Resolve (2)

As I board the train and sat down.

I thought back to my plan.

The destination that I am currently going toward now was a hidden underwater cave.

The only problem is.

[As Elliot was sent flying towards the Sea of Serpents, fully expecting to die, he looked at Reynold one last time with contempt and hatred, as he slowly fell towards the abyss of the ocean, he heard a faint melody, like a Siren's Call, he forced his worn-torn body and with the last bit of strength left in his pitiful soul. He swam with complete trust in his senses, until seemingly enough he arrived at a part of the unforgiving sea where water would not flow, what appeared before him was a cave, and what lies beyond the blackness inside the cavern of stones, was the strength he desperately craved]

As I remember that line I know just how risky this plan is.

First off, I do not know where exactly in the Sea of Serpents that scum of a person Elliot fell into.

Second, I have to fight and kill monsters I have no experience dealing with.

Lastly, I do not know how to swim.

But I have to, this is literally a do-or-die moment for me as I extremely need that hidden item to stand a chance of surviving in this world.

As I said survival is a great motivator.

After an hour or two, a robotic voice rang within the train.

"We have arrived at Santos De Ellen,"

I got up from my seat and proceeded to make my way towards the mountain as Elliot was sent flying here by the protagonist somewhere into the Sea of Serpents.

The Mountain was tall and its forest was not a safe place too as there were G to E-ranked monsters prowling in it granted that they aren't that many but you still can't be complacent.

For now, though I have to get through the gatekeeper guarding the high walls separating the town of Santos De Ellen from the mountain.

Since the monsters on the mountain are pretty low-ranked a squad of C-Ranked Hunters at the front gate is enough to be able to deal with them.

*******

"Huh?, Who goes there?"

One of the guards points his spear toward the oncoming figure.

Having trained his senses most of his entire life to reach C-Rank he can now confidently hear untrained footsteps from a mile away.

One of the guards signals him to lower his weapon as most of them do as the figure got closer.

It was a young dark-skinned man with black hair wearing nothing but a basic hunter armor kit.

"May I pass through?" He said to us as he got closer.

"Are you here to train young man?"

"Yes,"

"You seem to have no weapons though?" One of the other guards asked the young man.

But then suddenly from his bracelet a gun came out.

"Oh you seem to be from the academy, but what is that? Is that a gun?"

All the other guards seem to look at the young man with confusion

Who in the world still uses a gun in this time and age? One of the guards inwardly thought.

"Ah, you see I just wanted to handicap myself with a weaker weapon so I can rely on my senses rather than my weapon,"

The guards nodded at the young man's response as it was a reasonable one.

"Well then take this,"

One of the guards handed the young man a device.

"It's an SOS device, if you ever feel imminent danger just press the red button on it, and we will immediately come to you,"

The young man thanked the guards and went through the front gate.

"Ah, kids these days, they just can't seem to wait to get stronger,"

"Weren't you the same?"

"Shut-up"

*********

As I venture toward the forest my main goal in mind is to get to higher ground.

From the novel, it seemed that Elliot and Reynold were fighting near a cliff overlooking the sea.

All I have to do is find it.

So with every chance I got, I looked for paths leading further up this mountain.

But as inevitable as it is to suffer in life.

I encountered my very first monster.

My finger was immediately ready for the trigger.

It was a Forest-Wolf but its fur was color grey indicating that it was a G-Ranked version of it.

Its teeths sharp as knives were baring at me, its eyes locked onto me like a predator, saliva drooling from its mouth.

It was evident that it could no longer wait to tear my guts inside out.

With its 4 hind legs, it moved as quickly as a flash.

But I stayed composed, I waited for the right moment for it to enter my kill range.

And soon enough it did, I pressed my finger on the trigger.

*Click*

There was a sound that came out of my gun but no bullets.

HUH WAS THE SAFETY ON?

As I look back toward the wolf.

It was quickly leaving my Kill-range into Im-Dead-Range.

OH F*CK

I quickly rolled to the side but because of its speed, I was still scathed by its fangs.

My left shoulder was now bleeding profusely.

The wolf quickly stopped in its tracks seemingly to enjoy my blood in its mouth.

It was only a split second though as it looked back towards me preparing itself for another charge attack.

But that time was enough for me to turn off the goddamn safety on my shotgun.

I had to ignore the stinging pain in my shoulder.

I need to focus on the timing.

Forest Wolf hides are tough even if they are G-Ranked ones, but with aura, it can easily be cut like butter.

Sadly, I don't have that luxury right now, but the good thing-

Sh*t I can't even think.

The wolf was already coming at me with its quick feet.

Hold.

Hold.

NOW!

As it pounced towards me leaving his mouth wide open.

I pressed the trigger on my shotgun with all of my strength.

*BOOM*

A reverberating sound echoed throughout the forest.

The wolf's body was sent backward onto a tree.

Blood gushing from its mouth and his eyes were devoid of any life.

The good thing is their mouth have no hides.

I fell to my knees holding my left shoulder.

I immediately got a healing potion from my bracelet.

And gulped that sh*t like a man lost in a desert who finally found an oasis.

Slowly the bleeding stopped and after a few minutes, the wound was no longer there only a scar.

Higher-grade potions would work faster and would completely leave no semblance of the wound but this Medium-Grade is good enough for me.

I picked myself up after feeling a little bit fine thanks to the potion and proceeded onwards as more of those wolves would come if I stay there due to the gunshot.

I felt a bit sad though as I could've sold the wolf for some extra bells but its weight was not something my bracelet's spacial storage could carry.

I snapped out of it as I know the hidden item is significantly much more important than a wolf's corpse.

*****

As the dark-skinned man walked through the forest.

From the thick trees of the evergreen that could pierce the sky.

A beast of fur with legs light as a feather and scarlet eyes that lack any mercy.

Saliva drooling from its mouth, the instinct to kill is echoing inside its brain.

It watched, it learned, it's ready.