THE FOREST REGION.
The sound of birds filled the forest and sometimes one could hear the shrieking of the apes.
Hamad was sighing and wiping the sweat from his forehead.
The forest region is not like the desert region where it was always hot all the time. But, doing laborious work, of course he will sweat.
He is after all only an Orb Condensing Stage Middle Realm. Using his stamina all the time doesn’t exactly makes you energetic.
Hamad was felling trees in the forest. Beside him were Hatta, Laksmi, Sita, and Rani also doing the same thing using their weapon of choice.
They are now in the forest region and together they have survived this gigantic forest with monsters at every corner.
‘Is there a lot more?’ Sita asked wiping her sweats while not far away from her Rani is grunting as she is storing the logs inside the storage bag.
Hamad nodded.
Hatta spit to the ground in anger. This is beneath him. Beneath their group. No matter how they want to join that place, they didn’t have to make them do this.
Hamad did not miss Hatta act of dissatisfaction and he look at Hatta and glares at him with his piercing glares.
‘What?’ Hatta shot back.
‘You know we have to do this.’
‘Hmph’ Hatta complained.
He wanted to complain but he and Hamad go way back. Hamad may not be stronger than him but he was the calm one.
Hamad is not genius.
He is mediocre. But he is mediocre in everything. One could say he is well balanced with no specialties. Hatta doesn’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
Hatta keep felling the trees with his sword. Hamad look at the others and shows a sympathetic expression.
‘It’s all going to be ok.’ He said as he tries to motivate his friends but mostly it was to motivate himself.
Then they continued their work.
Hamad look at the canopy that covered the sky and he could see glimpses of the blue sky from the slit of the gigantic leaves that covered the whole forest region.
He sighed again.
After the white explosion happens they were transported towards this region.
For a few months they wander inside this forest, dodging monsters, disease, natural disasters and other dangers that lurk inside this gigantic forest.
But a couple of week ago, they stumble onto a hut. The hut was simple, and inside the hut lives a couple.
They are young.
Younger than Hamad.
Around the age of twenty.
The woman was beautiful and possesses this otherworldly beauty with white flawless skin and long silky hair that reach her waist, she was like a fairy.
The man was handsome with a boyish look, like a cute boy but possess the charisma of a man, his hair was wavy and his stature was imposing
But their hut was protected by this runic design and the couple was very powerful.
The male uses a big brush that is full of runic design coiling around the brush tip. In his hand it could change sizes like the Ruyi Jingu Bang belonging to Wang Jian
Ruyi Jingu Bang is a pillar of black iron twenty feet in height and the width of a barrel and manageable in that the staff complies with the users wishes and could shrinks.
Hamad was there when Wang Jian battles the forces of World Government in Greece where Sofia and Loki were stealing a flock of Pegasus from Athena.
He and his group were transferred to the World Government branch of military as a support group for the main division of Army of World Government.
Wang Jian was like a lone force that decimated and crushed the Silver Division of the Lion Corps.
The brush also has the same features as the Ruyi Jingu Bang.
When it was used, the male will use the brush to write some runes and the runes is capable of doing many things like making Hamad and his group almost dies without a grave facing him.
The woman uses a flute that controls the beast around the hut.
When she plays it melody covered the radius of about fifteen kilometer radius that not only controls the beast that heard the melody but also gave Hamad and his group mental attack, making their Orb cracked and shaken.
They were Energy Condensing Stage Middle Realm Expert who lives a life of seclusion from the outside world.
The expert takes pity on their group and told Hamad and his group that if they walked following the blue bird that will always come at dawn near their hut, they will find a community of people, living together in a village.
Since then they have been tracking the bird and when they found the place, they were shocked.
They were unorganized rabble.
But there seems to be a system that works for the community inside the Forests region.
For them to qualify to enter the village, they need to prove their worth by collecting a hundred logs for each head to gain access.
The logs will be used by the carpenters and builders indie the villages to construct more facility and making the village stronger from the attack of the monsters that dominates the jungle.
So, that is what he and his group have been doing.
‘Huh. Huh.’ Hamad was panting as he felled his one hundred logs.
And then he sits down beside the stump of the fallen trees and takes a sip of water from his flask.
What luck! What turns of events!
He thought he was already living the good life before the white explosion happens.
He was one of the trusted people of General Razak and General Bashar.
He knows how to play both sides and don’t get caught.
But now?
Now, he doesn’t even know if the two generals is still alive. He could only do his best to lead his friends to safety.
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. The sound of the grating of swords against the trees was annoying.
Even the sound of the birds that once so soothing is annoying. The sound of the wind only serves to increase his frustration.
He then remembered Lord Shadow. Remembers how powerful he is. Remembers how he could do anything he wanted.
Then Hamad opens his eyes.
And a fire burns inside that eyes. Desire and determination light up. An unquenchable thirst for power.
He then smiles.
If Razak can do it. If Bashar can do it. Why can’t he? Can’t he also be a Warlord? To rule over a large city and to march men to war bringing glory?
Even if he died…wouldn’t that kind of death is more dignified other than dying under someone else’s order?
He then looks at his group and his desire burns hotter. Hatta is almost reaching Orb Condensing Stage High Realm.
The same could be said for Sita.
Rani and Lakshmi even though they are only at the Low Realm they coordinated brilliantly in battle and their tag team duo is very terrifying.
Then he thinks to the security of the villages and a dark thought crosses his mind. He could conquer it.
This dark thought consumes him, feeding his desires even more.
Until the dark thought becomes more than just a thought. It becomes a will. An undying will.
He steeled his heart. There is no fear in his eyes of what he is about to do. There is only desire. He then yelled.
‘STOP!’ And Sita, Lakshmi, Rani and Hatta stop their logging and look at Hamad.
‘What’s the matter?’
Hamad got up from the ground and then he smiles.
‘I’ve been thinking about something Hatta. We’re more than this. I have a proposition for all you. Listen to me and we might not have to do this.’
Laksmi eyes brightened. Anything other than keep logging logs. Rani also nodded.
Hatta eyes however glints with maliciousness. He has always urged Hamad to do more. Maybe, one of his advices finally wakes him up.
That this world is not like the world of the past.
The strong rules. The weak perish.
Then Hamad comes closer to his group and then relay his plan. After a discussion, they unanimously agree.
They store all the log they have cut and then they walked towards the village. But they were filled with killing intent.
That night, the village was attacked and hundreds died before a new lord take controls. One part of the forest region was conquered by Hamad.
***