Today we are here to mourn the loss of archaic trees A to J. May their heroic sacrifice remain in our memories. On the upside the wood is so full of mana that it will likely remain sturdy for a long time even lying there fallen. Sadly no one in the party possesses any skill to actually make use of the resource.

It took me a while, but I finally managed to figure out the issue. How long? About a month. Again, I tend to lose track of time easily. But here are my findings. A burst of speed is useless if the associated control isn't present.

To make an analogy it would be like installing a turboprop engine on a kick scooter. While I would very much like to see it happen it wouldn't be very realistic.

So instead of visualizing myself as being the fastest man alive I now just picture myself going faster.

The entire process has been accompanied by a concerned elder helping me and a smug wolf mocking me.

But today is a day of reckoning!

You dare laugh at me!

Time to see who'll have the last laugh!

HAHAHAHA.

[Come here Wolfie! I'll just beat you a tiny bit! ψ(｀∇ ´)ψ

So, what if you run away!

I can follow now!

*GRAB*

Gotcha you mischievous wolf!

*Whine*

So, what if you try to beg for mercy! This is vengeance!

*Smack*

And I start spanking.

*Welp*

Puppy eyes again? HAHA. You scheming wolf!

I HAVE DEVELOPED AN IMUNITY TO THAT!

I remember all the hardships I had to face while training.

Ah. Such is life.

But still, nothing will save you!

Trying to struggle out of my grasp? What can a weak rank 1 wolf do?

*Smack*

How do you like that?!

*Smack*

The struggling stopped. Oh well it's becoming boring now. My anger isn't that deep to begin with.

[I'll forgive you this one time! But be more respectful in the future!]

Wait! Wolfie just nodded?!

Damn. The ancient were wise. Beating up mischievous kids does work wonders.

[Alright. Come here.]

*Sound of intense petting*

I'm truly glad I went through the trouble of training myself!

Ah…. wait I feel like I'm forgetting something?

Right. I was training to be able to survive the dangers of the forest, wasn't I?

Oups. It's easy to get sidetracked.

****

Remember what happened last time against the giant ants?

That was the old me!

With boundless confidence but lacking skills.

The current me is all different!

I'm way sturdier and faster! I'm on a whole new level!

Guess what I'm gonna do to those ants now?!

Absolutely nothing.

Yeah, screw that.

Imma find another way out of this forest.

One that doesn't involve fighting a disgusting legion of scary ass oversized bugs.

Am I scared? No way!

It is simply that a wise man chooses his battles.

Get it. I'm no coward! I'm wise!

****

Time to use my secret technique to find a direction. I grab a stick. Then I scribble an arrow on it.

Then I throw it in the air!

Guess I'm going that …. yep that's the black overwolf territory.

I throw it !

That's the ant territory ain't it?

I. Throw. It.

There we go! Works every time! Mostly.

Let's see what's there. Hum nothing? That's weird.

Did I just find a way out of this forest?

Stick throwing overpowered. *smug*

By nothing I mean obviously there are various rank 2-3 everywhere.

Being careful I can evade those, however.

Ah. The way forward is blocked.

There's only a rank 2 there! Let me just walk next to it.

Some kind of giant mantis. I just let it hit me. Yep it's weak.

Just gotta wait a bit….and it's tired.

Time to continue my journey.

Hum this sure is peaceful. Is that a mantis again? Seems to be rank 3.

I can simply evade it…. wait …. WTF!

It just disappeared from my senses.

How does a 5 m height bug simply disappear?

That's when I see something right in front of my face.

A tear in space. Then I see two bladed arms. It's the fucking rank 3 giant fucking mantis.

WTF! A MONSTER THAT CAN TELEPORT?!

That's some protagonist level of power. How the fuck can a bug do that?!

I try to evade.

*SLASH*

Of course, it's also fast as fuck!

Obviously!

*SLASH ------ CRASH*

Fuck me! This bring back bad memories. I just collided with an archaic tree again.

Above me?!

* SLASH ------ CRASH*

Behind?!

* SLASH ------ CRASH*

This is painful!

What am I? A fucking toy?!

Bellow?!

*BAM --------------------------------and down we go----------------------CRASH*

Fuck me.

I get up staggering.

* SLASH *

Leave me alone already. o(╥﹏╥)o

I'm fast. But not as fast as some bug teleporting all over the place.

I'm resistant. But I keep getting thrown all over the place.

I'm getting trashed.

Yes, I'm crying.

Right now I feel like this mantis is trying to play Fetch alone.

Ouch!

And I'm obviously the ball.

Stop slashing let's talk!

Throwing the human with a vigorous slash attack! It's super effective!

No mercy uh….

Used space magic to go back to the human. It's super effective!

Here we go again….

Today I have learned one of the truths of the world. There are stages to playing with a monster.

One being scared as fuck.

Two getting hit and being hurt all over.

Three getting angry at that fucking piece of trash bug.

Fourth trying to bargain with a monster that doesn't care one bit.

Fifth acceptance. Realizing that you are still a scrub. And waiting for it to be over.

*Sigh* o(╥﹏╥)o

****

As I'm going back to our camp, I keep sighing.

Yes, I survived.

Yes, it was painful.

No, I'm not going back there ever.

Good news is I'll be able to enjoy a nice homecooked meal as soon as I'm back.

When I pass the restriction, I can see this elder of mine.

He seems preoccupied for some reason.

[I'm back.]

"Welcome back sectmaster."

He doesn't even react to the pitiful state I'm in.

[Is there anything bothering you?]

"Something came up sectmaster. I need to leave. Tonight."

[Alright. Let's pack up and leave. What's the plan exactly?]

"No. I'm going alone."

[Why?]

"I have my reasons."

[How about we leave this forest together?]

"No. I'm leaving."

He is walking away.

[WAIT DON'T GO! WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT YOU?!]

"You'll be fine sectmaster. I believe in you."

And that is the last thing I hear as he quickly disappears…

What the fuck is happening.....