Chapter 77: Improving The Barbarian Tribe.

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Improving The Barbarian Tribe.

Jaja collapsed to the ground, panting, his body shaking as the light faded. Victor walked over and crouched beside him.

"How do you feel?"

"Like hell." Jaja’s voice was a rasp. "My whole body is screaming."

"That’s how it’s supposed to feel." Victor hauled him upright with one hand. "And now?"

Jaja flexed his arms, rolled his shoulders. "I feel... Heavier. Thicker. But," his eyes shone, "Stronger."

"That’s the blessing. And since you took one, part of your wounds should be healed."

"I can feel it. Some of my muscles still ache, though."

"I know how to fix that. Don’t worry." Victor grinned. "For now, try your new gift."

"What?"

But as he thought about it, something moved in his hands. His fingernails slid out, lengthening, curving, sharpening into claws like a tiger’s, six inches long. Jaja stared at them.

"Try them on..." Victor looked around, "yes. That tree."

Jaja limped over, raised his hand, and swung. The claws cut diagonally through the trunk. It slid and crashed to the ground.

Nobody spoke. Coco and Kiki looked at each other, the same shock on both faces. Then Jaja let out a short laugh. "I got stronger."

Victor clapped him on the shoulder. "Congratulations. Both of you."

Coco pointed at herself, hopeful.

"Sorry." Victor chuckled. "That’s all one anima can give."

Her expression soured.

Victor pointed to the shrine. The beast anima had already crumbled into dust.

"Don’t worry," Victor told her. "There’ll be more. I’ll make sure of it."

Coco nodded like a pecking chicken.

"Now then." Victor turned to Jaja. "With those gifts, it’s time to go cut meat."

Jaja’s eyes widened. "Cut meat?"

...

They were back in the village, standing in the arena before the corpse of the Basalt Dragonic Lizard.

Victor turned to Jaja. "We are waiting for you. Are you ready?"

Jaja blinked. "Chief?"

"I want you to cut the meat off the Basalt Dragonic Lizard."

Jaja scratched the back of his head. "Chief, forgive me, but that’s not possible. We tried when Popo was still chief, when we were counting resources. But nothing cuts through that hide."

Victor chuckled. "With normal weapons? Yes, it will be impossible. But not for you." He nodded at Jaja’s hands. "Your bones have been changed by the blessing. You now carry the same bones and claws as the Basalt Dragonic Lizard now. Go on."

Jaja was still doubtful, but he couldn’t disobey his chief. Also, his trust in Victor was now very high.

He stepped forward, fingers lengthening into claws, and brought them down.

SHIIING.

A strip of the strong hide tore open, dark blood welling from the gash.

Everyone froze. Then every head turned to Victor.

"Finally," Victor said, a satisfied smile on his face. "Jaja. I have an assignment for you."

"Anything, my Chief!" Jaja’s eyes were bright. He couldn’t believe this was the power he held now.

Victor’s smile turned a little devilish. "Good. I want you to dissect this entire corpse."

Jaja’s excitement stuttered. "...Huh? All of it?"

"Once the hide is off, the meat can be cut with our ordinary weapons."

Jaja looked up at the giant lizard. The body covered nearly half the arena floor. Slowly, he turned back to Victor.

"It’ll also be good practice," Victor added, "for getting used to your new power."

He kept the other reasons to himself.

Jaja hesitated. "Chief, is it really necessary? This thing has been lying here for days. The meat underneath must be rotten by now."

"If it were normal beast meat, yes. But this is a creature of the Encroaching Darkness. The mana in its body hasn’t been released, because the hide has been holding it in. That preserved the meat." Victor looked at the corpse. "That meat is vital for the whole tribe."

Jaja stared, then nodded and got to work.

Victor walked off and found Kiki waiting. "Your turn."

She glanced at Jaja hacking at the lizard, and a bad feeling crossed her face.

Victor laughed. "Relax. Yours won’t be that tedious." He called over his shoulder. "Lego!"

Lego jogged over. "Chief."

"Do you have what I asked for?"

"Yes, Chief." Lego presented a huge bow and a bag of arrows. They were thick and long, far heavier than any hunting arrow the tribe used.

Victor handed them to Kiki. "You’ll use these."

She stared at the bow, then at him. "No. In battle I fight head on. Bows are for the weak, for those who can’t face their enemies. It is a cowardly weapon."

Victor face-palmed. Such a hot-headed woman.

I swear, you lucky you so damn hot.

Still, he’d expected this.

"Come with me."

He led her out of the village and pointed at a tree nearly a kilometer away. "In three days, I want you to hit the center of that trunk."

Her eyes widened. "How? I’ve never used a bow in my life!"

"How you figure it out is your business." He shrugged. "I trust you."

He walked away, leaving her standing there with the bow and arrows, baffled.

As he went, he couldn’t help smiling. He knew she could do it.

There was a time within tge game that the player needed assistance from Kiki else his life would end. She had done what was necessary with a bow and arrow. Also, her Amplification and her Cataloging skill together would make her a ridiculous archer. And with the flames she carried now, she was far more useful at range than standing in the middle of the fray with a broadsword.

Besides, barbarians had never bound themselves to a single weapon. From childhood, they were taught that in war, whatever weapon came to hand was the right one. Axes, swords, spears, it didn’t matter, as long as they killed with it. The technique was another matter. Most of the time they just rode in swinging, hacking and slicing.

Victor had noticed all of that.

He was going to change it. Every last barbarian in this tribe was going to become a force to be reckoned with.

(Author’s note: Who can guess what will happen next?)