NOVEL NEXT Chapter 97: Scouting [2]
After giving everyone their specific roles and ensuring that our team was properly organized for the tasks ahead, I excused myself from the group with a carefully prepared explanation.
"I want to scout with one of the other teams," I announced to the assembled students. "Something caught my eye during our initial reconnaissance, and I need to investigate it personally."
Several students immediately objected to this plan, their concerns obvious in their expressions and voices.
"You should remain here at base camp," one of them argued earnestly. "Your presence as our leader is crucial for coordinating all the different team activities and making strategic decisions."
Another student chimed in with additional concerns. "At the very least, you should take some of us with you. It's dangerous to go alone, especially when we don't know what other teams might be operating in the area."
I shook my head firmly, rejecting both suggestions with confident authority. "We shouldn't change our team compositions now that everyone has been assigned their specific roles and responsibilities. The current structure is optimized for our objectives, and disrupting it would reduce our overall efficiency."
I gestured toward the forest around us, reinforcing my argument. "Besides, my bloodline abilities are particularly well-suited for solo work. My stealth capabilities mean I won't be caught or detected by rival teams, and I can move much faster alone than with a group."
The students looked uncertain about my decision, but they couldn't argue with the logic of my bloodline advantage or challenge my authority as the established leader. After all they didn't know what my bloodline's power was, all they knew was that I was powerful.
"In the end, this is the most tactically sound approach," I concluded definitively. "I need you all to continue executing your assigned missions while I handle this particular investigation."
They had no choice but to accept my words, though their reluctance was still evident.
Before departing, I made sure to establish clear communication protocols. "Notify me of everything that happens while I'm away, and provide status updates every thirty minutes through the communication crystals. If any emergency situations arise, contact me immediately regardless of the timing."
The team acknowledged these instructions, and I could see them mentally preparing to maintain operations in my temporary absence.
A smile formed on my face as I left the camp behind, blurring through the trees with incredible speed that my {Physical Enhancement} trait provided. The forest canopy provided excellent cover as I moved with supernatural grace and silence toward my true destination.
Nothing had actually caught my eye during our reconnaissance, and I wasn't planning to scout for ruins or white donkeys. Rather, I was going to steal something far more valuable than any Crest Marks we might collect during this examination.
More specifically, I was going to steal a secret art that Kyle would have eventually obtained during his time at the academy. While it wasn't during this particular examination that he would originally acquire the technique, that didn't matter to me. I was going to claim it for myself instead, altering the timeline in a way that would benefit me significantly.
The secret art was fortunately located within the boundary areas that the Commander had established for our examination, so I wouldn't need to break any official rules or risk disqualification to obtain it. The location was technically fair game for any student brave enough to venture that far from the main activity zones.
The secret art I intended to steal was genuinely exceptional, a footwork technique at the Royal rank that would revolutionize my combat capabilities. While it wasn't at the Overlord level like the technique Carmilla had given me, Royal-rank secret arts were among the highest-tier techniques available in the entire kingdom.
Even my father, despite his position as a Duke and his extensive resources, didn't possess a Royal-rank secret art. The rarity and value of such techniques meant they were usually held by only the royal family that had accumulated them over centuries of power.
Getting this particular footwork art would be incredibly useful for my development. Footwork was fundamental to all combat situations, it affected positioning, evasion, and overall battlefield mobility. A Royal-rank footwork technique would allow me to move in ways that most opponents couldn't predict or counter, giving me decisive advantages in both offensive and defensive scenarios.
The technique was supposedly hidden in an ancient shrine that Kyle would have discovered much later in his academy career. According to my knowledge of the novel, he would stumble upon it during a completely different examination scenario, but the shrine itself had been there all along, waiting for someone skilled enough to unlock its secrets.
I navigated through the forest with increasing confidence, using my enhanced senses to avoid any potential encounters with other teams or dangerous beasts. The terrain gradually became more challenging as I moved away from the river area, with rocky hills and stone formations beginning to appear among the trees.
The shrine I was seeking should be located in a secluded valley. It was well hidden and protected by both natural barriers and monsters that would deter casual exploration. Most students would avoid such areas, assuming they were either too dangerous or outside the examination boundaries.
But I knew exactly what I was looking for and how to approach it safely. This Royal-rank footwork secret art would be worth far more than any number of Crest Marks, and obtaining it would give me capabilities that would help me immensely.
The smile on my face widened as I anticipated the power that would soon be mine.
As I sped through the forest with supernatural grace, a pack of wolves suddenly emerged from the undergrowth ahead of me. Their eyes glowed with hunger as they blocked my path, snarling and positioning themselves for an ambush attack.
They were weak creatures, merely Noble-rank beasts. Nothing of real significance to me. Still, there was about ten of them
Shing!
I drew my sword without breaking stride, the steel singing as it left its sheath. There was no time to waste on prolonged combat, I had a Royal-rank secret art waiting for me.