Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

Chapter 75  HOWL!

Elton led his team through the forest of towering grey trees, his eyes fixed on the snow-covered mountain ahead of them. The howls of the wolves grew louder as they approached the foothill, eerily ringing in their ears. As they delved deeper into the forest and approached the base of the mountain, those soldiers with more experience in hunting couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that hung over their heads, squeezing at their hearts, like a vicious predator watching their every move while waiting for the right time to tear their throats. The survival instinct that kept them alive during dozens of winters seemed to be screaming at them, advising them to turn around and go back to the camp.

Those who sensed this ominous feeling washing over their existence began to slow down, their muscles tensed up as thoughts of retreat crept into their minds. However, the cold sensation of their boots sinking into the shallow snow and the memory of their comrade's lifeless body brought them back to reality. They couldn't run away, not from that figure clearing the way ahead, not from Elton. They were mostly commoners or soldiers in the First Stage, cannon fodders. Even if they were a thousand strong, they wouldn't be able to run away from him, a Fourth Stage Warrior.

The soldiers couldn't help but tighten their grips on their weapons, feeling the reassuring weight of their blades and bows in their hands. It was a small comfort in the face of the unknown danger that lurked inside the mountain, but it was all they had. The unknown was always fearsome, be it to the courageous barbarians or to the most powerful person in the world. Despite sensing the peculiar sensation creeping up on him, Elton's arrogance and pride refused to let him turn back. He didn't want to become the laughingstock among the captains or to that disgusting woman, Zuna. It was this stubbornness and the confidence at his own strength that pushed him forward, suppressing the creeping unease in his heart.

After marching for nearly five hours without pause, Elton and his team found themselves on a solid, yet slippery ground, where the snow was thin enough for their boots to grip and not sink deeper. Elton cautiously tested the stability of the terrain, gently stomping down, before turning his fat body around, expecting to see the familiar sight of grey trees and the long trail of their footsteps on the snow. However, what greeted him were a vast and white landscape that stretched out infinitely under the sun's ray, with towering trees threatening to pierce a hole in the sky. Even under the sun, he could see the faint and delicate glow of Torch Trees, the beacon of the night and Stahl, standing out amidst the lifeless terrain and even giving it life.

Elton who had been fixed on the sound of the howling wolves, which had become sparse but closer, didn't feel the gradual incline of the foothill, which managed to conceal the increasing altitude. His enhanced body felt no fatigue not the thinning of the air around him, hardly feeling the difference in altitude. However, for the soldiers in the First Stage, the rarefied air was like a poisonous fruit. Their tired and pale faces reflected their discomfort, and some seemed on the verge of throwing up or even losing consciousness. If Elton persisted in pushing them further, the mountain would swallow them up, becoming their eternal resting place. The twenty Second Stage Warriors and the three Third Stages Warriors in the group were still fine, but there were already some signs of exhaustion in their faces.

Suddenly, one of the soldiers felt their world spin, unable to support their weight of their body, and collapsed onto the ground. His breathing was heavy and haggard, struggling to take in enough air to fill his lungs. However, despite his best efforts, the air around him wasn't enough, no matter how deeply he tried to breath. The lack of oxygen made his vision blurry as he desperately scanned his surroundings, trying to cry out for help, but no sound escaped his lips. Panic gripped his heart.

The other soldiers noticed the situation, and some were about to offer help, but they stopped when Elton's words reached their ears.

"Leave him be"- Elton apathetically commanded while gazing at the struggling soldier, as if he was nothing more than an insignificant bug - "He's just a weakling, not worth my time or effort. If he can't keep up, he's better off dead. I don't need dead weight dragging me down. If he is alive when we return her-"

*Awoooo*

However, when Elton was about to finish his words, the howling of wolves sounded once more, but this time they seemed much closer, just a few miles up the mountain. Elton's mind seemed to completely ignore the dying man, his eyes shining with a crazy light as he looked upwards, trying to locate the wolves. He had been pursuing these beasts for hours, leaving him irritated and without an ounce of patience.

"I will be sure to skin you alive and use your fur as rag to clean the tableware" - Elton growled as he gnashed his teeth. – "Leave him there, let's go!" – He ordered, ordering them to follow behind him and abandon the soldier.

The way upward was much steeper, without gentle or gradual slopes, there were paths where a vertical frozen wall was the only way to keep climbing. From here onwards, the mountain would become much more perilous that even those seasoned climbers back on Earth would think twice about attempting without a proper equipment. The necessity to choose the best way up and the rarefied air only added to the difficulty of it. It was dangerous and night might descend while they were up there, but Elton still decided to climb it.

In fact, he felt that there was no other choice since the animals in the forest seemed to have disappeared and they still hadn't managed to develop a connection with the villages around. Furthermore, they couldn't expect any help from Stahl, not for free at least.

"Let's go" – The soldiers murmured, giving one last glance towards their haggard comrade, before deciding to follow behind their captain, trying to take in as much air as possible. They didn't want to die and carrying the dying man would only decrease their chances of survival.

-x-

A few hours earlier, somewhere deep in the mountains, Henry gripped a small wolf tightly by the neck, his cold grey eyes fixed on a pack of wolves in front of him, especially a huge wolf with two heads and a towering presence, the Alpha.

"Howl!" - Henry commanded, but the pack responded with fierce growls and showed their fangs, surrounding him by the sides. Henry didn't seem to mind these defiant puppies and locked eyes with the giant Alpha in front of him, who didn't move an inch from his spot as he intelligently watched Henry's movements.

"I think you can somewhat understand what I want"- Henry authoritatively said, his grip on the small wolf's neck tightening, causing it to whimper in pain. - "I won't say it again... HOWL!" – He wouldn't go back without getting what he wanted.

The Alpha's red eyes glowed dangerously, feeling an urge to pounce at the man, but an instinct wouldn't allow him to sacrifice his puppy. He was the alpha. He lifted his head and powerfully howled, loud enough to shake the snow covering the mountain and echo through the forest below.

"Good boy!" – Henry said, flashing a smile at the giant two-headed wolf, before finally looking at the forest below, the Sun God Technique helping him fight against the cold and the lack of oxygen in the top of the mountain. – "Well, did it work?"

Yoo!n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om