Chaos Cycle: The Eye of Genesis

Elior watched the water flowing in the narrow river and the leaves blowing along with the wind from the high branch of a tall tree. There were only a couple more hours of the night remains, and the few finally had time to take breathers.

They sat surrounding a bonfire, leaning against one another. Only he and Leroy were not present in the group. The gentleman was doing his part as the watcher and he was also watching as well, though he was watching the river, current and wind more. He was not fatigued like them, though he felt a little tired.

Well, it was his daily routine, as his current body still had not blended in with his training—most of the days he felt like that. But after a few hours of sleep all went away, but today he did not have the luxury to sleep though he had taken a rest.

He had considered taking off the heavy suit he wore under the leather jerkins, but did not have the chance yet. To take off the heavy suit, he had to take off everything, and if anyone notices that thing, he would be bombarded with questions that he rather not answer.

In the night, they already dealt with a few packs of hyenas that came in the order not together. To his knowledge, this was the general way of teaching the students about hardship and the dangers of dungeons. The drill would continue till the students could handle it, and by the looks of the few, they could handle another pack before sunrise.

Looking at the weary lots surrounding the fire, he thought they had learnt well. Other than some slight injury, a few claw marks, and a few noob mistakes, they had done everything well, though their goal of reaching the first order had not succeeded yet. It will take another half day if they are lucky.

He looked up and saw the full moon. Even through the layer of chaos wall, it looked picturesque. Another gust of wind blew and the branch he was on shook a little as another person appeared beside him. He had not expected her to appear at this time. The girl was wearing a white battle gown, though she looked graceful as ever. As a weapon, she had nothing with her other than the thick bracelet in her arm.

Aanya looked at him with her clear, crystal eyes before her lips parted. "Junior, why don't you be with the others below?" she asked.

"What are you worried about, me?" he asked with a smile. "Do I reek of the aura that tells others I need help?"

Aanya chuckled and did not progress on that topic. She looked at the picturesque moon as the wind swayed her silvery hair. She was like a goddess, but he had no interest in it. Part of him was tired—and most particularly, he did not know if he ever could go back to those days again.

The two of them did not speak, sat there under the moon in the dungeon, each in their own world.

"El, what are you doing there alone?" Ileana called after a few minutes. "Come down."

"Yes, brother, come down."

Elior felt the figure sitting on the same branch had vanished. He looked and saw no one there. This time, the branch did not even shake a little when she disappeared.

"See you later, Senior," he said and jumped off the branch.

"There you are," Ileana said, finding him coming. "We have rested enough; you should rest now." As she said that, her eyes drifted off towards where a line silhouette stood, guarding.

"You should go and call him," Elior said and saw Shin brewing coffee. He moved towards the fire and sat quite close to it.

Ileana was hesitating when Hasan voiced out. "I should take his job as a guard now." Seeing no one dismissing, the boy stood up and moved to where Leroy was guarding.

Shin gave him a cup of coffee, and he took it, waiting for others to start their discussion.

"I'm still four levels away from the first advancement," Shin started. "Looks like it would take another day."

"Or more, I am barely at level thirteen," Ileana added.

"Who among you is the closest to advance?" Elior asked, sipping on the hard coffee. It was quite refreshing.

"Isn't that you, brother?" Shin asked, as if it was natural.

He only smiled at that.

"El, don't tell me you already succeeded?" Ileana, who knew him better, understood immediately what that smile meant.

"What? You succeeded already?" Shin joined. "Congratulations! When was it? What is your class name? What can you do now? Did it give any relevant things? . . ."

Shin bombarded him with half a dozen questions and the others congratulated him. Though they did not ask like Shin, they could not hide their curiosity.

Leroy came in by the time and heard what was going on. "Congratulations," he said.

Elior gave him a glance and nodded. Even if this guy did something outrageous in the previous timeline that he could not recall, Leroy still was his friend and saved his life a couple of times. For the last month, he was avoiding him, but now he knew that was a wrong decision. If he wanted to do what he wants, make everything right, then he would very much need Leroy's help.

"Thanks, everyone," Elior said. "I know everyone will get to the first order today or tomorrow. It's not a big deal. I think, I'm not the only one who reached the First Order."

His eyes were at Leroy when he said it. The other followed his gaze and looked at Leroy with the eyes, asking what he said was true.

"Yes," Leroy added curtly and took the cup of coffee Shin offered. "I thought it was not a big deal, so did not mention it like him."

"I can't believe the two of you," Ileana shook her head, saying that. "At least tell us if you have advanced, it's not like other people will steal it from you. With your power scale levelling up, our progress will rise up again."

It appeared they all thing the two of them advanced today, which was not true for his case, and it should be the same for Leroy as well. He would never believe Leroy wasted his night in some other place other than dungeons to level up.

"Well, now that you two come clean, we should make a better plan now." Just as Ileana finished that the howl of hyenas came again. "Looks like we don't have time to update our plan."

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Another chapter in few hours.