Chapter 240: We Need to Move Now
[Shima’s POV]
The battle against the Grimwood Colossus had drained far more than just their mana.
Their bodies ached, their minds remained strained, and every muscle carried the lingering fatigue of fighting an enemy that had outweighed all five of them combined.
The moment they found a safe enough distance from where they had fought; Arlok wasted no time. He slammed both palms onto the ground, causing the earth to tremble before layers of stone slowly rose from beneath the soil.
[Earth Shelter]
And just like before, the rock folded inward, forming a compact earth shelter large enough to accommodate the entire squad.
This time, no one suggested lighting a fire.
The battle against the Grimwood Colossus had taught them a harsh lesson, and none of them wanted to make the same mistake twice.
Because of that, they chose the safer option.
They quietly spread out their sleeping bags across the cold stone floor and simply rested inside Arlok’s earth shelter without warmth. The darkness around them was uncomfortable, yes, but it was far better than drawing attention to themselves with a fire.
*****
Several minutes quietly slipped by.
The cold stone shelter stayed silent as everyone was resting and recovering from the battle. With exception, only Arlok and Shima remained awake to keep watch.
Arlok leaned against the stone wall near the entrance while slowly turning a small pebble between his fingers.
A long yawn escaped his mouth before he rubbed the back of his neck.
The sound made Shima glance toward him.
"Hey, if you’re sleepy, then just sleep," she whispered. "I’m not tired yet, so I can handle this shift by myself."
Her voice stayed low so the others could keep resting.
Arlok shook his head and let out a quiet snort. "I’m not yawning because I’m sleepy, shorty," he whispered back.
Shima’s brows pulled together.
She stared at him for a second before letting out a small sigh.
"Then why are you even yawning?"
Arlok squinted at her with a straight face.
"Erm because... I’m just bored."
Shima looked away and decided not to argue anymore.
’Haa... why did I even ask?’
Sometimes she really wondered how someone like Arlok had become a magus. The more she talked to him, the less she understood how his mind worked.
Her eyes slowly moved across the shelter.
Yerin was already asleep after using almost all of her mana during the fight. Nearby, Horren slept soundly while Ruvian rested against the wall with his sword close enough to grab at any moment.
Seeing the two of them, Shima quietly replayed the battle inside her head.
If not for Ruvian and Horren, bringing down the Grimwood Colossus would have been far harder than it already was. They might have been knocked out before the first day of the island test had even ended.
Horren especially surprised her.
She had always seen him as a timid boy who lost his nerve too easily whenever things became dangerous. Yet the spell he fired at the end had blown away a huge part of the Colossus as if it were nothing.
Even now, she could still picture that blast tearing through the monster’s body. It was hard to believe someone like Horren had that kind of power hidden inside him.
’Well, I guess a person really could change once they were pushed into a corner.’
Still, the one she understood the least was Ruvian.
Throughout the entire battle, he had moved quickly and decisively as though the darkness meant nothing to him. It was almost as if he could see everything around him.
Well, that was what he confessed, wasn’t it?
Still, that was what bothered Shima the most.
Ruvian did not have darkness affinity, at least not as far as she knew. Learning spells outside your natural affinity was possible, but every scholar knew they were much harder to master and far less effective.
So how had he done it? Had he really learned a darkness spell that well, or was there another reason behind it? Either way, no matter how much she thought about it, she could not come up with an answer.
Without realizing it, a small yawn slipped from her mouth.
Arlok turned toward her with a faint grin.
"Get some sleep, shorty. You need to recover your stamina."
Shima immediately shook her head.
"Haa... it’s fine. I can still stay awake for a while."
She was about to keep talking when Arlok quietly cut her off.
"No. Go to sleep. We need everyone at their best for the rest of this island test," he said. "Getting enough rest is just as important as winning fights — don’t be a stubborn fool."
He stretched both arms over his head before leaning back against the wall again.
"That fight with the big guy didn’t tire me out that much, but you’ve been running around since the very beginning." He glanced at her and added, "So go get some sleep. I’ll wake Horren up when it’s time to switch."
Shima stayed quiet for a few moments. Then she let out another soft sigh before climbing into her sleeping bag.
"...Fine. Whatever."
She looked at Arlok one last time before closing her eyes.
"Don’t you dare... fall asleep."
Arlok waved a hand without even looking at her.
"Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. I will not."
*****
[Ruvian’s POV]
"Fuck! I fell asleep!"
Arlok’s shout exploded through the stone shelter without any warning. The rough voice echoed off the walls and jolted everyone awake in an instant. Sleeping bags rustled as the entire squad sat up in confusion.
The first thing they noticed was the cold. It was far colder than when they had gone to sleep, and every breath felt damp against their faces.
The air itself seemed heavier, carrying a strange chill that made the hairs on the back of Shima’s neck stand up.
Shima rubbed her face with both hands before glaring at Arlok. Her eyes twitched as she pointed at him. "Are you serious? Urgh. I already warned you, god damnit."
Arlok scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression. "I don’t know, it was so sudden." His excuse only made Shima’s expression darken even more.
Before the two could start arguing again, Yerin raised a hand. "It’s alright. Nothing attacked us while we were asleep, so we are good."
She pulled her sleeping bag tighter around her shoulders.
"Hmm... but the air has become much colder, and the moisture feels heavier too. I guess morning should be close. I’ll start a small fire to warm the shelter."
She had barely reached for her flint when Ruvian suddenly spoke.
"Wait."
His voice was quiet, but it stopped everyone.
Ruvian’s eyes remained fixed on the entrance of the shelter. Unlike everyone else, he could see beyond the darkness, and what lay outside made his expression slowly harden.
"Arlok," he asked without looking away, "how long were you asleep, and when did the mist appear?"
Arlok blinked several times before scratching his head again. "Sorry, but how am I supposed to know that when I fell asleep?"
He spread his hands helplessly.
"I mean... people don’t exactly keep track of time when they fall asleep."
Ruvian frowned.
The air inside the shelter suddenly felt even colder.
Then Horren slowly raised his hand.
"Erm... I don’t know how long Arlok had fallen asleep. But I actually woke up for a moment because it suddenly became freezing." He frowned as he tried to remember. "I didn’t open my eyes for long, but I think it happened only about fifteen minutes ago."
Suddenly, Horren paused.
Only then did he notice the look on Ruvian’s face.
His usual calm was gone.
Ruvian stared into the darkness beyond the entrance without blinking, his jaw clenched as though he had recognized something he wished he hadn’t.
"...Shit."
The curse slipped out under his breath.
Without another word, Ruvian threw aside his sleeping bag and stood up in one swift motion. (+250PP)
"Everyone..."
He said, his voice firm and urgent.
"—
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[Chapter 240: We Need to Move Now]
Plot Points= 23,870
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