear skin draped over his shoulders
Messy black hair
Piercing blue eyes
Tall, heavily muscled body
Presence like a raging beast
Angelika muttered, surprised:
"That one… he's strong."
The warrior stepped forward and roared—
"Leave your food and livestock… or we take them by force!"
Kael calmly stepped down from the platform.
His voice was quiet.
Dangerously quiet.
"You chose the wrong village."
---
Dean — The Wild Bear
The large warrior grinned fiercely.
"I am Dean. Remember the one who defeats you!"
He charged.
Fast.
Far faster than ordinary tribesmen.
The ground shook under his steps.
Elara moved—
—but Kael raised a hand.
"I'll handle him."
Dean's fist came like a hammer.
BOOM!
Kael caught it.
Bare-handed.
Dean's eyes widened.
"…What?"
Kael's upgraded physique—boosted by System growth and physics enhancement—didn't even tremble.
In the next second—
WHAM!
Kael's counterpunch landed cleanly in Dean's abdomen.
The big warrior flew back, crashing into the dirt.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Even the attacking tribe froze.
Angelika smiled faintly.
"As expected…"
---
Battle Ends Quickly
Without their strongest fighter dominating, the raiders quickly lost momentum.
Kael's trained guards surrounded them.
Within minutes—
Weapons dropped.
Raiders captured.
Dean struggled to stand but failed.
Still, his eyes burned with pride.
He didn't beg.
Didn't plead.
Kael respected that.
---
The Truth Revealed
One thin tribesman suddenly stepped forward nervously.
"Please… don't kill us!"
Kael's gaze shifted.
"Explain."
The man swallowed hard.
"Our tribe… population is falling… hunting grounds empty… children starving…"
His voice trembled.
"We had no choice…"
The air grew heavy.
Even Elara's expression softened slightly.
Angelika crossed her arms thoughtfully.
Abyssari watched Kael closely.
Waiting.
---
Meeting the Tribal Chief
Kael spoke calmly:
"Take me to your village."
Dean's head snapped up in surprise.
"You… would come?"
Kael simply turned.
"Move."
---
The Fading Tribe
By afternoon, Kael and a small escort reached their settlement.
The sight was grim.
Weak huts
Thin children
Exhausted hunters
Almost empty food storage
At the center sat an old man.
Very old.
Skin wrinkled like dry bark.
But his eyes were sharp with wisdom.
He was introduced as—
Chief Eric.
Nearly eighty years old.
Still leading what remained of his people.
---
Understanding the Crisis
Eric spoke slowly after hearing everything.
"Our tribe… is dying."
No pride.
Only truth.
"We attacked because we feared extinction."
Silence followed.
Kael studied the village.
Calculated.
Measured.
Then he spoke words that shocked everyone.
---
Kael's Offer
"Join my village."
Every head snapped toward him.
Dean's eyes widened.
Eric leaned forward slightly.
Kael continued:
"You will get food."
"Protection."
"Work."
"In return—you become one tribe."
The old chief closed his eyes.
For a long moment… no one breathed.
Finally—
Eric opened them and spoke firmly.
"…We accept."
---
A New Strength Rises
System notification flashed in Kael's vision.
[Population Incoming…]
[Village Strength Increasing…]
[New Talented Individual Detected: Dean]
Kael's lips curved slightly.
The village…
was growing faster than expected.
And with warriors like Dean joining—
The future battlefield of this primitive world…
was about to change.