Trapped in the Beastworld Breeder System (BL)-Chapter 71: A duel

And with that, Aries started noticing the people around him, realizing just how much he truly stood out.

Some warriors entered wearing proper attire, like the sensible people he had seen before, but others wore barely anything, just a thong around their waists, much like the warriors from the Tiger Kingdom. The outlines of their bodies were unmistakably visible, their chests bare and their lower regions outlined sharply by the cloth.

Aries felt a flush of heat rise to his face as they all moved through the hall.

Some were chatting with friends, others wore stoic expressions, and a few smiled casually. There were young warriors, older ones, and those who seemed to be just... there.

His eyes roamed over each person, analyzing them carefully. Curiosity swelled in him as he tried to make sense of the scene. From the layout and the warriors’ behaviors, it seemed similar to a modern barracks—a place where an army resides and trains.

Finally, everyone settled in. Two beastmen remained at the entrance to guard the door, following Thales’ instructions, leaving the three of them standing at the front.

Aries positioned himself to Thales’ right, with Slvy on his left. The raised platform gave him a clear view of the hall below.

He could see the bulk of most warriors, their muscular forms imposing, and he noticed a few who seemed like him—slighter, less physically imposing.

That small observation boosted his confidence slightly, though the weight of his position as the king’s appointed second-in-command remained heavy on his shoulders.

Beside Thales and Slvy, Aries looked odd. Anyone unaware of the situation might assume he had offended the masters and was being presented as an example to the others—a lesson in humility. The silence of the hall added to the grim atmosphere; eyes lingered on him, appraising him, some openly scrutinizing him. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Then Thales spoke, his voice cutting through the tension. The crowd’s attention immediately shifted to him.

"Welcome, everyone. I’ll be brief."

He then gestured toward Aries. "Here with us is Aries. He is the acclaimed warrior chosen to assist your warlord with his duties. In other words, he is the second-in-command in this place."

As Thales’ words sank in, a ripple of laughter swept through the hall. To them, it seemed like a joke. Perhaps Thales had noticed their surprise and sought to lighten the mood, but the laughter only served to irritate him. His sharp voice cut through the hall, silencing them immediately.

"Impulsive of you to laugh at my words."

The hall fell silent. All eyes returned to Thales.

"As I said, this is the one the king decreed to work alongside me in conquering the Tiger Territory. With him, we will be victorious."

Now, all eyes shifted to Aries. The laughter had died, replaced by stunned disbelief. Confusion rippled through the crowd like a wave.

Was the king drunk?

Is this some kind of joke?

Why pick someone so frail-looking, so different from us, as second-in-command of the royal army?

Aries knew those were the questions that were probably rolling in their mind, if not many insults upon insult on him. He felt like the ground should swallow him whole eyes stayed on him, scruitining and checking him.

But none of the warriors spoke as Thales had made it known earlier; their opinions weren’t needed, same as their laughter.

"You all can leave." Thales said, dismissing them and the warriors returned to their duties—ranked and unranked alike, even the trainers moved back to their stations.

As the hall emptied, Thales’ voice rang out again, firm and commanding. "But Lord Aldric should stay."

Lord Aldric, a young man with striking red hair, piercing blue eyes typical of the wolves’ signature, and fair skin, remained behind. His black uniform was striking from head to toe, and a small device resembling a watch beeped intermittently on his wrist.

He approached the leaders, bowing respectfully to Thales and Slvy. But when his gaze fell on Aries, he didn’t bow.

Instead, his features hardened into a clear expression of disgust, and Aries felt the weight of it pressing down on him like a physical force.

Awkwardly, Aries forced a small, tentative smile, unsure how to respond to Aldric’s open disdain. Thales broke the silence with calm authority.

"Aldric, you’ll be tasked with this. You will explain how the field operates to Lord Aries. I hope it won’t interfere with your current duties."

"No, my lord," Aldric replied quickly, head held high. "My schedule is clear now, and I can afford to be his tour guide."

"Good," Thales said, nodding slightly. "Because Slvy and I will be busy with other matters, and we wouldn’t want the newcomer wandering around."

"Certainly. That won’t happen with me here," Aldric confirmed, his tone polite but firm, the faintest edge of pride in his posture.

With that, Aries followed Aldric out of the hall. The young lord walked ahead in silence, leading him to the open arena. The field stretched wide, spread with warriors engaged in various drills. Some clashed with swords, others with daggers; some conjured sparks of magical energy, while a few even experimented with poisons in their duels.

Aries watched intently, absorbing every movement and every tactic, until Aldric cleared his throat sharply to get his attention.

"Yo," Aldric called, narrowing his eyes as he glared at Aries. "Enjoying the view, huh?"

Aries paused. He looked at Aldric and honestly he wasn’t sure how to interact with him. But then....

"Yes," he replied, nodding slightly. He knew this man disliked him, but he kept his tone neutral, careful not to provoke any unnecessary hostility.

"Hmmm... how about you go over there and fight? Show off some moves," Aldric challenged, stepping closer and fixing him with a piercing stare.

Aries met his gaze coolly, scanning him from head to toe before replying evenly, "No."

"And how about you do exactly what you were tasked to do, Lord Aldric?" Aries countered, his voice steady, carrying a subtle firmness that surprised even himself.

"I was about to get to that," Aldric said, smirking, his eyes flicking briefly with amusement.

"I see. That’s sensible," Aries replied, tilting his head slightly as he measured Aldric’s expression.

Aldric paused, studying Aries carefully, before continuing in a more instructive tone. "This field is where warriors are trained. It’s owned by the royals, and only the palace, or the king can command people to train or arm themselves for war or protection. If a noble wants to have his own force, he’s limited to twenty warriors, and can only train them after receiving the king’s ordination."

"So, every member of this territory who reaches the age of fifteen is expected to come here and be trained as a warrior. Those who choose not to serve can do so for five years and then leave. So, just know that anyone here at twenty years old has actually chosen to become a warrior for the Kingdom."

"Also, warriors are ranked. Levels start at 1 and go up to 7, with the warlord at level 7. I’m level 5, and the lowest, level 1, is basically a normal beastkin, nothing special, just normal."

He continued, "Strength, agility, mental fortitude, and combat skill are scored numerically: 0–25 for level 1, 26–40 for level 2, 41–55 for level 3, 56–65 for level 4, 66–75 for level 5, 76–85 for level 6, and 86 up to the max for level 7."

"War Lord Thales is exceptionally strong—around 87, I think."

"I get it," Aries muttered.

And he truly did, both the explicit meaning and the unspoken implications. He probably wouldn’t qualify for level 6 himself, so how could he possibly be second-in-command?

But Aldric didn’t voice any of that, so Aries remained calm.

"Since that’s explained, we should test you to see what level you qualify for," Aldric said.

"Did Thales tell you to do that?" Aries asked.

"You’re not being a coward, are you?" Aldric snapped, and Aries furrowed his brows in irritation.

It was clear, Aldric wanted to assert dominance in the absence of his supposed superior. Though Aries didn’t know him well, the little he did know suggested Aldric probably disliked him.

"I’m Level 5," Aldric declared. "Just one step below the trainers and second-in-command. Fight me, and we’ll see if you’re as capable as they claim."

"No one even said I’m anything," Aries began, but Aldric didn’t even bother listening.

Before Aries could react further, the hiss of a sword being drawn cut through the air. The metallic clang, the flash of sunlight on steel, and the scent of metal clouded his senses.

One swift strike from Aldric sent Aries stumbling backward, colliding with rows of onlookers watching duels across the field.

He landed bum-first on the ground, and the crowd turned to see what had happened.

Aldric stood tall, sword at his side, while Aries scrambled to his feet, cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Well, if he wants us to fight..." Aries muttered to himself, brushing dust from his clothes. "...then I’ll do my best."

He squared his shoulders, eyes fixed on Aldric and the others in the arena, ready to prove himself.