As soon as Elias walked into the training grounds, everyone stiffened; it was as if their bodies were already anticipating the impending hardship.
Elias began to speak, "Congratulations. Most of you have been able to make it back in time during these past month."
His words were praiseworthy, yet none of them felt elation. They knew from experience that when this stern instructor adopted a seemingly friendly tone, it signified impending challenges – and not the pleasant kind.
'This new training session must be hell,' Atticus mused. Even he knew about the sadistic nature of Elias.
Elias's smile grew as he noticed the resolute expressions on each of their faces. 'Good. They're learning,' he thought.
The camp's main aim was always to bring the youths out of their shells, change their mindset, and make them strive for strength. He was glad to see they were already showing signs of changing.
"From now on, the morning training session will undergo a slight change. Follow me." Without delay, he pivoted and began running.
Running behind Elias, Atticus and the others observed that the direction he was leading them in was not the usual path they took for the morning routine.
After running for a minute, they reached the base of the mountain at a different location than the one they were accustomed to.
Elias stopped and turned to address them, saying, "Listen up. Now, this will be your new starting line from now on."
He continued, "There will be many traps and obstacles on the way that i believe you all would love. I'll let you discover them on your own."
His words caused them to tense up, a reaction that Elias clearly noticed. He smirked and produced weights out of his storage ring.
"Now, put these on and activate the mana block feature! You have three hours, move!"
Atticus and the others promptly followed the instructions. Upon activating the mana block feature, Atticus felt the familiar sensation of powerlessness that came from being unable to use mana. He then donned the weights and began jogging up the mountain.
This new path differed from their usual route, which was a straightforward ascent without any obstacles.
Atticus found himself navigating through a forested area this time. Tall trees surrounded them, their branches stretching upwards like ancient guardians of the woods. The canopy above cast dappled shadows on the forest floor as the first light of the morning sun filtered through the leaves.
Each step they took on the damp earth was accompanied by the soft crunch of fallen leaves and twigs underfoot. Atticus positioned himself in the middle of the group, opting to observe how the situation would unfold for now.
Since Elias had mentioned the possibility of traps, Atticus decided to let the others test the waters first. Most of the youths, still overflowing with confidence, were at the forefront.
After one month of rigorous training, both with weights and without mana, they had grown accustomed to the demanding training. As a result, no one was fatigued even after a few minutes of running without mana.
However, Atticus couldn't help but notice Aurora at the back, struggling to keep up. He turned his gaze to the front and kept running, choosing not to interfere.
As they were running through the forest, suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the silence. Atticus quickly turned to see a boy being hurled backward by a massive boulder suspended on a rope.
The sight left the trainees visibly shaken, prompting them to become more vigilant about their surroundings. They each decided to slow down their pace and watch for traps.
Meanwhile, Atticus continued running through the forest, his emotionless gaze fixed upon his surroundings.
'The traps won't pose a problem,' he thought. Given his heightened perception, he was able to see minute details that one would normally miss. Detecting traps from several meters away was easy for him.
Minutes later, another scream tore through the air as another boy fell into a pit in front of him. Atticus didn't spare the fallen boy a glance and instead effortlessly leaped over the pit.
He kept running for a few minutes, and then, further ahead, Atticus noticed a girl about to trigger a trap. He quickly adjusted his course to distance himself far away from her.
She was a petite girl with determination etched on her face. Throughout her upbringing, she had been showered with affection by her parents, who held high expectations for her performance at the camp, even though she had struggled during her initial training.
Through relentless effort and constant training, she had managed to improve. "I won't let them down," she whispered to herself, her determination unwavering.
As she sprinted forward, her expression resolute, she inadvertently tripped a wire. A burst of colored smoke erupted from a nearby tree and engulfed her face. Instantly, she became disoriented, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her mind.
"What was that?" she muttered, after realizing that she was unharmed, she dismissed the peculiar sensation. Then, as if it was the normal thing to do, she turned and started running back toward the starting point, her determination still evident.
'Paradoxium Fumes,' Atticus murmured to himself. He had read about such substances during his lessons. It was an alchemical gas capable of inducing behavior contrary to one's current intentions.
For example, a guard who was diligently protecting a location and maintaining his vigilance could suddenly abandon his post upon inhaling the smoke, influenced by its effects. However, it wasn't foolproof; by promptly channeling one's mana after exposure, the effect could be neutralized.
'It's the perfect trap for our current situation,' Atticus realized. Given the youths' inability to harness their mana, they would be helpless against the substance once exposed to it.
After running for a few minutes and avoiding numerous traps, Atticus and the others emerged from the forest and were met with the sight of a vast pool shimmering in the morning light. The pool stretched for 1 km, and they had to swim across it to reach the other side.