novelraw Chapter 132
Chapter 132
Chapter 132
The power struggle that took place at the Duel Meeting had an extremely simple structure.
Two warriors would press their foreheads together, raise both hands over their shoulders, and lock them tightly.
Then, by sheer force, whoever managed to push the other down would win.
I remembered seeing something like that in my past life.
Although, it hadn’t been a fight between people.
‘So basically, bullfighting?’
–Indeed……
Anyway, if it was that kind of strength contest, I was confident too.
The problem was that, being of Great Warrior (Master) level, I couldn’t participate in something like that.
But we had our secret ultimate weapon.
If it was a pure contest of strength where Aura couldn’t even be used, I was sure no one could beat him.
“So, you’re telling me to wrestle with those cow guys over there?”
“Who else but you? I can’t go out there.”
“Well, I mean… sure, but why did this suddenly start? Weren’t we here to make a trade?”
“Exactly. Why the hell are we even doing this?”
“I have no idea what’s going on anymore.”
“Whatever the case, get ready. You must win.”
“Hmm, fine. As the representative of Johnson men, I’ll show them what I’ve got.”
Rudick.
A human muscle mass over 190 cm tall.
The Cow Tribe were no weaklings in terms of strength, but he was on another level altogether.
He just felt strong as a human.
Even the Lion Tribe warriors of the Black Lions had raised both hands in surrender before his power.
He was usually the funny guy spouting nonsense, but for today, I could trust him.
‘Oh, it’s starting.’
First round.
A Cow Tribe warrior, muscles thick as rope, stood before Rudick.
The opponent looked quite strong too.
Visually, they were about even.
“Uryaryaryat!!!”
“Keuk!!!”
But nope.
Rudick’s biceps ballooned up like a pair of inflated bladders, and he simply flipped the opponent over.
That was some crazy muscle power.
–Wow!!!
–Is that really a human warrior?
–What kind of human…
The Duel Meeting was a festival event.
For the dopamine-deprived Cow Tribe, it was one of their few sources of entertainment.
As Rudick toppled the Cow Tribe warrior in a single move, cheers erupted from all sides.
Even though a human warrior had won, there were no complaints—apparently, they just liked anyone who was strong.
–A splendid warrior.
–So massive…
–Is that a human male?
The Cow Tribe women watching were no different.
They were genuinely showering Rudick with admiration.
Some were even throwing flirty glances his way, and looking at it, Rudick seemed surprisingly popular among beastmen.
‘Come to think of it, even those Black Lion female warriors were often hovering around him.’
–Well, he’s definitely the type lionesses would like.
‘Right? He’s basically a bear in human form.’
–Not sure the master should be saying that, but yeah, that muscle-head does resemble a wild bear.
The Rabbit Tribe guy once said something similar.
He’d asked if the residents of Johnson Territory were really even human.
Honestly, I couldn’t deny it.
With the protein we had, it was a miracle they managed to build muscles like that.
The Rabbit Tribe said the Bear Tribe was like that too—and if people kept bringing it up, then those guys must’ve been something else.
If they kept being compared to Rudick, they couldn’t have been normal either.
‘Comparing the Bear Tribe to Rudick… I feel kind of sorry for them.’
Anyway, thanks to Rudick’s performance, things were looking easier for us this time.
No matter how I looked around, there wasn’t another monster like him.
In a world without Masters, Rudick was king.
This Duel Meeting was practically ours already.
As expected, the Duel Meeting ended with Rudick’s victory.
In the finals, his opponent was a Cow Tribe warrior with muscles even thicker than his, but once they locked up, Rudick completely overpowered him.
That wasn’t normal muscle.
Our territory’s training method was an adaptation of the Bear Tribe’s.
The Bear Tribe were remarkable—they trained their muscles through Aura.
Even if the appearance was the same, the muscle density was different, so naturally, ours packed more strength.
I’d always been annoyed by our lack of Aura, but this time, it actually worked in our favor.
“Truly impressive. So this is the power of a human warrior?”
“Well, something like that.”
“Then, we’ll decide this matter according to the human chieftain’s will.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Of course. A promise is a promise.”
The Cow Tribe chieftains admitted defeat without hesitation.
What cool-headed guys.
If they had been human, there would’ve been all sorts of disputes by now.
At first, I’d thought their simple-minded nature was frustratingly primitive, but now, I was actually grateful for it.
“In that case, let’s do this.”
“Speak your mind.”
While watching the Duel Meeting, I’d been thinking of how to handle this matter.
The best solution was to simply wait.
The situation in Levelium had already spiraled out of control to the point that they were poking at the neutral Cow Tribe.
At least for a year or two, it would stay that way, so there was no need to fight on their schedule.
If we strengthened ties among the beastmen and fortified defenses—northward with the Cow Tribe and eastward with Johnson Territory—we’d be able to hold out even if those Empire bastards attacked.
‘Honestly, as long as our territory isn’t invaded, I don’t care what the Empire bastards do in Levelium. We already have trade routes open with the north anyway.’
That was from our perspective, though.
For the Cow Tribe, it might be different.
They were far more aggressive than I’d anticipated.
For now, I could use the Duel Meeting as an excuse to make them restrain themselves, but who knew how long that would last?
Besides, these guys…
It was clear as day that the Cow Tribe was so straightforward that, if those Empire bastards decided to play tricks, they’d fall for it completely.
I couldn’t stay here forever, so how was I supposed to stop that?
‘If that’s the case, then maybe I should let these guys vent their pent-up frustrations while we still can…….’
–“Pent-up frustrations”? That’s quite an odd expression.
‘Do you have a better one? They’re just itching for a fight.’
Anyway, it wasn’t a situation that could be stopped entirely.
The best course of action was to steer things in a direction that would benefit us the most.
‘If we can strike them with something unexpected—something they can’t predict—that wouldn’t be bad either.’
If we could just chip away at the Empire bastards’ power, that alone would be a gain.
“I think the merchants’ little trick was actually the Empire bastards’ doing.”
“Hmm. So that’s what you think.”
“It’s almost certain. Their side has already cleaned things up. The Empire bastards will be keeping their eyes peeled—how could they possibly open the castle gates?”
“Hmm.”
I first made it clear that the merchants’ proposal was nothing more than the Empire bastards’ scheme.
“So, are you saying we should just ignore it?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“It’s not?”
“If we can use it to our advantage, shouldn’t we?”
I suggested we turn the tables instead.
“Turn the tables, huh. I like that. Explain how we should go about it.”
Not a bad reaction.
Because using the situation meant having a chance to fight—something they were always eager for.
These guys were truly consistent.
“So, here’s what I’m thinking……”
The Empire bastards’ strategy was most likely: defense first, attack later.
They’d use the merchants to lure the Cow Tribe warriors into the castle, ambush and cut them down, then push forward to occupy the Cow Tribe’s territory along with this fortress.
‘They might even try to take hostages first.’
Hostage tactics were the best strategy when dealing with beastmen.
Even the Rabbit Tribe workers who had been at the Level Merchant Group couldn’t resist once their children were taken hostage.
Since beastmen didn’t have the concept of sacrificing a few for the greater good, if hostages were taken, they had to suffer heavy losses.
‘But if we hit them with far more troops than they expect, their strategy won’t even matter.’
The Empire bastards had already sent merchants twice, so they probably knew a fair bit about this place.
Wouldn’t it look terribly easy to them?
Honestly, it made sense.
The walls looked sturdy enough, but they lacked any magical protection, and their equipment was pitifully poor.
Without magical reinforcement, the walls would be shredded by Aura, making siege warfare much easier for them.
And since they were the Empire bastards, they were well accustomed to fighting beastmen.
The Empire had long been the beastmen’s greatest enemy, and even after the Great Cataclysm, that hadn’t changed.
The Cow Tribe to the south didn’t border the Empire, but the Horse Tribe to the north still faced remnants of the Empire along their borders, clashing from time to time.
‘They must already know how divided beastmen are.’
They knew that beastmen lived by tribe and rarely interacted with other tribes.
Meaning that even if the Cow Tribe was attacked, no other beastmen would come to their aid.
Much easier to deal with than the two tightly united territories of Levelium.
And if they captured hostages, even a defeat in battle could still yield them grain.
Beastmen couldn’t easily abandon their own kind. They’d gladly open their granaries if it meant saving their kin.
‘Weak walls, shoddy weapons, disorganized tribes—and a stockpile of grain on top of that?’
Even I had to admit—it looked too tempting.
“Let’s teach them a real lesson.”
First, I’d summon Builders from Johnson Territory to reinforce the walls.
Then, we’d acquire weapons from the Won Tribe to arm the Cow Tribe.
Enchanting the equipment with magic would be the bare minimum.
Since we’d already brought Builders this far, we could also upgrade the Cow Tribe’s gear as well.
“In the meantime, I plan to visit the Horse Tribe’s territory.”
“The Horse Tribe?”
“They’re a powerful force, just like the Cow Tribe. With their strength, it’ll be easier to deal with those Empire bastards.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“Surely you’re not thinking we should fight the Empire bastards with only the Cow Tribe’s strength, are you?”
“Ahem.”
I gave the chieftains a cold look, and they all coughed awkwardly and avoided my eyes.
So they had been thinking that.
Even in a situation like this, they were still clinging to that idea.
There were no tougher men than these guys.
“I admit the Cow Tribe is impressive, but the Horse Tribe also has the right to face the Empire bastards, don’t they?”
“The right to face them, huh.”
“I heard the Horse Tribe still fights the Empire bastards in the north. Let’s give them the chance to crush some Empire bastards too.”
“Well, I suppose that makes sense.”
Convincing them was easier than expected.
Just give them a bit of recognition and make it sound like they’re being generous.
When I explained that it wasn’t the Horse Tribe helping the Cow Tribe, but rather the Cow Tribe giving the Horse Tribe an opportunity, the chieftains looked noticeably more satisfied.
–You’re going to tell the Horse Tribe something completely different, aren’t you?
‘Of course. Why even ask?’
–You’re such a swindler.
I didn’t bother denying it.
If I was going to live among muscle-brained types like these, this much was necessary.
“Good. Then it’s settled.”
The outline was roughly complete.
We’d make the Cow Tribe the center of resistance against the Empire bastards, with supply support from Johnson Territory and the Won Tribe.
And then, we’d bring troops from the Horse Tribe’s domain to shake things up.
It wasn’t quite the united front of all beastmen against the Empire bastards, but it was far better than having the Cow Tribe fight alone.
All thanks to Rudick’s splendid victory at the Duel Meeting.