Chapter 29: Cold winds

It was already the second day. The sky was covered with thick clouds, restraining most of the sunlight. Cold winds blew from time to time, evidence of the previous night's rainy weather. The trio of trainee seekers were walking northwest, often taking long U-turns or hitting dead ends due to the surrounding swamps, making navigation to their intended destination quite challenging.

All three were carrying most of their previous camp's architecture on their backs. They had also removed their armor, walking in the undergarments they wore beneath, and carried everything wrapped in grass rope that Ishin had created. Water gourds, crafted by Nobunaga, hung from their waists. Although he initially made the gourds only for himself and Ishin, he eventually agreed to make one for Reyoma as well, thanks to Ishin's convincing.

Their uncovered skin was smeared with mud, and they were sweating from the long trek. It felt as if they hadn't bathed in years. They trudged along like living pieces of filth, their faces set in irritated grimaces in their discomfort.

Now, they were at a tree. Reyoma was, as always, marking the tree with a "^" symbol for navigation purposes, tracing their journey from the starting point to their previous camp and now to the current one. Ishin was at the top of the tree, trying to get a better sense of their location. They had planned to shift their camp further into the swamps, aiming to build it near the arena. The arena ground was the partition between the swamp and the forest, making it an ideal location for their camp. They also wanted to explore the giant tree that was straight north of the arena.

Ishin climbed down the tree as Reyoma sheathed his katana-style rapier. "We are very close to the arena from here. It's better if we start building our camp here. If we finish building the camp before noon, we can go hunting. We might even visit that tree if we are fast enough because, from here, that tree is just about eight kilometers away," Ishin said with a polite smile and a calm tone.

"It will be good if we can visit that tree, but then we have to do things at double speed," Reyoma answered after pondering.

Nobunaga jogged over to his two teammates. "Huh, huh, I have found the best tree for us to camp, but it is very close to a swamp," Nobunaga said, breathing loudly. While Reyoma marked trees and Ishin determined their location, Nobunaga was tasked with finding a suitable tree to camp.

"In that case, isn't it better? We can hunt the alligators in that swamp just after we finish building the camp," Ishin suggested.

"Let's see first," Reyoma said.

The trio walked while Nobunaga led the way. After a couple of minutes, they reached a small cliff that held a large, wide tree. Just beneath the cliff was a swamp teeming with alligators. Although there hadn't been many alligators in the swamps at the start of their journey, their presence had become evident since this morning. This was one reason they had been avoiding paths with water and making detours. Having a hunting ground right at their doorstep was advantageous, but if they got surrounded, there would be no escape, making it a hard decision for the trio.

"This is the spot," Nobunaga said, pointing to the large tree. "It's big enough and provides a good view of the surroundings."

Reyoma looked around, assessing the situation. "It's close to the swamp, which means we'll have easy access to hunting alligators. But it's also risky. We need to ensure we can defend ourselves if we get surrounded."

Ishin nodded. "We'll build our camp here. We'll set up our shelter in the tree, making it harder for any alligators to reach us. Once we're settled, we can plan our hunting strategy."

With that, they began to rebuild their camp in the tree, this time with more proficiency and coordination. Even though Reyoma and Nobunaga's relationship was strained—bad, in fact—Reyoma knew that to survive, he had to make use of his teammates. Nobunaga, while not acting as sarcastic and arrogant as before, still showed signs that he didn't enjoy Reyoma's company. Growing up, he had seen this loner always minding his own business. Although Nobunaga didn't know why, a prejudice had already been fixed in his mind against Reyoma.

Reyoma and Nobunaga worked silently, not even making eye contact as they built the camp. Meanwhile, Ishin stood at the edge of the cliff, surveying the swamps as an informer. If any of these alligators tried to move towards them, they would climb the tree, leaving the pieces of their previous camp on the ground. Because these were not just normal alligators—they were bull-gators. Every single alligator in this calm, muddy swamp was a bull-gator, many times the size of a normal alligator. Though alligators are not typically fast, they can burst with speed in short intervals, covering up to thirty miles per hour. Not just that, there were several bones protruding above the muddy water, all looking like rib bones pointing at the sky like sharp spears.

As the unlit torch was placed, the construction of the camp came to an end. The entire process had taken about fifteen to twenty minutes. Nobunaga came to Ishin's side, viewing the swamps, and after a moment, Reyoma joined them.

"We managed to build it pretty quickly," Reyoma said, glancing at their handiwork.

Ishin interrupted the silence. "Look at those bones. They aren't just any bones—they look like rib bones."

"That's strange," Reyoma commented, narrowing his eyes at the peculiar sight.

"It's a sign of how dangerous these bull-gators are," Ishin said, his voice serious. "They've likely devoured whatever those bones belonged to, leaving the ribs sticking out of the mud."

"All the more reason for us to be cautious," Nobunaga added, his usual bravado tempered by the reality of their situation.

"Should we strategize then?" Ishin said, turning back to look at his teammates.

Nobunaga nodded lightly, his arms crossed, and Reyoma mimicked the nod.

Turning back to the swamps again, Ishin pointed in a particular direction at the bank of the swamp. "Look over there. That gator is what you're going to hunt."

Quick to catch on, Reyoma asked, "You mean us?"

"Yes, you and Nobunaga will be hunting the gator while I will be your observer," Ishin confirmed. 'Not bad, Reyoma, you're quick to catch on,' he thought.

Reyoma just shrugged his shoulders. 'I thought he was smart, but making me hunt with that rascal? I don't know why I should.'

On the other hand, Nobunaga started yelling, "YOU WANT ME TO DIE, ISHIN? I THOUGHT I COULD RELY ON YOU AS A FRIEND, BUT YOU WANT ME TO GO DIE WITH THIS OMEN SHIT? IF SO, GO DIE YOURSELF!"

Hearing this, the polite smile that hung on Ishin's lips vanished. His expression withered as he gazed at the frustrated Nobunaga. Ishin looked directly into Nobunaga's eyes without blinking. "I would choose my next words carefully if I were you," Ishin said, grabbing the scabbard of his sword.

Taken aback by Ishin's change in behavior, Nobunaga stammered, "No, I take my words back, but think about it. Wouldn't it be better if it was you and me or you and him?" Nobunaga tried to defuse the situation. He wasn't an exceptional swordsman, while Ishin was the top trainee seeker of his batch. What was even more concerning was that Ishin only said what he meant.

'Nice, you make things so much easier, Ishin,' Reyoma thought while his expression remained neutral. If Ishin took the place of being their leader, it would be good for Reyoma to stay undercover during the entire examination. He had to do well enough, but not great. After all, why would Ishin want Nobunaga and Reyoma to hunt the gator as a team? Reyoma's interest was piqued.

After a tense moment, Ishin's eyes softened slightly, but his tone remained firm. "Nobunaga, this isn't about favorites or friendships. It's about survival. You need to learn to work with Reyoma, and he needs to learn to work with you. Out here, cooperation isn't optional; it's necessary."

Nobunaga glanced at Reyoma, then back at Ishin, realizing there was no point in arguing further. With a begrudging nod, he muttered, "Fine, let's just get this over with."