Chapter 11: Reality Check

Lionel was still adjusting to the atmosphere of the military outpost when a voice broke his concentration.

"Yo, kid! I heard ya took down that metal slime. Tough one, ain't it?" a soldier, seated nearby, called out with a yawn, rubbing his eyes as he sluggishly sat up.

Lionel turned around to see a soldier sitting beside him, rubbing his eyes as he sluggishly sat up. The tent was huge enough for soldiers to rest, and Lionel was tired from all the thinking and reading he had gone through.

Lionel turned around, surprised. The tent they were in was massive, easily large enough to house a full squad of soldiers for rest. He’d only been at the camp for two days, but the design of the place never ceased to amaze him. The tent’s walls were patched with glowing runes, somehow expanding the space beyond its visible limits, forming an interior that stretched over twenty meters long and five meters wide. Some of the sleeping soldiers were exhausted and jumped comfortably in their bunkers, insulated by spells that shielded them from disturbances. A soft, strange aura emanated from their beds, ensuring a peaceful sleep—something he hadn’t enjoyed much lately.

Protection at the camp was no small affair either. The forest surrounding them was full of dangers, so the camp was equipped with layers of magical defenses. Insulated spells, magical barriers, and ever-vigilant sentinels worked together to keep the place secure.

Lionel could see a lantern floating in the middle of the tent, sending out a dim white light dispersed throughout. The lantern imbued the linens and leathers with translucent light, creating a distinct illusion that separates it from reality. Thanks to the anima and enough infusion of life force, the tent could be reassembled without too much effort.

"Two days in, and I’m still just scratching the surface," Lionel thought to himself. The outpost, surprisingly generous to travelers like him, offered plenty to explore. The camp even had a quest board, not limited to just this region but connected to distant kingdoms. It was a hub for adventurers and scholars alike.

Lionel adjusted his glasses, peering at the canvas where quests were posted. The details in the parchments caught his eye, and he couldn't help but wonder if people saw him as a studious scholar, much like his father. If he were to write a book about his experiences, he mused it might be called The Nerding Adventures.

The Forest Grove Expedition: Explore the Argant Enchanted Grove, a trial dungeon that is said to be open in the upcoming ceremony. Seek out rare multiple species of floras, document their behavior, and retrieve their samples for magical research. Beware of invisible creatures that hid in the mass bouquet of floras and ancient traps that guard the secrets of the grove.

Lost Relic Recovery: A valuable relic of historical significance has been reported missing near the camp. Investigate the surrounding areas, follow the trail of clues, and recover the lost relic. The relic is said to possess unique abilities that is essential for understanding the history of the forest. Exercise diplomacy and wit, as locals may hold crucial information.

His thoughts were interrupted as the soldier spoke again.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping by now?" Lionel asked, eyeing the soldier's tired face.

"Nah," the soldier replied, stretching his arms. "Just had a long shift, but I couldn’t sleep right away. Night duty’s not so bad. Gives me time to catch up on training."

"Good for you," Lionel mumbled. "I'm Lionel."

The soldier, who had now fully woken up, smiled. "Name's Darius. So, kid, what brings you here? You don’t exactly look like a soldier."

Lionel, absentmindedly inspecting the quest board again, replied, "Looking for a herb," before quickly adding, "And stop calling me kid. You’re not much older than me, if at all."

Darius chuckled. "I guess talking isn't your strong suit, huh?" he said, grinning. "Sorry about that. It's just a habit of mine to call everyone younger than me a kid."

Lionel nodded, still not saying much. He wasn't used to making small talk, especially with people he didn't know well. He preferred to keep everything to himself and focus on the present.

Whenever he laid his hands on a book, it was like the rest of the world faded away, leaving him lost in his own world and imagination. Maybe it was because he sought clarity and naivety in his simple life, or maybe it was just his personality.

Darius noticed Lionel's reluctance to talk, so he changed the topic. "So, what herb are you looking for?"

Silence lingered for a second, but then Darius spoke up, and noticed a copy of the book "Spartacus" sticking out of Lionel's backpack. "Hey, have you read Spartacus?"

"All men are born free, yet each man must choose to be enslaved by the chains of his own making," Darius shook his head.

Lionel was surprised when he heard Darius quoting his favorite book. Darius was very passionate about the book's fighting scenes, and his face lit up, passionately retelling a favorite story of his own. Lionel leaned closely, and he couldn't help but notice the scars on his arms and his rugged appearance. Darius's shaggy brown hair and immature beard made him look like a wild man who had just stepped out from an intense battle, and the depth in his eyes seemed to hold a deep sense of wisdom and experience.

"Spartacus," Lionel muttered in surprise. "You've read that too?"

"No matter what kind of decisions we make, the outcome will always be the same. It's a comforting thought, isn't it?" Darius said with a woeful smile as he thought about the choices he had to make to get where he is now.

Darius then looked at Lionel and replied to his answer, "Of course, who hasn't? It's a classic tale of rebellion and freedom. Most soldiers, like myself, learn through hands-on training and experience, but not everyone here is illiterate, and it doesn't mean we lack knowledge."

"I mean, like read, read? I thought reading wasn't common among soldiers," Lionel asked, curious.

Darius laughed and treated it as nothing. "Not everyone here is illiterate, and it doesn't mean we lack knowledge," Darius said and gestured to the soldiers sleeping in the tent. "Each of us has a unique skill set that we have honed through years of training and experience. Whether it's strategy, combat, or survival skills, we all bring something valuable to the table."

Just then, a loud noise interrupted their conversation. One of the soldiers in the tent was snoring so loudly that it sounded like a thunderstorm. Few of the soldiers trembled in their sleep, but most of them were used to the noise and didn't wake up.

Lionel looked around, locating the source of the noise. "Doesn't it bother you?" he whispered to Darius as he pointed to the soldier whose head almost reached to the ground.

Darius chuckled. "You get used to it after a while. Besides, it's better than the sounds of battle. At least with snoring, you know you're alive and able to rest."

Lionel nodded in agreement, "I suppose you're right. It's a reminder that we're not on the battlefield right now." He then paused and thought about the battlefield. "Do you ever miss it, though? The thrill of battle?"

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Darius sighed, his eyes downcast. "It's not just the things you see and do. It's the things you feel. Fear, adrenaline, loss, and sometimes even joy. It's all scrambled up in there, changing you in ways you can't imagine."

"Bah," Darius spitting his saliva. "That's a lot of talking for someone like me," he said, snapping his neck in boredom. "I don't usually open up like this to strangers. But man, you?"

"You have a way of getting people to spill their beans."

Lionel giggled. "My uncle always makes it sound like that."

"Speaking of battles," Darius interrupted and stretched his shoulder. "I need to go on patrol duty for the night. But before that, do you want to spar?"

Lionel looked surprised. "Spar? Now?"

Darius nodded, "Yeah, we have this unwritten rule among the recruits to spar before we hit the bed. It helps us stay sharp."

Lionel thought for a while, but he was caught surprise as Darius threw him a wooden stick sword. "Wait, what? I'm not a recruit, though," he said, feeling a lil-bit anxious about the misunderstanding.

"I'm... uh... I'm just here to take a break..."

Darius chuckled and dismissed Lionel's concern. "Relax, Lionel. I'm not going to hurt you. It's just a friendly spar, no pressure."

However, before Lionel could voice his concerns, Darius swiftly grabbed a wooden stick sword resting at the corner of the tent and pointed the sword toward Lionel. "Come on, let's see what you're made of."

"Huh... Let's not..." Lionel swiftly steps aside as he noticed Darius lunged towards him. He barely had time to react and luckily made it in time to raise his weapon to block Darius' first strike.

Lionel and Darius engaged in a fierce spar, their wooden swords clashing against each other, creating a loud echo in the tent. Darius was clearly an experienced soldier, and his swift movements displayed his skill. Lionel struggled to keep up, frantically parrying Darius' attacks. The intensity of their fight grew, causing some of the other soldiers in the tent to stir in their sleep.

"Hey, keep it down in there!" one of the recruits complained. The recruit rolled over to his bed, trying to fall back from his sleep. However, Darius seemed to ignore the warning, striking harder and harder than the last. Noticing an opening, Darius swung his sword towards Lionel's head.

Lionel realized he had no choice but to spin around and dodge the incoming attack, using his poor reflexes to evade Darius assault. With a surge of adrenaline, Lionel managed to lure Darius towards the tent flap, using the confined space of the tent to his advantage. He was panting heavily as he gestured towards the open air, "Come on, let's take this outside."

Darius continued to latch on Lionel, relentlessly swinging his stick sword against him with a smug grin plastered on his face. Lionel glared at him, feeling irritated by Darius' insistence on sparring. The last thing he wanted to do was to get into a fight, especially not at this late hour.

As they continued to clash swords, Darius couldn't help but taunt Lionel, mocking his privileged background. He sneered, "You're not as tough as you think you are, kid. That metal-slime was probably the first real fight you've ever been in."

Lionel gritted his teeth, his annoyance growing with each passing moment. He knew Darius was trying to get under his skin, but he refused to give him the satisfaction of a response. Instead, he focused on evading Darius' attacks and looking for an opening to strike back.

"You're just a pampered, spoiled kid, Lionel. It's written all over your face." Darius continued to belittle Lionel and mock his privileged background. Lionel felt his blood boil at the mention of the word "kid." Upon hearing that, he couldn't help but retort in anger, "Just because I come from a well-off family, it doesn't mean I can't hold my own. What do you even know?"

Darius swung his sword in a vicious arc, aiming for his head. "Bah! I heard you were so scared earlier that you couldn't even remember your own name. You're nothing but a coward."

Lionel gritted his teeth as Darius swung his sword at his head. He had worked hard to overcome that challenge, refusing to let Darius belittle his achievements. "I defeated it with skill and strategy," he replied, dodging another strike. "Something you know nothing about."

Darius let out a mocking laugh. "Skill and strategy? Please, you just got lucky. You wouldn't know a real fight if it hit you in the face. Just because you have a few tricks up your sleeve. It doesn't mean you're invincible."

"And let me tell you something, kid. Magic won't save you out here. Only strength and skill."

Lionel's jaw clenched, his knuckles turning white as he tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword. He was fed up with Darius' insults and taunts, his heart pounding with rage. As Darius came at him once again with his sword, Lionel deflected the attack and snarled, "You know nothing about me."

Darius smirked, his sword whistling through the air as he attempted another strike. But Lionel was ready, blocking the attack countless times. "I know enough to see someone who's never had to work for anything for their life. You and your fancy books and pampered upbringing."

"You've been coddled with your whole life, shielding you from the real world. You don't know what it's like to fight for survival, to earn your keep."

"Let's be honest here, Lionel. You're soft, too soft for the battlefield."

Lionel felt a surge of fury at Darius words. He had heard these words once before, mocking and underestimating him because of where he came from. But this time, he was not going to back down. This time, Darius was in front of him, and he had heard enough. "You may think I'm soft, but that doesn't mean I'm weak," Lionel replied and parried one of Darius attacks. "I've trained for this moment, and I won't let your words, or your sword get in the way of my goals."

"I may not have experienced the same hardships as you, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of fighting for what's rightfully mine," Lionel said calmly to Darius.

Darius sneered and swung his sword in a wide arc. "Your noble thoughts won't make any difference out here," he replied. "The battlefield is merciless and ruthless. It doesn't care about your beliefs or hard work. It only respects the strongest."

"You never learn, do you? You always hide behind your fairy tale stories," Darius words further sinked in. "Your luxurious and sophisticated facade doesn't make you stronger."

Lionel didn't waste time arguing with Darius and focused on his next move. He blocked Darius' next attack and spun around to aim a blow at Darius' midsection. However, Darius blocked it effortlessly, deflecting the sword with a lunge attack. He also used it as an opportunity to land a swift strike on Lionel.

Lionel evaded Darius' attack and responded with a quick punch, aiming for Darius' sword hand. Darius blocked the strike and then attacked again, this time with more force. Lionel retreated, then sidestepped the attack and aimed a strike at Darius' vulnerable flank. However, Darius managed to dodge the attack. Lionel's movements were getting closer and closer to Darius.

"Heh. You're doing well," Darius remarked. "You still have some fight left in you. But don't be too overconfident. You still have much to learn."

Darius attacked once more, this time swinging his sword in a wide arc. Lionel deflected the strike with his own sword and followed up with a strike at Darius' shoulder. Darius blocked the attack with some difficulty and then swung his sword in a fierce backhand strike. Lionel was barely able to block the blow in time, the impact sending shockwaves through his arms and causing his knees to buckle.

Darius pressed his advantage, launching a series of swift strikes that forced Lionel to retreat. Lionel was on the defensive now, and he already could feel his strength lagging behind. In an attempt to gain momentum, Lionel feinted left, then lunged right, aiming a blow at Darius' exposed side. However, Darius saw the feint coming and easily parried the attack, then countered with a swift strike that sent Lionel stumbling backward.

Frustrated and angry, Lionel searched for a weak spot to break through Darius assault, knowing he had to act fast.

Lionel took a deep breath as he saw Darius coming towards him again. He jumped backward to put some distance between them, causing Darius to frown in confusion at Lionel's sudden move. Taking advantage of the moment, Lionel gathered his strength and focused all his attention on his next move. He lunged forward and aimed a swift strike at Darius' midsection.

Darius saw the blow coming, but he was too slow to react. Lionel's sword struck his chest, causing Darius to stumble backward in surprise and pain. Lionel didn't give him a chance to recover and pressed his advantage, launching a series of swift strikes that forced Darius to retreat. Finally, with a loud cry, Lionel delivered the final blow, striking Darius' sword out of his hand.

Darius was disarmed, but he wasn't defeated. With a fierce growl, he tackled Lionel, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Lionel's sword stumbled out of reach, leaving him defenseless against Darius' brutal assault.

Darius rained down blow after blow on Lionel, each harder than the last. Lionel tried to fight back, but he was overwhelmed by Darius' strength and his barbaric display of violence. He felt his body withering, his vision blurring as the pain became too much to handle. Once Darius saw Lionel couldn't take the beating anymore, he stopped, and panted heavily. He stood up and looked down at the kid before him, sneering down at him, spitting his tongue with triumph and disdain.

"You see, Lionel," Darius said, casually wiping the sweat from his brow. "This is what it means to fight for survival. To be willing to do whatever it takes to come out on top."

He leaned down and picked up Lionel's sword, hurling it towards him. "Take it," he said. "You're going to need it. If you want to survive out here."

Lionel could only stare in anger as he found himself caught in a dilemma. He couldn't just back out now after what he gone through. The rage and pain were eating him, blurring his eyes. He reached out toward the sword and took it from Darius' hand. He got to his feet and stared at Darius, straight in the eye.

Lionel felt the weight of the sword in his hand and gripped its hilt with fury, ready to attack. However, at the last minute, he threw the sword away from his sight, and gnashed his teeth. "I won't forget this. There will be a time I'll pay this in two-fold."