The sun is already high in the sky, a yawn stretching across my lips as I push myself up. A dull irritation gnaws at me as I glance over my shoulder. Biana, as expected, is lagging behind. I click my tongue, the sound sharp and resounding in the midday quiet.
"Uuuuugh, hey, where the hell are we going? Shouldn't we be heading back to the group?" Biana's voice drifts towards me, dripping with laziness as she makes an effort to keep up.
"All you do is complain. Seriously, did your mother not raise you properly?" I counter, letting a note of disdain slip into my voice. Her attempts at looking frustrated don't faze me.
"My mom? No way~ She tortured me every day, corrupted my mind, and gave me severe trauma~" Biana retorts, her words laced with hyperbolic drama. She's clearly playing the victim card, but her performance doesn't convince me.
I shake my head, interpreting her 'torture' as basic exercise, 'corruption' as forcing her to study, and 'trauma' as limiting her endless desire to sleep and drink. "Tsk, as if," I mutter under my breath. Biana has lived such an easy life compared to others, and her mother is one of the most laid back nobles, there's no way Biana has struggled in any way.
Scanning our surroundings, I make a decision. "I think it's best if we head in the opposite direction from the team. We can cover more ground on this bothersome island. Who knows, we might be able to find the exit and end this damn test." Once we find the ruins getting out of this damn Island will be easier.
As I utter these words, frustration coils in my gut. Where are those damn ruins? All I've seen on this blasted map are trees, trees, and more trees. A disgruntled sigh leaves my lips, its sound disappearing into the dense foliage.
"Come on, let's go," I say, my voice taking on a stern note. I doubt things will go my way, I'm sure some stupid problem will occur. Hey system I'm guessing the phenomenon will make some beasts mutate huh?
[Yes, time is of essence, the longer you take the harder it will become]
Tsk, I guess I'm right, I need to deal with this fast. I glance at Isadora, who's nestled comfortably against a tree trunk, sipping coconut water. A content sigh escapes her, a rare sign of contentment that brings a begrudging smile to my face. Note to self, if I ever piss off Isadora I better have some coconuts nearby, If only Biana could mirror Isadora's silence.
My eyes drift to Biana who's busy complaining about wanting to sleep. Again. Her incessant grumbling is like a buzzing fly, impossible to ignore. Fuck, she's getting on my goddamn nerves, should I just carry her lazy ass?
A gentle weight settles on my head as Ilka perches, her feet tapping rhythmically against my skull. "What a lazy bastard, how can someone be as lazy as her? Why'd you bring her along?" She questions. Tsk, as if you're any better, why don't you fly around or something!? why are you always on my head!?
A sigh heaves from my chest, but I offer no response. Instead, I turn my attention to a tall tree nearby. Maybe if I can get a better view, I might be able to spot something. I've never tried to climb something this high... Well, there's a first time for everything.
I brace my hands against the rough bark, feeling its textures beneath my fingertips. Starting my ascent isn't as easy as I thought it would be, my body complaining about the abrupt exertion. My lips twist into a disgruntled frown. Isadora, with her ridiculous strength, could have easily climbed this in a matter of seconds. But asking her to abandon her coconut bliss? No, I don't want to be on the receiving end of that icy stare. I've been building a rather good relationship with Isadora, I don't want a coconut to ruin that.
Sweat trickles down my back as I slowly climb higher, cursing under my breath with each stretch and reach. I'm not afraid of heights, but the idea of a fall is still unnerving. My hands are aching by the time I pull myself up onto a thick branch.
With the view from my perch unhelpful, Ilka's sudden, angry flutter around me is startling. "What the hell are you doing!?" she squawks, her translucent form reflecting the sunlight piercing through the leaves. "Why the hell are you embarrassing me with those pathetic climbing skill- no, I can't even consider that a skill of any kind. Did my teachings go right through your ears!?"
My fingers curl around the tree branch, knuckles turning white from the pressure. My jaw tightens as I suppress an irritated groan. This persistent bastard can't stop questioning every step I take, she acts like I'll learn everything instantly. Flicking my fingers, I swat her away, my gaze sweeping across the horizon one more time. Nothing. Just an endless expanse of leaves, trees, and the grueling reminder of our predicament.
A sudden shout from below causes my heart to lurch. It's Biana's voice, sounding as nonchalant as ever. "Oi! Get down here, look we have guests!" Her tone, as if this were a mere inconvenience, doesn't fill me with much confidence. Ugh, what's the issue now?
Swearing under my breath, I scramble down from the tree, my previously unnoticed exhaustion making the descent a little clumsier than I'd like to admit. As my feet hit the ground, a wall of smaller trees blocks my view. Swiping a low-hanging branch out of the way, I stride forward, my pulse quickening.
What meets my eyes makes me tilt my head in confusion. "What the hell? A pack of wild dogs?" I mutter. It's not their presence that surprises me, but the raw fear evident in their eyes. There's something else going on. They're attacking out of fear which could only mean one thing. Another beast has mutated on this godforsaken island. I let out an annoyed sigh. Fuuuuuck, what type of beast is controlling these dogs?
Unconcerned, Biana leans lazily against a tree, yawning wide enough to dislocate her jaw. Following her disinterested gaze, the reason behind her lackadaisical demeanor becomes apparent. Isadora, still nursing her coconut, is being pestered by one of the wild dogs. The rest of the pack seems equally terrified of her.
A smirk twitches at the corner of my lips as I slump against a nearby tree, sliding down to sit on the ground. Isadora, in her usual calm demeanor, is about to turn this place into a slaughterhouse. These dogs, misguided by their fear, are about to be on the receiving end of a brutal reality check. They fucked up, well this is for the best.
A thoughtful hum escapes me as I study the impending carnage, my brows furrowing in mild interest. A total of 15, huh? I note with some curiosity, observing the uneasy dogs. Their gazes are all directed towards one figure— Isadora. What a sharp instinct they have, pinpointing the most dangerous one among us.
Isadora seems to notice their attention as well, her eyes glancing down at her coconut drink. There's only one left. I can't help but sigh, shaking my head as she lazily discards her beverage in favor of a nearby branch. This is unlike her, to use a piece of wood instead of her sword. I guess her relaxation time has been disrupted if drinking coconut water can be called relaxing to begin with.
My gaze remains fixed on the scene, watching with rapt attention as the first wild dog lunges at her. Unflappable as always, she deflects the canine with a flick of her branch, causing it to yelp and back away. Her movements are swift and purposeful, leaving no room for retaliation.
"Oooh~ look at her go," Ilka trills from beside me, her eyes gleaming with delight. "She just stabbed it through its eyes with a damn branch. you know it's not that hard, when will you be at her level?"
My brows twitch at her teasing, a displeased click of my tongue echoing in response. "Watch it, Ilka," Isadora literally has plot armor, how am I going to get on her level?
Despite Ilka's jibes, I can't help but admire Isadora's finesse. She's not lost in anger or frenzy like some of the warriors I've encountered. No, her movements are measured, every step calculated. Her calm demeanor never wavers, even as she parries, strikes, and takes down her opponents one by one. Interesting, she was for sure using some sort of sword technique with that branch. Isadora should know dozens of sword techniques, I wonder if I could get her to teach me one.
In less than a minute, she's wiped them all out. There's no carnage or gore, just the silent bodies of the dogs sprawled out around her. No sign of struggle, no vestige of the former chaos. Just like Isadora, always so damn efficient.
"Alright, let's get moving. It would be a pain if some random beast was attracted to the smell," I sigh, lifting myself off the ground. My eyes are drawn to Biana, lounging comfortably on a rock, seemingly oblivious to the world around her. My tongue clicks in annoyance, "I don't have time for your bullshit." In one smooth movement, I hoist her onto my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
As if on cue, Biana's mouth curls into a lazy grin as she promptly falls asleep. "Alright, let's pick up the pace now that Biana won't hold us back," I turn to Isadora, who only nods in response.
And we're off.
Trees blur past us as we pick up speed, the island's foliage a mere backdrop to our journey. We run in near silence, only the occasional snap of a twig underfoot, or the rustle of leaves in the wind, marking our passing. After an hour of running, my eyes catch sight of something in the distance. A break in the forest, perhaps? A waterfall, it seems.
"Let's stop here for a while," I suggest, slowing to a halt. I roughly toss Biana under the waterfall, her sudden gasp of surprise echoing against the rocks. The splash of water against her face wakes her, and she pulls herself out of the water, shaking like a wet dog.
"Ugh, is it too hard to gently lay me down?" she groans, a hand raking through her drenched hair.
"Then you better run yourself from now on," I retort, turning away to inspect our surroundings.
It's peaceful here, the roar of the waterfall a soothing backdrop. But something niggles at my brain. This waterfall... it doesn't seem familiar. I don't recall mentioning it in the storyline. It's way too nice for it to be some random waterfall, there's gotta be something around here.
"We'll camp here tonight. I'm going to look around a bit," I tell Isadora, who simply nods in acknowledgment.