Chapter 22: The Next Day

The Forest Expedition

The morning air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine as the academy students gathered at the edge of the Blackroot Forest, their weapons gleaming under the pale sunlight. Instructor Zatch stood before them, his massive arms crossed over his chest.

"Listen up!" his voice boomed. "Today's live training—monster extermination. These woods are crawling with lesser beasts, perfect for you lot to practice on. Stay in groups, don't wander off, and if you see anything bigger than a Razorback Boar, you run. Understood?"

A chorus of "Yes, sir!" echoed through the ranks.

Cedric adjusted the strap of his spear, his body still humming with residual fatigue from the altar incident. Instructor Elizabeth had ordered him to rest, but he wasn't about to sit idle while the others trained.

Aveline shot him a sharp look. "You're supposed to be in the medic tent."

Cedric smirked. "And miss all the fun?"

Vivienne giggled, twirling a lock of golden hair around her finger. "Oh, I do love a reckless man~"

Luna cracked her knuckles. "If you collapse again, I'm leaving you for the wolves."

Zatch noticed Cedric and scowled. "Leonheart! I said rest!"

"I'm fine," Cedric replied, rolling his shoulders. "Better than fine."

Zatch grunted but didn't argue further. "Fine. But stick close to the group. No heroics."

Cedric nodded, though his instincts prickled.

Something wasn't right.

The Mist's Deception

The forest was eerily quiet as they ventured deeper, the canopy above swallowing the sunlight. The usual chirping of birds, the rustle of small creatures—gone.

Then, without warning, a thick, unnatural mist rolled in, swallowing the students in seconds.

"What the—?"

"Stay together!" Zatch's voice was muffled, distant.

Cedric spun, but the others had vanished. The mist clung to him like a living thing, dampening sound, distorting direction.

A trap.

And he'd walked right into it.

Darius's Ambush

A low chuckle echoed through the trees.

"Took you long enough."

Cedric turned just as Darius stepped into view, his massive frame towering over him. Behind him, four lackeys fanned out, their grins sharp with malice.

"Garrick paid extra for this," Darius said, rolling a small black vial between his fingers. "Duskthorn extract. Nasty stuff—paralyzes you, but keeps you awake. Perfect for when I break your legs."

Cedric's grip tightened on his spear. "You're wasting your time."

Darius smirked. "We'll see."

He lunged.

Cedric dodged, but not fast enough, he was still suffering from yesterday's heavy mental usage. talking to dragon remember. he was still having headache —the vial shattered against his shoulder, the poison seeping into his skin. Almost instantly, his muscles locked, his vision swimming.

But then—his water core pulsed.

A cool, soothing energy spread through his veins, dulling the poison's grip. He could still move. Slower, weaker—but not helpless.

Darius's eyes widened. "What? That should've dropped you!"

Cedric exhaled, rolling his neck. "Guess I'm full of surprises."

The Shadow's Wrath

The lackeys attacked first, their movements sloppy, untrained. Amateurs.

Cedric almost pitied them.

"Shadow Manifestation."

The ground at his feet rippled—and then his own shadow rose, twisting into a perfect copy of himself, wielding a spectral sword and spear.

The lackeys froze.

"What the hell is that?!" one shrieked.

Cedric didn't answer. He and his shadow moved as one.

The first lackey swung a club—Cedric's shadow parried with its sword while Cedric himself drove his spear into the boy's ribs. Crack.

The second came at him with a dagger. The shadow intercepted, disarming him with a twist of its wrist before Cedric slammed the butt of his spear into his nose. Crunch.

The third and fourth attacked together. Big mistake.

Cedric ducked under a wild slash, his shadow mirroring him, and then—

"Umbra Claw."

Dark tendrils lashed out, wrapping around their ankles and yanking them off their feet. Before they could scream, Cedric and his shadow were on them, blades flashing.

Not to kill.

But to humiliate.

When it was over, the lackeys lay groaning on the ground, their faces bloodied, their hair shorn off in ragged patches.

Bald. Bruised. Broken.

Darius stared, his bravado crumbling. "You—you're not human."

Cedric stepped over the whimpering lackeys, his shadow dissolving back into the earth. "Your turn."

The Realization

Darius was strong—but he was slow. Predictable.

Cedric dodged his first punch, countered with a slash across his thigh.

Darius roared, swinging wildly. Cedric ducked, driving his elbow into his gut, then his knee into his face.

Crack.

Darius stumbled back, blood gushing from his nose. "You little—!"

Cedric didn't let him finish.

A final, brutal kick sent Darius crashing into a tree, his body slumping to the ground, unconscious.

Silence.