Chapter 27: The Hunting Challenge

All the girls stealthily moved towards the goblin village. Zyra and Vira displayed surprising experience, lunging directly at the two remaining sentries and subduing them without a hitch, with swift and decisive movements. There were no shouts, just the dull thud of bodies falling. Anyza, Karely, Riven, and Elnara also revealed their hidden talents. The delightful milfs pounced like hungry tigers, devouring their prey with brutal efficiency. Especially Riven, who not only knocked out her target but also took the pleasure of dislocating his shoulder without letting him utter a single sound. A true feat of strength and control. Zela, Lira, Leila, and Lyra, on the other hand, were notably more timid. They circled the first huts and subdued the first goblin they found, but unfortunately, Lyra had a loose grip on the goblin’s neck. Her panicked prey managed to struggle and let out muffled cries. Although Lyra quickly regained control to knock him out, the noise was enough to alert the village. The sound of a horn echoed through the entire village, alarming the other goblins who began searching for the invaders. The girls desperately ran back towards me, dragging their still-unconscious goblins. "You did well, very well, except for Lyra... who alerted the entire goblin village," I said, my voice tinged with a mix of frustration and a hint of amusement at the chaos. "Your punishment can wait a bit. Tie up your goblins and let’s take them to a safer place." "But, Leader, we don’t have anything to tie them with, we didn’t bring ropes," Riven quickly stood up, concerned by my request. "You must always use what you have on hand! Do you think your enemies will wait for you to get something?" I stripped the goblin naked, using his own flimsy clothes to tie him up. The skinny, green-skinned, rotten-toothed goblin was completely exposed, his tiny dick hanging. I let out a chuckle seeing it was the size of a Cheeto. "This is the third lesson: use what’s at hand. The goblin has clothes, but if it were a species like a kobold that doesn’t wear clothes, you can use vines, flexible branches, anything that’s available can serve to immobilize them." The girls simply nodded, while Riven lowered her head for asking such a silly question, turning as red as a tomato. They all tore their clothes and pulled up tall grass to form small woven ropes, so they could drag the goblins without having to touch their disgusting skin. "Follow me." We walked with the goblins in tow a few hundred feet, to a small clearing in the forest. Once the goblins were dragged in, I gathered them in front of the girls. This was a crucial test. "I hope you are all strong...", I said. "You must kill the goblin in front of you using only your bare hands." The younger ones, especially Leila, began to protest. "But, Jax, why do we have to kill them?" "Yes, Leader, can’t we just leave them here? They’ll eventually die." "From now on, you will be warriors and you will be on the battlefield. You cannot hesitate. To spare an enemy is to kill an ally. I know this is hard for many of you, but remember how many times your village was attacked over the years, how many people died because of these monsters? This is your last chance to surrender. If you don’t want to be part of my army, say so now." The girls clenched their teeth. With grim determination, they began to suffocate the goblins, just as I had instructed. The goblins, feeling death approach, woke up and tried to fight back. Many began to cry and beg in their own language. Some even said "I’m sorry" in human tongue. The girls hesitated, their faces contorted with anguish, their eyes turned red, and tears streamed down their cheeks. "They ask for mercy, but do you think they learned that because they’re intelligent? How many of their companions and friends were brutally murdered for them to learn those simple words?" Hearing my words, they understood the truth. Clenching their teeth, none of them gave up. The milfs—Anyza, Karely, Riven, and Elnara—finished the job with surprising coldness. Even Zyra and Vira dispatched their goblins, killing them mercilessly. This confirmed what I suspected: the older ones had either been warriors or, at some point, had killed monsters. In contrast, Zela, Lira, Leila, and Lyra visibly hesitated. There were tears in their eyes, crying over what they were doing, but even so, they continued. The milfs began to watch them with bloodshot eyes, not from anger, but from palpable tension. No one, not even I, helped them. This was a personal decision that would show whether they were fit to be warriors or not. They all continued, and one by one, the goblins fell. Finally, all were dead, but the girls cried. No one spoke. No one said a word. "Let’s go back before the sun rises." No one spoke during the entire journey back, allowing the girls to cry and vent in silence. Upon arriving at the village, they were greeted with a feast for their first successful hunt. But seeing their depressed faces, the villagers asked what had happened. Zyra explained the grim test. Suddenly, all eyes turned to me, filled with hatred and resentment. It was Elnara, the oldest of the group, who stopped them. "Stop! It was necessary," she said firmly. "This training method is similar to that of the old matriarch. When I was a child and initiated as a warrior, the matriarch would make us kill baby animals or monster offspring. I myself had to kill a newborn baby rabbit." Her voice cracked slightly. "Jax, at least, chose an adult monster and gave them the chance to surrender. The old matriarch never allowed anyone to regret it. I still remember how she killed my companion for not daring to kill an adorable wolf cub." Upon hearing these confessions, the women who had never participated in the old hunting group removed their angry gazes and lowered their heads. All those who had gone through it remembered their own traumas. Even Manaia lowered her head, remembering her initiations with the old matriarch. The atmosphere became grim and oppressive. The people silently dispersed. I just grabbed a piece of meat from the feast and walked back to the beach, watching the sunset. Manaia arrived behind me. I was downcast and sad, knowing I might have overdone it. "They needed it, Jax," Manaia said, her voice soft but firm. "They needed to be strong. No one will blame you."