"Thanks for the ride," Cyrus said to Tracy as he got down from her off-road truck.
Now, the lower half of his face was veiled with a black scarf, and a hood over his head that was attached to his large robe, leaving very little of his face exposed. A backpack hung on his back like a disguise for possessing a spatial ring with few things. Only Tracy knew he had a spatial ring, and she discovered it by mistake.
Sticking her head out of the window, "Hey! Why do I feel you are weaker? Are you already getting cold feet?"
She laughed loudly and Cyrus could only shake his head at her words as he continued approaching the train station crowded with many people.
"BALL-LESS COWARD! DON'T FUCKING DIE OUT THERE!"
Cyrus froze when he heard her yell. He felt many eyes boring into his body, and some people even looked in between his legs as if they were trying to confirm something.
'Damn girl!'
He could hear her giggle as she drove away, happy about the situation she got him into.
'Thank goodness my face is covered.'
Cyrus could only harden his expression as he walked toward the station, ignoring the numerous gazes. He approached the counter to buy a ticket, but the saleswoman kept eyeing him strangely.
Unfortunately for him, the tickets for seats were already out of order and he could only pay for the last coach that was meant for goods.
Thirty minutes later, Cyrus found himself sitting on a bag of potatoes with other people in the same predicament around him. There were about thirty people in the storage coach, some coming in groups. Soon, the train began moving.
"Let's pray this 'wilderness train doesn't get to dance with wildlife'," a person said calmly.
"Wilderness train? How can it dance?"
Cyrus raised his gaze to see a girl with large, round eyes that shone with innocence and curiosity, questioning a man with full beards, geared in thick armor and carrying a big axe.
"Little girl, this might be your first time on the train, but you don't want this train to dance with wildlife," the man said while chuckling.
"Really?"
"Yes. Many people will… forget it."
"What does it mean?" The cute girl asked the lady she was standing beside.
"Lily, that's just like a short prayer against having the train attacked by beasts," the lady explained patiently, her voice soothing and gentle.
"Oh!" Realization dawned on her.
"Did you also make the prayer when you entered?" She suddenly asked Cyrus, who was opposite them.
Cyrus shook his head.
"Why?"
But Cyrus chose to remain silent.
Suddenly, the lady, who answered Lily's question, asked Cyrus, "You attended the academy?"
Cyrus looked at her in confusion but it also heightened his vigilance—he had no etherion now!
"Sorry if that was abrupt but you look like someone I know," she quickly apologized when she saw his vigilance. "I'm Helen, and I am taking these kids to get experience."
She stretched out her hand for a handshake and Cyrus shook it. "Benedict."
His voice was muffled by the scarf across his face.
He leaned back and shut his eyes, suspecting that the lady might know his sister. He was certain his sister had circulated his photo due to his disappearance, and Helen might be a teacher, who knew his sister from the academy. His suspicion of her being a teacher was justified; the people around Helen were like newborn calves with their eyes gleaming with curiosity, while she was the only one who appeared experienced.
That pointed towards one conclusion — teacher taking her students to gain experience.
His sister was very popular in the academy, so there were big chances of getting recognized.
"Hmph! Just who do you think you are to be ignoring our teacher?" Lily chided.
Cyrus opened his eyes to stare at them for a little while, and he saw Lily, her face bearing a fierce expression that wouldn't scare a mouse. The two boys behind the teacher also had the same expression. One even looked like he would pounce on Cyrus if not the second on holding him. But the teacher had a calm expression on her beautiful face.
Cyrus chuckled and muttered just loud enough for people around to hear, "Typical teenagers who think the academy gives them the right to privilege entitlement. Well, the academy gives them privilege… I mean the genius ones. Hah… but all the newbies think they are above others."
Closing his eyes, he returned to his rest. Lily looked around and found a few people looking at her in strange gazes, but the teacher had her eyes on Cyrus, her eyes gleaming with interest.
The ride returned to normal after that encounter, with the teenagers chatting with the man with the big axe, and periodically glaring at Cyrus, who had his eyes closed.
About three hours later…
BANG!
Like a thunderclap, the sound of the collision reverberated through the air, throwing everyone off balance.
Cyrus quickly grabbed the protruding edge of the window to prevent himself from being sent flying.
Suddenly, he felt a lithe body fall onto him, and he instinctively pushed the person away without a glance as he stabilized himself.
The crowd fell silent, and a whisper—though soft—was heard by everyone in the tense stillness.
"The wilderness train is about to dance!"
Everybody began gearing up.
Cyrus predicted this might happen, so his backpack contained two things — a pair of Rank 2 sharp daggers, and a black mask.
He couldn't let anyone discover that, as an Artificer, he possessed another skill, which was why the mask was essential.
However, he had made a mistake by not wearing it from the beginning, believing he would remain inconspicuous on the train. Now, the way the teacher was staring at him made Cyrus think she might have a see-through ability.
But life isn't always perfect, and mistakes are bound to occur in the face of an uncertain future.
Donning his mask, Cyrus pulled the scarf away before removing his robe, revealing black armor that perfectly hugged the contours of his body, like a second skin.
Over the years of hard work and earning, he had managed to purchase a few top-tier Rank 2 pieces of equipment with his savings, so it was no surprise.
"What is the train dancing with?" Somebody asked.
At that moment, a voice blared through the speaker: "ALERT! The train is under attack by a pack of Earth Rhinos. Elites of the world should come forward, and all civilians should sit tight."
The alert sounded three times.
"Those things have hard skin," a person complained.
"Well, it is a way to rake mercenary points because point earning is doubled during this period."
Some people started making their way towards the front of the coach and others hesitated.
'The risk is not worth the effort and I have no Etherion. And they didn't tell us the rank of what was attacking us. I can't take a gamble. Anytime they request help from passengers, it means the guards can't handle it, so I have to leave.'
With that deduction, Cyrus already made his decision.
He forcefully slid the stiff window aside and leaped out. Although the armor felt uncomfortable and a bit heavy as his strength was reduced, he still wore it knowing that if he wore any less protective equipment, he would be like a fish without scales.
Cyrus quickly bolted into the nearby forest. He ran deeper for a while before changing direction and making his way on foot toward his original destination.
Though he moved cautiously, he maintained his pace; he didn't want to spend the night in the forest.
Cyrus traveled for hours, avoiding various beasts he encountered. His Eyes of Void came in handy, allowing him to see great distances and through obstacles, providing him with unhindered sight. However, it also came with pounding headaches, so he avoided actively using it much.
***
He took a short rest after escaping the forest, making plans to continue toward his destination. Hunting in this area was a bad idea, as he felt weak and knew that high-ranking monsters roamed nearby.
Suddenly, he heard rustling sounds from behind. He turned to see the teacher and her three students approaching.
Cyrus' eyes widened.
'Were they following me? Why? What is with them?'