A Dog at the End of a Hunt

What has been already a passionate training session has become more lively after the demonstration.  The green skins have begun to immerse themselves in the role plays.  As it was thought that understanding the concept was more important than group training at this juncture, the forces were divided into individual clans and began to go out for the hunt.  As a result, there was an unanticipated hunting fever.

“This is the great beast that we have caught!”

“The beast that we have caught is much bigger!”

What was interesting was the fact that they began the hunt as a mass, but not necessarily in the same party.  The single off the cuffs comment had greater ripple effect than imagined, and the new united tribe was slowly becoming one.

It wasn’t that they have lost the clan’s roots, but trust and camaraderie were beginning to develop among the brotherly clan.

The Goff clan’s ogres began to naturally protect the archers, but they did not disrespect the archers at all.  The Black Spear’s troll sorcerers were watching the backs of the Goff warriors, but they, too, weren’t disrespecting the ogres at all.

Like the humans, the concept of a party was beginning to form.

Certainly, such concept will be helpful during wars.  Goff, Black Spear, and I have drawn that conclusion, and they were beginning to mold into a single unit.

The ripple effect did not end there.  Even the three clans’ children began to form a group as they played together.  Like the adult green skins, the little ones were also beginning to understand the concept from the young age.

Although the war games have not ended, a game of hunting has materialized.  It was only limited to being a game as the actual hunting could not take place, yet I truly thought that this would bring in the new wind of change for the clan.

They were developing appropriately.

However, it wasn’t without a problem.  The greatest issue was none other than, me.

It was I who held the life line of the green skins of the new united tribe.

It was because I was feeling the limitations of controlling the tribe at the collective training.  I surreptitiously looked forward.  Goff, Orbo, and Ogre, the twin head, were in the front, and what they were staring at were the roots that Jung Hayeon has summoned.

It was an idea which was conceived, thinking that it would be a good thing to have a visible opponent as the training was actively moving forward.

It was the training that was supposed to begin after forming a head, a tail, using three of the four and one of the four massive roots that Jung Hayeon had summoned, respectively, and shaping arms and legs with the remaining small roots.

The precondition of the training was to not use magic power.

Although the roots did not move like the real beast of the east, the training posed a rather high difficulty.  As Jung Hayeon’s magic power was limited, and that it was a training that could only be performed once a day, the training called for a high level of concentration.

Although all the other green skins were having a tough time, the one that most struggled with it was me.  I ground my teeth as I spoke to them.

“The main force will move back.”

“The main force will move back!”

The main force began to move back instantly.  However, what Jung Hayeon’s roots were after was not the main force, but the Blood Dagger Clan’s swordsmen who were hitting the roots with wooden swords from the side.   As one of the heads has instantly swooped through the swordsmen, Orbo, using his shield, has attempted to defend from the attack.  However, it quickly swept through the swordsmen, maybe, due to its great range.

‘Darn it…’

“Lost again…”

“………………………”

I said nothing in response to Goff’s comment.  Certainly the green skins were fighting after blocking their abilities, weapons, and magic, it was definitely my mistake this time.  As the main force was moving back, healing magic did not get applied on the swordsmen, and was also unable to respond to the initial attack.

“It will get better with more training.  Don’t you agree?”

“Have to pray that to be the case.”

As the training has ended, Jung Hayeon approached me while she was looking at me.  A facial expression filled with guilt.  It has been 10 days already since the training has begun.  Although it was funny, I have never once defeated Jung Hayeon during the training.  Having recognized how sad I was feeling, Jung Hayeon spoke to me in a quiet voice.

“Tae… Taesung, are you alright?”

It wasn’t that I said anything, but she must have been mindful of me for some reason.  I stroked Jung Hayeon’s head once and spoke.

“I’m fine.”

“Would…Would lowering the training difficulty a bit be helpful?  It’s because I know more about the clan…”

“No…The current condition does not seem bad.”

Although I have not met the beast of the east in person, I did not believe that the beast bastard would be smarter than Jung Hayeon.  The beast would not certainly initiate an attack by reading opponent’s movements.  However, considering the fact that it could not move from one spot and that breath and other techniques were not available for use, everything seemed to balance out.

Certainly, there were also some handicaps, but it was not believed that the beast of the east could be defeated, not having been able to defeat these roots.

That was, Jung Hayeon has been effectively destroying my command up to now.

Although I had imagined that it wasn’t easy to mobilize such a large force after having learned about raids through only reading, I was more unfamiliar than I had thought.

As Jung Hayeon has used most of her magic power for the day, the training came to an end for the day.   The leaders stayed around and made strategic adjustments while the remaining members either hunted individually, or spent the time on individual training.  I went into the tent, and along with Hakajin, other leaders were also following me into the tent.  It was a meeting in which the leaderships of Goff Clan and Black Spear Clan have also attended.

By revisiting the mistakes of the day and providing feedbacks, along with instantaneously applying Jung Hayeon’s opinions, adjustments would be made and applied to the next training.  Absurdly, this meeting has commenced with the words of Black Spear who always consoled me.