The crowd buzzed around like a swarm of bees. I could feel the heat of their stares, their excitement rising with every second I stood facing Nze Amaechi.
He wasn't just anyone, he was the strongest man in the village, a warrior whose name made boys sit up straight and men think twice before speaking.
And here I was, just twenty-two, still catching my breath from the fight with Okoro, standing across from him like I had a chance.
But I wasn't here to prove myself to the crowd. I wasn't even here for Amaechi. I was here to complete my quest—Side Quest: Test of Strength.
I needed the skill, the strength, and whatever rewards came with it. Every step forward meant being better prepared for what lay beyond the village walls.
Amaechi didn't wait. The moment our match was called, he charged. The man moved like thunder—fast, loud, and heavy. His arm came straight for my throat, thick as a tree trunk and just as strong.
I ducked. Barely. His hand missed me by a breath, but the wind from the swing alone sent a chill down my back.
I moved fast, faster than I thought I could. I knew better than to let him grab me. One grip from those arms and I'd be out cold. He kept coming though, his footsteps shaking the ground itself.
Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me, but I swear I could feel the vibrations under my feet.
Each punch he threw could've broken ribs if they landed. I dodged left, rolled right, kept circling. He had power, that's for sure, but his strikes were heavy and slow.
That was my chance.
I slipped in when I could, quick jabs to his ribs, testing him. Nothing.
The man didn't even flinch. He just roared and swung wide, nearly catching me again. I had to jump back hard. My feet skidded on the sand.
"Is that all you've got, boy?" he called out, grinning like a wolf. His voice rumbled deep and loud. "You think you can challenge me right after Okoro?"
I didn't answer. I just kept moving, waiting for a real opening. I couldn't win this with strength. That was his world. Mine was speed and timing.
I'd let him swing and miss, let his arms grow heavy. But even then, I could feel my body tiring. The fight with Okoro hadn't been easy, but he didn't give off this much pressure.
"You're slowing," he said again, stepping forward like a boulder rolling downhill. "You don't have the stamina for this. I've been wrestling since before you had your first shave."
He wasn't wrong since my breathing became heavier with each passing moment, my limbs aching. But I kept moving, I had to. Lives depended on this.
I thought about the ones taken away, the families torn apart, a future of lies made to be the truth by invaders on our land. That gave me fire. That made me stay on my feet.
I lunged low, trying to sweep his legs. He stumbled, just for a second, and I rushed in to follow up. But Amaechi recovered fast.
Too fast.
His hand clamped around my arm like a steel trap, and then I was in the air, pulled into a bear hug that crushed the breath from my lungs.
I twisted, kicked, pushed—anything to break free—but his grip held. My ribs screamed.
"Is this what you wanted?" he growled into my ear. "You come at me after one match? You don't have the strength for this."
My heart pounded like war drums. I couldn't breathe. But I didn't give up. My knee found its place against his side and he staggered back.
Just one step. But it was enough. The crowd roared excitedly.
Amaechi let go and stepped back. His grin had changed. Still there, but tighter now.
"Nice try," he said in a low voice. "You've got guts. But do you have the power?"
I looked around. The older men sat with stern faces, their eyes gleaming with some unknowing light. Some had judgemental looks, others weighed me.
The younger ones… they looked at me like I was already something more than I was.
"I'm challenging you now," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. My chest heaved, but my words came steady.
Amaechi cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, his shadow swallowing mine. "Then fight like it."
He came at me fast with a straight jab aimed for my chest.
I twisted sideways, barely avoiding it. His fist sailed past, and I pivoted on my heel, hammering a quick elbow to his ribs. It felt like hitting a boulder.
He didn't flinch, just grunted and spun, his backhand coming wide.
I ducked under it and lunged forward, trying to get behind him. But Amaechi shifted, quick as a man half his size. His shoulder rammed into mine, knocking the wind from my lungs. I stumbled back and reset my stance.
He smirked, eyes narrowed. "Still standing. Good."
Then he charged again, his arms moving like battering rams, sweeping left and right. I weaved and ducked, heart pounding. Each near-miss carried weight. One hit could end it.
I didn't let him land it.
I stayed low, unpredictable, slipping under strikes, striking when I could. A punch to his side, a kick to the back of his knee. Nothing that would end the fight, but enough to accumulate damage and slow him down.
And indeed, he was slowing.
His breathing deepened. His strikes came with more pause. But my own legs were starting to wobble. My side ached from the earlier hit. My arms trembling slightly.
He stepped forward again, arm cocked back.
This time, I didn't dodge.
I stepped in.
His punch flew past my shoulder as I drove upward into his chest with both arms, lifting with my whole body. My momentum carried us off balance. He stumbled.
Now.
I twisted, hooked my leg behind his, and dropped low.
My shoulder pressed into his hip. My hands grabbed behind his knee and shoulder.
And with everything I had—
I lifted.
For a split second, Amaechi's body left the ground.
The crowd gasped.
Then we slammed down together, but I rolled away at the last second. His back hit the earth with a deep, solid thud.
Silence.
Dust hung in the air as the sun burned above. The only sound was my own breath, fast, ragged, disbelieving.
Amaechi didn't move right away. Just lay there, blinking at the sky. Then, slowly, he sat up and looked at me. A faint smile touched his lips.
The crowd erupted, but their cheers were muffled behind the ringing in my ears.
Amaechi stood, brushing sand from his arms. He walked over, slow but steady. I straightened as best I could, heart still thundering in my chest.
He looked down at me for a long moment.
Then he reached out his hand with his arm extended, palm up.
I reached back, and we clasped forearms, the warrior's grip.
His hand was calloused and heavy with strength, but there was no force behind it.
For a heartbeat, we stood like that, locked in silence, the crowd holding its breath around us.
Then his voice rang out
"You've got fire in you," he said. "Keep that, and we'll see where you go. But this fight—"
He nodded once.
"—you've earned my respect."
He let go and turned to the watching crowd.
"I call this match," he said, raising his hand and pointing to me. "Victory—Obinna of Ndiagbo."
Another explosion of cheers, louder this time. Real. Not just spectacle. I stood there, swaying slightly, soaking it in.
My body felt like it could fall apart at any moment. But inside, I felt sharp. Awake. This was more than strength. It was something I couldn't explain—not fully.
But it had weight. Purpose.
Amaechi glanced back one more time, a knowing smile in his eyes.
Then he walked off, giving me the space I had just earned.
The crowd pressed forward, but the ring remained clear, the elders watching silently from their seats, their faces unreadable.
"This one's not just a boy anymore," he said, voice rough and loud. "From today, Obinna of Ndiagbo will be called Ama-Ji-Agha—the one who wrestled strength and won."
The crowd murmured, some nodding, others still stunned.
I didn't say anything. Just nodded once and turned away, every step feeling heavier than the last.
But inside?
Lighter.
Just then—
[DING]
Side Quests: Trial of Strength → Prove your power to the warriors of Akutara.
Requirement: Win a public match against a renowned fighter.
Reward: Clan Respect, +2 Strength
Status: Complete
[STATUS]
Strength: 12(+1,+2) 15
It hit me like a quiet surge, nothing flashy, no glow, no sudden wind.
Just a shift deep in my muscles, like something inside had settled into place.
My arms felt firmer, my stance more solid. The fatigue was still there, but now... I felt like I could carry it a little further.
Good, of the four side quests, only two remained.
[The Merchant's Gamble] → Convince Ejuona that unity brings more profit than division.
Requirement: Secure an economic deal benefiting all clans.
Reward: Knowledge on Economics, +2 Charisma
And;
[Path of the Eze] → Unite the three great villages and restore Aku's lost glory.
Progress: 0%
Reward: Unknown