Chapter 88: Fight the weakest man.

The Beast valley was awake, and a new morning unfurled like a living song. Birds called in layered chorus--sparrows weaving soft notes, falcons slicing the sky with sharp cries and sounds from other species were mixed in as well. Bears rumbled, tigers roared, and hens clucked. Mist curled low over leaves, while dew clung to vines. Hooves thudded gently as predators and prey alike, came out for another day to search for food. The valley pulsed with life in a way that cities and towns did not.

Hunter walked out into the crisp morning air, listening to the sounds, drinking water from a bottle, only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight of his wife. Zyra was already outside training with Achilles. The two of them were laughing and chatting warmly as he showed her some training tricks.

He jogged up to them, but the very moment he reached within hearing distance, the laughter died. They both snapped their mouths shut, suddenly looking very interested in the drum bells.

Hunter raised an eyebrow, his eyes darting between the two that looked like they had been friends for a long time. He couldn’t help but wonder what they had been gossiping about, but judging by the tight lips and innocent whistles, no one was ready to share. If he had to guess, he was the subject of their conversation. What else did they have in common, other than him?

Just then, Tessi and Yanxi jogged past. They slowed their pace, bowed deeply, and said in unison, "Good morning, Divine maiden."

Zyra grimaced, "I told you not to call me that."

Hunter’s other eyebrow shot up to join the first one. Divine maiden? So, Achilles had not been making up stories? Shaking his head, he looked back at Zyra. "I heard about the snow ant," he said, testing the waters.

Zyra smirked and pointed a finger toward the edge of the field. "You mean her?"

Hunter followed her gaze and choked on his own spit. Sitting right on top of Tyrant’s perked, furry ear was a white ant. It was a little bigger than a normal ant now, and right at this moment, it was vigorously doing jumping jacks on the tiger’s head! Tyrant just blinked lazily, completely unbothered by his tiny gym partner.

He rubbed his eyes, thinking to himself that this valley just got more and more weird every day.

"Her name is Snowy," Zyra said proudly.

He tilted his head. A snake named Spice, a squirrel named Squirrel and A snow ant named Snowy. Clearly, creativity was not her strength.

Around them, the rest of the valley was a chaotic zoo of muscle and sweat. A few yards away, Spice was trying to break a rock by throwing its body against it, hissing heavily, while a pair of storm venom leopards were aggressively sparring, their tails whipping through the air like cracks of thunder. Squirrel was spinning with a fiery tail as if its life depended on it.

It was quite a sight.

Hunter looked back at Zyra, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. He had barely slept a wink last night. His brain was practically fried from wondering what on earth she truly was. A Soul Maiden was rare enough, but one that could contract more than two half-life beasts? It was completely baffling.

Zyra didn’t seem to care about his existential crisis. She smoothly transitioned from deep squats to lunges, her breathing steady. "We’re heading out tomorrow," she announced casually.

"You’re not ready," Hunter barked automatically, crossing his arms.

Achilles chimed in, flashing a grin. "Oh, come on, Hunter. What better way to train than a real, blood-pumping hunting experience?"

"See! Achilles gets it. I’m not going out there to hunt," Zyra corrected, switching legs on her lunges. "I’m going to find something."

Achilles’ interest peaked. "Find what?"

"I’ll brief you all later," Zyra said smoothly, giving him a look that promised no further answers for now.

Hunter stepped into her space, his expression hardening. "In that case, the plans just changed. We are fighting today."

He didn’t give her a chance to argue. Hunter took charge, leading the entire group through a brutal, bone-cracking warm-up. After twenty minutes of intense conditioning, he clapped his hands loudly. "Stop!"

Everyone froze. Hunter’s eyes swept across the crowd of warriors before landing on a young, lanky man fidgeting at the back.

"Scotty," Hunter called out. "Step forward."

Scotty blinked, pointing a finger at his own chest. "Me, sir?"

"Yes, you. You’re the weakest one here," Hunter said bluntly, earning a few snickers from the other men. Scotty turned bright red. Hunter turned his gaze to Zyra. "You and Scotty are going to fight. And Scotty? Do not go easy on her." He then looked around at the rest of the smirking men. "Actually, Zyra, you are going to fight every single man here today. One by one. Until you reach me."

The courtyard erupted into deep, rumbling laughter. The men looked at Zyra’s slim frame, shaking their heads.

"Is he serious?" one whispered. "Even Scotty can beat her. She looks like a gentle gust of wind would knock her over!"

Tessi pointed at the men, "Laugh all you want but today is your funeral, if I can take you...so can the Divine maiden."

"I am on the Divine maiden’s’ side as well." Gilby added.

Scotty, however, looked incredibly uncomfortable. He shuffled his feet, crossing his arms. "Uh, sir... I can’t do that. I can’t fight a woman unless she is trying to harm me. My mother would dig herself out of her grave just to beat me senseless if I touched an innocent one."

Zyra cracked her knuckles, a dangerous spark igniting in her eyes. She stepped into the center of the clearing. "Don’t worry about your mother, Scotty. Bring the best you’ve got. If you don’t, you’ll be the one heading to an early grave."

A proper fighting circle was quickly formed. The two fighters stood dead center, facing each other, while everyone else, eager for entertainment crowded around the edges, shouting bets and cheering.

"Begin!" Hunter yelled and whistled.

Scotty lunged forward, but it was obvious he was holding back. He threw a lazy, looping right hook, clearly intending just to tap her. Zyra didn’t even blink. She ducked under the punch, her movements fluid as water, and drove her elbow straight into his ribs.

Scotty gasped, stumbling back. "Okay, okay, quick reflexes," he muttered, shaking it off. He tried to grab her shoulder to pin her down, but Zyra anticipated the move. She slapped his hand away, pivoted on her heel, and delivered a swift, stinging kick right to his thigh, throwing him off balance.

Hunter was hard to beat, but these others were not much of a threat in a one-on-one fight.

Every time Scotty tried a standard, half-hearted attack, Zyra had an answer. She countered his moves seamlessly, using his own momentum against him like an elusive shadow.

"This is easy I could do it all day with one hand tied behind my back." Zyra said.

Achilles groaned and covered his face with his hands. Zyra truly didn’t know Hunter because if she did, she would know that he was going to make her eat those words someday.