Confrontation

There were some things whose chances of success you could never know before trying them. But once you acted, even if you had only just begun to exert yourself, you could basically tell how they would end.

Like taking a shot in basketball.

Though the ball had only just left your hand and your palm was still held in the shooting posture, the shooter already knew the answer the moment it was released.

And after Du Pont jumped with all his strength, he already knew the outcome of this attempt while still in midair.

There was no way he was making it over.

Six feet was roughly 1.8 meters. An adult man definitely could not hurdle that height, but climbing over it was not particularly difficult.

If the platform was wide enough, all he had to do was get his upper body over it and push with his arms. He could climb over easily, though the posture would not look very graceful.

But the Barbarian's idea of jumping over clearly did not include that. He had simply leaped straight across himself, soaring over it with incredible flair.

Even if Du Pont held himself to lower standards, he should at least have been able to brace himself with his hands and vault over. He should not have ended up scraping his balls halfway through the jump, as the Barbarian had said.

Before jumping, Du Pont had loosened up a little. He was not entirely sure how much explosive power his 14 points of Strength could provide, but he had tested it beforehand. With the spell's enhancement, jumping five or six feet from a standstill would be no problem. With a running start, clearing it should have been easy, and using leverage to vault over would have been effortless.

But imagining something was one thing; doing it was another. Whether in this life or his last, Du Pont could basically be considered someone with uncoordinated limbs. In Boulderstone's words, his muscles had not been stretched out.

That made his body coordination remarkably... humorous.

The result was that his body failed to keep up with his brain. He had jumped too early.

He was definitely going to get hung up on the fence. All he could do now was hope its top was not too sharp, or that Boulderstone knew some family medical technique or something. He really could not afford to become disabled from jumping a fence.

Fortunately, the worst did not happen. Just as Du Pont was about to have an intimate encounter between his stomach and the fence, he felt his collar tighten, and the next second he was lifted into the yard.

Once his collar was released, Du Pont wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Did I pass, or not?"

"I can only say that you mages are all hilariously unfit. Your physical qualities are actually pretty good." Butcher wore an expression that said he had known this would happen. "All right. Someone like you, who has never trained, has basically no chance of jumping over. I was just checking whether you had the guts. If you were a coward, teaching you would be a waste of time. Better to leave early and spare me the aggravation. You pass this test."

Du Pont secretly sighed in relief, but after thinking about it, he found it strange. "But if you know you can't win, isn't having the courage to fight just throwing your life away?"

"You're right. But sometimes, whether you want to fight or not isn't up to you. This is a world where the strong devour the weak. Even civilized Haluar and Elven Isle are no exception. Without strength, you can only be bullied and exploited. Courage and strength are the foundations for facing all that. In my view, courage even comes before strength."

"As long as the gap in strength between both sides is not too great, you have a chance to turn things around as long as you still have courage." As Boulderstone spoke, he took out an eight-foot spear. "When you killed that pig, if it had still had the courage to fight back, would killing it have taken you much more effort?"

Du Pont nodded, understanding what he meant. "You mean that as long as I don't lose my nerve, a lot of things become easier to face?"

"That's right. Back then, you did not have many options either. As long as that big pig wasn't afraid of you, you were afraid of it too. But once it became frightened, it exposed a weakness and gave you the chance to land a fatal blow."

Boulderstone grabbed the spear and drove it into a large tree in the courtyard. "Whether you're fighting or killing, sometimes it comes down to who has the bigger nerve. In a drawn-out fight, it comes down to who can endure more pain. As long as you hold on, the other side will collapse. The more natural your expression, the more panicked your opponent becomes. And once they panic, they reveal openings, leading to defeat or even death."

"So the first lesson I'm teaching you is that no matter what kind of opponent you face, as long as you still have one breath left, never let them sense your lack of confidence. Of course, against some fools, you can pretend to be stupid and trick them into exposing openings, letting down their guard so you can deliver a fatal blow."

"But that only works on idiots. In life-and-death situations, people can display great sudden wisdom. If you treat your enemy like an idiot, you may well be the foolish one. Don't pretend to be stupid unless you have no other choice. The best option is to face every enemy with strength and composure, then end them without mercy. Never give an enemy a chance to turn things around."

"Do you know what I admire most about you? Aside from your body being promising material for a martial class, more importantly, you're one of those rare people who instinctively use their brains in a fight." Boulderstone pointed toward the storage shed beside the cabin, signaling for Du Pont to follow.

"Whether spellcasters or martial classes, many people train quite well in academies and guilds. But once they actually go out adventuring, the moment they encounter danger, they forget everything they learned. Especially some women—once they get scared, they can do nothing but scream. If you really intend to adventure, then before you become an official Classed individual, don't team up with women. And don't join teams that have women either, because they might bring a lot of pointless trouble."

"Of course, after level 6, the female adventurers you meet are much more normal. Some women can even be fiercer than men. You still need to stay alert around those people at all times. Don't let a pretty face cloud your judgment."

"I've gone off topic. Your second test." Boulderstone walked toward a crude room that looked like a storage shed. "You were able to think calmly when facing a pig, but how long can you keep that up when facing a truly threatening enemy? Can you still keep a clear head?"

Boulderstone opened the door. In the darkness, a pair of reflective eyes lit up. At the sight of the two men, they immediately gave a threatening low growl.

"There's a gray wolf in here. A few days ago, they came down the mountain to steal and eat farmers' sheep, so I killed some of them and kept the prettiest and largest one. I originally wanted to try training it, see if it could act like a dog and accompany me up the mountain while hunting. Unfortunately, after three days in confinement, it's still a fool that bares its teeth at me. Your training this afternoon is to kill it without using attack spells. If you can do that, you pass this test. Then I'll teach you some truly exciting things."

Du Pont looked at the gray wolf inside. It was a fierce beast nearly six feet long and four feet tall. It bared its huge canine teeth viciously at them, yet cautiously refrained from attacking.

Gray Wolf

Attributes: Strength 14, Dexterity 16, Constitution 15, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 12, Charisma 6

Attack: Bite, (1D6+1)

Traits: Low-Light Vision, Keen Scent

Saves: Fortitude 4, Reflex 5, Will 2

Challenge Rating: 1/2

Status: Hungry, Alert

Description: Wolves are social animals known for their patience and cunning. They understand division of labor, cooperation, and jointly caring for their young. When facing one, remain vigilant at all times. Do not turn your back on this cruel creature.

"With me here, it probably won't dare bite you. But I'm going to prepare a rather interesting prey animal for you. Of course, if you can't manage it, then you won't need to do the evening lesson either."

"..." Du Pont's heartbeat quickened slightly. "Are all Barbarian training methods this rough?"

"What did you expect? Barbarians do not care for infants born with defects. The scarce resources of the Northlands wilderness can only be distributed reasonably through survival of the fittest. A Barbarian who cannot even defeat a wild beast is not a true Barbarian."

Boulderstone smiled after saying that. "Your talent is already far better than that of many Barbarian children your age. They cannot use their brains like you, nor do they have miraculous spells. Your biggest problem is that you have read too many books and lack savagery and ruthlessness. You don't understand how to make use of your body's greatest advantages, nor do you know how to awaken the raging nature within your soul."

"There are no magic items in my yard, only things commonly used by hunters and butchers. There are medicines inside the house for treating wounds. If you really can't beat it, hide in the house and use Mage Armor to protect yourself. There will definitely be no problem. Once I return, it naturally won't pose any threat. But if you can't kill it, then I can only say I may have misjudged you."

"All right, why are you babbling like an old woman?" Du Pont spat on the ground and quickly backed away. "Just leave if you've got nothing else to say. Oh, and remember to close the gate, so it doesn't get out."

Boulderstone froze for a moment, wondering when the gate had ever been opened. But after another thought, he could not help laughing.

This guy was pretty nervous. He had actually forgotten something like that.

"I'm leaving."

Butcher left as soon as he said it. Sensing the Barbarian's aura disappear, Du Pont licked his lips and backed toward the simple pavilion in the yard.

He only carried a Mage's Staff for protection. Without offensive magic, using that thing to kill a beast with 15 Constitution would probably be difficult.

But there were Hunting Traps and a Snare Net in the pavilion, along with Short Spears, throwing spears, and skinning knives. They all looked sharp enough. As long as he used them properly, killing an animal should not be a problem.

Just like those commoner hunters, as long as they were well prepared, they could defeat enemies with experience and wisdom.

The gray wolf in the shed watched Du Pont slowly retreat without lowering its guard. Instead, it let out wary whines.

It had originally been wandering through the mountains and wilderness, hunting for food, sometimes hungry and sometimes full. Driven by hunger, it had roamed everywhere, only to unexpectedly find a group of very easy prey at the foot of the mountain.

Sheep.

These sheep were plump and stupid, and they had even been penned in, with nowhere to run.

The old wolf in the pack had refused to come down the mountain. It warned that this might be a trap, just like how terrifying two-legged beasts in the forest sometimes left bait behind and waited for prey to take it. If they could not resist the temptation, they might lose a leg and become crippled at best, or die at worst.

But hunger had robbed these young gray wolves of their reason. Such fat, clumsy prey was hard to find in the forest. If they ate their fill this time, they would not have to worry for the next few days.

The young gray wolves had successfully launched a hunt, but just as they were about to enjoy their delicious prey, the real hunter appeared.

That terrifying two-legged beast was even more formidable than a tiger. Not a single gray wolf could withstand any one of his attacks. Knowing they were outmatched, the gray wolves tried to flee, but the speed they relied upon for survival became completely useless. Then came a burst of intense pain, and when it woke up, it had already been imprisoned here.

The aura of that two-legged beast made the gray wolf afraid to resist, but how could a hunter of the forest willingly die here?

But today, that two-legged beast finally seemed to have lowered his guard. His den had finally revealed a gap wide enough for it to escape through, and his aura had vanished completely.

The gray wolf did not know whether that terrifying monster had gone out hunting. It only wanted to escape this horrible place and return to the mountains.

But although that two-legged beast had left, another unfamiliar two-legged beast had arrived.

His aura was much weaker than that of the previous one, but there was ill intent in his eyes. Unlike the tall two-legged beast, whose gaze had held only contempt and amusement, this one clearly had bad intentions.

Fear from its earlier encounter made the gray wolf remain cautious. But when the two-legged beast before it voluntarily retreated, its courage rose.

A tiger would not fear a wolf pack. It only showed caution when facing a brown bear.

If he retreated, that meant it was stronger.

The gray wolf began advancing. Its black nose twitched as it remained alert to its surroundings despite its hunger. Only after confirming that the tall two-legged beast had truly left did its bristling fur finally settle.

With no danger nearby, hunger began eroding the gray wolf's reason again. The only thing opposing it was the fear deep in its heart, which made it want to flee this terrible cage first. But after circling around, it found no place where it could easily escape.

The troublesome wooden fence blocked its view. Its wariness toward the unknown prevented it from rashly trying to jump over.

If it accidentally broke a leg, it would be unable to hunt. Even if it returned to the pack, it could only eat scraps left behind by other gray wolves. Death and expulsion were almost the only fates awaiting a sick wolf.

Just then, a throwing spear flew toward it. The sudden whistle of wind made the gray wolf drop low and evade the spear.

Then it turned its head toward where the sound had come from.

It was that delicious, weak two-legged beast. Beside him was something made of bone that also looked quite appetizing.

The gray wolf's eyes reddened.

Seeing the gray wolf eagerly turn toward him, Du Pont let out a breath of relief.

After getting through the most tense stage of their standoff, Du Pont immediately cast Mage Armor on himself. Then he pinched out a handful of bone powder from his spell component pouch and summoned a gray-white Skeleton Warrior wielding a rusty sword. He had it block the pavilion entrance, placed a Hunting Trap behind it, and stood ready with a Short Spear in hand.

Level 1 Necromancy Spell: Animate Skeleton Servant

Skeleton Warrior: Strength 13, Dexterity 13, Constitution -, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 1

The Skeleton Warrior summoned by a level 1 spell was utterly lacking in actual combat ability. But its decent Strength and its tireless, fearless nature made this low-level undead quite suitable for doing miscellaneous work at construction sites, handling dangerous, dirty, exhausting jobs and preventing casualties that would waste compensation payments.

But relying on a Skeleton Warrior to kill enemies was unrealistic. Though it had no Constitution, its body was light and floaty. It had no mass, and its movement speed was mediocre. In a real fight, it might not even defeat two goblins fought consecutively. It was absolutely not worth a precious level 1 spell slot. Calling it terrible would be entirely accurate.

Still, in certain awkward situations, such as when the party lacked a rogue or ranger to identify traps, a Skeleton Warrior could be summoned to scout ahead and step on traps. It could serve as a temporary meat shield for a mage, a fearless little helper perfectly suited for covering a retreat.

But what Du Pont had not expected was that after the gray wolf came out, it ignored him completely. Instead, it circled around the wooden fence and did not even glance at him.

This bastard actually wasn't taking the bait. Damn it.

The gray wolf's Strength was not much different from his own, but beasts relied on their sharp teeth, and their killing power was terrifying. Without Mage Armor's protection, one bite would tear out a huge chunk of flesh.

If he attacked rashly without the advantage of terrain, the other side's Dexterity advantage meant that whether it fought or fled, he might not be able to keep up. He would definitely end up at a disadvantage.

If he wanted an easy victory, waiting for it at leisure was definitely the best method. If it rushed over to fight his Skeleton Warrior and stepped into a trap, he could basically just stab it a few times and collect the corpse.

But plans could not keep up with changes. After being ambushed by him, this beast had not charged straight at him. Instead, it repeatedly prowled around the pavilion, never exposing its back and giving him a perfect opportunity to attack.

Now Du Pont was in a difficult position.

There were no ranged weapons here aside from the throwing spears. And even if there were, he had absolutely no shooting experience, so his accuracy would be terrifyingly low. He did not even have an offensive cantrip. How was he supposed to force the other side to rush him?

Forget it. He would draw its attention first.

He threw a spear. As expected, it was dodged. Fortunately, the gray wolf finally began confronting him.

But this thing seemed to know he had prepared traps. It simply refused to advance and attack first.

This cunning beast...

Du Pont cursed inwardly, then turned around. He exposed his back to the wolf while swaying unsteadily, imitating some celebrity as if he were having an epileptic seizure, wildly twisting his upper body.

I refuse to believe you can still hold back now.