I Became Strong by Devouring Others

The Village Chief of Herders landed with a huge impact on the people of Wind Village.

"THUD!"

"BOOM!"

Shocked silence prevailed. Every eye shifted from one point to another. Some looked at Xerxes, who was unarmed, even after being attacked by the Village Chief of Herders Village.

Others looked at the Village Chief, who had lost to a young boy.

"Xerxes!"

Fia was shocked. She looked at Xerxes, while Lulu couldn't believe her eyes.

She knew how powerful the Herder Village Chief was, but seeing him in such a state, she couldn't help but glance at Xerxes with a newfound understanding.

"You…you, what have you done?" the Wind Village Chief stammered when he saw the Herder Village Chief flying like a sack of potatoes.

He stopped his attack and went straight to the Herder Village Chief, whose hand was twisted and broken, blood oozing from his mouth.

"Unconscious!" he thought as he assessed the Village Chief's condition.

'He could withstand my wind tornado and emerge unscathed, but here he just lost to a young boy.'

As he thought this, he looked at Xerxes, who was closing the distance, while the people of both villages backed away and gathered around their respective chiefs.

Even the old village chief was surprised and couldn't comprehend the situation as he looked at Xerxes with different light.

Suddenly, a common thought emerged in their heads: "He is definitely noble, but why is he not admitting it? It may be true that he has actually lost his memories."

The Wind Village Chief didn't know how the young boy had defeated the Herder Village Chief, but he knew one thing: fighting him was not an option.

"Thank God he isn't dead, " the Wind Village Chief said with a wry smile to the old village chief.

"Even if there are some misunderstandings between us, we're all related, aren't we?"

The old village chief glared at him, knowing the Wind Village Chief was playing with words again.

Xerxes closed the gap. "So, what do you think? Do you want to leave with this piece of trash, or do you want to experience the same thing?"

He kicked the Herder Village Chief, who grunted in pain but remained unconscious, while the people of Herder Village looked at Xerxes with fear and anger.

"How can this be?" he muttered. "We are leaving...leaving." He looked at the people of both villages. "Pick him up and carry him. Let's go."

He turned and began leaving the mountain village without looking back, while cheers erupted in the mountain village as they celebrated their victory over the two villages.

"I thought the nine villages were all united against the threat, even if it wasn't the real one, but it seems I was wrong," Xerxes muttered as he watched them leave. Lulu, who was just behind him, heard him.

"It's true that we're all related, but that doesn't mean we have no conflicts," she said.

"Well…" Xerxes smiled with embarrassment, realizing he had spoken his thoughts aloud and Lulu had heard him muttering.

"We nine villages are the nine boundaries, or the nine borders, of the Mist Forest."

We, the Mountain Village, are the last border, and there are eight others as you travel further in," the old village chief explained.

"In ancient times, we were the most powerful among the nine tribes, and because of that, we were the first line of protection. But after years and years, things have become like this."

The old village chief unsummoned his golems, who crumbled and mixed back with the earth.

"So, what's after the first border?" Xerxes asked, feeling that place was where he had to travel to find his answers.

"After the first border are cities, a world where the powerhouses of this world live," Lulu spoke as she helped the old village chief back to his tent.

Xerxes followed them as the old chief continued his explanation. "After our Mountain Village is the Herders Village. After the Herders Village are the Shaman Villages, which are Wind, Water, Fire, and Ice."

"After the six villages, is the place where the three tribes live together, which are the Sword Village, the Array Village, and the Blacksmith Village," the old village chief continued.

"And after that is the formation which separates us from the whole world." This last line confused Xerxes, so he asked, "What do you mean by 'separates'?"

"Seems you've forgotten about this too!" Lulu said as they sat back inside the tent.

Xerxes looked at her with questioning eyes, thinking, 'Why does this feel like I'm not getting anywhere?'

"Do you remember the invitation given by the Wind Chief, which was from the royal Society?" Lulu asked, and Xerxes nodded.

"Those are not just invitations, but also a pass to go out of this cage and travel to the outside world. That's why those two old bastards were so eager to fight for it."

"What do you mean, 'cage'?" Xerxes asked.

"The Mist Forest is actually a cage which separates us from the outer world. People from there can come here, but we cannot go past the formation without their help, which are those invitations."

Xerxes finally understood why she called it a cage, but another question arose in his mind. "Why is that? Isn't it unfair for the people of the Mist Forest?"

"Old rules and oaths taken by our ancestors," the old village chief explained.

"Even if many around the world think the Prophecy of monster rising from the north is just a folktale but we are still guarding this place because of it, even after eons have passed."

"And because of this," Lulu continued, "the Royal Society helps us by giving us invitations so we can send some of our people to the outside world every year. Because of the restrictions, not many of us can go out, so only ten slots are given each year."

Lulu's tone saddened as she explained, "One slot to each village, and one extra to any village randomly each year. This year, it was ours because of the loss of my husband."

Xerxes nodded as the atmosphere became sad and silent.

Then, the old village chief spoke, "One slot will be given to Fia, and the second slot…" He extended the invitation card, which looked like a solid piece of paper with a formation engraved on it.

"To me?" Xerxes asked, pointing a finger at himself.

"I don't think I deserve this?" Xerxes knew that by accepting it, he was ruining the chance for one of the villagers to venture outside world.

"If you are not deserving, then no one is," Lulu said, encouraging Xerxes to accept the invitation card.

"But it will ruin the chance of others. I don't want to be a burden," Xerxes expressed his thoughts.

"You are not ruining anyone's chance," Lulu explained.

"If we hadn't received the second invitation, only Fia would have gone. But now that we have two, this one must be for you, our benefactor." The old chief bowed.

"No, you don't have to," Xerxes said, stopping him. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as he remembered the wolf pack who had also bowed to him.

The old village chief continued, "Right now, no one in our village is capable enough to venture into the outside world. And those who are, are already out there."

Xerxes nodded and looked at Lulu. "Why don't you go, Miss Lulu?"

"Oh, so you remembered the dialect of nobles! I knew you were indeed noble," Lulu smiled at him.

Xerxes looked confused. "Noble dialect? Isn't this just a common way to talk?"

"No, that's how the nobles spoke," Fia, who had been silent, said while looking at Xerxes.

"Oh…. So, what are your thoughts about joining your daughter?" Xerxes asked Lulu.

Lulu paused for a long moment before speaking. "I don't think it's important for me, so…" Xerxes cut her off in mid-sentence.

"So, if I'm noble, then do I need an invitation to go out of the formation, the way I came back?" he asked.