Chapter - 83

Leo shoved the roasted goat steak into his mouth. He chewed slowly, staring right at the Goat Beastman across the fire. The "cannibalism" made the air in the outpost awkward.

Korg, the Tiger Beastman, looked ready to explode. His fur stood up, and he showed teeth the size of daggers.

But he didn't move. He stayed frozen, his huge chest moving fast, held back only by the wooden staff of the skinny, old goat next to him.

"Watch it, boiy," Grendel hissed from the dirt, "That overgrown cat is going to rip your nuts off and eat them if you keep talking shit. Shut your mouth before we both die."

"Relax, old man," Leo shook his head, 'Does he know his words are even more provoking?'

Leo swallowed the meat. It tasted great. 'Incredible,' Leo thought.

'Back on Earth, a tiger would have eaten a goat's guts by now. But here? This walking rug takes orders from the farm animal,' He could not help but muse as he looked at the Goat, Elder Baez.

The guy looked like a stiff wind would snap him in two. Still, he kept the monster on a short leash.

'The G.O.A.T.,' Thinking about it, Leo could not hide the grin on his face, 'Greatest of All Time. It's a pity I will never know how that Messi and Ronaldo debate ended. I bet Ronaldo won the World Cup just to spite me.'

Baez didn't care about the insult. He didn't get mad or bleat. He just looked at Leo with those weird square pupils. He acted like a fancy man of the court now, very smooth and formal.

"I am Elder Baez," the Goat said, his voice dry as dead leaves, as he introduced himself, "Shaman of the Zarth Conclave."

"You have met Korg, of the Red Claw tribe," He said pointing at the fur ball.

"And this is Vesper, of the Night-Walkers clan," He gestured towards the dark elf, bowing slightly. It was a polite gesture.

"We expected a whole army, Sir Hero," Baez said, his eyes looking around the empty, ruined room.

"The... item... we carry is heavy. In weight and in burden."

"How are you going to transport it to Auravale?"

"Do you have a carriage? Temple Guards waiting outside?"

"Or did the Temple really send you alone to the edge of the Endless Forest with your old companion?"

"That High Priest isn't a fucking idiot," Leo said, wiping grease off his fingers with a rag, "He made his plans, and he trusts me. That should be enough for you guys."

Baez fixed his glasses, pushing them up his hairy snout. He peered at Leo, squinting to see something hidden.

"To be sent alone by Remus... into this dangerous forest..." Baez muttered, "You must be strong, Hero. The Temple wouldn't send a weakling to do a man's job."

Korg snorted, a wet, gross sound, "Strong? This twig?" The Tiger spat on the floor.

"He looks like a little bitch! I can smell him. He smells of milk and fancy perfume. He has no musk. No blood-scent on him. He is yet to crawl out of his mother's pussy."

"Shut your mouth, Korg," Baez commanded, "I won't say it twice."

"Chee!!" Korg wasn't happy, but he still complied.

"The cat is right, boiy! You look like a damn toothpick! We're gonna get slaughtered out here!" Grendel hissed from the shadows in the corner. The old man was busy giving a commentary.

But everyone ignored him.

"Forgive Korg, sir. He is a loud mouth. I will train him well when we get back," Baez looked back at Leo.

'Goat training a fucking tiger,' Leo wanted to pinch himself. He had killed bandits, seen dead men walking, and fucked a Lord's wife. But this was the most unbelievable thing he had heard so far.

"Looks can lie. To walk these woods alone... you must be at least Level 30? Maybe higher? You hide your power well." Elder Baez continued.

But Leo didn't say anything. He just leaned back, giving them a smug, annoying smile, "Levels are just some numbers, Elder," Leo said, "It's how you use them that counts."

Suddenly, he felt it. A cold prickle at the base of his skull. Then it turned into a slimy, gross feeling, like a wet worm trying to dig into his ear hole. The air around him shook with invisible pressure.

DING!

[System Alert: Predator's Instincts Activated.]

[Warning: Mental Intrusion Detected.]

Aiva's sharp voice cut through his thoughts, yelling a warning.

[Master, that goat-faced Elder Baez is trying to break into your mind. He's using a telepathic probe to read your thoughts and see how strong you actually are.]

Leo's smile didn't move, but his eyes got cold. The old goat was trying to peek at his cards.

[System Shield is active. The probe is blocked, but he's pushing hard. He is not giving up.]

'So the old goat likes to watch,' Leo thought. 'Aiva, scan these fuckers. Right now. I need to know if I can win if this turns into a total shitshow.'

[Scanning targets...]

The data hit Leo's brain instantly.

[Target: Korg (Tiger Beastman)]

[Level: 21]

[Class: Berserker]

[Threat: High. His physical power is way higher than yours.]

[Target: Vesper (Dark Elf)]

[Level: 24]

[Class: Shadowblade]

[Threat: High. She is way faster than you.]

[Target: Elder Baez (Goat Beastman)]

[Level: 29]

[Class: Mind Shaman]

[Divine Blessing Detected: Blessing of Saraswati (Goddess of Knowledge) - Rank D.]

[Abilities: Mind Reading, Manipulating Emotions, Memory Shifting]

Leo felt cold sweat run down his spine. These were literal monsters.

He was only Level 3. Even with all his underhanded techniques, he wasn't confident in dealing with any one of them, let alone all three.

Korg was Level 21. Vesper was Level 24. And the Goat was nearly Level 30 with a god's blessing.

If a fight started, he was dead before he could bl;ink.

Korg would snap him like a dry twig. Vesper would gut him before he could blink. And Baez would turn his brain into warm soup.

"Hey, boiy," Grendel tugged Leo's sleeves, "you look like you just shit yourself. Is that cat-fuck giving you a heart attack?"

'Aiva,' Leo asked. 'Can I flip this? Can I read his shitty mind?'

[Negative. The System shields you from intrusion, but offensive psionics are not in your current skill set. I can block him, but I cannot attack him.]

Leo looked at Baez. The Goat was staring at him hard, his eyes glowing with a faint, white light.

He was pushing, trying to break through Leo's mental wall. If Baez broke through and saw that Leo was just a Level 3 loser, that Krog bastard won't think twice before killing him.

'I need to scare the piss out of him,' Leo thought, 'I need to make him regret looking.'

And just then he had an idea. A nasty, dangerous idea.

'Aiva,' Leo commanded, 'Lower your firewall.'

[Master? That is not recommended. He will see your true level.]

'No,' Leo thought, his mind moving fast.

'We are going to use a trap. We are going to let him in. But we aren't going to show him my stats. We are going to show him... a memory.'

[Specify, Master]

'You have access to my memories from Earth, right?'

[Affirmative.]

'Good. Follow my lead. Prepare the "Archive". When he steps into my mind... hit him with everything. Max volume. Max power. I want him to see who I really was.'

Aiva paused for a tiny second as Leo focused on a specific memory in his mind.

[Constructing Memory Packet... Simulation ready. Probability of causing severe psychological trauma to target: 94%.]

'Do it,' Leo ordered.

He looked right into Baez's square pupils. He widened his grin.

"You seem curious, Elder," Leo said quietly. "You're knocking on my door pretty fucking hard."

Baez froze, realizing he had been caught, "I only want to verify your... credentials," Baez rasped.

"You want to see what's inside?" Leo leaned forward, his eyes burning.

"You want to know how fucking strong I am?" He tapped his temple.

"Come on in. Take a look."

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