Chapter 58: Deserted Island Survival Training (4)

A man and a woman wandered together on the island of Avalon: Speedweapon and Saki Ryozo.

Step by step.

Saki, who was walking ahead, swung a broken branch as she moved forward. Suddenly, she turned her head slightly toward Speedweapon, who was following behind, and clicked her tongue while grumbling.

“What rotten luck. Of all the people I could have run into on this island, it had to be you, Speedweapon.”

With an exaggerated sigh, Saki shrugged, while Speedweapon, visibly irritated, let out an angry yell.

“Hey! Do you think I wanted to run into you? Do you know how it feels to go for a while without seeing your face and then have to bump into you here? It’s torture!”

“And whose fault is it that you’re so clueless? You were so lost you couldn’t tell north from south or east from west. And now you’re complaining. Pfft.”

“…”

Speedweapon fell silent, unable to refute Saki’s words, and bit his lower lip in frustration.

Before arriving on the island of Avalon, he had challenged Saki to a competition to collect orbs, but…

He had quickly realized that he had lost his sense of direction, wandering in circles. It was Saki who found him and decided to accompany him.

Without her, he wouldn’t even have been able to look for orbs, let alone survive without food during the training.

Saki, seeing that Speedweapon had nothing more to say, continued walking without looking back, while he watched her with a confused expression.

It was incredible how she moved through the trees and found clear paths where there seemed to be none.

She’s unbelievably skilled, though I’ll never admit it. It’s annoying to think that Saki, with that lazy attitude of hers, is so talented at everything.

Speedweapon thought as he observed her.

She’s always sleeping with that uninterested look on her face, yet she gets the best grades, and her combat skills rank her among the top five in our generation. She’s literally a genius in multiple areas.

However, all of that had been overshadowed since Kang Geom-Ma appeared.

While constant effort might make surpassing Saki seem possible, Geom-Ma’s talent was on a completely different level.

It didn’t even inspire jealousy—just awe. Faced with someone so far beyond reach, all Speedweapon could feel was respect and admiration.

Moreover, Geom-Ma’s independence, his ability to fend for himself without relying on anyone, resonated deeply with Speedweapon.

‘…I wonder what Kang Geom-Ma is doing now?’

Walking in silence, lost in thought, a question popped into his mind. Before long, he decided to break the silence.

“Hey, Saki, I’m curious about something.”

“What?”

Saki responded without even looking at him, her tone as indifferent as ever.

Speedweapon struggled to stay calm, even though Saki’s attitude was beginning to irritate him.

“What do you think about Kang Geom-Ma?”

“What do you mean…?”

“It’s just that… a month ago, you spent most of your time sleeping in the archery range. But when you’re around Kang Geom-Ma, you suddenly become more active. Plus, you’ve always hated things like hacking networks or doing anything that requires extra effort. But now you do those things without anyone asking you to. Don’t tell me you’ve got something weird going on with Geom-Ma?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Saki abruptly stopped, as if she were a doll that had run out of string.

Because of the momentum of his own steps, Speedweapon ended up bumping into the back of her head.

“Ah, for crying out loud! Why are you stopping so suddenly?”

“…”

Speedweapon stumbled backward, startled. But Saki remained motionless, like a statue.

A strange, oppressive silence filled the air. The atmosphere grew so cold that Speedweapon couldn’t help but swallow loudly.

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

With slow, almost inhuman movements, Saki turned her head toward him. The air around her seemed to freeze, despite the midsummer heat.

‘This feels familiar.’

Suddenly, he remembered. It was just like a scene from a Japanese horror movie, where a long-haired ghost emerged from a well.

Saki’s expression in that moment was equally chilling.

Speedweapon tried to crawl backward across the ground. Meanwhile, Saki slowly advanced toward him, her dark expression sending chills down his spine.

He wasn’t sure if he had said something offensive. He quickly replayed his earlier words in his mind, but nothing seemed bad enough to warrant her reaction.

‘Damn it! What the hell is her problem?’

Speedweapon tried to inch away, and Saki followed him at a slow pace. He forced a nervous smile onto his lips and quickly began to speak.

“Calm down… Why are you suddenly so expressionless?”

“…Hey, Speedweapon.”

As Speedweapon tried to retreat further, Saki knelt down in front of him, leaning her face close to his with an intense gaze. In a low, icy voice, she asked:

“Is it that obvious?”

“…What?”

Speedweapon froze, utterly bewildered by her unexpected reaction. Her cheeks, which usually displayed nothing but indifference, were tinged with a faint blush. Twirling a strand of her hair, Saki repeated in a trembling voice.

“I’m asking if it’s that obvious.”

Saki’s transformation was even more unsettling than her earlier demeanor.

Was she possessed by a spirit or under some sort of mental spell?

While Speedweapon struggled to process what was happening, Saki sighed in frustration and stood up again. She began walking briskly, throwing a cold remark over her shoulder.

“If you tell anyone about this, I swear I’ll turn you into a human hedgehog.”

With her bow slung over her shoulder, Saki continued moving forward with a composed demeanor, while Speedweapon stared at her, slack-jawed.

She paused briefly to gesture with her hand.

“Come on, get up. We need to find an orb and something for dinner before nightfall. Or you can stay here and starve.”

In a haughty tone, Saki marched confidently ahead, while Speedweapon, still shaken, got to his feet and followed her.

***

The darkness on the island of Avalon falls in the blink of an eye. I had already noticed it yesterday, but it barely feels like I’ve progressed a few hours before the sunset begins to paint the sky.

I had followed the map and run almost nonstop along the ridge of a hill, feeling that I was quite close to my destination—or so I thought.

However, once night falls, visibility will drop, and I’ll be trapped.

Remembering that the time on the island isn’t infinite brought a burning sense of urgency inside me.

Before it’s too late, I need to at least reach the so-called “Lake of Mimir,” known as the Source of Life.

“Ah… I’m sure I’m close. Where the hell is it?”

I frowned as I looked around. What used to be east now seemed like west, and south had transformed into north.

The layout of the terrain was an absolute mess.

“Damn it.”

Frustration led me to curse under my breath. I felt like I was wandering aimlessly in circles.

When you’re completely alone, and your judgment starts to falter, your steps become increasingly hesitant.

‘Moments like this make me miss the team.’

The solitude made me acutely aware of my companions’ absence.

Until recently, I had resolved to be independent and face the world on my own, but now I was beginning to feel the weight of being alone.

I smiled bitterly as I muttered to myself.

“I wonder what everyone’s up to.”

Of course, they were more than capable—each one of them.

They were probably managing just fine without my help.

Worrying about them would be a waste of time.

Then, a gentle breeze enveloped me, and a sweet aroma caressed my nose.

‘…What’s that smell?’

I wrinkled my nose and focused all my senses on my sense of smell.

It was an aroma reminiscent of apples, but denser, almost as if it were soaked in honey.

“It can’t be…”

Following the scent, I began to walk quickly.

Before arriving on the island, I had researched the rocks with inscriptions, and although I didn’t know their exact location, I had gathered vague, abstract clues that allowed me to make assumptions.

One of those clues mentioned the “Orchard of the Fruit of Life.” It’s worth noting that despite its grand name, the Fruit of Life was merely a strange local fruit of the island of Avalon.

According to those who had tried it, the taste was dreadful, and a single bite was enough to cause stomachaches and diarrhea the following day.

However, its aroma was heavenly, to the point that it was traded at exorbitant prices on the black market.

As far as I knew, the main ingredient of one of the world’s most exclusive perfumes, created by the luxury brand Kermes, came from this fruit.

‘A heavenly aroma, a hellish taste.’

Considering that a single fruit oscillated between life and death, its name, “Fruit of Life,” was ironically fitting.

‘Maybe I can sell it for a good amount of money.’

Guided by the scent, I walked for a long time. There were no visible paths, so I had to cross rolling hills and push through dense, tangled undergrowth.

Even so, I didn’t seem to be getting any closer to anything.

‘Am I heading in the right direction?’

The sun was setting faster than my steps advanced.

The geography of the island was changing rapidly. Instead of worrying about it, I decided to trust my instincts and ran without stopping.

After about ten minutes, my view finally cleared. Before me stretched a barren field.

“I made it.”

An orchard of trees with golden leaves stood before me, filling the air with a mystical aroma that spread gently.

The freshness of the place was intoxicating, and a faint dizziness clouded my mind.

‘I used to handle alcohol well in my previous life, but it seems I don’t have the same tolerance anymore.’

With one hand, I pinched my nose to block the scent while I inspected the orchard. According to the clues, the rock with inscriptions had to be here somewhere.

The field was about the size of a football stadium.

If I moved quickly, I could find the rock right away, but the trees blocked the path in every direction.

“Tsk.”

I wanted to pull out my sashimi knife and cut down all the trees obstructing my view, but I held back. Something told me that destroying this place might have negative consequences.

Just as the search for the rock was beginning to frustrate me, I noticed something peculiar in the distance.

At first glance, it looked like a tree, but its texture was rough and solid, clearly different.

Narrowing my eyes, the shape became clearer. It was a rock covered with what appeared to be engraved symbols, resembling vines.

“There it is.”

Immediately, my irritation vanished, and a satisfied smile curved my lips.

I let out a long sigh, releasing the breath I had been holding, and walked toward the rock.

As I approached, I noticed something else atop the rock— a spherical object.

“An orb?”

It was large and seemed high-quality, probably of superior grade.

Imagining the possibilities of having such a valuable orb, I began to hum a cheerful tune.

The sweet aroma of the place was now stronger than ever.

Finally, some luck. After so much suffering, it was time for a stroke of fortune.

With a smile of satisfaction, I reached out toward the rock.

I was only ten steps away.

At that moment, a figure appeared beside me with speed similar to my own.

Swoosh⎯

And then, another hand overlapped mine on the orb.

‘What the hell?’

Bam!

Another hand overlapped mine on the rock.

‘What?’

The thoughts were fleeting. I quickly turned my head to the side with a stern expression.

Standing beside me was someone holding the hilt of a blade, smiling casually.

“Oh, it’s you, Geom-Ma?”

“…”

In front of me was Leon van Reinhardt, gripping a bladeless sword hilt while giving me a carefree grin.

“Why don’t you put that down first, and then we can talk?”

He nodded toward the knife I had unsheathed in my other hand.