It was already morning. Amon had woken up very early.

Wearing the same gray T-shirt and black pants, he left the tent.

"Yawn~"

He stretched his arms and yawned loudly.

His body felt perfectly fine. There were no sore or numb parts anymore. It almost felt as if yesterday's injuries had never existed.

He took a few steps, rolled his shoulders, and clenched his fist once.

"Good," he muttered.

Amon walked toward the same area where he had met the group the previous day.

The camp was already alive.

Knights were training under the dull morning sky. Swords clashing, spears thrusting, shields colliding. Some practiced formations while others sparred in pairs. Even this early, discipline filled the air.

'They really don't waste time,' Amon thought as he watched for a moment.

He spent most of the day training yesterday. He was shocked by his progress. Now he could perform the second form of the Umbral Veil Sword Art, which surprised even himself.

Not forgetting his increased physical strength, agility, speed, and endurance. He felt completely different compared to how he was at the Awakened stage. His mana control had increased as well.

'Now I feel more confident! It's good to be strong,' he thought while walking.

Soon, he spotted the familiar small group.

Harvey, Derrick, Lucien, Mira, and Kaelra were gathered together, checking their equipment and weapons.

Amon walked up to them.

"Good morning," he greeted.

Harvey was the first to respond. "Morning, kid. You're up early." His voice was loud and confident.

Lucien grinned. "Didn't expect you to come here so early. Thought you would be late."

Mira nodded lightly. "Morning, Amon."

"Looks like you're fully recovered," Kaelra said, her sharp eyes quickly scanning him.

"I feel completely fine," Amon replied honestly. "Better than fine, actually. I can move without any problem."

Derrick crossed his arms. "Good. Because today, you won't be walking around half-naked like yesterday."

Amon blinked. "Huh?" He was confused. Why was he calling him naked?

Watching Amon's confused face, Harvey chuckled. "You'll need armor if you're moving with us. Even if it's just patrol duty."

"Oh… right," Amon said, scratching the back of his head. "That makes sense."

Now that he thought about it, he had never worn any kind of armor before. No wonder he always got so wounded and beaten.

"Come on," Harvey said, turning around. "We'll get you geared up."

The group led Amon through the camp, heading toward a slightly larger tent reinforced with thicker fabric and guarded by two soldiers.

"This is the armory," Lucien said. "Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done." He pointed inside the tent.

Inside, racks of armor lined the sides. Leather sets, chainmail, and standard-issue metal armor neatly arranged. Weapons were stored separately, organized with military precision.

Harvey looked Amon up and down. "You're not built like a knight, but you're not fragile either."

Amon was neither too tall nor too muscular. He wasn't too lean either. After months of training, he had developed some decent muscles.

Harvey picked up a standard armor set. Simple but sturdy. A fitted chest plate, shoulder guards, forearm protection, and greaves. Not heavy, nor too light. But reliable and perfect.

"This should fit you," Harvey said, handing it over.

Amon took the armor, surprised by its weight. "This is… normal soldier armor?"

"Exactly," Derrick replied. "Balanced. Won't slow you down too much."

Amon nodded. "Thank you."

'This is my first time wearing armor. It looks sturdy.'

"Try it on," Mira said. "We'll adjust it if needed."

Amon started putting the armor on. Chest, shoulders, forearms. The armor fit snugly against his body. Not too tight, not too loose.

Lucien whistled. "Hey, that actually suits you." His eyes observed Amon in armor.

Kaelra gave a short nod. "Good fit."

Harvey tightened one of the straps and stepped back. "You'll do."

Amon looked down at himself, then bowed slightly. "Thanks. Really."

Harvey waved it off. "You're part of the group now. Don't get crushed on your first outing."

Amon smiled faintly.

'I'm really doing this,' he thought.

Standing there in armor, surrounded by seasoned soldiers, Amon felt something new stir inside him.

Anticipation.

---

After that, they left together in the direction they had been ordered to move.

The moment they stepped beyond the edge of the camp, the atmosphere changed.

The forest welcomed them with its usual grim presence.

Tall trees towered above them, their trunks dark. Almost pitch black. The bark looked rough and twisted, as if it had been burned long ago and never healed. The leaves were black as well, dense enough to block what little light the gray sky offered.

The air felt heavy. Cold. Silent.

Only the faint sound of boots stepping over soil and dry leaves echoed as the group moved forward.

They advanced cautiously.

Harvey walked at the very front, his large shield resting on his arm. His steps were steady and firm, every movement practiced. He was clearly the anchor of the group. The one meant to take the first hit if something appeared.

Beside him was Kaelra.

Her hand rested near the hilt of her sword, her sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. She moved lightly, almost soundless, matching Harvey's pace perfectly. If Harvey was the shield, then Kaelra was the blade ready to strike first.

Just a little behind them, Derrick moved with quiet precision. Two daggers were strapped at his waist, his gaze shifting between the ground, the trees, and the shadows in between. He occasionally crouched to examine marks on the soil or broken branches.

Amon walked in the middle, just as Derrick had instructed earlier.

Lucien stayed close behind him, spear resting on his shoulder, while Mira took the rear, her bow already strung, an arrow loosely held between her fingers.

No one rushed. Every step was measured.

"Stay alert," Harvey said quietly without turning back. "This area looks calm, but that's usually when things go wrong."

"Understood," Amon replied softly.

Lucien leaned a little closer to Amon and whispered, "First time inside the forest with a proper group?"

"Yeah," Amon admitted. " Though in Academy we do had teammates for practice. We only got to explore a practice dungeon together. Something like this is my first time."

Lucien raised an eyebrow. "That explains a lot. You also survive alone in this forest. That's quite huge feat."

Amon smiled awkwardly but didn't reply.

As they moved deeper, the forest grew darker. The trees were closer together here, their branches intertwining above like a massive black canopy.

Occasionally, a strange sound echoed. Something between a distant growl and the wind scraping against bark.

Amon's grip tightened slightly. His senses were sharper than before. He could feel it.

Every movement, every shift in the air, every faint sound stood out clearly. His heart beat steadily. Not with fear, but with focus.

'So this is what moving as a unit feels like,' he thought.

Derrick suddenly raised a hand.

The group stopped instantly.

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