Realization

Johan attacked the tiger with his spear, trying to pierce its back. But the tiger wasn't dumb. It quickly moved to the side swiped its paws at Johan and roared lightly. 

Ivan, seeing his friend's predicament, stopped running and looked at his son.

"Son. You run as fast as you can. Inform the others. Just wait a while, I will be back." With that, Ivan unsheathed his sword and ran towards Johan and the tiger.

On Johan's side, the tiger had already injured his arm and bit his left elbow off. The 500-pound tiger left no space for Johan to move. But Just as the tiger was about to finish off Johan-

"Hahhhhhhhh!"

A sword slashed at the tiger's back, injuring it.

"Fight with me! You Bastard!" Ivars hands were shaking and his breathing was heavy but he had to save his friend.

The tiger roared once again, angry at the arrogance of the human. The tiger went straight for Ivan. As Ivan saw the yellow teeth of the heavy tiger approaching his face his face ran pale.

But before the tiger could kill Ivan an arrow hit exactly at the eye of the tiger. Ivar had fired the arrow! 

The tiger now in fear ran towards the corpse of John. But it was stopped by Johan who was already near the corpse when he was tackled.

The tiger again angrily looked at Johan and jumped at him at high speed. Johan let the tiger chew on his broken left elbow and pulled out a small dagger from his waist.

Johan roared a cry as he repeatedly stabbed the tiger in its heart while his left arm was almost finished by the tiger.

A few more arrows also landed on the tiger's back and Ivan came and finished the tiger by stabbing it in the back with his sword.

Ivan quickly threw the tiger's corpse to the side and screamed. " Hold on tight Johan. I will save you. Ivar! Now go inform the others. We need people to carry him."

"Alright." Ivar ran away looking at the corpse of his friend John.

Ivar had thousands of thoughts running through his mind. He couldn't even save his friend. Johan lost a hand and might even lose his life. 

What strongest and the Protector would Ivar be if he couldn't even save his friend? The Hero a few thousand years ago saved a whole country at his age! 

Ivar made a promise to himself: he would become the strongest, as everyone expected him to be, to ensure such a tragedy didn't befall him.

Ivar reached the camp without any obstruction. The two people waiting at the camp were surprised at the sweaty 10-year-old child coming towards them.

"Hey, kid. Calm down. What happened? Weren't you with Ivan and Johan?" One of the two asked.

Ivar shakily replied."W-we were attacked by a tiger. My friend has died and his fa-"

"Alright, kid. Take us there." The faces of the two men were serious. They had already expected someone to be injured but they didn't think someone would die and by a tiger at that.

While running one of the men asked Ivar. "What happened to the tiger? Did it run away or are they still fighting it?"

"We killed it," Ivar replied, his voice still shaky.

Two of the men nodded.

After a while, the men reached their destination. They saw Ivan using the dagger as a hook to tighten the belt around the arm of Johan. Stopping the blood flow.

The two men looked the Johan and the corpse of the child. Sweat was dripping from their face.

They threw a human-sized jute bag towards Ivar. "You and the kid, bring the corpse of the kid. We will carry the injured."

The men carried the almost unconscious Johan and started walking back to the camp. Ivar and Ivan on the other hand were forced to touch the cold corpse of John.

Ivar could almost see the corpse of John smile at him and play 'Demon and Protector' with him. Likewise, Ivan was also silent throughout the whole ordeal.

After returning back to camp, they put down the corpse and saw the men approaching them.

"That guy's situation is bad. I have learned a thing or two from lord messenger and from the looks of it, only lord messenger can save him. We need to take him there quickly. It's a good thing that you also learned about first aid from lord messenger, or else he would have been too far gone." The man looked at Ivan.

He again stated, " A few people will arrive here in a while to rest. We need to leave someone here until then. You and I will go to lord messenger immediately and the kid and other guy will bring back the corpse to its home after the group comes back. Any objections?"

The father and son duo were already mentally exhausted and the plan seemed good.

"No problem. You heard that Ivar. Show that uncle the house. Alright?" Ivar just lightly nodded still looking at the bag which was leaking a little blood. Drops of tears were falling from his face.

Ivar's father looked at Ivar for a while and then walked away with another man.

Today was the day Ivar realized the fragility of life. While deeply saddened by his friend's death, he also felt fear. Fear that he could have been the one to die.

Yes, he was proficient in every weapon he picked up. He looked at the calluses on his hand; they symbolized the blood, sweat, and time he had dedicated to training. What if the messenger said he lacked talent? What if fate did not favor him?

He feared his fate.

'There's no use in fearing something beyond my control. With the hard work I put in, I deserve to have a natural talent for cultivation. I am certain of it. Even if fate doesn't favor me, I will…'