“After Revenge, come the more sinister Villains.”

 

“They are the ones that indulge in the negative emotions, not because they need to vent them. No, they indulge in them because it makes them feel better.”

 

“By indulging in them, all the Moral barriers given by a Society to protect them cease to matter. Instead, they are the ones that break those barriers for themselves and others.”

 

“Thus, these kinds of Villains are categorized as Arch Villains.”

#Quote 24 - Book of Life and Death - Chapter - Heroes and Villains

 

*

 

Central Continent - Southern Forest - Survival Tribe - Alexander

One moment Alexander entered an Instinct driven fugue state, and the other was followed by physical and mental exhaustion.

 

Less of the former, and more of the latter one.

 

Not that it was a bad thing. Nevertheless, what was done was done. 

 

When Alexander recovered from his fugue mental state, he began panting for breath. It was as if his body required far more air than it should have ever needed, especially with the physical condition of his body.

 

Only after a few moments passed, and his breath settled down, did Alexander relax. And once he relaxed, his mind began reminding him of what he'd done. Both mentally and physically. 

 

With that being the case, his eyes settled on the ground and the Crack, which had manifested between his hands and feet touching the Earth.

 

The size of the crack could barely be compared to his hand size length. The width of it wasn't taken into account either. It was barely a finger's width. However, it was the depth that struck Alexander’s attention. 

 

Raising his right paw, he stretched his forefinger, and with the claw on the finger, he began to prod the crack he made.

 

Alexander’s, and pretty much any other Badg’Er had big claws. However, Alexander knew that if his old Honey Badger form reached his current size, they would have been even bigger. 

 

Still, right this moment, their size was enough to explore the Crack.

 

Once he was done and found nothing special with it, he retrieved his forefinger.

“Alexander?” A deep voice called. It disrupted Alexander’s running thoughts. His head snapped in the direction of his Father Scar. “You, Are, Panting, Suddenly?”

 

“I…” Was all that came out of Alexander’s mouth as his mind finally caught up with the present. 

 

When it did, Alexander frowned at how to explain everything. On one side, everything he'd done was inside him. On the other side, he'd done something even harder to explain. 

 

Still, the true reason, why Alexander hesitated, was because the thing he'd done was so small and insignificant at first glance. Alexander did not want to be embarrassed by pointing out something, only to be ridiculed for lying because the tiny little Crack in the Earth probably existed before.

 

“Wait!” Alexander announced and focused once more. When he did, phantoms of what he'd done moments ago reappeared. 

 

The phantoms guided Alexander’s Intent and Emotions. In moments, another connection was established between Alexander and the Earth, and when it got established, Alexander understood, once again, what he had to do. 

 

Thus, while crouching, Alexander focused on the Crack between his hands and paws. Then he pushed against the possibility, which was also a barrier. Only now, the barrier had lost a lot of its resistance. 

 

Alexander pushed through the barrier blocking his Intent. Only this time, a small effect was not the thing he sought. No, Alexander wanted big showy effects. He wanted something visual so that he could gloat that he no longer needed to stay behind in the fights against the Black Many Legs and their humanoid version.

 

As such, Alexander pushed with everything he had. 

 

For one single moment, everything in Alexander’s vision lost its cohesion. 

 

Things began to look blurry and off-color, but he'd accomplished what he sought.

 

CRACK

 

The tiny Crack in the Earth cracked further. 

 

The ends of the zigzag line that connected them, extended in one big swoop, and from a five-centimeter crack, it extended close to half a meter. 

 

Only it looked much less because the Crack, Alexander extended, did not follow a straight line.

 

On the contrary, it bent here and there with some sharp corners. One of the corners even traveled under Alexander’s left palm. And when it did, Alexander's left arm fell inside as his eight pushed it inside. 

 

Had Alexander been more aware, it would have been easy for him to react, but that was not the case this time. As such, half of his left arm instantly got sucked into the gap and Alexander lost his balance.

 

Thud

 

A minor thud echoed as Alexander's head hit the ground sideways.

 

“Alexander!” “Son!” 

 

Two voices reached Alexander as the world in his eyes began to spin in his mind while regaining the colors and sharpness they possessed before. 

 

At the same time, he felt the firm touch on his right arm and shoulder. It grabbed him even further and pulled on his whole body. The pull lifted him enough to free his left arm.

 

Alexander, exhausted mentally, beyond anything he'd experienced before, still had enough mental acuity to notice the thing he'd made. 

 

“Hahahaha.” What followed was short laughter, full of gloating and pride. 

 

A pride that very much desired to be kindled, after that shameful loss he felt in his first fight with the humanoid Black Many Legs, not that they had more appendages in that form than Alexander currently did.

 

Either way, the pride flowed out of Alexander. 

 

His head whipped right to face his Father and weakly announced his desire before actually fainting from mental exhaustion.

 

“Me… Now… Fight…”

 

*

 

Moments of silence passed, as Scar held his son, and Tina examined her son’s health. 

 

Not that she knew many ways of doing it. However, after a small usage of Mana inside Alexander, she found nothing that needed her attention.

 

“He, Still, Too, Weak… Right?” Tina inquired of her Mate.

 

Scar nodded at the obvious and pointed at the ground where the crack his Son made displayed its existence. ”Doubt, That, Will, Hurt, Them… Hmm, Maybe, There, Is, More, To, It?”

 

“Hmph,” Grunting Tina agreed. “Bring, Him, Back, He, Need, Rest… Later, He, Can, Explore, New, Strength.”

 

With that said, Scar carried his Son on his right shoulder, and Chief and Shaman walked back to their Tribal Clearing. 

 

Only to occasionally throw out a conjecture about what their Son might do in the near future.

 

*

 

Tribal Dream - Alexander

---

System Alert!!!

 

First Star Enlightenment in Progress

⬇

Enlightenment Successful

⬇

Elemental Earth Attunement - 5th Level

⬇

 Upgrading

⬇

Minor Earth Blessing

---

.

.

.

---

System Alert!!!

 

Minor Earth Blessing Obtained

 

Description;

 

In your search for Safety and Stability, you've faced hardships. 

Hardships that few could carry. Thus, the Spirit of the Earth acknowledges your effort and grants you IT's Blessing.

Embrace the Earth and its Potential.

 

Blessing Perks;

 

1st Passive - Innate Physical Resilience - 

Toughness + 5

2ed Passive - Innate Mental Resilience - 

Focus + 2.5

Tenacity + 2.5

3ed Passive - Touch of the Earth-

Once touched by Earth, you will never be alone.

4th Passive - Song of the Earth - 

Once touched by Earth, few things will hide from you.

5th Passive - Anchor of the Earth -

Once touched by Earth, few things will displace you.

---

.

.

.

---

System Alert!!!

 

New Title Generated;

 

Pioneer

---

.

---

System Alert!!!

 

New Special Ability Manifested;

 

Earth Bending

 

Description;

When Instinct meets a determined Will, the Rules and Laws of Reality are no longer unshakeable.

Nevertheless, as a Pioneer of Chakral Ascendence, it is up to you to determine the How’s and the Why’s

 

Effect;

Passive - Minor Elemental Intuition

Insight with Earth +1

---

.

.

.

---

System Alert!

 

Stat Improvement

 

Insight [+1]

---

“Minor, Blessing?...Pioneer, Earth, Bender?”

 

Out of the System notification, those two stood the most.

 

One told of what had happened, and one told of what he did and might potentially be doing in the future.

 

With all that being the case, Alexander pulled on that mental lever and called forth his Status.

---

User Status;

 

Name - Alexander 

Species; Badg’Er 

[Base - Humanoid Honey Badger]

Gender - Male

Age - 6 [Young Adult] 

Physical Status - [Healthy]

Mental Status - [Exhausted] - [Dreaming]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Moral Alignment; 

???

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Titles; 

Conqueror of Land and Females

Scourge of Lions

Rebel

Pioneer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Affiliation;

Tribe - Sur’Vi’Val

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ascension;

 Chakral System - Second Stage [Emotional Affinity Path]

.

First Star - Root Access;

Node - Extremities [Hands and Feet]

.

Fifth Star - The Center Chakra Star;

Node - Heart and Lungs 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Resource Status;

Type - Aural Chakra

 Capacity - 5%

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Basic Status;

Body - 14 [Base - 9 Strength + 5 Toughness]

Instinct - 11 [Base - 9 Agility + 2 Dexterity]

Mind - 12.5 [Base - 8 Intellect + 4.5 Focus]

Will - 13.5 [Base - 9 Will + 4.5 Tenacity]

Insight - 10 [Base - 8 Wisdom + 2 Logic]

Charisma - 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ascension Perks; 

First Star; Minor Blessing of Earth ➡

Fifth Star;

Elemental Attunement - Fire [Energy Booster]; Air [Energy Intake]

Elemental Perk - Fire [Temporary Body Enhancement]; Air [Temporary Instinct Enhancement]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special Ability;

Heart of a Rebel

Earth Bending

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Talent;

Discipline - Body and Mind

 [Body +2, Instinct +2, Mind + 2, Insight +1]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skills;

Parkour - Level 4

[Dexterity +2]

Brawler - Level 4

[Focus +2, Tenacity+2, Logic+2]

---

Moments passed as Alexander pried for the secrets of his Status, only little had changed since last had checked. 

 

The last time was right before undergoing his… Enlightenment. Therefore, little could change.

 

Some things he'd gained before that made him stronger, some he'd gained later, yet no matter if his numbers grew, they would change little for his revenge upon the humanoid Black Many Legs.

 

It changed little because he simply did not have the ability to chase and kill one. They were simply too strong and too fast for him. Even if their strength and speed had been similar, he still could not hurt them because of their toughness. 

 

The scale-like skin provided them with a lot of protection from his claws. No matter how hard he swung his arms, and no matter how sharp his claws were, Alexander could not penetrate their tough skin.

 

That being the case, it left him little option but to be a hitting target for them. Well, a tough-hitting target that could take quite a lot of punishment when compared to his Tribal Members. 

 

His fellow Tribal Members, Hunters, and Shamans, on the other hand, could penetrate and even kill them. 

 

In truth, it was very hard to kill them even for them, but it had been done.

 

The only reason so few of them were killed was because of their solitary nature early on. As such, when Alexander and his fellow Hunters and Shaman met one of them, it attacked them without any hesitation. 

 

It probably thought they were easy targets.

 

Alexander had been there, the first time it happened. He had been there as he was the one that guided everybody through the Cave tunnels. And would probably continue doing so in the near future. 

 

Only Alexander had the freedom to separate from his fellow Hunters and Shaman In the Cave tunnels. The others stayed with the Shamans who learned Partial Primal Manifestation and Small White Sun from his Mother. 

 

Thanks to that sharing, now every female knew how to summon forth the White Light, to guide them in the darkness. Thus, since that first Cave Dive, females have begun integrating into the Hunters Expedition, as they no longer needed as much protection.

 

All that aside, when the first humanoid Black Many Legs attacked them, the Hunters had fanned out and surrounded it with the intent to kill. Yet, its strength, speed, and resilience surprised them all. 

 

Only the White Flame Cladding on their claws made it possible to kill it, as with every scratch that got past its tough scaly skin, the humanoid Black Many Legs lost feeling in its hands and legs. Thus, easing the process of killing it.

 

With the kill beside them, its corpse blazed into a conflagration of White Flame. Alexander still remembered the gazes of bliss his Mother and Father, and the other Hunters manifested on their faces. 

 

It was as if they finally found that delicacy that would help them progress further.

 

Strangely, when Alexander feasted on the produced White Flame Conflagration, unlike his previous experiences, the corpse of the humanoid Black Many Legs provided him almost no benefits. 

 

After the first kill, during the expedition into the Giant Mushroom Forest. A craze manifested in his fellow Hunters, alongside his Parents. 

 

Thus, they traveled deeper. 

They explored here and there when they met another one. 

 

After it was dead, they met another. Truthfully speaking, this one came to them. It had ambushed them by jumping from one of the Giant Mushrooms they were passing by. 

 

The ambush target had been Alexander. Despite being an adult, he was still smaller than his fellow Hunters. His Mother was of the same size, but she was always accompanied by one or two Hunters so, Alexander became the prime choice for an ambush.

 

It had come with such speed that Alexander had no choice but to be surprised. Luckily for him, ever since that first time he'd been ambushed by a Giant Black Many Legs dropping from the tree, he'd learned to be far more careful of that occurring. 

 

The few times it occurred in the Cave tunnels only strengthened that Instinctive response. Thus, Alexander learned to pay careful attention whenever there was something above him. Due to that, Alexander escaped a bite on his shoulder by an inch. 

 

The bite aside, Alexander had been a bit further away from the group at that time, and by the time anybody came to support him, only his increased toughness had helped him stave off death. 

 

That and the innate resistance to toxins and venoms that all Badg’Er gained as they grew up.

After that one's death, it was decided for the first expedition to end. 

 

The dead humanoid Black Many Legs, was carried back for the Tribe. With its sacrifice, a frenzy of desire was birthed in the Tribe. 

 

Many wanted to continue feasting. So, from that point on, Alexander guided every Hunter’s team down into the depths and into the Giant Mushroom Forest.

 

In the beginning, everything was fine, but after the 3ed expedition, things began to change. The enemy had begun to amass into groups as well. 

 

At first, it was one Humanoid Black Many Legs, with lots of normal ones, if giant, Black Manny Legs accompanying them. After a few more expeditions, the humanoid ones began to gather in groups, with even more of the normal ones, if giant, acting as a buffer for their hit-and-run tactics.

 

From that point on the battles became rarer, but far more brutal in their execution. 

 

That point forced the Hunters to adapt new tactics. But the thing that irked Alexander, was that he could never become part of those tactics. He simply could not kill or hold back the humanoid ones. 

 

Thus, he was regulated into going after the normal ones, if giant.

However, that would soon change. Alexander knew it without a doubt.

 

As such, after reviewing his Status, and the notification explaining some things to him, Alexander left the Dream version of his family's Den. 

 

With eagerness, he made his way to the Nightmare Pit. 

 

It was the Nightmare Pit, that conditioned his fellow Hunters and Shamans, for the battles down in the deep. 

 

Thanks to it, so far, The Tribe avoided any actual losses. 

 

Though, there had been many times that Hunters came close to dying. The venom produced by the Black Many Legs, and especially the humanoid ones, once injected into them was extremely powerful. 

 

While it would not kill any of them, those bitten, by the humanoid Black Many Legs, fell unconscious relatively quickly. 

 

If they were in battle it happened even quicker. Because of that, many Hunters had been carried back home. And whenever it happened, it usually meant there was no luck in killing a humanoid. 

 

Sometimes, even the dead normal ones, if giant, had to be left behind.

 

Whenever that happened, it sucked for everybody, but it sucked for Alexander the most. 

 

Without a constant supply of enough big insects, Alexander had no choice but to give up on ever achieving the 4th continuation of this Personal Dream. 

 

That fact combined with the requirements had been too much for Alexander. 

 

So, after realizing that fact, he ended his Personal Dream.

 

When he did, Alexander finally understood what it meant to receive an Accolade. The bliss of Base Stat growth was so amazing that even now he could remember that day. Only its duration was far too short. 

 

It was also at that moment that he gained the Talent; Discipline - Body and Mind.

 

How it functioned Alexander had no idea. But everything he had done before, the running, the pushup, sit-ups, pull-ups, and any other exercise, became deeply ingrained into him. In fact, it was ingrained so deeply that Alexander felt itchy in his Mind and Body whenever he skipped a Daily Routine. 

 

From that point on, Alexander reduced his Daily Routine just enough for the itch to stay away.

 

Shaking away from the thought, Alexander entered the Nightmare Pit.

 

With eagerness guiding his steps, he entered in hope of figuring out how to increase his Strength as much as possible.

 

After all, without Strength, one is but Prey before a Hunter.