A month went by in relative boredom while I went through basic training. The basic training wasn't interesting or anything, I spent a month learning the basic routine as an assassin.
I spent the majority of the days learning survival skills, tracking skills and practicing my protective skills. I spent the majority of my practice times in coming up with various forms of the Obex spell and different elements. As I can already utilize 3 elements, I made various elemental shields with varying variables such as size, shape, quantity, and angle.
During the evening, I studied the native monsters within the forest. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of different monsters that formed a complex ecosystem over the years. Though many of them were docile and did not harm humans, many of the parts from the monsters were of high value in making tools, weapons, and armor.
I've also got accustomed to many of the other soldiers within the corps but mainly within my own group. Samantha seems to be very fond of me as she sticks around me for the majority of the time I'm awake. This may also be because the other group members have tasks they need to do on a daily basis.
I also witness a couple more 'tree creation' magic from the colonel and realized the reason why no monsters were near the camp area.
But basic training had ended 3 days ago. I was given 2 days to rest and today was the day I would go on my first mission. Espera walked towards me and Samantha and reported my first mission.
"Deus" Espera spoke. "Orders from the colonel. You are to hunt at least 10 wind wolves and bring their cores back. Bonus rewards for bringing back the corpse of the pack leader. You are to be accompanied by one member from the group of at least captain rank but they are strictly prohibited from assisting you unless your life is on the line."
"I'll accompany him, I have nothing to do anyway." Samantha spoke out. "I like being around his scent anyway."
"When am I to finish this by?" I asked.
"You have 1 week, no longer. A penalty will be given if you cannot complete it on time. Report directly to me once you have completed your task." Espera ended with these words as she left the area, going back to her usual work.
"Wind wolves...Hmm." I contemplated.
Wind wolves were a special type of wolf breed that had slight control over the wind element. The main usage of wind in their case was speeding up their natural speed but they could also use it offensively. It was considered a mid-tier monster as it wasn't too dangerous if facing one but these monsters lived in packs, making them very dangerous.
"Samantha, I'll be setting out later today. I'm going to get some resources and start preparing." I stood up as I spoke.
"Don't worry about me, I'll notice when you leave the camp and follow you from behind." Samantha replied leisurely as she continued to feel the warmth from the fire.
-----
"Target suspected to still be alive, no corpse has been found. Spotted Silvia Pendragon entering the Capital for a day and then leaving. Chances are the target has been teleported away. Location unknown." Leo read out a note he received from a carrier bird.
"Suspected to be alive huh. I wonder how he survived Scorpio's poison." A voice echoed in from the side.
"I wonder how Scorpio will feel after hearing someone survived through his poison. Cancer, I think it's your time to shine this time." Leo spoke.
"Ugh... No guarantees but your wish is mine or whatever." 'Cancer' spoke out. A man walked out from the shadows revealing a very average looking man.
"Your tracking ability is the best within the group, I'll be waiting for your good news haha." Leo chuckled.
"Sigh...'Tracking ability' you call it but it's just collecting information from my pubs and mercenaries." Cancer sighed out as he sat down.
"Well, who else is going to track the boy then?" Leo glared at Cancer.
"Fine, fine. I don't know how long it'll take but I'll let you know if I find something." Cancer waved his hand as he replied.
-----
It's been 3 days since I've set off from the camp searching wildly for possible tracks of wolves. I did encounter a wolf pack already but they were of a different breed that I did not know of. Thankfully I was not noticed by the pack and sneaked past them quite easily. As for Samantha, the only reason I knew that she was following me from the occasional scream of a monster when she went through her 'feeding' time.
Today wasn't very different, though I was feeling slightly more anxious from the time passing by, as I continued to move quickly about the forest. I knew that the wolves enjoyed the northern part of the forest and made my way up there using the local map I obtained.
There were a lot of cliffs and smaller hills in this area, making it quite hard to travel. Thankfully, I was able to climb these cliffs using earth elemental magic by simply creating stone 'steps' upon the side of the cliffs to walk up.
I rested upon the top of the cliff as the sun blazed high up in the sky. I was still surrounded by trees but this spot was one of the few locations where one could see the sunlight within the forest.
At that moment.
"I found them."
!!!!
I turned around with a jump.
"Samantha, my god. You scared me to death." I gasped for breath as I saw Samantha walking up from behind me with a carcass of a wind wolf.
"Well, I'm not supposed to help you but I can give you a hint. There's a pack of around 20 about a kilometer to the north from here. I'll be eating this so go have fun, yell if you need me. I'll be able to hear you." Samantha sat down near the small fire I had made and placed the wolf down beside her.
"Thank you!". Maybe it was because I felt rushed for time, I stood up instantly after hearing their location and started to make my way over.
My traveling speed wasn't as fast as Samantha, who seemed to be able to cover dozens of kilometers in a few minutes, and took almost an hour to reach the location.
"Tracks...". I kneeled onto the ground as I inspected the wolf tracks, they were headed further up north but it seemed pretty fresh from the marks on the grass.
At that point.
A pair of eyes appeared in the distance. And then another.
And then more.
Over a dozen pairs of eyes stared at me as a giant wolf started to walk out from the darkness.
"Pack leader... Alpha Wind Wolf!" I shouted out in shock.
As if the wolves were reacting to my shout, they all started to run about and soon enclosing me in a circle. Too fast for me to properly react.
"Obex!" I surrounded myself in various layers of my barrier in panic, it was the spell I was most familiar with after all and the only thing I could think of at the moment.
"...Human". The alpha wolf suddenly spoke out to me. "This...Our home...Why come... Are you enemy?".
!!!
I knew that the monsters living near human settlements or had lots of contacts with humans could understand our language but I thought only the humanoid monsters could speak.
"How...How can you speak!?" I asked back in shock.
"Speech...Form of sound...Made with wind...Wind...I am Wind...Easy Task..." The Alpha Wolf, with much difficulty, made up a broken up sentence to reply to me. "Answer...Question."
"I...". I almost replied 'yes I am your enemy' but thought about it for a moment before shouting out. "SAMANTH-"
"I was already here, shush." Samantha appeared beside me as a chilling aura covered the surrounding area, forcing some of the wolves back in fear.
"You...Killed my son...Enemey." The Alpha Wolf also had a hint of fear in his eyes but got into a pounce position as if he was about to jump at us at any moment.
"Goodbye for now." She smiled as she nodded at the Alpha Wolf before grabbing onto my back and quickly jumping away.
"Wai-" Pwoosh! Whiplash hit the air out from my body as I dangled in the air, dragged through the forest like a dummy until we were back at the cliff in just under a minute.
"Haaa....Haaaa." I gasped for breath from the sudden shock and then looked up at Samantha. "Why did we run? We could've fought them!"
"True, but I'm not supposed to help you kill them." Samantha responded. "Also, have you learned nothing from the month of training? Diving straight into a pack like that, what a genius."
"Ugh..." I sat down as I noticed the half-eaten wolf. "Thanks I guess..."
"Think about it more, plan your actions before you go through with them. Remember that this is all training." Samantha sat back down as she started to rip out the remaining bits of flesh from the wolf's carcass as I turned my head away.
"A plan
huh..." I looked into the flickering flames as I contemplated.