"The places outside the capital surely feels different compared to the capital we have been living in. It's been a year since I laid eyes on the simple road here."
"Simple road! Have you ever taken a foot outside the capital? Have you ever seen a village made of mud houses?" Students scoffed at each other as they chatted.
Before walking out of the cities, we were properly instructed about what to do and what to not do.
"Now did you understand what I said? The most important thing on the battlefield is to maintain your composure, no matter what type of situation you encounter. A battle is already lost the moment you lose your calmness amid the battle." The instructor spoke with a stern expression.
Lucas listened carefully to each of thier speeches and noted down important things in his mind.
Beside him, Parth was yawning with dead eyes. He looked as if he was about to drop dead any moment out of drowsiness. He was seriously bored of instructors giving a long speech before doing everything.
While Parth was finding it hard to remain standing, Fredrick and Lucas talked about the dungeon and the type of monsters they may encounter on the way.
Since Lucas was already in limelight, he didn't mind staying openly with Fredrick now.
Lucas had already adapted to ignore other thoughts. After all, he already has the princess's backing.
Except for Parth's annoying taunts like 'Oh man!!, you are a bigshot now.'
Everything else was fine.
His mindset had already been moulded and he had gotten used to the limelight and stares.
All the students were walking towards the destination in an orderly manner. Lucas was enjoying the scenery as he walked at a steady pace.
At the start of the march, everything was quiet-peaceful but a few hours later it started to get noisy as students grumbled.
"Just how far is this place."
"Holy shit, this gonna take years."
"I can't walk anymore."
"Why are these bastards making us walk, all the way there. Can't they arrange many wagons for us if horses are limited?"
Lucas facepalmed on hearing their complaints. The smooth and peaceful journey was slowed starting to become chaotic.
As the dissatisfaction among the students grew.
"Shut up, you maggots." An instructor roared at the top of his lungs.
"Do you all think we are going on a picnic? Although if we spent money we could have arranged wagons for you but that would fail the very reason we are going for. Think of this as mind tempering lesson."
"If you keep complaining at every point of your life calling it unfair then you ants can never rise throughout your life."
The student's voices ceased on hearing the instructor's speech after all the instructors were all true and no one can refute it.
Unlike Lucas, most of them here were walking so much for the first time in thier life. They don't even know how worse the life in the dungeon was where you have to stay awake for days without getting time a blink.
After all, a dungeon is a risk-prone area, not a place where you go on a stroll.
Though many still complained and grumbled, they made sure to keep thier voice at a minimum.
It was already nearing night so they decided to halt and camp here. They have more than 100 Km to cover so they thought it was better to camp here tonight.
The instructor surveyed the surroundings to check the presence of any danger.
"Finally, we can rest. I was seriously going mad travelling on foot." Parth complained.
Fredrick looked at Parth complaining. He was himself not in a better position. Being noble he generally used cars or wagons. Walking hundreds of kilometres was mentally tiring even if he is a 3-Star warrior.
But he was surprised to notice Lucas's indifferent expression. There was no sign of any exhaustion or tiredness on his face. He looked as if this was just a daily routine for him.
Lucas used to give excuses of going to a part-time job on the weekdays to hide activities. So no one know that Lucas's experience in dungeons was more than the third year of the students.
The trio chatted among themselves as they drew thier tent.
.....
The next day, all the students woke up early and resumed thier march.
Their current destination was Romaine village where they will stay at the present moment until they clear the dungeon.
The surroundings vegetation changed and they were now near the forest in the southern part. They were quite close to the village now.
After constantly walking for five hours from the morning without rest, they finally reached the village.
As they got close to the village periphery they saw smoke coming from the village from afar.
The trail of smoke was thick to be spot on even from the distance.
Lucas frowned seeing the smoke. He started to feel uneasy again.
As the instructor started discussing what to do next.
Krughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Krhkkkkkk.
Scehhhhhhhhh.
Loud streaks of monsters that shook the area were heard around.
The instructor frowned hearing the sudden screams of the monster.
They started to perspire thinking about the worst possibilities of the monster's appearance.
Either there is a dungeon break or there are beasts from the surrounding forest.
Dungeon breaks are a nightmare to deal with. When you enter a dungeon, you will face monsters one by one or at worst case scenario a hoard of it but in a dungeon break, an endless amount of monsters is spawned.
No matter thier strength, the sheer amount of low-level monsters was difficult to deal with.
Everyone was alerted to hearing the screams of the monster.
"All of you stay close. Make a formation." The instructor roared as they discussed among themselves for taking the next step.
Five instructors stayed behind to form a defence line while the other five will accompany the students to the village to oversee the situation in the village.
"Everyone stay focused. We have unknowingly set foot in a danger zone. From here on, a single mistake may cost your life. The situation seemed quite dangerous so prepare yourself mentally."
Leading the group of hundred students, the instructors lead the way to the village.
All the students took out thier weapons clenching them tightly. Many of them were nervous and full of anxiety. They wanted to scream and curse thier shit luck but were afraid that they may attract the monster attraction.
"Halt."
When the instructor signalled, all the students stopped their movements raising thier weapons taking thier attacking stance. Before coming here, we were specially trained to stay in different types of formation just like soldiers on the battlefield for any unforeseen situation.
On hearing the instructor's command, the student's bodies reacted automatically forming a defence sort of formation with archers and long-range weapons users at the back and tankers at the front.
Staying close in the formation, the students frowned on entering the village.
The so-called village was already in shambles with dust flying from the debris and fire burnt some of the houses.
Moreover what more gruesome was death.
Death of the innocent villagers. Blood had drenched the soil with the corpses lying here and there which already started to rotten.
Some of the corpses had thier upper body missing while some have thier few limbs missing, some corpses have been crushed into meat paste.
Some students fell on thier back while many legs were trembling with fear. Some even started crying unable to process the sight of this mind gruesome pic of corpses laid in the open with no one to bury them.
"Bluerghhhhh."
"Erghkkkkhjj."
Many of them started to puke emptying thier stomach.
Even Fredrick and Parth were affected by seeing this kind of thing.
Although Lucas looked calm from the outside, his inside was in turmoil. Though he was used to this, the smell of the rotten corpse lying in the open was too disgusting, he was already trying his best to hold himself from throwing it out.
But he was still racking and running his brain at full speed to think what had happened and what type of monster or beast attacked the villagers.
As the saying goes 'Know your enemy before you fight. 'He had to figure out the type of opponent he would be taking on so that at least he can think of a countermeasure to defeat them in case of emergency.
Seeing the entire village turn to the graveyard, the number of monsters must be quite high.
'Who knows there may be a monster hidden inside the houses waiting for an ambush.'Lucas thought.
"Pull yourself together." An instructor roared.
"As I said before, dont lose your composure. Stay close, we are going inside to take look to find out the situation."An instructor said.
"Maintain the formation and no matter what don't break the formation."
"Fredrick and Charles you two will lead the front along with three of us. Rose, you will stay at the centre of the formation. With your long and superior archery skills be on alert. Lucas and Parth you two will be at the back. All 2-Star encircle the 1-Star warrior." The instructor gave a series of commands like a veteran in war.
"Right and left flanks move."He shouted.
Everybody nodded and moved to take thier positions.
While moving to the back, Lucas thought when did he catch thier attention.
"I think my tale of defeating 3-Star being a 2-Star had been spread far and wide in the academy.'Lucas sighed.
Lucas was not entirely wrong.. After Lucas fought at the test for entering the swords club, many started to think that he came from a secret background, the rumour was further strengthened when he became Princess servant and many thought he was a secret weapon raised by the royals and he instantly became a sensation among all students in the academy.
