บท 17: Garduck's First Lesson

He noticed the hesitation dancing in her eyes' depths and her luscious lips part before closing a few times, revealing her small fangs.

Yet, no sound came out despite her best efforts.

Trust demons?

She wanted to grab him by the collar to shake his brain awake. To roar in his ears at how stupid his words were.

Yet, she failed to.

Each time she looked at his curled lips and felt the genuineness hidden behind that smile, her thoughts grew chaotic, making her feel vulnerable.

She turned after a brief moment that seemed to stretch in her eyes.

If his smile was the problem, not seeing it would fix everything.

A sigh escaped her lips as she placed her hand over her heart, feeling it drum in a frenzy of conflicting emotions.

Once, she also wanted to trust others...

Her eyes narrowed into fiery slits, spewing demonic flames. They crept on her face like a mask of darkness hiding her beauty.

But she paid the price for this stupid desire.

"Even humans don't trust each other. The higher they sit in the hierarchy, the more they resemble demons. But you want to trust veritable demons, a race of opportunistic bastards who feed on each other for power?"

Contrasting her boiling rage, her voice resounded with a soul-chilling cold that made Adam frown.

"I know it's a dangerous path. Some will undoubtedly betray me. But when I look at my face in a mirror, I'll be able to puff my chest and say: I gave everyone an equal chance."

Smile enlarging, he looked at her trembling back.

The green radiance burning before her diminished in intensity the next second.

Then, her voice echoed, cracking.

"Do whatever you want, but don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't. I'm grateful for the advice and hope you'll share the concerns weighing on your heart when you feel ready to trust me. I'll try to help you the best I can."

With these gentle words, he left the hut without waiting for her answer.

He knew she would need time to sort her thoughts. It would be untimely to ask her to teach him now, too. He had time and wouldn't become an expert in a single day, anyway.

Still, he sighed, a pang of depression striking him from nowhere.

He never liked to see people close to his heart sad. And that's how he perceived this group of boisterous demons.

'Did I become crazy after the hobgoblin struck my back?'

He chuckled, taking support on the wall and observing the surroundings.

In the distance, he noticed the group dropping logs and a few carcasses to the ground before running after the laughing imps. Then, they left for their last trip.

'I never enjoyed solitude, either. That might be the answer.'

He smiled at them before shaking his head and shoving down the concerns. Many things awaited his attention, and he couldn't waste more time in the early stages.

His time optimisation looked amateurish at best and terrible in his veteran gamer's eyes.

'Training with Garduck first, storing the materials and upgrading my lord's hut next. Finally, eating and a good night's sleep before bleeding the other lord's treasury tomorrow after hunting.'

With determined steps, he walked to the sitting Garduck.

Instantly, the demon rose to his feet, his tail whipping behind him as his lips parted to let his guttural voice resound.

"I prepared a basic training course in your absence, my lord. As our leader, you need to learn how to protect yourself."

With a gesture asking him to follow, Garduck stepped before one of the huts, and he accompanied him, brows raised in intrigue.

"We'll start with dodging for twenty minutes. Stand before the wall and avoid the rocks I'll throw at you. You'll also conquer the fear of suffering a wound with this method. Next, we'll work on parrying. For the last twenty, we'll delve into skills."

His lips twitched upon hearing the bizarre training regiment Garduck came with.

"You won't throw the stones with all your strength, right?"

"What's the point if I don't? Use the pain to fuel your progress. I believe in you, my lord!"

His lips twitched, and his eyes rolled in an unsightly grimace.

'Why do I have to feel pain? I'm a gamer, not a fighter!'

Yet, he still moved in position, steps heavy and grumbling a few curses under his breath.

He felt the shaky wood behind him and glared at the cheering smile tugging at the demon's lips begrudgingly.

Yet, he knew this method. He had seen it in many games adapted from animes. The most noteworthy was the kid who met a bald old man who forced him and his friend to dodge a swarm of wasps. The worst part? They were attached to a tree!

But he knew it didn't matter. What did, though, was their bodies' potential to adapt and break their limits.

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air before nodding.

"I'm ready."

The moment the words left his mouth, a steely glint flashed in Garduck's eyes.

Without warning, his arm blurred, and the soil caved under his forceful stomp.

A projectile he failed to see darted toward his enlarging eyes as his mind blanked.

"ARGH!"

An agonising cry broke the territory's peace as he clutched his forehead, a metallic smell filling his nose. He felt the hot liquid underneath as a pebble dropped to the ground.

"Are you trying to kill me?"

A roar of rage and disbelief resounded next as he gritted his teeth.

"Don't worry, my lord. It's part of the training. Now that you've endured a full-powered throw, you won't feel scared by the slower ones. I also gauged your level. So, I can adapt now."

'Adapt from low input to high! Not the other way around, you... demon!'

Ironically, Garduck's specie qualified his behavior the best.

As he gritted his teeth in anger, Garduck spoke again, his assurance making him roll his eyes.

"I'll lower my strength so you can see the projectile. It'll be strong enough to wound your muscles, so parrying won't work more than a few times. Dodging is the key!"