After playing Skinship for a while, Nai got a lap pillow from Acacia. though Acacia didn't actually give it. More like Nai just doing it himself.
What can Acacia do? She can only massage Nai's forehead with her somewhat rough, lithe fingers. "Is this good? I'm not too good at this."
With his eyes closed, Nai replied clearly and with great relaxation. "Good, you can always improve with experience." Acacia...you had it rough.
"Thank you." Acacia whispered softly, looking below at Nai's face up close. It wasn't clear what she meant by saying those words.
But one thing is for sure: She meant what she said, no matter what it was for.
Nai wasn't asleep, so of course he heard her words loud and clear in his ears. Although he had a hunch that her thank you has other meanings,
There's no need to bother them too much, as it would only destroy the current mood around them. "Mm."
Acacia lifted her head as she faced the Creek Village with her pretty face. What she meant when she thanked her husband came from there.
It was as though she was looking at her parents, or maybe the people she thought of as her parents.
'As long as you all are happy, I'm also happy. Not to mention, the one who made that happiness is with me.'
She mumbled in her heart, feeling the sweetness she hadn't felt before.
...
A week later. Garut's grandson came to him. "Ruler, we found a herd of strong-looking animals not far away. Grandpa said that at most noon today, they would arrive in the village."
Nai looked at the faraway horizon. There are indeed some movements far away, though he can't see much. It was enough to confirm things.
"Tell me their characteristics." Soon he learned some of those herds traits.
Strong arms and feet on all four. With horns on their noses and a crown-like cape on their necks. "Rhino's?"
If they are really a type of rhino, then it just came in time. "Alright, just in time for the cart to have someone to pull it around."
"Let's go."
The young man was overjoyed, and he immediately walked away as he followed at the back.
He still remembers that explosive ripping sound back then that caused the ground to bulge, throwing them up, as well as that shocking wind that pushed them outward.
That moment was clearly imprinted in his heart. "I want to have that strength too!"
In order to become someone as strong as the one called the Ruler. He asked around, starting with his father.
"Father, how can I become that strong?"
"Who?"
"Just like the ruler!"
"As strong as the ruler, huh? That will be impossible—no, very hard."
"I will work very hard!"
"Alright, go ask your grandfather."
Then he found his grandfather and asked the same question.
"Grandpa, how can I become that strong?"
"Who?"
"Just like the ruler!"
"Hmm. Impossible."
"Ehhh? Why???"
"You haven't passed your acceptance phenomenon yet. I doubt if you can ever encounter one and even pass it."
"Grandpa~ tell me, tell me!"
"...Alright, now come here and listen to your Grandpa's Accepter Garut's lifetime lesson."
A while later.
Garut saw his grandson leave with eyes shining bright and murmuring the words 'I will be an accepter" and 'When will my acceptance phenomenon appear?' as such.
"How could it be easy to become one?" Garut shook his head. He knew his grandson very well, and he too hopes that he will become an accepter too.
"Wish you good luck, grandson. This place is very dangerous for those without strength to live in."
...
"How's the situation?" Upon arriving at the Creek Village, Garut met him up on the other side of the creek.
"I had someone scout it for us. The herd has an estimated number of more than ten." Garut showed his ten fingers, as he said.
Although Nai would teach them how to call on numbers from time to time, They still can't go beyond two digits. Even having some problems remembering them.
However, this wasn't a problem. Time can help them with that.
At the same time, there's a noise coming from afar. Thanks to the wind that was in a favorable position from them. They can hear more clearly this time.
"Even the wind is on our side. Aren't they here already? Prepare all the vines we have. Well, I observed them first." Nai received the thick vines first before he motioned for Garut to follow.
"What's the plan?" Garut asked behind him.
"Let the men be ready at all times. Well, go and catch some to drive our cart. Aren't they the suitable ones?" Grinning, Nai started running forward as he lay low.
"...I see. That's indeed a good idea. However, we can't be sure." Garut realized that Nai was going to use this herd to pull his cart around.
However, such a thing is risky. They didn't even know what this herd was capable of. They might die from being so confident that it may looked reckless for the others.
Nai is calmed, he said, bending forward with the help of the grass. "Shhh, that's why we're going to ride one."
"Eh? Ride? How do we do that?" Bro I'm old; I can't exert my old bones further, or I might really die early today.
Nai turned to the side and patted Garut's shoulder in comfort. "Relax, just follow me."
The former can only calm down and follow Nai's example as well as his instructions. If it really comes to it, then he can just back away. It's not like Nai didn't say he couldn't do that.
"Here they come." Feeling the ground shake as the herd draws by. Nai's tense nerves and his concentration started to focus.
With the distance gradually shortening, he slowly got a better look at the target. "It's indeed a rhino. This is going to be tough."
Just looking at their two-meter-tall height and three-meter-long bodies filled with explosive muscles. Judging by their speed, if he tries to go head-on with his flesh-and-blood body,
Nai could imagine what he would become. A paste of meat splattered around after being trampled. He shuddered at the thought of that.
"This is indeed going to be a dangerous one. But we can't move away, for what's behind us is my territory." In the past, he was a scared cat. A coward who bluffs his way to acting mighty.
However, after obtaining strength, He felt like his body wasn't the only one that had changed. His heart, too, had a hidden recklessness that longed excitement between life and death.
No, no, no, please calm down. Don't you dare court death like this. Don't be proud! Don't be arrogant!
The thing I hate the most is confidence! And here I was, actually wanting to ride on those deadly animals.
Nai had a sharp look on his face as he took a deep breath, mumbling, "It seems I've grown too complacent this time. This isn't good; I'm not true to myself."
All I want is immortality. Not this kind of reckless behavior. As an immortal, one must be rational. How could I use my body in such situations when I haven't even achieved what I want?
"Let's go back and give me all the spears." Nai finally realized how stupid he was thinking back then. Even if he rode on one in the herd.
He can't change the direction of the herd's charge by itself. After all, he had no experience with herding itself. If he made a mistake because he was overconfident, he would surely feel irritated, and he didn't like that.
The word failure in such a crucial situation must not appear. "That's why, let's just scare them away and slowly capture one after that."
Garut heaved a sigh of relief, seeing Nai realize the severity of the situation. Even those slimes will surely not be able to retaliate on a head-on charge; what can a mere human do?
"Alright." There's no need to ask too many questions. Garut immediately ran back to the village and gathered the spears available.
Nai also came back and picked up the spears as he weighed them one by one. "All of you, move back."
The villagers immediately gave up some areas around him and Garut. None of them spoke, as they were afraid of angering anyone.
"Garut, just throw. There's no need to care if any of them die. There would surely be some lucky ones that would survive." Nai piled up the spears beside him in a few breaths.
"A light injury, and there's no need to expend too much manpower. We can slowly tame them as the time comes!" There's also the miracle water that can saves life and regenerate a missing body part.
That's a secret, that's why Nai told no one. Not even Garut whom he treated as a friend in this world.
When the herd of charging big rhinos was nearing five hundred meters away. Nai widened his feet from one another as he motioned his right arm, holding the spear.
His eyes gleamed with fierce light. "Shoot!".
Boom!