Capítulo 103: Sudden Confrontation
The master and disciple moved swiftly through the dense wilderness, the faint sounds of crunching leaves and snapping twigs echoing around them. Alicia led the way, while Alex followed closely behind.
Suddenly, Alicia came to an abrupt halt. Her hand shot up in a silent signal for Alex to stop.
Her icy blue eyes narrowed slightly as she turned her gaze to the east. "There's a disturbance ahead." she murmured, her voice low and measured. "A group of monsters—several of them."
As they approached, the creatures came into view. Their mottled skin was a blend of deep green and bark-like brown, their wiry frames standing about 4 to 4.5 feet tall. Distended bellies and crude, handmade weapons added to their menacing appearance. The weapons, though primitive, radiated a dangerous, lethal intent.
Alex's eyes narrowed as recognition dawned. "Goblins!" he muttered under his breath.
Alicia shook her head slightly, "Not quite." she corrected. "These are Forest Goblins—D-rank monsters. They're a step above their E-rank kin. Stronger, smarter, and far more coordinated." Her gaze shifted to Alex, a subtle challenge glinting in her eyes. "Let's see how you handle them."
Alex took a deep breath, nodding as he adjusted his stance. His grip on his sword tightened, and his body shifted into a ready position.
Alicia crossed her arms, her expression calm and assessing. Then, with a casual tone that belied the challenge she was setting, she added, "And you're prohibited from using magic."
Alex's eyes widened briefly in surprise. He sighed, exhaling his frustration. "Sword only. Got it." he said, his voice resolute despite the added difficulty.
Alicia's features softened slightly, her voice carrying an encouraging edge. "Don't worry. You can handle them easily." she said, her confidence in him unwavering.
Steeling himself, Alex gave a small nod to Alicia, signaling his readiness. With his sword firmly in hand, he dashed toward the group of Forest Goblins.
There were five in total: one wielding a crude axe, two brandishing heavy clubs, another armed with a jagged spear, and the last clutching a rough-edged machete. Their ragged clothing hung in tatters, but their weapons, forged from rough and uneven metal, carried a dangerous edge.
Alex inhaled deeply, focusing his mind. The techniques Alicia had drilled into him over the past month echoed in his thoughts. His stance was firm, his attacks precise, and his movements fluid and deliberate.
He began cautiously, probing their reactions. The Forest Goblins snarled and lunged, their wiry frames surprisingly agile. The spear-wielding Goblin thrust forward with alarming speed, forcing Alex to sidestep while simultaneously parrying an overhead strike from the axe-wielding one.
As the seconds passed, Alex's confidence solidified. His footwork grew sharper, his strikes more calculated. He moved with a rhythm that felt almost instinctual, the product of countless hours of grueling practice.
His first decisive strike came swiftly—his blade arced cleanly through the axe-wielding Goblin's neck, severing its head in a single, fluid motion.
The remaining Goblins faltered, their yellow eyes flickering with a mix of fear and rage. Alex seized the moment.
He advanced on a club-wielding Goblin, disarming it with a deft upward slash. Without hesitation, he followed through with a diagonal strike that sent it crumpling lifelessly to the ground.
The machete-wielding Goblin tried to flank him, but Alex's reflexes were quicker. He pivoted smoothly, his sword finding its mark in the creature's chest with a precise thrust.
The spear-wielding Goblin lunged again, but Alex sidestepped effortlessly. This time, he twisted his body mid-movement, delivering a precise slash that severed the Goblin's weapon arm before finishing it with a clean strike to its neck.
The last Goblin, clutching its club, turned to flee. But Alex was faster. In a blur of movement, he closed the distance and ended its life with a single, flawless motion.
Standing amidst the fallen creatures, Alex exhaled steadily, his blade dripping with viscous green blood. His posture was firm, his expression calm, though his chest rose and fell from exertion.
From a distance, Alicia watched the scene unfold, her arms crossed and a faint smile of approval tugging at her lips. As she approached, her tone was calm but tinged with satisfaction. "Not bad, my disciple."
Alex wiped the sweat from his brow, his voice steady but reflective. "I could still feel where I hesitated. There's room for improvement."
Alicia chuckled softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "True, but for now, this is a good start. Let's move on."
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A few minutes later, Alex's ears picked up faint noises in the distance. At first, it was indistinct, but it grew louder as they approached.
'Sounds like someone's fighting up ahead' he thought, quickening his pace. Curiosity warred with caution as he moved forward, his senses sharpening.
When the scene came into view, Alex came to an abrupt halt, his breath catching in his throat. Four figures were locked in combat with a hulking monster, its massive body covered in gashes and dripping with dark, oozing blood. The beast swayed unsteadily, clearly on its last legs as the group's relentless attacks drove it back.
Recognition hit Alex like a physical blow, his chest tightening as he took in the sight of the four fighters. Memories he'd tried to bury surged to the surface, raw and vivid.
His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles turning white as anger and unease bubbled within him.
The memories were relentless. He saw it all again—how Rex and his party used him, coldly deciding to use him as bait to fend off a Grim Hound. It was only by sheer luck that he had survived that day.
Before Alex could fully process his emotions, Alicia stepped beside him, her gaze locked on the battle ahead. Her expression was serene, almost detached, but her eyes burned with a piercing intensity that sent a chill through Alex's spine.
"I know what they did to you." she said, her voice low and steady. There was no sympathy in her tone, only a cold, simmering rage that carried an unbridled killing intent. "Those bastards were let off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist."
Her voice softened slightly, though it retained a dangerous edge, "I wanted to kill them myself for what they did to you—using you as bait and discarding you like trash. But this... this is something you need to face on your own."
She placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm but not forceful. It was a gesture of support, yet it carried an undeniable weight. "Go and confront them, my disciple. Go ahead and exact your revenge."
Aurora, usually quick to chime in with teasing remarks, was uncharacteristically silent.
'He needs this,' she thought. 'If he's going to survive in this world, he has to shed the last remnants of his naivety.'
Alex turned his attention back to the battlefield, his grip on his sword tightening. Alicia's words echoed in his mind, unsettling yet strangely empowering.
As Alex stepped forward, Alicia's smile widened ever so slightly. Her satisfaction was evident, her voice soft but brimming with pride. "That's my disciple. Go on, Alex. I'll be right here, watching over you."
Ahead, the monster the group was battling had collapsed, its massive frame motionless as the life drained from it.
The four adventurers, panting and bloodied, turned at the sound of Alex's approach. Their initial relief at vanquishing the beast morphed into suspicion as their eyes landed on him.
Weapons were raised almost instantly. The group regarded Alex warily, their expressions a mixture of confusion and hostility.
Rex, their leader, stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over Alex with a greedy glint. His posture was arrogant, his tone dripping with condescension as he barked, "Drop all your stuff and scram before I decide to kill you, brat."
"Still the same, I see," he called out, his tone laced with mockery. "Then again, what else should I expect from someone like you?"
Rex's eyes narrowed, his brows furrowing in confusion. Something about Alex tugged at his memory. Before he could place it, one of his party members muttered uneasily, "It's that kid..."
Recognition dawned on Rex's face, quickly replaced by a mix of anger and amusement. He let out a harsh laugh. "So, you came looking for me, huh? You were supposed to die that day—nothing more than bait."
Alex's smirk didn't falter. If anything, it grew sharper. "Still sore about your plan backfiring? It seems you didn't understand anything yet." His voice dripped with disdain.
The tension in the air thickened as Rex's expression darkened, his amusement fading into a dangerous scowl. The burly shield-bearer, Tery, moved first, charging at Alex without a word. The others followed suit, their weapons gleaming as they closed in with murderous intent.
From a distance, Alicia watched with keen eyes, her expression calm but her stance subtly ready, just in case.
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