Otherworld Volunteer - Chapter 79 (Patreon)

“I’ll stay,” Samira said without hesitation.

Noah wasn’t going to lie–it was a bit of a surprise. Everyone would jump at a chance to obtain a massive surge in strength, but after he saw her gazing at the children; he understood. She truly cared about them.

It didn’t give her some sort of sick pride of protecting those weaker than her like Noah had seen from the broadcast before, but out of sheer care. Maybe she had a little brother or sister back home?

Noah smiled and nodded. “Alright then, I plan on creating some fortifications with the Grace Coins I have left before I leave. Any suggestions?”

“A wall?” She asked.

Shrugging, Noah delved into the workshop for the houses, and scrolled all the way down to where the defence section lay. It was filled with a wide variety of things he had no idea of how to properly use. Such as lightning arrays, magic-infused cannons, and lava buckets atop a stalwart wall. Of course, they were extortionate, and it wasn’t something he could ever afford in the short term.

Instead he quelled his excitement and focused on the beginning of the section. It was boring, but it was what he needed right now. Besides, even if he could afford some high-tech cannons, who could even use them? Noah himself doubted he had the skills to operate it, and it didn’t even come with the ammunition. They had to be bought separately. Useless. Noah thought.

1000 Grace Coins - Simple wall: A simple wall blueprint made from stone. Requires the necessary materials for construction.

Well, maybe it was too simple. It didn’t even have a battlement, or anywhere to mount an attack from. It was just a… wall.

It wouldn’t do. Noah shook his head as he looked at the blue image bordering his land. Even he himself, which was barely above average back on Earth, could gaze over it with a head to spare. If it was to hold back chickens, then maybe it would suffice, but it was definitely not enough to impede supernatural monsters.

Noah skipped past the second and third option as it was just an upgraded version, but when he arrived at the fourth–he stopped. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the limit of what his Coins could afford.

5000 to be exact. It was a whopping amount to him as it was literally all his wealth at this point, but if it saved the children–it was worth it.

Pressing on the option, a blue image of the structure flashed to the border of his land. However, the cost caused him to gawk. If he wanted his entire land covered in it, it would cost over 60,000 Coins. A testament to how large the land he owned actually was.

Noah reeled it in with haste, then just covered a few metres in front of his house. It would offer enough space to fight within, while keeping costs down to what he could afford.

Without hesitation, he bought it. The blue turned more solid as if the previous light was just an outline, but it still wasn’t enough to fully form. He now had to obtain the materials needed to build it, and that also required people for the labour.

Without much choice in the matter, he approached Maera once more, and was able to obtain the resources he needed in exchange for some of the skills, and shards he had obtained from his various fights.

Since it was nighttime, he had to wait for morning as everyone had fallen asleep. Exhausted. He helped move the children into his bed, while he decided on sleeping with Krall in the taming room. It was surprisingly comfortable considering his bed was made from straw–or the Otherworld counterpart to it, anyway.

In the morning he recruited the survivors from the beach to build the wall. Of course, he didn’t intend to help them because everyone was already preparing to head into the jungle for their mission.

He glanced around, and everyone had serious, and worried expressions marrying their faces. No doubt they understood that today–they had a high likelihood of their bodies being buried within the hot-humid foliage.

But like Noah, they craved power. And the only way to obtain it was to risk one's life. Either levelling, or pleasing their sponsors. If they did nothing but stay within the Hub, the sponsors may even decide to leave them for another.

If that happened, they would be marked. No-one wanted to follow someone boring.

Finishing up his preparations, Noah headed with Krall, and Thraz; toward the border of the Hub. There were numerous people all grouped up within their respective teams. Judging by the arguing going on and the raised voices, it seemed there was some trouble between who was leading the expedition.

“Declan, who the hell are you to want to lead us?” A buff man with scars over his arms shouted with a sharp timbre.

“Yeah, we saw you unable to protect your archer. You seriously think you can lead us.”

Declan grit his teeth.

Noah shook his head as he arrived. The man had truly lost the trust of his team. Well, he didn’t blame them. If he had gained control of Jake, then he wouldn’t have died. As a leader, it was his job to keep people in line.

Jake didn’t respect Declan from when Noah had taught him a lesson, and the result was that his bones were forgotten.

You were wrong Miles. Noah sighed.

The punishment he had dished out on Jake did in fact loosen Declan’s leadership, but it bit him in the ass considering he no longer had Jake’s respect. And in turn, didn’t listen to him. Jake was someone that believed in strength. If Declan was stronger than him and put him in his place, would he have acted out?

Noah shrugged. Politics were a struggle to comprehend. He didn’t have the smarts to understand them.

“Hey, we all set to head on out?” Noah smiled as stopped a distance away from them.

His eyes leered toward Victor. Without a doubt, the wolf-man was marked. If given a chance, he would reap his life. If he had to do it in front of others–then so be it.

“What the hell are you doing here?” The buff man said. “A murderer is joining us on this mission?” His voice was almost growling.

“Oh yes, because you are all saints worthy of praise.” Noah bit back. “Fuck off.”

Krall slammed his fist into the dirt, causing the ground to tremble at the thudding hit. The man took a step back with his hand on his axe.

“Please,” Maera interrupted with an amiable smile. “You all may think low of Noah, but without him, this mission will be disastrous for all of us. The only way to enter the castle is through a full frontal assault. Without Noah’s strength, our casualties would be disastrous without his–and his tamed monster’s might.”

The man grumbled, but he couldn’t refute her words.

Noah knew he would be at the forefront of the battle. And it was an incredibly dangerous situation to be in. Not only did he have to worry about the monsters in front of him, but he also had Victor at his back. And anyone else he may have persuaded to join him in hunting him down.

However, for strength–Noah was willing to endure that danger. Of course, he wasn’t stupid enough to willingly walk into such a situation unprepared.

“I will indeed helm the assault, but Maera and her Knights will need to be at my back, while Victor, and his group will be located at the rear,” Noah said. “Those are my conditions. Whether who is the leader or not, decide it amongst yourselves.”

The arguing continued for a while before they settled on Maera as the leader. It was a solid choice, especially what she had shown on the surface. Her command of men was excellent, and each decision made from her mouth resulted in efficient command.

But Noah still remembered the words from her mouth. She would do anything for her people. If the decision arrived where she had to choose humans, or elves–it was obvious as to what she would pick. And that was why he thought it was a horrible decision.

If he was in their shoes, he would most likely pick Declan as the leader. He may not be the best, but the fact that he relies upon his men to fight for him made him the best choice. Especially amongst the humans.

When their lives were on the line, would they listen to their commands anyway? Noah doubted it. The moment the fight became tough and lives were being lost, it would turn into chaos.

No-one had years to build a camaraderie with each-other like soldiers on the battlefield did. Even the friendship between the Trained was only surface level. Noah could see it with Jake and Declan.

***

They made their way through the humid jungle. As Noah had explicitly stated from his conditions, Maera, and her knights were at his back, while the others including Declan, Lisa, and the others were at the back.

As per his instructions, Noah received no help in clearing out the monsters at the vanguard. They were all for him.

His arm snapped forward, and with the stats, and titles rushing through his body–each hit reaped the lives of the nimble tabaxi.

Noah also noticed something else about the Monster Shard he had received. As he loomed above on Krall, he was more in tune with what was happening all around him. It wasn’t giving him extra perception exactly, but it allowed him to keep a look-out while still having full attention at the front from Krall. Like he could see out of Krall’s eyes.

It allowed him to better fight with the beasts to his sides. It was an added bonus that only reminded him of how important the Shards were. And that made him think of what others he could receive.

From the information he received from the System Manual back within the Hub, Shards could be obtained from anything. Whether it was fishing, picking up stones, or whatever.

As he used [Thrust] once more, he put more thought into it. What did it mean to thrust his weapon forward? He wanted to take their lives, but that wasn’t the essence of the attack.

The main attribute of the strike was to not just stab into their flesh, it was to impale them; to continue beyond until his spear reappeared on the other side. It was fast–like lightning–and it was also strangely obscured.

Defending it was difficult as the spear tip almost blended in with the shaft, making it difficult to accurately gauge how far exactly the spear was, or how long the shaft could be.

You defeated a - Level 26 tabaxi.
You defeated a - Level 29 tabaxi.
You defeated a - Level 28 tabaxi.
…

You have Levelled up!
| Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 35 -> Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 36

Krall, the Scourge of the Jungle has levelled up.
| Krall level 35 -> Krall level 36

Noah ignored the notification he had received, for he had already entered a trance like state. Thrust-after-Thrust, he reaped the lives of any monster that attempted to get close.