Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

As the first rays of daylight pierced through the sky, crossing the Canyon Frontline and dispelling the darkness, the day gradually brightened.

Rhett arrived at the front lines alongside Ambiru.

The beastmen's forward positions were a series of towering, sharp-edged camps. Lacking any artistic features, these crude constructions were purely functional, chaotic in appearance. Unlike humans, beastmen didn't care much about architecture—after all, their bodies were their best weapons and shields.

The one notable aspect of their camps was their massive scale, accommodating the large, unrefined beastmen who lived within.

Though beastmen couldn't delve into alchemy like humans, royal beastmen had a natural advantage. In their eyes, unlocking the potential of their bloodline was more valuable than anything else! Even ordinary beastmen, with enough food and rigorous training, could steadily improve their strength.

Beyond the beastmen's forward positions stretched an endless plain.

The beastmen had chosen this terrain specifically to maximize their greatest advantage in war—direct frontal confrontation.

At that moment, the battle on the front lines was chaotic, but a closer look revealed a certain order amidst the disorder.

In the vanguard, densely packed human soldiers clad in metal armor wielded longswords, heavy shields, or massive axes, engaging in fierce combat with the Minotaurs, Boarmen, and a few Blood Moon Werewolves.

In terms of individual combat strength, the beastmen's innate physical prowess and healing abilities naturally far surpassed those of humans. This advantage only began to diminish at the Saint level when the mysteries of profound power came into play.

But at least before reaching the Saint level, except for a few human prodigies, it was an undeniable fact that beastmen generally outmatched humans in individual combat.

To counter the beastmen, humans relied on their numerical superiority and the flexible coordination of knights, archers, and mages.

For example, right now, several mages were stationed behind the human army, protected by knights as they continuously cast spells to disrupt or directly attack the beastmen.

In the sky, Wind Mage Masters hovered, their cold eyes fixed on the beastmen below as they maintained Wind Wall spells while casting wind blades at the enemy.

These merciless wind blades, streaking with cyan light, resembled blue beams of energy. Any beastman who momentarily lost focus and failed to notice could have their head severed by a wind blade.

Over a thousand archers stood at the rear of the army, positioned on platforms constructed by Earth Mages.

Bows drawn, they launched arrows that, aided by the wind walls, rained down on the beastmen like meteors.

When facing wind blades, beastmen could only rely on their reflexes to dodge. But when confronted with arrows, the Boarmen and Minotaurs took a more straightforward approach. They raised massive, ten-square-meter shields bristling with spikes—a standard issue for these relatively slow beastmen on the front lines. These spiked shields could not only deflect arrows but also be used as weapons!

As for the Nightcatman units, they appeared rarely in this battle. Half a month ago, the Nightcatmen had suffered heavy casualties, significantly reducing their numbers on the Canyon Frontline, and reinforcements hadn't yet arrived.

Additionally, the remaining Nightcatmen were mostly assigned to flanking maneuvers or side attacks.

The Nightcatmen currently on the front lines were elite warriors, at least mid-level, seeking opportunities to ambush human mages and strike the rear lines.

As an Earth Mage Master, Rhett's battlefield tasks included not only dealing with beastmen but also maintaining the archers' platforms. From time to time, Minotaurs or Boarmen would charge through the lines, damaging the platforms.

However, Earth Knights were stationed near the platforms, ready to deal with any wounded beastmen that made it through.

Just like now.

Three Minotaurs with golden horns, exuding the overwhelming aura of fifth-rank powerhouses, were charging forward. One of them even had a severed human arm hanging from its horns.

Fury burned in their eyes as they glared at the archers on the platforms and nearby mages. White steam puffed from their nostrils as they let out a thunderous roar and prepared to charge.

The Earth Knights who had been lying in wait behind the earthen platforms immediately sprang into action, wielding giant axes or longswords as they rushed toward the three Minotaurs.

"Foolish beasts! Today, we'll bury all of you here!" A knight clad in black robes, his longsword glowing with a dark aura, struck like a venomous snake in the night.

"The beastmen will prevail!" The Minotaur with the golden horns growled, its teeth grinding in anger. It had just witnessed its brother fall to a human archer's arrow.

Its hatred burned deep—why couldn't the beastmen wield magic? Why couldn't they master alchemy and craft potent poisons like the humans?

Despite their superior physical strength, they were constantly hindered by the humans!

Ten human Earth Knights, all of the fifth rank, surrounded the three charging Minotaurs, intent on bringing them down.

The three Minotaurs fought with reckless abandon, exchanging blows in a vicious, all-out assault. Their bloodshot eyes reflected their fury as they swung their spiked shields with deadly force.

Rhett stood about a hundred meters away from the charging Minotaurs.

Minutes later.

He noticed that the Minotaur with the severed arm on its horns had been sent flying by a human knight. It was then kicked to the ground by two other Earth Knights, its legs twitching as it struggled to rise.

With a thought, Rhett cast Earth Spikes at the creature's exposed back!

Thud! The sharp earth spike pierced the Minotaur's heart, staining it with crimson blood.

Before his eyes, a familiar notification appeared, indicating the Destiny Points he had earned for slaying an enemy above his rank:

[Family member slays an enemy one rank higher, Destiny Points +1]

"Not bad!" Rhett's tense mind relaxed slightly.

But then, a chill swept over him from behind, causing his heart to race!

Countless battles had honed his instincts, warning him that this was no ordinary threat!

Without hesitation, Rhett opened the system interface and activated Real Simulation—a safeguard against the unknown danger looming behind him.

Activate Real Simulation? Each day simulated consumes 1 Destiny Point.

"Yes!"

A ripple passed through his vision, and as the simulation began, Rhett felt a wave of relief wash over him.

Suddenly.

A gust of wind swept past him, and Rhett's eyes widened in shock as the sound of clashing metal rang out!

Clang!

He turned quickly to see a familiar Earth Knight, his body shrouded in cyan Wind Battle Energy, blocking a pitch-black Nightcatman's deadly claw with a blue-tinted rapier!

The Nightcatman was less than three meters from Rhett, its overwhelming presence causing Rhett to shiver.

"Meow!" The Nightcatman snarled, clearly displeased that its assassination attempt had failed.

"Rhett, Amadeo, there's a sixth-rank Nightcatman here. You two should get farther away. If you stay too close, I can't guarantee your safety!" Somjet's voice was calm, but his eyes remained locked on the sixth-rank Nightcatman before him, never letting his guard down.

Hearing the voice and recognizing the figure, Rhett remembered that this was the same sixth-rank powerhouse Ambiru had brought in during their ambush on the Nightcatmen half a month ago.

As Rhett and the other mages retreated, he glanced at the sixth-rank Nightcatman, feeling a slight unease—was a single sixth-rank Nightcatman really this bold to launch a solo attack on the rear lines?

Instinctively, he sensed something was off.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, another dark shadow suddenly appeared behind him, lunging at Amadeo on Rhett's left!

Amadeo, a Light Mage beside Rhett, furrowed his brow deeply and quickly cast Flash!

A blinding light erupted.

But for a sixth-rank Nightcatman, dodging such a spell was child's play. It kicked off the platform wall with its hind legs, easily evading the attack.

Then, it lashed out with its claws, aiming straight for Amadeo's chest.

Slash, slash, slash!

Against an opponent a full rank higher, known for its speed, Amadeo had no time to cast another spell before his vision blurred, and three deep gashes appeared across his chest.

Blood sprayed everywhere, some even splattering onto Rhett's left sleeve.

"Ah!" Amadeo screamed in agony, the gruesome wounds on his chest exposing his organs.

"Holy Light Healing!" Amadeo gasped, his face pale as he desperately cast a healing spell on himself.

However, the Nightcatman had no intention of letting him go and immediately pressed the attack!

Amadeo trembled with fear, his eyes wide with terror.

Rhett, too, found it hard to believe. The simulation had indicated that he would survive this battle unscathed.

But now, with Amadeo on the brink of death, it was only a matter of time before he was next!

In war, the outcome is what matters, not individual battles. Casualties are inevitable—perhaps even at the same time the enemy was killing their soldiers, Rhett's allies were slaughtering beastmen.

At least on Rhett's side, there was only one sixth-rank Earth Knight. The Commander and Vice Commander were nowhere to be seen, likely engaged in other critical tasksAt the very least, on Rhett's side, there was only one sixth-rank Earth Knight, and even the commander and vice commander were nowhere to be seen, likely occupied with other critical tasks.

But even knowing this, when death looms over you personally, it's hard not to feel some resentment!

Somjet noticed the situation with Rhett and Amadeo, his face grim. He forced back the first Nightcatman that had appeared with a swift sword strike and then transformed into a whirlwind, spiraling toward the Nightcatman near Rhett!

But halfway there, another sixth-rank Nightcatman came speeding from several kilometers away.

For a sixth-rank Nightcatman, a few kilometers was no distance at all. Like a black ghost, it raced toward Somjet's location!

Even the other two Nightcatmen changed targets at this moment. The one about to finish off Amadeo abandoned the kill, pivoted deftly to the left, and slashed its claws toward Somjet's head.

At this point.

The Nightcatmen's intentions were clear. Their target wasn't the mages or other lower-ranked soldiers—they had only one goal: to eliminate the sixth-rank Earth Knight!

A small number of archers on the platform shifted their focus to this battle, releasing a volley of arrows.

But most of the archers had to stick to their pre-assigned task—attacking the front line. If the main army fell, they would bear the blame.

However, the dozens of arrows meant little to the three Nightcatmen.

On the contrary, Somjet, now surrounded, felt the immense pressure. His thin sword flashed with starlike points of light as he summoned a fierce whirlwind, kicking up clouds of dust. But even with mid-level combat skills, two of the Nightcatmen fended off his attacks with relative ease, while the third went for his heart.

Whoosh

Somjet stabbed forward, sending a gust of wind swirling around him as he retreated.

In just a few minutes of combat, he had accumulated six or seven shallow claw marks across his body.

"Damn it! Why are they targeting me specifically?" Somjet cursed internally.

He wanted to leave, he wanted to survive, but his orders were clear—protect the archers and mages in this area.

If he fled and became a deserter, his fate would be far worse than the current situation! "Whirlwind Slash!" Somjet gritted his teeth as wind-element Battle Energy swirled violently around him, howling in fury. A few seconds later, a series of roaring winds erupted.

Once more, he raised his sword and charged at the three Nightcatmen, all while screaming internally:

"I don't want to die! I want to live to see the day I'm truly free!

To travel the world like the wind! You damn Nightcatmen, just die already!!"

Usually composed, Somjet now looked ferocious, his face twisted with emotion. His thin sword carved out a ten-meter-long spinning blade, glowing with cyan light.

The Nightcatmen, far from being intimidated, were thrilled to see their human opponent refuse to flee. They pounced on him with renewed vigor, engaging in a deadly struggle once more.

"Gale Thrust!"

"Whirlwind Slash!"

"Argh!"

Despite his desperate efforts, Somjet couldn't keep up with three opponents at once. His injuries grew more severe, his body covered in bleeding wounds.

Blood soaked the ground beneath him!

Even the surrounding dust had taken on a faint red hue.

Compared to the larger battlefield, the combat here was intense but localized, with only the nearby archers and the distant Rhett and Amadeo worrying about Somjet's fate.

Another burst of cyan light flared as Somjet twisted and turned like the wind, narrowly dodging fatal blows. His disheveled hair hung over his eyes, giving him the appearance of a crazed warrior.

"I don't want to die!!" Somjet roared, but despite his best efforts, he felt his strength waning.

Thunk. One of the Nightcatmen's claws pierced his abdomen, causing his body to shudder violently as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Immediately after, another Nightcatman leaped into the air, aiming to deliver the killing blow to Somjet's head.

But suddenly.

A subtle ripple spread from the ground.

A fierce gust of wind followed, and Somjet's entire body began to tremble. A terrifying aura surged from within him, rising rapidly.

His eyes burned with an overwhelming will to survive, and the thin sword in his hand shone with an intense cyan light, as if it might crystallize at any moment!

"Well, well, is he breaking through in the middle of a fight?" Rhett muttered, watching Somjet's growing power, which seemed to transform him entirely. "With a breakthrough like this, you must be the protagonist, right?"