Name: Ravij.

  Level: 20

  Race: Monkey.

  Class: Rock Thrower

  Profession: Stone Smith

  Magic Vein (Stone): 32%

  HP: 900 / 1220

  Mana: 225 / 320

  Strength: 78

  Vitality: 66

  Dexterity: 72

  Arcana: 25

  Mind: 35

  Perception: 62

  -Skill (5/10)-

  - Stone Conjuring (Common)

  - Ricochet Throw (Common)

  - Exploding Rock (Uncommon)

  - Rock Barrage (Uncommon)

  - Rock Shield (Uncommon)

  -Passive Skill (4/10)-

  - Rock Body (Rare)

  - Awareness (Common)

  - Rock (Common)

  - Stone Precision (Uncommon)

  “Day dreaming again, lad?”

  Ravij temporarily raised his eyes from the carnage far below. His bony arm was looping around a branch, holding his whole body hanging down. Elder Maru looked down at him, unerringly, standing on the branch that held his life.

  It's only expected for a monkey to master the way of climbing; if you fall, then you're not a monkey.

  Pulling himself up, Ravij threw a rock down. The rock snapped below at an incredible speed, piercing the white moonlight dust that couldn't hide the Kobold King's body. It's hard to make out what happened to his stone. But Ravij could tell it did no damage. Normally, it would kill any predator from this far up.

  “I wish I could join the battle below,” Ravij said. “I wish to have a better class,” he gripped hard a rock in his palm, conjuring it out of thin air. The rock cracked and turned into dust. Great, now he's wasting Mana.

  “Young. So young you are,” Elder Maru said, not hiding his obvious amusement. “Have you not seen the ground down there? How did it turn into a pool of blood?”

  Ravij looked down again; this time, he did not focus on the fight. Not on the Lion Musa, who earned the Kobold blood and ire with every swipe it attempted. Not on the Stag Cel, who always had the Kobold eye trained on him because of the threat his antlers posed. Not on the Bear Whombis, who is the only one capable of holding off a Kobold talon. No, not on those great warriors. He looked at the blood smeared against the ground, around the white-hot white ash created by the Kobold's lightning. It’s hard to make out that red color from a hundred feet up, but even from here, those colors are apparent—fresh red as clean as a blue, verdant river.

  “But, isn’t that what being a warrior means? To sacrifice for the greater good?” Ravij asked. He is by no means suicidal or hot-blooded, but time and time again, he has seen that a warrior is needed. The raid from a rival clan has taken so many lives that he cares about. To be a warrior is to put your life below those who are weak, to be selfless and willing to step into a field of blood.

  “It is, I’m not saying we don’t need them. Oh, we certainly do. But what you’re doing now is no different than what they’re doing.”

  “Doesn’t feel that way,” Ravij said. His class is bad enough; this high-up is where his class should thrive, against the occupied enemy below. But he is barely able to do anything.

  So does the other Rock-Thrower, too, at least. Ravij thought.

  “I need to go below. To be closer..” Ravij said. He was about to offer a reason, but no good one came out of his mouth. It just feels right.

  “Very well,” Elder Maru said. The elder appeared sad. “I shall take your position then.”

  “You honor me, Elder.” Ravij bowed, clasping his hands together in a fist.

  He lunged down, hand sliding the great tree trunk, finding countless handholds to grasp. Ravij passes two monkey rock throwers; they glance at him, confused. But Ravij kept going down, passing another group.

  He trusted the tree, and with his climbing ability, it would be almost impossible to fall. Ravij jumped, not bothering to look at the branch approaching him, his eyes still on the battlefield. He landed, swinging himself down again to another branch.

  The sharp, putrid smell of blood mulled around him and settled even into his tongue. The acidic taste almost made him tear up. Water welled from both of his eyes, and he was greeted by the sight of a flayed body, even a splattered brain.

  The dust swirled as every move the Kobold made was so powerful, Ravij wondered how they could fight with all of that dust in their eyes.

  Still, the warriors kept charging down the slight caving of the earth. And their body was kept sliced apart, brutally. That talon of is death itself.

  But the King kept taking damage, especially from higher-level ones such as Musa and Cel. Neither the lion nor the Stag stopped running, going after the king's blind spot. They each kept drawing blood. They were winning. But how many must die?

  Ravij made out a blue-haired human, a couple of goblins, and another human with him. They seemed intent on joining the carnage.

  So brave.

  Then, behind them, he appeared. Ravij has wondered where he had gone. Sol, the pride of the monkey, towered over the humans with that golden sword. The humans gaped at Sol.

  Ravij felt a strange pride at the scene. Sol lightly pushed the human away and started to run, dragging the sword with one hand, and his other hand helped propel him to the King.

  Sol skidded to a stop, dragging the golden sword across. His chest huffed, then in a great voice, he screamed out. “I, Sol, Blademaster, hereby invoke the duel of jungle to challenge the Kobold King Salar!”

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Fool!” A voice boomed immediately, making Ravij’s fur shudder. He saw Elder Johrim swing expertly down with his tail looped around a branch and landing on the blue-haired man's shoulder.

  The man appeared exasperated, eyeing the monkey with obvious offense. But Elder Johrim ignored the man and glared up at Sol, who was taller still.

  “If he accepts, what would you think happened? He will heal! This is the time to keep going and deal damage – the time to overpower its regeneration! Now, get in there and help Musa and Cel!”

  “But, that's disgraceful!” Sol grunted, rumbling under his loud breath. The monkey has been Ravij's great friend; he has been talented, whereas Ravij has been mediocre. Sol had everything; great power, classes, body, and even family. One thing the Blademaster monkey lacks is reason. Countless times, Ravij has to pull him out, by reasoning with him, even when he’s charging at incredible danger, someone needed to be there still to hold him back.

  So, Ravij swung down, landing on the other Blue-haired man's shoulder. The man just blinked and shook his head. He was saying something to the human with wavy hair behind him, but Ravij did not know their language.

  “Elder, Johrim is right, Sol,” Ravij said. The monkey in front of him still held that stubborn look.

  “Ravij!” Elder Johrim exclaimed. “Good, good, now get some sense to him!”

  “I don’t think that's necessary,” Ravij said, not wanting to shame his friend. “The Kobold King Salar probably cannot speak, right? So there's no way to formalize the challenge anyway. So Sol, I’m sorry, but it's impossible to challenge him.”

  “I see,” Sol nodded, bowing deeply. “You’re right, my friend. Then I shall aid-”

  “I accept!” A deep grounding shout echoed.

  Horror crept into Ravij's body, his tail twitched, a tell-tale sign that something bad about to happen.

  “Did he just speak?” Elder Johrim said, he stared into the clearing of dust, and the fight stopped. And Musa the lion glared at Sol.

  “Fool!” Musa growled.

  ‘Absolutely not!’ A voice resounded inside Ravij’s mind. He winced as the sharp tinge of pain flared briefly across his head. Normally, Cel the stag would warn them. But, in a condition like this… ‘There will be no duel! Kept attacking!’ The stag ordered.

  “I accept!” The Kobold King Salar screamed out again. The overweight golden blob of hideous dragon kept repeating. He knew he would die slowly if the attack kept going.

  ‘Rescind your challenge, Blademaster Sol! We have to press him!’ Yet, despite Cel's obvious anger. Even he did not attack the Kobold. The duel of the jungle is sacred. And no one has any right to refuse.

  “No,” Sol said. He walked forward with three limbs, his right hand dragging the sword, skidding against the ground, parting grasses as the heavy Golden Sword slithered along. “I shall fight, and bring him down!”

  Sol passed over Musa, the lion no doubt, thinking to claw at the Monkey, killing it there and be done with him.

  And perhaps Musa is in the right to consider such a thing.

  Electricity crackling from the Kobold, its various wounds began to close. The sight earned a deep rumble through the forest.

  “.......” The blue-haired man shouted at Ravij and Elder Johrim. They do not understand the creature's language, but it is obvious what it's asking.

  Why have they stopped?

  Sol charged ahead, holding the heavy sword in one arm, still. The kobold roared, moving – ever so slowly. Electricity by now has healed most of its wound, his great talon swipe at Sol in lightning-enhanced speed.

  Sol, despite this, kept going. The monkey got faster and faster – The claw raked over. And Sol managed to duck the attack, entering the King's defence.

  Ravij's heart lurched for his friend despite his foolishness. Sol swung the golden sword, meeting the left claw of the Kobold. They clattered against each other, but this resulted in Sol losing his speed. Salar managed to bring back its left hand, and they exchanged blows over and over.

  Sol is forced to stand with two legs and wield the sword with two hands. It might be a natural stance for most creatures like humans and elves, but for monkeys, who were born and taught to climb, their natural stance is to use all four limbs to move. Holding a sword is already strange for them, and now Sol is forced to hold his sword like that. But, he had to – the strength of the King overwhelmed Sol easily, if not for that sword quality and years of practice – Sol would have died already.

  “Ah! He cannot use his mobility! Not with that huge sword!” Elder Jorum looked like he was about to tear his head fur.

  Electricity cascaded on both Salar arms, they crackling bright in death rattle. He clasped down upon the monkey, leaving no room to dodge.

  Seeing his chance, Sol activated the skill that he had used countless times. It's a mere Common skill, but it was an incredibly important one in his arsenal. In the blink of an eye, the monkey skidded back with incredible speed, like he had just glided over.

  Dust flew up as the Kobold hit nothing. Salar growled at the sword-wielding monkey.

  Sol, seeing an opening, ran forward, climbing on top of the giant body of the Kobold through Salar’s hand.

  “Fool!” The elder screamed. “You will just get electrocuted!”

  No, Ravij Thought, the Kobold is still healing.

  As if mocking him, the Kobold stopped its electricity that buzzed around its various cut wounds. Then, sizzling bright electricity shot up around the Kobold's golden body.

  Ravij found himself calling his friend's name out loud. But, Sol managed to see this coming; the monkey jumped high, propelling himself from the Kobold’s forearm, straight flying to the King's eye.

  Sol had used another of his Common Passive Skills.

  Ravij grinned. A perfect skill for a time like this, whenever Sol pulled this move.

  It’s a skill that keeps one sword always in front.

  The monkey's hand shot forward, a golden sword piercing straight into the Kobold King’s eyes. Blood burst under the moonlight. But, in a quick swipe of a talon, Sol was swiped away at an incredible speed by the King.

  His friend crashed into a trunk, sword fallen beside him.

  Another swipe coming, but Sol saw it. He grasped the Golden sword and jumped over the talon. Sol, dodge a tail whip by ducking under it. The tail coiled around like a snake, only to be parried by Sol's expert swordmanship.

  Salar roared, one eye completely gone, a shame the Golden sword did not pierce through all the way to its brain.

  With both Talon, electricity crackling, this time mana gathered toward the finger.

  He was about to shoot it.

  Sol jumped around the ground, dodging a lightning bolt from the Kobold. He sidestepped expertly, like he had seen the strike coming. He even manages to rake the Kobold across its abdomen, adding a deep wound.

  Finally deciding he had dodged enough, Sol charged again, no doubt wanting to repeat his earlier move. But a crackle of electricity pushed the monkey back. By now, the animals are cheering for Sol, and the monkey has proven to be more than capable.

  The Kobold stepped back and brought his hands together.

  Ravij raised an eyebrow at this. What did it intend to do?

  The gold across Salar's body morphed; it flailed around like a moving painting. Those gold shot out to Salar’s hand, revealing an ugly, hideous, scaleless, brown, rotting, fat body of the Kobold.

  “It sacrifices its defense,” Ravij muttered.

  Seeing its flesh skin without any of that golden armor. Sol rushed forward; his eagerness was painfully apparent.

  Gold formed between Salar’s hands. A great majestic Golden Warhammer materialized. All of his defense, the alchemist Kobold has converted into the ultimate offensive weapon. The King swung down the Hammer; it was way faster now, its body less heavy, and with lightning-enhancement, pushed straight into his talon too.

  Sol brought his sword up, recognizing he would get caught in the hammer-blow. The monkey had to skid to a stop. But there’s no way his sword can stop it.

  In a deafening crash, the hammer was brought down straight to the ground – the earth shook. Blood explodes violently. And Ravij has lost his childhood friend.

  A tear slid down his cheek. “Sol?” Ravij muttered. He looked around, and everyone was entranced – even the Human he was on couldn’t take his eyes.

  ‘Attack,’ A voice sounded out inside their mind.

  It was Cel of the Stag.

  ‘Now! It no longer has armour!’ The stag charge. Musa the lion followed, howling as he did.

  “Yes, attack…” Ravij muttered. He looked beside him, a Koala atop a beautiful white horse about to gallop.

  Ravij jumped behind the Koala. “Whoa, monkey? Get down!” The Koala growled.

  “No! Take me with you! That was my friend!”

  “Your friend…

  “I don’t mind. Let him Apala,” The horse said, tapping its hind legs.

  “Very well, Mustangah, in honor of your friend,” Apala raised his spear up. “We’re the fastest horse riders! Aren't we all!” Apala screamed, behind him, five other koala riders woot. They began to gallop, charging at the now vulnerable King.

  “Death!” Apala screamed. His cries taken up by the five riders behind him.

  Ravij gripped a stone; he had to sling his right hand around Apala’s stomach so he would not get thrown off. “Death!” Ravij screamed.

  They were on the forefront, now he realized they might really die, they went even faster than Cel and the lions who were charging before them, and worst of all, they were the first ones that would be in contact with Salar. Naturally, the King had his eyes trained on them.