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Part Five

Outside the wooden cabin, Nick and Arthur were about to head in separate directions. Before Nick left, Arthur stopped him with his voice.

“Wait loser.”

Nick looked at Arthur; he really wished he could teach this guy a thing or two. He knew it was not the time, but Arthur’s face just made his blood boil. Nick did not know why Arthur thought of himself so high, in Nick’s eyes this guy was just a little above average.

“What do you want?”

Nick asked him in a cold tone.

“Do not think I will take this, the laughing, being made fun of. I will repay it all back to you, tenfold.”

“Arthur, I don’t like you, there is no getting around that. I don’t like you because of the way you act, you are not some high noble’s child, and your skill is probably subpar at best.”

“At least we have one thing in common, as I do not like you either. As for my skill, do you have the balls to find out?”

“Not really, you’re not worth my time.”

“There is no need to run away; we will settle this score.”

Nick shook his head lightly.

“Listen, I have no grudge against you, so I want to know why are you coming after me? What exactly have I done to anger the great ‘King’ Arthur?”

Nick asked sarcastically, practically making fun of Arthur's title.

To Arthur his title was no laughing matter, it was not something you could play around with as you pleased. He was above all the others at this academy. His skills were better. If they knew who he really was, they would grovel at his feet.

While it may be true he did not have a grudge against Nick himself, that look in Nick’s eyes reminded Arthur of someone. That person was a thorn in his side, and he could not stand them.

They doubted Arthur, teased him, bullied him. He did not forget what they had done to him, and he was going to get revenge on them.

Nick saw that Arthur was not about to answer him anytime soon, so he just left. He did not have time for this drama; it would not benefit him in any way.

The troubles that Arthur had, Nick would let him solve them by himself. If they happened to cross each other on the battlefield, great. If not, then it was no problem.

Nick could not stand for the arrogant types that always looked down upon others. Those types always got underneath his skin, but it was best to live them in their own delusions. The moment you countered them, they would react with either words or their fist.

While Nick did counter Arthur, he was not concerned. At school, those types could only go so far because they were restricted by the rules. He knew Arthur did not have the guts to react when the Disciplinary Committee president was in the wooden cabin.

Nick made his way back to the base, and it was looking better than before. It was no longer a spacious field with nothing on it. Instead, there were six long and wide wooden houses.

The overly large green leaves on top made the roof to protect them from rain.

Right now people could be seen hauling logs of wood to the center of the base.

“Where did you go?”

Matthew questioned Nick when he arrived. He was gone for a while, and no one saw him anywhere.

“Nowhere important, I was checking out the surroundings. Have you noticed anything strange since we have arrived?”

“Besides you going off, not really.”

“Exactly that. This place is supposed to be infested with mutated beast, but in the time I was gone I have not encountered one, and none have come this way.”

“Now that you mention it, I almost forgot about them. That is strange…”

A mutated beast is still a beast at heart. With the amount of students wandering around it is surprising that there has not been one attack yet. Most mutated beast are not smart and only rely on their wild instincts.

“What are you two talking about?”

Freya walked up to them and asked.

“Mutated beast. Have you seen any?”

“No, but I also have not been walking around. Why are you looking for them?”

“It’s just weird Freya, that is all.”

“Have you seen Katherine?”

“Last time I saw her she was headed into that cabin over there. She has not left, I'm assuming that she has retired it is getting late.”

“Don’t think about going in there either, it is off limits for males.”

“Freya, what you do think I am?”

“Nick I think we both know your lewdness knows no bounds. With those eyes of yours, who can tell where you are looking?”

“What do you expect, we are guys. It’s only natural to look at beautiful women, not that anyone is looking your way.”

Freya cracked her knuckles, and an ominous air appeared around her. The way she was looking at Matthew seemed like she would kill him.

“Want to repeat that?”

“Not really, but if you insist. It’s only natural for us guys to look at beautiful women, but no one is looking your way.”

Matthew was not in close proximity of her anymore, he knew what was going to happen but how could he pass up a chance like this?

Nick could have sworn he saw sparks appear in her light purple eyes. She took slow steps towards Matthew, but each one was powerful.

A smile appeared across his face; these two were at it again.

“Nick, do me a favor and assign people to night watch.”

Matthew told him as he dodged Freya.

Nick nodded and left those two be. Since he has not done any work so far it was only fair that he could assign people to stand guard at night. This was not really considered hard work, but it was worth nevertheless.

They would be here for thirteen nights, fourteen days. Given the number of people in their class, Nick thought it was only right to assign four people every night.

The other classes they were grouped in this area with were further away from them, but they could still make contact. Tomorrow Nick would go over and see what they were like. While they may not all be from the same division, they would still have to work together if something happened. It was best to at least know what kind of allies you had.

While a few of the students were building a bonfire in the middle of their base, Nick gave four male students the role of standing guard.

He knew them, but not quite well. He could care less if they worked well together, all he cared about were the abilities they had. As long as they could see any incoming danger and react to it fast enough, that was good enough for Nick.

The first day was all set up, and the second day that followed they did the same as the first.

The days that came after were calm, and the students got really into the camp. It did not seem like survival training or combat training, more like a social gathering. A large majority of Nick’s peers relaxed, the event that happened when they first arrived was now at the back of their head.

Nick himself watched over his peers while he hung out with his friends. The playfulness they were having right now would not last long. There was this ominous aura in the air.

“Matthew.”

Nick said calmly as he stared off into the distance.

“I know, I feel it too. The winds have changed.”

“Tonight, change the people on guard duty.”

Nick left, leaving Matthew standing there silently. Matthew’s hand combed through his hair, and he let out a long breath.

His classmates did not even notice, at least most of them did not. In Matthew's eyes, he could see the change in a few of them. They could also tell something was about to happen.

Later that night inside the wooden cabin, Nick shot up like a spring. His icy blue eyes seemed to glow as he glared at the wooden wall.

He grabbed his long blue button up shirt and threw it on quickly. He grabbed his katana and woke up Matthew.

“Wake up.”

Nick said as he pushed Matthew who was curled up on the floor.

Due to the push, Matthew woke up quickly. He rubbed his eye and looked at Nick.

“What?”

He asked him. It was late in the night, and he was having a wonderful dream. Yet here Nick was waking him up from it.

Matthew was not fully woke, if he were, he would not have asked why he was woken up. He knew that Nick would not wake him up for no reason.

Nick himself did not answer Matthew. Instead, he went outside of the cabin.

One of the young men put on guard was sitting down with his legs crossed. He did not notice Nick had come out.

The young man did not have any essence within his body; it was like he was an empty bottle.

‘Essence depletion.’

Nick thought to himself as his eyes scanned over the area.

In the distance, he saw a blue light moving quickly through the trees. It landed on the ground and worked its way around.

Nick saw a person with blight brown essence in their body in the same direction as the blue light was headed. From the speed of the blue light, it would arrive in less than thirty seconds.

Nick rushed off to intercept the blue light. This blue light as not a person, it was a spirit.

Ordinary people and EXO users who did not have the ability to see or control spirits would not feel their presence. Spirits were made up of essence, and since Nick could see essence, he could see spirits.

The spirit sensed Nick’s approach and changed its target.

Nick’s hand was over the hilt of his katana when he caught sight of the spirit. It was a transparent blue monkey with no eyes. The moment it arrived in front of Nick, it opened its mouth wide, and a suction force emerged.

Nick swiftly cut the spirit, and it dispersed into the air.

This was no ordinary Mutant beast; it was a Soul Eater. They were spirits who ate the essence in an EXO user's body causing them to become weak. When there was no more essence to absorb they ate their soul.

These type of monsters evolved the more essence and souls they absorbed.

The ground underneath Nick’s feet started to rumble and fissures appeared in the ground. Students that slept woke up quickly and exited the cabins. A lot of them were half dressed.

Nick tapped his left ear, where his mini microphone was.

“Roland, I believe the attack will happen in quadrant four.”

Nick stated calmly.

“What? Are you sure?”

Roland asked.

In the background noise, Nick could make out sounds of bullets being fired.

“Don’t tell me; there was an attack in another area as well?”

“Quadrant one, Fred is taking care of them before they reach the camp, but he is not responsible for the beast. Hold up Nick.”

Nick started thinking, why would there be two locations that were under attack? It was not by humans. Instead, it was by the mutated beast, and it was happening at the same time.

This was no random attack, it was planned.

“Sorry Nick, it seems like the situation has changed. All of the mutated beast are attacking all four areas. We cannot determine where the main attack will come from with all this chaos going on. Fred says stay alert and notify us at any strange sight. I’ll provide support from here. Sadly we did not bring more snipers.”

“Roger that.”

Nick went to Matthew’s side.

“Keep the healers in the back, everyone who has a strength-based body enhancement to the front. Snipers provide support fire, those who are too shaken to do anything make give moral support.”

“Better for them to stay out of harm's way. You act as the vanguard; I'll make contact with the other groups that came with us. No need to face this alone.”

Matthew turned and rushed off.

While the support division may have a variety of things they can do, they cannot replace the main roles that the offensive and defensive divisions have. Support was mainly for backup; they would not be able to tank waves of mutated beast like a defensive user would.

Freya came over to Nick with her black sniper rifle. She was wearing her blue button up shirt, that covered her bottom properly. Considering she was not wearing her skirt.

“Freya, where are your clothes?”

“What do you mean?”

She glanced down at herself and noticed that she was not wearing her skirt. Her cheeks turned red.

“Stop looking!”

“I can’t.”

Nick said honestly.

“You don’t have time to change, go on top of the cabin. I trust you more than the others to provide me with support fire.”

Nick gave her an order.

“Gotcha. Don’t die out there.”

Nick lightly laughed.

“Wouldn’t count on it.”

He watched as Freya went over to the cabin and started climbing on top.

Once she was settled, Nick made sure to spot Katherine. She was buttoning up her jacket getting ready for the wave of monsters approaching.

Nick could not lose sight of her, whoever wanted her dead would surely come again.

Nick stepped in front of all the other students from his class; some were shaken. This would be the first time most would face mutated beast, and the air of death lingered over them.

When Nick came forward, he gave many of them a new hope. He was strong and if he was scared why should they be?

“I’m not good with speeches, so I won’t give you one. Just know what you are capable of and what you are not. Now here they come.”

Eyes that were golden, red, silver, and blue could be seen from the darkness of the forest.

The students were not surrounded, as they only came from one side.

Nick’s aura rose, but he looked the same as usual.

Multiple mutated beast rushed out of the darkness, roaring or howling. The channels inside a mutated beast was smaller compared to a human, but he could still see them clear as day.

Nick took a few steps forward, with his hand gripped onto the hilt of his sword. A silver furred wolf with light blue eyes lunged at Nick. Nick himself seemed to stay in the same spot, but the wolf missed its attack. The wolf did not turn around to bite Nick, instead blood spurt out of its body and it fell to the ground.

Nick’s movements were swift. With every step he took closer towards the horde of monsters, the more bodies dropped.

His peers found courage in their souls watching him. In their eyes, Nick was like the god of war, and they were his soldiers.

“UGHHH!”

The students on the front line let out a warcry as they charged towards the mutated beast. With Nick at their side, what did they have to fear?