The distance between Nokium Mine and Silent Trail was about 30 kilometers. He had confirmed the distance with a glance before he dove into the forest. However, although he was rushing to the Orca Village, he still want to experience the new world. So he slowed down his pace. With his current speed, he will reached Silent Trail approximately within 45 minutes. During his run, he met with many animals, herbivore and carnivore alike. As far as he remembered, there was a small lake not far from Silent Trail. These many animals most likely reside nearby this area for water source. These animals also shared a same trait, they attacked as soon as they saw him. This was really a weird experience. In the past, animals like rabbit or deer would run away when the saw humans, but now, they look at him with disdain like they look at weaklings. He didn’t complain, those beast’s level indeed higher than him, although not much. Facing their attack, Acma didn’t retaliate because those beasts didn’t incite his mood for killing. Furthermore, he wanted to leave them for the goblins to hunt. So, he just hastened his pace and avoided all those beasts. When he reached a distance about 3 kilometers from the trail, he heard a sound of fightings between beasts. When he carefully listened to them, it was a roar of tiger and a howl of wolf. From the sounds, it was probably a single tiger against a pack of wolves. Those fightings pique his interest so he moved closer to the sounds. It was a fight between close to two dozens great wolves and a single white tiger. The average size of wolves was about a height of human thigh. Several of them was as high as human waist and they were a green rank beasts. However, the alpha was really huge. It height reached a human chest easily. It’s definitely a monster. It was standing proudly on a small hill behind his pack, monitoring the battle unfold. Watching its jaw send a chill down Acma’s spine. This beast were not something you want to messed with. But the white tiger shocked him even further.

Young White Tiger

Divine beast, Guardian of the West

The young white tiger have been weakened considerably. A lot of gnashing wounds could be seen everywhere on its body, mostly on legs, tail and backbone. Even in a weakened state, a fierce fighting spirit could be seen from its eyes. It never yield and refused to give up, even in that hopeless state. It look attentively at the surrounding wolves and swiped its deadly paw to any wolves that closing in. “That’s a great fighting spirit, but spirit alone won’t let you to win the fight. I will help you”, thought Acma. He already decided to help since he saw the rank. He wanted to befriend the divine beast. He had to divert the attention of those wolves from attacking the tiger towards him. Multiple strategy flashed inside his mind, but the fastest one would be attacking the alpha. “Lets go with that one”. He took out his Barquq which had the highest piercing power among his weapons, held it downward, ready in his sword arm. He focused his gaze on the body of the alpha, imagining the location of it’s heart. Then, he relaxed his body to his most comfortable state, calming his heart and slowing his breath. He was ready for an ambush. He gauged the distance again. It’s about 500 meters from where he was standing to the alpha. It was comfortably within the range of his Blink. He was waiting for the right moment to launch his ambush. Failing the ambush will be a disaster. Facing an alpha whose levels close to 30, surrounded by two dozens of it’s pack was a situation you never want to get in. The alpha look attentively at that young white tiger. Looks like it want to finish the fight. It took a deep inhale. Acma knew that stance, it want to gave a loud howl. “It’s time”. “Awu…” “Blink”, Acma said softly. As the alpha began to howl, Acma jumped with both of his hand holding the sword downward, high above his head. His eyes shined with determination to end everything with this one stab. His gaze was focused on his sword tip, because after the Blink, that’s where his target is. “…uu…” Before the alpha finished its howl, Acma appeared next it. With a move faster than a lightning strike, Acma stab downward aiming for its heart. The tip of his sword cleanly penetrated into the alpha’s body through the silver colored fur. Just a few inches more, it’s heart would be pierced. However, beyond Acma’s expectation, the alpha move its body to the right, avoiding the fatal strike as thin as cicada’s wing, leaving a deep wound on its body. Although it managed to save the heart, but its lung have been pierced considerably. Acma was thrown away but the ambush was successful. Acma sudden appearance and the attack on the alpha, halted all attack on the young white tiger. All the wolves turned their body and facing Acma. A gaze full of hatred and anger from two dozen pair of eyes was stabbing Acma’s body. Several wolves move and stand between Acma and their alpha to protect their leader. Acma took a stance and readied himself against their imminent attack. “Awuuuu”, the alpha gave the order and all the wolves dashing towards Acma. Acma have a serious look on his face. He took the fight seriously as a sign of respect against his enemies. ‘Phantom Step’ ‘Phantom Step’ ‘Phantom Step’ ‘Phantom Step’ His moved to attack the weakest link of the attack, the injured wolves. Then he strike the white rank wolves as their defense was the lowest while avoiding the green rank wolves. Occasionally, he used Phantom Step to escape from an encirclement. All of his attack was aimed at their weak points like eyes, ears, mouth or neck. Most of his attack was successful, but wolves was an agile creatures. So it was hard to get a clean hit. His fight wasn’t easy at all. The wolves attacked him in waves and keep trying to encircle him and then attacked him from behind. But, thanks to 75 % physical attack resistance of his armor and masterful dodging technique, he managed to avoid being injured. From the initial two dozens wolves, almost half have been slain. The alpha wasn’t moving at all during the fight as it tried to heal the wounds. But seing most of its pack been slain, it couldn’t hold its temper anymore. It knew that healing the wounds on it’s body would take some times but the life of it’s pack was more important. The alpha decided to save the pack by sacrificing itself. It hope that this four limb black creature will let the rest of the pack go after it died. “Awuuu”, the alpha gave an order to retreat as it move towards the four limb black creature. Watching the wolves retreated and the alpha closing in, Acma knew that the fight was slowly come to an end. He took a deep breath and readied his stance. He have to figure out what kind of attack that the alpha would launch. Then, the first attack came. It was a flurry elemental attack in a form of a giant claw. That attack really caught Acma off guard and made him forgot about his immunity against all elemental attack from his armor. He quickly dodged all the giant claws as his eyes keep locking on the alpha’s movement. Between the elemental attack, sometimes the alpha use it jaw and claws to attack. But it was in vain as Acma never let it getting close. The alpha’s attack gradually losing power. Its move was getting stiff and staggering. The elemental attack really drain it strength. It raise its head and stared at Acma deeply. Shortly after, it lunged towards him. Watching that dying lunge, Acma took a step back with his left leg, adjusting the angle of his body, holding the hilt with both of his hands and lowered the tip of his sword. It’s like a gedan no kamae stance in kenjutsu. It’s a good stance for a thrust. When the alpha was within the range, faster than the speed of light, he thrusted his sword throught its mouth. Thus, the fight finally closed it’s curtain. The bodies of the wolves slowly fading out and turn into a light particles. Watching this scenery, Acma lowered his head. After everything was over, Acma turn his body and walked towards the young white tiger. It eyes was watching every movement that Acma made although its body was laying on the ground, unable to move. It can only watched Acma closing in. Acma stored his Barquq inside the inventory and took out a blood coagulation mixture and put it on his left hand. That mixture was specially prepared by his mother. Although it was extremely helpful for humans, Acma wasn’t so sure about using it on this young white tiger. But he have no other choices. Under the watchful eye of the young tiger, Acma slowly raised his right hand and put one knee on the ground. When there was no response from the young tiger, Acma slowly moving forward until he was closed enough to touch it’s body. There still no reaction and this made Acma feel relieved. Acma decided to spray on its left front leg first since it was the closest to him and the back leg was too dangerous. ‘Psssss…’, ‘Roaaarr..’ His first spray was welcomed with a kick from the dangerous back leg. The kick sent Acma stumbling backwards for several meters. Acma was stunned and staring at the sky above him. “That was hard”, he thought. Then he raised his body and repeat the earlier moves to get close to the young tiger again. ‘Psssss…’, ‘Roaaarr..’ “Again” ‘Psssss…’, ‘Roaaarr..’ “Agaaaainn” ‘Psssss…’, ‘Roaaarr..’ “I won’t give up. Agaaaainn” This scene repeated for several times until the young tiger finally gave in. However when Acma tried to stitch the wound, he got another kick, a harder kick. “Stop struggling or I hit your head”, said Acma with a higher tone. Seeing Acma getting angry, the young white tiger forced itself to calm down, close its eyes and laying down its head. Watching the young white tiger calmed down, Acma continued to spray the blood coagulation mixture and stitched the wounds. After some times has passed, the treatment was finally done. Acma was sitting crossed legs, watching the sleeping young white tiger in front of him. “Let me guard you for a while”, said Acma.