382 Genius Idea
Diving down until the base of my hoverbike was on the verge of touching the ocean, I pulled on the handlebar and started flying forward, just inches above the water.
It looked as though I was riding on top of the water itself.
Slicing through the undulating waves of the ocean at a dizzying pace, my hoverbike left a trail of white foam in its wake on the ocean's surface.
In just a few minutes, I reached the shore of an island within my line of sight, and the front tire of my hoverbike made contact with the ground.
After reaching the coastline, I came to a slow halt and dismounted from my bike. I let out a soft breath and began stretching my arms a bit.
In front of me was a thick forest.
I wouldn't be able to navigate the jungle with my bike, so I'd have to walk on foot from this point onward.
Right then, a sharp feminine voice cut through the air, seemingly coming from the woods ahead of me.
"That's a nice bike you've got there, Lucas."
I smiled, shifting my gaze toward the source of the voice. "Isn't it? I really should give it a name."
At that moment, another deep voice sounded from behind the cover of the woods.
"You should," it said. "It's a beauty."
"I know," I chuckled, stowing my hoverbike away in one of my dimensional rings. "I never understood the appeal of bikes until I got this one."
Suddenly, two silhouettes emerged from behind the nearest tree in front of me.
One was a tall, tawny-skinned youth with eyes as dark as two wells of darkness and a head full of jet-black hair.
The other was a slightly shorter girl with long, golden locks that complemented her fair complexion, fashioned into a high braid, her pinkish-
golden eyes fixed upon me.
The young woman had a confident smile on her captivating face, while the young man wore an expression akin to that of a man being forced into something against his will.
"We've been waiting," Grace gave me an amicable smile. "It's been quite some time since we met face-to-face."
"Yeah," I shrugged. "I've been a bit occupied recently. So, how's life, you two?"
"Life was fine until a few days ago when Grace here had a genius idea," Quinn heaved a deep sigh.
I smiled and turned to Grace. "Oh, do tell, Grace. What was your genius idea?"
The grin on Grace's face broadened as a cascade of ethereal white sparks coalesced around her hand, turning into a slender rapier.
At the same time, Quinn released another sigh, and the shadows all around us swiftly deepened, getting a lot darker.
"The idea was to get a little payback on you, of course~!" Grace beamed with pure excitement.
"By eliminating me?" I inquired.
Grace nodded in affirmation, while Quinn rolled his eyes.
"That's too bad," I commented, the bright smile never leaving my face. "Here I was thinking you both would help me win this thing."
"Oh, what a pity. However, since this isn't one of your eccentric missions, we aren't obligated to comply with your wishes, are we?" Grace inquired, the radiant grin on her face only accentuating her charm.
I sighed and shrugged once more. "That's true. This isn't a mission, so I won't ask you to comply."
Before I had even finished speaking, a golden spear materialized in my hand.
Grace couldn't contain her giggle of pure exhilaration. I couldn't blame the poor girl.
Given how I treated her before she joined me, it's a wonder she doesn't want to just kill me… Or does she?
Well, the bottom line of the matter is that it was clear she would take any chance to get back at me, even if only in a playful manner.
"However," the smile on my face contorted into a slightly twisted grin. "What makes you think the two of you can stand before me?"
"Oh, under normal circumstances, we wouldn't dare think so," Grace shook her head, the smile on her face fading. "But the training regimen you put us through has elevated our synergy to an ungodly level."
Yes, since I knew they would be spending so much time together on their missions, I instructed Quinn and Grace to start a training routine together.
This is good. I would have the chance to see their progress with my own eyes now.
"And I also noticed that you weren't able to train properly after coming back to the academy," Quinn remarked. "So we have our doubts about whether you're in your best shape."
"I'm always in my best shape," I refuted with a scoff. "Also, were you spying on me?"
"My shadows were trailing you," Quinn confirmed with a nod.
"Bullshit," I frowned. "I would have known if your shadows were tailing me."
Quinn smirked. "People spend nearly their entire lives with their shadows. One might assume recognizing their own shadows would be simple, right?"
The frown on my face deepened into a scowl. In the next instant, Quinn pointed down at my feet and whispered in a low, ominous tone:
"So, Lucas, can you tell which shadow is yours?"
Suddenly, a shiver ran down my spine. I jerked my head down and looked at my feet, only to witness a sight that made my eyes widen in shock.
On the ground, I wasn't casting one, two, or even three shadows… but a fucking total of seven shadows.
"What the–?!"
I flinched, and all seven shadows mimicked my sudden movement with uncanny precision.
The sun!
My actual shadow should be in the opposite direction of the light source!
Realizing this, I glanced up and noticed the sun directly above my head…
Damn it!
That meant my real shadow should be directly under my feet, and all seven of these were Quinn's–
Before I could complete my thoughts, I sensed the shadows beneath my feet stirring.
Whipping my head around to locate Quinn, I found he had disappeared in thin air. Even Grace was nowhere to be seen.
Those wily bastards! They used theatrics to distract me and launch an attack!
In that instant, Quinn leaped out from the shadow just behind me, thrusting a long dagger toward me.
His intention was to strike my smart bracelet and shatter it in one swift motion.
Clicking my tongue in annoyance, I swiftly spun around and used my spear to intercept the obsidian blade of his dagger.
He was quick, and since he could teleport through shadows, he was also unpredictable!
"Well done on blocking that," Quinn grinned, displaying his pearly white teeth. Any previous hesitation had vanished from his face.
He directed his gaze upwards, signaling for me to look overhead as he continued, "But how will you handle that?"
