Evan felt confident for the first time in a long time. With the contribution coins he had accumulated, he could cover his needs for weeks and even invest in materials to further explore the potential of his Origin Rune. Yet something still bothered him: the growing attention his success was attracting among the other apprentices. His dealings from the previous day had caught people's eyes, and he knew that not everyone viewed his newfound success kindly.
The next morning, as he stepped out of his cabin, he found Cedric waiting for him. His friend looked anxious, his eyes darting nervously around the camp as if searching for someone.
"Evan, we've got a problem," Cedric said, getting straight to the point.
Evan frowned. "What now?"
Cedric stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Jonas heard about your 'transactions,' and he's not happy. Apparently, he thinks you're trying to destabilize the system."
A chill ran down Evan's spine. Jonas was infamous for his arrogance and tight grip over the intermediate and novice apprentices. Facing him was not something Evan wanted to do, especially now that he'd finally found some semblance of stability.
"I didn't do anything wrong," Evan replied, trying to sound confident. "I just got lucky and found a spot with plenty of fragments. I took advantage of the opportunity."
"That doesn't matter to Jonas," Cedric said. "He wants to see you at the central tower. Third floor. Now."
The central tower, with its cold stone walls and glowing crystals, felt even more intimidating as Evan entered. Cedric stayed outside, visibly worried. Evan climbed to the third floor, a level he'd never reached before. The hallway was narrow and silent, lit by crystals embedded in the walls. He counted four doors along the way, each likely belonging to an advanced apprentice. There could have been more hidden chambers, but the atmosphere reeked of authority.
Jonas awaited him in one of the rooms, seated in an intricately carved wooden chair, the arcane marks on his arms faintly glowing. He wasn't alone; two other intermediate apprentices stood in the background, watching silently.
"Evan Tharann," Jonas said, dragging out his name with disdain. "The prodigy of contribution coins. It seems your little fortune has made quite an impact on the camp."
Evan held his ground. "I just got lucky. I found a spot with enough fragments to complete several missions."
Jonas raised an eyebrow. "Luck or not, you've caused a problem. With the number of fragments turned in yesterday, there's no more demand. Today, only dangerous missions are left for the novices—tasks they usually wouldn't be able to handle."
Evan knew he couldn't back down. "That wasn't my intention. I just made the best of the situation I had."
Jonas narrowed his eyes. "Intentions don't matter. The result does. Someone has to clean up the mess you made. So, Evan, you're going to be the 'fly target.'"
Evan's brow furrowed. He had heard rumors about those missions but never imagined he would be forced to take one.
Moments later, Evan left the tower with a grim expression. The "fly target" mission was notorious: serving as a training partner for an intermediate apprentice. While the apprentice practiced their attack spells, Evan would have to hold up targets and try to dodge, helping them improve their aim. It was common for participants to end up bruised, though fatalities were rare.
Cedric was waiting outside. "What did he say?"
"Special mission," Evan replied sarcastically. "I'm going to be a walking target for some intermediate to practice their attack spells."
Cedric's eyes widened. "That's insane! He's trying to humiliate you."
"I know," Evan sighed. "But I don't have a choice."
-----
Evan was led to an open training field that afternoon. The area was vast and completely devoid of any cover or obstacles. The hardened soil and faint magical scorch marks bore evidence of the intense drills that took place there. With no trees or pillars to use as shelter, Evan immediately felt the weight of the challenge ahead. As he surveyed the field, a thought crossed his mind: was this just a coincidence, or had Jonas deliberately chosen this mission to mock him? The eerie similarity to his escape from the Sap Archer—another battle of speed and survival—felt too deliberate to be random. "Is this a test," he wondered bitterly, "or just Jonas's way of twisting the knife?"
The intermediate apprentice who would be training with him was a stranger. A tall, lanky boy with dark eyes and disheveled hair, his expression was a mix of weariness and determination. He introduced himself briefly as Arvid but offered no further details. The green markings along his arms hinted at a nature-aligned core, but Evan wasn't sure what to expect.
"Take this," Arvid said, tossing Evan a lightweight circular wooden shield with worn edges. "Your job is to hold that and try to make me miss."
Evan gripped the target with both hands, trying to ignore the growing discomfort in his chest. "And what exactly are you throwing?"
Arvid didn't answer. Instead, he knelt to the ground and placed his hands on the earth. A faint green glow radiated from his fingers, and Evan watched in fascination as small vines began to emerge from the soil. The plants grew rapidly, forming elongated, sharp shapes resembling spears covered in thorns.
Evan didn't have long to think. Before he could ask a question, Arvid yanked one of the thorny stalks free and hurled it at him with startling speed.
The projectile whizzed past the wooden shield Evan was holding, and he barely managed to dodge in time. "Damn!" he shouted, feeling the heat of the impact as it splintered the wood.
Without a word, Arvid was already preparing another spear. His movements were calm but carried an unsettling precision. The vines around him seemed to obey his commands, sprouting more vigorously with every motion.
The first attack came without warning. Arvid hurled the thorny spear with uncanny accuracy, and Evan barely managed to deflect it in time. The shaft grazed his shoulder, leaving small cuts that began to sting immediately.
"Faster than I expected," Evan muttered, adjusting the wooden target in his hands.
Arvid gave no respite. He was already preparing another spear, and the vines around him seemed to respond with increased fervor. The second spear flew in a higher arc, forcing Evan to move quickly to avoid being hit. He realized that every dodge required absolute precision, as the spears were too fast for mistakes.
With no obstacles in the field, the exercise was relentless. Evan had no pillars to hide behind, no trees to shield him. Every movement had to be calculated, and any error left him completely exposed. He relied on his rune-enhanced boots for speed, feeling them respond to his Origin Rune, making his steps smoother. However, Arvid's speed and the unpredictability of his throws were draining his energy rapidly.
"This is insane," Evan thought. He decided to activate his simulation ability, using his core to predict the trajectories of the spears. Closing his eyes for a moment, he tried to map the space around him. Yet, as soon as he attempted to project the spear's path, he realized they were moving too fast. The results were inaccurate, and the information arrived too late.
Another spear flew toward him, and Evan barely dodged it in time, feeling the thorns graze his leg. "This isn't working," he thought. He knew he needed a different strategy.