The monster hunt was now underway, with the children eagerly following the great warriors and Elder Ulganar. Lakan and Thorgana trailed behind, watching the group from a short distance.

  "Umm… Lakan, can I ask you something?" Thorgana asked hesitantly.

  "What is it?" Lakan responded.

  She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "How did you become so strong at just thirteen years old? You're only a year older than me, but your strength is beyond your years. Can I become like you too?"

  Lakan let out a small chuckle. "You overestimate me. I’m not that strong." He glanced ahead, then continued, "I just took advantage of my father’s training, along with all the tasks I had to endure—hunting, fighting, even being used as bait. And also…" He lowered his voice. "Can I trust you with a secret?"

  Thorgana's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Of course! You're practically my cousin—we dwarves treat each other like family. I’ll take your secret to my grave."

  Lakan smirked. "It’s not that serious, really. I just don’t want to reveal it too early."

  Thorgana laughed. "Hah! And here I thought it was some grand mystery."

  Lakan’s expression turned serious. "You know I’m half beastman and half human, right? I was adopted by my father, Panday."

  Thorgana nodded. "Yeah, everyone knew that back when we were still slaves. But to be honest, you look more like a human. It’s just that you have fur—except on your face, which looks just like a human’s. Maybe that’s why the beastmen won’t accept you as one of their own."

  Lakan sighed, touching his face. "Yeah, I’ve noticed that too. I do look more human than beastman. But to think I’m more well-known than I thought…" He paused, his expression thoughtful before continuing. "My father once told me that he knew my mother. They were friends. She was cast out by the beastmen because her beliefs were different from theirs. Unknown to everyone else, she fell in love with a human noble who visited Viscount Beaufort. My biological father was captivated by her beauty too, and they secretly loved each other.

  "The only person my mother could trust was my father, Panday, so she confided in him when she realized she was pregnant with me. He kept her secret and helped them plan their escape—my biological father was supposed to buy her as a slave and then elope with her."

  Thorgana, being a hopeless romantic at heart, was already tearing up. "Sob… What a tragic love story… They just wanted to be together… Sob…"

  Lakan stared at her, dumbfounded. "Why are you crying? I’m not even finished yet."

  Thorgana wiped her tears. "Go on… I need to hear the rest."

  Lakan sighed and continued, "Since my biological father frequently visited the prison, Viscount Beaufort started getting suspicious. His doubts grew by the day. But even so, my father managed to buy my mother, and they successfully escaped. They spent some time together, finally free… but Beaufort wasn’t one to let go so easily. His suspicions never faded, so he sent spies to uncover the truth. Eventually, they found my parents living together… and by then, my mother was heavily pregnant with me.

  "They were caught and thrown back into Viscount Beaufort’s prison, still holding onto the few items they had hoped to give me when I was born.

  "After some time, they were sentenced to execution. But before that, they entrusted me to my father, Panday."

  Thorgana's eyes filled with tears. "They even prepared gifts for you before you were born… This evil world… Sob!" She suddenly burst into loud crying, startling the children and warriors around her.

  Lakan, his eye twitching, quickly covered her mouth. "This girl is really dramatic," he muttered under his breath.

  After a moment, he let out a small sigh and continued, "Well, those items became one of the sources of my strength. Along with toys, they gifted me books—one containing a stolen beastman technique from my mother. I guess she took revenge by stealing it. She must have been a bit of a tomboy too. The other was a magic book from my biological father.

  "They wanted me to become stronger, knowing I would face hardships as a half-breed. That’s all my father, Panday, told me."

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Thorgana blinked in surprise. "Wait… don’t tell me you can use both magic and beastman techniques?"

  Lakan shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much," he admitted. "I trained using the books as a reference, but I’m still not proficient in either."

  Thorgana gaped. "Woah! So that’s why you’re so strong! But… sorry to ask this—why weren’t you executed along with your parents? Those nobles hate us so much, yet they let a mixed-blood like you live?" Her brows furrowed in confusion.

  Lakan fell silent, lost in thought. "I wonder about that too… but even my father didn’t know when I asked him."

  Thorgana let out a breath. "Well, no use dwelling on it. Anyway, you can teach me about strategies, right? I was really impressed by how you came up with them."

  Lakan smirked. "Well, I guess I can—after we survive the monster wave. I’ll teach you using my father’s lessons."

  "Yes! Thank you, Lakan!" Thorgana cheered, clenching her fists in excitement.

  Their conversation was suddenly cut short when Elder Ulganar's booming voice echoed through the group.

  "Oh! Everyone, we’ve spotted monsters! There are twenty hobgoblins ahead. Do you children want to see the warriors in action?"

  "Yes! We want to see them fight!" the children cheered excitedly.

  "Then, without further ado—warriors, go hunt those monsters!" Elder Ulganar commanded confidently, knowing his warriors would make quick work of the hobgoblins.

  The warriors who had been escorting the children stepped forward, ensuring the young ones kept a safe distance from the upcoming battle.

  Hobgoblins were a more evolved variant of goblins, having absorbed large amounts of mana. They stood over four meters tall and possessed significantly enhanced combat prowess.

  The great warriors—Zarik, Drogath, Baloga, and Dalangpan—sprang into action, weapons in hand, ready for battle.

  Zarik and Baloga, the fastest among them, reached the hobgoblins first.

  Zarik dashed toward the nearest one, his sword gripped tightly in his right hand. The hobgoblin noticed his approach and raised its massive club, swinging it downward with tremendous force.

  BOOM!

  A cloud of dust exploded from the impact, but Zarik was already gone. In a blur, he leaped onto the club, sprinting along its length toward the hobgoblin's face.

  SWISH!

  STAB!

  Zarik drove his blade deep into the hobgoblin’s eye. The creature let out a guttural roar, thrashing wildly in pain. Taking advantage of its blind panic, he swiftly stabbed its other eye, rendering it completely sightless.

  The hobgoblin flailed, trying to grab him, but before it could, Zarik flipped backward, landing gracefully on the shoulder of another nearby hobgoblin.

  His senses sharpened, and his physical strength surged as he activated his technique. Locking onto his blinded target, he channeled power into his legs and launched himself into the air with such force that the hobgoblin he had landed on stumbled from the impact.

  BOOM!

  STAB!

  His blade plunged deep into the first hobgoblin’s throat. Blood gushed as the massive creature collapsed, choking on its own lifeblood.

  Without missing a beat, Zarik finished off the second hobgoblin with lightning speed. Even Lakan and Thorgana were left in awe.

  "Woah… they’re so strong," Lakan muttered. "I guess we should ask them to train us."

  "Yeah," Thorgana agreed.

  Despite the gruesome battle before them, the children watched in admiration. Having grown up in slavery, they were already numb to the sight of death.

  Elder Ulganar's heart ached as he observed their indifferent expressions. A single tear slipped down his cheek.

  "Children shouldn’t look so… empty while watching something like this," he whispered to himself.

  Then—

  BOOM!

  While Zarik fought, Baloga engaged another hobgoblin.

  With a sword in each hand, Baloga rushed forward. The hobgoblin swung its massive club, but he swiftly dodged using Power Surge. Leaping high into the air, he drove his sword into the hobgoblin’s stomach, using it as a foothold to propel himself even higher.

  "Hah! What an easy opponent," Baloga smirked before unleashing a rapid flurry of slashes, carving deep wounds into the hobgoblin’s face.

  Then—

  SWING!

  Baloga positioned himself on the creature’s shoulder, took a stance, and, with one powerful swing, cleanly decapitated it.

  Another hobgoblin lunged at him, club raised high. Without hesitation, Baloga kicked the corpse of the fallen hobgoblin toward it, causing it to stagger. Seizing the moment, he launched forward, delivering a fatal blow that ended the fight in an instant.

  "Hahaha! Look, kids! Zarik and Baloga are just competing to see who can kill the most hobgoblins!" Elder Ulganar chuckled. "So, there’s no need to worry!"

  The children cheered, their confidence in the great warriors growing.

  Meanwhile, Drogath and Dalangpan reached their targets. Though slower than the others, they wasted no time.

  BOOM! BOOM!

  Two hobgoblins collapsed as Drogath, wielding a massive club, and Dalangpan, armed with a stone hammer, shattered their legs in rapid succession.

  CRACK! CRACK!

  The sickening sound of breaking bones echoed through the air. Though they lacked agility, orcs and dwarves possessed monstrous physical strength. Using sheer force, they broke through the hobgoblins' thick bones, bringing them crashing down.

  The battle was over.

  Elder Ulganar grinned. "Well, everyone! Our great warriors will be the heroes of the monster wave. Do you really think we’ll be defeated?" He let the question hang in the air before grinning. "Of course not! So, let’s celebrate our upcoming victory with a feast!"

  The children erupted into cheers, their spirits soaring. Satisfied with their reactions, Elder Ulganar set preparations for the feast in motion. As the festivities began, he pulled Zarik aside.

  "Zarik, keep an eye on that beastman who caused a stir during my announcement earlier," Elder Ulganar said.

  Zarik gave a firm nod, his expression serious. "I was already planning on it."

  As night fell, preparations for the monster wave continued smoothly. The first day had come to an end, and with it, a glimmer of hope shone upon them all.