It’s been two weeks since I woke up from the effects of the Dragons Wrath. The first week was a pain in the ass. Both Melody and Angela were always keeping me from doing anything. All that left me was a bit of exercise, mainly just stretching since I was also prohibited from strength exercise. This has probably been the most boring week I’ve had since I was born in the world, though at least I wasn’t alone, after a few days the others in my group were also left without much to do even in the now bustling town, it was mainly due to the fact that there were so many new workers there wasn’t work we could do.

The town had also been even further renovated after the graduates appeared. The forest was pushed back from the 100 meters we had cleared to over a two kilometers and part was transformed into farmlands. Another new thing was that, through magic, a large stone quarry was made in forest which provided the needed materials for new stone houses, stone roads and other masonry work.

After the first week news of the crew that made the road to the human cities came, with them came several caravans of traders as well as dozens of settlers wanting to settle the frontier. This caused the town to swell up and with the quick expansion; the town quickly doubled in size.

Thanks to the road connecting Orilon to the other cities adventurous youths raced over to get their chance to stake their claim at fame for killing dangerous beasts, most were novice and arrogant, not know real combat most would probably die if the graduates didn’t do a regular “cleaning” of the forest. You could always hear the graduates complain about those kids.

??? : Those annoying brats, just because they came this way doesn’t change the fact they are weak

??? : I agree I want to see some of them face an orc without pissing themselves, hahaha.

I’m sure you’re wondering about the other groups, well they stayed in town during the first week after I woke up before leaving; one went east while and the other west. When I asked what happened to the bodies of the group that attacked them my group averted their eyes.

Relon: the next day after we beat them and began treating you, a few villagers went to bury the bodies but they found they were gone, there was several drag markings and three sets of footprints.

Julie: Nika, Melody and I followed those tracks until we found seven mounds were the bodies were buried but three weren’t there.

I frowned, three of them survived a blast like that, at the very least the leader survived, my guess the girl that captured Melody, since she was able to restrain her she must be strong and the serious man with the glasses might have also survived, he was holding Relon off by himself, they seemed stronger than the rest. This gave me a headache, having such dangerous and crazy enemies isn’t good, after thinking a bit I gave up, no use crying over spilled milk right so let’s move on, if it comes to bite back we will deal with it properly.

One the start of the second week, I was finally allowed to start hunting and I did just that, to blow off my built up frustration I found a small monster settlement and started 'relaxing' much to their despair. When I finished my previously sore muscles had relaxed, a group of graduates and villagers appeared.

Kira: morning is their some business to do here.

Squad captain: yes, we were told by High Priestess Angela to gather a group and send them to this settlement to make an outpost.

Kira: 'that woman, she knew I was going to do something like this and planned ahead' I thought and sighed, 'go ahead the place is clean of any living monsters.

He nodded then they spread out and began removing any useful equipment and then started cutting up the bodies.

Back in Orilon, my group came over to my place with bored expressions.

Luis: *sigh* I wish there was something to do.

Alice: you don’t have to tell me that even I'm out of work.

Melody: those graduates took most of the work from us; they even built a new smithy.

Kira: I think I know why, *sigh* our work in this town is done, now it’s their part, isn’t that right Angela.

Suddenly she appeared through the window.

Angela: unfortunately yes, vanguard groups are talented fighters, we taught you crafting skills so you could start up a town that is down in the dumps and to provide for yourself but they have trained years to reach this level so they protect and train and to turn a village into a city or even a country, that’s what’s happening here, this town is being turned into a new country, the monster village outposts will become villages then towns as they grow.

Kira: so what should we do or where should we go.

She then pulls out a large parchment and places it on the table.

Angela: this is a special map known [The World Map] it’s a special item most kings of every kingdom have, the gods created these for their heroes.

As she opened up there was a magic circle in the center with two circles in the center and eight on the edges.

Angela: this map can only be used by those who drip their blood in these circles, Kira and melody put it in the center circles the others on the edge ones.

We did as she ordered and when it reached my turn, as I was last, the circle began glowing quickly followed by the parchment itself rolling itself up while glowing brightly. When it stopped shining what lay on the table was a scroll with beautiful red wood painted with golden rims. Angela then opened it until it was covering the table again. The circle was gone now but what was there was a small drawing near the middle.

Alice: hm, why is their only a tiny drawing in the center.

Angela: that is the explored land that has been mapped in this world.

Relon: wait if that is what was draw then how will we use this map if there is such a tiny drawing.

Angela: good question, Kira please put you hand on the map and infuse some mana inside of it.

Confused I did as she asked, after doing so the drawn part of the map began glowing until a small floating image appeared above the map like a hologram.

Angela: now use your mana to expand it, if you want you can just think of it getting bigger or use your hands while spreading them, it will zoom the map to a more appropriate size.

I used the latter option and after doing so the tiny drawing became large and we could see in detail. Even the world tree was mapped their and was displayed in 3d. Angela then pointed to a small dot far from the main body of the map.

Angela: this small dot here is Orilon, as more maps are drawn out; they are added to this one.

We all looked amazed, the dot was almost invisible but after seeing the first we noted hundreds all over circling the main countries.

Melody: all these dots are towns.

Angela: yes, but only the ones that could successfully build a church and have the area mapped.

Kira: so anywhere south of here is completely unexplored lands then.

Everyone looked at me then at the map to see what I referred to.

Angela: yes but is there a reason for asking.

Kira: yes just confirming the direction we will be traveling.' I said grinning.

Luis: we're going south; there are much stronger monsters that way.

Alice: ya what are you thinking.

Kira: we are called Vanguards right?

They nodded warily to my question.

Kira: then why would we explore within the space that anyone could when we have the strength to go into dangerous places to lead exploration of new lands.

They didn’t say anything after I made that statement which left an awkward silence; until Angela broke the silence.

Angela: um he is right you know the vanguards sent to these far off places we hoped would head outwards instead of circular within the boundary of the last villages.

Alice: yes we understand that but we are just worried, I was hoping to train a bit here before going but with Kira like this I’m curtain he might go by himself.

Melody: I feel the same would happen.

My jaw dropped after hearing their opinions of me, was I that selfish so I asked.

All: yes' they said nodding.

Kira: since when have I been selfish

Relon: your selfishness is normal everyone is selfish sometimes, 'though the way you trained us with a grin on your face was not normal' he thought.

Levi: ya it’s that your impulsive nature that makes your selfishness a bit stronger when you get interested in something, normally the more dangerous something’s.

With each comment they stated made me feel like a rag doll getting punched.

Melody: hey d-don’t get like that Kira; we all like how impulsive you are.

Ryuu: ya it keeps us on guard all the time.

Melody glared at him as he was only making it worst, though he didn’t care much because in his mind this was a golden opportunity to get back a bit at Kira because all of them suffered during Kira's "training" at the world tree.

Angela: OK, now that you know where you're going you should get ready, oh by the way, there are two commands for the map, they are "World Map Open" which makes it appear and "World Map Close" this will transport it back to us for safe keepings, also to update it the map you need to draw one of the area then place that one over the world map, it will absorb it and update all maps after that.

With her final words of wisdom she left.

Kira: *sigh* I guess we should start getting ready to leave' I said getting up and stretching then hide the map with the command, just as she said it vanished

Alice: I think a week sound about right for the time we need to get things ready to leave.

Luis: sounds good to me I've recently found a book on alchemy so I want to try making the health potions.

Kira: is there really something like that I know this world is game like but isn’t that to fantasy like to have a potion that heals I instantly.

Luis: the potion doesn’t heal I instantly, it raises our rate of recovery for a certain amount of time, though it obviously won’t be grown limbs or anything.

Kira: while you guys do that I’m going explore the space to the south and complete this map of the region around Orilon.

After that we all headed off to do our own things.

After the week was up we all met up, what I found to the south shocked everyone.

When I pulled out the world map, already updated, I pulled the map close enough to see the region, obviously it made so we could see through the trees. All over the south we marked cities if many classic fantasy creatures, what’s more surprising is that it didn’t belong to a single species but was a community of monsters of different races. Each species used their races habits to better the community. Some of the creatures that I saw were ones we already killed, orcs, goblins, kobold, gnomes, the gnomes we were able to work with them instead of killing them since they are a peaceful race, some even came to Orilon. What surprised everyone were the dwarves that were their at least until Angela explained that dwarves are one of the form of gnomes rank up into, just like dragons can evolve into a different type monsters rank up into higher class monsters.

(A.N. difference between evolve and rank up, in a dragons case they evolve into a different type of dragon, but monster rank up their species changes as a whole, ex. goblin -> hobgoblin then from here they branch out into different species)

Alice: so what are we going to do about them?

Angela: from the feeling I’m getting they don’t worship any god nor does any one of them favor a citizen of the city so what not go as messenger if you can make a link with them it they can make a terrifying military for the future kingdom Orilon will form.

Ryuu: I don’t think they will take us seriously if we just march in and try that.

Angela: of cause they can actually talk with a priestess or the god himself, if you take an altar their it would make a temporary domain around it which will let me talk with them, though I can’t teleport their unless it inside a church.

Kira: I can see lots of benefits but would having them join endanger our people, some monsters need other races for breeding right.

She grinned happily before pointing at the city on the map.

Angela: aren’t there many races in that city for them to mate with, if anyone goes there they will be very aware of the dangers I'm sure of that, anyway here, just a blueprint of the altar if you want to make it then do so when your near the city if then good luck on your journey.

After handing the blue print to us we talked about if we should do it or not, it was a 7x3 vote for us doing it, so after packing everything we left towards the monster city.

Flying over the trees for a few hours we spotted the city and landed then began making the altar which took several hours to finish the structure. It was night time before we finished so we set up a camp.

In the morning we finished the details of the altar and when it was done we got a few messages.

Completed Fine piece of art

Dragon Alter

This alter when placed outside of a church will make a 10m diameter domain for the Dragon God Kaiser. Allows the high priestess to project an image of her and talk with those around it.

Suddenly Kaiser appeared as an orb floating above it.

Kaiser: well now I was wondering what was tak... why is this alter near a monster town.

Kira: Angela didn’t tell you?

Julie: We are going to try and convert a monster city.

Kaiser: don’t, I don’t want monster followers.

??? : stop crying over spilled milk

To the new voice we looked at the direction to see a tiny magic hologram of Angela.

Melody: stop crying about what?

Kaiser: don’t you dare answer that ques...

Angela: he got dumped by an ophidian; a variant of the species which made her more human than snake, he had a crush on way before becoming a god, after that he didn't interacted with monsters anymore.

There was an awkward silence as all ten of us fought hard to keep ourselves from laughing. We lost that war because in our minds we imagined a man, Kaiser in human form, asked her out only to get dumped, against our better judgment we laughed out loud.

When I looked towards Angela she had a grin on her face while looking at Kaiser.

Kaiser: OK!!! THAT’S ENOUGH!! If you’re going to do this then go ahead I don’t care anymore. *sigh*

He suddenly vanished and we began laughing again. From his tone I could easily imagine him rubbing his forehead.

Angela: ok ok kids stop laughing let’s get this over with, also I suggest you enter and half dragon form, Julie, Nika go with your real forms this will let you hide easier and talking to monsters easier.

Julie: what about the language barrier, they speak a different language don’t they.

Suddenly a small glow appeared above us then popped.

Acquired new skill [Blessing: Language Translation]

Allows the user to decipher the basics of any language from any species being it animal, monster or humanoid.

Can only learn the basics required to talk with the other species, the rest must be learnt from practice.

Acquired new skill [Blessing: Text Translation]

Allows the user to decipher the basics of any written book in any language.

You will only be able to decipher the basic alphabet but will need practice to piece them into words, can translate magic books as well.

Nika: just the basics, don’t we normally get full comprehension.

Another screen appeared for everyone.

You would have if you hadn’t laughed at me, these are for a bit of suffering as payback for laughing, good luck using those skills also they are permanent they won’t vanish and cant be replaced with the complete comprehension skill.

After reading it we just stared at it silently until I broke the silence falling to the ground and rolling while laughing.

Angela: wow I never thought he would get this childish over something like this.

Julie: you know reading through the skill details; I think this skill is better than just the comprehension one.

Levi: why's that?

Julie: well look it says animals as well so we will be able to talk with normal animals.

Relon: is there any benefit in talking with them, they can’t even survive in the forest at this point.

Julie: of course there is, think of it like this, if we train small insects or mice to be loyal we can have them spy and scout for us, if we need to find out enemy strength in a camp or fort we can send a bird to look through the windows or a spider.

Alice: animals trained to spy for us, it could work, but we need smart animal’s not stupid ones, maybe a cat or something.

As they talk I was still laying on the ground when I spotted tiny cat like animal next to my

head, when I looked at it, it just tilted its head.

Kira: ‘perfect target’ I though then tried the skill

[Language translation]

Failed to translate

I tried several more times before it succeeded.

You have learned the basics for Feline Language.

Enables the user to communicate with all animals listed under this category.

INT increase by 1

WIS increase by 1

Level Up: [Language translation] (basic Lv. 2)

After that I head a high pitched voice coming from it.

Cat: hey giant nya what nya doing on nya ground.

Kira: wow I can understand you.

Just as shocked as me the cat also had a startled expression.

Cat: you nya understand nya.

I nod then call the others.

Kira: he looks at this.

After carefully picking it up and placing it on my palm the others looked.

Melody: wow it’s so cute is that a cat, wow why is it so tiny.

Alice: let me see I want to try the skill and try talking to it.

The girls were all crowding around with sparkling eyes as they saw the tiny cat which was shaking in my palm before jumping into the space in between my armor.

Kira: calm down you are scaring it so Angela what is it.

Angela: well to tell you the truth I’ve never seen it before, this is a huge world and many mystery’s still live and will probably continue living for the next thousand years.

After calming down the others one by one used the skill until all had it and could speak with it. It was at that time that we put her down on the ground again and other cats came over. The oldest one was about the size of my thumb, taking that into account then the adults would make perfect spy or scout, with a bit of training we can get them to raise agility quite well.

Ideas ran through my head faster than I could process which gave me a headache.

Melody: so what is your species name?

To her question the elder cat approached, he looked like a regular black cat, though smaller, and had two tails.

Elder: we don’t nya have a nyame, we nya appeared some nya years ago nya we don’t knyow from nya were.

Kira: then let’s call you guys Mini Neko that should work for now until we can find someone that does know. Elder: anything nya is better nya than nyot knyowing what to nya call ourselves.

Melody: I don’t think that’s a good name but we can think of something some other time, so how many of you are there.

(Just so you know this is the result of basic after they completely learn the language these nya will only appear at the end of the sentences, I’m pretty sure this is a bad attempt at making a basic level language translation, also if you can think of a better name then Mini Neko I’d be glad)

Suddenly a large swarm appeared on the trees and around us.

Kira: ‘are these guys part rats, this is a crazy’ I thought.

Looking around about three fourths were tiny cats, the rest adults and about ten other cats in the whole swarm that were the same size as the elder.

Kira: is this all of your family.

Elder: 'nya' he said shaking his head.

Elder: we nya pack hunter nya.

Looking at the number I could imagine this large pack taking down larger animals.

Elders: so nya what are nya giants doing nya here.

Alice: we are explorers for our god.

The all the tiny ones looked at us with sparkling eyes filled with admiration.

Familiarity with Mini Neko hunting pack increase.

The little cat I discovered walked up.

Tiny cat: so nya are you nya doing nya with the nya stone block nya behind you.

Levi: this is an altar it lets us talk with the priestess that talks directly to our god.

Due to having no knowledge of their origin, the pack has taken interest in your god.

Kira: 'are they curious or just easily impressed' I thought, 'hey I think we should split up, you guys (partners), go with them, since they are curious about our god, we will handle them.'

I pointed at the city.

Tiny cat: can nya come to nya, I always nya wanted nya see in there.

I look at the elder as he sighs the nods his head. With permission I put my hand next to her which she climbs on, then I up her on my shoulder and tell her to stay below the armor.

Elder: Aoi, nya careful if nya need to nya run nya hide

Aoi: nya

With that she hide below the armor on my shoulder with only her tiny head popping out, and we split up with the dragons going into the city and the others going to the home of the cats.

In front of the town were heavily armed orc guards who stopped us when he approached and snorted something which we in turn used our skill to translate.

Acquired [Monster Language (Merek City Variant)

Enables user to communicate with all monster races that live in the region around the monster city Merek.

INT increased by 1

WIS increased by 1

Orc Guard: Halt *snort* what business … here

Kira: we wish to speak with the leaders of the city

He laughed after I tried saying that

Orc Guard: Ch… …’t trust …

(The talking at first will be cut in places then I will try making it like talking to primitives before making it talk normal)

I look at the at the others

Kira: did you understand him I’m having trouble to.

Relon: I think the last one was something like “The Chiefs don’t trust strangers”

I turn back to the orcs and try saying

Kira: what can I do to get an audience with him?

Orc: Them … insolent brat

Before I could turn back and asked with a confused look Relon already knew and gave me a better translation.

Relon: “Its them not him insolent brat” that’s what he said.

[Monster Language] Learn 16.4%

(15% is thanks to basics from skill)

Orc Guard: … want audience … work

Suddenly the other guards circled us blocking any escape, though we could still fly.

Levi: so they like slavery over anything else when it comes to outsiders, typical orcs.

Suddenly a large hammer smashed into the ground near the gate. At the spot stood a tall man well over 2 meters tall with greenish skin, two small horns on his head, wasn’t skinny but not bulky like the orcs which meant it was a different race.

Vent: Ogres

The moment he said that I knew it was something big; he was the silent type so it took a lot to make him speak.

Ogre: Orcs move.

He then smashed the leading one that was talking with us, which sent him easily 10 meters away into a tree.

Kira: ‘this guy is powerful; orcs weight easily over 200 kg (440 lbs.) it’s not an easy weight to send flying like that’ I thought.

The ogre then bowed in a gentlemen like manner towards us.

Ogre: I apologize … orcs stupid guards … trouble you, come chiefs want talk.

As we walked through the streets, which were all well-made and looked like any other human city, though filled with monsters and not humans or any other race. We took this opportunity to listen in on the conversations of others and learn the language which paid off, walking for more than ten minutes until we finally arrived at a large building ours ability to understand was now over 40%, listening to them it sounded primitive at this point but we could finally understand all of what they were saying and speak at the same degree as well.

As we walked inside the building we saw many of the chiefs were sitting around a large table with, surprisingly, a world map open showing the surrounding forests with many of the separate tribes marked down on the magic hologram above it.

Then a Dwarves chief addressed us.

Dwarf chief: good t’ meet ya been long time since strangers appeared.

The Ogre that accompanied us sat in the last empty chair.

Ogre chief: quit the small talk and get to main subject.

Dwarf chief: fine, well we want know what you want with our city.

We then went on to explain our objectives of spreading Kaisers domain as a god and brought out the altar and let Angela explain the finer details.

Ogre chief: for god to come find us we might consider

Dwarf chief: a god’s blessing make the next generations unique.

Kobold chief: even if we do we need ruin shrine to accomplish the feat.

Kira: what shrine are you talking about

The chiefs looked at me then one zoomed the map out a slight bit until both the city and a large structure to the east was visible.

Kobold chief: for monster ruled land to gain god domain shrine is made, altar must be placed inside to make domain.

Dwarf chief: these ruins made hundreds years ago for other god, altar destroyed it became ruin.

Kobold chief: if you want make domain head to ruin and place altar but’ he made a small pause before continuing,’ the ruins has guardian, undead hero who served old god, you must kill before you can accomplish this.

Quest: Shrine of the Dead

You have learned from the Chiefs of the monster city Merek that to increase your god’s domain in monster territory you need to capture the shrines within it which are protected by the undead heroes of the past that served the previous god.

Difficulty C

Requirements for success: Kill the guardian, place altar on the pedestal in the main room

Requirements for failure: death, destruction of your altar

Ogre: don’t forget the pest that live there

Kira: what kind of pest

Ogre: we call them Wild Fairy, though not real fairy but cats, hunt in packs that kill ogres

We instantly felt a chill down our spines and called Aoi out.

Kira: like this one.

When he looked and saw her he nodded.

Ogre: yes, this one baby but hunter, large ones are more dangerous

Kira: large ones, the largest I’ve seen is as big as my thumb

Dwarf: that’s another baby they seem older by year but are just a few months older.

Kobold: biggest I’ve seen is as big as a dragon hatchling of three months, guess just as strong.

Kira: Aoi is that true

She just nodded and as I hid her in the armor space I bowed to the chiefs.

Kira: thank you for your time we need to hurry our friend might be in danger.

With that all of us rush out with the chiefs behind. As soon as we reach outdoor our wings spread and we fly off to the east.