Conquering His Cold Heart

"Hehehe my axe calls for blood." He said with unbridled bloodlust, his eyes scanning the horizon for delicious prey.

The monster stood almost 3 metres tall and had arms and legs the size of thick tree trunks. His body was covered in greyish white fur and was prominently exposed to the cold air Glacial mountains air. He wore minimal armour and proudly displayed his many battle scars that ran across his chest, arms and even back.

Garosh Bacchus a Major equivalent from the Jabrak Kingdom and a member of the three eyed tigerkin tribe, a tribe who sat directly below the ruling winter tigerkin and snow leopardkin tribes. A powerful individual representing an even more powerful faction.

Just like the other members of his tribe Bacchus was bloodthirsty, a monster who relished war and battle. With his third eye he could perceive even the slightest of movements made by his enemies and even see the flow of the ambient mana. Along with a body that rivalled iron and steel he was a force to be reckoned with.

"A Major equivalent from the Jabrak Kingdom, Garosh Bacchus. The one who put our previous Major in the medical wing." Said Captain Johnson through gritted teeth. He tightly grasped his left shoulder as a phantom pain assailed him.

During their last confrontation their platoon\'s usual Major was severely injured by him and even he received a grievous wound during their retreat. Thankfully however his was easily remedied by a mid-level health potion but the memory of his flesh being rendered apart by that bloodstained axe sent jolts through his nervous system.

Frost narrowed his gaze and focused on the approaching giant, subconsciously tightening his grip around his glaive. His heart that was already in an excited state started thumb with a powerful, almost audible rhythm.

Don! Don! Don!

It screamed for battle, for him to let loose, to plunder the bountiful DP stored within Bacchus\' oversized body. Unknowingly a wild smile flashed across his lips as a hunger assailed his body and a red glint shone in his eyes.

Finally he would have a chance to strut his stuff.

The stench and heavy atmosphere of the battlefield had already seeped into his pores long before the vanguard even used their vaunted battle formation. It was a miracle that he hadn\'t devolved into a maddened beast, driven by battle lust before now.

Thankfully Bacchus decided to take to the field, he\'d make a good punching bag.

"Major Frost I don\'t know how strong you truly are but since headquarters placed you here I\'m sure you can hold you own in a fight but nevertheless I\'ll advise you to be careful. Bacchus is a natural battle maniac; you show even the slightest sign of weakness, and he\'ll pounce and sink his teeth in you." Captain Johnson was obviously wary of the man, the memories of their last battle warping his objectivity.

Despite his fear and wariness however he still tightened his grip around his sword and shield, preparing himself to enter the fray as alongside Bacchus there was his most trusted righthand man, his cousin from the same tribe, a monster in the late stage of C-rank, Johnson\'s fated foe.

"Hmph relax a little Johnson, being tense before the duel will only lead to your defeat." Sensing his fear Frost firmly slapped Captain\'s Johnson\'s back before showing an undaunted and reassuring smile that stretched from ear to ear.

From the moment he saw Bacchus mozing up to the frontlines he knew exactly what his job was. Headquarters, General Katrina specifically assigned him to the 7th western defence line over all the other for one reason…..to take down Bacchus.

Realising this he turned his head back and upwards to glance at the valiant form of General Katrina standing at the edge of the northern wall.

Sensing his gaze Katrina peered down with a knowing smile, her eyes silently saying \'Show me what you\'ve got young pup\' before once again focusing on the battlefield as a whole.

"Johnson leave Bacchus to me; I\'ll make sure to avenge your previous commander." With a bold declaration Frost started to move forward, his every step filled with strength and confidence.

Captain Johnson was dazed for a second, his heart in that brief moment urged him to bow and revere Frost, to follow his command even if it was through a valley of blades or through the depths of a volcano. Before this only the Duke was able to naturally instil such emotions within him, could Frost be at the same level as their invincible Duke?

\'Impossible\' he shook his head and denied such a possibility instead chalking it up to a mere fluke before boldly following in Frost\'s wake.

"Tara you\'re in command until we return." He handed authority to another senior Captain before leaving.

"Good hunting Major Frost, Captain Johnson." Captain Tara loudly announced with a proud salute, the other officers mimicking her gesture a moment later.

"Hmm a new challenger is it." Once Frost and Johnson arrived near the frontline their arrival was spotted by Bacchus and his right hand man.

Bacchus recognised Johnson, he smirked and licked his lips as he remembered the taste of the senior Captain\'s blood on his axe. Frost however was an unknown.

Since he severely wounded the 7th western defence line\'s previous Major he didn\'t expect them to show up today but…suddenly upon getting a good look at Frost\'s face and frame anger boiled within him.

"DOES THE WAR URSA BATTALION WANT TO INSULT ME!!!" He roared at the top his lungs, his natural cadence and tone causing the weaker soldiers to freeze and even go limp in the knees.

"YOU DARE TO SEND OUT SOME WEAK PRETTY BOY WHO STILL REEKS OF HIS MOTHER\'S MILK!!!" Bacchus was absolutely livid. Though he could sense that Frost was in fact at the B-rank it didn\'t matter. All he saw was some unbloodied pipsqueak with nary a scratch across his skin. This was war and he was a glorious solider, he deserved to be faced with an equally experienced enemy.

He felt disrespected and insulted, a rather unusual occurrence when placed against the War Ursa Battalion given their penchant for quality and experience.

The tiger beastkin serving as his right hand man was no less furious, he glared at Captain Johnson. "Has the War Ursa Battalion run out of Majors already or are you insulting our three eyed tigerkin tribe!"

Captain Johnson felt a wave of anger wash over him as his eyes became bloodshot and his fists threatened to snap the handles of his sword and shield. But unfortunately the flash was fleeting as he struggled to come up with a counter to their enemy\'s words. Frost was truly an unknown and his appearance and youth certainly gave off a vibe of inexperience.

"Hmph how moronic, all brawns, no brains and certainly no instincts you\'re an insult to your tiger ancestry." Frost however had no trouble exchanging barbs with the two beastkin. He couldn\'t believe that someone with so much blood on their hands was truly judging a book by its cover, completely ignoring the threat that obviously lay beneath.

"Y…You!!" Bacchus\' right hand man shifted his glare to Frost and pointed menacingly at him as he readied himself for a tirade of a lifetime but before he could. "Enough Tulu he\'s not falling for it." Bacchus who was red in the face just a moment ago was now eerily calm as he stared at Frost, a stark change that made Johnson\'s spine tingle and Frost smirk.

"Tsk and here I thought we could have some fun." Tulu clicked his tongue and shook his head, before also donning a mask of complete calm.

Their previous anger was just a display, a trap to lure Frost and even Captain Johnson into treating them like blind, arrogant fools. Of course if Frost was so easy to manipulate then their anger and fury would be all but genuine. Only an unbloodied pup would fall for such provocation, and that would be an insult to their honour.

Bacchus and his cousin Tulu may be battle maniacs, but they weren\'t stupid, and they certainly weren\'t an insult to their tiger ancestry. Even a lion or in this case a tiger would go all out when facing a rabbit.

Since their first ploy failed the two of them immediately moved onto their next but unfortunately Frost was of a similar nature. Just when Bacchus and Tulu were about to suddenly attack without warning Tulu was assaulted by a devasting pressure, a pressure so strong that it made his veins bulge across his skin and his legs momentarily freeze.

Frost made a move first.

Without waiting for any more talk he summoned his full blown royal aspected aura and launched its entire essence upon Tulu, briefly halting his movements.

Being an experienced soldier Captain Johnson immediately took advantage of his enemy\'s predicament and charged shield first into the beastkin monolith before he could react.

"Tiger claw sundering!" Bacchus wasn\'t one to relent, only Tulu was frozen meaning he was free to carry out his sudden assault.

Completely ignoring his cousin Bacchus leapt at Frost with his massive blood stained axe overhead. His muscles bulged obscenely as he summoned his internal energy. A red tiger phantom formed above his axe head, cleaving downward with its massive claws alongside his swing. For a sudden attack Bacchus certainly wasn\'t holding back.

He was smiling at the thought of smashing apart Frost\'s pretty face, his blood would certainly make for a fabulous tonic.