Golden Sword

Sharia suddenly emerges before them, saying overconfidently, "I can help."

"You were eavesdropping!" Liya exclaims.

Lenin, furious, retorts, "Give me a single reason why we should listen to you instead of punching you right in the face."

"Why don't you try, pest?" Sharia grabs his shirt.

Lenin prepares to fight, declaring, "Have it your way, loser."

Liya intervenes, urging, "Let's hear him out."

"Seriously!" Lenin expresses surprise.

Sharia explains, "A team of 27 members of our school is going to the Woodenpool four days from now."

"27 students are already selected for the camping program, the last time I checked," Lenin points out.

Sharia continues, "Let me finish, will you, pest? Ketty, Margret, and Sasha are selected. And they are willing to give up their spot for us."

"Why would they give up their spot? And what do you mean by 'us'?" Lenin questions.

"Do you have any idea how hard I worked to convince them?" responds Sharia.

"You threatened them," Lenin accuses, maintaining a poker face.

"I just told them if they are that afraid of wild animals, then they should give their spot to us. And talking about 'us', yes, I'm joining you two," declares Sharia.

"What in the world makes you think that you can join us?" Lenin challenges.

"Who the hell do you think you are, pest? You don't even know a single thing about big brother Karl. He was a brother to me. Ask her if you don't believe me," Sharia retorts, pointing to Liya.

Lenin looks at Liya and understands that Sharia is not bluffing.

"Fine. But I won't hesitate to kick his butt if anything goes wrong," Lenin warns Liya.

"Shut your mouth, Lenin; you are just a nobody here," Sharia dismisses.

Liya addresses Sharia, "So..."

"Let's fill up the forms, then," suggests Sharia.

A couple of days later, students are boarding a bus. Lenin, Liya, and Sharia are among them.

Sharia wishes, "Hey, Ms. Paranormal, why do you think big brother Karl would be there in Woodenpool of all places?"

Lenin, gazing out the window, responds, "It's just a possibility."

In a vivid dream, a lone warrior dominates a battlefield. About to behead an injured figure, the warrior is interrupted.

Liya wakes up Lenin, exclaiming, "We have reached the Woodenpool."

"You were sleeping the whole time, pest," teases Sharia.

Lenin apologizes, "Sorry for not ruining your journey, loser."

As the students enter the forest, the guide provides instructions. Lenin observes, "So this is Woodenpool, huh? It is so green everywhere, kind of beautiful."

After an hour of walking, the guide announces, "We will be camping here, everyone."

As darkness falls, students gather wood and soon sit around a bonfire, gossiping and having snacks.

Lenin notices a girl walking alone in the deep forest. He silently disappears from the camp, prompting Liya to follow him. Unbeknownst to them, Sharia notices Liya and follows her.

Lenin follows the unknown girl, Liya trails Lenin, and Sharia shadows Liya.

From a distance, Lenin calls, "Hey, who are you?"

The girl, a beautiful and curious figure, looks back at him. She can't be older than Lenin.

"Top student, where are you off to?" Liya questions from behind.

Sharia adds from afar, "Hey, Ms. PN, we are not allowed further."

"I'm talking to her," Lenin says to Liya, pointing at the girl who is running away.

Lenin runs toward the girl, Liya runs after Lenin, and Sharia runs after Liya, questioning, "Why the hell are you running now?"

The girl enters a humongous gate and vanishes.

Lenin stops in front of the gate, as does Liya, and seeing both of them, Sharia halts as well.

Lenin and Liya are shocked, "What the hell is this?"

"What the hell is what?" Sharia fails to understand a thing.