He traversed the forest floor and the leaves crackle as he steps on them. Carrying the boar on his back and his ripped clothes was used to be a bandage, wrapped on his shoulders.

He saw some small houses that distanced from each other from afar. It was a farming village that has many wheat fields from what his eyes can see.

Yellow wheat was dancing by the wind and it was ripe for harvest. With small hills that has a dirt road made for the villagers to walk to, he made his way towards their house.

As he paved the path, he remembered Joan’s memories of where their home was. As he scanned it, his memories resurfaced and he remembered many things like he was Joan himself.

He was walking past some small wooden homes that have wooden fences and the villagers were waving at him. He waved back as he remembered them in Joan’s memories.

.

Walking home while the wind was brushing his hair and skin, he smelled its freshness and he felt that it was a nice day.

While his clothes were tattered, he attracted some attention from the villagers. Some were worried at him as they saw him as a rugged kid.

Walking for several minutes, he saw young kids like him who had wooden swords.

He recognised them as the bullies of Joan’s past life. Their leader was named Kendrick. He was a notorious kid that bullies especially the weak kids and most kids in the village were his lackeys.

They tend to bully him because he was very weak and was a trash who only knew how to fire an arrow. Coward enough to use the said weapon on them.

As he was approaching them, he was immediately recognized by their leader. Smiling wryly as they tend to know he was carrying a boar that was enough to feed them.

“Hey, Joan! You got some good stuff in your back! I don’t mind to spare beating you up if you will leave that boar here. You don’t wanna get swollen face, right? The last time that I punch you was very nostalgic. You are holding tight your hunted deer even though we smash your face. So this time around, you will hand it over to me or you might get crippled this time around. You know, breaking your leg or hand. It’s your honor to choose between the two. So what’s your choice?” He said then chuckled looking at his lackeys.

All of them were having a good build. Contrary to Joan’s famished thin structure. He can saw his ribcage on his tattered clothes.

They were also one of the reasons that he was unhealthy as he was battered every time he went home and they mostly stole his hunted prize in the forest.

He can only pity him for his predicament. It was a thing that made the old man almost break his heart. He didn’t experience it but memories of his host were resurfacing.

In many days, they suffered starvation and it made the poor child learn to hunt. He gained experience as many years has passed but his physique didn’t improve.

There were also times where they were raided and looted of their belongings. Joan can only sigh at his host’s past. He also pitied the other kids of his age.

‘Sigh…. these kids need discipline,’ He thought and so he offered.

“I refused to give this boar. But I can teach you to hunt,” Joan said to him tapping the boar on his back.

“Nah, did you hear what I just said? You will give me the boar or if not, we will cripple you. It was an easy question, right? But you refused, so this will be in a hard way,” He cracked his knuckles and launched his attack.

He dashed and clenched his fist. As he came closer, Joan ducked while he rotated. Disappearing on his sight as he went on his back. Tapping his head while he measured his height. He saw him having a big and broad body.

Being taller than him by feet and he was only on his shoulders.

Kendrick jolted as Joan disappeared in a split second. After he felt that someone touched his head from the back, he turned around while Joan ducked so fast that Kendrick’s eyes only saw his after image. After seeing that he disappeared, he turned around and jolted as he saw him on his back. Joan poked his cheeks so he became irritated and tried to punch Joan in the face.

Joan removed his belongings and he ducked at his punch. Being able to move while he has his belongings on his back a while ago. He sweep-kicked him and he stumbled on the ground.

“What the? I will surely cripple you this time and make you can’t move in your bed for the rest of your life!” Kendrick bellowed.

Joan only yawned as he felt sleepy on his performance.

“You can do better right? Come on, show me what you can do,” Joan said to him.

He immediately stands up and grabbed the practice sword of one of his lackeys. Swinging the wooden sword left and right.

“We will see who will cry after this. I will make you crawl to the ground as you will go to your house!” He bellowed.

“Oh, you wanna spank me with that?” Joan can only smile with his weapon.

Joan walks slowly towards him and Kendrick slashed his sword vertically. Joan clipped the sword like a scissor with his hands and it made the wooden sword shattered by his force.

Kendrick can only look at his sword in awe and was shocked. He throws his sword and furiously attacks him with his hands this time around.

Joan retaliated and moved his two hands to clip his punch.

Locking his arm with his left arm and his right arm went to his face. It all happened in split second. Although it landed, Joan didn’t stop there.

Three left and right punch was released on his face and Kendrick can only step back on his blows. Another punch was made by Kendrick but Joan side-stepped while grabbing his hands.

Landing another hit on his face and another hit on the stomach.

Only for him to feel pain but not very damaging for the kid to handle. He didn’t stop there but rained another combo of hits on him and he can only take the hit like he was expecting it.

It was a one-sided beating and his enemy began to cry. His lackeys can only fear to intervene as they saw the enemy was stronger than him.

“All men attack!” Shouted Kendrick while tears falling on his face.

They all surrounded him and they all attacked. Joan was evading and was just kicking their feet, making them lose their balance. Dropping on the ground.

“Anyone who stands up will be punched furiously on the face. Now is it my turn to answer questions? As for my question, Do you want to learn hunting? As the idiom says, give a fish to a starving man can save him from hunger in a moment. Teach him how to fish will make him feed himself for a lifetime. So are you in? Or I will beat you all again?” Joan said to them.

They only nodded in agreement. Kendrick stands up and he clenched his fist.

“I will never forget this! I will tell this to my father! He will batter your father black and blue and he will also not let you get away with this! He is the captain of the guards here and you will not live happily anymore!” Kendrick bellowed.

Joan who was calm and composed inhaled a deep breath. Slowly but surely, he closed his eyes and a great aura was emitted from him. Colored red aura was seeping out of him and killing intent was released. Making all the habitants to feel its pressure. Even breathing was painful for the others and their soul was agonising in the process.

Joan then smiled at them and clenched his fist. Eyes closed, but what they saw was not a kid anymore but a roaring lion prepared to devour them. They were like strip naked in front of him like their soul was seen and their tears were mixed with their nose’s mucus.

“So? Are you interested in hunting? I will teach you?” Joan asked politely.

He asked politely, but for them, it was not polite in the slightest. They all nodded in him.

“Forget about hunting only, I want to serve you as our leader and learn how you fight!” said Kendrick in his swollen face.

“As my pride won’t let me but the strong rules the weak. It is a matter of fact in this world and I acknowledge that I am weaker than you. If you want to teach us how to hunt, then why will we refuse?” Kendrick said.

“Okay meet me tomorrow and I will guide you all. I will go home, for now, see you tomorrow!” Joan said then grabbed his boar, waving goodbye at them. Killing intent vanished.

“Thank you master!” they all chorused.

He went home and was walking confidently.

Arriving at their home where his mother was waiting for him. Hanging their clothes to the wire and saw him having tattered clothes.