CHAPTER 229: CHAPTER 228: RETURN TO THE BEAR WOODS

After his talk with the husband and wife, Lumberling made his way across the village until he reached the open training ground.

The thundering rhythm of fists and bodies colliding echoed in the air. Rows of soldiers, bare-chested and sweating, took turns slamming their forearms, shoulders, and chests against one another.

The dull, meaty thuds of impact were followed by grunts and sharp exhales, the discipline of the Bruteforce Body Cultivation being drilled into every soldier.

"Again!" Grokk’s voice roared above the noise. He stood at the center, towering over the recruits, his massive arms folded as his sharp eyes scanned their movements.

"Don’t flinch! Pain is only weakness being crushed out of your flesh!"

The recruits, once timid villagers, now moved like hardened warriors. They stomped the ground in unison, striking each other again and again, their cries rising with every impact.

The original forty-nine guard unit had now swelled to a hundred and thirty-two.

Lumberling paused, watching quietly for a moment.

Grokk caught sight of him almost instantly. His expression shifted, and he barked one last order.

"Hold your stances! Keep striking until I return!"

He strode over and dropped to one knee, bowing his head.

"My Lord," Grokk said firmly, chest heaving from the training session.

Lumberling chuckled, waving a hand. "Relax, Grokk. You’ll break your knees if you keep bowing like that."

Grokk rose, grinning faintly.

"I’ll be leaving with Jen and Uncle Drake soon," Lumberling said, his tone light but steady. "So I’m leaving the management to you for a while. Think you can handle it?"

Grokk’s smacked a fist against his chest. "It’ll be done. You don’t need to worry, my Lord."

"Good," Lumberling said with a short laugh, recalling Liraeth’s teasing about his habit of handing off responsibilities to others. She hadn’t been wrong.

Then his gaze sharpened, and he added, "But before I leave, I’ll help you get stronger too. Just like Shade."

For a moment, Grokk froze. His eyes widened as the words sank in.

"Shade...?" he whispered, voice carrying a mix of surprise and eagerness. He knew of his friend’s hibernation, Jen had told him Shade was evolving. Grokk had been happy for him, but at the same time, Shade had always been his rival.

From the day the spider had been growing larger, Grokk had pushed himself harder, never wanting to be left behind.

Now, his Lord was offering him a chance.

For a moment, doubt pricked his chest, what if he failed where Shade succeeded? But he crushed the thought.

Grokk’s fists clenched, his body trembling with excitement. He looked Lumberling straight in the eye.

"Then I’ll endure whatever it takes, my Lord. I won’t fall behind Shade. Not now, not ever."

Lumberling’s smile grew.

"That’s what I want to hear."

Behind them, the steady rhythm of soldiers striking each other’s bodies continued, like a drumbeat for the rising strength of the village.

Grokk glanced at the training field before turning back to Lumberling. "Are we going to the second base, my Lord?"

Lumberling shook his head slowly, his lips curving into a grin. "No. Somewhere closer..."

His gaze grew distant for a moment as a memory stirred, those suffocating days in the deep forest, where every step felt like a fight for survival.

"We’ll go to the bear territory. It’s time for payback."

Grokk’s eyes lit up. "Then I’ll follow you, my Lord. Whatever beast waits there, I’ll crush it."

Lumberling chuckled, shaking his head at Grokk’s eagerness. "Save that strength for tomorrow. You’ll need it."

He placed a hand on Grokk’s shoulder. "Get yourself ready, we leave at first light."

"Yes!" Grokk straightened, excitement and determination burning in his voice. "I’ll be ready."

The night deepened around them, the last embers of the training field’s lamps flickering out one by one.

Lumberling stretched his arms and let out a quiet sigh. His list of tasks was slowly being fulfilled, one step at a time. And for the first time in days, he felt no weight pressing down on his chest.

Sleep claimed him easily, his mind already shaping tomorrow’s hunt.

.....

By morning, Lumberling stretched and stepped out into the fresh air, the village already awake with its usual rhythm. He looked around for Lunira, and as expected, he found her with Jen.

What he didn’t expect was Liraeth sitting with them, her calm gaze following his approach.

"I was just about to look for you two," Lumberling said as he walked up. "I’ll be leaving the village for a few days, maybe even a week."

Liraeth’s brows furrowed slightly. "Did something happen?"

He shook his head. "No. Just a task I need to take care of." He glanced at her. "Will you be alright here on your own?"

Her expression eased into a small smile. "Don’t worry. This place is peaceful, and there’s still much for me to learn. Go on and do what you must." Her eyes held steady on his, calm yet reassuring. "I’ll be here when you return."

Lumberling nodded, then turned toward Jen.

"I’ll be taking Lunira with me for a while."

Jen tilted her head, her ears twitching. "Can I come too?"

"Not today."

Jen puffed out her cheeks, but her voice carried something heavier beneath the pout. "I just... don’t want to be left behind anymore."

Her words caught him off guard. Lumberling studied her for a moment, then gave a small smile. "When we return, I’ll take you along to the human cities. That’s a promise."

Jen’s eyes widened, lighting up as though he’d just handed her a treasure. "Really?!"

"Really."

She broke into a grin, the pout gone in an instant. "Alright then!"

"Good." He gave her a light nudge on the shoulder. "Go on, play by yourself for now."

Jen stomped her foot, her cheeks puffing again. "I’m not a child anymore, brother!"

That made Liraeth laugh, her voice like a ripple of water. She brushed her hair back with a graceful flick. "You’re much cuter when you act like one," she teased.

Jen’s face turned scarlet. "I am not!" she blurted, which only made Liraeth chuckle harder.

Lumberling couldn’t help laughing at their banter. He swung himself onto Lunira’s back and gave her fur a firm pat. "Come on. Time to go."

Lunira answered with a light howl, tail flicking. With one last glance at the village and at Jen still muttering to herself while Liraeth smiled knowingly, Lumberling nudged Lunira forward.

They rode out, the morning sun breaking through the trees as their journey began.