Chapter 1: Ironhoof Tribe

Chapter 1: Ironhoof Tribe

Northern Territory.

Luojia Mountain Range, Cloud Peak.

This is the gathering place for the minotaur branch of the Keter clan, one of the eight strong combat races of the Beamon Empire. The 'Ironhoof Tribe,' one of the ten major tribes of the Keter clan, is located here.

Early in the morning, before dawn had fully broken, a large number of training warriors had already gathered in the square of the Ironhoof Tribe. The sound of heavy breathing could be heard continuously.

Compared to the weak humans, the Beamon Empire could be considered a nation of soldiers. Especially among the beastmen, the Keter minotaurs are one of the strong combat races, known for their innately powerful physiques. Adult clan members are capable of single-handedly fighting ten enemies on the battlefield, which has earned them a great reputation.

"Huff and puff!"

"Huff and puff!"

From a corner of the square, came a somewhat immature but in unison voice.

"Hey! You little calves better not think about slacking off. Under the gaze of me, One-eyed Hunter, you'd better behave. Don't try to get away with anything."

A middle-aged minotaur with a patch over one eye, his hair graying and one horn broken, possibly by some sharp weapon, was patrolling back and forth.

In front of him was a group of young minotaurs, no older than eight or nine years, their faces youthful but their determination unmistakable.

The one-eyed minotaur, Hunter, paced back and forth, shouting loudly.

"Don't be resentful. This is for your own good. Otherwise, one day on the battlefield, you'll lose your lives. In our Ironhoof Tribe, only true warriors are respected. Think about your ancestors; it was their blood and sweat that built this..."

Hunter's passionate words further inspired the young minotaurs, their faces flushed red with enthusiasm, and they trained even harder.

The sounds of "huff and puff!" grew louder.

Hunter continued to shout, but as he scanned his surroundings and saw the serious expressions on the young minotaurs' faces, he nodded slightly, barely perceptible, in satisfaction.

On the other side of the square, several adult minotaurs watched the scene and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hehe, Hunter Boss's method is really effective. Look at these little ones; they've been working much harder these past few days."

Said one of the minotaurs who appeared slightly younger.

"Of course, Captain Hunter is a level nine warrior who survived the 'Meat Grinder,' the never-setting battlefield. He's definitely better than us in this regard!"

Answered the younger minotaur next to him.

"That's right. These little ones need to be trained hard. They're tough and resilient, and they can take a lot of punishment!"

A middle-aged minotaur with a scar on his cheek spat and said.

The younger Minotaur looked unconvinced.

The middle-aged minotaur looked weathered, and it seemed like something came to mind that caused his expression to dim slightly.

"Yeah! Even someone as strong as Hunter Boss, a nine-level warrior, had his horn cut off on the battlefield!"

The young minotaur said, unconvinced.

"You don't know anything," said the middle-aged minotaur, glancing at the speaking young minotaur. "Do you think being a level nine is already very powerful? This world is vast..."

……

They were just talking when they heard a young voice behind them.

"Uncle Baal, Karr, Sullimer, what are you guys talking about?"

They quickly turned around, seeing a young minotaur approaching, and they all smiled.

"Ye Han!"

"Young Master Ye Han??"

"Brother Ye Han Ketter!"

The young minotaur named Ye Han looked very young, about fifteen or sixteen years old, and his appearance was different from other Keter clan members. He wasn’t particularly handsome but had a delicate appearance, which was uncommon among the typically rough and burly minotaurs of the tribe.

His face closely resembled that of an ordinary human teenager, with only faint beast markings on his cheeks and two not-so-large grayish-brown horns on his head, betraying his minotaur identity.

A knowledgeable observer would immediately recognize this as a sign of high bloodline among the Keter clan. Among the orc races of the Beamon Empire, the higher the bloodline, the more human-like they appeared. For instance, the royal families of lion-men and tiger-men were nearly indistinguishable from humans.

Only when they entered a berserk state did their half-beast, ferocious appearance become evident!

In comparison, the Keter minotaurs were more distinct from humans. Their horns, always visible, were the best indicator of their identity.

"Young Master Ye Han, aren’t you training in the Evergreen Mountains? What brings you here today?"

The older Baal, who was somewhat aged, stepped forward and asked.

"Nothing much. I was just feeling bored and came to check on the kids!"

The young minotaur named Ye Han replied with a smile.

"Hmm! Young Master, you are the greatest talent of our Keter clan’s Ironhoof Tribe. In the future, the entire Ironhoof Tribe will belong to you, so it’s only fitting that you care about the tribe’s future."

Old Karl laughed heartily and said.

Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement.

"No, Uncle Karl, that’s not what I meant. I’m not particularly interested in clan affairs... Moreover, Father hasn’t decided on the heir yet!"

Ye Han, upon realizing that these straightforward minotaurs had misunderstood his meaning again, hurriedly explained.

However, such matters became increasingly difficult to clarify the more one tried.

Old Karl and the others laughed heartily and said,

"Don’t worry, Young Master Ye Han, as the top talent of our Ironhoof Tribe, your position is well recognized by everyone. Rest assured, no one will say anything against it."

Hearing Old Karl’s words, Ye Han knew it was probably impossible to explain further and could only smile wryly, saying no more.

At this moment, 'One-Eyed' Hunter, who was training the Ironhoof Tribe children in the distance, was also attracted by the commotion. He stood there and laughed, calling out,

"Little Ye Han, what brings you here? I heard you recently broke through to become a sixth-level warrior and mastered the advanced battle technique 'Drill Mountain Breaker.' Are you here because you were defeated too many times before and now want to ‘spar’ with me out of frustration?"

His voice was loud, immediately spreading across the entire square, and he emphasized the word "spar," clearly implying something, which immediately caused laughter among the people around.

Indeed, apart from a few races, most beastfolk in the Beamon Empire were straightforward by nature, and the Keter minotaurs were among the most straightforward of them all.

Ye Han wasn’t angry and replied loudly with a smile,

"Defeated by Commander Hunter some time ago, Ye Han harbors no resentment. However, I have gained some new insights recently. If Commander Hunter is truly itching for a fight, Ye Han would be more than willing to join you."

"Alright, I’ve been waiting for you to say that. Following our usual rule, I’ll suppress my combat strength to your level. I’m eager to see what new moves you’ve picked up. Let these kids see what a real battle looks like."

The 'One-eyed' Commander Hunter, with half his black horn missing, was clearly in high spirits as he strode into the center of the square. The surrounding area had been cleared of bystanders.

With a stomp of his foot, the ground shook in response.

"Alright, Commander Hunter, you’d better be careful. Here I come!"

Ye Han Keter let out a loud laugh, pushed off with his feet, and dashed towards the center of the arena at lightning speed.