37. Crimson Eagle Training Camp (8)
(then, the exam ended peacefully without any problem… how great it would be if it really happened sadly it was only on my dream…)
***
(I thought we need more time before we can seriously participate on Flag Hunt, but I'm wrong…., these guys too competent on their own way)
On the second day, from morning till evening they only focus on improving their base, at the end of the day, the base surrounded by a makeshift fence made by sharpened twig and wood with Neo big knife, the process become much easier and faster
And then with Elena's net they were able to catch many river fish, they made a simple pond beside the base, with that they solved food problem for the next three days, and they prepared, as for water, they used rock boiling water method to sterilize it
(no no no, of course it's not something they learn on the orphanage, we all learn this on survival class)
Lastly the clothes, they can wash the clothes, and temporarily used the small blanket, with Mashiro Big Cloth they don't have to use that blanket to cover the ground.
With that, on the second day, they are able to fulfill humanity's primary needs, Shelter, Food, and Clothes. other trainees from other group had found Lex's base but cause Lex's group don't even have one flag on their hand, no conflict happened,
The second day ended, with a satisfying smile on their face as they were able to improve their base like that
The third and the fourth day, with Max command, they all started to explore the base surrounding, while trying to find as many flags as possible, He suggest to move on group of two, while the last one safeguard the base, but denied by Lex, he insisted to move alone, he gave out many random excuses, to increase the safeguard to two people
(unlike on the facility, there's no one monitoring me, I can move on my full power today, the others only weight me down and makes it harder for me to hide my abilities)
(on the same time, I wanted to test just how far I improved on this last two months, with this perfect opportunity there's no way I missed it!)
Like that, Lex able to move alone on the third and fourth day, with his physical abilities, he can even act like a ninja from the Anime he watched on his past life, jumping from trees to trees, with his exceptional senses, Lex too able to avoid any encounter with other groups,
(I even have a Hellhound knocking my front door, there's no way I do that) with that reasoning Lex avoided going to the northern side of the forest as it's labeled dangerous by Crimson Eagle, Lex too afraid to test his luck
(you can call me coward, or anything I don't care, in the end the one who is able to survive till the end, is the winner)
Then Lex back with 5 flags on his hand, he able to take much more from that if he stole it from other groups, but he decided to not steal it
(it's better no to make more enemies)
He got back with that 5 flags, quickly questioned by the others on the group, as they can only find one flag these two days.
"did you steal it from others?" Max asked
"do I like someone who will do something like that?" Lex replied
"yea" Max instantly answered Lex, while the others too quickly nodded their head
"Kugh! I don't know that your trust on me was that small…" Lex dejectedly said
"haha, of course we're only joking with you" Max said
After that light conversation and joke, Lex explained how he got all the flags, near the border between Northern and Western side.
(it's a lie thought)
Lex didn't know his small lie ended him with a sermon from Max for about two hours,
(rather than sermon, it's more like he's begging not do something dangerous, either way no matter which one both were tiresome)
(ughh… I shouldn't lie in the first place….) He quickly got his lesson.
The fourth day ended with another peaceful and fun experience.
On the fifth day, the weather started to go bad, it started raining from morning, Max quickly praised by his quick thinking, not using the food ration till that day,
With Mashiro Big Cloth, they made another makeshift roof to avoid the rain, and with enough food ration they coop up on their base the whole day, playing and talking together
The fifth day ended with laughter on the whole night
The sixth day started but the weather did not have any sign becoming better, they all coop up on their base for another whole day, as the rain did not stop even after the sun has set.
The sixth day too ended with laughter, and singing voice from their group.
***
The last day, the seventh day started
(something feels different…) Lex thought when he observed the base surrounding
(somehow the forest became much colder, calmer, and eerie…)
It was the seventh day morning, the rain has stopped, but the sun still covered by cloud, at that time while the others just started to wake up, Max approached Lex
"what do you feel?" Lex asked
"… I feel something not right here" at first Max hesitated whether to tell Lex what he feels, but he said it in the end, to Max, Lex like someone who he can depend on any situation
"so you felt it too…"
"do you know something?" Max asked with a hopeful face
"no, I don't know too" Lex replied, but he still did not turn his head from looking at that direction… the direction where the northern forest is…
"is that so…" Max replied a bit disappointed, ('No, Lex not superman who knows everything! How can I think and feel like this! I even saw him depressed not able to help us on the first day, it isn't 't right for me to feel this way, damn it!! He's my friend!!') Max quickly regained himself
At that time, Lex was concentrated his hearing to his surrounding, because he got a feeling something bad going to happen soon.
*step *step
(Hmm?)
*step *bump *bush
(what is….)
*step *step *bump *bump *bush *bush
(footstep!? And this number... there's too many to count!! and the voice started to become louder and louder, Damn!! there's no mistake… it's coming toward us!!!)
"QUICKLY WAKE UP!!" with Lex sudden yell, the others who started to wake, quickly stand on their feet, Max shocked because his mind distracted by his thought before, he's a bit late to react to Lex
"Pick up, your belongings now! leave anything you can leave!!" for the first time on this Exam Lex take the command on himself not by Max
(there's no time!!) he looks calm on the outside, in fact Lex too panicked on the inside (what's going on here!? Aargghh! Anyway safety first!)
"Lex? What's going on?" even a bit late, Max still trusted his friend Lex, he quickly took his belongings with him before went to ask Lex, but Lex did not need to answer it because Max will get his answer soon
At this time, the others too started to feel it the ground started to shake, to tremble like a hint of earthquake
""""an Earthquake!?""""
The others other than Lex responded like that but…
"no!" Lex refuted "quickly climb the trees!! The higher the better!!" its questionable to others, but with Lex senses, he immediately understood the situation, it's a Stampede!
"wha-" when Neo tried to ask something,
"talk later! Quick climb!" Max cut his word, before following Max order to climb the trees
Lex was grateful with Max respond, with Lex and Max as their lead, the other quickly climb the trees too.
…. Another three minutes passed, the first animal a rabbit passed their camp, but it didn't expect the sharpened fence on that place and it got impaled and dead on the spot
""""!!??""""" even Lex got staggered there
With that rabbit as a lead, the other animal quickly run towards and pass their base one by one, small and big, the unlucky one got impaled there,
By that time Max, Mashiro, Elena, and Neo who climb the trees reluctantly, like there's fire on their butt they quickly hurriedly as high as they can,
It was about fifteen minutes before the stampede pass their base, the once well-made base was stepped to the ground by animals, some unlucky animal got impaled to death, and stepped to death on that place, the ground covered by red blood, the makeshift pond too smeared to red by blood.
At least by Lex warning they groups able to collect their first given bag, with basic necessary things, only Mashiro's Big Cloth was unable to collect, a bit wrecked by stepped by animal's Stampede, but still useable and repairable
"Just what the hell is that!?" Neo shouted when they back to the ground
Not only the girls Max and Neo too terrified by that scene just now, only Lex who quickly once again concentrated his hearing he did not have the leeway to mind the small things
(it be the worst if there's another one and I missed it)
"I don't know what happened too" Max which acknowledge as their leader have the responsibility to calm down the group, he's doing his best to calm Neo down
"what about the others?" Mashiro suddenly asked
At that time Max, Neo, and Elena realize they were able to escape with Lex's warning, if not… and the other groups don't have Lex's warning
"Lex-" just right when Max called for Lex
*GRROOAWHHHH
A howling sound echoed to their ears
(ughh!) Lex promptly covered his ears, this is the disadvantage when he concentrated his senses, it becomes too sensitive and can damage Lex in the roundabout way
The groups got silenced by that howl, they shaken up and frightened, what's it human biggest fear… the unknown!
They don't understand the situation at all, all of a sudden their group got caught on this messed up situation
*step *step
Another footstep approaching their group from the northern forest
(just one?) Lex who's afraid another stampede a bit confused because there's only one footsteps approaching them
And the identity of that footsteps reveal itself…. It was a black adult Bear, that can reach three meters if it stood up.
(damn it!! How can I miss this simple thing! Why there's a stampede like that! Of course They tried to run away from what' bigger and stronger than them! And that thing! Is the cause of it!!)
The Bear stopped it's run when he saw Lex and the others, it's started to step to walk slowly left and right, as if it's enjoying observing its prey
(shit!!)
"Max, take the others and run!" Lex said
"w-what are you saying!?" Max shocked by Lex's words ('no, there's no way I left you alone!')
While the others too scared to speak, they stared at the Bear not able to look away, they afraid to get pounced once they looked away, there's something aura like thing that caused them to feel their inferiority than that Bear, that makes them fear…
"just-"
{ just listen to me! } what Lex trying to say, but in a fraction of second Lex tried to turn to Max, the Bear pounced at him
"Whoa!!" Lex evaded the Bear's claw by hairbreadth, Lex quickly jump away from the Bear, but not too far, as he afraid the Bear will change its target to the others
"damn! Get out of here FAST!!" this time Lex stick his eyes to the Bear as he talked
"b-but" Max still hesitated
"I can't help you if that things targeting any of you!!"
"…."
But Max still don't have any intention to move from that place
"tsk!!" Lex clicked his tongue "Listen!! I'm faster than you all, I can't escape from that thing! If you all just stuck in there! I diverted it for now, and escape when I felt you all already far from here, I will escape too!!" he shouted, Lex already not calm enough to speak softly, his tension rising as time passed by
"Ugh! I got it! Don't push yourself! Quickly run from it too!!" only after all that explanation Max pushed the others to run away
As the other started to run away, Lex felt that the Bear attention no longer focused on him alone
(argghh!! You should do that from the beginning!!!)
Luckily they made a makeshift fence with sharpened twig and wood, which mean at this time on that place, there spear like twigs and woods scattered around the ground
As the Bear tried to after Max and others, Lex quickly picked up that fake spear, he thrust it to the Bear
*bruaaashh
The fake spear shattered
(hey! That's not normal!!)
(is it become fragile, after stepped by many animals? it must be!!)
(even if I failed to injure it at least with this I got its attention back)
*groowwwwll
The Bear growl as it gazed at Lex then The Bear once again pounced at Lex
(fast!?) it's 1.5x faster than the first time, but unlike before this time Lex already knows what's coming
He evaded its charge, and quickly take the unscathed fake spear which luckily untouched by that stampede
(with this!) he thrusted the fake spear
*bruashhh
(hey! That's not what should have happened!!) he shocked he bewildered he speechless with the result
This time the Bear did not afraid of the fake spear at all, as its not try to evade or block it at all, and with that the Bear got closer to Lex
(shitt!!?) it's too late when Lex realizes that
*slash *fwoosh *splash
"arrgghhh!!!" Lex screamed, his left hand got scratched, it's only a scratch, a small wound, but still what is Lex? A normal human an office worker on his past life, even in this life it's the first time he got wounded like this
At that time with the Hellhound, he got injured by the explosion not the Hellhound, and he quickly loss consciousness when he got up his injury already healed, there's no time for Lex to feel the injury, but this time is different
*drip *drip
With blood slowly dripping from his left hand
(Shit!! Shitt!!)
"it hurts!!!!" he screamed
But of course the Bear wouldn't have waited for Lex, The Bear going to kill its prey
"uhhh!!" still Lex did not want to die, while holding the pain on his left hand, he avoided the bear's strike with his life on the line
He evades and evades, he keeps evading the Bear continuous strike which looks limitless to the panicked Lex
(damn it! How many times it's going to attack me!!?)
(aarghhh!! It hurstt!!!!! Damnn itt!)
(I don't want to dieeee!!)
Lex who started to get fed up evading The Bear strike, for once got his chance, he evaded right on The Bear stomach,
"FUCK YOU!" He shouted, he punched its stomach with all his might
*CLANGGG!!!
"AARRGGHHHHHHH!!!!" Lex quickly get away from The Bear, while holding his right arm
He's already forgotten the small scratch on his left hand, the pain on his right hand immeasurable to that
But with that pain, Lex able to wake up, able to regain himself from his panicked state
"damn it!! That's wasn't the sound when flesh and flesh clashed!!!" Lex cried still holding his shaking right hand
"uggh it's so fucking hurt!!! It feels like punching a steel door!! Not that I tried it before"
That's right, Lex calmed enough even able to make a joke at that situation
"with this they should be able to get far enough from here" Lex muttered, with the state of Lex now he's able to recognize his first priority, he's purpose standing here
The Bear doesn't like got much damage, but still got knocked back by Lex punch, Lex too wasn't a normal human, he punched with all his might just now, if that punch was at a normal human, you can expect his bone broken to pieces with that
Lex got the distance he wanted with this "bye!" he said, as he quickly turned around run to the other way,
"ahahahaha" he laughed as he run, his excitement his tension, he's already on hypertension state, he long forgotten the pain on both of his arm
He run and run before he realized something wrong
*step *step
Beside his footsteps there's another one, quickly following him, which is started to get closer and closer too
(it caught up!?) Lex got shocked by that fact, he's running on his full speed now, because he's running on the forests he can't run as fast as he can on the road, but still he run the fastest he can without while not colliding into any trees
When Lex tried to turn back to see what's behind him
The Bear already right behind him, it's like The Bear waiting for Lex to turn his back, waiting for his chance, at that time The Bear quickly accelerated, and tackled Lex
"KUHAAHH!!!" Lex got blown away. he thrown up some fluid from his mouth
*bump *bump
"AHHH!!"
He bounced on the ground two times before collided with a tree, by reflex Lex tried to stand up "GOHOK!!?" he quickly coughed up fell back on the ground
When Lex regained back his sight, he saw a splashed of blood under him, that's right Lex have coughed up some blood
"Uooooarghh!! it!! Huerer"!!"
{ it hurts! } what he's trying to say, Lex can no longer speak normally, the pain is too much for him to bear.
But still (I don't want to die at least not like this!!) with that will he sit on the ground with the collided tree on his back, while The Bear who's already sure it's got its prey, slowly walking on four hands toward Lex
(kuhghh!!) Lex tried to stand up again, but no avail, he doesn't have that strength anymore, and with the pain added, he's still consciousness is already a miracle
(!!??) that time, Lex finally remembered one thing he forgot this entire time
He put his best to move his hand, slowly approaching his pocket…
From there he took out a silver gun, he already prepared it beforehand, the bullet order was Blue, Red, Yellow, Blue, and Yellow
The Bear who's already sure about its victory, The Bear who's did not know the technology owned by humanity, let its guard down….
*bam
A gamble and his last stand, Lex shot the gun
The Bear was shocked by the sound, and something approaching it, but sadly The Bear is not fast enough to avoid that
*thrust
The blue bullet penetrated The Bear's head, the slowly walking Bear stopped on its place, like a video who suddenly got paused
One two three… a few second after that
*froze!
The Bear whole body got covered by thick blue ice, and by the next second
*crkkkk *crack!
The frozen Bear shattered into million pieces, disappeared without a trace
"Haa… haa…. haa…." With his heavy breath, Lex watched it all
"Hahaha argh! Haha" he tried to laugh despite the pain he felt all over his body, then he relieved from tension relieved from immediate danger and added the damage all over his body
Lex fainted on the spot