Primitive Man

Garnt swiftly dodged Moga's attack, his years of combat experience and quick reflexes serving him well. He couldn't afford to be caught off guard by Moga's unconventional fighting style.

The poison he had inflicted on Moga during their previous encounter had taken its toll, or so he thought, and he had expected an advantage. However, the sight before him was surprising.

Moga seemed completely healed, showing no signs of the poison's effects. It was as if he had never been poisoned at all. Garnt couldn't help but wonder how this was possible.

"Did he find some kind of treatment? But that's impossible, who could come up with something like that, especially without any help?" Garnt questioned baffled by it.

As the two engaged in a fierce battle of wits and strength, Moga spoke, "Garnt, you've always been an inspiration to me since that day. Your way of fighting, your tactics, your courage, they've all motivated me to become better.

I've thought about a lot of things, and I've realized that there's more to this world than just fighting using raw power."

"..."

[Garnt, he's changing, evolving in a way. What he's saying is not just empty words. He's a different kind of man now. He's someone you should have on your side, or maybe he's better off completely removed from your side.

Someone who hold onto their pride is not as dangerous as these kind of people who are willing to learn something, even from their opponent.]

Eva, the voice inside Garnt's mind, spoke up, while Garnt was dodging all the attacks and trying his best to land a hit without getting hit.

Garnt's eyes shifted to Moga's shoulder, where the stone crusher lay dormant. Even though it was just a mining tool; when Moga wielded it, the sheer force at his command transformed it into a formidable weapon, one that had previously jeopardized their group's safety.

But this time, something was different. Garnt noticed a network of violet veins wrapped around the stone crusher.

"Are those?" He paused for a minute, as his mind was filled with questions.

[Those are the veins that we used to extract the poison. How does he know about that? Be careful! They are lightly poisonous, not enough to be immediately deadly but still dangerous.]

Garnt recognized those veins, remembering how he had used poison to weaken Moga in their previous battle. But now, they were wrapped around the very weapon that Moga wielded, enhancing its deadliness.

Several ideas were running inside Eva's mind, and she started to see some suspicious activities in this battle, so she decided to warn Garnt.

[Garnt, something is wrong. It is not possible for him to know about this stuff without any help. If my guess is correct, he might have found something or someone that helps him.]

Hearing Eva's words, Garnt realized that he needed to be cautious. Moga had not only evolved as a fighter but had also adapted to the poison, making it a part of his arsenal.

"Ahhhhhh~ This is so much fun, Let's fight like this Garnt. Teach me more, show me more," Moga shouted again and launched another relentless attack, but this time Garnt's instincts were on high alert.

He swiftly jumped backwards to evade the stone crusher's deadly swing, all the while keeping a watchful eye on Moga. It became apparent that Moga wasn't targeting Garnt this time; instead, his malicious intent was directed elsewhere.

To Garnt's dismay, Moga's target was Maro, his loyal wolf companion.

In a split second, Garnt realized Moga's malevolent plan. He couldn't let Maro get harmed. He called out to her, "Maro, back!" With a firm command, Maro, though reluctant to leave the fight, retreated to Garnt's side, ready to support him.

"Good girl!" He replied to her behaviour without taking his eyes off Moga.

Moga's sinister grin widened as he saw Maro withdraw. He mocked, "You rely on this stinky animal, Garnt? Is this also a new tactic? Now I want a wolf, so I guess I'll take this one" He swung the stone crusher with an even greater ferocity.

It was clear that he had a deep-seated desire to make everything his own.

"I wonder what would happen if I mate with this wolf. I mated with your miners and other cave women, I wonder what kind of a result I would get doing that," Moga was like a kid that found a new toy, as his curiosity was his biggest weapon.

Maro, though obedient, was bristling with anger. She couldn't stand Moga's insults, and her predatory instincts were itching for a fight. She leapt towards Moga, teeth bared, aiming for his throat. However, Garnt halted her with a firm voice, "No, Maro.

We don't need to stoop to his level. you're better than that wild animal."

Moga chuckled darkly, "Ah, the bond between a man and his beast. How touching."

But Garnt quickly answered him without showing any kind of hesitant look. "Too bad I won't let her have a taste of your flesh, even her palate is better than to eat the rotten meat of a rotten animal like you, Moga."

Maro's agility and Garnt's strategic commands kept them one step ahead no matter how strong Moga was. The wolf circled Moga, her sharp fangs bared, while Garnt manoeuvred with precision, striking at his opponent's exposed weaknesses without letting him land a single hit on him.

Moga, fueled by anger and arrogance, swung the stone crusher wildly, but the violet veins coursing through it seemed to respond erratically, as if they were fighting against him and they started to get untangled from the weapon.

As the battle wore on, Moga's movements grew sluggish. His breaths came in heavy gasps, and his face contorted with pain. Maro's relentless attacks and Garnt's calculated strikes had taken their toll. Moga's once-dormant poison-enhanced weapon now felt like a heavy anchor dragging him down.

"Just as expected, even you have your stamina limit." Garnt smiled, as he realized his plan was working.

Just as it seemed victory was within their grasp, a new commotion erupted on the battlefield. Rona with unwavering loyalty to Garnt, came charging toward them, her bone spear gleaming in the sunlight.

Behind her, Ayra also came running toward her nephew with the desire to help him and use her own body to cover him.

Moga, battered and bruised, looked at the approaching reinforcements, his face twisted into a perverse grin. He let out a chilling laugh that echoed through the battleground, reminiscent of the eerie confidence. "This is such an inspiration!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with madness.

"I'm fighting against this many people, but I'm still standing. Yes! This is the evolution that he spoke of,"

While shouting with a final burst of energy, Moga launched a reckless attack, aiming to take down as many of his opponents as he could. But the combined strength of Garnt, Maro, Rona, and Ayra proved overwhelming.

Moga found himself on the defensive, desperately trying to fend off their coordinated assaults.

Nail marks and wounds covered Moga's body as he slowly sank to his knees, defeated and broken. He gazed at the group before him, his smile never faltering, even in the face of his impending defeat.

"This is your chance. Take it and make that woman yours," Moga shouted, his voice echoing through the tense atmosphere.

Rona felt a chilling sensation creeping up her spine. She had trusted Amel since she was a young girl, and now he was urging her to seize this moment. As her eyes darted across the group, she noticed Amel's hand moving slowly in the direction of Garnt.

Her heart raced, and she saw the fear in Garnt's eyes as he realized what was happening.

"Noooo! Nooo! Stop this," She wanted to shout those words, but no words came out of her mouth.

Time seemed to slow down, and Rona's face changed from one of uncertainty to one of horror as Amel's hand gripped a concealed dagger. Before she could even react, the bone dagger went deep into Garnt's back, punctuating the stillness of the moment with a gruesome sound.

Ayra and Maro, both shouted in shock and disbelief, their cries cutting through the tension in the air. Rona's eyes filled with tears as she witnessed her most trusted partner's betrayal, unable to comprehend the treachery unfolding before her.

Moga, on the other hand, burst into laughter as he rose to his feet, bloodied but victorious. Garnt, clutching his abdomen in pain, knelt once more, this time with a mixture of agony and betrayal etched on his face.

With a sinister grin, Moga taunted, "See how the odds have turned, my dear Garnt. I told you, I just want you to be sane. If you lose one or two legs or hands, I don't mind,"

He then looked at the man, who quickly got covered by Moga's men that was supposed to be fighting against Rona's people. "And Amel this is your chance to seize power, to make that woman yours. Embrace it, Do it right now and show your dominance.

After all, we will need a lot of kids to build my place and these women will be proper breeding outlets."