"Man, that was nerve-wrecking," Henry sighed in relief as he slumped to the ground. Although they eventually dealt with the crimson ape, the mental strain of the clash had exhausted him deeply.
It didn't help that his heart was racing at a million miles an hour.
Leon nodded and exhaled a turbid breath. Willam's words during the evaluation rang through his mind again, reminding him not to forget to improve his agility.
The feeling of being unable to get near his opponent was an unpleasant one.
"We should get going. The blood spilled here will probably attract more creatures," Nico spoke with furrowed brows. He glanced to his left where the young farmer lay panting on the ground.
The green-eyed trainee groaned.
Nico couldn't help the smirk that formed on his face. "Just three minutes, no more. After that we really ought to move on."
He clutched the magically enchanted compass in his hands tightly. The needle still pointed toward the south-east. Nico shifted his gaze and stared at the canopy above.
His eyes tried to pierce the verdant barrier and gaze at how bright the sky was. Based on how radiant it was, he could get an indication of what time it was during the day.
'It'll probably be best to search for a few more hours, before we head back.' Nico rubbed his chin as he mused.
He did not want to risk returning late to the Camp. That was without mentioning the increased danger they would face if they trudged through the forest at night.
Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine.
After sharing his thoughts with Leon and Henry, the trio agreed they should only spend around four more hours trying to hunt a Shadow Fang Leopard down. After that, they would head back to the Training Camp.
Three minutes passed quickly. The young group then travelled in a different direction.
The trainees from hut three resumed searching for any sign of their target. Along the way, they witnessed a myriad of different sights.
On rare occasion, did they find a squirrel nibbling on an acorn, its beady eyes gazing at them from the upper reaches of a tree.
In addition, for the first time since they set foot in the Wilderness did they come across a small bird. What was strange, however, was that it appeared to be in distress.
Its little wings flapped tirelessly without rest, as the cries that came out of its mouth seemed to be one of deep fear. Instead of its usual cheerful chirp.
Nico's unease further strengthened. He inwardly cursed and wondered why on earth William would consent for the missions to go ahead as planned, even with how strange nature was acting.
The boy sighed and shook his head.
Time passed slowly, with the monotony of the task nearly boring the trio to death. Eventually they came across a clearing, where a loud snarl attracted their attention. Hidden in a nearby bush, they gazed with morbid fascination and horror at the events on display.
Reflected in their eyes, a pair of animals clashed. One of them a silver wolf with a frighteningly sharp maw, the other, a boar that squealed in rage, the bloodthirsty light in its eyes growing larger as it tried to impale its foe with its menacing tusks.
Entranced by the brutality on display, Nico watched as blood flew in vicious torrents in the air. The wolf was using its high agility to leave small cuts on the boar's body that multiplied over time.
These light nicks also enraged the boar further, and eventually the silver creature quickly snapped its jaw shut on its neck.
The boar's body slumped down as life faded rapidly out its eyes.
The sudden victory in the fight quickly broke Nico, Henry and Leon out of their stupors. Their faces turned grim as they quickly, but quietly backed away from the clearing.
As much as Nico wanted to fight the silver wolf, he did not want to endanger his friends.
Besides, there was no guarantee that another beast would not come and join in the fray. If that were to happen, then they were well and truly doomed.
More time passed and eventually the three trainees called it quits.
Today was an unsuccessful hunt.
Hopefully tomorrow would be better.
With that thought in their minds, Nico, Henry and Leon trudged back to the Training Camp in dispirited silence.
***
The rays of heat cascading down onto the earth below decreased in intensity. The sun was to set in the next hour or two.
As the trainees from the third hut arrived at the metal gates that barred any intruder from entering the Camp, they found instructor William standing on the other side.
The white-haired man had one look at the disheartened expressions on his students faces and instantly got a gist of the situation.
"No luck?"
The three youths sighed and shook their heads, not bothering to give a full reply. They had exhausted their bodies after standing on their feet for a large majority of the day.
William merely nodded without asking for any further details. He did not want to be bored to death. Besides, his trainees seemed to be in no state to answer any of his questions, anyway.
The man quickly opened the gates and let them in. He noted that the half-blood seemed to be in the best shape out of the three, which wasn't too much of a surprise.
Those of the stocky youth's kind were tenacious, after all.
As he entered the Camp and neared the area where the huts were situated, Nico found that one or two groups had already come back, loitering at the entrances to their 'dorms'.
Some wore bright smiles on their faces. Others had sullen expressions, their figure radiating an intense aura of dismay. Just like him.
Paying no attention to the fact that some of his peers had already completed their missions, Nico walked behind the half-blood and farmer as they entered their hut.
The brown-haired boy immediately slumped on his bed, releasing a tired groan muffled by the bedsheets.
Henry's reaction was more dramatic, the groan the farmer unleashed several octaves higher, "Ughhhh, that hits the spot."
Leon was the most subdued out of the three. He quietly sat on his bed and patted the golden aegis fondly.
Based on the sad expression on his face, it seemed the burly boy couldn't bear to part with his memento for an extended period of time.
The young teenagers continued to stay in the same position for a little while longer, before they reluctantly stood up and went to freshen up before dinner.
The evening meal passed uneventfully with most trainees exhausted to the bone. Even the Nobles who were assigned a more difficult mission stayed relatively quiet, focusing on restoring their energy through the scrumptious food.
Eventually, the youths finished their meal and retired to their huts, where they entered a state of sleep as soon as their heads touched the pillow, ready to do it all again tomorrow.