The scene changed, the day was about to end, and now, several women were busy digging sharpened wood into the ground, their movements precise as they surrounded the area in a circular motion.
The sharp wooden log war shield they were constructing was coming together piece by piece.
The logs were thick, sharpened at one end, and arranged in such a way that they created an intimidating barrier, their points angled outward like the teeth of a giant beast.
One of the women, a young lady named Evelyn, broke away from the group and headed towards a secluded spot.
There, Lyerin was using his transformed left hand to clean and sharpen some of the wooden logs. His claws, now resembling monstrous ibex's, sliced through the wood with ease, honing each piece to a deadly point.
Evelyn approached him cautiously, her eyes filled with a mix of respect and curiosity. "How many have we put in place so far?" Lyerin asked without looking up, his focus on the task at hand.
"We've set up thirty logs so far, as you instructed," Evelyn replied, wiping the sweat from her brow.
Lyerin nodded, his mind calculating the defenses. "And how deep did you dig the holes? Did you make sure they're at least three feet deep?"
"Yes, exactly three feet, just like you said," Evelyn confirmed.
"Good. Did you make sure to angle them properly? We don't want them toppling over if something hits them."
"Yes, we did. Every log is angled just as you instructed."
Lyerin stood up, stretching his muscles. "And what about the spacing between the logs? Did you maintain the distance I specified?"
"Yes, we did. There's no more than six inches between each log."
"Perfect," Lyerin said, finally looking at her. "And what about the earth? Did you pack it down tightly around the base of each log?"
"Yes, we did that too. The earth is packed as tightly as we could manage."
Lyerin handed her another sharpened log. "Good. Keep going. We need to make sure these defenses are as strong as possible."
Evelyn nodded and returned to the group, while Lyerin walked towards the wall they had constructed. He inspected each log carefully, using his left hand to grip them and test their stability.
When he found several ones that were loose, he dug them deeper into the ground, using his clawed hand to carve out more earth and set the log firmer.
As he worked, he mumbled to himself. "This should be enough to hold them back... If they try to break through here, these logs will impale them... But is it really enough to shield all the women? What if they come in larger numbers? We might need more defenses on the other side as well..."
He continued his inspection, mumbling more to himself. "The ground is solid here... The logs are sharp enough... We should be able to fend off a small group, but if they come in waves, we'll need to be prepared to reinforce this..."
Finally, after checking each log, he stood back and observed the sharp wooden log shield in its entirety.
Satisfied with the setup, he nodded to himself. "It's good enough for now."
Just as he was about to return to his sharpening, a man came running from the forest, his face pale with fear. "Sir! Sir! Sir!" he shouted, his voice trembling.
Lyerin turned to him, his eyes narrowing. "What is it?"
The man caught his breath, his eyes wide with terror. "There's been another scream, sir. A woman. She's in trouble."
Lyerin's expression hardened, and he nodded. "Lead the way!" he commanded.
The man turned and sprinted back towards the forest, with Lyerin following close behind, his brain already planning with thoughts of how to deal with whatever threat awaited them.
After a brief but intense run through the dense forest, Lyerin and the man reached a clearing.
Out of nowhere, several men, both old and young teenagers, emerged from behind the trees, their bodies smeared with dirt for camouflage.
This was Lyerin's instruction to help them blend into their surroundings and avoid detection by the Goblin Shrews.
The men greeted him with a mixture of relief and urgency.
One of the older men stepped forward, his voice low and urgent. "Sir, we heard the scream coming from the northeast, about a hundred paces from here. It was followed by some grunting sounds. We suspect it's the Goblin Shrews. You are right sir, they've been active in these areas for the past few hours as long as there were women presence."
Another teenager added, "They were carrying something—or someone. We couldn't get too close, but we saw them dragging a person on a wooden pole."
Lyerin nodded, absorbing the information. He could see the anxiety in their eyes, but there was also trust. They believed in his ability to protect and lead them. "Thank you," he said simply. "Stay hidden and be ready."
Without another word, Lyerin sprinted off towards the northeast, his speed astonishing.
The men left behind could only watch in awe and a bit of fear at his incredible pace.
Lyerin's body moved with a fluid grace, each step calculated and precise. His mind was focused, his senses attuned to the environment around him. He leaped over fallen logs, dodged low-hanging branches, and maneuvered around thick underbrush with ease.
As he ran, his thoughts were sharp and clear.
"I need to get there fast. There's no time to waste. If the Goblin Shrews are involved, there's no telling what they might do to these women, I still needed these women for something." His eyes scanned the forest ahead, looking for any signs of disturbance or movement.
The dirt on his face and body helped him blend into the surroundings, and he moved silently, like a shadow.
After a few more minutes of intense running and climbing over rocky terrain, Lyerin finally saw his target.
There were seven Goblin Shrews, grotesque and menacing, with their oversized heads and twisted bodies.
They were carrying a woman on a wooden pole, her body writhing as she tried to escape their grasp.
The Goblin Shrews were grunting and chattering in their guttural language, oblivious to Lyerin's approach.
Without wasting a second, Lyerin launched his attack. He moved with blinding speed, his Devil Horned Tribe left hand transforming into a demonic claw. He slashed through the first Goblin Shrew, its body crumpling to the ground before it could react.
The others turned in surprise, but Lyerin was already upon them.
He grabbed the second Goblin Shrew by the throat, lifting it off the ground with ease and crushing its windpipe with a single squeeze.
The third and fourth Goblin Shrews tried to attack him simultaneously, but Lyerin dodged their clumsy strikes and dispatched them with swift, precise blows. His clawed hand ripped through their flesh, leaving them lifeless on the ground.
The fifth Goblin Shrew attempted to flee, but Lyerin was too fast. He caught it by the leg, pulling it back and snapping its neck in one fluid motion.
The sixth and seventh Goblin Shrews, seeing their comrades fall, tried to mount a desperate defense, but they were no match for Lyerin's speed and strength. He dispatched them with ease, barely breaking a sweat.
Soon, a notification would appear.
[ Ding!
[ You have killed seven Goblin Shrews.
[ Kill count: 64/384. ]
Lyerin would look at the system screen and mumbled, "Too low, I need these women to reach twelve stage Mana User…"
Breathing calmly, Lyerin approached the woman on the wooden pole. She was still struggling, her eyes wide with fear.
Gently, he cut the ropes that bound her and helped her to her feet. Her face was pale, and she looked up at him with a mixture of fear and gratitude.
"Come with me," Lyerin said softly, his voice steady and reassuring.
She nodded, too shaken to speak.
Lyerin led her back towards the clearing where the others were waiting, his mind already relaxed with thoughts of the next last step he needed to reach the twelve stage as a Mana user.