Chapter 109: Hero?

The elderly doctor finally stepped forward and accepted the pelt Kyle was offering.

"Hmm?"

The moment his fingers brushed against the thick fur, his expression changed. He carefully ran his hand across its coarse surface, examining the dark charcoal-black strands interwoven with deep blood-red streaks. Even beneath the warm light of the fireplace, the fur possessed a faint crimson sheen that distinguished it from the hide of an ordinary beast.

The old man’s eyes narrowed.

’How is this possible? Is this... the pelt of a Bloodfang Wolf?!’

He immediately recognized the pelt. It belonged to the beast that had terrorized this small village for God knew how many years.

The Bloodfang Wolf was a truly murderous creature, one that preyed upon the weak and powerless villagers. It was a terrifying man-eating beast that spared neither animals nor humans. Whether it encountered a man, a woman, or even a child, everything was nothing more than food in its eyes.

"Bloodfang Wolf!"

The old man blurted out the words, unable to contain his surprise. He couldn’t believe that the young man before him possessed the pelt of the very beast that had been terrorizing their village for so long.

’He recognized it? Well, shouldn’t be surprising since it’s in their forest, after all, which is pretty close to this village.’

Kyle arrived at a logical conclusion rather quickly. Since the village was situated so close to the forest, it was only natural that the villagers would know about the beasts roaming within it, especially one as dangerous as the Bloodfang Wolf. Not to mention its terrifying howls, which could probably be heard from a considerable distance.

It wouldn’t be unusual for the villagers to have occasional sightings of such creatures, considering how close they lived to the forest.

Therefore, Kyle didn’t bother overthinking the matter.

"You recognized it? No wonder. It’s the pelt of the Bloodfang Wolf I killed in the night before collapsing and getting picked up by the lady."

He answered truthfully. What was there to hide, anyway? There was little point in concealing information that could potentially establish his strength in this unfamiliar world.

Besides, judging from the old man’s expression, Kyle could tell that he had apparently killed something rather impressive. The sheer astonishment on the doctor’s face made that much obvious.

’Are they too expressive, or am I just good at reading facial expressions now?’

Kyle couldn’t help questioning himself. He was reading the old man’s emotions almost like an open book. His dumbfounded expression was simply too obvious to ignore.

Whatever the case, Kyle could tell that he had accomplished something noteworthy.

"Elder, is that truly the pelt of that beast?"

Xi Yue interjected before the elderly doctor could say anything further. Having heard Kyle claim that he had personally killed the Bloodfang Wolf, she couldn’t help asking for confirmation.

"From what I see, it is truly, in fact, the pelt of that same ferocious beast that has terrified the village for ages, Yue’er."

The old man answered while stroking his long grey beard. He carefully examined the pelt again, running his fingers through its thick fur and inspecting its distinctive dark coloration and crimson streaks.

There was no mistaking it. This was indeed the pelt of the Bloodfang Wolf.

Xi Yue looked at Kyle, and everything suddenly began to make sense.

When she had found him lying outside the forest, covered in blood and suffering from severe injuries, she had been confused about what could have happened to him. Initially, she had assumed that he might have been attacked by bandits or thugs, or perhaps injured by some wild animal while travelling.

She had never imagined that this stranger had actually fought and defeated the very beast that had terrorized their village for years.

The Bloodfang Wolf had killed numerous villagers over the years, leaving fear in the hearts of everyone who lived nearby. Its existence had become a constant threat, and people had learned to avoid the forest whenever possible. Yet this young man had somehow managed to kill it.

Xi Yue’s gaze lingered on Kyle, her curiosity growing.

"Are you a martial artist?" Xi Yue asked him.

’Martial artist? Of course not. I’m a mage, but it’s not like they would know about that. So, let’s just say I’m a daoist. I am absolutely a martial daoist.’

Kyle quickly considered his options.

He believed that there was probably no concept of magic in this world, or at least nothing that resembled the powers he possessed. Therefore, calling himself a mage would only invite unnecessary questions. He would have to explain what magic was, how he used it, and why his abilities differed from those of ordinary martial artists.

Worse still, if they misunderstood his powers, they might consider him a demonic cultivator or something equally troublesome.

He had absolutely no intention of inviting that kind of attention.

It was far better to simply claim that he was a martial artist. If necessary, he could always improvise an explanation later.

"Yes, I am a martial artist, but perhaps not a very strong one," he said humbly.

’How is he so humble? All the martial artists I’ve seen in my life are arrogant and haughty, including my fiancé. How is he so different from them despite being so powerful?’

Xi Yue thought, impressed by his politeness and humility.

In her experience, martial artists were rarely so modest, especially those who possessed considerable strength. Most seemed eager to boast about their accomplishments, flaunt their abilities, and establish their superiority over others.

Yet Kyle had killed the Bloodfang Wolf, a ferocious beast that had claimed the lives of numerous martial artists in the past, and still spoke as though he had accomplished nothing particularly remarkable.

Her impression of him improved considerably.

"How terribly mistaken we were! You are the hero who saved our village. We cannot possibly accept something like this from you! If anything, we should be the ones offering you a reward for your trouble!"

The elderly doctor immediately bowed before Kyle, his expression filled with respect.

Xi Yue followed his example, bowing alongside him.

’What the—’