NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54
“Crafting.”
A dirt wall around 3 meters high stood between me and the fireball shot by the wyvern. Since I was on horseback, precise aiming was tough, but the wall I built narrowly blocked the fireball.
Bang!
The sound of the wall collapsing resonated vividly. Having broken more walls than ever before, I glared at the wyvern and calculated when to erect another.
If I make a mistake, I die.
My ten years of honed survival instinct was alerting me to the right timing for putting up the wall.
I can’t die here. Even if it’s frustrating, I have to escape.
Facing the foe head-on might feel easier, but that’s the worst possible choice.
Our primary goal now is escaping, not fighting.
Besides, our opponent is a wyvern. Regardless of strength, it’s not a good match-up for us.
It flies in the sky and shoots fireballs from afar, leaving us with no means to counterattack.
In the end, the only tactic I had was to let the wall and fireball collide to block its attacks as much as possible.
It was an incredibly frustrating situation. It was hard to set the wall in the position I wanted while the horse was shaking, and the materials were nothing but low-quality dirt piles. Mud walls wouldn’t hold against a wyvern.
Just a body slam from the beast would shatter the fragile wall like styrofoam. Though I’d be thankful if that slowed it down.
“Ugh! The horse won’t cooperate!”
“Stay calm! Just keep your balance so you don’t fall!”
If I fall here, it’s really over. Falling off a galloping horse could be deadly, especially with those crazy cultists and a wyvern ready to finish me off.
“Crafting. Crafting. Crafting.”
One wall, one fireball. It’s unfair that the battle is taking place in the air, leaving me without a way to retaliate. It flies too high for my skills to reach it, and even if I made a bow, I wouldn’t know how to shoot it. Is there anything useful among the junk I bought from the store?
It was a variable I hadn’t thought of until the urgency of the situation hit me.
“Crafting, crafting, crafting.”
I shouted as I frantically rummaged through my bag. Chewy jerky that tasted horrible, drinking water, various tools… After creating about ten more walls, my hand finally grasped a small pouch.
What’s inside could…
…work?
If I fail, I could end up burning to death.
But if my plan works, I might buy us a little time.
I stopped using my skill and waited for the wyvern to shoot another fireball. The moment its neck lit up with a bright glow, I opened the pouch and threw it with all my might. Purple powder scattered in the air. Luckily, it spread widely, probably due to the high speed I was moving at.
But it’s not over yet. Ignoring the throbbing in my head, I used my skill again.
“Crafting.”
A massive dirt wall rose up from the ground, blocking my view momentarily. It was dizzyingly large, but if I didn’t create it, we’d be caught for sure.
“Millia! Cover your ears!”
“Okay!”
I was about to speak to Renny but paused. What about Karina?
There’s no choice here. One person has to sacrifice.
“Renny! Can you handle the explosion?”
“What?!”
“Cover Karina’s ears!”
Instead of telling Renny, who is tougher than steel, to cover her own ears, I chose to have her protect Karina’s. Renny could handle the volume, but Karina wouldn’t stand a chance. Thankfully, Renny deftly turned to cover Karina’s ears just as I instructed.
And even with her ears covered, a deafening explosion resonated.
“If I hadn’t covered my ears, my eardrums would have burst…”
I sighed in relief, watching the wyverns nearby sway unsteadily from the blast. Being monstrous creatures, only one of them plummeted directly down. The others shook their heads in agony, trying to regain their senses.
“Johann! The horse isn’t listening!”
“What?”
I immediately turned my body and grabbed the reins. As I pulled back and checked on the horse, it seemed to be panicking and dashing madly. Since we needed to keep running, I decided to just steer it. I kicked the horse’s belly and pulled the reins to guide it forward while glancing at Renny.
Renny, having ridden a lot, quickly calmed the panicking horse and started charging ahead. I could see from her face that she was feeling the strain. Even for Renny, it looked like she couldn’t escape the potential eardrum-busting noise.
“Status Window.”
“Okay?”
Arrive at Kalon Academy.
Distance: 30 km
Reward: Trait Point 1
Have we really run 20 km already? Just how crazy did we run?
Closing the status window, I turned my head to look at the wyverns and cultists, who were now a distance away. It seemed we had effectively shaken them off. I couldn’t hear the wyvern’s cries or feel the heat of the fireballs hitting the ground anymore.
“…I almost died.”
“Johann, I’m tired~”
Millia leaned against me, her body limp. As the crown of her head rested just below my chin, I placed my head atop hers and tightened my grip on the reins.
“If we enter that city over there, it’s all over. Just hang on a little longer.”
Finally, the end was in sight.
The long-awaited end.
———————-
Arrive at Kalon Academy.
Distance: 1 km
Reward: Trait Point 1
Only 1 km left, and it’s so tantalizingly close. It feels like we’re getting nearer, but at the same time, as if the distance isn’t decreasing. Once we arrive, I’ll be one of the humans belonging to the Survival Academy.
Will anything change?
Guess I’ll find out when I get there.
I calmed my mind and moved my aching feet with determination.
0.5.
0.4.
0.3.
0.2.
0.1…
It’s so close. So close.
What if a wyvern suddenly jumps out?
Or an assassin pops up from the academy…?
Such ridiculous worries. But haven’t I been unfairly dealt with all this time? As the door drew closer, I stayed on high alert.
Until the end, it’s not over.
A suddenly recalled phrase.
But it was the most important thing to keep in mind right now.
“Stop! You can’t enter the academy right now!”
“Lady Karina is in danger! Quickly, clear the way!”
Renny’s scream was akin to the explosive noise from the blast, causing the soldiers’ faces to pale. Suddenly, the noise became so overwhelming it nearly deafened me. I covered Millia’s ears with my palm as I stared at the guards. My ears were ringing.
“Why are you shouting out of the blue…?”
“Shut up! Open the gate now! Before we smash through!”
Like the roar of a ferocious beast, Renny advanced forward, emanating an intimidating aura. If the gate were closed, she seemed ready to break straight through. Renny reached into her pocket and pulled out a gleaming badge, tossing it toward the guards.
The badge pierced through the stone wall. The guard, who now looked ready to faint, saw the mithril badge identifying Renny as a saint and stumbled to shout.
“Open the gate! The saint has arrived! The saint is here!”
Only then did the gates start to open.
Slowly enough that it was almost torturous. A quick glance showed Renny was about to break the door down. Thankfully, she didn’t charge forward until the gate opened fully.
The gate was completely ajar. But I didn’t move rashly. Enemies could jump out at any moment. I couldn’t let my guard down.
…Fortunately, the figures that appeared beyond the opening were guards wearing familiar attire, looking startled.
Could it be that we were out of danger?
I gazed into the hazy view beyond the open gate.
A well-maintained, gray road just like in the game.
Brightly colored houses tightly clustered together. And at the end of the street, the enormous academy.
“…Finally.”
A gray window appeared before my relieved eyes. I instinctively knew what it was without needing to look too closely.
[Mission Complete]
Reward: Trait Point 1
We have arrived at Kalon Academy.