The Runic Alchemist

Chapter 205: This Valley of Mine..

A month ago, the Beastmen forces gathered outside the valley.

Neo stood with his back straight, a bead of sweat trickling down his brow. In front of him were over 500 Ashenvale soldiers. He wasn't alone, though—he was part of Kazak's forces now. More than his skills, it was necessity that had brought him and others like him here. The enemies were numerous, while their numbers dwindled by the day.

Right now 200 of them, one third of the entire force was determined to stop these 500 Ashenvale barbarians from destroying their homes once and for all.

After Neo reached level 50, old man Shin had given him the ascension stone the village had pooled their money to buy in bulk from the church in the city. His first job was an Esper, but now he had chosen the pugilist path, taking on the job of 'Apprentice Duelist'. In his trial, he had fought a massive, muscular, four-armed monster in the wide platform on top of a mountain to earn it.

It wasn't easy, but all the years spent practicing the noble way of the fist hadn't been wasted. Many in his village had received the same job before him—it was nothing special—but for Neo, it was more than enough. He knew that with hard work, even a relatively average job could be elevated to something powerful and prestigious.

After all, pugilists were those who worked hard, demanding strength from the system. It had to obey.

And then, the battle began.

His wolfish ears twitched, picking up the distant hum of steel being drawn. His fists tightened, recalling his master's teachings. He wasn't just a scared kid anymore—he was a pugilist apprentice, a member of the mountain wolf lineage. They did not fear a fight.

As the first barbarian lunged at him, Neo's instincts kicked in. He dodged the sword swipe, his small frame weaving out of danger before landing a solid punch to the man's gut. The impact jarred his arm, but Neo didn't hesitate. He followed up with a swift kick, sending the enemy stumbling back. His body felt light, fast, each movement fluid as he danced across the battlefield.

But the enemies were relentless. His breath quickened, sweat stinging his eyes as more Ashenvale soldiers closed in, their weapons reflecting the sunlight.

One hit caught him off guard, sending him crashing to the ground. Pain shot through his body, and for a moment, everything blurred. But Neo gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet. His home, his people—they were depending on him. With a growl, he lunged forward, his fists unleashing a desperate barrage of punches. He might have been smaller than everyone, but he wasn't done yet.

The battle was far from over. Continue reading on m|v-l'e -NovelBin.net

It was a hard-fought fight, and there were moments when Neo thought he would die. But in the end, Kazak called his great beast, the legendary white tiger, giving them the edge they needed to turn the tide. They pushed through, defeating the 500 armored soldiers. But it wasn't without losses.

Neo didn't know where Zinshi and the others were. Had they survived? Fortunately, he didn't have to wonder for long. He spotted his friends, bloodied and exhausted, gathered on one side of the battlefield. Neo himself was dead tired, but the relief of seeing them alive filled him with energy.

He ran to them, and soon, bloodied and exhausted, they were discussing—or rather, bragging about—their very first battle.

Returning back home, Neo spent the entire next day sleeping. The battle had been too close to their homes. Little by little, the enemies had started popping up everywhere. Their scouts were always busy, and sometimes they had to fight on multiple fronts.

The valley was their advantage, though—the narrow entrance slowed the enemy's advances, giving them a chance to breathe and rest before resuming the fight. The human lord, who had been given permission to stay within the valley by Kazak, also lent his aid in such moments.

After he obtained his second job, Neo and the other young fighters, those with good enough jobs and skills to survive the frontlines, were called to the chief's hut. Neo thought it would be some kind of encouragement ceremony, maybe even praise or recruitment. What they got instead was far better.

Old man Shin led them to a high point on the steep mountain overlooking their village. The climb was hard, but they were beastmen—mountains were their home. Kazak and old man Shin had lectured them for an hour, explaining the rules and details of the 'Gates of Challenge'. Neo could hardly believe his wolf ears when he learned that their valley had a freaking dungeon.

All these years, he had been searching for a way to level up quickly, to practice and hone his skills. Finally, he had earned the chance, deemed worthy by old man Shin and the village elders at last.

Since then, he had entered the dungeon many times, gaining experience, levels, and even earning some extra income for his family. But that wasn't his main goal. He wanted to grow stronger. He wanted to become like Kazak, who could decimate entire platoons single-handedly.

And so, Neo was heading towards the dungeon entrance once again, where he had promised to meet his friends, when he heard someone call out to him,

"Oh! My favorite young warrior.. They told me about yesterday—you did amazing in the battle, they say. Didn't I tell you that you would do excellent?"

She was one of the refugees they had rescued during their frequent patrols in the valley before. Every time Neo saw her, his chest tightened and his face flushed. She was the most beautiful human woman he had ever seen, with her long, shiny hair and a mischievous smile that seemed to brighten everything around her.

When she spoke to him, her voice was soft, making his heart race in ways he didn't understand. He liked being around her, though it made him feel awkward, like he didn't know what to do with his hands. All he knew was that when she was nearby, he wanted to stand taller, to be someone she might notice.