C3 Saintess

The chief's face darkened as he bellowed, "Ebenezer, we all witnessed the warrior slay the Black Wolf. If he's not a warrior, do you really think you qualify to be one?"

"Absolutely!"

Ebenezer crossed his arms behind his back, boasting, "All I need is that special knife he had, and I too could kill the Black Wolf. Hasn't it occurred to anyone that it was only with that glowing knife that he managed to defeat the Black Wolf? With such a formidable weapon, even a child could take down the Black Wolf and earn the title of warrior."

All eyes turned to the shimmering dagger at Hans's waist, which explained why Ebenezer referred to him as the man with the glowing dagger.

Hans chuckled, drew his dagger, and tossed it before Ebenezer. The blade buried itself in the earth, leaving just the hilt visible—a testament to its sharpness.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as Ebenezer eagerly extracted the dagger, admiring it in the sunlight, his face alight with thrill. Indeed, who wouldn't covet such a mighty weapon?

"Let's wager," Hans proposed with a grin. "You with the dagger, and I unarmed. We'll head into the forest to hunt wolves. In three days, whoever has the most kills wins. If you win, the dagger is yours."

"Deal, I'll take that bet!" Ebenezer, heady with elation, was confident that with the sharp blade, he could slay numerous wolves.

"Ebenezer, are you certain?" The chief looked on, concern etched in his gaze, for this was his sole son.

With pride swelling in his chest, Ebenezer declared, "Father, I've considered it thoroughly. If he bests me, I will willingly become his servant, obeying his every command."

The chief's lips quivered faintly as he surveyed the tribe and gave a nod of assent. "Very well, may our Green Sheep Tribe be blessed with the emergence of two warriors."

In these times of scarcity, the mark of a warrior was the ability to vanquish a beast. The killing of a large predator was sufficient to earn the title of warrior.

Hans's motivation for this challenge was to cement his authority within the tribe. Only with undeniable strength would he have the right to direct them in constructing a nuclear power plant.

The women of the tribe began setting up bonfires and preparing a feast to celebrate the slaying of the Black Wolf.

Hans and Ebenezer were escorted by the tribe's elders to a secluded area behind the mountain, at the very fringe of the tribal lands. There stood a towering wooden house nestled in the mountain hollow, adorned with animal skins and other decorations. Dominating the center of the wall inside was an enormous goat skull, roughly the size of a millstone, exuding a formidable presence.

Upon entering, everyone bowed in reverence before the skull. Hans quickly followed suit, kneeling and bowing his head in imitation of the others.

The patriarch rose first and called out, "Saintess, please come forth to bless and protect us."

Saintess?

Hans felt an urge to look back, but the chief firmly pressed his head down, admonishing, "In the Ancestral Sacred Hall, you must not dishonor the saintess."

Soon, footsteps approached from outside. Hans stole a sideways glance, catching sight of a long black linen skirt.

While the tribe's garments were uniformly natural in color, the saintess alone was clad in black.

Following this, Hans and Ebenezer partook in the saintess' series of prayers, which included sprinkling of water and incantations. The ceremony concluded as evening fell, and the chief, along with several elders, led them away once more.

As they were leaving, Hans surreptitiously caught a glimpse of the saintess. In the dim light, she was enshrouded in black, her face veiled, revealing only her smooth forehead and dazzling eyes.

"What beautiful eyes!" Hans thought, his heart stirring at the sight. Those eyes alone convinced him of her beauty, certain that even if she bore a mouthful of crooked teeth beneath the veil, she would still be stunning. Her eyes could eclipse any imperfection.

He longed for another look, but the saintess had turned away, her cheeks seemingly flushed from his gaze.

Meanwhile, the bonfire roared to life in the heart of the tribe. The Black Wolf had been skinned and cleaned, now sizzling on a spit over the flames. Hans was ushered into the center of the festivities, where the night was spent in dance and toasting until the late hours.

Despite the low alcohol content of the fermented wine here, Hans had still managed to drink himself into a stupor. When he awoke, it was already noon the following day. The pretty young girl who had been at the door yesterday was there again, promptly bringing in a wooden basin for him to wash up.

Hans splashed his face with water and chewed on some tree branches, considering his teeth brushed.

The girl knelt on the grass mat, her short animal skin skirt riding up precariously close to revealing too much. Hans cleared his throat and asked casually, "What's your name? And how old are you?"

The girl seemed surprised that Hans would speak to her. She hesitated before responding awkwardly, "I... My name is Ebenezer, and I'm seventeen."

"Oh, you're the chief's daughter. Is Ebenezer your brother?"

"Yes," Ebenezer murmured softly, fidgeting with her skirt, unsure of what else to say.

Hans chuckled. After finishing his meat soup and making some adjustments, he headed out to prepare for a hunting expedition.

Outside, the clearing was bustling with people. Ebenezer, too, was geared up and exuded confidence, seemingly certain of his victory.

"Warrior, take a weapon with you!"

The chief handed Hans a sharpened wooden stick. Noticing its solid build, Hans figured it could come in handy and accepted it.

With the tribe's admiring gazes upon them, both men ventured into the forest.

Hans didn't go far before finding a secluded spot to hide. He tapped his bracelet and said, "Blue, wake up. I need some tips on hunting large wild animals."

The bracelet vibrated and Blue's voice came through, "Blue's energy is low. I need more sunlight to recharge, or I'll go into hibernation. It takes a full day of sunlight to recharge just 0.01% of my energy..."

"Fine, fine, I'll find some sunlight later."

The virtual screen came to life, offering tens of thousands of techniques and traps for capturing wild beasts. Hans reviewed them for a while and selected a few plans. Armed with the wooden stick, he stealthily entered the forest.

Hans was already an experienced hunter, but he knew he needed to be fully prepared for these massive carnivores.

He hadn't heard of anyone using traps in the Green Sheep Tribe; self-defense was the priority when facing such fearsome creatures. No one would dare to provoke them. Hans concluded that the beasts of this primeval forest were likely quite straightforward, driven by the sight of meat to attack.

He spent two days meticulously digging pits at various locations, firmly planting several wooden stakes in each one, and topping them with sharply pointed stones. He then set wild chickens he had previously caught atop the stones, and all that remained was to wait for the prey to fall for the trap.

Three days later, as dusk settled, the entire Green Sheep Tribe eagerly anticipated the return of their two warriors.

Emerging first from the forest was Ebenezer, his body marred with wounds, triumphantly dragging the carcass of a massive leopard. The tribe erupted in celebration at the sight, and Ebenezer's face broke into a proud grin. He then disappeared back into the woods and soon after emerged with a Black Wolf in tow. This Black Wolf was clearly aged, its frame gaunt and much of its fur missing. Despite its condition, Ebenezer had proven himself a true warrior.

"What about the outsider warrior? Has he been devoured by wolves?" Ebenezer's weariness vanished, replaced by a vibrant energy. He was confident that he would be recognized as the tribe's mightiest warrior and that the coveted dagger would be his.

As the light began to fade, the tribe's mood turned somber, with many shaking their heads in disappointment. Even the chief was ready to depart, his hopes dashed.

Just then, deliberate footsteps echoed from the forest, and Hans appeared, his hands conspicuously empty.