Chapter 8: King of the Forest

"Ah you finally got here, took you long enough, it's been 3 days already," TJ mockingly said as he perched on one of the golden tree branches. He looked down at me that was covered with mud, bruise, and leaves.

"I. Will. End. You. Old. Man," I growled.

"Pfft, tough words Young Master, but as much as I like to go around with you and remind your place you should eat"

"I already did." The fingers on my left hand loosen around the round thing I carried before kicking it toward him, revealing it as the head of a bear with its muzzle strike down with my man-made spear. It took me hours just to get its sharpness right and that bear was the first real meat I ate, which by the way was the one who tried to eat me first. Trust me when I saw it was far from a fair fight like you see in mangas because it involves rock, trickery, and tons of shits, literally.

Please don't ask.

Though this one battle showed me that the thing I lack most is raw strength. I know I worked out most of the time, but unless I went at it as obsessed and hard-driven like most muscle-headed characters than I'm not going to fight a bear barehanded anytime soon. I'm just glad all the monsters I'm facing are all just glorified animals.

That was also what worried me the most. From what I saw in the story, a lot of people are going to be flung around a lot and. But even Lucy survived without serious injuries thanks to ethernano, or magic in general, reinforcing her bodies. Unless I somehow raise my endurance, my magic would be the only reason I'm even going to survive long enough.

What the heck, even Lucy survives long. I'm sure I could as well, right?

Anyway, TJ raised an eyebrow and had a glimmer of surprise in his eyes while making a long whistle when I brought the head almost the same height as me. "I'll admit that's impressive for your age, would you like to rest or should I just gave you the second ordeal"

"Just tell me the damn ordeal TJ," I snapped. TJ looked stunt at that but recovered with a chuckle.

"All right then, for your next task, I want you to stay alive for two weeks on your own, which means you'll be feeding yourself, get shelter for yourself, and survive by yourself"

I stared at him for a while before narrowing my eyes, "Why are you my instructor again? I'm pretty sure you could get arrested for abusing a noble"

"Like I said, Sports. I don't know why but you fight not for strength but survival, I can see it in your eyes. Strength is something you could achieve from training, but a sense of survival is something you learned from experience."

"...you're sure you're not going to question me? Why a noble like me who never face any kind of hardship would have that kind of mindset?"

TJ just shrug but his expression remained passive, "Meh, I met weirder things and people, besides for all I know it could be from the kidnapping incident 2 years ago or just from a nightmare, people can be motivated from the strangest things don't you know?" He looks down at me once more with a strange expression I couldn't quite put my finger on, "Besides, would you tell me if I ask?"

Silence was my only reply. Tj chuckled, "All right, since I've already thrown more than half the things in your bag here, you can have it back" he threw me my bag that seemed smaller and lighter than I first packed and caught it. The next I glanced up once more, he was gone. Now I understand how every Shounen Characters feel when they were forced to train by mysterious elders because this is not fun, not fun at all, and very irritating.

"Okay, survive for two weeks, how hard can it be?"

. . .

Cursed Murphy and his Suck Ass Law.

I'd like to say that everything is all chipper and well but I'd be lying. Let's make a list of how much I mess things up, shall we?

1. I fell toward a hole which was a snake den

2. I got slap by branches

3. Going Tarzan to outrun flying cheetahs

4. Got slap by branches

5. Fought off a giant armadillo over a fruit (I don't know what fruit it was but the taste was worth the fight)

6. Fall of a cliff, twice

7. You know, I'm not exaggerating to say the forest might be alive. Every time I cursed at it, I got slap by branches!

In a word, the place was hell.

Wait... that's not right, that would be an insult to Tartarus. I guess it's more of a demon's playground. For what it's worth I had enough knowledge to know that I needed to make a shelter, waterway, traps for hostile creatures, and various everyday tools and weapons. They make it so easy in books and movies, I should have suspected my traps could go off in the middle of making it.

Those two hours hanging upside down was not fun, I only got away because a tiger just so happened to be out for my blood and cut the rope by accident.

Did I mention I was going to kill TJ? I probably said it 99 times every day like a ritual. It helps me sleep peacefully.

One of the worst and dangerous nights I had was that one time I accidentally stepped into another creature's territory. I remembered I was there, cleaning myself off the dirt and blood in the river when I was greeted by a gigantic sea serpent that was looking at me hungrily. It has red scales with dark purple dorsal fins, its yellow eyes eyed me like prey and his teeth should be the same height as me. "Oh, sweet Beethoven!"

The Serpent, to my horror, was amphibian so yes, when I started running to the forest, laughing, I turned to find it had slithered around me. I was once again aware of how big it was and how dead I was going to be if I don't find a place to hide.

Which was barely anywhere seeing as I'm trapped.

I yelped a loud when its jaws were about to snap me in half and I had to maneuver myself around the bush and trees but it won't cover me for long. 'All right Roy, calm yourself, you're not freakishly strong but you're smart and have more than 20 years of experience in life and many strategy games so put your head in the game!'

I listed out all the tools I have, which was only a small rock dagger I made and it won't help much anyway. Other than that it's just my rune magi- Oh I'm such an idiot, I'm a freaking mage, a Rune Mage at that, it's time to bend reality! After forming up a plan, I ran out from my hiding place and yelled out, "Hey Fish Breath, come get me then maybe I could wash your mouth off"

The Water Serpent hissed at me and with every intention to swallow me in one gulp before charging at me.

I gave it a sickening grin in return.

The serpent stopped few inches, saliva dripping just in front of me, I could tell it was trying to back away but could be able to, it started to move its tail to attack me but it stopped short as well as if an invisible force was freezing them in place.

My grin grew wider when the Rune Wall appeared, stopping any attacks that were directed toward me. I climbed on top of the Serpents' jaw and gave it a quick death by stabbing where the brain should be. The stab felt more like cutting off a puppet string as both tail and head dropped to the ground, showing it no longer lives. "Huh, good for me. Now I don't have a food shortage anymore."

I made a small victory dance at how OP rune magic was. With my magic; nothing could stop me!

. . .

I had to open my big mouth and let Murphy messed with me, didn't I?

Because of me and my smart mouth, not a week later my magic backfired on me. Self-evident by the hundreds of venomous spines stopping mid-air around me, no way for me to get out, being trapped bt my own Runes. At least without dispelling it, and I'm pretty sure these porcupine-slash-spiders are smart enough to know when to attack and I'll need time to write another rune. I would have been fine if I wrote myself being immune to poison but that would overwrite my teleportation rune and I haven't put any Rune Symbol around, not to mention I forget where the rocks I Tag on the first day. If I don't even have the slighted general idea where it is then I can't teleport at all.

Ugh, I guess this is punishment for being cocky.

Okay, deep breath Roy. You've gotten out before, you can do it again. I need the right Runes to get me off this mess, don't think small think big! Open your mind and pull out your inner creativity. I began reminding myself why I wanted to use Runes and an idea finally came up to me. After I wrote the proper runes, I took a deep breath and dispelled my magic. The spines all dropped and the Spiderpine (pfft, good name right?) began their shoots out once more. Despite being an animal, I could tell they were surprised when I disappeared from their sight, so I took the liberty to strike revenge by giving them a kick from the sky, hard enough to squash them.

Let me explain what I meant kicking from the sky because no I'm not flying, not exactly, that took too much calculation unless I made wings. Tried that once and I can't promise myself to use that without breaking a bone or two in the process. It's like having a new set of limbs and just like when you first walk, you need days to actually train to fly without slamming into a wall. No, what I did instead was like having wind jet beneath my feet, every time I tap my heel down twice within seconds, it would propel me 4 feet in the sky and resist gravity until I tap twice with my sole. If you're a fan of One Piece, think of it as another version of Sanji's skywalk. I haven't trained with it but it's a lot easier than a pair of wings.

I beat the Spiderpine quite swiftly as I find myself easily glide the sky as if they were where I belong and I'm loving every second of it. I didn't notice I was beginning to cackle madly stirring fear to the rest of the beasts. They were about to run but I wasn't going to let them off easy, not when they rummage my stuff and no one touch my stuff.

TJ whistled, seeing me I was fine and dandy while roasting a flying deer. "I got to say I've known you were special when I met you, but I got to ask how the hell did you manage to catch a Jackmos? those guys are slippery as a snake."

I gave him a deadpan look at first and grin as I waved my hand into a rainbow shape and said "Imagination" I know I'm messing with him but seeing just the slight twitch he had made me damn feel good.

"Would that mean you're ready for the final ordeal?"

"Just give me to it straight TJ, we both dislike being wishy-washy"

"Fair point" he nodded. TJ then pointed East and with a grim tone said, "head upstream where you could find a waterfall. There's a cave just behind it where I hid a special reward for you"

"And you think I would care a reward...why?" I drawled.

He had the nerve to grin despite knowing how made I am at him, "It wouldn't be a surprise if I tell you, wouldn't it?"

I huffed out with a scowl but got up anyway. Spear in hand and ready for whatever 'ordeal' he has in mind. I'd like to say this one sounds easier, but I knew better and learn to shut my mouth by now. Just as I was about to leave and walked toward the direction TJ told me, he made one last advice "Beware of the King" it was barely whispered, one I almost doubt caught on.

The walk to the waterfall wasn't far and despite how big it was, it wasn't tall or grandiose as most waterfall I've visited, in past and current life. It makes things harder trying to climb and find said cave inside but I have to start somewhere. However, the moment I touch the rough rocky surface of the cliff, I felt the ait vibrating from a deep growl coming above. I looked up slowly and found myself face to face with a lion, perched on the cliff as if it could walk on walls at ease.

"Holly Saint Peter!" I cried out loud.

The lion roared, loudly. Enough to push me away before I started running. I glimpsed back and hitched a breath that I didn't come across just another strange lion, oh no...

I realized from the bat wings and snake tail I wasn't facing a lion at all. Oh no, I was facing a god damn Manticore!

The monster flew up in the air, in his majestic way, and quickly swoop down toward me. I had the decency now to put a Tag near my shelter and my instinct put me there. "On second thought, I'm not going to kill him, I am going to FREAKING MAIM THAT SON OF A WITCH INSTRUCTOR!"

Is TJ even sane? How in the world facing a mythological monster would help with my survival instinct? This has gone to the point that I think he's secretly trying to kill me.

Do you know what's worst? I'm one of the most stubborn and/or spiteful people you could find. Despite the danger, I'm not one to quit without damn trying. After deciding what to do as I cursed my second life, I've stopped holding back the one thing that helps me sane.

"Pft...pfft...Puahahahahahahahahha! A manticore...I'm going to fight a goddamn manticore...I'm either going to die or going crazy to even think of fighting one" and with an eerie grin, I plan the best way to take on the mighty King of the Forest.

-TJ POV-

From the moment I lay eyes on that kid, I knew he wasn't normal. 30 years I've worked as a knight and that experience has taught me several things about people. What I learned most is that the eyes, at first sight, showed more than most people care to reveal, blazing with determination and a hint of mischief. He's a stubborn kid who won't stop toward perfection until he had satisfied result or when someone stops him. I would lie if I said I'm not curious how a young boy like him seem to prepare himself for an upcoming fight, and sometimes... I felt he was preparing for war but even I'm not that paranoid.

I watched as the Manticore slept at the top of the cliff through his lachrima, and grin when said monster twitch, ready to wake up. It had been 12 days since he first faced the manticore and over and over I saw him fall from the might of the Forest King. I saw him somehow amp up his strength and tried fighting barehanded as he made certain one punch of his was enough to put a crack all the way up the cliff. However, the lash back of his muscle had almost turned him to chow food. I saw him tackle the beast with the simplest weapon yet that could stab through rocks or slashed up trees with on swing, and with various new ways; he came up had him ended up on the short end of the stick.

Yet it's been 3 days since he last appeared, and I was beginning to think he wasn't going to show up at all. However, the manticore then slowly crept down the slippery rocky surface, eyeing his surrounding with wariness yet I still don't find signs of anyone-

My thoughts were cut off the moment the manticore touches the ground and runes began to box it as far as a quarter-mile away. Now what the rune does says I'm not sure, he can make any creature in it to stop moving but that doesn't stop it from using its ability or magic and Roy should now know what kind of magic this beast has. That boy is young but far from being an idiot, how he is going to handle this would surely be amusing.

The beast eyed the runes carefully before it snapped its head to the side and dodge the volley of spears from both sides of the jungle aiming randomly yet at the manticore was within its range. I couldn't help but sigh as the spears hopelessly bounced off its strong hide, the said monster even grab one of the spears in its jaw and snap it in half.

That boy should know that kind of thing could stop it so what's he up to?

It wasn't long until Roy appeared before the beast, he didn't look like he was in the middle of crisis nor did he look panic. His appearance was worse for the wear after challenging the manticore a few times, his hands and legs were covered with bandages and were holding one of the spears he made, what got my attention though was his expression looked like he is taking on another pest in the way.

What in the world do you have in mind now?

Sure, I'm impressed by how he was able to come up with various attacks with his runes but they were all overwhelmed by the manticore's strength and experiences. The manticore should have displayed beforehand of its magic, [Erase Magic] when he almost cornered the beast last time, unlike its name the magic turns any personal ethernano into natural ethernano, erasing its effect. Unless Roy knows the inner working of that magic, his runes are hopeless against it.

"I'm sick of tired playing this game, so let's end this here and now with my trump card I thought of just yesterday," Roy said with an eager grin, he ignored the growling of said beast and provoked him further by gesturing his hand that told him to 'bring it on'

So the beast did.

He leaped and the moment he was only a few feet away from the boy. He only whispered one thing at the same time he lunged at it.

[Jutsu Shiki: ROOM]

And the beast lost.

It took me a couple of blinks for me to make sense of what happened. Just one second the Young Master was one bite from being monster kibble the next the manticore was...in pieces. What intrigued him though despite the pieces of the manticore's limbs flying everywhere without a speck of blood.

"Be grateful I don't particularly like excessive bloodshed so you could still see yourself in shambles. Got to thank Oda-sensei for this because I can see why Ope-Ope Fruit is the ultimate Devil Fruit"

While Roy still rambling, he didn't notice me looking at him incredulously, that kid can come up the craziest idea if he comes up that kind of magic on the fly, I had my fair share of meeting Rune Mage and none could make up half of what he has in mind. Just what in the world is going on in his head?

I shelved that train of thought away and began to watch over the last dash he'd be making toward the waterfall. To my surprise though, he strolled calmly toward the manticore's head and grabbed its mane like a doll. I could just feel the nervous sweat dripping from said head.

For a 9-year-old, Roy sure could chuckle darkly because damn that laugh gave shiver to my spine. "Oh, you don't think I'd leave you alone after this did you?" He cooed ominously, "After spending days toying with me, you think I'd be satisfied just...walking away? Oh no, no, that'd be too easy" the demented grin he had was nothing short of evil, "It's payback time" and then surrounding him was the previously thrown spears floating around them. The manticore could have used its magic but obviously it's too distraught seeing its own body in pieces.

Suddenly I became all too aware of how many grudges the Young Master might have against me and mentally decided a few weeks vacation after this trip.