"I don't know what kind of survival training this is supposed to be? But first I need to find shelter before the nighttime"
Because of Noah's training, this survival stint was no sweat for him. But what he couldn't understand was why Noah made him do it again after he failed to awaken the Mark. He couldn't wrap his head around it, so he decided to drop the question. Once he was done with this he would have to ask Noah.
In previous survival training, Nova would have to last a month and was given supplies like this. But he was totally oblivious to the fact that none of this was actual survival training arranged by Noah. Noah had just made the mistake of giving a week's supply, as he usually did.
Nova then tied the pouch to his waist. For a moment, he hesitated. Then slowly, he reached behind his neck and grabbed the hood, pulling it forward over his head.
He weaved through the trees for what felt like more than twenty minutes, stepping over roots, fallen leaves and pushing past low branches. The trees seemed to stretch endlessly, and the farther he went, the larger they became. Slowly their huge leaves blocked the sunlight, and the air slowly grew darker and colder.
"What's happening?" Nova muttered.
The once-sparse trees he had seen earlier were now growing denser. It was as if the landscape was slowly morphing into forest. Not only that, the path seemed to stretch endlessly.
Earlier, from the top of the hill he had estimated that it would only take him about five to ten minutes to cross the trees. Now it felt like he was either going in circles or the forest was somehow extending. It didn't make sense.
Then Nova picked up a rock and scratched a mark on the trunk of a nearby tree. Stepping back, he squinted at it. If he passed this tree again, he'd know whether he was going in circles. If he didn't, it would mean one of two things: either the forest was stretching forward, or he was simply being paranoid.
As he continued walking for about five minutes, scrutinizing every tree, he didn't see the landmark.
"Phew!" He finally let out a sigh of relief. "It seems I was just being paranoid. What a relief." he muttered, forcing a laugh.
Nova was glad — for now — that he hadn't seen the landmark. But as he continued walking, an unsettling feeling crept over him, making him pause and he spun around immediately.
He hadn't taken a full step when he caught sight of something that made his whole being reel in shock. His eyes widen in disbelief and his jaw dropped to the ground.
"How? How is this possible?! I have been walking in the same spot?!" Nova muttered in shock as he stared at the mark he had left on the tree.
Just now, if he hadn't turned around to check, he would probably be walking in the same spot forever. Nova felt his heart race, and a cold dread sank into his chest. He felt as if he were about to lose his mind.
"I wouldn't be surprised if this was a test" Nova muttered. He really wished this was all a test. From the hill down to this forest, nothing felt real. And with Noah's personality, this being a test seemed plausible.
Now he wanted to go back, so he looked up to check for the hill, but the tree's big leaves covered his view, making it impossible for him to see. They even blocked the sunlight.
Then he looked around. He scanned the surroundings to spot anything off or unnatural. He wanted to see if this place was like the hill — if there a direction that was normal, but he spotted nothing. When it seemed that all hope was lost. A sudden cold wind blew past him, carrying the scent of leaves and the dampness of the forest.
Nova head snapped immediately to the direction of the wind. Without a second thought he bolted in that direction. He weaved through branches and leaves until he was finally met with bright glow of the sun.
Nova didn't even notice a smile bloomimg on his face as he rushed out of the forest. Stepping into the sunlight he couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha. I didn't think I'll miss the sun this much!"
Then his eyes met with the small lake besides him. This was an ideal place to set up a camp. "Hahaha another score"
As he was about rush into lake. His brows suddenly frowned as he glanced back at the forest. Then in stern and cold voice he asked.
"How long have you been following me?"
His eyes were still locked on the forest, his right hand slowly reaching for his combat rod. If it was a threat, he would have no choice but to knock them out. But if it was an animal, then dinner was settled.
Krsh...Krsh...Krsh
Nova froze. His body tensed up as the bush trembled. His hands were now the combat rod strapped to his waist, his fingers gripping on the cold metal ready to strike.
A rabbit then hopped out. Its nose twitched as it scanned the surroundings, completely unaware of the predator watching it. It then hopped toward the lake moving in the direction were Nova was standing.
A dangerous smile crept on Nova's lips as he remained still, like a pole, watching the rabbit approaching.
"Rabbit meat... perfect" Nova said inwardly.
Silence spread across the lake and only the rustle of leaves, chirping of birds, the sound of the rabbit hopping closer and his own heart pounding in his chest, could Nova hear.
Just a the rabbit was now in his dead zone — four feet away from him — Nova lunged forward. The combat rod slid from his waist to his hand, extending into a staff before immediately unsheathing a clean, sleek blade. All in one smooth motion.
Just as Nova was about to send the poor creature to meet its ancestors—
Swoosh!
From the corner of his eye, Nova saw the sunlight reflecting off a smooth surface hurling toward him. A dagger.
He twisted violently, his left hand shooting toward the other combat rod at his waist. With a snap it extended to the length of a staff.
Pang!
*Slash!*
In one clean motion, Nova severed the head of the rabbit from its body and deflected the dagger. The rabbit's small body jerked once, then went still, its bright eyes glazing over as a thin line of blood trickled from the clean cut. Seconds ago it had been eagerly hoping towards the lake for a sip, now it lay limp and silent in the grass.
"Damn, that almost caught me off guard," Nova said inwardly.
Had he been any slower or had he unsheathed the staff into a sword, he would have been struck by the dagger, and the rabbit would have escaped as well.
"Noooo!"
A loud shriek dragged Nova out of his thoughts. He turned to see a girl running toward him, her pink eyes wide with despair and anger as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Who is she?" Nova wondered. He didn't understand what a girl was doing here. Noah usually rented out an entire forest for his training so what he couldn't understand why someone was here. Before he could process what was happening, the girl reached the rabbit.
She squatted next to its body, clutching it to her chest and sobbing. Nova opened his mouth to claim the rabbit as his kill, but the raw grief on her face stopped him.
"Why did you kill him? What did he do to you?" she cried, shaking.
Nova wanted to say something, but no words came. From the intensity of her sobs, it was clear the rabbit wasn't just a random creature. It obviously meant something important to her, perhaps even a beloved pet.
"But if it's so important… why would she let it run free in the forest? Doesn't she know rabbits are easy prey for predators?" Nova couldn't deny the fact that he, too, was a predator. Humans all were.
Nova finally spoke, forcing the most sincere tone he could muster, even though he believed it wasn't entirely his fault. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was yours. I thought it was just prey."
The girl shot him a fierce look. "You didn't know?! I tried to warn you, but you still killed it!"
"Warned me? How?" Nova thought. Then he suddenly remembered the dagger aimed at him.
"What do you mean by 'warn me'? If I hadn't deflected that dagger, I might be in the rabbit's place!" Nova flared, not even minding the girl's sobbing.
"That might even be better for a stupid person like you. There would be one less stupid person in the world." The girl retorted wiping the tears of her face.
"What do you call me? And what are you even doing on private property... huh?!" Nova demanded, anger rising. A girl insulting him on his uncle's rented space was too much.
"Property? It seems I was going easy by calling you stupid. You're even worse than stupid." Lydia's expression clearly showed she thought that Nova was a fool for calling the Trick Maze Forest, a place in the God's Ruins a private property.
"What do you mean by that?" Nova's tone dropped slightly as a bad premonition crept over him.
"What do I mean?" Lydia asked back.
"Yes. Why did you sound surprised when I said this was private property?"
Lydia stared at Nova as if he were the fool in the world. Then she turned and didn't answer. She just dropped the body of the rabbit, the blood had soaked her shirt and skirt.
"Tell me... please," Nova pleaded.
She didn't spare him a glance and walked to a nearby tree, digging a hole to bury the rabbit's body and head. When she was done. She clapped her hands together and shut her eyes, ignoring Nova completely.
When she was done, she walked past Nova and reached for her dagger, but Nova immediately grabbed it first.
"Give it back, stupid," she snapped.
Nova ignored the insult and said seriously, "I know we got off on the wrong foot. Can you explain why you were surprised when I said this was private property?"
"First of all, I wasn't surprised. It was just pity for a fool like you. And secondly, hand over my dagger unless I'll make you join Tim in the afterlife."
"Who's Tim?"
"My dead rabbit, you dumbass!"
"Sorry, sorry. Can you please tell me which planet we're on then?"
"This is no planet, stupid."
"Eh?" Nova blinked in surprise. "Not a planet? What do you mean?"
Lydia now felt there was something seriously wrong with the guy in front of her. Either he had been dropped on his head as a kid, or he was just deliberately getting on her nerves. But she decided to answer the foolish fellow so he would hand over her dagger.
"This isn't the MPU. It's the God's Ruins. Now hand over my dagger" Lydia said reaching for her dagger in Nova's hand.
Nova blinked as his brain short-circuited.
"Eeeehhhhh!!!!"