[Nightmare]

Tyrene frowned when she realized she didn't have the library.

It wasn't like Helix could casually sit down with a piece of pen and paper and sketch out a topographical map in thirty minutes.

It would be more dangerous to get inaccurate information.

Doing that would run her judgment-making skills of where to go.

"Hmmm. Are you confident in your fleeing skills?" Tyrene asked after a few minutes of contemplation.

"The most dangerous thing we can experience is a hero."

Helix gave her an understanding nod.

"You're Level 70, now. Aside from agility, your non-defense stats place you at Level 140 by Myridian standards. But…."

Tyrene frowned and locked eyes with him.

"You're Level 20 by experience at most." She asserted.

"You've only been training with me for seven weeks.

I gave you expedited growth, which you will unlock as real battles present themselves.

However, you have fought in a real battle.

You've never witnessed death or despair in a battle.

I've always protected you, or you could create clever strategies in advance."

Helix gave her a wry smile but nodded in understanding.

"If we face an opponent, I'm not going to ask you to flee.

However, you must prioritize your life." Tyrene ordered.

Helix gave her a quizzical expression.

"If aiding in battle can disorient or incapacitate the enemy, do it.

You should only make that decision if it increases your ability to flee.

Doing it on my behalf will only make it difficult for me to flee, as I'm protecting you."

Tyrene gave him a sharp look.

"Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Helix matched her gaze.

"Yes. Your order is understood."

"We'll see about that." Tyrene chuckled bitterly.

"It's better you learn this lesson before we face whatever awaits in Alzeria."

Helix nodded.

—

"Playing the hero will get you killed." Helix declared with serious eyes.

His partners recoiled, and the super-otakus and power-weebs shivered.

"However." He said firmly to break his partners from their thoughts.

"Fleeing doesn't mean running.

If I ran while a fireball chased me, I'd die.

Sometimes escaping means helping your protector.

Before fleeing, you may need to incapacitate, blind, or disorient your enemy.

Perhaps you need to fight.

LIfe-saving decisions are made on the battlefield."

The Knights stared at Helix with anxious expressions.

They were in training, and most had only gone on eight monster hunts.

He was informing them of their futures.

"Marie, Charlotte, Riley, and I experienced that lesson when Master Tyrene died." Helix pointed out.

"However, we all learned that we made the best decisions necessary to kill the Colossus.

If we hadn't, countless people would have died. That includes us."

Marie, Charlotte, and Riley nodded with conflicted expressions.

They had barely healed from the battle.

The otakus and weebs gulped.

"Unfortunately, Tyrene and I quickly found ourselves in a situation that put that lesson to the test in the Izian Forest." Helix announced with a low voice.

"Day turned to Night the instant we entered the forest, and our senses started playing tricks on us."

Everyone's expression turned to Helix with beating hearts.

The cafeteria had a pulse.

Even the servants were quiet and listening.

—

The Izian Forest was covered with 200-foot trees with large tops.

They interwove at the top, making it nearly impossible for light to pass through.

Once the initial light from the entrance took over, it was eerie.

"Caaaw, Kaka Kaka Caw."

A large bird burst from the trees and flew over their heads.

It was dark black and was the size of a bear.

However, it didn't have the intention to fight and quickly turned away.

When they caught sight of the bird, they both froze.

"Did you hear it approaching from the other direction?" Helix whispered.

"Yeah. That's eerie… and dangerous.

Low-level monsters might kill us at this rate." Tyrene confirmed with an anxious face.

"Yeah…." Helix confirmed hesitantly.

"How close are we?" She asked.

"I…."

Helix frowned and turned to her with a serious expression.

They could barely see, but she knew he was looking at her.

"I can't see any landmarks.

So… I don't know." Helix whispered bitterly.

A cold shiver ran down Tyrene's spine.

"That strange sound you've been hearing is me dropping conditional magic circles." Helix explained in a low voice.

"I made them as preparation and started dropping them once we could no longer see the light.

I was too concentrated to let you know."

Tyrene sighed a breath of relief.

"Boy… I'm so glad to have you on my side. Good work, kid."

—

"The Izian Forest has interweaving trees that block out the light." Helix continued.

"The farther we entered, the darker it got until it was nearly pitch-black.

We heard monsters approaching from one direction, but they were in another.

It felt like the sound was curving from some form of magic."

The cafeteria listened with bated breath.

"We quickly discovered Warpshires were not the only dangerous beasts.

If I hadn't brought a hundred high-level lighting circles I made during practice with Master Tilo, we might have died by getting lost."

His partners gave him shocked expressions, magnifying the anxiety others were feeling.

"Therefore, we were forced to make a serious decision."

—

"I think it's best to turn back." Helix asserted with a serious tone.

Tyrene frowned and nodded.

"I agree. This mission is too dangerous, even for me." She sighed.

"The ability to kill monsters requires human senses."

Helix nodded.

"I agree. Also, I believe we should use lighting magic on our trip back." He reasoned after she asked about leaving.

"Did you read that in your freaky library?" She asked with a frown.

"No. It's just that it's necessary to light our way back.

Warpshires and many others will flee or attack light on sight.

However, it doesn't blind them, as they're already blind.

Instead, it brings them pain." Helix explained.

"Using light is a double-edged sword.

Most monsters will flee.

However, many might attack.

We'll experience their pain and have extremely toned circles.

If any do attack, we'll need our senses.

I believe it's best to maximize our senses and fighting capability for the times we are."

Tyrene stopped walking and thought about it.

"I believe you're right. Do you have any good spells?" She asked.

"Of course." Helix said with a slight smile.

He pulled out four battle discs.

"This side had a weakened Stick Spell that uses a form of glue.

The other side has a powerful lighting spell.

We'll stick them on each other's armor.

It's hard to wash off, but Tilo should be able to help.

It's also better than dying." Helix chuckled.

—

"We underestimated our flower picking field trip and decided to turn back because it was too dangerous, even for Tyrene." Helix announced.

Shocked gasps filled the room.

Whispers of disbelief washed over the otakus and weebs like a tidal wave.

How was it possible for it to be too dangerous for Tyrene?

She slew a Colossus!

That was the question spreading through the cafeteria like wildfire.

Marie, Charlotte, and Riley were shocked and conflicted.

They were angry that Helix put himself in that situation.

However, they knew it wasn't intentional, and they were glad he decided to turn back.

But… the terrifying part was that he obtained the Liskaberry.

"The problem with that decision…." Helix whispered.

Everyone quieted down, and their eyes shot in Helix's direction.

"...was that maps only work if you know landmarks.

So we had no choice but to use my backup lighting circles I placed like breadcrumbs.

Once I did… a wave of pain would hit every animal, monster, and beast in the area."

Shocked mutters burst through the area.

Anxiety was spreading among the people in the cafeteria like shared synesthesia.

"Most would flee, but many would attack, and we'd be nearly blind.

That was what we believed.

Our hearing was constantly assaulted by insects, birds, and other sounds.

Humans have weak noses, so we were blind, deaf, and dumb.

That was our situation if beasts started attacking us.

There was no other choice. My lighting circles were a backup; I didn't expect the forest to be pitch black.

Neither did she. We were grossly unprepared, even after our training.

We were in the jaws of hell and helpless as lambs." Helix explained in a grave tone.

Servants stopped picking up dishes.

Workers were too scared of disturbing the Knights.

They did not hear the story unfolding, but the deafening quiet made it feel serious.

If they showed up, people might attack them for being so rude.

That was the atmosphere in the room.

"I put powerful lighting magic circles on us and reviewed the map, so we could find our way without the circles if we were blocked off from our path." Helix continued quietly.

"Once I finished my map research, we drew our swords, and I triggered the magic circles."

The room was so quiet that everyone could hear their neighbor's pulse.

Everyone's heart was racing.

Helix panned their expressions and gave them a pathetic smile.

"The second the lighting circles activated, all hell broke loose."

—

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