Monster Jousting Book 3 - Chapter 23 (Patreon)

Arriving on the mainland in an instant thanks to the new tunnel system, Noah peered out from the bush that covered the entrance. Birds sang their little songs, he heard the rustling on the jungle floor as they hopped about in an attempt to find food, or twigs for their nest. All he could smell was nature. Due, soil, leaves, every scent of the jungle filled his senses like a primal aroma.

All smells but rotting flesh. It meant that the Hallowed had been thwarted completely, just like his island. 

Alright, let’s find the others, Noah thought as they wandered through the jungle. At first, he thought that he may have lost his sense of direction inside the jungle. A lot of time had passed since he was here, so it would make sense that his recollection turned hazy. But that wasn’t the case. He found himself like a fish in water. He recognised the tree’s, the markings in the soil, the sun beating through the canopy high above. It felt like he was back home.

Noah attributed it to his beastly senses thanks to Krall and Gluttony, both of whom had accompanied him to the mainland. Monsters of the jungle didn’t get lost. At least that’s how Noah explained it.

The infernal crab stayed to defend his home. He didn’t want the entire jungle to turn into a raging inferno, after all.

It didn’t take long at all to arrive back at the first Hub point where his home used to be located. Where he had planted his house, the walls remained shattered. Most who didn’t manage to return to their homes in time had them stuck here. Most of them were broken, fallen into the ground. The jungle floor reclaiming them as their own.

After scouring the area, it was evident that there was no human life here. A few animal droppings here and there made it obvious that no one had come back for a long time. That meant that on the day the Hallowed attacked, they had escaped to the castle. Either that, or they had taken his advice and hid within the dungeon mole tunnels.

And that was his next stop. With the help of Krall and his earth sense, he didn’t even have to enter the tunnels. Standing atop, Krall, sharing his senses with Noah, scouted the entire tunnel system while being on the surface. It was an incredible ability, and it only got stronger the more points he added into Will.

Because of that, he could tell that there was no one here. 

So that left only the castle. If they weren’t there, then they had escaped deeper into the jungle. Or maybe they had even left it entirely. But he doubted that point. It was far too dangerous. The deeper one got, the stronger the monsters became. Maybe that had changed with the result of the Hallowed? 

With only questions and no answers, Noah forged ahead. With his newly evolved body, the previous 5 or so hour journey turned to a single hour. Before he even broke through the jungle to the wide open plain area in front of the castle, he heard the sounds of battle, and the shouting of familiar voices.

Smiling, Noah, on the back of Krall, sauntered onto the field.

***

Declan grit his teeth as he deflected a pair of vicious claws aiming for his throat. Luckily, a powerful arrow reaped the monster’s life in the next second.

This marked the 6th day in a row they were beset by leopard-like monsters. Unlike the earthen variant, these ones had much longer claws, thicker hide, and they also had magical attacks. What was worse than a feline that could swipe its razor-sharp claws? Claws that flew.

It was thanks to Yidos, a powerful archer belonging to the country Namuris, that they were able to create a stronghold in the middle of the jungle. Declan didn’t technically have to fight here. The kids, and the others he had fought alongside, had retreated to Namuris with safe passage. But everytime he thought of retreating from this wild land, Noah always popped up in his mind. 

That man never once stopped for a breather. Every minute, every second, that delinquent dedicated his life to the pursuit of power. It was that reason that he was always ahead of them, no matter what. He didn’t care if his life was on the line. No, perhaps he even enjoyed it. 

Crazy bastard, Declan thought with hidden admiration. 

It was for that reason Declan stayed to fight. To progress, to grow stronger. At the start, Princess Maera had also stayed. Throughout the days, she spent all her time healing. When she grew exhausted, she battled through the pain to improve her mana control. But one week ago, she had left. She gave him a vague reason. Declan never knew how to approach her. She always looked at him as if she knew his future. It was unsettling.

Another cat was about to attack when it stopped. Hackles raised, it leaped to the side, looking backwards.

Why the hell would it look backwards? Declan thought. Yidos, a powerful archer, was right here. Any opening spelled death for the feline. But even Yidos, the strongest amongst them, stopped.

And then Declan felt it. The tingling on his nape, the goosebumps rising from his flesh, the natural instinct to run as far as he could. It bore down on his shoulders like a strongman was pushed against him.

In the distance, through the heatwave of haze against the desert plains of the jungle, a monster emerged. On its back, was a… young man? Swirling around them was a terrifying greenish black smoke. No, they were shadows. Whatever it was, Declan’s grip tightened across his blade’s handle so hard that his knuckles turned white.

“Men, at the ready!” Yidos shouted her command. “Dune Guardians, at the front!” 

Dune Guardians? Declan took a breath as he watched the elite warriors take the helm at the front. Each warrior was so strong that Declan didn’t dare face them. He had heard stories about them from the civilians that had come over from the trade deal with Namuris. 

Only in the most desperate circumstances would the Dune Guardians be summoned. For if they arrived on the battlefield, they would turn into mindless monsters of destruction. 

The creature in the distance neared, piercing the haze of the horizon, making its appearance fully known.

“Noah?!” Declan exclaimed. 

Even through the new armour and helmet, Declan could tell it was him with just a glance. However, they are entirely different now. Krall had undergone an evolution, as did Gluttony. They looked even more primal than before, and just the aura they exuded was enough for trepidation to numb Declan’s mind.

Holy shit, Declan thought. He’s the monster.

Yidos’s hands trembled holding her bow, as if she was facing a great beast. “You know him?” She asked with concern in her voice.

“I do.” Declan sighed. “Don’t worry, he’s not a threat. Unless you get on his bad side, that is,” he made sure to add.

“Then he is the Noah you spoke of earlier?” She asked

“He is.”

“How is he so much stronger than all of you?” Yidos asked, before correcting herself. “I meant no offence.”

“None taken,” Declan said with a small smile. Even if he did take offence, what could he possibly do about it? Yidos would have him eating dirt in less than 3 moves. He had seen it happen before. “He is known for charging ahead. Many believe that he doesn’t have a single plan in mind, but others believe that every movement is calculated 10 steps in advance. That he knows how much he can get away with.”

“What do you believe?” She asked, turning to him as Noah approached.

“I think it’s a bit of both.”

Yidos nodded. A smile crept up on her lips as she watched Noah stop in front of the barricades they had erected. Even in front of the Dune Guardians, he looked unfazed. As if he knew they wouldn’t attack. No, it was as if he knew that no matter what happened–he would emerge victorious.

Confidence radiated from the wounds marked on his body.