Chapter 47
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: An Unscheduled Event (1)
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Deep within the Wyot Mountains lay the Screaming Valley.
Getting there was far from easy.
Unless one had built up a decent level of stamina, even crossing the mountains would be impossible.
That was why not only Loud Swordsmanship Academy but other academies as well frequently used the Wyot Mountains as a training ground.
A small village situated midway through the Wyot Mountains.
The moment Remina spotted the village entrance, she muttered in disbelief.
People actually live in a place like this...?
Some cadets were already showing early symptoms of altitude sickness.
That went to show just how high the elevation was.
The seventh-year cadet Luem, who had visited this village last year and the year before, showed no such surprise, unlike Remina.
They say the people here are so accustomed to it that they dont feel altitude sickness at all.
Humans are adaptable creatures.
No matter how harsh the environment, they always find ways to survive.
In exchange, the village itself wasnt very large.
It consisted of maybe twenty households at most.
It was better to think of it as a base camp rather than a proper village.
The instructors began busily pitching tents.
In the meantime, Barton gathered the cadets separately.
From here on, each team heads to the Screaming Valley on their own. Spend the night safely inside the valley and return to this village, and your final field training will be complete.
It was exactly as they had been briefed in advance.
Roin and Remina were experiencing this training for the first time.
The only one with experience, Luem, picked up his gear and said to the two.
Ill guide the way. Just follow me.
It was a reliable statement.
After all, it was Luems seventh year coming here.
He wasnt quite a local, but he knew the terrain far better than the other cadets.
As soon as departure time arrived, the cadets began heading out to the Screaming Valley one by one.
Jerkas team did the same.
Meanwhile, Roins team still needed a bit more time before setting off.
Remina and Luem had finished all their preparations.
They were just stuck waiting because of Roin.
Roin. You done yet?
Wait a sec. Just gotta apply this.
One of the environments Roin hated most was deep in the mountains.
His biggest concern was, of course, bugs.
He could at least fight a large monster with his sword, but tiny insects? No such luck.
He had the bug-repellent cream hed used for the Sendri Ruins expedition, but it wasnt foolproof.
So he wanted to prepare as thoroughly as possible.
Okay, all set. Lets go.
Because of Roin, they ended up departing last.
It didnt matter since there was no ranking based on who arrived first.
Still, Remina and Luem wanted to get there early, secure a good, safe spot for camping, and set up.
Luem, lead the way.
Yes!
At Roins words, Luem stepped forward with vigorous strides.
Just endure for two daystoday and tomorrow!
Once he passed this one final exam, Roin could leave the academy and be free.
Just a little longer.
Such determination infused Roins steps.
Perhaps because of the high altitude, fatigue set in quickly after just a short walk.
This was Reminas first time marching through such a harsh environment.
And yet, she kept pace with Luem and Roin, pushing herself without falling behind.
Even Luem, a fitness enthusiast, was panting heavily. It was an incredibly grueling course.
The only one maintaining perfect condition was Roinsolely Roin.
He had volunteered to guide but was now walking ahead of Luem.
That was because Luems pace was slowing.
Frustrated without realizing it, Roin had unconsciously sped up and taken the lead position.
Roin, who had been marching at the front, suddenly halted.
Stop.
He signaled for Luem and Remina not to come closer.
The two couldnt understand why Roin was making that hand signal.
Remina shouted loudly to Roin, who was far ahead.
Whats going on!
At that moment.
Gugugugugu!
The ground split open, and a massive centipede monster burst forth.
The monster, Lavabentl, writhed with hundreds of legs as it loomed over Roin, Remina, and Luem.
It primarily inhabited high-altitude regions and was considered far stronger and more threatening than the kaibs they had encountered in the Sendri Ruins.
The Lavabentl seemed thrilled to see live humans after so long, showing intense interest.
It gaped its mouth wide and charged toward Roin at high speed.
Remina and Luem belatedly rushed to support Roin.
But before they could, Roin swung his sword first.
Pshk!
Using his aura blade, he cleaved the Lavabentls head in two.
Blue blood sprayed everywhere.
Roin stared at the gushing blood and casually sidestepped.
The monsters blood dripped onto the ground.
Deprived of its head, the Lavabentl collapsed lifelessly.
Sheathing his sword, Roin called out to the frozen Remina and Luem in a nonchalant tone.
Just a bug on the path. Thought Id squash it.
Even a monster capable of wiping out a small town was just bug A to Roin.
After dispatching the Lavabentl, they continued marching until a riverbank appeared before them.
Luem suggested to the two that they rest first.
How about we take a break here and then move on? We can refill our water too.
Roin and Remina agreed to Luems proposal.
Since leaving the base camp, they hadnt rested once, marching nonstop.
Thanks to their diligent pace, the Screaming Valley was now close, but it was still best to rest whenever possible.
In a dangerous area like the Wyot Mountains, where monsters could emerge from anywhere at any time, one always needed to conserve stamina.
That was the key to survival.
Gazing at the clear river water, Roin suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Remina looked at him suspiciously.
Whats wrong? Is this water not safe to drink?
No, its fine to drink.
Roin paused, then sighed again.
The real reason for his hesitation was something else.
Drinking random water like this could trigger an allergy or something.
The world is vast, full of all sorts of allergies.
Coffee allergies, pollen allergies, fermented drink allergies, and so on.
Roin had never experienced an allergy himself.
Even without allergies, it was best to avoid wild food or water when possible.
Such things could all affect skin condition.
It was so quintessentially Roin that Remina could only give a wry smile.
Still, itd be tough to last a day and night without water. Wouldnt it be better to drink if we can?
That made sense too.
To maintain moist, elastic skin, constant hydration was essential.
Drink, and there might be issues.
Dont drink, and there were issues.
Faced with the dilemma, Roin finally pulled out his canteen to fill it.
As he crouched down to dip it into the river,
Something red was floating downstream from upstream.
Roins eyes narrowed.
Thats... blood?
Luem and Remina seemed to notice too, immediately drawing their swords.
Before them appeared a massive four-legged beast with a single horn.
It had bitten a deers neck, knocked it out, and was now crunching through its body.
It didnt look like a monster.
Luem whispered softly.
Its a Pistered.
Pistered?
It was a creature Remina had never seen before.
At her question, Luem explained in the lowest voice possible.
To avoid provoking the Pistered.
Its a carnivore unique to the Wyot Mountains with a very vicious temperament. Sometimes its even more dangerous than monsters.
A single horn, sharp teeth, and claws.
It had more than a few body parts that could serve as weapons.
The moment Roin heard the beasts name, his ears perked up.
You said Pistered just now?
Yes? Oh, yeah.
You sure?
Roin curled one corner of his mouth upward.
Remina warned him with a look that said, Dont tell me youre thinking...
Dont. We dont need to stir up unnecessary trouble.
Their goal was purely survival.
It wasnt about how many monsters or beasts they hunted.
That wasnt how success was measured.
If they spotted potential danger, they could just avoid it without conflict.
But Roin showed no intention of doing that.
Wait.
Holding a dagger hed brought along reversed,
Roin hurled it with all his might at the perfect moment.
The Pistered didnt even register the incoming dagger.
Only after it embedded in its forehead did it realize it had been attacked.
But it was too late.
With Roins single throw, the massive beast toppled sideways.
Witnessing this, Luem couldnt contain his shock.
N-No way...!
A Pistereds hide was incredibly tough.
A small dagger could hardly even scratch it under normal circumstances.
And yet, Roin had taken it down effortlessly.
With plenty of food already, why hunt the Pistered?
Roins target was its horn.
This horn is great for the skin. Hard to explain, but yeah.
Pistered horns were an essential ingredient in high-end facial cleansers.
The powder from this horn cleanses the skin perfectly. No irritation. Its a miracle cure for sensitive skin.
Humming a tune, Roin carefully sawed off the Pistereds horn.
He worked with extreme caution to avoid damaging it.
Watching him, Remina was speechless.
Good for the skin, good for the hair.
Whenever he spotted a monster or beast with such benefits, Roin would chase it to the ends of the earth.
After cutting off the horn, Roin carefully stowed it in his pack.
Trainings finally worth it!
Today, for the first time on this field training, Roin felt a sense of accomplishment.