Hazel was finally ready to put his plan into action. "Alright, listen up!" he commanded, his voice echoing through the school hall. "We're splitting into three groups. Blossom, Oscar, and I will each lead a team." He gestured for those willing to follow to step forward.
The safe zone creators were instructed to remain at the school, their unique skills best utilized in defense. They nodded, understanding their role in the upcoming expansion.
With their teams assembled, they set out to dominate the surrounding area, eliminating any monsters that crossed their path.
"Don't expect me to fight for you," Hazel told the five individuals who had chosen to follow him. "You need to level up, become strong enough to protect yourselves when I'm not around." He had no qualms about their small number; quality over quantity.
They soon encountered a large herd of goblins and a few lumbering trolls. "Kill them all," Hazel instructed, settling onto a massive rock in the middle of the road, observing their progress.
The five followers, driven by the need to survive and Hazel's stark words, made quick work of the monsters, their levels visibly increasing with each kill.
"Good. I like fast improvement. Let's move on," Hazel said, pushing them forward.
Suddenly, a familiar, chilling presence prickled at Hazel's senses. He knew instinctively it was a Shadow Walker, the same type of powerful wolf they had encountered before.
"Hold up," he commanded.
"You," he pointed at his group, "are going to fight this one for me. Kill it." They exchanged nervous glances, unsure what he was referring to until a black wolf lunged out of the shadows, aiming for Hazel. Without even a flicker of effort, Hazel punched it, sending it sprawling.
Above the wolf's head, the name Shadow Walker Lv. 30 appeared. The wolf scrambled to its feet, then, in a bizarre display, seemed to melt into the darkness clinging to the stone behind it, its physical form dissolving as if entering a shadow dimension.
"I'm not fighting that thing. You are," Hazel reiterated, his gaze fixed on his group.
"Sir, that thing is too strong for us," the girl from the group protested, her voice trembling.
"Doesn't matter," Hazel said, his tone indifferent. "The one who kills it will probably level up five times, if I'm not mistaken. You have a choice: fight, kill it, and become stronger, or back down and remain weak."
"Move your weak asses," the arrogant idiot, Darwin, sneered at the other four. Surprisingly, he had chosen to follow Hazel, likely seeing it as an opportunity to surpass him in strength.
The Shadow Walker remained hidden, its menacing presence still palpable. "I summon you, Thorax!" Darwin declared, summoning a massive dual axe, its black surface streaked with jagged lines that resembled lightning.
In a flash, the Shadow Walker materialized directly behind Darwin. But Darwin was ready. He reacted instantly, dodging the wolf's swift claw attack, the force of which nearly knocked him off his feet. He stood firm and immediately swung his summoned axe.
The axe missed, but Darwin used the momentum to leap towards the Shadow Walker. The wolf retaliated, its powerful paws slamming into Darwin. The mirrored force slammed back into the Shadow Walker, but the impact was immense. Darwin coughed up blood, yet he remained locked in close combat with the shadowy beast, his determination surprising even Hazel, who grudgingly admitted to himself that the idiot might actually possess a genuine desire for strength.
The Shadow Walker vanished into the shadows again, putting Darwin on high alert. Suddenly, the wolf emerged from Darwin's own shadow.
But the Shadow Walker had made a fatal mistake. Darwin, thanks to another of his skills, excelled in close-quarters combat, and he had been deliberately trying to lure the wolf into his range. As the Shadow Walker appeared behind him, Darwin, with lightning-fast reflexes, swung his axe, decapitating the creature. Even Hazel was momentarily stunned by the speed and precision of the attack. I can be faster than that, he thought, a flicker of competitive spirit igniting within him.
Darwin didn't celebrate. He simply acted as if it were an easy kill, a stark contrast to the astonishment on the faces of the other four.
"What is your name?" Hazel asked, a genuine interest piqued.
"Darwin," the arrogant idiot replied, his arrogance still firmly in place. "Don't forget it."
Can't he just answer respectfully for once? Hazel thought, a hint of annoyance creeping in.
Hazel walked towards the Shadow Walker's headless corpse. "System, revive the Shadow Walker."
[Revive Shadow Walker successful.]
[Shadow Walker has been revived.]
The Shadow Walker rose from the ground, its fur now a striking white and black pattern. Above its paws, ethereal black flames flickered like burning shadows. It bowed deeply to Hazel, a clear display of respect and submission.
"What the hell did you do to that thing?! Are you mad?!" Darwin shouted, his curiosity and disbelief warring within him. "How did you revive it? And why is it bowing to you?!"
"Shut up already, you fucking prick," Hazel snapped, his patience wearing thin. "That's enough for now. Let's head back."
They returned to the school, their chosen headquarters. Upon arrival, they saw that Blossom's and Oscar's groups had also returned. Blossom's team looked cheerful, seemingly having enjoyed their hunt.
"We have a problem," Oscar said to Hazel, his expression serious.
"Hmm?" Hazel replied, not expecting trouble so soon.
"What is it?"
"There's another group also trying to expand their territory. We encountered them, but I thought it best not to do anything rash without informing you first," Oscar explained.
"Good call," Hazel said, placing a hand on Oscar's shoulder. "Everyone gather up!" he shouted, drawing everyone's attention.
"I need you all to level up as fast as you can," Hazel announced. "There's a high probability of a territorial war in the future. For your own protection, get stronger so that when that day comes, no one loses their life, and we emerge victorious."
"Safe zone creators, cover the entire school with your barriers," Hazel instructed. "As for the rest of you who went to battle, drop off fifty monster cores each. That should last at least five days."
Finally, he turned to the newly revived Shadow Walker. "Shadow, watch the entire school. Let us know if any attack is coming."
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