It’s the morning of the day Kraft takes me to an elimination quest.

“I learnt how to fight in less time that it takes me to understand how to play these.”

“Give it time kid, the bongo is easy to play but hard to master.”

This scene looked funny, Kraft playing the bongos, teaching me how to play them. Seeing a fully armoured man playing a drum that’s thinner than his arm was something I never thought I will see with my own eyes. It’s funny because he actually tries.

As always Ellen was here to enjoy the show. She was drinking tea next to me trying not to laugh too hard. Recently she started wearing one-piece dresses and I think she is pregnant, this or she recently got fat which is impossible. She told me the curse will have some after effects on her and she couldn’t get pregnant this year. When the time comes she is going to tell me, that’s how things work here.

Out of boredom I took my watch from my inner world and looked at the time. It’s 8 o’clock, my time perception returned to normal. I might as well take this with me, it may help after all this thing is almost indestructible.

“Yo Kraft, time to go.”

“Time to go, he says, I expect you to be the first who runs away.”

“Be careful Ali. Remember: if you can’t fight then run.”

“Got it. Bye Ellen.”

“Good bye dear.”

Good bye dear, the fuck man? The more I stay with him the more his image of being strong is destroyed.

For this mission Kraft was dressed with his official armor, the one that makes him look like some kind of fanatic. I on the other hand was dressed with leather shoes, pants and jacked. My shirt and underwear were made of cotton-web. Ellen told me that in these woods live some spiders that create some webs that feel like a combination of silk and cotton, hence the name I gave it. They actually feel good and are very elastic. The leather was simple animal leather that remained from the hunting games.

Kraft and I went to the village to meet with his friends so they can escort the trainees to the sausage fest.

So the welcoming committee was already here. There were 3 knights that looked almost dangerous and with them were 4 people. Those were supposed to be the people Kraft had to protect, their bodies were to slim to even fit properly in that armor and they all had a dumb look on their faces.

“You know kid, I feel sorry for them. I think you will be the last to run. You can see how cowardly they are just by looking at their faces.”

“I was just thinking about that.”

“What are you talking about?” Oh look knight A wants to join our conversation.

“Hello Gin, we were talking about the fresh meat we were going to feed the wolves with.” I swear I felt despair in the air when the trainees heard what Kraft said. Well I guess that is only natural, it is their first time killing something.

Ow, I felt a sharp pain on the back of my neck. I hope it doesn’t mean now what it meant in my previous life or we are going to have a big surprise.

“Hey kid!” Kraft apparently was calling for me for some time.

“What do you want?”

“We are going to use that cart over there and YOU are going to walk. After the training I gave you this should feel like a stroll to you.” What's with that “YOU”? Are you Soulja Boy or something?

“Can I convince you to let me ride with you?”

“No.”

Kraft being the strongest was the driver, the rest of these bitches were staying inside the cart while I was walking behind them. It reminded me of a certain game intro except that they were tied then. Those trainees are making fun of me for walking but when we reach our destination I’m gonna be the one who laughs. I really want to see what 4 threat level 0 can do against the demon wolves.

We have arrived in the dark side of the forest. I could barely see any sunlight but my eyes are adapted to work in harsh environments. Kraft’s friends have brought some old fashioned torches.

“Listen here young knights, I want this mission to go smoothly. We exterminate the wolves and we go back before sunset. No casualties.” Was that supposed to be a motivational speech or something?

“Yeah, on their side!”

I could hear all that hate and it felt so good. I don’t think we will all escape this and most times I have this kind of feeling I am right.

“You little kid should shut up. I came from a proud family of hunters and I will show you the difference in strength between us.” That trainee really needs to chill. The only difference in power is that I am already a master of close quarters combat and you can’t even fight me with a sword. I want to see what your third-level fencing can do against a demon.

“Chill out boy. This little kid already matched my speed and stamina. If you were to fight him you wouldn’t last five seconds.” Nice one Kraft, teach that bitch some manners.

“Big words Kraft. I don’t believe my son would lose to a boy who has a manly haircut and still looks like a girl.” This is the same knight that mistook me for a girl some time ago. I guess they are both stupid. Like father like son.

“You ever fought against my wife?”

“I fought against Ellen before. Why do you ask?”

“Because my son mastered the same fighting style Ellen uses. If he were a bit taller he could beat all of you without breaking a sweat.”

“You can’t be serious Kraft, Ellen’s style is too difficult to use. I remember when she took three of us down in less than a minute. I was a monk before I came here but I still couldn’t come close to using it.” This one shall be called knight B.

While Bambi and co. were discussing how a woman was able to overpower all the knights in the village I felt another sharp pain in the back of my neck. I realised we weren’t alone. There were about 10 wolves circling around us. Their threat level was 1.

“How about you stop talking?”

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“Well done kid, when did you realize?”

“Just now.”

“So did I. How many and where?”

“Ten, coming from all sides.”

While Kraft was asking me questions the knights prepared themselves for the attack.

We were surrounded. Five demon wolves attacked us. The knights formed a circle to protect the trainees. One of the wolves leaped towards me. Then fear took over me and I couldn’t move. The wolf’s killing intent was too much for me to handle.

I thought I was done for but then Kraft pushed me out of the wolf’s way and killed the wolf with one swing. Seeing how he said nothing to me I realized that both Kraft and I knew this will happen.

Kraft took care of 3 wolves and the rest of the knights took care of one. The last wolf howled and the rest of the wolves attacked.

I was too scared to fight them but I was calm enough to avoid them. By closing my eyes I couldn’t see them but I still knew exactly where they were. When a wolf attacked me I just ran around dodging its attacks until I could lead it to Kraft.

There were only wolves 3 left and no causalities on our side. Kraft did a good job so far. I was starting to relax when I saw something I wish I didn’t. Threat level 3, Alpha Demon Black Wolf. That wolf was two and a half meters tall. I saw the wolf running towards Kraft.

“Kraft, LOOK OUT!” I shouted as loud as I could but it was too late. Kraft got head butted by the wolf and his sword flew near where I was.

The moment of truth. Behind me was a tree and a demon wolf was going to bite my head off. I closed my eyes and waited to die. Nothing happened. I opened my eyes and found myself in my inner world. Somehow I was able to use battle meditation. Even if I was here I could see the real world, the wolf was getting closer to me. The knights were busy with the two normal wolves, Kraft was holding the black one back and the last one was about to feed on me.

Somehow I could see him coming closer to me. After staring at it for some time I started to calm down. I know Kraft is strong enough to kill the remaining wolves but he needs a weapon. If I use body enchantment I should be able to throw the sword towards the black wolf but I still have to worry about the one that attacked me. The only thing I have is the watch. OH! I can use the watch to block the wolf’s upper teeth and push it aside.  I should be able to use body enchantment for five seconds before I faint.

I used body enchantment and I returned to the real world. I summoned the watch in my right hand and blocked the wolf’s teeth pushing it back. I took Kraft’s sword and got up. I threw it at the black wolf that pinned Kraft down. The greatsword hit the wolf and knocked it over. The white wolf leaped at me ready to bite me. I prepared my watch but I felt my magic depleting and I fainted.

When I woke up I saw the sky. I wasn’t in the forest anymore. I was lying down on the ground. The sky was red so I guess it was already evening. I guess I survived somehow.

“Is anybody here?” Don’t know why I asked, I just needed someone to answer.

After a few moments I saw Ellen’s face. Her face was a mess, it seems she cried. I smiled at her to reassure her. She embraced me. When I tried to hug her back I realized I couldn’t feel my right arm. Ellen looked at me, made a sad face and released me from her embrace.

I checked my right arm. Everything from the elbow down was gone. This mission has one injured, me.

On the bright side, the scan I used on my arm tells me that my arm will grow back in a month. I just have to be left-handed for a month, better than being dead.

All of a sudden Ellen’s face changed from a sad one to an angry one. I looked behind me. Kraft and co. were there. Kraft had bandages all over his body but no missing limbs or other body parts. I was the most unfortunate.

“I guess my plan worked somehow.”

“The wolf chocked on your watch after he ripped part of your right hand and that gave me enough time to kill it and that black one. I am surprised you kept that body enchantment of yours active that long.”

“Judging by Ellen’s face I think that most of the wounds you have are from her.”

“She wanted to rip my arm off. You were lucky kid, you could have died there.”

“It’s not so bad, we are safe and I lost only an arm.”

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?” This is the first time I see Ellen losing her composure. “You went there with 8 knights who weren’t able to kill some wolves. You saved all of them by giving Kraft his sword back and you almost died. And how can you even be so calm about losing an arm?”

“Even if you tell at me that now there’s nothing I can do.”

“I don’t understand how you were able to looked that wolf in the eye and still come up with something like that.”

“Yes I stared at that wolf for a long time before I decided to act.”

“What do you mean?”

“I used battle meditation when the wolf attacked me. I could see it coming closer, slowly but surely and after a while I stopped waiting for death to come to me. And my arm will heal in a month.”

Ellen’s tension drained and I saw relief on her face. “You really are a weird kid Ali.”

“Talking about arms, do you have my arm?”

“I do, but what do you intend to do with it?” Kraft asked me while holding something wrapped in a cloth, presumably my arm.

“I am going to attach it back, I don’t want to wait a month for it to grow back.” When I said that the people behind Kraft looked disgusted but I didn’t care.

“Kraft, help me wrap my arm with some cloth.” If the arm was connected to the body it would completely heal in a few days.

Kraft wrapped my entire arm in a piece of cloth and I started feeling my arm again. With this over I think it was time to go back home and sleep so I can restore my magic.