It was Tuesday, 7:00 AM. The day my sister woke me up early, she wanted to take me somewhere for the training, but I never expected us to visit the commission guild. Before I could react, she was already walking toward the entrance, motioning for me to follow. There was no turning back now.
I was sitting on a chair nearby, there are usually seats for big crowds, but I wasn't one of them. I didn't get a clear visual or hearing of what we're going to do, but I only briefly got a clue that we were gonna fight something.
I looked around as people were lining up for applying commissions, my sister being one of them. and others sitting down, some talking with each other.
there were boards of commissions, and bounties even, this place is really big, and crowded, it kinda makes me feel like I don't belong.
Of course I had to dress for this occasion, nothing too complicated, just a hoodie and some long dark pants, although my sister was wearing the same thing when she got here yesterday, so I think she likes those clothes.
If I were to guess, she's here to request a commission or. We're gonna get a bounty, and I had this feeling like we're not going to take the easy route.
After waiting for a while, Ao started walking up to me and pulled out a paper that was signed and everything.
"Alright so, we're hunting a Collodeus, you better get ready Kiiro, things are about to get proper mental."
Her words shocked me. We're hunting a beast that was said to be the most dangerous creature in our region, what is she thinking!?
I wanted to say something, but she already held my hand as we left. I am really scared of this, we're going to get killed!
We went out of our cities borders, out to the vast forests of our region, although I've never been out so far before, I'm getting kind of nervous.
Ao seems so calm, just going on a trail while I follow.
If my knowledge is correct, Collodeus's live in swampy areas, so we're taking the path where it was last seen by the citizens.
As I continued to be anxious with each step, I quickly ran close to my sister and asked her.
"Ao, why are we hunting the most dangerous monster out there in this place, are you trying to get us killed!?"
She brushed it off and told me an unexpected answer as we were getting closer.
"No, cause I know that we'll win~"
I have never seen my sister being so confident like this before, what happened while she was gone, did I miss something?
As we arrived at the scene, we saw a dead borecor that was lying on the swampy waters, its belly was ripped from the outside, bones and meat were seen and some guts were splattered in the area, it was fresh, so this means it's close.
We looked at our surroundings, being in the middle of this swampy area isn't helping, our feets are covered by the waters, and the dead animal that's near us seems like a good bait, it almost felt like, this is his territory-
As I finished my thoughts, from the trees, the Creature jumped down to our area, trying to pounce us with surprise.
We dodged it just a second faster, as the creature roared in a horrifying way. I looked at the beast with a terrified look, I saw my sister beside me, she formed something in her hand, an energy sword, which she gave to me.
The creature looked exactly what the description said on paper, it had four legs with claws and arms that could climb and grip tightly, a long and retractable tongue, sharp teeth, and above all, its long and sturdy tail.
Its sharp speed, and immense reflexes is what we're going to have a hard time dealing with, although its lack of intelligence, as this creature only knows how to attack and kill, may give us an advantage.
"I guess this is it, we'll have to fight this thing!"
As I started to create a sword stance, I haven't fought in awhile, but I remembered some of my training whenever I had time with Olivia, not only is she a maid, but she knows how to train me for a fight back in the old days.
The one thing I never expected though, was what my sister said as I was being ready. I really went pale.
"Alright bro, your training starts now, try and defeat this beast for me~"
I was confused, but also mad and more terrified than before.
"What do you mean by that sis! Are you just going to leave me with this thing, are you crazy!?"
As she watched me while sitting on a high branch from a tree, I don't know what she's thinking at all, but I had no choice at this moment, for the monster was going to attack me.
The beast opened its mouth and rushed at me with full force, I barely dodged it as I scraped my shoulder from its skin.
I stabbed the beast on its flesh as it was rushing beside me, it felt deep.
Blood started spilling from the Collodeus, my energy sword is stained with it, I'm actually doing this, I'm fighting the most dangerous creature in our region right now.
Does my sister really think I can defeat it? What is she planning!? It feels like I'm ready but also not at the same time!
"Ao, I don't know what you're planning, but this isn't how I want to go out!"
She didn't answer me, she's just staring at our battle.
Preparing for the next attack, I had to ready my sword, the creature seems aggressive now, probably from the wound I gave it.
This is stressful, I don't know what it's capable of, and even when I wound it, it seems as if it's just more angry than hurt.
I have to think, I have to act fast... But how do you defeat something that doesn't seem to care about the pain you're inflicting, something that just grows stronger the more you struggle?
I need to think of something quick before it kills me, but I can't think of anything!
The beast opened its mouth again. I was expecting the last attack, but what came out was a long tongue that shot out of its mouth and grabbed my other arm.
I panicked, but I remembered that I had the sword. Before I was going to slice it, it swung me around the area, The world blurred as I was tossed through the air, dizziness sweeping over me. My head spun, and I struggled to regain control, I don't want it to end like this!
It slammed me into the ground, with all the water that splashed with me.
I was heavily injured this time, I felt like I slammed into a moving truck. I tried grabbing for the energy sword that was in front of me, but my arms were hurting so much, it took too long, the Collodeus started pulling me closer, even so, I had enough time to grab the sword as a handle.
I was desperate, so I removed the sword off the watery ground, and quickly moved my position to the creature's direction, I slashed the front of its tongue with full force.
It was cut in half, while the beast roared in pain, it feel as if its gotten a bit weaker after that. I was lucky this time, but my body hurts so bad, I really don't feel so good!
Does my sister expect me to beat this monster all by myself still? I'm injured and I don't know if I can dodge the next attack or do anything else to defend myself!
As I looked at the monster with a shocked face, the creature used its tail to swing at me, I was hit directly in the side and knocked on a tree as I coughed up blood.
"Dammit, this hurts! Aaaaaargh!!!"
The next attack will be deadly, if I'm unprepared, then I'll be dead by the next few minutes.
As I was thinking hard on what to do, Ao suddenly shouted at me with the words that I remembered back then.
"You're not getting anywhere like this, you need to put some focus on your mind, think of it as a path, and don't fall again like you did!"
I recognized that wording before, of course, a path is a straight line, step in any direction and you'll fall off. I was too worried, too anxious, and stressed that I couldn't think straight. Just like that moment with the staircase.
As I took deep breaths, I started calming myself, I had to focus.
The only thing standing between me is that creature alone, nothing else matters.
If I think about it, the creature has only shown weakness on the inside, attacking it outside would only provoke it more, so think Kiiro, if its weakness can only be exploited from the inside, then there must be a vital area that I can hit directly.
"Its heart!"
As I yelled, I heard its roar, as it was getting ready for the final move, the beast jumped and bounced around the trees, while spitting something out of its mouth.
I was never in the mood to find out what it does, so I started dodging as best as I could, one of them scraped me in the elbow, and it burned!
I couldn't move anymore, and it seemed as if the creature had settled in that last tree in front of me, its time!
As it plunged quickly to me from above, I ready myself with the sword in hand, as I set my eyes for its heart, located directly to the chest.
Missing me barely, I received an injury on the side of my head, bleeding, but still alive, I drove my sword to its chest with my full strength!
"This ends now!!!"
I yelled at the top of my lungs, while deepening the sword into its chest, the monster roared in pain, and removed itself from my weapon.
It staggered for a while, and was limping, until it finally, fully fell to the ground.
"I- I did it!"
Celebrating too fast, the beast was waking up, as it still had some fight left in it, I panicked on what to do, I couldn't move, my body was heavily injured.
That was until a sudden full force, it was my sister who jumped down with an energy hammer, smashing it directly into the beast's body where I stabbed it.
It finally went down, but I was too tired to keep standing, as I fell and was knocked out.
My eyes started to open, I realized that we were in a different place, and it was my room? As I struggled to wake up, I forced myself to sit from the pain, and looked around.
"Ugh, what happened? Did we win?"
I was in my bed, while my sister was sitting on my chair, as I saw bandages all over my body.
I guess the fight was that damaging, I feel miserable, and this was not what I intended when she said training!
"Sis. What were you thinking!? Were you trying to kill me!? I could have died! That Collodeus was still alive. If it weren't for you I would have- whatever, I failed the training."
My sister went closer to me by sliding the chair, and sat on my bed, she looked at me with a smile and told me.
"You still don't get it? The test was not only to defeat the creature, but to help you understand that in this world, even without powers, you will need to know how to fight, you did good, and also. The lesson I taught you, remember?"
I remember, Olivia once said it too, it was such a coincidence, I wonder if they were in it together.
"Think of it as a path, focus your mind, or you'll fall, and whatever-"
Ao nodded, and took my hands, while telling me something important.
"When you ever feel overwhelmed, remember those words, don't be distracted by anything else, and I'm sure you'll be fine."
Easier said than done sis, although understanding what she meant. Did she really need to make me fight a killer monster for that!?
One way or another, she's always been a person who wants to have fun and do things overboard, I guess this was one of her stunts, crazy bastard.