My Ultimate Blacksmith System

Logan brought us to where their group was staying. It was a crude settlement built from tree branches and logs. We were surrounded by our classmates the moment we arrived.

They looked far different than when I last saw them; they were pale and frail-looking. They were starving, but luckily, we had brought rations from the two hydra heads I had brought back with me last night.

They didn't seem to care where the food came from; they were just happy to finally get something to eat.

"Good job keeping everyone together," Ms. Cole said, placing a hand on Amelia's shoulder.

Amelia smiled and nodded, insisting that it was Hikari who did most of the work. Hikari, on the other hand, insisted that Amelia was being modest and that without her, everyone wouldn't have survived.

And so they went back and forth, laughing and chattering as they ate.

"I'm glad that most of us are safe," Amelia said, her happiness evident on her face. "Now we just have to hope that Kyle and Natasha are safe."

Kyle was the rank three hero in our class; he was the one who helped me back on the first floor. Ms. Cole didn't bother telling Amelia, or the others about what happened to Natasha, and so neither did we.

She didn't even bat an eye when Amelia spoke about saving her. She acted as if nothing had happened. I assumed she didn't want to bring down their morale. Hearing the news of one of their classmates' death would lead to even more panic.

Ms. Cole informed them about the lodge we were staying at and advised that it would be best for all of us to stay there rather than out in the open. So, we brought them back to where we were staying, and by the time we arrived, it was already night.

We spent the early part of the night figuring out the sleeping arrangements—we were separated by gender, and since there were only thirteen of us, we used only three out of the five bedrooms.

I didn't go out that night, even though it was the night the gate was supposed to open. That meant it would take another three days for it to appear again. I still hadn't told anyone about what I had found.

Now that we had the rest of the students here, there might be a chance for us to defeat the hydra. For the next couple of days, while our classmates were busy trying to figure a way out and looking for the two missing students, I focused my attention on the hydra.

I watched every move it made, and when I couldn't, I used Luna's curses to keep an eye on it. The three days passed in a flash, and on the night when the gate was about to open, the beast struck while everyone was asleep.

I knew because I passed the creature heading toward the lodge while I was on my way to the gate. It was a clever plan; the hydra only did two things: guard the gate and attack whoever was on the floor.

I realized early on that attacking intruders was its main focus, and guarding the gate was secondary. If you wanted to slip through the gate, the best way to do it was while the hydra was attacking an intruder.

That was the plan I came up with first—my classmates would make great bait. Good enough that while they fought for their lives, I could slip out.

But I ultimately thought against that plan. Whoever led us here meant for us to die. I didn't feel like giving them what they wanted, so I decided on a different course. However, someone else had different plans—the person standing in front of me, the one who was just about to exit through the gate until they saw me—they were the ones using my classmates as bait.

"Liam? What are you doing here?" Hs pitch rose, clearly not expected anyone else to be here, especially no me.

What was I doing here?

The truth is, my presence served no great purpose. I knew that. Strategically, it would have been better if I stayed with the others and helped them defeat the hydra so we could escape through the gate.

But strategy wasn't on my mind right now. I wanted to take out my frustrations on something that wasn't a mindless beast.

"Kyle," I said in a cold, detached voice. "You and I are going to fight until I feel content or until one of us is dead."

He raised an eyebrow.

"What?!"

He found what I was saying strange. The two of us never had any grievances between us; in fact, we hardly spoke. The first time we talked was back on the first floor when he helped me after I got outmaneuvered by a thalassian wraith.

"Is this some sort of revenge for using the class as bait so I could escape? You about to play the hero?" he asked mockingly, clearly underestimating me. "Look, man, it's every man for himself. It's nothing personal; I just value my own life more than anyone else's."

I understood where he was coming from, and for the most part, I actually agreed with him. But…

This was a different matter altogether.

I normally didn't like showing my hand, but I pulled the middle finger out of my inventory. Talking was pointless.

Why would you use words to convince someone to fight you?

He barely reacted when he saw the blade, but I knew he understood. His posture was relaxed, as if he were in the safest place he could possibly be. It was the same way it was the last time I saw him fight.

He was arrogant, but I could tell he really didn't want to fight, even though in his mind he knew for certain he would win.

"Liam, look—"

BOOM!!

A cheap shot. He struck out of nowhere; a sonic blast erupted from the palm of his hands toward me. He meant to take me out in one shot.

A sonic blast from this distance was impossible to block, so I absorbed the attack and used the opportunity to close the distance between us.

My body shook with the impact, as if every atom in my being was being ripped apart. But in a split second, I closed the distance between us, and before he could react, my knee connected with his stomach.

He let out a yelp, gasping for air, and just before I landed another blow, a notification popped up.

[DING!]

[WARNING: LABYRINTH BREAK IN 15 MINUTES]