Morning rise, Rev woke up, afterwards he went outside and saw at least ten soldiers gathered near their manor's gate. He also saw his grandpa waving at him and called out to get ready. Food, water other supplies and weapons, his grandpa's troops carried it and left as they walked to reach their destination.
It was already lunchtime and they were almost at the grey wolves cave but Rev's grandpa insisted to rest first to fill their stomach because as they say an individual can't fight if they have an empty stomach. Hearing that Rev also took out his prepared lunch and ate together with his grandpa after filling energized with moderate rest, they started to move out.
" Hey, grandpa... Why did you even invited me to come with you in a place like this?
" Huh? are you really asking that? of course I want you to at least experience once in a life time, out of the manor and for a picnic to explore together with you hahahaha!!!! "
" I see... so you just really want to explore and drag me out to watch you doing something else? "
" Ugh!... Sighs, don't be like that since you were hold up in the manor at least do something, walk or sight seeing a mountain. Wouldn't that be great? "
"( Haha... You just want me to see you slay a grey wolf right? ) "
Rev wants to let out the question but his grandpa would probably just ignored it. Then as they saw the cave, one of the soldiers who scouted the grey wolves cave earlier called out the name and title, Albert, knight captain, he reported and keep the details short.
From the perspective while touching his chin, knowing the information he just heard, Rev's grandpa ordered the soldiers forming on both sides and three from the frontline as the four would be in rear side for support and one bodyguard for Rev, while his grandpa will lead the way.
He made it that way because the information he heard was something about grey wolves roaming, from left to right hiding on the bush, packs of them outside of the cave. As they were at their locations. The soldiers were ordered, rear soldiers then fire arrows with mana essence coated in it since it won't be much fatal if it was only a normal bow and arrows.
The arrows came out of nowhere and pierce some of the grey wolves, they were startled then one of them howled trying to warn the other packs and even the ones inside in the cave.
The three grey wolves sense something on the bush near their front, they started to run and jump opening their jaws to attack, and then the three frontline soldiers show their self squatting as they pour strength with mana essence on their spear which they are holding and pierce them.
It was only one attack and the three grey wolves was instantly killed, Rev who was watching at the back of his grandpa was amazed, but that wasn't the only reason he he was surprised about, it was also the tactics that his grandpa strategize. Which as if he predicted the grey wolves movements and the outcome of it. Rev just look at his grandpa and smiled, he notice it and he was given a slight grin, patting his grandson's head.
" Hehe, are you amazed from my idea? "
" Hah? Well... yeah, I'll admit"
" Hahaha! mah... to be the truth I can always kill those puppies with just me but I need to give my troops an experience hahaha! "
Rev already knew his grandpa's strength since he already saw him who killed the most monsters in the Dantla village and giving experience from his troops is only an excuse because he just want them to get stronger. Since Rev also knows that their were a lot of soldiers died on that field were the incident came from the Dantla village, which his grandpa grieve their deaths, blaming his self for not training and taking good care about his soldiers well.
" Anyways listen here my grandson if you want to survive a battle or a war then don't be scared just fight with your will and might and as long you have companions or friends then all of the individuals and you will survive and win. Also... If you have an overwhelming prowess then use that to protect someone precious to you, and use that to survive "
Rev's grandpa probably says those to comfort him and smiled, though it was admiring words for him. Rev lightly clenched his fist and let out an exhale.
" Hmph, just you wait grandpa I'll catch up to you soon once I turned 14 years old. "
" Hahahaha!!! you still have more 5 years but yeah! that's a nice dream, surpass me and other warriors or other essence users my grandson "
Both of them exchange smiles and then they notice that the soldiers were a bit exhausted, Rev's grandpa who was wearing armor, hold his large two handed broad sword and move out. Walking to the frontline soldiers, he then made them rest and took the role alone to fight, the soldiers was flustered but they couldn't ignore his order.
" Watch me my grandson Rev! I'll show how strong I am hahaha! "
Rev sigh and tried to move closer on a safe spot, watching his grandpa, surrounded by the grey wolves, his grandpa snickered and shouted.
" Come at me! puppies!! "
Three grey wolves attack at the same time, and Rev's grandpa then swung his large broadsword with that strong impact, it slashed them in instant kill. All of the grey wolves growled aggressively and one after another they attacked but it was useless he was just cutting them like an apple. Some were slashed, cut in half and crushed by the broadsword, the soldiers who were watching were amazed but some of them were also a bit scared but not in a terrifying way, only as a surprised and one of them said the other old man's knight title---
" As expected of the ' Mad Lion ' he is really merciless and strong "
Rev who heard that repeated it,
" Mad... Lion ? "
One of the soldiers who heard Rev spoke, gave then a remarks about the knight captain, Albert. The knight captain who has the awaken his essence class of fighter, who wield large swords. From his days, Albert slaughtered monsters and those that are wild, evil which has also full of bloodlust.
When he was 14 years old he gain his class as a fighter and went to the academy, he keep on improving, getting stronger until reaching 30s he achieved several compliments for the bravery and protection that he did and renowned to be a hero.
Albert traveled around world, pushing his limits while also being accompanied by his friends as they got experience and getting stronger. Those travels and experience he has, was his happiest days, he then went back to Dantla Kingdom when he heard about the stamped of monsters, soldiers were sent and other essence users were also in the front lines.
Two days fight without rest and only Albert who stand there in a peak of a pile monsters, holding his large broad sword and achieved the title of Mad Lion. Months have past, he stumbled with noble woman, they get together and married, traveled and as they wanted a family. Days past Albert's wife was pregnant, they have a daughter and they live happily.
Still when it comes to a job he pushed his limits to work harder and as he aged he was still strong no one even beat him in one on one duel even the higher ups class in other kingdoms didn't have a chance of winning. But in a uncontrollable accident Albert's wife died, it was hard for him to forget it but he was help by his daughter and son-in-law.
Until then he reached 80s he started to feel an illness and it added his age which it was already normal, but Rev who watches his grandpa that is already eighty four years old fighting the grey wolves alone with the large broad sword, still had it.
He was surprised by his perseverance and tenacity at how strong his grandpa, he could only show an expression of awe but realizing the healers said he might only have 3-4 years left though they really don't know the exact time and how much he had left.
" Hahahaha!! while you were chatting there I already finished my work out here idiots "
As what he said all of them look at the dead bodies of grey wolves laying in the ground. Some of the soldiers started to move to do their job, collecting the core crystals and this was a chance for Rev since he can absorbed the mana essence without removing the core crystals out of the body, that's the other function of his emblem. Essence Users can only absorb the mana essence by physical contact of core crystals, if it was in the body, dead or alive, they can't absorbed it.
As for Rev he was told that he can absorb the mana essence even without taking out the core crystals but only if a monsters, beast or other beings which are dead. He look at his grandpa and ask if it is okay to watch the soldiers, removing the core crystals as a part of his study. His grandpa furrowed his brow in puzzled, but there's was no harm on it so he accepted his grandson's favor.
Rev who have a funny sly grin started to take a closer on the grey wolves, but first he look around if he was being watch.
" ( Okay... no one's observing me so... I should get started )
He's almost close with the soldiers, but he ignored them because they will only think that the grandson of Albert was only curious about what were they doing. Rev then who slowly reach out his right hand, touch the dead body of the grey wolf and started to absorb the mana essence.
Since there were at least fifty plus dead bodies of grey wolf, one and another one, he continued to absorbed the mana essence secretly with at least twenty grey wolves. There are more grey wolves that he didn't absorb and feels like it was a waste, but it will be obvious if he keeps on absorbing it and some of the soldiers notice that the core crystals of the grey wolves mana essence are empty.
Rev who heard them murmured, started to have a cold sweat and look away, but the soldiers think that their captain Albert properly damage the core crystals which lead leak out. Agreeing each other they continue to move the bodies away, Rev let out a sigh of relief and murmured silently.
" Haah... I thought they would report it to my grandpa. Still... it would be great if I sneak some core crystals but... I still didn't went inside at the cave so I'll just leave it because maybe there would be more grey wolves at the cave right? Wrath "
" Yes young master but... "
" but what? "
" No nothing "
Rev's curiosity on Wrath's pondering make him flummoxed, but he didn't worry about it since he have his grandpa on his side and let it go.
The soldiers who were done scavenging the core crystals and finished resting up was called out by Rev's grandpa, the captain, and ordered them to get ready.
" Hmm... I feel like there is something wrong in this cave.... My grandson Rev if you are in danger and feel like you want to escape then just run, don't be ashamed of it, just think that your saving your life understand? "
" U-uh... Yeah "
" Okay then! Let's go guys! Hahahaha! "
With his enthusiastic laugh while raising his right hand in a fist, the soldiers spirits were brimmed stronger too, while for Rev who watches it, thinks that they were some kind of people who deliberately behaves in such strange way, like they only wanted to attract attention. Yeah, they were just attracting an enemy with their loud cheer voice, Rev thought about it and sigh, shaking his head worriedly.