'What the fuck?' Ash was speechless for a moment before coming back to his senses and looked at Old Ni with a look.
"Silence!" Old Ni shouted with a commanding tone.
Everyone instantly fell silent at the same time.
Ash finally broke the silence, as he spoke while glancing at the crowd. "Let's be honest, I know the reason why all of you are here and as much as I appreciate it, I'm going to only pick a few of you since the chance of a fight breaking out was really slim."
When he said that, most people showed dissatisfied expressions but Ash didn't care and continued. "Everyone is dismissed except for the names I'm about to call."
"Old Ni, Uncle Zan, Kargan, Vakra, Harold. You'll represent the 3rd Rank Warriors."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"As for the 2nd Ranks—Vargan, Ivar, Rath, Varok…"
He called out several more names. When he was about to announce the last one, he noticed a girl gripping the bow on her back, as if she would use it and shoot someone any moment.
Ash felt a shiver and instantly called out the last name. "And… Mira!"
The girl relaxed instantly.
Then, he looked at everyone with a faint smile. "Don't worry. Even if you don't contribute much, I'll help you one by one as long as you don't harbor ill intentions toward the tribe."
"Alright, that's all and remember to not leave the tribe under any circumstances." He clapped once and dismissed everyone.
After the crowd dispersed, Ash glanced around before his eyes settled on the girl who had already slung her bow back over her shoulder.
"What do you want?" Ash chuckled lightly.
"You!" The girl gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in annoyance.
Ash laughed lightly. "Alright. You'll be the first one I help after we subjugate the Mirefang Tribe."
"Really?" The girl raised her eyebrow excitedly.
"Of course!" Ash replied with a smile.
"Yayyy! Thank you, Ash." She instantly became overjoyed and ran toward him, throwing herself into his arms.
Her huge and soft breasts were pressed against his body as he embraced her affectionately.
Ash noticed someone nearby staring at him with clear jealousy.
'Interesting.'
Cough!
"How long do you plan to behave like that in front of your old man?" Uncle Zan coughed.
The girl instantly came back to her senses and pushed Ash away, then slapped his face lightly. "Pervert!"
"..."
Ash was speechless.
She was the one who jumped into her arms and yet he was the one at fault here?
Where is the justice?
"Dad!" She ran over and hugged Uncle Zan.
"Old Ni, this is for you." Ash took out a vial filled with rich red liquid out of his inventory and tossed it to him.
"That's a 4th Rank Healing Potion. It can heal most external injuries and even internal ones, though only to a certain extent." He explained with a smile.
"Thank you, Tribe Lord." Old Ni thanked and put the vial in the small bag on his waist
The others instantly shifted their attention to the vial on Old Ni's hands.
Noticing the others' gaze, Ash chuckled and started distributing the other healing potions according to their ranks, leaving x5 3rd Rank Healing Potions left in his inventory.
Subsequently, the group moved swiftly through the tribe's stronghold, soon arriving before the wooden palisades that marked its outer boundary. Thick logs sharpened at the tips were driven deep into the ground, forming a crude yet sturdy wall.
At the gate stood two simple watchtowers. Warriors armed with spears and bows watched attentively from above, relaxing only slightly when they recognized Ash and the subjugation team.
The wooden gate creaked open.
As they passed through, several tribe members bowed instinctively, their eyes filled with reverence and anticipation.
Beyond the palisades lay an open plain, vast and unobstructed. Tall grass swayed under the morning breeze, stretching endlessly beneath the pale sunlight.
The group then headed east as they left the tribe's stronghold behind. No one spoke the entire time, as only the sound of footsteps and the rustling grass accompanied them.
After some time, the terrain began to change.
The open land gradually gave way to dense greenery. Towering trees blocked out most of the sunlight, their thick canopies intertwining overhead. The air grew cooler and heavier as they entered the jungle.
Not long after, the sound of flowing water reached their ears.
They soon arrived at a wide river, its surface reflecting the muted green of the surrounding forest. Ash's gaze lingered on the water for a brief moment.
This was the place where he had once been found floating unconsciously.
No one commented on it, but several people exchanged glances. They crossed the river using the wooden bridge in front of them.
Gradually, the jungle thinned as the ground beneath their feet softened, turning damp and uneven. A faint mist crept along the surface.
They had entered the swamp. The air here was thick and humid, carrying a faint stench of decay.
Visibility dropped sharply as the mist grew denser, blurring outlines and distorting distance. This natural fog acted as a defensive barrier, one the Mirefang Tribe had relied on for years.
Ash raised his eyebrows.
Inside this mist, danger lurked everywhere because if one was unlucky, they could easily encounter 2nd Rank Beasts. Such a creature was hard to fight for those in the same rank as they had perfectly adapted to this environment.
As if to prove that thought… He heard a low growl echoing through the fog.
From the murky shadows, a beast lunged forward. It was an ugly creature with a swollen body and jagged fangs. Its aura clearly was at the 2nd Rank.
Before anyone else could make a move, Vakra stepped forward.
He simply punched his fist but with full power.
BOOM!
The beast's skill caved inward instantly, its body collapsing lifelessly into the mud without even letting out a cry.
Ash glanced at Vakra and waved his hand. "Take only the beast core and leave the carcass behind."
Vakra nodded, quickly extracting the beast core before tossing the corpse aside without a second glance.
They continued forward and not long after, the mist ahead shifted unnaturally.
Figures emerged from within, it was a small group of warriors, their weapons raised as their eyes filled with hostility.
At their front stood a man whose aura clearly surpassed the others.
A 3rd Rank Warrior.
His gaze swept across Ash's group with wariness.
"This is Mirefang territory." He said coldly. "State your purpose or turn back now."