Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 172: Xeno’s trial

Finally making it through the plants. Xeno was relieved. He scooped Visha up into his arms. He understood her sacrifice, but he didn’t like it.

What mattered to him now was whether she would wake up soon. He both wanted to berate her and shackle her to his side. But he knew none of those were the right approach.

When Uri suggested they check the building they found, he was hesitant. There was no reason for them to look at it when Visha was hurt. But Uri assured him that she was safe.

He had also been scanning for danger and found none. He had become more adept at finding plant dangers because of how many times they had to either avoid or fight them. Another skill he was proud to add to his repertoire.

Now, however, thinking about his skills was the last thing on his mind. Even as he lay Visha in the grass, he kept looking back to ensure she was doing fine. Even when they arrived at the building, he couldn’t help taking a look.

He allowed himself a moment to relax when he saw the tiger on the pillar. He thought to himself that it was majestic. He wondered if he would be able to hold that kind of power one day.

The more he examined it, the more the pull he felt grew.

He completely missed the moment he fell into his trial.

The next thing he saw was a blinding gold light.

His body stiffened. He was ready for an attack to come. Since he was unable to use his sight, he could only use his sense of smell and hearing.

He noticed he had transformed into his beast shape. His large tiger form, powerful and swift.

The problem, there was nothing. The only thing he could hear was the wind and the sound of his own breathing. Before long, the blinding light disappeared, and he was able to see again.

What he saw was an endless savannah. The sun’s scorching heat touched his body. The wind carried with it a hint of blood. Xeno stood at the ready. Should danger come his way, he would be ready to fight.

At first, there was nothing but him, the wind, and sand. Then the ground began to tremble. From the ground came predators of all kinds. Lions with fiery manes, large horned beasts, and a tiger, larger than his own frame, with empty black eyes.

A voice echoed throughout the savannah.

"Having strength means nothing if you lack control."

The thunder-like voice tapered off, and the beasts attacked. Not one by one but all at once. The lions lunged towards him, attacking any available surface on his body. He leaps and dodges with efficiency. The horned beasts try to use their horns as an advantage. He forces them to crash into themselves.

The more he fights, the stronger he becomes. But the stronger he becomes, so do they. The more they fight, the more frenzied the fight becomes, and the more he loses himself.

The sun darkens, and dust storms rise.

He stops himself for a moment. His instincts were telling him something was not right. He stopped and watched. The same animals he was fighting, losing himself in, were also fighting each other. They were stumbling and crashing into each other.

He knew something was not right. He was not like them. He did not want to be like them. Their strength was nothing more than brute force. Seeing this, he anchored himself. He no longer fought with force alone. He used his intelligence.

When it appeared they were on the brink of defeat, the soulless tiger moved.

His large frame made the other animals step aside. He did not roar, but they felt his power. He charges towards Xeno mindlessly. Xeno knew he could defeat him with brute force.

When he tries, it rises again, stronger. The same lesson he had learned before echoed. Brute force will not solve everything. The savannah around him begins to crack. He needed a new approach.

The voice sounded again.

"A leader does not need to fight every battle. Assert your dominance without fighting."

Without fighting? Xeno asked himself. How? Then it clicked. Dominance without fighting.

He planted his feet. He no longer tried to fight. He lifted his head...and roared.

This was not a roar of rage or a territory claim. This was a roar that signified his status as a leader. As a king. It was his declaration of dominance, not through violence but through presence.

If he wavered, they would attack, seeing it as a sign of weakness. They would challenge him if he fell short. Xeno understood. You do not rule because you kill the most. You rule because you decide who lives and who dies.

Slowly, the beasts stopped circling. None of them attacked. They lowered their heads in submission. The savannah became peaceful. These creatures turned and walked away, once again becoming dust.

Xeno was proud of himself. From the corner of his eye, he saw prey, weak and unable to fend for itself. His first instinct is to strike, but he doesn’t. He can decide who lives and dies, but that does not mean he needs to kill everything he sees.

Though weak and easy, he is not hungry. He does not need to kill. But he also does not turn away. Only watching the prey he chooses to allow to continue to live.

As he watched the prey leave, the sun’s light shone down on his body.

Outside, he was covered in wisps of energy. They covered his body, like a lazy tiger, simply resting, waiting for the best time to move. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Xeno opens his eyes. His body has not changed must but his aura has. He is no longer the violent self he used to be. His power is more controlled. He still enjoys the thrill of the hunt, but he now does not feel the constant need to kill.