A hard day

'It really had a youthful body' he thought to himself as he woke up with a prideful morning wood. Unsure why, he was still sure that the him after coming here was way younger than he should have been.

Turning around as Alexis pulled away his blanket to hide his crotch he cursed at her. It was even earlier than yesterday when his self-appointed master broke in an yelled him awake.

The night had already been short after his peeking on Mia.

He had used her screaming to leave the door unnoticed and rushed back to his room. Glad that no one else had been awake anymore as he would have had no chance to cover his massive tent. As proud as he was on his 'new' manhood, it came with some downsides like being unable to cover it even with both hands!

Even as he had gotten back unnoticed and lay down, it was impossible for him to sleep. It had taken some time for him to calm down and the same applied to his little buddy.

Shaking those thoughts away he clothed himself for the training to come. To his surprise the training took only an hour today and was again centered on strength and a little martial arts. That was Alexis' forte and she had decided to teach him a little. Another typical drunk decision of hers!

Though he quite enjoyed feeling her bosom on his back as she pushed him in the right position...

While he caressed his new bruises from the training session he got surprised with a heavenly present. Coffee. Or Kaffé as it was called there.

The letters still gave him some problems as the basic skill he gained gave him only the rough understanding of the language. The bitter delicacy was something invented a couple of hundred year back in the south. Alexis guessed it may had been another person originating from another world. Though closer information about such things was normally kept covered.

Their destination for hunting was in further distance today. Mia had made lunchboxes for the two as they wouldn't be back earlyer than evening.

A Pumpkin-farmer from south of Gold Creek had asked for help. The Stonefield farm had been plagued by Kobolds for the last days. As the number of the little pests kept increasing, there had to be a Cave nearby. Haggard had asked Alexis sometime the day before if her new pupil would like to take the job. He'd later report it to the guild when J. would register.

For the first four miles leaving the town they traveled along the partially paved highway towards the west. At a crossing they took the road to the left for another two miles. From there onward they traveled along pumpkin and potato fields. Halfway to the farm, about a mile further in, they spotted his first target.

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Kobold Tunneler lvl. 7

HP 275/275

[Mining lvl.1]

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Kobolds were weak, rat-like creatures. With long noses ending in a snout full of blunt teeth, they stood about four feet tall. Their limbs looked fragile and some features like their hands and ears looked kind of human.

Normally they dwell in their caves and live peaceful lives digging in the earth for ores. They seldom leave their settlements and surely not in this numbers. There were over ten of them on this single field. And they were not digging, but collecting pumpkins and carrying them away.

Unsheathing his sword, J. ran to the nearest Kobold. It didn't even stop unplugging pumpkins until his sword pierced through its torso, puncturing the heart.

The familiar notification and 100 Xp greeted him.

But his happiness got clouded as Alexis forbade him the use of weapons or spells for the rest of the Kobolds on the field. She had concluded those pests as no challenge for her pupil, so he had to show what he learned this morning.

Taking his stance next to the next Kobold that just arrived and started to gather pumpkins, he pulled his right fist back and threw a straight punch in hips height while turning on the left foot. The effect was a flying Kobold with a dent in eye socket missing its interior. Landing four yards away it rolled for another two until it stopped, lying on its back. It was not dead yet. But the moment it got up, J. had arrived in front of it and initiated a roundhouse kick over the left forefoot.

With a knacking sound the Kobolds head tilted to its right and never left that position, ending the kobolds life with a shattered neck.

After cleaning the field of the other Kobolds with various attacks he had either learned this morning or during this 'training', Alexis and J. went in the direction where the Kobolds went to and from. His calculations about his experience points had been correct, so he reached level 7 after mashing just one more of the little creatures.

Nearly a mile from the fields, in the forest to the opposite side of Gold Creek, they found a cave guarded by two level 8 and 9 Kobolds. As the creatures on the field had a level range from 5 to 7, those two were a little stronger. The higher one even had a [Hammer lvl1] skill.

After being allowed to use his sword, J. walked towards the cave. The Kobolds until now didn't even react to him, but those two immediately attacked on sight.

With a swift turning slash though he beheaded the lower leveled aggressor. Seeing his companion killed instantly the other Kobold held his crude cudgel over its head while it rushed forwards. Noticing a slight shimmer on its arms, J. knew it just activated a ability. And it did.

Dodging the fast downwards bash from the bigger-than-average Kobold to the left, he sliced along its torso, leaving a deep cut. While turning leftwards he positioned himself behind his foe and used his momentum to pierce the neck of it.

After some easy encounters inside the cramped cave he got pretty used on hand-to-hand combat. Deeper inside the cave they found nests and a lot of gathered food, but the tunnels that went further were to small for them.

They had already ventured miles inside this labyrinth, so they decided to call it a day and pass the information to Haggard. Taking a different route back here and there they encountered some more Kobolds. Long having lost count on the number of opponents he had defeated he was surprised to be at 6750 of the required 8860 experience points as they had left the caves proximity.

Alexis knew the region pretty well an guided him to a river westwards. He had to clean himself after he crushed and sometimes even dismembered the rats underground. Clearly having lost any aversion to gore and even coming to like this kind of battle, he was now blood soaked and clearly not presentable.

As he undressed in the cold water of the river Alexis watched him from the shore. He had lost his timidity towards the bashful woman. She felt somehow like a big sister to him, guiding and protecting him while also being a bully sometimes. As he pulled down his also blood stained pants he heard her from the back.

"I'm surprised you aren't hindered in your steps sometimes,... quite the tool you got there..." A.

"Right back at you with that rack of yours!" J.

Grinning proud she walked over to the water. After leaning down and giving him a good peek on her cleavage, she washed her face with the clear water. He was sure she had something on her mind, trying to charm him in a situation like this...

The next moment jumped towards him like a flash and tackled him down. He could only perceive a blur, not even react. The moment before he dove unter water he heard a swishing sound near his head.

As they stood back up he understood what had happened. On the opposite shore, not even fifteen yards away, stood two bipedal Hyenas. The one equipped with a bow would have shot him, had Alexis not reacted in time.

"Tsk, sorry I was distracted... Take your sword." A.

Doing as she said he pulled up his pants and ran to the shore where his belongings lay. Picking up the sword he rushed back to Alexis side. With a swift motion she grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder with a "Get them!".

After a short airborne moment he crashed down close to the two monsters on the other shore. Cursing inwardly at her throwing him over he had rolled forward and was back on his feet.

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Gnoll Hunter lvl. 9

HP 420/420

[Bow lvl.1]

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His [Analyze] revealed what he already suspected. Again.

While one was adept with the bow, the other wielded a axe. Judging the first to be the greater threat he rushed towards it. But the axe-wielding Gnoll blocked him off. Sidestepping it he sliced along its thigh with his backwards gripped sword and turned towards his target. Channeling his energy towards his left palm he rushed in, aiming for the right timing. As the monster pulled the string of its bow, he took the last two steps as fast as he could and landed a swift punch on its flank.

Directly struck with a lightning strike the Gnoll was electrocuted and unable to move. Before the other one could hobble over, J. held the tip of his sword under the monsters sternum and pushed it up until it exited from the shoulder. The kill was confirmed shortly thereafter, right on time for the second Gnoll to arrive.

Pulling out his blade and turning with a swing in one swift motion he landed a strike diagonally on the new opponent. Turning further with the motion he crouched down and kicked the Monsters legs up with a sweep. Standing over it the moment it fell on its back, he stabbed the Sword down, right into its wide open maw.

On their way back they followed the river upwards, watching for further Gnolls. Alexis found traces and tracks of them but they had no further encounters. When they reached the highway, J. saw a colossal roofed bridge leading over the river. Climbing up right next to it, they landed back on the highway they took this morning. Until they reached Gold Creek the whole endeavor took them just over ten hours.

After reporting their finds in the garrison they went to their inn. After greeting his co-workers and Mia he went up to clean himself again and change his attire. Today he even had the time to rest for a couple of minutes.

For dinner they had some of the game they hunted yesterday. Wolf-steaks grilled on open fire with baked potatoes served with wine sauce. Like always the dining hall was filled in no time. Only, today his new acquaintances from the patrol didn't come. As he learned from another group from the garrison, they were on patrol duty this evening.

Later in the night nearing the end of dining time new group entered the Inn. Led by a shabby looking and bare armed guy the party of five asked for rooms. From their looks J. had anticipated a rough and demanding attitude, but got positively surprised by how friendly they were.

The biggest guy of the group, Aman, was nearly a head taller than J., though even he himself was taller most men he met until now. Aman was simply gigantic and their Shield bearer. He had the same level of 24 like the slim woman behind him.

Her name was Shanti and she looked to be in their mid twenties. The oriental looking Huntress had slender and curved ears peeking out on top of her head. She looked similar to Aman and was of the same race as him. They were the first of the so called beastfolk he had encountered until now.

Next to her stood a really small girl, not even five feet tall, looking like a young teen. Her big and slightly pointed ears, as well as her bust betrayed that picture. On his second attempt [Analyze] succeeded and revealed her as Jeany, a Pixie Summoner of level 29. A race had had not seen until now. His mental picture was that of a hand sized fairy with insect like wings. Though she was small, she wasn't that small!

The last of the group was a pale and white haired priest. Eagan was a timid an friendly priest of level 25. The very picture of a priest as J. thought.

Their leader, Asher was half a head smaller and a brawler. Headstrong and not the brightest candle he still kept this party running.

After they ate and got their groups room, they went back to have some drinks in the dining hall. J. learned that Aman and Shanti were siblings and the group went here for Eagan. He was going to fulfill ritual at the Abbey in Northvale.

After one more round of Ale which they shared, everybody went to bed, where the well deserved rest awaited them.

Of course, J. laid only down after he gave himself a quick wash with the always returning feeling of being watched.

Only, now he had a hint to what it could be...