Chapter 42: Sylvie (1)
After I sold everything at my disposal, the man there asked me if I wanted to make a deal with him.
"Your work is swift and splendid. If you bring more corpses in such good states, I will pay you more than the average amount."
He offered in such a manner, and I vaguely accepted the deal. I didn't write or sign a contract, but I still managed to enter his eyes, and that was enough for now.
When I returned to the academy, it was around 5 PM. Selling the monsters, cleaning myself inside an inn, and eating a hefty meal…All of them cost quite a long time as well as money, but it was good to reward myself from time to time.
The moment I returned to the academy, the same atmosphere of students walking and wandering around welcomed me.
Since the weekend was about to end, most students were returning from either their homes or their small ventures inside Aurora City.
"Oh, you are here."
The same worker that always sent me off welcomed me.
"Good that you are here before curfew."
I nodded in response to his words as I scanned the watch.
"Then, have a good week."
"Thanks."
Just like that, I was about to leave, but suddenly my ears perked up as I felt the familiar voice I had been hearing in the game.
"Yo, today's dungeon was pretty good, right?" It was a girl whose voice I knew pretty well.
"Indeed. I would have never thought your sword could be this sharp."
"Hehe….Do you think my family's arts are jokes, Victor?"
"It is not that. I didn't expect you to one-shot it."
"It was because I had fried his skin firsthand."
"Yeah. If it wasn't because of Irina, I am pretty sure I wouldn't have one-shotted it. As expected, working with a magician is the best."
A group of three students were walking together, and immediately surroundings attention was turned to them.
That was to be expected since all three of them had causal clothes on themselves, and they looked really good and aesthetically satisfying from an objective point of view.
A girl with red hair and a scruffy attitude, a girl with white hair and a tomboyish cut, and a boy with a cold demeanor.
Irene, Julia, Victor.
Looking at them, I remembered this event. In the game, according to the achievement and progress of those three characters at the start, Ethan might have also entered this dungeon with them…..
And the results would be abysmal for his character since he would see the disparity between him and his friends, making him work a lot harder than before. This event was one of the catalysts that would give players an experience points buff, which would let them advance at a faster rate.
'But from the looks of it, Ethan hadn't gone with them. Just as I heard at that time in the last class.'
As I saw the three walking together, without wanting to associate myself with them, I slowly walked away.
Though I felt a squinting gaze behind me.
"Irina, what is wrong?" As my sensitive senses picked the sound up, I heard Julia asking.
"Nothing. I just saw an annoying bastard; that's it."
"I see….Bad for him then…."
"Bad from him…."
Just like that, I returned to my room…..
********
'Status.'
------------------------------------------
▶Name: Astron Natusalune
▶Occupation: Weapon Master (level 1)
▶Talent Limit: 6
▶Passives:
- Vengeful Bane
▶Attributes:
Variable Attributes:
- Strength: 1.6
- Dexterity: 2.216
- Agility: 2.12
- Constitution: 1.524
- Intuition: 2.3
- Magical Power: 2.6
- Mana Capacity: 1.84
-----------------------------------------------
After returning to my room, I once again checked my stats.
'My strength stat increased by 0.1, and the others also increased a lot.' I thought to myself.
It was evident that putting one's self into dangerous situations that required one to push their limits enabled one to have better improvement.
'After all, that was the setting in the game.'
Especially a newly designed complex setting was added to the game.
'Danger meter.'
A special type of system that measures the difficulty and the danger of the situations by considering a lot of factors.
The adaptability of situations, the overall strength of the enemy, the preparations that were made, the factor of unknown, etc.
Even though it was not a perfect design, it made the game interesting since the harder the foe you fought, the more experience points you would get.
That did not simply mean the level of the enemy was higher than the player; it also took into account the fact of compatibility.
For instance, a physical tank type of monster would easily be beaten by a mage build; thus, that would give less experience even if its level was higher, etc.
That made the game a lot harder since those that would abuse the weakness of the bosses and enemies would be rewarded less simply…..
That was the reason why the game was a git-gud type at the end.
After closing my status window, I started pondering about my future events on my way to the training grounds.
'After the club activities start, the interactions with demons will also start. I need to be present there no matter what.'
CLENCH
Clenching my fists, I gritted my teeth. Remembering the amount of demon influence and the djinns inside this academy made me want to puke.
'I will pluck every one of you, one by one. I won't spare those who wish to become dogs of demons either.'
Just like that, I reached the training grounds. Today I didn't want to do any more combat training, so I just focused on my body inside the gym.
And, of course, it was always the running that came first…..
*******
RUSTLE CHATTER
As the morning of Monday came, all of the students made their way to their classrooms.
A round-looking amphitheater was filled with students since today; they would learn about their first dungeon exploration grades.
Everyone took their seats as they talked amongst themselves energetically.
"What do you think? Who will get the highest grade?"
"Yeah, there are some really skilled hunters in our group. It's hard to predict," another student replied.
"Did you see Victor during training? He's got this intense aura. As expected from Blackthorns," a curious student whispered.
"Really? That's pretty cool. I hope I did well in the dungeon," their friend responded.
Over in another corner, a group of friends discussed their favorites.
"I'm rooting for Lilia. She is our school goddess, I bet she nailed it," one of them said with a smile.
"Oh, and Julia. To be honest, I didn't expect them to get out this fast….I mean, they basically finished the whole training in 40 minutes."
"Yeah, I was in her group, and to be honest, that girl was crazy. Her sword just decimated the boss monster in a matter of seconds."
As the groups talked amongst themselves, behind the rows, a young man just sat there and kept reading the book in front of him.
Astron was someone that didn't have much interest in gossip that didn't benefit him. But, he still put his one ear to the conversations since there was a chance that good information might appear inside there.
After all, information was power, and rumors always contained such.
But, for now, it was meaningless.
CREAK
While the students were busy talking amongst themselves, suddenly, the door opened wide, and a person with a good amount of pressure entered the room.
The same woman with short yellow hair and clothes showcased that she was an instructor.
"Attention."
SILENCE
As she raised her voice, instantly, the students' chatter reached its end as well, as an eerie silence descended upon the classroom.
'She looks like she is in a bad mood.' Astron thought.
His eyes perceived the small gestures that were commonly made by those that were annoyed and angry.
Her brow was slightly furrowed, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the desk, a clear sign of her agitation. Her foot tapped rhythmically on the floor, a sure indication of her growing impatience.
Her crossed arms and the way she shifted her weight from one leg to the other showed her frustration. The way she stared at the class with a stern and unwavering gaze sent a message that she meant she was angry.
And the aura that was excluded from her added made the students think of themselves.
'What did we do wrong?'
All of them asked this question themselves, as they couldn't understand why Instructor White was angry.
"Today, before we start our class, I will announce your first Practical Assessment results." As she said those words, she squinted her eyes.
'And here comes the roast.' Astron thought.
He knew this even after all.
"It was pathetic," Eleanor said as her gaze wandered around the students. She looked at the students like they were bugs, and she crushed them with her aura.
"For starters, some of you displayed a complete lack of teamwork. It's as if you all forgot that hunting monsters is not a solo endeavor. We put the students that ranked higher into the teams for the sake of making them understand how helpful teamwork could be. You were supposed to work together, support each other, and strategize as a team. But what did I witness?
Individuals acted like they were the stars of the show, ignoring their teammates and charging ahead recklessly. You were more interested in showing off your own skills rather than accomplishing the mission as a group."
With those words, her gaze wandered around the students in the front. Even though Eleanor knew this generation was named as Golden Generation, that didn't mean she would let them do as they wanted.
"Because you had charged on your own, your teammates had a hard time dealing with the remaining monsters. And, if this was a real dungeon, we could even see some monsters that got away thanks to your negligence. We are hunters, and it is our job to ensure that we clear the gates perfectly and protect our citizens from the monsters inside the gate."
Her gaze especially stayed on Irina for longer than others. That was because she watched her recording, and Irina was one of those that disappointed her the most.
"Understood!"
""""Yes."""""
Against the charisma of such a high-ranked hunter, none of the students could voice their thoughts as almost every one of them spoke.
Almost.
Since Astron kept silent, as he knew most students that had graduated from here were going to be selfish hunters in the future.
Like him.
So, there was no need to make empty promises here.
"And don't even get me started on the egos in this room," Eleanor continued, her tone becoming more impassioned. "Some of you acted as if you were invincible, disregarding the warnings and advice of your teammates. You thought you knew it all, and your arrogance led to poor decision-making and unnecessary risks. This is not a place for heroes.
This is a place for smart and skilled hunters who know how to work together and make sound judgments."
She continued speaking as she didn't stop her roast. Her gaze was still around the people that sat in the front rows, and even the main cast couldn't help but lower their heads. This one was directed to Victor mostly since he was the one that disregarded others as thrash and didn't listen to the ranger of his group, almost leading them into a trap.
"And let's not forget about those who were simply lazy," Eleanor said, her voice taking on a stern edge as her gaze slightly wandered at the back of the seats.
In the end, even if she was roasting those at the front seats with higher ranks, there were things she hated a lot more than those.
Especially people who were weak and lazy at the same time.
""Some of you were so lazy during the assessment, it's a wonder you even bothered to show up," she said.
"There were those who thought they could rely on their teammates to do all the work for them. Let me tell you, that's not how teamwork works," she added, her voice firm as she glanced in Astron's direction.
Her gaze penetrated Astron, that was sitting in the back rows. The way she glared at him showed that she was really angry.
Hearing this, Irina turned back with a smirk on her face. After all, she knew the person Eleanor's words attacked. The one that annoyed her the most for the time being.
'You reap what you sow; you low-ranked bastard.' She thought as she was happy with Astron getting the result he deserved.
It was not only her; almost everyone inside the classroom could see Eleanor's gaze directed at Astron.
"Looks like Astron is her favorite target today," someone remarked, glancing at the scene.
"I heard he was pretty lazy during the assessment," another student said with a knowing nod.
The students murmured amongst themselves as they looked at Eleanor and Astron. They were now happy that he was the target since the pressure on themselves was now shifted to him.
"And then we have those who seemed completely disinterested in the task at hand. It's as if they had better things to do than participate in dungeon exploration," she remarked, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Astron, who remained impassive.
Throughout Eleanor's criticisms, Astron maintained his calm demeanor, not showing any reaction to her words. He knew she was targeting him, but he didn't feel the need to defend himself. He was well aware of his shortcomings and didn't need Eleanor to point them out.
The other students couldn't help but notice the tension between Eleanor and Astron, and they exchanged knowing glances as they observed the scene.
"He's really getting under her skin," one student whispered to another.
"Yeah, she's definitely singling him out," the other replied with a nod.
As Eleanor's roasting continued, she emphasized the importance of taking the Practical Assessment seriously and putting in the effort to improve. Her words were meant to motivate the students, but Astron didn't seem fazed.
"He must have nerves of steel to remain so composed," someone whispered, impressed by Astron's unwavering demeanor.
That was partially true as physically Astron really had a hard time enduring Eleanor's pressure, but for the mental case, he didn't care.
In the end, Eleanor's criticisms didn't seem to affect Astron. He didn't care about his grades or what others thought of him.
After all, he had only one goal in his mind, and that didn't require him to have a good impression of others.
Just like that, the class continued as Eleanor kept spouting her strict remarks about their dungeon work.
Chapter 43: Sylvie (2)
'Why are they talking about him like that?'
Sylvie asked that question to herself as she looked at the class that was ongoing.
'Was Astron the only one that made a mistake?'
She was a girl that liked to help people in distress or people that was having a hard time. And naturally, Astron was one of those.
Especially, she hated that gloomy look on his face.
Growing up in a household that was bright with a doting mother, father, and brother, Sylvie was a girl that always showed kindness to others.
And when she first entered the academy, she was all alone. She didn't know about many people; she didn't know how people lived in this place.
Since the reputation of the Arcadia Hunter Academy was spread wide, she felt overwhelmed. She saw people that were celebrities all around the world.
She was even standing in the same room with those children who were the heirs of such celebrities.
Thus, as a girl that came from the countryside, she felt overwhelmed by everyone here. And since she was a healer, her interests were also different from others, as she belonged to a specific group of people that didn't participate in combat.
Healers were rare, but they were not that hard to find, so she needed to do her best to pass those classes.
Thus, at the start, thanks to her worries, she slightly ostracized herself and found the time to look at the class and learn about the people there.
It was at that moment she noticed Astron.
A young boy that sat on the back with his hood over his head. She couldn't directly see his features since he covered himself with his good, but her special skill enabled her to see his emotions.
A turmoil of emotions that never changed.
A dark aura was oozing from him.
A deep dark aura mixed with the color of red, dark hues of blue and black.
It was her special trait. A trait that enabled Sylvie to see other people's emotions by the color shown on there.
She knew the color red. It was anger
She also knew about the color of dark blue. She knew about it since she saw it whenever she visited a person's funeral.
It was the feeling of sorrow.
However, there was one more thing that was there. And it covered almost everything.
It was the color of black.
The color that she had never seen this strong.
The color of Hatred.
When she looked at the boy covered with the hood, she could see an immense amount of hatred oozing from him.
It was so strong that whenever she looked around, she unconditionally directed her attention to him.
That was the reason why Sylvie always paid attention to Astron.
There was also another individual who took his attention. Ethan Hartley. A young man with a bright white aura of righteousness.
Whenever she looked at both, she could see the disparity.
A dark and sorrowful aura surrounded him, and a bright, inspiring aura surrounded Ethan.
And, as a person that wanted to help others, Sylvie naturally wanted to help Astron too. Thus, she wanted to approach him and decided to try her chances one day.
It was the day when she witnessed the cruelty of the world.
As Sylvie recounted the incident, her voice trembled with emotion. She recalled the day she witnessed three students bullying Astron, and her heart ached at the memory.
She saw three people surrounding him. They were mocking him, calling him names, and pushing him around. It was like they were feeding off his pain, enjoying his misery.
She wanted to step in and stop them, but fear held her back. She was just a new student, unfamiliar with this intimidating world of elite hunters. Also, she was a healer, so she knew she couldn't do anything.
She also knew about those three, as they were in the same class.
She couldn't understand why they were treating him like that. What had he done to deserve such cruelty?
She could still remember what they called him.
"Hey, look, it's the orphan loser."
"Did your mother die because she couldn't stand giving birth to a loser like you?"
"Nah….Probably it was because his father left them…Who would want a useless son and a whore mother?"
She still remembered those words.
But there was one more thing that made her feel more sorrow.
It was because whenever Astron tried to resist, he would be beaten more.
And at some point, he simply stopped trying and defending himself.
The colors that she could see intensified, and another shade of blue was added there.
She didn't know what it was, but she could see Astron was changing. He was being pushed at the corner.
She even wanted to inform the teachers, but none of them even cared. She could never forget what she heard at that time from a teacher she talked to.
"Tch…He is even too weak to stand for himself, but he wants to become a hunter. Useless bastard. Because of him, my niece wasn't accepted…."
It was what she heard. This was something she could never forget.
'How can you be this cruel? What are those people?'
She thought at that time, so she went to help Astron and heal his wounds whenever she could, using her healing art.
She was not proficient enough, but she still did her best and wanted to be a help to him.
The days went on as a month passed.
It was at that night suddenly things changed; Sylvie could see it.
The colors she could see on Astron had changed.
If before it was filled with black, red, and blue, now a color she had not seen in the people covered it.
It was the color of grey. She knew what that color represented.
Indifference.
It was indifference.
Whenever she looked at him, she could see his eyes were changed. Now, he always looked at people with dead eyes filled with no emotions.
He didn't care about what others were saying about him.
That was something Astron had done before as well, but Sylvie knew he was just putting a front. After all, she could see his emotions changing inside his heart whenever someone mocked him or said bad things about him, but now it was different.
Now, nothing has changed anymore.
The gray color covered him like a barrier, and nothing could penetrate him.
"Thank you for your help."
However, she remembered his words from before when she stayed with him at that time.
His words were sincere since she could feel the yellow aura of appreciation inside him. And that made her happy seeing the aura.
But soon, that was replaced by the color Dark Blue. She noticed whenever he seemed to be happy, a dark hue of blue would always replace it.
Sorrow never left him.
And whenever she had seen him like that, she felt that he was carrying a burden. But she could never bring herself to ask that, as she just watched him from a distance.
It was the same this time as well.
Sylvie watched as she listened to Eleanour's complaints to the students, but in the later parts, her words were only directed to Astron.
'Why is she only targeting him?' She asked herself.
Sylvie could never understand why Eleanor behaved like that.
I mean, she could see that Astron was not putting in the best effort, but insulting and humiliating others would not work, in her opinion.
Rather than doing that, wasn't it better for her to try to understand Astron's problems?
That was what she thought. But in the end, she was helpless as Eleanor was the one that was holding the title of instructor.
But it looked like Astron was unbothered by her insults, so Sylvie just sat there and watched him from a distance.
******
Just like that, today's classes reached their end.
"As today's classes come to an end, I have an important announcement to make," Instructor White said, her stern gaze sweeping across the students. "Starting the next day, we will be having a series of anti-human close combat lessons."
Murmurs and whispers spread among the students as they exchanged curious glances. Anti-human close combat was a crucial skill for hunters, especially when facing human adversaries. It involved hand-to-hand combat and weapon skills tailored for fighting other hunters or human enemies.
"We will be pairing up for these lessons, and I expect each one of you to take them seriously," Instructor White continued. "You will be tested on your close combat abilities, so make sure to practice and hone your skills."
As she finished her words, Eleanor White left the classroom and made her way over to her office.
'Ah….Close combat lessons…'
Sylvie's heart skipped a beat as she heard the announcement. She was a healer, not a combat specialist, and close combat was not her forte. However, she knew the importance of these lessons and the need to be prepared for any situation.
After all, even though she was not going to be graded for her participation in her class, she still needed to develop herself to the point where she could defend herself.
As the students began to pack up their belongings and head out of the classroom, Sylvie heard a voice coming from the door side.
"Hey, where do you think you are going to?"
It was a voice filled with scorn, and as she turned her face to the source of the commotion, she saw that one of her classmates was blocking Astron's path.
If she remembered correctly, he was a boy that ranked around one thousand.
'What was his name?' She couldn't remember his name since there were quite a lot of students there.
'He is filled with such malice.' She thought, seeing the darkness oozing from the boy. She could also see the feeling of pride and thrill from him. It appeared that the boy was thrilled to block his way.
"Hey? I am talking to you; where do you think you are going, you last-ranked bastard?"
Seeing no response was coming from Astron, he became agitated as he raised his voice.
"Don't talk to me."
But the reply he had gotten was something he was not expecting.
An indifferent voice came from the person before him.
His purple eyes were filled with indifference as his face didn't contain any type of reaction he had expected.
'This bastard! How dare he!'
The boy glanced at the girl that was sitting in the front seat, and seeing the uninterested look on her face; he got more agitated.
'What a primitive act.' Astron saw through his reasons from the start, but he wasn't bothered with this 'person' before him.
He simply ignored him and went his own way. However, that act made the boy more and more agitated.
The boy's face flushed with anger as Astron ignored him and continued walking towards the exit. "I said, don't ignore me!" he yelled, his voice laced with fury and humiliation.
But Astron remained unfazed. He didn't even spare a glance at the boy as he passed him by. It was as if the boy's existence was completely inconsequential to him.
In fact, it was. Astron had never seen this boy in the game, be it as a villain or a character. But he still remembered his name and his rank.
'Liam Wayne. Ranked 1025. Specializes in swords.' He recounted the information he knew about the boy.
He was someone that didn't benefit him in any way; thus, he wanted to use this boy before him to set an example here.
Enraged by the lack of response, the boy saw red and decided to take matters into his own hands. Without warning, he lunged at Astron from behind, aiming to tackle him to the ground.
Different from normal villains, he didn't even bother with shouting. He simply raised his fists and attacked.
SWOOSH
However, Astron's instincts kicked in, and he swiftly sidestepped the boy's attack. With a deft movement, he evaded the boy's grasp and turned to face him.
The boy stumbled forward, losing his balance due to the failed attack.
THUD
His pride wounded and his anger boiling over, he quickly got back on his feet and charged at Astron again.
'An overly charged attack from the right.'
SWOOSH
This time throwing a wild punch just as Astron expected, he aimed to injure him.
But Astron was no stranger to close combat. He was someone that learned how to combat unarmed in both his memories. On earth, he was interested in Martial Arts, and in this life, it was taught to him by Aaron.
SWOOSH
With a fluid motion, he dodged the punch once again, but he never raised his hand and tried to attack.
Rather, he simply tackled the boy as he disturbed his center of gravity.
THUD
Making the boy fall to the ground in response.
"I warned you," Astron said calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Don't talk to me."
The rest of the students who had witnessed the confrontation watched in stunned silence. They had never seen Astron fight before, and they were surprised by his skill and composure. He was ranked last, and they knew he was weak, but none of them expected him to act in such a manner.
Something looked fundamentally different, but they ignored it not long after.
Only Sylvie and another girl with red hair were looking at the scene.
Sylvie rather wore a happy smile, seeing Astron finally holding his ground, and Irina….
She was doing her own thing….
Chapter 44: Sylvie (3)
What is the thing most humans fundamentally possess? What is the feeling we are searching for?
Even though there may be some exceptions, most of the time, humans tend to feel like they are above others.
Pride and Ego.
We humans. No, rather, we sentient beings generally like to feel like we are better than most people.
The stupid person before me was an example of that.
I didn't know much about him aside from his name and his ranking inside the school since he was not a named character, but the way he was acting and his small little gestures indicated that he was trying to prove himself and improve his standing inside the classroom by showing off.
It was certainly a cliched tactic or way.
Since if you want to make something taller, either you will increase its length or you will decrease the comparison's length.
It is a small instinctual act that comes from one's subconscious. If you devalue others before the person you want to impress, you will think your value will increase.
A basic psychology of those mothers who roast their son/daughter before their friends.
And people like that were everywhere around; thus, when it came to dealing with such people, a simple way was most efficient.
'Showing that you are not an easy prey.'
Nature's most basic rule. If you are weak, you are going to get eaten.
'Liam Wayne. Ranked 1025. Specializes in swords.'
He was such a guy, but there was something I had observed in the dungeon exploration while watching my group fight.
Even though everyone was ranked high and talented, none of them were proficient in unarmed close combat. At least not enough.
Of course, it was something that was expected since, aside from Martial Artist, no one fights with their bare hands, but as a Hunter, one always needs to make sure that they are prepared.
It was the same for the guy before me.
When I ignored him, my senses picked up a flying fist coming towards me. I was already expecting such a reaction, so my body moved fast.
Thanks to my practicing martial arts on Earth, and the combat senses that were carved on the original Astron's body by Aaron, I moved quite swiftly and dodged his punch.
Then, when he tackled and lost his balance, the feeling he was going to get was humiliation. Even though falling down to the ground was rather an act that required aid, most of the time, people's reaction would be laughing at such a thing.
Thus, the belief that people laughing at them would make them feel humiliated, resulting in their emotions slipping over and making a hasty decision.
Like the one before me.
As a fist that was overflowing with force entered my senses, it was not hard for me to dodge the attack and tackle him to the ground with his arms locked down.
A simple technique of disarming your opponent.
Then as he was lying on the ground, I dealt the finishing blow. It was nothing that required disciplinary action but, at the same time, an action that gave a message.
"I warned you, don't talk to me."
With that, I left the classroom. To be honest, I was also slightly annoyed by the fact that he was blocking me since it disturbed my training, so I also satisfied myself by doing that.
Then, after leaving the classroom, my destination was once again the training grounds, as I had nothing else to do…..
*******
Tomorrow morning at the field of the academy grounds, a group of students gathered for the upcoming anti-human close combat lessons.
The sun had already risen, casting a soft golden light over the training area. However, not everyone seemed thrilled about the early start.
A small cluster of students stood together, their arms crossed and their expressions less than enthusiastic. They muttered complaints about the early hour, their voices filled with groans and yawns.
"Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to have these lessons at the crack of dawn?" one student grumbled.
"I can barely function this early in the morning," another chimed in, stifling a yawn.
"Just five more minutes of sleep would've been so nice," a third student added with a sigh.
Even though it was not that early in the morning, those students seemed they hadn't slept well enough.
And that was to be expected since they were playing a new VR game in their rooms for the whole night.
Their gripes continued until the sound of footsteps approached. Instructor White had arrived, her presence immediately commanding their attention. The students fell silent, their complaints fading as they shifted their focus to her.
"Good morning," Instructor White greeted, her tone firm yet composed. As she entered, no complaints were made any further as the students knew how picky this woman was.
"As I have talked about this before, close combat skills are mostly neglected since we hunters mostly rely on weapons. However, in the dungeon, sometimes an unforeseen scene might occur where you lose your weapon. Thus, as a hunter, one always needs to be prepared for such cases."
As Eleanor White continued her lecture about close combat lessons, she signaled the students with her hands.
"Thus, today, you will be paired up with your partners, and you will practice together. Note that your performance today will be graded."
As she spoke, the students exchanged knowing glances. They might have complained about the early hours, but they understood the importance of the training.
"Now, let's get started with your pairings."
As she said those words, she started matching the people according to their rankings and the assessments of their strengths she had made.
In a way, it was natural since the students must not have a huge difference between their strengths for this training to be efficient.
The matching was pretty simple, as they were mostly matched according to their ranks.
However, as the list went down and down, naturally, Eleanor stood before two people that was left alone.
One was a girl with a slightly down expression as if she was slightly scared, and the other one was an annoying student that always managed to get on her nerves.
Sylvie Gracewind.
Since she was a healer, her combat prowess was rather low; therefore, pairing her with even Ethan would make the training inefficient.
However, with this annoying student before her, everything was solved. Since he was ranked last inside the academy and her experienced eyes were saying that the boy's body was weak, he was basically the best partner for Sylvie.
"Sylvie Gracewind and Astron Natusalune. You can take your position."
As she gestured for the two to take their positions, she finished pairing everyone together and turned her attention to the classroom once again.
"Now, remember that the goal of these exercises is not to overpower your partner but to learn from each other. Pay attention to your techniques and be open to constructive feedback," Instructor White advised, her gaze sweeping over the students.
Sylvie stood before Astron, slightly feeling nervous as she remembered how he tackled that boy at that time.
'He looked like he was proficient in close combat.' She thought to herself as she looked at the boy before her.
Her art was activated as he could see his emotions.
It was simply grey as he indifferently looked at her.
"All right, begin!" Instructor White called out, and the field buzzed with activity as pairs started practicing their techniques.
However, Sylvie felt nervous as she had never been in a situation where she needed to fight. Though she knew she could not escape.
"Have you ever fought?" Astron's voice broke the silence between them. His gaze was direct, and his tone was not unkind, but it was not kind either.
SHAKE
She shook her head in response as she felt timid.
"I see. That was to be expected from a healer." Astron nodded to himself, hearing her.
'That is something that won't change until she learns how dangerous the dungeon is.' He thought as he looked into the girl. He remembered that she was the one that helped him heal his wounds at that time. 'I guess repaying her like this is not that bad.'
With that thought, Astron spoke once again.
"Let's start with the basics." He looked serious as his purple gaze penetrated Sylvie.
Sylvie didn't refuse. No, rather, she couldn't as, at that moment, Astron looked overbearing. Though it was mostly thanks to her always watching him from afar, at least in her eyes, she felt like she couldn't refuse him.
As Astron began to instruct her on basic stances and movements, Sylvie listened intently, determined to grasp what he was teaching. He showed her how to position her body for defense and how to pivot for a quick response. His instructions were clear, and he demonstrated each move with precision.
"Your stance needs to be wider for stability," Astron pointed out as he corrected her positioning. "And keep your arms closer to your body to protect your chest."
Sylvie followed his directions, feeling awkward and self-conscious as she tried to mimic his movements.
'This is so hard.' She thought as she felt her body aching.
However, Astron's gaze was focused on her, and while his demeanor was serious, she sensed a genuine intention to help. So, she felt like it would be unfair to him if she gave up right now.
"Let's try a basic block," Astron said, his voice calm. He demonstrated the movement, raising his forearm to shield his face and chest. "You want to use your forearm and the outer edge of your hand to absorb the impact."
Sylvie imitated the move, feeling a bit more confident now that she had clear instructions to follow. Astron watched her closely, his eyes assessing her form.
However, Astron's response was not what she expected. "No. This is not how you do it," he stated firmly, his tone showing his dissatisfaction with her execution.
Sylvie's heart sank at his words. She had been trying her best to follow his instructions, and yet she was falling short. She bit her lip, the frustration building up inside her.
Astron seemed to sense her emotions as he spoke again. "Now, let me show you why it is done this way." He adjusted his stance, his fists clenched, and Sylvie felt her anxiety spike.
"Hick!" A small, involuntary sound escaped Sylvie's lips as her nerves got the better of her. The tension in the air was palpable.
"Don't worry, I will limit my strength. I only want you to focus on how you feel," Astron reassured her. He raised his fists once again, his movements deliberate.
FLINCH
But despite his reassurance, Sylvie flinched, her anxiety intensifying. She closed her eyes; her mind flooded with fear and anticipation.
'It is going to hurt. It is going to hurt. It is going to hurt.'
She repeated the mantra in her mind, unable to shake off her apprehension.
Observing her reaction, Astron knew he had to approach this differently.
THUD
Astron's fists made contact, but it wasn't the pain Sylvie anticipated. Instead, she felt a slight discomfort on her elbow. Confusion swirled within her as she opened her eyes to see Astron's face mere inches away.
"Huh?" She stammered, her surprise evident in her voice. She remembered their previous encounter, and being this close to him brought a flood of memories and emotions.
"Calm down," Astron's voice was steady, his gaze unwavering. "Sylvie."
FLINCH
But even the sound of her name made her flinch. The proximity and the intensity in his voice were overwhelming her, bringing to the surface her deeply rooted fear of combat.
As Astron observed Sylvie's reaction, he knew he needed to be cruel right now.
"You need to get a grip on yourself," he stated firmly, his voice carrying an edge of strictness. "This level of fear will make you a liability, not just to yourself, but to your future party members. If you can't control your emotions in a combat situation, you'll be a burden, and that's dangerous."
His words were sharp, the truth behind them cutting through the air. Sylvie's anxiety and fear were obstacles that needed to be addressed, and Astron had no intention of sugarcoating it.
"You're acting pathetic," Astron continued, his tone unyielding. "If you continue like this, you're setting yourself up for failure. In a real combat scenario, there's no room for hesitation or panic. If you can't handle that, then you're in the wrong place."
He paused, his gaze steady on her. "If you're not willing to confront your weaknesses head-on, then perhaps you should reconsider being a part of the academy," he added, his words carrying a finality to them.
Sylvie felt the weight of his words and the truth behind them.
However, that didn't mean she welcomed the feeling without getting affected. No, rather, she felt frustrated.
Her eyes welled up with tears, a mix of frustration and disappointment.
Without another word, she turned and left the training grounds, her emotions overwhelming her. The reality of her fears and the harshness of her self-doubt was difficult to confront, but Astron's words had struck a chord within her.
"Student Sylvie! Where are you going?" She even ignored Instructor Eleanor's voice as she left instantly.
Chapter 45: Sylvie (4)
"You need to get a grip on yourself."
'I am trying.'
"This level of fear will make you a liability, not just to yourself, but to your future party members. If you can't control your emotions in a combat situation, you'll be a burden, and that's dangerous."
'I know. I know it is dangerous. I know I will be a burden. But I am scared. I am scared that I can't do it.'
"You're acting pathetic,"
'What do you know? What do you know about me? Do you think it is easy?'
"If you continue like this, you're setting yourself up for failure. In a real combat scenario, there's no room for hesitation or panic. If you can't handle that, then you're in the wrong place."
'Why? Why are you speaking like that? How do you know me? What do you know about my circumstances?'
"If you're not willing to confront your weaknesses head-on, then perhaps you should reconsider being a part of the academy."
'Why? Why are you this cruel? What did I do to you?'
Those questions filled Sylvie's head as she ran back, leaving the training grounds.
She remembered the look Astron was giving her, the emotions that were inside.
'Why are you being this sincere while saying such harsh words? Why? Can't you see they are hurting me?'
She couldn't understand.
Just why? Why did he need to speak that harshly? Why did he need to remind her of those times? Why?
Just as she was finally about to forget about those times, forget about that memory that was haunting her all the time….
TINGLE
Her ears started tingling. It was a constant sound of ringing that constantly pressured his ears.
'Ah….Those memories are coming again…'
The memories she tried so hard to suppress were now revealing themselves once again.
TAK TAK TAK
She just ran. Ran and ran until she reached a place no one could be seen.
It was her place when she wanted to get away from the things that were bothering her and when she wanted to take a break from the heavy lessons of the academy.
THUD
"Huff…Huff….."
As she fell down and sat on the grass inside the forest, she started breathing heavily.
"Haaaaa…..Haaaaa….."
No matter how deep her breathing was, she felt like her lungs were being crashed….A knot was inside her chest….
She brought her knees to her chest and gripped them to the maximum.
"Hick!"
TAP
And a small tapping sound could be heard from the leaves, as the silent cry of the girl echoed inside the academy grounds….
******
In front of a situation where one sees their beloved in agony, not every person's response would be related to vengeance.
Not every person would be brimming with anger.
Everyone would have a different type of reaction to such a thing.
And Sylvie was one of those.
Even though Sylvie was a very good-natured kid that liked to help others, there was also another reason why she was feeling such a way and was living such a selfless life.
It was related to a memory of her childhood.
She lived in a borderline city that wasn't much developed. Her childhood was not that eventful as, just like any normal person; she played with the kids from her neighborhood.
Since she was a beautiful girl with a happy smile, most kids were happy to play with her, and she was also happy seeing others with smiles.
Her parents were doting on her; her brother always loved her, and her family was basically a happy family.
However, things had changed in one night.
One night in summer, she was playing with her friends. Since the weather was very hot, rather than playing in the morning, they preferred to play at night. They were enjoying themselves, laughing and chasing each other around in the dimly lit streets.
But then, the joyful atmosphere shattered when a sinister presence swept over the neighborhood. In a moment, everything changed. The air grew cold, and the sounds of laughter turned into cries of fear.
She still remembered the first words she had heard.
"Ah…Delicious...Human children are delicious…"
It was a monstrous voice that sent chills down her spine. It was not only her but other children as well.
A Demon had emerged from the shadows, its monstrous form casting terror into the hearts of all who saw it. Its eyes glowed with malevolence, and its twisted grin sent shivers down the spines of anyone who dared to look at it.
It was a creature that she had never seen before, but it was something that would never leave her alone in her dreams. She knew that.
Chaos ensued as people fled in panic, and Sylvie found herself frozen in place, her heart pounding in her chest. She watched in horror as the Demon's gaze fixated on her, its intent clear. The world around her seemed to blur as fear consumed her senses.
"Will you be my prey?"
She remembered the vicious-looking mouth that spilled salvia….The demon's teeth looked sharp…
It slowly approached the girl, that was frozen in fear. She wanted to move her body, but her mind went blank….
She wanted to call for help, but she couldn't….
"Ah…..Humans…."
That ruffly voice constantly entered her ears, making her shake in the feeling of fear as the demon approached.
"Stop."
But then, a figure appeared before her, standing tall between her and the monstrous creature. It was her brother, his eyes determined and his stance unwavering. He was armed with a simple sword, but his expression held a fierce determination that inspired Sylvie even in her terror.
"Grrr…..Don't get in my way!"
Sylvie always put her brother in high regard since he was an awakener. She wanted to be like him, fight like him.
With a cry, her brother charged at the Demon, engaging it in combat. The clash of metal against claws echoed through the night as they fought, and Sylvie could only watch in awe and fear, her emotions swirling into a chaotic whirlwind.
In the midst of the battle, her brother managed to strike the Demon, but in return, he was met with a brutal blow that sent him crashing to the ground. Sylvie's heart plummeted as she saw her brother's body lying there, wounded and vulnerable.
'It is scary….Fighting is scary….'
'But, I want to help brother…..'
'It is because of me….Because of me….Because of me….Because of me….Because of me…..'
'I want to help him….It is because of me….It is scary….I want to help him….It is scary….It is because of me….'
She could see her brother defeated the monster, but the wound on her chest looked heinous.
He was wriggling in pain while he was shedding blood.
She blamed herself, thinking that it was because of her. But at the same time, she was scared.
Scared of fighting.
The demon's teeth never left her away….
Its haunting voice was always there…
But she wanted to help him….She wanted to be any help to those that sacrificed themselves for the sake of people like her….
She wanted to help because she was feeling guilty….
In the end, her brother managed to drive the Demon away, but the memory of that night remained etched in Sylvie's mind. The image of her brother's wounded form haunted her, a reminder of the pain she had felt in the face of his suffering.
And now, as Astron's stern words reached her ears, a different kind of pain welled up within her. It wasn't just fear; it was the agony of feeling inadequate, of reliving the helplessness she had felt that night.
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she remembered her brother's sacrifice and her own inability to protect him.
She remembered that when Astron said he was going to attack her, she remembered what her brother looked like.
'I wish I was strong like you, brother….'
She pulled her legs closer as her tears kept falling down.
Even though she knew she could become a liability, she still wanted to believe that she was doing good…
However, then why was she that much triggered by Astron's words? Why was she get this upset and leave the training grounds?
'Why did I escape there?'
She asked that question herself, wondering why. Was it because she saw herself in him? Was it because she felt a sense of comradeship with him? Since both of them were assaulted by a demon.
She didn't know. But one thing was certain since she had been watching him for all this time; now, his words had more strength on her than other people.
'Was it because he was really sincere?'
It had already become a reflex for Sylvie to read others' emotions, so when she had heard Astron's harsh words, she subconsciously checked his emotions.
There she saw that he was really serious and had no ulterior motives for those words. And that made her sad and angry at the same time.
Since that meant he really meant all those words.
'It hurts…'
And she felt betrayed.
The sense of 'comradeship' she had felt when she was watching him now disappeared, and in its place was now a feeling of emptiness.
"Sylvie."
His words echoed inside her head once again.
"Why are you here? Why don't you leave me alone?" She mumbled. She didn't want to hear him, and neither did she want to remember those memories she was about to forget.
"You know, by behaving like this, you can never go anywhere."
However, his words didn't leave her head at all.
"I don't want to listen. I don't want to fight. Go away." She mumbled, trying to get rid of his voice inside her head.
But alas, that was not possible.
"You are escaping from your past."
"NO! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!" She shouted, getting irritated more thanks to his voice.
Amidst her frustration and sadness, tears began to stream down Sylvie's cheeks. She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She found herself standing in a secluded corner of the academy grounds, away from prying eyes, as she poured her feelings into the void.
"You don't know anything about me!" she cried out, her voice shaking with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "You don't know what I've been through or how hard I've tried to be strong. How dare you judge me?"
Her words were directed at Astron's voice, the voice that seemed to be haunting her even as he was nowhere in sight. She felt an intense need to defend herself, to make him understand the pain she had endured and the struggles she faced.
"I'm not a failure!" Sylvie's voice cracked as she shouted, her tears blurring her vision. "I've faced demons, I've watched people get hurt, and I've done everything I can to help. Just because I'm not as strong as you doesn't mean I'm pathetic!"
She wiped at her tears angrily, frustrated by her own vulnerability and the overwhelming flood of emotions that threatened to drown her. Her chest felt tight, her heart aching as memories of her brother's sacrifice and the countless times she had witnessed pain replayed in her mind.
"You don't understand how it feels to see someone you care about hurt and not be able to do anything about it," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You don't know how it feels to be terrified and powerless. So don't you ever dare call me weak?"
Sylvie's shoulders shook with the weight of her emotions, her tears falling freely as she let herself feel the pain she had been suppressing for so long. Now, in this moment of vulnerability, she allowed herself to acknowledge her own pain, her own fears, and her own struggles.
"I know I am weak….Sob…."
In the midst of her cries, she finally acknowledged.
"I know I am scared….But I am trying my best okay….Sob…."
And she took the first step for the path of change….
SWOOSH
And hearing her words, a shadow behind her tree moved, revealing a figure of a young man who was walking back to the academy.
"With this, I paid my debt back. It is now up to you how to change yourself."
Chapter 46: Sylvie (5)
After Sylvie left the training grounds running with tears in her eyes, naturally, everyone's attention was drawn to me.
It was nothing unexpected, a simple response that humans tend to do.
But if there was one thing that made me surprised, then that would be the trauma of Sylvie being a lot deeper and stronger than I thought.
'I see. So, this is how it is.' I thought, looking at the running girl's back. As she was escaping, she was running at a speed that even I would have a hard time following.
"Student Astron." At that moment, Eleanor White's voice echoed. "Care to explain what happened?" As she asked, she came closer looking at me with a demanding expression.
"Yes. I was trying to correct Student Sylvie's form, but she said she didn't wish to fight."
"Is that all?"
"She had a fear of combat, and I did not adapt my methods to her level of comfort." As I explained what happened here, Eleanor White's gaze seemed to harden upon hearing my words.
Even though she didn't like me probably, she was still someone with a sense of duty and justice. She was a bit picky and irritating woman, but that didn't mean her values were not there.
"You didn't adopt your methods? You lacked empathy and pushed her too far, didn't you?"
"Empathy won't save a hunter inside a dungeon. This is what we always learn in this academy. Unless one doesn't have the courage to fight, then they shouldn't be here."
"Then, you should be? You have quiet words coming from the last ranked student of this academy."
"It doesn't matter what rank I am or what others feel about my words. The truth won't change."
I didn't know why I got slightly irritated when I noticed Sylvie escaping like that or why was I arguing with this woman before me, but after noticing what I was doing was pointless I closed my mouth.
"Sigh…." Eleanor White let out a sigh and shook her head. She made a pained expression as she looked at me, but I didn't understand what the problem was.
Considering the treatment I always got from the academy, isn't this how things worked?
"Go find Student Sylvie, and don't come until you solve her problems with her. You are dismissed from today's class, and I will ask you about this later."
Her words were firm, and I could sense the underlying disappointment in her voice. But I didn't care. In the first place, disappointment came from one's own expectations; it didn't concern me.
I could see the main cast of the game looking at me from the corner of my eyes.
Especially Ethan since he was pretty close to me, with him also being ranked one of the last ranks. He was looking at me with furious eyes, obviously coming from his heroic nature.
But I simply ignored him. He was the protagonist of the game with the good talent of whatever. In the first place, I was not looking for future connections that would help me in my life.
I was here to kill demons, and his heroic nature would certainly make things hard for me.
Julia had a stiff expression, Lilia was simply serious as always, and Julia was looking at me with a slight smirk, seemingly loving that everyone's opinions about me were bad. Well, humans were creatures with pride and petty nature, after all.
Then there were those that were friends with Sylvie, and they seemed furious. But again, it was not my business how I felt.
"Understood."
With a brief nod, I turned and left the training grounds, my steps purposeful. It didn't take long for me to find the traces Sylvie had left behind. Thanks to my trait [Perceptive Insight], I could see the faint signs of her hurried steps and the path she had taken.
Since she ran quite fast, the traces she had left was also quite deep, and her faint smell was also lingering since the weather was not that windy.
As I was walking on the grounds of the academy, I pondered about Sylvie. In the first year of the game, Sylvie was not a character that was helpful to the player.
Be it her healing magic, her personality, or her strengths, she was someone that was almost lacking in all types of aspects for a hunter.
Therefore her grades would drop naturally as time progressed. It was all thanks to her fear of combat, where she would face the monsters inside the gates. That would go like that until one day, she and the player would be left alone inside the dungeon thanks to a demon targeting her.
After all, there was a reason she was named as future Saintess in the game, and it was not because she had a simple healing skill….
It was something more, so she targeted my demons quite frequently, and this would get worse at the finals of the first year second them.
There, we, as a player, would save Sylvie, but she would still be a burden inside the gate, constantly being pessimistic and shaky. It was an annoying part of the game from the player's perspective, but it was also necessary. You also wouldn't leave Sylvie alone, since, if you did the game would be over.
That was because she was an essential character for completing the game.
In any case, in the dungeon, if the player had chosen to be harsh on Sylvie and speak some sense into her, she would later get a hold of herself and would start her path as a Saintess.
That was the reason why I spoke this harshly against her since she was someone that needed to be talked like that.
In a way, she was someone that escaped from her past, and it would be better if someone made some sense to her. And this was the way of my repaying debts.
Just like that, my steps took me to the forest of the academy, where everything had started for me.
SOB
"She is here," I mumbled, hearing a small sob coming from the trees. Looking at her from far away with my skill, I could see she was not in a condition to talk with me.
But, at the same time, her head was buried in her legs, which meant her sight was limited.
"I should clear the bet." With that mumble, I blended into the shadows using my trait, but I made sure nobody was around before I used it.
"Sylvie." And inside the shadows, I whispered to her. Just like that, my talk with her started, and until I got a reaffirmation from her that she would look into her past self.
The exclamation that she would move forward. Even though it was not a confirmation that would guarantee, at least I did push some sense into her head, and that was all I was going to do.
"I know I am weak….Sob….I know I am scared….But I am trying my best, okay….Sob…."
As I heard those words from her own mouth, it was time for me to leave this place.
"The debt has been paid. Now it is up to you how to change yourself."
Just like that, I left the place and made my way toward Eleanor's office in order to give a report about what I had observed there.
******
The Capital of the Human Federation, Arcadia City, was filled with high-rising buildings that towered to the skies.
These buildings were mainly the buildings for those that occupied quite a strength in the industry where everyone's eyes were on.
The guilds.
Aside from Renowned Families that produced Hunters, there were also Guilds that recruited the Cadets that graduated from the Academies around the Human Federation.
Every City had its branches, but to have one inside the capital, the guild needed to hold considerable amounts of power inside the industry.
Especially inside the Golden District was customized for the sake of higher-tiered guilds that was known all around the world. Here, the most powerful organizations in the world held their headquarters, their presence a constant reminder of their control over various industries. The district itself was a world of luxury and opulence, a place where only the elite could tread.
However, that was not the only place where the guilds had a place on them. After all, inside such a big world, there were countless guilds that were not that big enough to enter the Golden District.
And one of them was having a heated discussion right now.
Around a circular table in a dimly illuminated room, two individuals engaged in a heated exchange. Their faces bore a mixture of anger, frustration, and sorrow, masked by shadows.
"This situation is an utter disgrace," the man declared, his fingers forming tight fists on the table's surface. "Our child's fate was sealed due to that academy's negligence."
Across from him, the woman's eyes gleamed with fierce resolve as she leaned forward, her voice laced with determination. "They expect us to believe he was taken by some monster? I find that impossible to accept. We invested too much in his future for it to end like this."
A holographic projection in the room's center displayed the official report regarding their child's demise. The official version stated that their child had fallen victim to a creature whose name was unknown—a tragedy that occurred within the confines of the academy.
They said to them that their child was killed by a random monster that had never been seen and detected inside the academy, and now they wanted them to believe such nonsense.
It had been only a week, and they had both seen their child's corpses. It was obvious that it was the mark of a monster's attack since the wounds of claws were pretty deep. But still, in the midst of their anguish, they refused to believe that their son was simply a victim of a monster. They wanted to blame something, blame someone.
"Monsters don't infiltrate academies without reason," the woman hissed, her suspicion evident. "There are hidden truths we're not being told. There is no way a normal monster can pass through the wards of the academy."
Grimly, the man's eyes followed the details of the report. "This Astron Natusalune... the sole survivor of that incident. He is the last-ranked student inside the academy."
A holographic image of Astron appeared before them, stirring a wave of uncertainty. And then, following that, a bunch of information.
"An orphan that lost his home when he was thirteen years old, then later awakened as a Hunter." the woman added, her tone skeptical.
The man's features hardened. "Our sources indicate Astron was involved in a conflict with our child earlier. That connection can't be a coincidence. It doesn't make sense that the one that was ranked last in the academy was the one that survived. We both know Dylan; he is not a kid that would put himself in danger when something unexpected happened." The man spoke.
"After all, this is what we taught him."
"You are correct." The woman responded. "There is something hidden in the midst of these documents provided by the academy. It doesn't make sense that that bastard was the one that lived from that situation alone."
A dark fire flickered in the woman's eyes as she leaned in, her voice a low murmur. "If the academy doesn't reveal the truth, we'll unearth it ourselves. For the sake of our child."
Agreement shone in the man's gaze as he met his partner's resolute stare. "We'll mobilize every resource to uncover the reality. If Astron Natusalune had a hand in our child's fate…. Then I will pluck his nails one by one until he shares the same pain my son felt."
As the two people that were sitting on top of the round table talked to themselves, a flickering feeling of anger was present.
This was the world of hunters, a cruel world where one could do whatever they had wanted…..