The Extra Wants Control

This whole "Blessed" business leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Apparently, they're the chosen ones, blessed by the Racial Gods to lead the fight against the invaders. Never met one before, not properly. Except for maybe the Elf princess, Lara and even that was not a proper meet.

The Combat Assessment – never forgot that. She practically saved my hide, then went all ice queen on me afterwards. Playing hard to get, is she? Look, I wouldn't mind being tied to the Elven royal family, but let's be real here. Her? Sole princess?

No way in all the realms will she ever let me have other women on the side. One woman? No sir, not for me. Harem life all the way, even if it means a bit of chaos. Besides, the strength gap… it's already there and growing. Don't need a woman who can bench press me, thanks very much.

Other than the elf princess, there's Azrael, the human Blessed. Supposedly nice? Don't know him from a pile of leaves. Then there's Kim and Astrid, the beastwoman and dwarf Blessed respectively. Two words: walking nightmares. Both of them.

Scary, muscle-bound war machines who wouldn't hesitate to break a few bones over a misplaced glance. No thank you, ladies, keep your war dances far away from me.

And Axl. Just the name sent a spike of anger through me. The guy was a walking, arrogant disaster wrapped in the future leader package. Sure, the rumours painted a clear picture – a condescending jerk who wouldn't know empathy if it bit him in the ass.

But the truly infuriating part was the impunity. He barely glanced at anyone else, yet his "activities" – caused endless trouble. And his little posse of dragon lackeys? They were like extensions of his inflated ego, bullying anyone who wasn't a dragon or strong. My people, were lucky – we kept our heads down, stayed out of their "territory," whatever that meant in the confines of the academy.

The worst part? Axl was untouchable. Second strongest in the entire academy. You couldn't reason with him, not without risking a very unpleasant encounter with another fire-breathing lizard. And being a prince… well, that meant complaints went about as far as a pebble tossed into the ocean. The academy staff?

They turned a blind eye, content as long as the "strong" students weren't causing too much chaos. Strength above all, right? Screw those of us who weren't blessed or born with a diamond spoon lodged firmly… well, you get the idea.

Love troubles, Blessed brats – all background noise compared to the real concerns gnawing at me. First, there's the club. Dugan and Vera, two thorns in my side.

The club was going swimmingly! Recruitment was booming, pushing past 6,800 members with a potential for a freakin' army of 10,000! Female members galore, ready for… well, you get the picture. The academy even coughed up a decent building to house the operation. Everything was going according to plan… except for one thing: Dugan.

That conniving leech keeps strutting into my club like he owns the place, spinning tales of his "invaluable contribution" to its success. As if! Then the nerve of the guy, strong-arming my people, making them cater to his every whim! And the audacity to suggest jacking up the "rent" for the damn building?

This "survival test" couldn't have come at a better time. It's payback time, Dugan. My boys have strict instructions – capture that weasel alive. Let him see what happens when you mess with the real bossman.

Stupid, arrogant… I clench my jaw, the muscles protesting the strain. Just gotta keep a cool head in front of everyone. But inside, I'm a volcano on the verge of eruption. It's getting harder and harder to swallow these insults, these blatant attempts to undermine me.

Maybe I should've just decked him right there, in the middle of the club. But no, gotta play it smart. This test is the perfect opportunity to "accidentally" bump into Dugan and "teach him some manners." He'll be begging for mercy before he knows what hit him.

Vera. That name alone sends a jolt of frustration through me. Her club's a haven for humans, the very people I'm trying to recruit! Not only does she scoop them up before I can, but she has the audacity to waltz into my territory and poach my own members!

The worst part? I can't do a damn thing about it. She's stronger than me, that's a fact. And with Azrael backing her up, complaining would be like a bug buzzing around a man's ear – annoying, but ultimately ignored. So here I am, forced to swallow my pride and keep a smile plastered on my face while she takes everything I want.

The nerve of her! Then comes the "friendly offer." An "alliance" she calls it, where I basically become her lapdog. As if I wouldn't see through that sugar-coated bait. It's all about control, about adding me to her growing army.

Just thinking about it makes me clench my fists so hard my nails dig into my palms. If only the power structure of this world wasn't so skewed. If only strength wasn't the only thing that mattered. Then maybe, just maybe, it would be me with the thriving club, the loyal following, the position of power.

But dreams are dreams. Reality is this frustrating hierarchy, and I have to play the game. For now. Patience, Zehn, that's the key. Keep your head down, bide your time, and wait for the right opportunity. This test might even be a blessing in disguise.

A chance to prove myself, to gain some leverage.

Until then, I'll keep building my club, gathering allies from the shadows, and waiting for the day I can finally claim the power that rightfully belongs to me. This whole damn academy will bow before me, just you wait, Vera. You'll all eat your words. You're leading for now Vera, but the real game is just beginning.

**************

All I wanted was some peace and quiet, a chance to gather my bearings and maybe forage for some decent food in this damn forest. But fate, it seemed, had a cruel sense of humor. My first encounter of the day? A six-star monkey with a mischievous glint in its beady eyes.

The moment I spotted the damn thing swinging from branch to branch, a primal fear coiled in my gut. Six stars. That meant it was leagues above me in terms of power. Avoiding it was my only option. I took a sharp detour, hoping to lose the furry menace in the tangled undergrowth.

But no such luck. The screech that echoed through the trees sent shivers down my spine. There it was, perched on a nearby branch, its face contorted in a mocking grin. It flicked a banana peel at me, the rotting fruit landing with a splat at my feet.

I gritted my teeth, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. Didn't want to provoke the little beast. It seemed content to torment me for now, swinging away with a series of high-pitched chortles.

The rest of the day unfolded like a particularly cruel joke. Every time I thought I'd found some decent food – a patch of fruit,– the monkey would appear out of nowhere, snatching it before I could blink.

And for some reason I wasn't encountering any living animal to hunt.

My stomach growled in protest, but I dared not retaliate. A fight, even a desperate one, would be a one-way ticket to oblivion.

By nightfall, I was famished, exhausted, and utterly defeated. The monkey, perched on a branch above my makeshift camp, seemed to relish my misery. It tossed a single, overripe pear at me, a final act of sadistic amusement.

I glared at the stupid fruit, the humiliation burning in my throat. But what else could I do? Swallow my pride, pick up the damn pear, and hope it wouldn't give me food poisoning? Nope let's just sleep.

That blasted monkey! Night hadn't even settled completely when its shrill screeches tore me from a restless sleep. This time, I wouldn't take it anymore. It had tormented me all day, stealing my food, mocking my every move. The primal urge to fight clawed its way to the surface.

I scrambled to my feet, chasing after the furry fiend as it cackled and swung through the trees. Blind fury fueled my pursuit, but the monkey was as nimble as a shadow. It led me on a wild chase through the dense foliage, the forest floor turning treacherous in the fading light. Just as I thought I had it cornered, the damn thing launched itself from a branch, soaring high above the canopy.

I wheezed, lungs burning, frustration a bitter taste in my mouth. Then, the ground began to tremble. A low rumble, growing steadily louder. Fear replaced anger as I looked around wildly. "What in the…"

Suddenly, the trees parted like curtains, revealing a horrifying sight. A monstrous herd of boar-like creatures, their eyes glowing red in the twilight, charged towards the place I was previously camped, snorting and trampling everything in their path. Panic flooded my veins. I was trapped, a sitting duck for this stampede.

For a moment, the world held its breath. Then, with a thunderous roar, the herd changed course, thundering past the area I stood there, frozen in disbelief, watching as the dust settled around the empty clearing.

The monkey, perched precariously on a branch far away, turned its head and locked eyes with me. For the first time, I didn't see malice, but a flicker of… understanding? Maybe even concern?

Hesitantly, I lowered my weapon, a strange warmth blooming in my chest. Maybe I had misjudged the little guy. Here I was, ready to attack a creature who, in its own way, had just saved my life.

"Hey," I called out, my voice hoarse. "Maybe we can… work together?"

The monkey cocked its head, its beady eyes scrutinizing me. It seemed wary, hesitant. I needed a way to bridge the gap, to show it I wasn't a threat.

Grabbing a piece of charcoal from my meager camp supplies, I started sketching on the bark of a nearby tree. A rough picture of a large ape, followed by a smaller one, connected by a line. Then, another drawing of myself, kneeling in respect to the larger ape.

It took a while, but eventually, the message seemed to reach him. The monkey stared at the drawing, then back at me, an expression of utter disgust crossing its face.

It let out a series of rapid-fire screeches that sounded suspiciously like, "Why would I serve a weakling like you?"

The sting of rejection was sharp, even more so coming from a monkey. But before I could wallow in self-pity, the creature resumed its mocking gestures, swinging from branch to branch with renewed enthusiasm.

Sighing, I realized there was no changing its mind. Maybe some respect was a bridge too far. Still, at least I owed this little jerk my life. Heaving myself up, I gathered my meager supplies, the image of the fleeing boar herd forever etched in my memory.