Bab 43: Berserker

The massive group of people had finally arrived at Akata.

The journey had been filled with hardships and dangers, thus resulting in 20 deaths despite the best efforts of Derrick. He last counted 700 people, a number honestly better than expected considering the circumstances.

The trip's logistics had also been a nightmare, as he had agreed to let everyone bring whatever they wanted.

This had been a major mistake due to the fact no roads led out of the village, and because its people had way more stuff than previous villages due to their longer stay there.

He silently cursed that the 8 kilometers had turned into 7 days, but now that they were here, it felt all the more worth it.

Plus, every monster he had killed along the way had been too weak for him to get stronger, thus making food for his three companions.

"We've finally arrived!"

The entire group was awed by the sight that welcomed them.

In the middle of the thick forest were vast occupied lands with a sea of people constantly moving.

Derrick looked around and found no guards, making him guess they were probably training.

It wasn't a small group, so he figured they'd be welcomed soon enough.

And right on cue, a trio appeared on the horizon. It was Jack, Lacha and a villager.

Once they arrived, Lacha graciously bowed to the crowd.

"Welcome to Akata. My name is Lacha, and I hope you can serve our Highness to the best of your abilities. You do not have to be scared, as he hasn't deceived you"

Moira, Julio and the others were still dumbstruck by the scene unfolding in front of them.

This was a proper town, in the middle of a dangerous forest!

This was something they had strived to achieve for so long, and yet here it was, accomplished by someone who had come out of nowhere!

When Derrick was about to demand a report on the overall progress made, a prompt flashed in his mind.

[Enslaved Subordinate Eloise Tornomi is in danger! Probability of death if no action is taken : 100%]

Without waiting another second, Derrick re-summoned Io before instantly flying in Eloise's direction, shocking everyone around them.

For some villagers, it was their first time seeing the beast, which sent shivers through all their bodies. It appeared that their new ruler had more secrets than he had let on.

As soon as Derrick became airborne, he immediately located Eloise. As her slave, he constantly knew of all her whereabouts, so finding her was as easy as snapping his fingers.

What he couldn't figure out, however, was what could threaten her and basically guarantee her death. She wasn't weak by any means, meaning her opponent was on another level.

After a few seconds of flying at maximum speed, he finally arrived at the military grounds.

There he saw a small crowd encircling what looked like a beast and his now bloodied general.

Eloise's state was truly pitiful. Her red hair was soaked in blood and her petite figure was battered so much she couldn't stand straight.

Her fiery air was gone, instead replaced by one of acceptance. It appeared that she had already made peace with her defeat.

*BANG*

With a brutal landing that caused dirt to fly around, the necromancer immediately jumped in the fray.

His general's life only hung by a thread, so there was no time to waste. The soldiers who had tried containing the battle were stunned before loudly cheering. They were saved!

They had seen the beat down she had gone through, and they were disgusted by the fact that they hadn't been able to do anything.

Even Atta had been forced to the side, grim and enraged at his own lack of strength.

Derrick came to Eloise's side and shouldered her. She couldn't hold up any longer, and she crumbled right away when she felt the reassuring presence next to her.

Her vision had already gone hazy, but even with that, she knew that it was Derrick due to their bond.

"You've done well, now rest and recover. I'll take it over from here"

She weakly nodded, and Derrick ordered a few nearby soldiers to come and get her out of here. She needed to go see Lacha to make sure she didn't suffer anything permanent.

With everything out of the way, Derrick finally took a good look at his opponent, and what he saw surprised him.

Its humanoid figure and ridiculously buffed appearance displayed strength he hadn't encountered so far.

On top of this, its eyes made it clear it wasn't thinking rationally and that it only trashed for pleasure. Such brute strength was just outstanding.

"Appraisal"

[Thomas - Berserker State (Unhinged)]

[Class : Berserker (A tank-type class that specializes itself in pure, unrestrained brute strength. Its might is incomparable, and the vitality displayed is frightening. The backlash of such a class is their inhuman bloodlust that makes them lose all rationality)]

[Strength : 2?]

[Agility : 16]

[Endurance : 16]

[Vitality : 5]

[Magic Power : 1]

[Weakness : Cannot think properly and can be easily taunted]

How the hell had Eloise stayed alive?! He couldn't even see the strength of that thing!

When Derrick was about to devise a plan to put it down, a scrawny and badly injured guy walked up to him. It was Jojo.

"Your Highness, he was my opponent during a bout. When he was about to fall, he transformed into this... I don't know what's going on, but it's definitely not him anymore"

All of Derrick's ideas about killing him instantly vanished, with a large grin instead appearing on his face.

He had initially thought that it was an enemy attack, but if what he had just heard was true, it was a massive blessing!

A hidden gem had revealed itself!

Meanwhile, the Berserker was simply standing there, looking at the small fries around it. It knew they were all beneath him, so far beneath him that they were like ants.

Even with Derrick's arrival, it hadn't felt any pressure. In its mind, it was the king of the battlefield, the ruler of these plains.

"Thank you for the information! You've done your part"

Derrick then turned around, took in a cold mouthful of air and shouted.

"EVERYONE, LEAVE! I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE COLLATERAL DAMAGE!"

The soldiers quickly understood and all left without ever turning their back to the monster. They were calm and organized, surprising Derrick. The training was already bearing fruits.

The Berserker narrowed its bloodshot eyes on Derrick, and it began emitting pressure. It appeared that this little twig was the commander, meaning he was this place's strongest fighter.

When he saw the intense and challenging stare, Derrick responded with a disdainful laugh.

While the soldiers were leaving, he had asked specificities about the Berserker class.

[Berserker Class : The first transformation of a Berserker occurs when its normal body goes through extreme physical and mental strain. It will then keep going until it meets an opponent worth fighting. If it is defeated, it will follow the victor afterward until its last breath, never betraying what it considers to be its brother-in-arms. The Berserker will also always find the strongest fighter on the battlefield due to its proud warrior's nature. This is why it is considered a trump card by many. However, this trait is also its major downfall, as commanders aren't weak. This is why this Class has a high mortality rate]

"Hehehe how interesting! It appears you'll be quite useful"

The Berserker couldn't understand a thing, but it felt its opponent's mockery, making it roar to high heavens.

It was time to brawl.