The weight of leadership (7):Lenny suspicious

The students and adventurers poured out of the gate, panicking as they scrambled to safety. Miss Dalia stood anxiously, counting heads as they emerged. Her hands trembled as she realized something terrible.

"The gate… it closed!" she gasped, watching the once-red portal shimmer before buzzing shut, leaving no trace of its existence.

Caden stormed forward, panic evident on his face.

"Wait! My brother's still in there! Open it!" He turned to his group, his voice breaking with desperation. "He's still inside with his group!"

"Prince, there's nothing we can do," one of his companions said hesitantly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Caden barked, shoving them away as anger and worry clouded his expression. "Damn fool! Always putting himself in danger—first the Daunt Village, now this! Does he have a death wish? If anyone's going to kill him, it'll be me, not some damn monsters!"

His group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to respond.

Miss Dalia's voice cut through the tension.

"Everyone stay calm! Mr. Lenny is still inside with them. He'll protect the students." Her voice wavered, betraying her fear. She turned and sprinted toward the mages stationed nearby. "I'll find a way to reopen the gate!"

Caden gritted his teeth, his fists clenched tightly.

"You'd better not die in there, Theodore," he muttered. "If you do, I swear I'll kill you myself for making me worry."

_______

Inside the gate, chaos reigned. The once-placid slimes had grown more aggressive and intelligent, their gelatinous bodies fusing into larger, more monstrous forms. Their glowing red eyes reflected an eerie malice, and their movements were no longer random but coordinated, like predators cornering their prey.

Theodore's group, along with Mr. Lenny, fought desperately against the onslaught.

"Be careful, Mr. Lenny!" Noah shouted as he slashed at a slime lunging for the instructor.

Lenny stumbled back, narrowly dodging the attack. "Thanks, Noah. I'm just… a little exhausted," he said, scratching the back of his head with an awkward smile.

Theodore wasn't convinced. (Exhausted? That's the third time he's said that, but he hasn't even broken a sweat. He's holding back on purpose—why?)

The slimes fused again, creating an even larger, more grotesque creature. Its gelatinous form became denser, its glowing red core hidden deep within its body. Acid dripped from its surface as it moved toward them with deadly intent.

Jin, trembling, tried to fire an arrow but missed entirely. "Damn it!" he cursed, his frustration mounting.

Elisa and Vivian, typically at odds, worked together seamlessly. Vivian froze the ground beneath the slimes, while Elisa's twin swords cut through the immobilized creatures with precision.

"Damn it, they just keep regenerating!" Elisa growled, her green aura flaring. "Everyone, get back! I'm going to use my technique!"

She planted her feet firmly, channeling mana into her swords. The air around her grew heavy, as though gravity itself was bending to her will.

"The famous Lorenz technique," Lenny muttered, his smile widening. "I've heard about this—a sword style that manipulates gravity. And at just ten years old, she already has this much power? Your class is full of monsters, isn't it, Theodore?"

Theodore's eyes narrowed. "Everyone, move! Get clear!"

Elisa leaped high into the air, defying gravity as her mana surged. The ground beneath her cracked and sank under the immense pressure. The slimes were crushed, their gelatinous bodies bursting like overfilled balloons.

"Gravity Wave: Third Form—Star Breaker!"

With a deafening explosion, Elisa slammed her swords into the ground, unleashing a shockwave that sent everyone flying. Theodore hit a nearby tree, the impact knocking the wind out of him.

Dust and mist filled the air, obscuring everything. Theodore staggered to his feet, using his sword to clear the haze. "Elisa!" he shouted, his voice echoing.

Noah, who had landed nearby, scrambled to his feet. "Elisa, where are you?" he yelled, panic creeping into his voice.

Vivian and Jin were sprawled against another tree, groaning as they recovered from the blast.

"Is… is she dead?" Vivian asked, her voice trembling.

A weak laugh came from above. "Dead? As if!" Elisa called, perched on a tree branch. "It'll take more than that to kill me. After all, I still need to watch over Prince Theodore!"

"Damn it, this isn't the time for jokes!" Theodore snapped, crossing his arms in frustration.

"Oh, were you worried about me?" Elisa teased as Noah helped her climb down.

"Shut up," Theodore muttered, annoyed.

"Alright, enough messing around," Lenny said, clapping his hands. "We need to keep moving. The boss room is likely deeper in the forest, and the only way out is to clear this gate."

Vivian hesitated. "But, sir, aren't you exhausted? You've been fighting just as hard as we have."

Lenny laughed nervously, scratching his head. "Tired? Of course I am. But I can't let you kids see me weak, can I? You need to feel safe."

Theodore's eyes narrowed. (Safe? This man is playing a game, and I don't like it. He's been holding back the entire time, barely fighting while pushing the slimes toward us. What is he really after?)

"Let's rest," Lenny suggested, but Theodore immediately cut him off.

"No. We don't have time. The slimes are getting smarter, and staying here is a death sentence. We need to keep moving."

"But we're tired!" Jin protested, his voice trembling.

Theodore's glare silenced him. "If you want to stay here and wait to die, go ahead. The rest of us are moving forward."

Jin clenched his fists, shame washing over him. "Fine… I'll go," he muttered.

"Good," Theodore said, turning to lead the group deeper into the forest.

Lenny's eyes lingered on Theodore, a strange smile creeping onto his face. "Prince Theodore, you're quite the leader, aren't you?"

Theodore didn't respond, but his mind was racing.

(This man… I don't trust him. He's too focused on me. And now that I think about it… the gate's sudden change to red—could he be the cause?)

As the group pressed on, Theodore glanced back at Lenny, catching the instructor watching him with that same unsettling smile.

(I'll figure you out soon enough, Lenny. I know you're hiding something.)