As Hugo continued wandering aimlessly through the dense jungle, his patience frayed further with each passing minute.
His boots squelched against the damp earth as he muttered under his breath, "Find the badge, he says. Prove your worth, he says. Doesn't even bother telling us what it looks like!"
A sudden rustling in the bushes ahead snapped him out of his grumbling. Hugo froze, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the undergrowth.
The rustling grew louder, closer. He took a cautious step back, his heart rate spiking as the foliage parted to reveal a hulking creature with dark gray fur, glowing yellow eyes, and razor-sharp fangs glinting in the dim light.
"A Wolf Fang…" Hugo breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. The beast's low growl sent a chill down his spine, its predatory gaze locked on him.
He recognized the species from his studies: a D-rank monster infamous for its crushing bite force and ferocious aggression. And worse, they rarely traveled alone.
Hugo instinctively reached for the Megatrix strapped to his wrist. His fingers hovered over the device's circular interface, ready to activate it, but he hesitated.
A memory surfaced, sharp and clear, of his father sitting across from him at the dining table, the Megatrix gleaming in the dim light of their home.
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Within the basement workshop, Hugo stand at the opposite of his father sitting on the chair, as he start to speak.
"Hugo..." Lloyd had said, his tone uncharacteristically serious as he gestured to the device. "This is a tool, not a crutch. You're smart, resourceful, and capable. even without it, you're still strong in your own way."
Hugo furrowed his brows, glancing between his father and the Megatrix. "But why give it to me if I'm not supposed to use it?"
Lloyd leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Because there will come a time when you'll need it. When the stakes are high and your back's against the wall, it'll be your trump card."
"But relying on it for everything will only weaken you in the long run. Learn to fight with your own strength first. The Megatrix should be a last resort, not a first response."
He reached across the table and tapped the device gently. "Trust yourself, Hugo. You're stronger than you think."
____________________
Back in the jungle, Hugo clenched his fists, the memory of his father's words ringing in his ears. His gaze shifted from the snarling Wolf Fang to the Megatrix on his wrist, then back again.
"Fine." he muttered under his breath. "Although I'm not strong, I'll handle this the old-fashioned way."
The Wolf Fang crouched low, its muscles coiling as it prepared to pounce. Hugo scanned the surroundings, quickly formulating a plan.
The forest floor was littered with broken branches, loose rocks, and vines dangling from the trees above. His eyes darted to a sturdy-looking branch nearby, and an idea formed in his mind.
"Okay, big guy." he said, trying to steady his breathing. "Let's dance."
The Wolf Fang lunged, its jaws snapping shut with a terrifying crack as it missed Hugo by inches. He rolled to the side, grabbing the branch as he came up to his feet.
The beast turned, snarling, and charged again. This time, Hugo swung the branch like a makeshift bat, catching the Wolf Fang across the snout. The creature yelped in surprise but quickly recovered, its growl deepening as its fury grew.
"Of course, you're mad." Hugo muttered, gripping the branch tightly. "Why wouldn't you be?"
The Wolf Fang feinted to the left, then darted right, too fast for Hugo to react. Its claws raked across his arm, tearing through the fabric of his sleeve and leaving shallow cuts. Hugo hissed in pain, stumbling back. "Great. Just great." he muttered through gritted teeth.
The beast circled him, its yellow eyes gleaming with predatory intent. Hugo's mind raced.
As He couldn't outmuscle the creature, but maybe he could outthink it. Spotting a vine hanging low from a nearby tree, he backed up slowly, leading the Wolf Fang toward it.
"Come on!" he taunted, waving the branch. "You want a piece of me? Here I am!"
The Wolf Fang snarled and charged. At the last second, Hugo leaped to the side, grabbing the vine and swinging it around the creature's neck. The beast thrashed wildly, trying to free itself, but Hugo held on, using his weight to tighten the improvised noose.
"Stay down, you oversized mutt!" he shouted, sweat dripping down his face as he wrestled with the vine.
The Wolf Fang's struggles grew weaker until it finally collapsed and die. Hugo slumped against a tree, his chest heaving as he caught his breath.
His arm throbbed where the creature's claws had raked him, but he couldn't help the small, victorious grin that crept onto his face. "Guess I didn't need the Megatrix after all." he muttered.
Pushing himself to his feet, he glanced down at the unconscious Wolf Fang. "I don't suppose you've seen a badge lying around, huh?" he joked weakly.
The jungle offered no response, only the rustling of leaves in the breeze. Hugo sighed and started walking again, his determination renewed. "Alright, Dad. No Megatrix. But you didn't say anything about not using my brain."
Then suddenly Hugo's victory over the Wolf Fang was short-lived as a sudden, sharp scream echoed through the jungle. He froze, his ears straining to catch the direction of the sound. It wasn't far, a little to the north, maybe.
Without hesitation, Hugo set off toward the source, his exhaustion forgotten. The undergrowth clawed at his legs as he pushed through, each step hurried but cautious. As he drew closer, voices reached his ears, low and menacing.
Emerging into a small clearing, Hugo stopped in his tracks. Leaning against a tree was a silver-haired boy, blood trickling from a shallow cut on his cheek. His cyan-colored eyes darted nervously between three figures standing in front of him.
Hugo's eyes immediately recognized the trio. The first was a hulking figure with bull-like horns curling from his head. He cracked his knuckles menacingly, a smirk playing on his lips as he towered over the silver-haired boy.
Beside him stood a sharp-featured demon with crimson skin and a pair of black horns. His expression was cold and calculating, as he gripped the hilt of a dagger.
The last was an elegant elf with flowing blond hair, his piercing green eyes glinting with disdain. He casually rested a sniper rifle against his shoulder, its barrel pointing vaguely in the boy's direction.
Hugo clenched his fists, immediately recognizing the three as the bullies he'd encountered at the start of the trial.
"Just hand it over, kid." the bull-man growled, his voice low and threatening.
"I… I don't have it." the silver-haired boy stammered, clutching his injured side.
"Don't lie to us." the demon snapped, his tone sharp. "You said you were looking for the badge earlier. You must've found it by now."
The elf sighed dramatically, inspecting his nails as though the situation bored him. "Honestly, you're wasting our time. We let you tag along, and this is how you repay us? By holding out on us?"
The silver-haired boy's voice wavered as he tried to explain, "I-I thought you wanted to team up... I didn't kno—"
"Yeah, team up." the bull-man interrupted, stepping closer. "That was before we realized how useless you are."
Hugo gritted his teeth, anger bubbling inside him. The boy's trusting demeanor had clearly been taken advantage of, and now these three were cornering him like scavengers.
The bull-man leaned down, his massive frame casting a shadow over the boy. "Last chance. Hand over the badge, or things get ugly."
The silver-haired boy's hands trembled as he tried to think of a way out. His sniper rifle lay discarded on the ground, just out of reach.
He was clearly more of a marksman than a physical fighter, and with the elf's bow and arrow trained on him, any attempt to fight back would be futile.
Hugo's eyes darted between the bullies and the boy. His father's voice echoed in his mind again: Trust yourself. You're stronger than you think.
"Alright, that's enough!" Hugo called out, stepping into the clearing. His voice startled the group, drawing all eyes to him.
Continue...