The Will to Change

[ALL OF YOU! GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE!]

There is a moment of silence. I mean I did just start randomly screaming. Then comes the panic. They are not sure what I want, but they obey.

Before long every villager is in front of me. About 300 of them. I don't bother counting them. I slowly walk into their midst. Examining each of them.

Every time I gaze at a villager, I can hear them gulping. They are terrified. Still, they are standing here. I see the tracker that I talked with yesterday. He seems to be whispering to himself:

"Slavery it is…*Sigh*"

Then I go back in front. I face them all. Time to rile them up a bit.

[You know…I have heard a lot about Cantre. They say it is a town inhabited by trash. Trash that doesn't even deserve living. Trash that is completely and utterly worthless.]

"Y-you!"

"Shut your mouth boy!"

The younger ones are raging, the oldest keeping calm.

[There are two types of people in this world. There are the noble ones. Then there are the stray dogs. Ah, actually there is a third. The people of Cantre that are even lower than the dogs.]

"Stop restraining me I'll go and-"

"Shut it, kid! You won't be the only one affected."

Oh? Behaving for their loved ones eh.

[They can't even protect themselves. They can't even protect their loved ones. They had to rely on the sacrifices of others to even survive. How heartless to even ask that of them. Honestly, I can't believe the few valiant ones died for such weaklings. Talk about a colossal waste.]

A little more. Some are ashamed, the others angry, a few indifferent. The last ones are used to the harshness of the world.

[There are many fools in the town of Cantre. It is really hard to live with those you know. All of them are colossal losers too. Thankfully, the remaining ones are all imbeciles. Isn't that nice?]

I look at them one last time.

[Ah, whatever. To all of the worthless, powerless, heartless, idiotic losers… Get out of my sight! Go on, scram!]

They start leaving. Dragging their feet. Defeated. I notice a few still standing there. A lot of youngsters. A few middle-aged guys. Some old and experienced ones. I approach the one that kept wanting to hit me earlier.

[Oh? Why are you still here?]

He spits through his teeth.

"You said that you wanted the worthless, powerless, heartless, idiotic losers to leave…. Sir!"

[Is that why? All of you?]

None utters a word. Hehe. I like these guys. I cross my hands behind my back. Facing away from them. Looking at the horizon.

[Frankly, you guys truly are trash right now. *Sigh* What would you guys do if you could change your fate?]

"I would!"

"Same!"

"Of course, we'd all do it!"

[Are you sure? What if the way to do it was extremely painful?]

The tracker comes nearby and kneels.

"Sir, we'd do anything for power!"

[That is where you are wrong. Power is but a means to an end. If you are ready to do everything for power, you have already failed.]

He seems to understand. I can see him reminisce about the past. Probably looking back to the sacrifices that happened.

[I'll be outside the town. Bring swords.]

I exit the town and reach a nearby area with trees around. This should be good enough. Before long all of them are here. There are also newcomers, ones that initially had left. They look nervous. Unsure if I'll kick them out.

There are 31 here in total. Well, there is an easy way to test their resolve. I can't believe what I'm about to do. But after witnessing the events of last night… There is no time for games.

[Now is a good time for quitting. I can train you guys the way I learned myself. Even a single second of this training… Will be enough to scar one for life.]

*Gulp*

I point to a big rock nearby.

[I'll be waiting there. The first one should come. If there is still a volunteer.]

I go behind it. Then the youngster that was talking back comes.

[Are you sure?]

He seems resolute.

"Yes!"

[Good.]

The way we are, the others can hear everything. But we are hidden from their sight.

[Remove all your clothes.]

He is perplexed.

[Hurry up.]

He seems to hesitate for a few seconds but then he starts undressing.

[Now turn your ass over here.]

He is shaking, but he does so, nonetheless.

[Alright. Stay in that position while I get ready!]

He nods. Now I better start slowly. He obviously doesn't have my regenerative capabilities. I simply want to inflict a bit of pain.

As much as I hate to admit it probably made my training faster. Progress is faster when survival instincts are stimulated. Where it doesn't feel like a game.

I will vines to appear. Very thorny one. Thin ones. Just enough to prick the skin delicately. Not enough to cause fatal damage. But I made him remove his clothes since he'll end up bleeding.

[Brace yourself. This will hurt a lot at first. But then you'll get used to it.]

Why is he sweating so much? Also, why does he look like he's about to sacrifice something important? Why would a villager care about his skin? Ah, whatever.

[Here I go, 3…2….]

At two I lash.

*SMACK*

"ARRRGGG!"

[How was it? Not that bad, right?]

He seems relieved for some reason.

"It hurts, but I'll be fine."

[Good, let's do this a few more times but harder this time.]

"Go ahead. I can take it!"

[Alright, here comes a big one!]

"Yes!"

We repeat this a few times. Towards the end, he is getting used to it a bit. Basic pain tolerance is a must for any warrior. Otherwise, one will flinch from a hit. That could prove fatal on the battlefield.

If I'm teaching them, I'll do it properly. I won't half-ass it. Guess I'll have to apologize to the elf ghost. In any case, this is a success. Besides grunting every time, he is now able to take it like a champ.

[Alright you can go join the others. Send the next one in.]

Comes an uneasy middle-aged man. His face is ashen. We repeat the same procedure. He follows my directives. Then he goes.

"This will be my first time! Please be gentle!"

Then he bends over.

[No way. I can only do it hard. Otherwise, it would defy the purpose.]

Then he shyly nods and lets me proceed.

Alright.

Let's do this…