"Aaaahhh!!!"
"Kyaaaa!"
"Arrrgh!"
"Get away! Get away from me!"
"Nooo! No! Noooo!"
Screams filled with agony and terror rang throughout Lone Mountain. There were three groups of people climbing up the mountain, and now only two remained.
All of them could hear the screams of the people from the other group. However, their facial expressions remained the same. They didn't feel pity. They only became more cautious to their surrounding.
It had been always the same, the ignorant would die first. Lone Mountain in daylight was different in night time. Simply having an experience of climbing it in daylight wouldn't help you to survive there at night.
Basil was naturally the same. He felt no sympathy over the death of those people. And, that would be also the case for the people who were going to be killed from now on.
Life is a choice. If one is presented with a choice, one has to weigh the risk and benefits first. Once decided, there will be no turning back. Meeting one's demise after the decision one made is something one should never regret.
If they die, they die by their own choice. I have my own choice. To not help them is my choice.
Cold, however that what made Basil was Basil. He had been trampled countless of times in his past life. He didn't weep, he didn't despair. He had chosen to keep his head high and trample those people back.
You are born weak, and that is your fate. However, dying of weakness is your fault.
Tired of getting stomped down? Fight! Tired of being weak? Get stronger! Life is fickle, there is nothing absolute in life. Don't ever wait for sympathy. If life gave you no way, pave your own!
Once you failed even after trying to the best of you can, you will realize the things you have achieved, that the previous you could never achieve. Surely, it won't be the reason to stop growing.
With these thoughts in his mind all the time, Basil whipped himself harder than anyone could ever whip themselves.
Basil looked down to his feet. There was something squirming under his feet. It was no other than Doppelganger. Earlier, it had stupidly impersonated him right in front of his face. Without no hesitation, he had cut it off to pieces.
Doppelganger moved individually. However, that didn't mean they did it because they were strong. They did it because they were so stupid that they couldn't know they were impersonating another Doppelganger in [Impersonation].
Contrary to people's belief, Doppelganger's strongest ability wasn't [Impersonation], but [Stare of Death]. The stare these guys gave people, could paralyze anyone unfamiliar with it. Thus, many fell victim to these guys.
Luckily, anyone with strong mind like Basil wouldn't be affected by it. Therefore, Doppelganger could be considered as harmless to him.
"We have to climb a tall tree. We will never get any rest down here."
Basil motioned Deacon who was in his true appearance to shrink himself back. Deacon did exactly as what he was told and hopped on Basil's shoulder. They sped up and ventured the mountain to look for a tall tree to rest.
The surrounding was dark, however it didn't slow Basil down even in the slightest. He could see the surrounding as clear as day. After some encounters with Doppelganger on the way, Basil finally found the tree he had been looking for.
Without wasting any time, he jumped as high as he could to reach a branch and used it as a lever to go upward. Just like that, he arrived at the highest part of the tree.
As he looked at his surrounding, he could see all of the trees that covered the mountain. The sky was so clear and it was filled with countless of stars. With his newly found enthusiasm at stargazing, he didn't even realize he was in a trance.
His look was that of someone who admires something beautiful, and in turn gains something through their comprehension.
And so, the night passed without Basil even realizing he had advanced to the Peak Stage Red Core.
...
"Young Mistress, it is morning already. It is time for you to wake up."
"Ugghhh..."
A groaning sound was all the speaker, Irene, got in response. As usual she was standing in front of the previously Basil's room, that currently belonged to Shirley, to wake her up.
Shirley said she wanted to be always together with Basil, even though he had left the house. And, this was her way of doing that.
"Five more.. minutes. I will definitely wake up in five minutes."
"Young Mistress, you have said the exact same thing for the past ten minutes."
"... Is that so?"
"Yes, Young Mistress."
"Then.. give me another five minutes."
"I am entering the room, Young Mistress."
Without waiting for Shirley's response, Irene barged into the room. It was rude for a servant to enter the room of their Master's daughter, however it wouldn't be the case as long as they had announced to do so in advance.
Upon entering the room, Irene was met with the scene of Shirley snuggling with Basil's pillow. Her face was buried deeply inside the pillow that Irene wondered how could she breathe.
"Huuh..."
Irene looked around the room and sighed bitterly. Books and notes were everywhere. They were all Basil's collection that he and given to Shirley on the day he left the house. Shirley had been working hard on herself since that day.
She hadn't met Basil at the academy, and it was her way to cope with his absence, by doing his advice to her. Irene looked at Shirley sadly. Every children deserve a parent, however not every parents deserve a child.
The house had become more tense after Basil left the house. Her father was busy with the thoughts of Basil's unknown whereabouts, while her mother was busy doing who knows what.
They had cruelly separated the siblings apart, and they couldn't even take the responsibility to at least care for their daughter.
"Come on, Young Mistress. You are about to be late."
"Ugghh... Why is Brother's pillow so comfortable?"
"You can not use that as an excuse for oversleeping, Young Mistress."
"Can I bring it to academy?"
"..."
"Kuhum. I was just joking."
Irene merely looked at her sternly and told her the bath was ready. At times like this, she needed to be stern. Both of them missed Basil and were equally worried about him. However, they still had to move forward.
...
Shirley had finished preparing herself and was ready to eat her breakfast. As usual, the dining room was tense. It might not seem so from the outside, however Shirley could feel it. The atmosphere was different than it had been in the past.
"Good morning, my Daughter. I hope you had a good sleep last night."
"Good morning, Father. Yes, I had a good sleep."
"Good morning, Shirley. You look more beautiful each day."
"Thank you, Mother."
Smile was plastered on everyone's face, however none of them had the warmth she used to get. Likewise, Shirley wore a fabricated smile too. She was feeling bitter in her heart.
'Since when is my family full of lies? Or, was there never be honesty in the beginning?'
Her fabricated smile almost faltered at that thought. She quickly threw her gaze to the food and quickly spooned it to her mouth.
"It is as good as usual, Irene."
"Thank you for the praise, Young Mistress. But, how did you know it was mine?"
"I have tasted many of the maids' cooking. Naturally, I remember all of the taste. It is easy to recognize your cooking."
"I am happy that Young Mistress could remember this humble maid's cooking."
"A good thing should be remembered, no?"
Conversation went back and forth between Shirley and Irene. Nicholas looked at this exchange and frowned. Ever since he banished Basil from home, his daughter had been unnaturally closer with Basil's formerly favorite maid.
He didn't like it. He didn't like anything associated with Basil. He was frustrated by that brat! He had sent six assassins and none came back! He had paid hundreds of gold to get the job done.
Imagine his surprise, when the assassins he had hired had been announced killed by Basil. He had been stunned and his worry deepened. He knew Basil was a tough nut to crack, however he had never thought Basil was a dangerous individual.
He had hired some higher pay assassins too to immediately finish Basil, however they couldn't find his trace. Basil just disappeared into thin air.
Therefore, he became paranoid lately. What if Basil kills him one night? What if Basil was lurking around him, waiting for the opportunity to kill him? With these thoughts, he hated Basil and anything related to him even more.
"Honey, did you meet your Brother yesterday?"
The conversation between Shirley and Irene stopped. That was also the case for Catherine, as her moving spoon stagnated instantly.
Shirley was tired of this question. She merely leered at Nicholas and answered, "I think you should know it better than me, Father." Her answer came out colder than what she had intended.
"Oh.. I was just asking."
Nicholas was naturally taken aback. However, he smiled in the next moment, taking her annoyance for something else. He thought Shirley was also annoyed at Basil.
The breakfast continued without anyone realizing Catherine was looking at Shirley strangely. She had a bad premonition whenever she looked at Shirley lately.
'My daughter, will you stand on you mother's way, or will you not? I hope you don't make the wrong decision.'
Her thought was kept to herself. She would never show her thoughts to anyone. She knew, once it happened, it would be her end.
...
Shirley walked through the academy corridor along with Julia Chilston, her classmate. She had never thought she would ever get along well with Julia, however upon her mind broadening experience, she could understand Julia better.
"I guess you are still not aware of his whereabouts?"
"Yes."
"Wow. Your brother is really something. Not even the agent I have hired could find him."
"You also look for him?"
"Well..."
Julia's expression turned awkward at Shirley's incredulous face. She coughed once before saying, "Kuhum. I am just curious. And... I think I have a crush on him?"
"..."
Shirley's already incredulous look became even more incredulous. She looked at Julia in disbelief. That Julia, who only cared about her Magic progress had a crush on Basil, her brother?
It was conflicting! She didn't know how to react.
"I guess... I will tell him about that when I meet him...?"
"No, you don't have to. I am not sure of myself either. And, why did you sound hesitant?"
"I didn't!"
"You did!"
"No, I didn't!"
"Yes, you did!"
"Kuhum."
Their banter was put to an end by someone's cough. They turned their back, fully intending to scold whoever it was, before meeting an unamused face of Chester.
"It is already 8:25 in the morning, young ladies. I hope you will be already in your classroom before I arrived."
"Yes!"
They answered him loud and clear in unison. They ran to the best they could, making their robe fluttered in the air. Chester looked at them and shook his head in amusement.
"My, my. You are not even here, but you already paint yourself in everyone's mind. Where are you and what are you doing right now, Basil?"
He looked at the sky longingly as if he could find Basil there. He shook his head to clear his mind, before moving his feet to the class.
...
Basil was contemplating the event that had happened the night before. Surely, he didn't stay idle. He was running while cutting many Long-Legged Lemur's heads here and there. Deacon was also helping him to lessen his task. Together, they were a perfect killing machine.
Basil checked his core and noticed it was a perfect Peak Stage Red Core. He was baffled not because of the quick advancement, but the state he had been in, in the night before.
He had acquired the knowledge about [Star Withering] from the Guide, however he couldn't find anything about it from the knowledge he got.
Suddenly, he was reminded of the words from the Guide.
—Congratulations! The Low Class Guide function is activated! Basic knowledges will be accessible to the Host!
'That's it!'
The Guide only provided basic knowledge in its current stage. He needed to find a way to improve the Guide so he could access the more advanced knowledge.
'Guide! How do I advance to the next level of your function?'
[Ding!]
[The Host has to find that on his own!]
Boom!
Basil accidentally kicked a Long-Legged Lemur too hard.