Hey everyone! Sorry for the long vacation from writing but life was getting in the way. Now that things have slowed down I got back to writing. I have recently written 5 new chapters and I will be posting them this weekend so if you are up for some binge reading these next few chapters should satisfy you.

By the way I started a new story the other day I placed it on here. It is called Humanity's last hope. If you're waiting on a new chapter please feel free to read it and let me know what you think. The link is posted below.

http://royalroadl.com/fiction/5059

Happy reading and as always please rate and review. I will be editing earlier chapters for any mistakes that I made. Keep the criticism coming as it makes me a better writer. Enjoy!

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Chapter 29

Hiro headed home but before he got home he ran into Kaura and Orochi. Kaura told him of what she had found while scouting the enemy encampment.

"Sir, There was a medium sized base of about 280 to 350 hobgoblins. The base appeared to be a cave that was made of several rooms. In the cave were several different monsters. There were 4 trolls standing guard at the front and numerous goblins all over the camp. There was also about 25 ligers in cages in various areas around the base. The enemy had several different classes of soldiers as well. They had archers, some magicians, a few warriors that rode on the backs of the ligers, and heavy infantry that I assume will be led by the trolls."

Hiro asked, "What about the leader?"

"My apologies, Commander. I was unable to find the leader."

"No need to apologize Kaura. You did an excellent job scouting. Thank you for you’re your service. Please tell Caesar of what you found and tell him that I will meet him in the sparring circle tomorrow to talk about our battle plan."

Kaura saluted him and then she and Orochi left. Hiro went to look for Foria and Korin.

Since I’m close to the training center I will start looking there.

Here walked towards the training center and once he got there he heard the familiar sound of arrows hitting a target. To his surprise, It was not one of the soldiers he saw. It was Foria practicing with her bow and arrows.

“Hey Foria!” yelled Hiro.

She came over and Hiro and was surprised at Hiro’s appearance. His appearance had changed a little. His hair had grown a little more and he started to grow a bit of a manly gotee. His muscles were well defined. He looked like he was chiseled out of stone.

She blushed and said, “You sure look different.”

He laughed and said, “Do you like what you see?"

"Oh yeah!" replied Foria as she ran up and kissed him. "How did you get all manly and muscular like this?"

"I try to keep to my strenuous training every day. The reason I came to discuss the situation with the hobgoblins and the ligers.”

“This is definitely a problem and that we should use whatever means necessary to stamp out the problem. I know you are really busy right now but I do have a request of you.”

“Anything for you. What would like me to do?”

“Anything?", asked Hiro with a sly grin on his face.

"Well yeah but leave that talk for your bedroom."

"I'm going to hold you to that later?"

"You can hold me anyway you want." Foria said with a smile. "But seriously,Hiro can you help me find a pet?”

“Of course but why so interested now?” replied Hiro.

“I miss being out on the field of battle that is why I relinquished my part of leadership and returned to being a soldier. I want a pet so that I can be of more use to you out on the battlefield. I will tell my brother of your plans to crush the hobgoblins but I need you to help me with a pet.“

Hiro agreed then said “Think of an animal that suits you. When you come to me tomorrow, have that idea in your head and we can go out hunting together and find it.”

Foria nodded.

I want to see her improvement and compare it to my own. I’m going to arrange a little competition between the two of us.

“Foria can you do something for me?”

“Sure why not. What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to stand about 20 meters away and see if she could hit him with an arrow.”

She looked at him confused saying, “If I do hit you, it could kill you.”

“I want to test your growth. Being in a town for this long with no fighting could have made you rusty.”

“Rusty?!!” she screamed as a her face turned red. “You do know the last time we faced each other I kicked your butt?”

“Hmph! Well that was last time. You said it yourself, I look a lot different than before. I don’t just look different I am different and you aren’t fighting with your daggers, you are shooting arrows.

“I’m just as deadly with my bow as I am with my daggers.”

“We will see.” Hiro said with a smile. “Besides, I have learned the healing spell and my body is as strong as armor so I’ll be fine. Besides your arrows have to actually hit me and not be caught. I just want to see if you are still the marvelous archer that I remember”, said Hiro. “If you can’t hit me I get to choose a prize. Agreed?”

“Agreed. But what do I get if I hit you?” replied Foria.

“You get to name your prize”, Hiro said as he laughed.

Foria walked out about 20 meters and drew her bow.

“Let’s make it more interesting. Move to 10 meters.”

“Are you crazy or are you just looking down on me!?”

“Neither. I’m just trying to give you a fair chance.” Hiro said with a smile. “Now, fire whenever you are ready and keep firing until all of the arrows in your quiver is empty.”

Foria was starting to get angry because of his cocky. Didn’t he remember the last time they face off she whipped him. Foria fired an arrow. It whistled through the air at an incredible speed but Hiro snatched it out of the air.

HIro yawned and said, “That’s it? Come one”

Foria gasped in awe of his skill. She continued and fired another arrow with the same result. Another, another, and another. He caught them all.

“I guess I will have to try something else.”

She knocked her last arrow and drew her bow. She took a deep breath and the tip of the arrow began to glow.

She is trying something new. I better get ready.

“Let’s see how you deal with this. Mirage Arrow!” she yelled as she released the arrow.

What the..!! It looks like there are 3 arrows. Well I guess I better up the ante too.

Hiro released his ki to its max. The sheer amount of his ki blew back the arrow and he never even moved from the spot he was on.

“It’s your win”, Foria said with her head hanging down. “Name your prize”

“A date with you in town after we crush the hobgoblins”, he replied triumphantly.

“You dirty cheater. You knew you were gonna win!”

“Well I had a suspicion!” Hiro said while looking at the ground.

“You didn’t have to pull this little ruse to get a date. I would have gone regardless.”

She jumped in his arms and gave him a deep kiss. Hiro grasped her tight around her ample bottom as she wrapped her legs around his waist. After the embrace the two parted ways and Hiro left for his home.

Once he got home he removed his armor and weapons and went to bed. He lay in his bed thinking.

I get to go on a date with the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. This would never happen back home. That kind of girl would never look twice at me. Now she’s actually going out with me.

The sun was setting but Hiro missed his friend. It was the first time they had been apart for so long since they became partners. He decided to rush out and find Leo with his pride. Hiro came to the pride and he was greeted by some of the younger ligers he patted their heads as he walked closer to the area where he knew Leo would be.

Hiro made his way up the larger rock and there he saw Leo lying on the ground with 5 young cubs. The cubs were playfully biting him practicing on how they should attack larger prey when they were able to hunt. Hiro walked up and embraced his friend.

“Would it be ok for me to stay with the pride tonight?”

“Agreed but only if he would play with the cubs.” Replied Leo

Hiro laughingly said, “You’ve got a deal.”

The cubs stopped biting on Leo and looked towards Hiro. Immediately they surrounded him.

Why am I sensing danger from these cubs? They are not even close to Leo’s or my strength but for some reason I feel their threatening aura. What is going on?

Hiro readied himself as the liger cubs crept closer and closer. Suddenly and without a sound, they attacked. Hiro dodged the first two by rolling on the ground. He was not so lucky with the other 3. When he stood up from his roll one of the cubs was in midair and it tackled him to the ground. The two others that were pouncing, grabbed his left arm and right leg. They were surprisingly strong for being so young. Hiro’s armored skin prevented him from taking any damage but another foe would have been seriously harmed by those little sharp teeth.

Hiro expanded his ki over his body and the sudden increase in strength made the cubs release him. Even in their youth they could sense the danger but that didn’t stop them. They regrouped and surrounded Hiro again.

“Is it ok if I fight back Leo?”

“Yes, but don’t harm them too much or you will have to deal with the females in the pride and you definitely don’t want that.”

Hiro smiled and readied himself for their attacks.

This time I will try to parry their attacks instead of dodging them.I will use their own strength against them rather than trying to hurt them with brute force going back.

The cubs attacked in the same fashion that they did last time. However, HIro was prepared now. The first two cubs who jumped in saw Hiro step in close to the one that jumped him from the left. This messed up the trajectory of the cub’s attack and allowed Hiro to grab the cub in midair. Hiro then tossed the cub into the other and they crashed to the ground.

When he turned the 3rd cub was already moving towards his chest but Hiro smiled and sidestepped the attack while countering with a side kick to the cub’s ribs. It was a weak kick meant to primarily knock the cub off balance. The cub fell awkwardly but got right back up growling.

The final attack came but it was dealt with in the same manner as the others. Hiro’s superior fighting skills allowed him to parry the claw scratches of the final two cubs before he delivered a roundhouse kick to the body and head of one of the cubs that was on its hind legs. The other cub Hiro managed to dodge its attack by stepping back slightly. He then countered with two punch combination followed by a front kick that sent the cub crashing down. All the cubs got up with little to no damage. Hiro healed them just to be safe before each attack.

After a while the cubs began to get sleepy and the went to their mother and curled up in her warm fur.

“I see you little ones have had enough huh?” Hiro said with a laugh.

“You were good with them. Fighting with you was a good lesson for them. They will grow strong and help the pride hunt.”

“What is it like to be a father Leo.”

“It is my pride protecting them and seeing them grow. It is difficult at times but I love all of them.”

“Maybe you can play with my children like this one day?”

“When you have children of your own I will protect them just like I do with you. Your family and mine will forever be together Hiro.”

“I feel the same way my friend.”

Hiro, like so many nights before curled up in Leo’s fur.

Leo’s fur has become even warmer now. This must have been a result of his evolution in the fire liger king.

As he lay in the warm fur of his companion, Hiro told Leo about what they had found out about the base.

“Can you give me a few days while he finished the preparations of repairing the equipment for the army as well as giving the dwarves time to finish my new weapon and shield?”

“Will that improve our chances of success?”

“Definitely. The more prepared we are the better our chances. We are already dealing with a larger force. We definitely don’t want to go in unprepared.”

Leo agreed and Hiro closed his eys. He could feel the heat from Leo’s body as well as Leo’s chest expanding and contracting as he breathed. Little by little Hiro drifted off to sleep.

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Please rate and review. If you have any new comments on how to improve my story please let me know. The next chapter will be up later today! Thanks for reading and please follow my story so you know when the next chapter is up. Thanks for reading.