Eiji woke up in the hospital bed.
He looked around him, and no one was there.
Then he saw all the bandages around his body.
"Ah!
The pain made him recall what happened at the forest.
'That Jaguar! What happe- yeah ! I killed it! But how?!
And also how did I arrive here?!'
Eiji looked around again, since he saw no one, he stared at his hands.
'That power..... I feel like..I can do it again?!'
Eiji closed his eyes and tried to recall that feeling back then.
*Thud!
*Thud!
*Thud!
As he tried to emulate it again, he heard his heartbeat.
Then.
*Swoosh!
He felt it!
There was something! He felt like, if he just have a sword right now, he can cut anything!
Eiji didn't know that in his dark eyes, there was a hint of silver light in it, flickering gently.
There was a sharp aura around him, if there was someone in the room right now they would feel like they've been cut over and over again.
*Click!
Suddenly the door opened and Teacher Muri came in.
"Hmm?!"
When he entered the room, he saw the aura around Eiji.
"Oh?! You're awake now?"
"Sir Muri?"
"Yeah?"
"..."
"Oh! You're wondering how you got here?!"
"Uhh..yes!"
Eiji dropped his head as he answered.
"Haha! No need to be so nervous!
Well..how do I start.... The thing is, Those Wilderness Survival Guide book in the library?!, Well they are there for a reason.
You see students are actually allowed to go to the forest to hunt, and if we teachers knew that the students are actively hunting in there, we are tasked to silently protect you guys!"
"Eh?! So..."
"Yup! I've been protecting you, everytime you came into the forest!
In fact I even redid your traps, they were clumsily laid, and even if an animal got trapped in it, It would just probably get free after a few struggle!"
"Eeehhh??.. So my traps aren't that good... That's why I always felt like the ropes are sometimes very tight, or hung way up above!"
"Uhuh!"
"Oh yeah! What about that jaguar!"
"Oh! No need to worry about that I took it back as well. I even brought back the huge fowl!"
"Really?! Thank you sir!"
"Here's the money from the jaguar. It fetch quite a bit of money as it was about to become a magic beast!"
"A magic beast?!"
"Just like us humans, animals can also evolve and get stronger as time passes by, and when they are able to use ki or awaken a magical powers inside them, then they are called a magic beast.
As for that jaguar, maybe in 1 or 2 years from now, it would've become a magic beast! And it would be capable of killing a Master level swordsman!"
"..."
Muri watched Eiji who suddenly fell silent.
"Teacher, was what I did reckless?!"
"Huh?! Nope, not necessarily, You didn't know about the beast waiting for you in ambush, although you should have known that you have to be cautious in the forest, you have already seen it once and you should have been vigilant the moment you encountered it the first time, In fact I am partially at fault as well, as I didn't managed to sense it first and eliminate it before it could've cause any harm."
"..."
"Then, sir.... Does that mean that you could have also saved me in that situation?!"
Muri fell silent at Eiji's words.
"..."
After a few seconds, Muri started to talk again.
"Yes you are correct, I could've helped you earlier. But when I saw you standing up again and again, breaking your limits and growing stronger as you fought, I couldn't take my eyes off of you.
It was the most dazzling sight I have ever seen since I've become a teacher!
You know at first I became a teacher just to stop from killing in the battlefield. But as I started doing it at the first year, I was actually very happy helping the kids grow stronger.
But as times passed, even with my utmost care, a lot of them still died at their missions.
I didn't want my students to die just like that without growing up to their full potential.
So I sought help from others, I formulated a system to make the children have more knowledge and even more practical and enhanced combat experience.
Back then I only taught the first years. But I decided to teach a whole batch until their graduation in this year.
And now, I want all of you to become strong enough not to die, or even know how to survive properly in this god forsaken world of ours."
"..."
Eiji listened to Muri, then both fell silent.
A few moments later, Muri took a pouch from his sleeves.
"Here! The jaguar hide was very pricey , you got a 5,300 gins for the hide alone while the bones and meat fetched up to 3,000 gins!
You are a money bag now kid!"
"..."
Eiji was stunned at the sum of money that he got.
He didn't know what to do as he stared at the huge bulging pouch that Muri handed over to him.
" There would've been more for the meat, but I only sold half of it, I preserved that meat for you, a magice beast's meat contains many essential nutrients that you need if you are practicing swordsmanship.
Even if it was just about to become a magic beast, that jaguar meat is still something that can give you benefits."
".."
Eiji was once again stunned at Muri's words.
He was really given a lot of surprises in this day!
"Keep the money properly, and only buy things that you actually need okay!?"
"Uh.. yes sir!"
"Hmm! Now unto the biggest benefit that you got from that fight!"
"Huuh!"
Eiji took a deep breathe and then looked at Muri as he waited for the words that he would be saying next.
End Of Chapter.