Walking, training, food, and rest—those were the activities associated with the hunting party—as the soldiers called the group. Looking at it logically, that much was a given. What made them different from troops on Earth was the ability to condense everything except the walking in three neat thirty-minute segments. It turned out that sleep in an awakened realm was just as adequate as the real thing, provided one didn’t do it for over a real time week, as the Cleric has explained.

Dallion found the notion fascinating in its simplicity. Up to now he had never thought of using his awakening powers in such a way. His mother and grandfather had insisted that the real world was for sleeping and the awakened state was for training. Of course, back in the village everyone had time to spare. Here, time was a luxury the hunting party didn’t have.

They kept marching day and night. Every morning and evening the Cleric would point them to a new direction, and everyone else would follow without hesitation. There was no indication that any of them used a map, and even the few conversations Dallion had managed to overhear didn’t reference any area names.

Meanwhile, the training continued. Three times per day, Karis would gather the group and have them face a new echo. There was no offer of rewards, just observations, instructions, and the occasional smack on the head. To Dallion’s annoyance, he got smacked about as often as Veil did. Gloria, on the other hand, had yet to be punished. It was almost unbelievable that the “spoilt” girl whose leading focus was perception could be such a good fighter.

Veil had also vastly improved. Two training sessions were enough for him to find the monster’s pattern and start using his force efficiently. What was more, he had started relying on Dallion for defense. The hatred between the two had slowly been put on pause, replaced by rivalry with each trying to outdo the other. Initially, it was a foregone conclusion—Dallion had two skills, not to mention that his speed gave him a vast advantage.

On the third day, things began to change. Word spread that the trail of the chainling had been found, indicating that they could catch up with the creature in the next day or so. This prompted a reorganization of the hunting party. The volunteers were moved from the back to the middle. Dame Vesuvia remained in front, with the Cleric nearby. No one was allowed to venture far from the group, and all eating was to be done while walking. Rest and training was reduced to ten real time seconds.

“Hey.” Veil approached Dallion as they walked. “I want to ask you something.”

Dallion nodded. The blonde remained silent.

“Well?” Dallion asked.

“Not here.”

That was all Dallion needed to know. Apart from the obvious training had taught him one other thing: how to invite or be invited in an awakened state. Not saying another word, he grabbed Veil’s hand.

You are in a small metal room.

Complete the trial to improve the BELT BUCKLE’s destiny!

“Seriously?” Dallion gave Veil an amused look. “A belt buckle?”

“It’s the first thing I thought of, okay?” Veil snapped. “Anyway, you heard about the chainling. We’ll probably get to fight it soon. Maybe tonight.”

“I doubt it. Havoc said it’ll still be a few days.”

“What does he know?” Veil frowned. For some reason, he and the orange-haired giant hadn’t gotten along very well. “Also, that doesn’t change the facts.”

“The facts?”

“We’re trash. We’re worse than trash. We’re weak trash.”

Despite Veil’s obsession with repetition, Dallion had to admit that he was right. In the entire hunting party there was only one level two. All the other volunteers were threes, with a few notable exceptions. That was part of the reason Gloria got special treatment—better food, more detailed training instructions, and on one occasion a chat with Dame Vesuvia herself.

“If we’re to do anything, we need to get stronger.”

“Veil, we’re in the middle of nowhere. It’s not like there are many people who’d be impressed with—”

“I’m not talking about impressing people! I’m talking about surviving!”

In a person’s life there were many instances in which their opinion about something was completely changed from one single event. In the case of Veil, this was that event. A simple clarification had made Dallion look upon him in a way he never had before. In the past he had always thought of Veil as a bully, someone who looked at the weak with disdain and enjoyed humiliating them. Even the recent rivalry hadn’t been enough to change Dallion’s mind. However, there was another side to Veil as well—he wanted to protect people.

“Everything counts in large amounts. We might be useless trash shooting needles from the back lines, but every bit stronger we get will help.” There was a long pause. “I can’t let Gloria do this alone, and I think you can’t either.”

Wow. When you go, you go deep.

“I’ll try to break through to the next level,” Veil continued. “I think you should do the same.”

“How?” I’ve been trying to do that for days! Besides, it’s not like there’s an awakening shrine anywhere nearby.

“The Cleric. He was able to tell our levels just by looking at us. Maybe he knows of a way I could become level four as well.”

“Maybe…” Why didn’t I think of this? “It’ll probably be dangerous, though. I don’t know about you, but getting to level three was a pretty rough fight.”

“Of course it’ll be difficult! That’s what I’m telling you for! Weren’t you supposed to be the smart one?!”

The smart one? Local standards had to be quite low, especially given most of the good realizations Dallion had made were in hindsight.

“Anyway, I’ll either get there or I won’t. That’s not the point. You need to find a way to get stronger as well. If not through the Cleric, some other way. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“You better.” Veil smiled. “I’ll kick your ass home and back if you don’t.”