"I suggest that you reconsider joining a team before it's too late." The man said as he went towards another practice dummy.
Corvus remained silent in response as he stared towards the remaining half of his practice dummy. Only after almost a minute did he got back to himself by shaking his head and taking a deep breath.
'No! I won't change my decision!' he thought, 'I have unlimited chances in a simulation. But in real life situation... I only had one! Might as well take advantage of this opportunity and improve as much as I can!'
He stood up and dusted his spacesuit. Then, he picked up his Hunter's Blade, the black bladed machete, and said, "Yes, you are right. There is still a long way ahead of me. But... I have a firm belief in myself that I can do it!"
The man did not respond toward him and simply focused on conjuring ice shards that were as thin as the needle and shot it towards the practice dummy. At the same time, Corvus did not mind him and simply proceeded with another dummy and started practicing his strikes.
Sounds of clashing metals filled the room as they were focused on their own training. After an hour, the man was able to pierce and burst forty-seven practice dummy. While Corvus was able to almost split a practice dummy into half.
Both could still continue in their training even further but Officer Kal Bos had called the attention of everyone, saying to rest and prepare because they would be transported to the extraction point at planet Tordha in an hour.
Like his blessing, the man left the close combat training area in a cold manner. He did not say another word, nor glanced towards Corvus. At the same time, the temperature inside increased, making Corvus shake the cold feeling in his hands.
Afterward, he swung around his arms and was followed by a couple of jumps to relax his tensed body. Then, he moved his head to sides that made a weak crackling sound.
"Let's do this!" he said with his hands tightly gripped.
With his two Hunter's Blade sheathed on the sides of his thigh, he walked out of the close combat training area determined and focused to the point that he did not give any f@ck about what other people think.
He simply walked past through them and noted their current position, actions, movement, and potential moves without looking much towards them. His concentration made it seem like he had a sixth sense that is able to sense any presence of any being around him, including but not limited to threats that are possed by them.
His hands carefreely swung by his side that attracted the gazes of some of the hunters for Athorn Guild. They knew that Corvus' actions were cunning. His carefree actions could attract or lure 'predators' to attack him because he seemed lax.
But... That was not the case! Although his hands swung carefreely, the range of its swing was only limited to the area where he could draw his Hunter's Blade at a split second. Pair it with his maxed concentration, Corvus resembled an experienced serial killer on the loose.
Soon, all of them were required to be on their seats as their spaceship enters the atmosphere of planet Tordha and, later on, lands towards the drop-off point that was discussed in their briefing session earlier.
Each team led by the hunters from Athorn Guild would take different paths to the mountain in order to widen the range of areas that they can cover so that they would be able to find the dungeons easily.
Corvus was not exempted. His path to the mountain was not predetermined. But... He is not allowed to take a same path as the other teams.
Fortunately, in their left arm--just below their wrist, was a small monitor that serves as their tracking device, communication device, map, and energy level detector. Thus, no one has the reason to say that they did not know that 'someone' explored that path ahead of them.
As teams left one by one, Corvus' heart can't help but beat faster each second--out of nervousness and, at the same time, excitement as he was about to experience the thrill of exploring a planet in the magical universe for the first time.
Since he was the last one to depart, he had no choice but to select a path that was furthest from the centermost of the area that was initially scouted by the explorer bots. It has advantages--like being far from where the wolf looking beasts were spotted.
That said, it also had a disadvantage--like it was the path that had the highest probability of appearance of a beast or extraordinary phenomenon that was not scouted or recorded by the explorer bots.
Either way, it would all end up on his luck. Whether he would have a smooth journey towards the mountain or he would encounter new obstacles that were not seen nor discussed during the briefing phase before the exploration.
"Kenk!"
The red-colored light beside the door changed into green, giving Corvus a sign that he can now leave the spaceship. The door slid sidewards allowing the cold breeze of wind to enter the entrance and exit confinement room of the ship, and consequently sending shivers to his whole body.
He simply shook his arms and jumped a few times to calm himself. Afterward, he walked towards the open door and gazed towards the plain that was filled with a black colored grass that danced together with the strong breeze of wind.
'Good thing that it's a habitable planet. Else... It would have been annoying to wear those bulky spacesuits around.' He thought as he remembered how every single Hunter with Blessing wore a comfortable, loose, spacesuit.
"You'd only really understand the importance and the power brought by Power Cores when you get a glimpse of the magical universe, itself." He said, whilst forcing out a smile. Then, he shook his head before he took a deep breath and made his first step to the first-ever 'magical' planet he was about to explore.
"Planet Tordha! Here I come!" he said as his concentration and perception was brought to its maximum, while consequently wiping the smile on his face--indicating that he had 'thrown away' all the nervousness, excitement, or any other feelings that may hinder or greatly affect him during his exploration.