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nThe Ghouls are one of the many Intelligent Races born from the corpses of Kelsus and Anir. Ghouls are part of the Demons and are one of the few half-undead subspecies of them.

nTheir appearances are rather humanoid, and are of those Demons subspecies that have physiology remarkably similar to humans, from their body proportions to their internal organs and many other things…

nBut aside from that, they are vastly different than humans.

nTheir skin usually varies in color, from red, blue, or purple, and their eyes are fairly different than that of humans as well.

nThe white part of their eyes is black-colored, and their pupils are usually of the color of their skin, but there are rare cases where their pupils might be of different colors, depending on what they inherited from their parents.

nThe men have their heads filled with horns, the oldest and strongest of the males would have so many horns that they would look as if they had a crown made with them, while the women only develop two tiny horns that do not grow over a centimeter in their foreheads.

nGhoul men have burly and strong bodies, often doubling in size their females, some of which reach above two meters when they become adults.

nMeanwhile, Ghoul women have smaller bodies, resembling those of human women, their bodies are slim and flexible, and faster than the males, but weaker physically.

nGhoul men are good at physical combat, and with their strength alone at adulthood, they are comparable to a Rank 4 Monster.

nMeanwhile, Ghoul women are good with magic, many of them developing strong magical affinities and vast Mana pools, which they use to develop their magical powers and create spells, they are good healers as well and have even seen practicing alchemy.

nTheir hierarchy is rather dull, there is one chief, just like most tribes of demi-humans. Usually, women are more intelligent than men, so they are capable of controlling them better and also are better at crafting, cooking, and healing them.

nMen go hunt while women stay in the tribe doing many types of labor, the chief, which is an important role in the tribe that acts as their leader and also instruct each person to do different tasks is most of the time a Ghoul woman.

nThe only tribe of Ghouls in the Devil Forest was made of almost one hundred of them, and it situated into one of the corners of the forest, so Oggoth's attacks had never reached them due to being so far away from everything that was happening.

nToday was another simple day of routine for the chief of the Ghoul Tribe of the Devil Forest, Alesia, she woke up early in the morning alongside the other women and took care of the many children that the tribe had.

nIn the Ghoul Tribe, although most women had their partner, the ones that had children would often gather around the chief, which was usually a woman as well, and the chief would instruct the women how to properly take care of the children amongst many other things such as crafting and cooking. This is why the chief of the Ghoul Tribe was often a genius that was capable of teaching many things and was appreciated and treasured by every tribe member.

nAlesia was currently cooking as she talked with another Ghoul woman.

nAlesia had purple-colored skin, alongside bouncy and large breast alongside wide hips, on the horns of her forehead, the left one was larger than the right one, and the tip was black-colored instead of being completely purple like her skin color.

nShe had long blue hair, made into beautiful braids that crossed all across her torso and over her simple yet beautiful dress. She had black nails and, like every Ghoul, was barefoot.

nAlesia had a petite complexion despite her older age of two hundred and thirty-two years old, as she had a child at an early age and was confined in such an appearance.

nGhouls were particularly interesting when it came to their aging, they were able to live up to three hundred years, but the men would stop aging in appearance when they reached adulthood at approximately fifteen years old, while women would keep aging until they were to have a child, which would then define their appearance.

nThis is why it was dangerous if a woman did not have a child quickly, as they would grow older and might not even be capable of living their three hundred years of total lifespan.

nAlesia had a few children throughout her lifespan, but she never had a husband as the culture of ghouls was rather loose in how their relationships were structured, no one was restrained with anyone, so everyone could be with anyone… however, they usually had certain cycles of reproduction where they would mate.

nDue to such a unique yet carefree culture, it could be said that all Ghouls tribes were usually a big family.

nNonetheless, the males were responsible for the women and the children, so they protected the tribe and also went hunting for food in large groups so everyone could be feed.

nGhouls were not the sharpest when it came to plantation and farming and were more like hunters and gatherers.

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"Hey chief, so I heard that there was a lot of commotion in the rest of the forest, is that true?

" asked a young Ghoul woman with red-colored skin and eyes, alongside short and tomboyish, white-colored hair, she was wearing a few leather clothes that covered her breasts and hips, but nothing much aside from this.

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"Commotion? So you've heard about the rumors I guess… yeah, we heard a lot of explosions the other day, and I was rather worried if something bad was happening, but it seemed that everything ended and has been quite calm these last weeks… I hope it keeps being the same… There is not much we can do… but perhaps one of the other tribes living in here got into a fight or war? We shouldn't get involved with them,

" said Alesia, as she moved a large Giant Lizard, which was being grilled into a stick over the bonfire, it was covered only on its grease, which made it glossy, making it release an enticing smell.

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"I guess as long as we don't get involved, we will be fine then?

" asked the red-skinned Ghoul woman.

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"Yeah, the problems of others are the problems of others-

"

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"CHIEF! A group of people is coming here!

" shouted a blue-skinned Ghoul man with a towering body of around two meters, he had a few horns on his head, showing that he was still rather young, but his youthfulness didn't impede him from being packed with muscles and resembling a walking boulder.

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"What? Who could it be?!

" asked Alesia in confusion.

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"Wait… don't tell me that those that were fighting have come here after having defeated their enemy and are aiming at us now?!

" thought Alesia.

nAlesia left the Giant Lizard that she was roasting and moved to the frontlines, taking her staff, and commanding the Male Ghouls inside the tribe that was not out hunting.

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"Everyone gather! Defend the gates!

" she called, moving alongside many other Male Ghouls, who grabbed their Axes and Clubs, their preferred weapons due to their height and strength, as they moved by Alesia's lead.

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"What is happening, chief?

"

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"Invaders? It's been so long, I think I am a bit rusty…

"

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"Get your ** together and move!

"

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"We won't let the invaders touch your women and children!

"

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"GUOOO!

"

nAside from the chief, Alesia, there was another Ghoul with a similar position to hers, but that always led the males and was often known as the 'aniki' or 'older brother'.

nHis name was Leonidas, and he was a large, two meters tall Ghoul man with charcoal black colored skin, burly muscles all across his body, and an ugly and intimidating face, with sharp fangs and tusks poking from his upper and lower jaws, he had an entire crown of dark horns on his head, alongside short black hair, and black eyes with red pupils. He wielded a giant Battle Axe and was the representation of masculinity in the entire tribe.

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"I will lead the charge! Follow me, everyone! GUUUOOOO!

" roared Leonidas, leaving Alesia behind as the gates opened and his men accompanied him from his side and behind, a whole battalion of around thirty burly Ghoul men, each one as strong as a Rank 4 monster, capable of leaving devastation across an entire town if they were given the opportunity.

nHowever, when Leonidas ran out of the tribe's wooden walls, what he found was a tiny group of a few people, mostly women, accompanied by two men… and there was a little pale-skinned toddler standing.

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"GUOOO! KILL THEM- Eh?

"

nLeonidas suddenly stopped before stomping over the little child, glancing at him with curiosity and then to the other small group.

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"Leonidas, what is happening?

"

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"Eh? Is that a toddler?

"

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"And those women, from the other tribes?

"

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"There are two men?

"

nLeonidas was somehow still glancing at Ervas, who he found had a strange presence around himself… it was almost entrancing, like a creature special and treasurable that he had never met before yet felt very familiar as if it were a Ghoul child that had gone lost in the forest and had come back.

nLeonidas felt the necessity of protecting the kid instead of attacking it.

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"Hello… We come in peace, so please calm down…

" said the little toddler, opening his mouth and releasing those words.

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"Eh? Y-Yeah, I can tell, you are just a little kid! Are you lost?

" asked Leonidas.

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"Lost? No, I came with my family,

" said Ervas, pointing to his group.

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