บท 18: Levelling up

While the dust settled in the Colosseum, Jamie found himself standing victorious, yet conflicted. The unexpected alliance with the Nandy Bear had secured his win, but it also opened up a world of new possibilities and challenges. With the final match of the Colosseum scheduled for the next month, Jamie knew he had to prepare himself for what would undoubtedly be his toughest battle yet.

Returning home with Srides, Jamie's mind raced with thoughts of how to become stronger. The betrayal of the she-wolf weighed heavily on his conscience, and he couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility for the harm that had befallen his tribe. Determined to uncover the truth, Jamie decided to pay a visit to Gira of the Tregious tribe.

However, upon reaching the Tregious territory, Jamie was met with disappointment. Gira was nowhere to be found, and the other tribe members had no idea of her whereabouts. As time passed and his search yielded no results, Jamie grew increasingly impatient.

It was then that a voice echoed in his mind—the voice of the Nandy Bear. "Don't think, just keep on fighting to get stronger," it urged. Taking this advice to heart, Jamie began to traverse different parts of the forest, seeking out monsters to challenge and defeat.

His journey led him to a particularly fearsome group of creatures known as "Skeleton Gish." These undead beings, similar in size to Saber wolves, proved to be formidable opponents. Jamie threw himself into battle, his anger and frustration fueling his attacks. He managed to defeat nearly twenty of them, but still, it wasn't enough to quell the turmoil within him.

As Jamie prepared to continue his relentless assault, the voice of the Nandy Bear rang out in his mind once more. "It's enough to stop now and take some rest," it insisted. But Jamie, driven by a mix of determination and his resurfacing anger issues from his past life, refused to heed the warning.

"Why should I stop? I can still keep going," Jamie retorted internally.

The Nandy Bear's response was sharp. "Stop acting like a sassy kid and listen to me."

Bristling at the admonishment, Jamie snapped back, "Sassy kid? How dare you! I shouldn't have formed the pact with you."

"Oh come on! You mean I shouldn't have," the Nandy Bear countered, its tone a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Jamie asked, "How can I summon you? It's time for you to fight and grind some awesomesauce exp for me."

"Just think of me clearly, and I'll appear," came the reply.

Concentrating on the image of the Nandy Bear, Jamie was surprised to see it materialize before him. Without hesitation, the creature leapt into action, taking on the remaining Skeleton Gish with impressive skill and power.

As the battle raged on, Jamie felt a surge of energy course through him. He had leveled up and gained new skills. Excited by this development, he began to read through the details of his newly acquired abilities. However, his study was abruptly interrupted as the Nandy Bear, now exhausted from the fight, scooped Jamie up and began running at full speed.

"Put me down right now! I was reading the info of the skills. Why are you disturbing me?" Jamie protested.

"Now is not the time to do that. You can read them later," the Nandy Bear replied, its voice urgent.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Nandy Bear finally stopped running and set Jamie down. Panting heavily, it collapsed onto a nearby rock. "Now check what skills you have gained," it wheezed.

Jamie, still slightly miffed at the interruption but unable to contain his curiosity, began to review his new abilities. "I gained some great skills, as I can see," he announced proudly. "Let me briefly explain. Firstly, I gained a skill called Bone Rush, which lets me bite through the bones of any strong monster without even touching them, but it can only be used once. The second skill is Fire Crusher, which allows me to crush my enemies with fire boulders as big as meteors."

"Is that all?" the Nandy Bear inquired, its breath still labored.

"Yup, I didn't gain any more skills," Jamie confirmed.

The Nandy Bear seemed surprised. "All that hard work for two skills only? I bet something's wrong with your skill-gaining ability."

Jamie, however, was satisfied. "I'm pretty much content with the skills I gained. Oh, by the way, what about you? Did you get stronger?"

The Nandy Bear's response was tinged with resignation. "No luck. I can't get any stronger anymore as I've reached my limit."

"So you're useless, in a word," Jamie teased.

Indignant, the Nandy Bear retorted, "How rude! I'm still strong enough to defeat you."

"Yeah, I bet," Jamie replied with a smirk. With that thought, he willed the Nandy Bear to disappear, and it vanished into thin air.

Feeling accomplished yet weary, Jamie decided it was time to return to his tribe. As he approached, he was greeted by Fear, but something felt off. The other wolves seemed less than enthusiastic about his return.

"Is everything alright?" Jamie asked cautiously.

Fear glanced around nervously before answering. "To tell the truth, the thing is... many wolves are demanding you step down as leader."

Jamie's heart sank, but he understood their sentiment. "I don't mind stepping down as a leader," he said softly. "I acknowledge the fact that all the wolves had to suffer an ill fate because of me."

"Don't say stuff like that, my lord!" Fear exclaimed. "You're far superior to any of us in the whole tribe."

Jamie shook his head. "You give me too much credit, Fear. That's why I want you to be the lord of this tribe from now on."

Fear's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you leaving us, my lord?"

"No," Jamie assured him. "It's just something I decided. I have other things to do, and I'm barely around when needed. You would be perfect for this role."

Fear hesitated. "But... how can I...?"

"Don't worry," Jamie said with a smile. "If you do it, I guarantee you that I'll be happy."

"I'll think about it and let you know later, my lord," Fear replied, still uncertain.

With that settled for the moment, Jamie made his way back to Srides's mansion. As he approached, he found Srides waiting for him at the gates. Upon seeing him, she rushed forward and enveloped him in a tight hug. After a moment, she released him and presented him with a meal, which Jamie, ravenous from his day's exertions, devoured gratefully.

The next day, Jamie returned to the tribe to check on Fear's decision. "I have decided, my lord," Fear announced. "I'll be lord if you agree to be the guardian of our tribe in our hard times."

"Guardian?" Jamie mused. "That's kind of unlike you, but I accept either way."

With the matter of leadership settled, Jamie threw himself into training with renewed vigor. He ventured deeper into the forest, seeking out stronger monsters to challenge. When he grew tired, he summoned the Nandy Bear to continue the fight, allowing himself brief moments of rest.

However, as the days turned into weeks, Jamie found himself facing an unexpected obstacle. Despite his relentless efforts, he wasn't leveling up. The Nandy Bear's voice echoed in his mind once more. "I think you have hit your limits."

"What?!" Jamie exclaimed in disbelief. "I thought I could be a bit stronger, but I can't seem to level up any longer."

"What can you do? Just accept the fact and try to give your all for the next match at the Colosseum," the Nandy Bear advised.

But Jamie refused to accept this. He continued to push himself, fighting monster after monster, even as the date of his next Colosseum match drew near. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, that elusive next level remained just out of reach.

As the day of the final Colosseum match arrived, Jamie found himself facing his most formidable opponent yet—the three-headed dog, Cerberus. The massive beast loomed before him, its three pairs of eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. Jamie's mind raced, desperately trying to formulate a strategy to overcome this seemingly insurmountable challenge.

The Colosseum was packed to capacity, the air electric with anticipation. The crowd's cheers echoed off the stone walls, a cacophony of excitement and bloodlust. To Jamie's surprise, he realized that not all the voices were calling for Cerberus's victory. Among the sea of spectators, there were those cheering for him as well.

A warmth spread through Jamie's chest at this realization. Despite no longer being human, he had somehow managed to win the support of at least some of the crowd. This unexpected show of faith bolstered his resolve. He may not have been able to level up further, but he had his newly acquired skills, his alliance with the Nandy Bear, and now, the cheers of his supporters to drive him forward.

As he faced Cerberus, Jamie's mind cleared. He knew that this battle would push him to his absolute limits, forcing him to utilize every ounce of strength and skill he had gained. But he was ready. He had made a promise to his tribe, to Fear, to Srides, and most importantly, to himself. He would not falter now.

With a deep breath, Jamie steeled himself for the fight of his life. The crowd's roar faded into the background as he focused all his attention on the monstrous opponent before him. This was it—the culmination of all his training, all his struggles, all his growth. Win or lose, Jamie was determined to give it his all, to prove to himself and to everyone watching that he was worthy of their support and respect.

As the signal to begin the match rang out, Jamie crouched low, ready to spring into action. Cerberus's six eyes locked onto him, its massive jaws opening in a terrifying snarl. In that moment, time seemed to stand still. Then, with a thunderous roar from both combatants, the final battle of the Colosseum began.