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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The days that followed were tougher for Shin. He was still unable to circulate his lightning fully throughout his body, and his training with Alexandri and Al only compounded his struggles. He was forced to spar with both of them repeatedly, each session testing his endurance and control over his abilities. Alexandri’s fighting style was merciless, utilizing overwhelming strength and precise attacks that left Shin barely able to defend himself.

The older warrior would strike at his weakest points, forcing him to adapt under relentless pressure. Al, on the other hand, was swift and tactical, exploiting openings with finesse and making Shin work twice as hard to keep up. The constant shift between opponents left Shin with little time to rest, his muscles screaming in protest after every match. Yet, he had no choice but to push forward. Every night, Alexandri continued his brutal beatings, pushing them to the brink of death before using his mysterious healing methods to restore them. This torturous cycle continued daily as a routine.

Al, however, had fewer difficulties. He was very good at mana control which allowed him to manipulate his aura attributes with ease, integrating them into his weapons or imbuing his body with their power. His primary struggle lay in mastering his light attribute. According to Alexandri, the light element was rare, typically belonging to priests and the knights sworn to protect them. It was a divine blessing from the Goddess of the Moon and the Goddess of Healing. This puzzled Al cause he knew this already and if light magic was a divine gift from the evil goddess of healing, how had he acquired it? And more importantly, how had Shin obtained it as well?

Instead of dwelling on these questions, Al focused on his strengths working on his spells and also improving his combat prowess with each spar with both Alexandri and Shin. He still reminisced about the rune magic—an ability granted by an ancient artifact in his past life. The runes, etched across his very skin in intricate tattoos, allowed him to copy magic, cast advanced spells without incantations, and wield ancient magic lost through time. His physical abilities and mana pool were also significantly enhanced by this power.

..

It was a cloudy day, the kind where the sky looked as if it were about to weep. Thick, gray clouds blanketed the heavens, casting an eerie gloom over the landscape.

The sun was completely obscured, leaving only a dull, lifeless light that struggled to illuminate the world below. A chilling breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and the distant promise of rain.

The air felt heavy, as though the sky itself was burdened with sorrow, holding back an inevitable downpour.

Shin and Al embarked on their usual grueling run, their breaths coming out in ragged puffs as they carried the heavy sacks filled with weights strapped to their backs.

The strain on their bodies was immense; their muscles burned, their legs felt like lead, yet they pushed forward, their determination stronger than the fatigue creeping in. Each step sent a jolt of pain through their weary limbs, but stopping was not an option.

Alexandri always added more weights each time he noticed they had gotten used to the ones they were carrying.

They had been running for hours, their clothes damp with sweat and the humidity clinging to their skin. The ominous sky above made it clear that they were racing against time, trying to beat the inevitable downpour before it turned their path into a treacherous, muddy, and slippery road.

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The road beneath them was uneven, a mix of loose dirt and scattered rocks that made every step a battle for stability. The looming trees swayed ominously, whispering to one another as if warning of the storm to come.

The air grew colder, the wind picking up speed, biting into their exposed skin. Their hair clung to their damp foreheads as they pushed forward, their breaths shallow and controlled. Their sacks pulled at their backs, threatening to drag them down, but they gritted their teeth and refused to yield. Every muscle in their bodies screamed in protest, yet they continued, their resolve unwavering.

The silence was only broken by the rhythmic pounding of their feet against the dirt and the occasional rustling of wildlife retreating to shelter. The scent of rain was stronger now, an unspoken reminder that they had little time left. If they didn’t reach solid ground soon, they would be forced to endure the storm head-on, their training run turning into a battle for footing in the impending deluge.

Then, Shin heard it.

A scream echoed from the bushes behind them.

He skidded to a halt, ears straining for another sound. Al, however, remained skeptical.

“Ignore it,” Al warned. “Could be a monster mimicking human voices. The marsh plays tricks on the weak-minded.” Al had experienced this before and lost party members due to the monster’s deception.

Before Al could continue, the scream came again, this time more desperate.

Without hesitation, Shin dashed toward the source.

“Shin, stop! It could be a trap!” Al shouted, but Shin was already gone. Cursing under his breath, Al sprinted after him.

What they found was beyond anything they had anticipated.

Shin stood frozen, eyes wide with shock. Towering before him was a massive creature with vast, bat-like wings and razor-sharp talons. As Al caught up, his stomach twisted in recognition. A wyvern.

Not just any wyvern—an elder wyvern.

This was no ordinary beast; it was a Level 2 monster, a cousin of the feared dragons, known for their relentless ferocity. The ground was a scene of utter carnage. Bloodied and charred body parts lay strewn across the battlefield, severed limbs twisted at unnatural angles. Pools of dark red soaked the earth, the stench of burnt flesh and fresh blood thick in the air.

The wyvern's maw dripped with crimson, strands of flesh hanging from its fangs. It gnashed its teeth, crushing a severed arm between its jaws, the sickening crunch echoing in the silent clearing.

Al’s eyes darted over the bodies, and amidst the horror, he noticed something familiar—the tattoos on the corpses' necks.

The Melcyd Mercenary Guild.

A notorious faction that thrived on greed and chaos. They accepted the darkest of jobs—assassinations, kidnappings, slave trading, and even the orchestrated takeovers of entire cities. Their name was synonymous with terror, their actions leaving many sick to their stomachs and haunted by the horrors they unleashed.

They were feared across the lands, not for their heroism, but for their unwavering commitment to their own self-interest. Even when the world faced ruin under the Agroth invasion, they remained passive, refusing to fight unless their pockets were lined with gold. Their greed knew no bounds. If they were here, it could only mean one thing: foul play.

Also, other members wouldn't be far behind because they moved in groups of two one usually used to scout ahead and the other was the main force.

A fresh scream shattered the grim silence.

Al and Shin's eyes snapped toward a nearby cage filled with small figures. As the wyvern crushed the last mercenary underfoot, it turned its bloodthirsty gaze toward the cage.

Children.

Without thinking, Shin lunged, grabbing onto the wyvern's tail. His fingers dug into its tough scales, and his muscles strained as he held on with sheer brute strength, stopping the creature mid-motion. Lightning crackled around his hands, but it was faint—his power still incomplete.

The wyvern snarled, thrashing wildly, trying to shake him off. Shin gritted his teeth, his arms burning as he refused to let go. The force of its struggles lifted him off the ground, swinging him violently through the air, but he held firm, his grip tightening despite the pain.

Al took the opening and dashed toward the cage. Just as he reached it, the wyvern whipped its tail with terrifying speed, hurling Shin like a ragdoll. He slammed into the cage with bone-rattling force, the impact shaking the entire structure. Al flinched, expecting the worst, but Shin stood up, wincing but otherwise unharmed. Compared to Alexandri’s brutal training, this was nothing. Al turned his focus to the cage.

Sealed with magic.

Muttering a curse, he traced the magic seal with his fingertips, easily shattering the barrier. But as the magic dissipated, he realized something unsettling.

These weren’t human children. They were dwarven girls.

Captured by the mercenaries, they were likely to be sold as slaves in another kingdom. Their wide eyes brimmed with terror as they huddled together.

Turning to the girls Al spoke in dwarven tongue saying to them.

"It's going to be alright, head straight into the bushes and hide till it's safe to come out".

The wyvern roared, shaking the very ground. Blood dripped from its fangs as it fixated on them.

Shin and Al stood their ground.

Between them and the terrified dwarves was a furious elder wyvern, its bloodshot eyes burning with untamed rage.

The standoff was inevitable.

And it was more dangerous to deal with, without Alexandri being there.

They had to find a way to survive this on their own.