Hillfront

The next day Hamon went for his training once again. He arrived a bit late at the yard and received a disapproving gaze from Instructor Shmuel. The others were sitting down in a circle on the ground, listening to him as he drew with a stick on the earth.

“As I was saying,” Instructor Shmuel continued, “when you get deployed to help on dungeon cleaning, there should be some order during the fights.” He pointed to two groups in the drawings. “You can’t just keep attacking senseless, or the risk of friendly fire is much bigger than the monsters. This isn’t a game.”

Some kids rolled their eyes. Most of those who survived and were here today hadn’t tasted any danger. They were promptly rescued from their newcomer’s area and escorted to Hillfront.

“As most of you already know, you have until fifteen to start joining hunts and eventually expeditions.” There were five more symbols in the ground. “We separate our people during dungeon dives in five types currently: ranged, frontlines, burst, support, and logistics.” Some of the oldest teenagers smiled. “People with long-distance damaging blessings get into ranged groups, the frontlines are those who can handle long duration fights, bursts are for eliminating priority targets, supports and logistics are the most varied. All who don’t fit into the previous three criteria end up being support or logistics. Supports go into the fights and logistics don’t, that’s the difference.”

For the rest of the day, Shmuel went on about the team composition, experiences from previous expeditions he had, helping each one choose their best team placement, and discussing what they could do to improve.

At the end, when people were dispersing, Hamon took a sudden kick to the ribs. He fell face-first into the ground, not expecting being attacked.

Sally was behind him, today she was wearing the same scarf as yesterday, but with a frilly dress. “That’s for ignoring me.” She stuck out her tongue. “Why didn’t you appear in the dorms yesterday?”

“What?” Hamon got back up, suddenly remembering the conversation about the dorms. “Oh, the dorms. No, yes. Sorry.” He scratched his head, thinking was getting confusing, and he was starting to sweat. “The training, right? Because you are slow.” Sally tightened her knuckle; Hamon quickly started waving his arms in front of him. “I didn’t mean that! Not that you are slow, I am just faster.” He widened his eyes as soon as it came out of his mouth.

Sally put a finger on his chest. “At the dorms, tonight. You will tell all your secret techniques.” She smirked.

“Yes!” She smelt really nice today too. When she got close, he couldn’t think properly. After Sally left, he kept thinking about where those dorms were and why he didn’t tell her he had no idea about them.

Instructor Shmuel, however, didn’t let Hamon wallow that long in self-pity as he appeared from behind, laughing. “Life is as hard as ever.” He patted Hamon’s shoulders, Instructor Shmuel was easily two heads higher than him. “However, I received instructions to help with your training, and based on that kick, I think the classes will not help anything.”

They started to spar. Instructor Shmuel was strong, stronger than him. However, Hamon thought his attacks were too standard. When Theo attacked, it seemed like his life would end at any moment, and there was a feeling of despair ever-present. Hamon still didn’t know yet what to think, he didn’t have that much experience to judge their styles, but he much preferred training with Instructor Shmuel. There was a lot more teaching, practicing, and correcting than being beaten up.

Training with Theo involved a lot of beatings. He would point something you would do wrong a few seconds later into the fight, if Hamon didn’t manage to correct it until then, the pain would surely follow. There was also an awful amount of monsters and danger involved. Instructor Shmuel would often stop before hitting him and teach him the correct moves with a sword, and body positioning. It was relaxing.

“I think that’s is it for today, Hamon.” Instructor Shmuel announced with his arms on his hips.

“Thank you, Instructor.” Hamon was sweating, but could still breath and move. Definitely better, much better... this kind of training.

“Feel free to skip the training with the others if you want to.” Shmuel shook his head. “I don’t think it will add much to you.”

“No, no, no, no. The lessons are good, Instructor. Really, I’m learning a lot.” Hamon definitely didn’t want to lose his excuse to meet Sally daily.

Shmuel smirked. “Okay, I believe you. Just so you know. The dorms are the biggest building on the street to the right, just after you leave the castle grounds. Now go.” He laughed

“I don’t plan on going there,” Hamon said, embarrassed. “There is nothing-”

“I said go.” Instructor Shmuel kicked Hamon away and went to visit Melanie once again with a smile on his face, whistling.

Hamon found the building easily enough. It was walled and three-story high. He recognized a few of those who went to his training from above the walls. They were competing to see who could make the biggest human tower.

“That’s unfair! Sally can fly to get up there.” One of the kids from the opposing team screamed.

Sally stuck out her tongue. “I can do whatever I want, loser. Go have fun cleaning the floors all week.” The other kids started laughing at the losing group. That didn’t last long because the kid at the tower’s bottom rammed into the opposing tower, expanded himself into a fat ball. Chaos ensued as everyone fell down, and both groups started fighting. The kid who expanded into a ball started being kicked around by two of the stronger kids as a friend started to help him with his claws.

The house gates were open. Hamon arrived at the scene and smiled at Sally, who was flying above the others, laughing at them. The brawl didn’t last long, though, as a cold aura began filling the yard. All the kids who were brawling began trembling due to the cold with horrified faces. Hamon was swept up in the aura as a woman with short hair appeared from the house. “I will really call Harry here to bury all you little fiends into the ground.” She cracked her knuckles. “You are the chosen one today, Fini.”

“No, Samia. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Fini tried to beg as Samia walked towards him. Fini tried to run away to no avail, the closer she got, the duller he felt. Fini could barely feel his body, much less move it. To his luck, another kid started laughing at his misfortune. Samia, not letting this kind of attitude go unpunished, quickly changed targets, much to the laughing kid’s despair. The others in the yard could only hear his screams from inside the house.

“Your boyfriend’s here, Sally.” A girl by her side poked Sally with her elbows as she laughed.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” Sally kicked her ass. “He is here to ask for forgiveness,” she straightened her posture, tall and mighty, “and also tell me how he cheated on our running competition.”

Sally walked to Hamon and started pushing him away from the house. “Let’s go, let’s go.”

Hamon didn’t know what to say and just went with the flow.

They arrived in a long street of houses. There were other people around, but Sally mostly ignored them. “Don’t get any ideas from the girl’s talk.” She squinted her eyes. “Teach me what you said about the foot thingy to run.”

The rest of his day felt like a dream. Even better, Hamon would dare to say. He had never even dreamed about being close to a girl so beautiful like Sally before, or any girl for that matter. They ran, laughed, and practiced. Sally was much easier to talk to when others weren’t around. When night came, they each went their way, and Hamon finally managed to explain he lived elsewhere.

Sally was a bit embarrassed for having blamed him for not coming to talk to her in the dorms, he didn’t live there after all. However, she would never admit it, of course.

Hamon got home on cloud nine, but only found a note on the table, which made him remember he hadn’t even checked the imp’s shop yet.

Hey, Hamon.

You are late. Anyway, I’m going on some sort of trip. I will be back in a week. I think you will be fine by yourself. Don’t leave the city, and if you need anything, knock on the neighbor’s door. They will get in contact with Suri.

The left neighbor, the right one is an ass.