"Huah! Finally!"
The clean and fresh Arawinda threw herself onto her comfy nest, snuggled herself into the smooth quilt, and sighed at the coziness feeling. Whatsoever the world she was in, the most comfortable place was her bed! Well, if the bed was unqualified then it was excluded...
Several things happen in one day where she chose another way to start the day. Although her body was still sore, she was particularly ecstatic about what she had been through today. Not only did she become closer to the trio, but she also had a new buddy!
Except that, she was a bit uncertain about the reaction of Bhahran's side. Indeed she was too impulsive yet along with the female protagonist's behaviors, she was certain breaking up with the male protagonist was unavoidable. It would happen sooner or later, she couldn't rely on it for too long. Howbeit, solely as she estimated previously, Teacher Nandano shouldn't have to do something sooner, targeting her empty core. She prayed that her assumption was still valid.
Reminded of her empty core, she also had some guesses about it. Grasping the theory of normal and dependent core, added by the fact Danastri was capable of taking in and out the villain's spare tire core from her core easily, she speculated that her empty core apparently still functioned normally and the problem was, in fact, on her body. Perhaps, her body actually is the empty one, without any element inside. This was probably the reason Danastri never underwent a high fever which was the element awakening, and end up doing a forced awakening instead.
If it was really as she surmised, shouldn't she be able to simply put some external element to her core? But where could she seek such an uncertain and made-up thing inside her mind like that…
Sigh! Let's just try to take the spare tire core instead of being tangled on her own.
Arawinda swiftly sat up straight and crossed her legs, putting her hands on her knees and closing her eyes, as if she was about to meditate. She struggled to blindly imagine the form of the core, plus, she couldn't help but chant in her heart, yearning for success.
"..."
"???"
"Pftt--" What was she even doing?!
Arawinda sat idly as she tapped on her forehead, feeling amused at herself. Could it be done like this? It must be failed--
Huh? Where did the cool wind come from?
Arawinda plan to squint her eyes and take a peek at her surrounding, yet as soon as she opened her eyes...
"What?! Wow!!" She succeeded!!
Hovering in front of her was a semi-translucent small jewel, shimmering in light green sparkle, appearing stunning, elegant, and somewhat mysterious. It produced a small coolly breeze, lightly caressing her skin, leaving her dazed in enjoyment.
... So this was a dependent core? How fascinating.
Arawinda took a deep breath before reaching out her hand pryingly. As soon as her finger touched the surface, crisp and chilly sensations brushes lightly her skin, leaving her amazed and awestruck.
Her spare tire core was literally this cool?? How could she have the heart to use this?! It was certainly natural for the villain to go crazy wishing to end her for snatching his supernatural core!
According to her memories, this dependent core had a job to delay her empty core sucking dry the energy inside her body. This time, she hadn't yet understood what energy it was, or simply life energy. All she knew was based on the story, if her energy sucked entirely, she would perish...
She sighed while stroking the shimmering core. Why was her core so complicated? She craved for more hints other than in the memories and the story.
"Yawn..."
Arawinda suddenly came to a realization. Maybe, the reason Danastri loved to take it out was that it had calming and soothing effects, making her body relaxed and peaceful, even sleepy.
Simply adoring it for ten minutes, sleepiness almost enveloping her. With the last bit of consciousness, she hurriedly put in back the core then got into her quilt. Perhaps because her goal, taking out the villain's core, had been fulfilled, she was able to go on an adventure in her sleep with ease. However, just one more question suddenly emerged right before she was completely asleep.
... Such a gentle core, what was his ability?
Unknown to her, the moment she took the core out, a certain guy inside the forest sensed it then raised his head to look in the direction of the academy. He squeezed his fists strongly and stayed motionlessly, mumbling, "...More than a week. I thought it's gone already..."
.....
"Huh!"
Arawinda wiped her sweat with a small towel before putting it casually on the back, the next moment she grabbed her bottle of water and took large gulps of it.
Today was her second time coming to Wall#1 for working out, alone of course. Unlike last time she wore her academy uniform, currently, she wore a white sleeveless t-shirt paired with grey bike shorts and casual sports shoes. At first, she doubt whether there were comfy clothes for working out in this world, turned out Danastri had more than one nestled pitifully inside her wardrobe!
She had done a 40-minute workout with a 5-minute break twice and intended to end it for now. Yet with how idle she was in the academy, she decided to lay her weak body on the grass under a big leafy tree, listening to the kids' laughter, enjoying the breeze.
... Right, even kids were capable enter the forest freely, what about her? She was tempted at this moment.
The training center had provided four items for her. The first was, for her, a very magical shield and its shape was a brooch. The guard said it would automatically operate if any zombies reached her, at least 10cm from her body. The durability was not high, about 50 hits for the light blue brooch and 100 for the dark blue brooch. The guard asked first whether she would enter deeper or simply 1km from the training center. Going deeper would be provided with 2-3 dark blue brooches, and simply near the training center provided with merely 1 light blue brooch.
Once the color changed from blue to red, it means the durability was soon consumed thoroughly. At this moment, she had to wield her second item, for her, it was a legendary teleport item. The shape was a ring with a blue button, and she must wear it with the button facing the thumb, to make it easier for her to click it on while in danger. The teleport location was near the training center, with fewer people and certainly fewer zombies, and she was able only to teleport a total of five times.
As for the third item,
The weapon she had asked for was a light knife fitted to her weak and small hand. Truthfully, even with Danastri's memories, she was unskilled at using a knife as a weapon. At least she was able to swing it in randomly. Well, it was better than nothing anyway.
Lastly, it was a mini waist bag, enchanted as well. It was purposely for containing the zombie nuclei she gather but it might stay empty today as she was not confident enough she was able to earn nucleus the first time she saw a zombie.
Arawinda took out the knife from her waist bag and thoughtfully stared at its ordinary appearance yet a power hiding behind it as she pondered. Should she go? She was all prepared and doubtless, everything was fine.
As she considered, a sharp remark pierced into her ear directly.
"Haha! Why are you scared?! Coward!!"
A boisterous kid said loudly, followed by the laughter of the others.
Arawinda turned her head to the group of kids not far from her, only to find them surrounding a skinny boy. Albeit the boisterous boy earlier seems to mock him, he still clasped the skinny boy's hand tightly, and let him stand in the middle of the group the moment they entered the forest.
... Fine. She almost assumed that boy was actually humiliating her. She felt a bit offended by his words...
Taking a deep breath, Arawinda got up from the grass and showed a determined expression! Go! Let's go in! What was there to hesitate about? Wasn't it merely observing a real zombie standing in front of her like one in games?!
She snorted and clutched her knife firmly, before striding toward the forest.
Each of her steps was escorted by the creaking branches and the resulting leaves, along with the insects and the birds singing a song all together, creating an illusion she was a visitant welcomed dignifiedly. Under the peek of sunlight and the dancing silhouette, she glimpsed at the people nearby, beaming and laughing blissfully, adding joyous and festive tastes to this enthralling wood.
If she was ignorant about the danger that lies hidden behind these pictures, she could not tell such a mesmerizing forest was, in fact, a fortress of zombies...
Arawinda wandered her eyes around seeking the zombie she had anticipated yet still unable to find one. She estimated the distance between her and the training center was not too far and decided to walk deeper as she passed by one or two people.
The deeper she got, the quieter it became. The trees were leafier leaving no chance for the sunlight to peek inside. The once captivating forest had unknowingly transformed into a dreary and murky forest. Except for a few rustling leaves, only her footsteps resonated in this ghastly place. As if she was the only living being left in the world, making her shudder at the gloomy picture.
"It's a bit too far. I should go back..." She rubbed both her arms and mumbled a moment before turning around to walk back.
As soon as she was about to step, she abruptly heard a noise, making her halt in stiffness.
"Grrrr....."
Thump-thump!
Her heartbeat abruptly quicken, aware of whose voice was that.
... No matter how prepared she was, mentally or physically, as a human who had never seen a real zombie able to eat a human in one go, even back then she had often seen a woman in white with long black hair standing motionlessly in the living room in the middle of the night, she was still scared to the point she wished to scream out!
Arawinda clutched nervously the knife with her sweating hand and turned her body around vigilant, stood firm in a stance, and eyeing a certain place in the dim darkness.
Along with the sound of cracking dried leaves on the ground, her once calm breath turned messy. The sound of the uncoordinated footstep became louder as it got closer to her. All of sudden, a gust of wind came blowing the leaves restlessly, giving a chance for the sunlight to peer at her current circumstance.
As the sunlight came between her, the creature she had eyed finally emerged from the dimness and as if she was aware of something, she widened her eyes in fear.
The creature of unidentified gender in pale snowy skin and long black nails, staggering stiffly with its wounded leg, and long disordered white hair and a pair of red evil eyes showing a trace of eagerness. Its mouth tore due to sharp teeth that were irregularly long, drooling as it eyed her intently.
Yet what made her look at it with terror was not how different its appearance from her imagination, it was the core on its forehead.
It was not blue as the guard said, rather it was yellow, two levels higher than the blue supposedly in Wall#3. Why was it appearing here?!
Arawinda saw it get closer and closer to her which left her no choice but to move back to create more distance between them, yet its movement became faster, the distance kept getting shorter and shorter. Abruptly, the zombie jumped toward her impatiently, catching her off guard.
She instinctively raised her arms to guard herself and watched with wide eyes as the zombie threw itself to her...
"Ah!"
A certain guy not far from her place vigilantly stood up as he throw away the almost empty fruit. Without hesitation, he grabbed his big rusty knife and dashed rapidly to where the scream come from.