A Test

Weiss told me to go to the forest yesterday.

Well, I'm here. The same old place where I tried to dodge his attacks.

Ok, where is he? That geezer told me to go here, but where is he?

"Uhh, hello!? I'm here!"

I shouted...

No response.

"Okay... If you ever want to show yourself and tell me what you want me to do here, I'll be sitting here carving wood!"

I sat down next to a tree. There was a fallen big branch right next to it.

I used the branch just to practice my carving skills, I wasn't carving anything in particular.

Speaking of which, I brought my dagger this time. I decided to bring my dagger everywhere now, just so that I can practice sculpting and carving whenever I have the chance to do so.

Some minutes passed. Just only realized that I was carving the branch into a spear-like shape. Hehe, I feel like tarzan.

"Should I go climb up a tree and beat my chest like a gorilla? Haha, nah I shouldn't...*gasp*!!!"

This feeling!! This... I've felt this before. Many times during Weiss' dodging training sessions. This is killing intent!

I immediately jumped away from where I was sitting. Right after something landed there...

*TUK*

It was a dagger. If I hadn't moved away, that thing would've pierced my head.

"What the fuck?!" I couldn't help but curse out loud.

I looked in the direction where the dagger came from. I could see a figure standing on top of branches. The figure wore dark clothing, looking something similar to a ninja.

"!!!"

The figure threw another dagger. I can see it! Its trajectory, its path, and speed.

I ducked a little, and the dagger flew right above me. I successfully dodged it.

It was quite easy seeing the attack when its a ranged attack. Close-quarter combat is way different. You have to react fast enough in the short time frame given to you before the attack hits, whilst when something is flying straight at you, it's a bit easier to see since the distance between you and the projectile gives you enough time to respond.

Speaking of responding, I responded to the figure with a curse. "HEY FUCKFACE! WHY DON'T YOU SHOW YOURSELF INSTEAD OF HIDING UP THERE LIKE A MONKEY?!"

I saw the figure twitch. Did I struck a nerve?

"Pff..!" I let out a chuckle. Then...

Another one!! Behind me!

I turned around and saw another dagger flying straight at me. I reacted way too slow, there's not enough time to dodge! I need to deflect it with the dagger I'm holding right now.

Can I do it though? I don't think one day full of sparring is enough to give me the skillset to deflect a projectile.

Fuck it! I have to do this or else I'll risk turning my brain into a kebab!

I swung my dagger, hoping for the best...

*CLANG*

The blade of my dagger hit the blade of the flying dagger. The latter's trajectory changed and embedded itself in a tree's trunk.

I-...I did it! Holy shit! Am I actually talented?... No!!

This train of thought is dangerous. I felt overconfident in myself after successfully landing a hit on Arch back then, and what did that give me? A face full of bruises!

Just because I have a certain advantage compared to other people doesn't make me better than them. I'm an adult! Adding my past life, I am 37 years old! I shouldn't be immature, I should take my mishap last time as a lesson and learn from it.

There's always a bigger mountain. Remember that! All I need to do is take my time and put in an effort to climb it.

I glanced in the direction where the dagger I deflected came from. It was another ninja-like figure.

Suddenly, I saw more of them. All of them were on the treetops, looking down on me. There were around 20 of them.

Too many enemies... I can't handle all of them.

Just then, all the figures landed on the ground. They quickly encircled me, effectively blocking off any escape routes.

"Shit..."

The encirclement suddenly opened a path. A-are they letting me go? Right after trying to kill me? Also, who are they anyway?

In the pathway they opened, someone appeared out of thin air. An old man wearing a tailcoat suit. It's...

"...Weiss!"

"Yes, Luka. It's me."

"What the fuck is happening? Who the fuck are these people? AND WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU?!!?" I shouted and cursed out loud. The tension from having my life almost taken from me was still making me on edge.

"Calm down, Luka."

"OH SHUT UP!! You're telling me to calm down when these creepy freakshows suddenly showed up and tried to kill me?! And from the looks of it, they're under YOU!!! Are you trying to kill me?!?!"

"No."

"Then tell me what the fuck is happening?!"

"It was a test, Luka. And you passed."

A test? This was a fucking test? I wanna shit my pants...

I had to sit down to relax. That was stressful.

Turns out this piece of shit old bastard of a geezer was just testing me. Testing me for what? How well I'd do when being ambushed? Hehe...

"Hehehehe..." I had to laugh. I laughed to let out the stress.

I sighed. I sighed very deeply.

When I finally relaxed I saw that the ninja-like figures and Weiss were already gone, leaving me in the forest.

Good grief... I fucking hate him.