Two weeks after the festival incident, the first-year trainees of the Knights Academy received their next assignment.
A forest expedition.
Ten days.
No city comforts.
No servants.
No prepared meals.
Just the trainees, their basic equipment, and the wild.
When the announcement was made in the training yard, the reaction was immediate.
Groans echoed everywhere.
"Ten days?!"
"In the forest?!"
"We're going to die!"
Even some of the instructors looked slightly uneasy.
The capital forests were not gentle places.
Wild animals roamed freely.
Food was not guaranteed.
Weather could turn suddenly.
It was meant to test survival ability, teamwork, and discipline.
The head instructor crossed his arms as the trainees complained.
"A knight must survive anywhere."
"In war, the forest does not care if you are comfortable."
That silenced most of them.
Still—
Many trainees looked nervous.
Except for one particular group.
Daren stretched lazily.
"Ten days outside?"
"That sounds relaxing."
Tomas nodded eagerly.
"Honestly… this sounds better than academy food."
Mikel smirked slightly.
"At least we know Con won't let us starve."
Jorin simply glanced at Con.
"…we'll be fine."
Because they all knew something the other trainees didn't.
Con was absurdly good at surviving outdoors.
They had spent years training near the forest back in their village.
But more importantly—
Con seemed to know everything.
Fishing.
Tracking.
Cooking.
Shelter building.
Carving tools.
Making fire.
At the time, they had never questioned it.
Now they were beginning to realize how unusual it actually was.
The expedition began the next morning.
Several instructors led groups of trainees into the massive forest north of the capital.
Tall trees blocked much of the sunlight.
The air smelled fresh and earthy.
Birds called in the distance.
Leaves crunched beneath boots.
Many trainees immediately looked uneasy.
Some had never left the city before.
But Con walked calmly beside his friends.
The forest felt peaceful.
He could hear everything clearly.
Wind moving through leaves.
Small animals rustling in the undergrowth.
Water flowing somewhere far away.
To him—
The forest was easy to understand.
By the afternoon, the instructors stopped.
"This will be your camping area for tonight."
They gestured toward a clearing.
"Trainees will build their own shelters."
"Find your own food."
"Do not wander too far."
The instructors then stepped back to observe.
Immediately—
Chaos began.
Several trainees struggled to gather wood.
Others argued about how to build shelters.
One boy stared helplessly at a pile of sticks.
"…how does this even work?"
Nearby, Con quietly knelt beside a fallen branch.
His fingers ran across the wood.
Then he pulled a small knife from his belt.
The blade moved smoothly.
Shavings fell gently onto the ground.
Within minutes—
A wooden cooking bowl appeared in his hands.
Daren leaned over his shoulder.
"…you made that fast."
Con smiled faintly.
"I've done it before."
Behind him—
Something flickered briefly in the air.
Invisible to everyone.
[Skill Activated: Wood Carving – Advanced]
The message faded quietly.
The system continued watching.
Soon, Con stood again.
"Let's build the shelter first."
His friends immediately got to work.
Daren gathered sturdy branches.
Mikel tied structural supports with rope.
Jorin reinforced the sides with layered leaves.
Tomas collected dry wood for fire.
And Con guided everything calmly.
Within an hour—
They had one of the best shelters in the clearing.
A strong wooden frame covered in thick branches and leaves.
It could easily survive rain.
One nearby trainee stared at it.
"…how?"
Daren shrugged proudly.
"Practice."
Next came food.
Many trainees struggled with that part.
Some tried unsuccessfully to trap small animals.
Others simply sat there hoping the instructors would eventually help them.
But Con walked quietly toward the nearby river.
His hearing picked up the sound easily.
Water.
Fish movement.
He stepped into the shallow current.
His hands moved quickly.
Within seconds—
A fish splashed violently.
Con lifted it calmly.
Daren blinked.
"…did you just catch that with your hands?"
Con nodded.
"Pretty much."
Behind him—
Another faint flicker appeared.
[Skill Activated: Fishing – Master]
The system quietly logged the activity.
By sunset—
Con's group had everything ready.
Shelter.
Fire.
Fresh fish roasting over the flames.
Simple wooden bowls carved from branches.
Even clean drinking water collected using leaf funnels.
Tomas happily chewed his food.
"This is amazing."
Mikel shook his head slowly.
"You're ridiculously useful."
Jorin added calmly,
"You're basically a one-man survival army."
Daren grinned.
"We should bring Con to every expedition."
Con laughed softly.
"I don't mind."
Meanwhile—
Across the clearing—
Other trainees looked miserable.
Half-built shelters.
Burnt food.
Arguments.
One instructor watched Con's group quietly.
"…that blind boy again."
Another nodded.
"He seems to know everything."
"What kind of village produces trainees like that?"
The first instructor shook his head slightly.
"…I don't know."
Night slowly fell over the forest.
The fire crackled softly.
The boys relaxed around it.
Con listened to the sounds of the forest around them.
Owls.
Crickets.
Leaves shifting in the wind.
Peaceful.
But behind him—
The system flickered quietly once more.
[Multiple Skills Detected]
[Survival Skill Usage: Efficient]
[Host Adaptation: Optimal]
Con couldn't see any of it.
To him—
He was simply doing what felt natural.
Helping his friends.
Living comfortably in the forest.
Unaware that every small action reminded the system of something else.
Of a time when he had watched countless people survive in countless worlds.
Back when he had been something far different than a blind young knight.
The system dimmed again.
Waiting patiently.
Because eventually—
Its host would begin asking deeper questions.