Volume 02, Chapter 26
Maurice's Training [3]
-Ruffle!
I brush aside branches as I go down the densely wooded mountainside. Each step feels heavier than the last, and the thin air at this altitude makes every breath more labored.
Wait, survive?! Again?!
I glance around warily, scanning the trees for any sign of hidden traps. But the forest appears calm, untouched, as if it hasn’t been disturbed in years.
I continue my descent, taking cautious, deliberate steps.
-Click!
My heart skips a beat. The ground beneath me shifts slightly.
Did I just trigger something?
Looking down, I notice my foot has depressed a hidden switch.
!
The danger hits me like a sixth sense. Instinctively, I leap into action.
“Activate!”
Time slows to a crawl as the Chrono Pendant hums to life, the world around me dragging into sluggish motion.
Through the frozen air, I spot them—a deadly volley of ice arrows, their jagged tips glinting with cold lethality, hurtling toward me from all directions.
Without the pendant, I would have been skewered in an instant.
Navigating the frozen barrage, I carefully nudge one arrow off course, just enough to create a gap. Using the narrow opening, I slip past the deadly projectiles.
The System’s alert flashes before me, and I freeze.
Self-destruction? Since when?!
It doesn’t make sense—this is a [B+] ranked artifact, rated for its exceptional mana reserves and rarity. An artifact like this should be able to sustain far more usage than I’ve given it.
The System’s confirmation only deepens my confusion. How could the mana have drained so quickly?
Ah. That explains it. Maurice’s spell must have forced the pendant to use far more Mana than usual to keep its effect active.
I can’t afford to risk losing it now.
“Deactivate,” I command.
-Chime!
Time resumes its natural flow, the once-frozen arrows colliding in midair with a sharp, crystalline sound, canceling each other.
As I exhale, the reality of my situation sinks in. That was just one trap. Maurice’s second “training” has only just begun, and I’m sure more surprises await me.
Steeling myself, I adjust my stance, ready for whatever comes next.
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“Hah… Hah…”
I stagger forward, barely sidestepping yet another set of hidden spikes as they jut from the ground with a metallic hiss, narrowly missing my leg. The sharp edges glint menacingly before retracting back into their concealed mechanisms, as if waiting for another victim.
I take a moment to steady my breath, the forest around me an unyielding gauntlet of traps. Every step feels like a gamble.
-Click!
The ominous sound halts me mid-stride. My heart sinks.
-Creak!
Turrets emerge from the underbrush and tree trunks, encircling me. Their mechanical whirs are accompanied by faint glows as their ammunition—flaming and ice-coated arrows—comes into view.
“Great. Just great.”
There’s no time to think. I draw both guns, adopting a defensive stance—feet shoulder-width apart, guns raised, elbows slightly bent for maximum mobility.
-Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
The arrows fire in a chaotic torrent, streaking toward me from all directions, a deadly blend of heat and frost.
[Centurion’s Guard]
I twist and pivot, using my guns to deflect the incoming projectiles. Each deflection sends a resonant clang echoing through the forest.
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-Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
My shots take aim at the turrets, picking them off one by one. Shards of metal and wood scatter with each well-placed bullet, but the barrage doesn’t let up.
Despite my efforts, a single arrow slips through, piercing my right shoulder.
“Agh!”
The sharp, searing pain nearly makes me falter, but I grit my teeth, refusing to go down. Blood seeps into my shirt, but I can’t afford to stop.
I push forward, deflecting and firing with everything I have, until finally—
-BOOM!
The last turret erupts in a fiery explosion, leaving only smoldering wreckage in its wake.
“Hah… hah…”
I drop to one knee, my chest heaving as adrenaline slowly fades. My shoulder throbs painfully, the arrow still lodged in place.
With no healing potions to rely on, I know I’ll have to be even more cautious moving forward.
Despite the pain, the System’s notification gives me a small measure of satisfaction. At least this ordeal hasn’t been for nothing.
Grimacing, I glance at the arrow embedded in my shoulder. I have no choice—I need to remove it.
Bracing myself, I grip the shaft tightly.
“Ngh!”
The first tug sends a shockwave of agony through my arm, forcing a hiss of pain from my lips. My vision blurs slightly, but I steel myself.
“GAH!”
With a final pull, the arrow comes free, and fresh blood flows from the wound. I bite back a scream, my jaw clenched so tightly it feels like it might crack.
I rip a strip from my shirt and hastily wrap it around my shoulder, tying it off as a makeshift bandage. The fabric darkens quickly as it absorbs the blood, but it’s better than nothing.
As I tighten the bandage, a bitter chuckle escapes me despite the pain. “I thought Maurice didn’t want André to know I got stabbed today.”
The irony isn’t lost on me. Between the arrow wound and the traps, today’s training feels more like a death sentence than a lesson.
Still, there’s no turning back. I secure the bandage and push myself to my feet. My movements are slower now, each step more deliberate as I continue through the forest, ever wary of the dangers lurking in the shadows.
════ ?★? ════
“Hah… hah…”
Each step forward feels like dragging a lead weight, the pain in my shoulder pulsing with every heartbeat. My vision blurs with exhaustion, and I can barely tell if the sweat dripping down my face is from exertion or the cold sting of fear.
The forest, eerily silent now, offers no more traps—for the moment. It’s a small mercy that I welcome as I stagger to a nearby tree. Sliding down its rough bark, I let out a shaky sigh, my body craving even the briefest reprieve.
“This is… tiring,” I mutter, more to myself than anything else.
I know why Maurice put me through this ordeal. It’s all preparation for tomorrow’s duel, a chance to test my limits and sharpen my instincts. But with my right shoulder practically useless, my ability to fight feels like it’s hanging by a thread.
“Grrr!”
A low, menacing growl slices through the silence. My eyes snap open, and I twist toward the sound. From the shadows of the underbrush, three pairs of glowing red eyes pierce the darkness, their intent unmistakable.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Forcing myself to stand, I raise my gun in my left hand—the only one I can still use. The growls grow louder, closer, and the forms emerge from the bushes: wolves. Their sleek, powerful bodies are tense, their gazes locked onto me like a predator sizing up prey.
-Bang!
My first shot rings out, and one wolf drops lifeless to the ground. The remaining two step forward, their crimson eyes now burning with rage as they glance at their fallen packmate.
“Awooo!”
Their mournful howls echo through the forest, sending a pang of guilt through me. They’re just defending their territory. But it’s either them or me, and I can’t afford to falter now.
“Grrr!”
The wolves snap their heads toward me again, their howls replaced by snarls. The choice has been made—for both sides.
-Bang!
I fire another shot, but this time, the wolf evades, darting to the side before launching itself toward me with terrifying speed.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the second wolf springing at me from another angle.
[Tactical Tumble]
I dive into a roll in time, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws. Twisting as I come out of the tumble, I raise my gun and fire.
-Bang!
The shot connects, and the wolf yelps before crumpling to the ground.
“Grrr!”
The final wolf lunges at me, its teeth bared and eyes alight with fury. Time seems to slow as I raise my gun, aiming directly at its head.
-Bang!
The shot rings out, and the wolf collapses at my feet. Silence falls over the forest once more, but it’s a silence heavy with the weight of my actions.
I exhale shakily, lowering my gun as the adrenaline fades, leaving only the aching guilt in its wake.
“Yelp!”
The faint cry pulls my attention to a nearby bush. Moving cautiously, I part the foliage to reveal a tiny wolf cub, its fur soft and its eyes closed in slumber. My heart sinks.
“Poor thing…”
The realization hits me like a blow to the chest. I’ve killed its protectors, and now this helpless cub is alone in the world, blissfully unaware of the tragedy that’s just unfolded.
Carefully, I scoop the cub up with my left arm, cradling it against my chest. Its small, warm body shifts slightly but doesn’t stir.
“Don’t worry, little one,” I whisper, my voice soft despite the lump in my throat. “I’ll take you to an animal conservatory. You’ll be safe there.”
This was supposed to be training, but now it feels like something more. Fate, it seems, has decided to throw another challenge my way.
My vision blurs again, a stark reminder of my body’s limits. The arrow wound, the fatigue—it’s all catching up to me.
“Ugh.”
Gritting my teeth, I adjust my hold on the cub and start moving again, slower this time but with a newfound determination. The path ahead feels endless and fraught with unseen dangers, but I have no choice but to press on.
“I hope I don’t encounter more traps,” I whisper a silent prayer for my sake and the tiny life cradled in my arm.
The forest stretches before me, shadowy and unrelenting, but I push forward, one step at a time. This journey is no longer just about survival—it’s about protecting the innocent life in my care.
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I don’t know how long I’ve been walking—minutes, hours? It feels like an eternity. Each step grows heavier, my legs threatening to buckle beneath me, but I keep going. One foot in front of the other.
The traps seem to have relented, at least for now. Breathing is easier, and the air is less sharp in my lungs.
Could I be getting closer to the forest’s edge?
As if answering my silent hope, a field of lavender comes into view in the distance. The sight is almost surreal, a wave of purple stretching endlessly under the soft light. It’s the first truly peaceful thing I’ve seen since entering this relentless forest.
Glancing down at the wolf cub cradled in my left arm, I notice it’s still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of our trials.
Step by step, I press forward until the forest’s oppressive canopy gives way to the open expanse of the lavender field. The sweet, calming fragrance fills the air, washing over me like a balm.
The notification from the System flashes, and relief washes over me. I’ve made it.
As I cross the field and step onto a familiar road, the sight of the school’s gate in the distance fills me with renewed purpose.
“Hah… hah…”
Fatigue gnaws at me, every muscle in my body aching. My vision blurs at the edges, the world swimming in and out of focus. But stopping isn’t an option—not with the cub’s fragile life depending on me.
Just a little further.
The gate grows closer, though my surroundings blur with each unsteady step. Shapes begin to form—figures standing at the entrance, their voices faint but rising in concern.
“Doms!” Arthur’s voice cuts through the haze, sharp and filled with worry.
Squinting, I make out his familiar figure rushing toward me. Relief flickers in my chest, a brief reprieve from the exhaustion weighing me down.
But my body has reached its limit. My knees buckle, and I barely manage to set the cub down on the ground before collapsing.
“Doms, what the hell happened!?” Arthur’s panicked voice echoes around me, but I can barely process it.
“I’ll… tell you when I wake up,” I mutter, my voice weak, before the darkness takes me.
