"550,551,552,553..."
Arpada is counting as he did a push-up exercise, and a moment later he inhaled deeply and burst it out through his mouth, then continued breathing heavily while his sweat was dripping to his chin. He saw Gluttony stretching its body, and it moves the center part of its body up and down—it seems like it is doing a regular push-up too.
He shortly laughed after looking at its actions but Gluttony wiggled nervously that makes Arpada feel someone's presence on his back then a shadow silhoutte casted at him while sitting at the ground.
"Are you guys slacking off?" She asked while tapping her right foot to the ground.
"N-no" He nervously answered.
"Then follow me" she said.
Arpada and Gluttony confusingly look into each others.
***
They ventured into the forest, where the towering trees swayed gently in the warm breeze. As they walked deeper into the woods, they soon discovered a tiny glade that astonished Arpada.
The trees surrounding the tiny glade gently swayed as they felt a warm breeze in the area.
'Boing'
Gluttony noticed a dragonfly and hopped forward, attempting to catch it, but he miserably failed because dragonflies are known for their speed and swiftness.
"Are we here to rest?" Arpada asked.
"Later, but this will be your next spot for training, explained. "If you finish it today, then your current power is sufficient, and we will conclude your training, as I do not have any more methods after this, added.
Arpada understood what she said and nodded in response.
"What am I supposed to do now?" he asked.
"Catch those dragonflies without killing them." She said.
Arpada inquired.
"Yes! Thats it, then its now good for you," She said. "Only if you could" She added.
"It is an easy task; I could travel with Gluttony at the speed of sound." He proudly said.
Arpada quickly used [Absolute Shadow] to travel through the shadows beneath at the speed of sound.
As he approached the dragonfly, he jumped upward and grabbed it.
"Done!" he said with a big smile on his face.
'Ziiing, Ziiing'
A dragonfly hovers around him as if it is mocking him.
"Did you really catch it?" She asked.
"Of course!"
He quickly opens his hand, only to discover that he did not catch the dragonfly, which is just hovering around him as if its messing with him.
'Ziing, Ziing'
On the other hand, Gluttony attempts once more to capture a dragonfly but fails each time.
"How fast is it?" Arpada asked, moving quickly to catch a dragonfly.
"That dragonfly is not an ordinary dragonfly; its species has existed since the creation of the world, and its flight speed ranges from approximately 1,008 km/h to 1,512 km/h, which is 28 times faster than a regular dragonfly, explained.
Arpada was huffing and puffing after trying so hard to catch at least one dragonfly." She exclaimed.
"No wonder I couldn't even see its movements!" He said while puffing.
"For your final trial, you need to catch at least 10 of them" she said.
"Easy to say, but I underestimated it, especially given its size." Arpada said. "with my current speed, I will never be able to complete this, so I need a plan." He added.
***
Arpada started to use meditation method that enhancing his senses and day after day he achieved another heights of sensory, he also crafted a wooden target to train his movements accuracy by hitting it barehandedly and with dagger, he also using to it train his mobility by dashing forward with extreme speed and dodging every wooden target.
It took him a week before gaining another confidence to try and completing his last trial again, all of it got witness by Cynthia.
***
He walks slowly on the grass as he approaching the dragonfly with his heightened senses, he could observe the movements of the dragonfly's wings. He then used [Conceal] to hide his presence and he slowly went through beneath the ground by using [Absolute Shadow].
He floats at the darkness as he watched though the shadow observing every movements of the dragonfly. He clench his fist while holding the dagger and collects a strength while intensely aiming to the dragonfly.
With extreme force, he throws his dagger that went traveled so fast into the dragonfly yet it still manage to dodge it within a millimeter but he quickly moves his hand as if he anticipated its movements.
"I know you're going on that side!"
'Swooosh'
A sudden burst of wind sway the grasses around the dragonfly that appears to be successfully caught.
"FINALLY!!! I CAUGHT YOU." Arpada said.
Cynthia saw his achievement then she gently smile and said "You actually caught it".
"Yes!! Did you see that?" He said. "I observed it for weeks, analyzing its movements just to anticipate its reactions". He explained.
Cynthia proudly congratulates Arpada.
'Ziing~ Ziing'
"Eh?" Arpada got confused on the dragonfly's action he holds while Cynthia also looks at the dragonfly.
'Ziing~ Zii–"
The dragonfly appeared to be strangled to death.
"Uhm."
"That still counts right?" Arpada asked while innocently smiling to her.
Meanwhile, Cynthia appears to be disappointed while wearing a creepy smile and said "What do you think?".
"I think not?" He replied.
"Of course!" She annoyingly replied.
"But it was an accident! you see. I did not know that it was so weak." He explained.
"Then train your strength control" she replied.
Arpada was on his knees, sobbing.
"GWAAAAA!" he shouted while crying out loud.
(R.I.P. dragonfly)
***
After another 3 days, Arpada successfully finished his last trial.
"You really did it now, congrats." Cynthia said.
"It took me another 3 days just to control my strength." Arpada said while sighing.
"Then as for my offer–" Cynthia said while her tone and facial expression changed. " I need to tell you the truth." She added.
Arpada was confused for what Cynthia's talking about then he saw Cynthia slowly lifting her dress that makes Arpada blushed.
"Wha-whaaat are you doing?" Arpada flusteredly asked.
"What do you think am I doing?" She replied. "Look at my feet" she added.
Arpada got only confused because he did not saw anything.
"There is nothing, there." Arpada said while pointing below her dress.
"Exactly?" She clarified.
Then, Arpada realize that Cynthia's feet are missing and got astonished.
"Where are they?" He asked.
"They faded already." She answered. "And soon, I will eventually gone." She added.
"I do not get it. Why are you fading? Are you dying?" He asked.
"I am and to clarify it I need you to listen to me." She said.
"Recently, this forest got occupied by a goblin king and started to emit a dark energy. It cause the other beings to evacuate or to get hypnotize by the energy, I tried to confronted the situation but it did not end well and got cursed by the goblin king. So my life force are getting drained to increase its dark energy."
"I hid and then I saw you killing the goblin commander, but you are still a child so I was hesitant to tell it at the beginning. That is why I just trained you to make you stronger and survive the calamity, you still do not have the strength to face it but I'm sure that you will survive." She explained.
"As if I am gonna let you die after all this time!" He angrily said.
"Arpada, listen." You are still a child, you should live your life to the fullest and not to take a risk for some trivial or natural thing to happened." Cynthia said.
A tears dropped coming from Cynthia's eyes gives a life to the plant below her, as she is looking at Arpada intensely.
"Honestly, I looked at you every night as if you're my child. Its just a short time but it feels like eternal to me, I hope you grow stronger and I want to see you as a fine man someday."
Cynthia hugs Arpada tightly as her body slowly fading into a thin air.
"Do not forget what you learn, so be confident that you will not be consume by hatred now." She said. "And the grilled Frabbit we ate, I tastes really like a chicken. I hope we could eat it again, together."
Arpada unaware of his tears dropping on his face as he looks to Cynthia that now slowly fading, he just listen to her until the end.
'Boing?'
Gluttony jumps towards Arpada and looks at him.
Arpada started to cry out loud and grabbing the grass at the ground.
"Whyy!!? Whyy!? He asked to himself. "Why every single one of you are leaving me?? Why am I being protected??"
The memories of his village appears on his mind, his beloved people, his trusted big brother Gio, her sister Cela and now– Cynthia.
"WHY!!" Arpada asked again.
His sorrows and screams continued as a gentle breeze swings the leaves on the towering trees and grass on his sorrounding.
The night came already and he is still laying on the ground, staring at the night sky and remembers how he just sleeping his recent nights peacefully with Cynthia taking care of him all the time.
He then sits and clean himself, while holding into Gluttony turning it to dagger.
"Don't worry, Cynthia. I will never be consume by my hatred." He said.
"But I need to do something before I could." He added.
A bloody color of light radiating from the moonlight casted into him as he walks away, with an intense bloodlust and piercing looks from his eyes.
To be continued...