Chapter 45: Chalu’s Journey (21)  

Chalu faced Athos, his eyes blazing with determination, while Bale, Raro, and Lyro worked tirelessly to heal their fallen comrades. Though their magic couldn't completely healed the injuries, it provided much-needed relief and strength.

"Why are you doing this?" Chalu demanded, his voice filled with a mix of anger and confusion.

Athos smirked. "For the sake of knowledge."

"Knowledge?" Chalu's anger flared. "You mean the knowledge you gain by eating my friend? What kind of twisted logic is that?"

Athos shrugged, his expression indifferent. "Why blame me? You consume animals for sustenance, just as I consume Eldoans and others.And by devouring them, I acquire their knowledge. It's a simple exchange."

"You monster!" Chalu roared, his fury propelling him forward. He channeled his aura into his sword and legs, enhancing his speed and strength as he lunged at Athos.

Athos's eyes widened at Chalu's sudden burst of speed. "Dark Arrow," he intoned, sending a volley of dark, arrow-shaped projectiles hurtling towards Chalu.

But Chalu was undeterred. With precise, fluid movements, he cut through the dark arrows, deflecting them effortlessly. Athos's shock was palpable.

"Impossible! My dark arrows are faster than that. They shouldn't be so easily deflected!"

Chalu closed the distance between them, his sword blazing with aura. "Take this!" he shouted, aiming a powerful strike at Athos.

"Dark Barrier," Athos responded, summoning a protective shield of darkness. But Chalu's aura-infused sword shattered the barrier with just two strikes.

"You bastard!" Athos snarled, enveloping his body in darkness then he quickly create a sword out of darkness. He launched himself at Chalu, their blades clashing with a thunderous impact.

The two fought fiercely, their movements a blur of light and dark. Chalu gritted his teeth, feeling the immense power behind Athos's attacks. Each strike sent shockwaves through the ground, but Chalu held his ground, determined not to let this monster prevail.

As they battled, Bale and others continued their work, glancing anxiously at the fierce confrontation. The fate of their friends—and perhaps all of Eldan—hung in the balance.

.....

Outside the Universe

As I watched the world of Eldan, I couldn't help but hope Chalu could defeat Athos. That bastard was strong, and I prayed things wouldn't get more complicated.

I turned to the creation system. "System, what will happen to their disguises? I'm worried they might get exposed."

The creation system responded, "Host, don't worry. As long as the one who cast the disguise spell hasn't died or been badly injured, the power will remain intact."

I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean by that? Wh-what is Raro's power exactly? How do those disguises work? I'm confused."

The system explained, "Host, think of it as a curse. Imagine being cursed by a witch; the curse only breaks if the witch is badly injured or killed. It's similar to those movies you watch, Host."

"Oh, I get it now. So that's how Raro's abilities work," I said, understanding dawning on me.

"Yes, Host," the system confirmed.

I looked at the world of Eldan once more, my thoughts heavy with concern. Chalu, Raro, Gori—all of them were fighting Athos. I hoped their disguises wouldn't be exposed. After all, they were beastfolk, and beastfolk were hated by Eldoans. The two factions were still at odds, and any exposure could lead to dire consequences.

....

Meanwhile

The first vassal of the king, Rowena Lomius, stood tall and imposing. At 42 years old, Rowena was a direct descendant of Belz Lomius, the legendary mother of magic. Her affinity for magic, rated at a formidable four, made her the strongest mage in the kingdom, even surpassing the king in sheer magical prowess. A master of the 7th tier circle of magic, Rowena's power was unparalleled, making her a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Next was Jono Spera, also 42 years old, embodying the essence of hope and adventure. A direct descendant of the legendary Jono, his affinity for magic, rated at three, was slightly weaker than Rowena's.

In the base of Eldoans, within a dimly lit tent, Rowena and Jono tried to gather their thoughts about what had transpired on the battlefield between the Eldoans and the beastfolk.

Rowena glared at Jono. "Those beastfolk bastards, how did they become so strong? What sorcery did they use?"

Jono looked contemplative. "I think it's different. I don't know how they gained that power."

Rowena's eyes blazed with anger. "Those bastards have to pay for what they did to our comrades."

She locked eyes with Jono. "Gather our strongest battalion. Let them pay for what they've done!"

Jono sighed deeply. "Can't we just stop this? You know you can persuade the kin—"

Before he could finish, Rowena cut him off, her voice sharp. "Enough, Jono! Why are you always seeking peace and such nonsense? You know what they did! They killed our kin!"

Jono's face was somber. "But we also killed some of them. We also did bad things to them. We can't just blame them."

Rowena's expression hardened. "Shut your mouth. I don't want to hear any more words. Now, go and proceed with my command!"

Jono sighed, "Okay." With a heavy heart, he exited the tent, leaving Rowena to her fury.

As Rowena found herself alone in the tent, she clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. She thought of the comrades she had lost, the friends who had been slaughtered, and the pain that had been inflicted upon her people.

Her eyes burned with fierce determination as she vowed to herself, "I will eradicate those monsters!!!"

...

Meanwhile, in the base of the Beastfolk, the atmosphere was tense. The first vassal of the beastfolk king, Lee, hailed from the tiger tribe. Renowned for his unparalleled martial arts prowess, Lee was held in high regard among the Beastfolk. His unique abilities were rumored to be among the best, second only to the king himself. Tales of his valor on the frontline against the Eldoans further solidified his reputation.

Next came the second vassal, Jom, representing the elephant tribe. His strength was said to surpass even that of Lee's, and whispers spoke of his extraordinary ability to make people float. As one of the generals who bravely faced the Eldoans head-on, Jom had earned his place as a vassal of King Regulus.

As Jom walked towards the tent, injured, Lee looked at him with concern. "What happened?"

Jom, wincing in pain, replied, "Tsk, to think I got ambushed by those vassals of the king."

Lee's eyes widened. "Who?"

"Emery Blaze and Marvus Borne, along with their comrades. They trapped me," Jom explained, frustration evident in his voice.

Lee was incredulous. "What... how did they ambush you? You, the second vassal, fell into a trap?"

Jom shook his head. "I don't know, but those bastards suddenly became smart after hearing about our plan or something."

Suddenly, Falo approached them, disabling her camouflage, causing both Lee and Jom to fluster at her sudden appearance.

Falo, from the Eagle Tribe, was the third vassal. Known for her swift thinking and unparalleled ability to see over great distances, Falo's skills were invaluable to the kingdom. Her mastery of camouflage further enhanced her value, making her an indispensable asset to the king and his council.

As Falo approached them, she said, "It was Rowena who planned it."

Jom looked at Falo, shocked. "What?"

"I heard it during my camouflage mode when I infiltrated one of their bases where security was loose. One of their soldiers mentioned that Rowena ordered them. That's how I know," Falo explained.

Lee nodded, processing the information. "Okay, just keep surveying them."

Falo nodded in response, then flew away, blending seamlessly into the surroundings once more.

The weight of the revelation hung in the air, adding to the tension and urgency in the Beastfolk camp.

...

Meanwhile, in the Beastfolk Kingdom, a 15-year-old elephant beastfolk named Mandu stood before a group of trainees. His voice carried the weight of his wisdom as he encouraged them, "Keep going! Always remember that this will make you strong!"

However, as the trainees continued their exercises, Mandu found himself lost in thought. He contemplated the transformation of these trainees into war soldiers. They were learning aura techniques, knowledge passed down from Chalu, who had always intended for the aura to strengthen the Beastfolk, not to be used as a tool for killing Eldoans.

Lomi, a fast and agile cheetah beastfolk, noticed Mandu's distress and approached him. "What's going on, Mandu?"

"Nothing," Mandu replied, his voice tinged with frustration. "I just feel pathetic and disappointed in myself."

Lomi understood his turmoil. The people they trained were becoming soldiers of war, a reality that weighed heavily on Mandu.

"I failed his expectations," Mandu admitted, his voice cracking. "I failed Chalu's expectations. What am I going to do now? I failed him."

Lomi placed a reassuring hand on Mandu's shoulder. "Mandu, remember what Chalu said."

Mandu's eyes softened as he recalled Chalu's words. "(sighed) Your right I have to keep moving… for the sake of everyone."

With determination. Mandu looked at the trainees once more. He knew that despite the circumstances, he had to carry on Chalu's vision of strength and resilience, guiding the Beastfolk towards a future where their power was a means of protection, not destruction.

....

Inside the world of Eldan, the renowned and nonchalant teacher, Colerio Sapher, stood among his colleagues in the waiting area, awaiting the return of their students from their expedition. Known for his expertise in both magical theory and knightly skills, Colerio had earned immense respect among his peers.

Beside him were:

Shen Mort, an alchemist teacher with a knack for concocting potent potions and elixirs.

Petra Haws, specializing in the history of magic, whose knowledge of ancient spells and lore was unparalleled.

Aro Lupe, the magic teacher renowned for his mastery of offensive and defensive combat magic.

Ms. Lerona Everdale, the knight teacher, admired for her rigorous training methods and unwavering dedication.

Dawk Coe, another teacher specializing in offensive and defensive combat magic, known for his gruff demeanor and bias opinions.

As they waited, Colerio suddenly stood up, a serious expression replacing his usual calm demeanor.

Shen Mort noticed and asked, "You're going to the forest now?"

Colerio nodded nonchalantly. "Yes, I have this intuition and a bad feeling that they are in danger."

Aro Lupe, always eager to challenge Colerio, smirked. "Trusting your gut again, huh?"

Colerio just gave him a nonchalant glance and walked away, heading towards the students' location.

Shen Mort quickly followed. "Wait, I'm coming with you."

Petra Haws also stood up. "Me too."

Lerona chimed in, "Count me in."

Dawk Coe, however, remained seated. "I'm not going. Those students are strong enough to handle themselves."

Lerona rolled her eyes. "Whatever, fatass."

Dawk bristled. "What did you call me, you mere knight?!"

Aro Lupe, not wanting to be left out, added, "I'm going, but not because you said so. But because I want to see the students' progress."

Colerio nodded, indifferent to the bickering, and continued on his way. The group, except for Dawk, followed him, driven by a mix of concern for their students and their own curiosity. Dawk, confident in the students' abilities, stayed behind, firmly believing that the elite students could handle whatever challenges they faced.

Well they didnt know Ash Minse just listening and smiling followed them behind

....

Meanwhile, focused on healing Roki's injuries, couldn't help but watch the intense battle unfolding before her. Athos's overwhelming power was evident, yet she marveled at Chalu's resilience as he stood against him. 

"This monster... his power is really strong," Bale murmured, her voice laced with awe and concern. "To think Chalu can go toe-to-toe with him..."

Roki, still reeling from his injuries but determined to understand, looked on with wide eyes. "And how is that Chalu stronger?

Bax, also struggling with his injuries, stared at Chalu in disbelief. "That bastard... is he really a knight?"

Lucy, despite her own injuries, looked at Chalu with newfound respect. "So this is Chalu that Marlo and Brando talked about. Now I get why they spoke so highly of him. He can really fight that monster one-on-one."

Lory, prideful and averse to losing, was also injured but couldn't hide her astonishment. "Impossible! No, no, he must be a mage or something."

Brando, filled with grief and tears in his eyes, gazed at Marlo's lifeless body. Despite his pain, he murmured, "You gotta win this, Chalu. Kill that monster. He has to pay for what he's done."

As the battle raged on, each of them held onto hope that Chalu could prevail against the seemingly unstoppable Athos. They knew the stakes were high, not just for their wounded bodies, but for the future of their people and the justice they sought.

To be continued