Chapter 391 - 383. Taste of Poison
"Yes, yes--you can whine all you want," Zein responded nonchalantly to the cry of lament that his kids produced.
The guides sighed in their premature excitement. The younger ones especially pursed their lips in an attempt to look pitiful. Nadine chuckled inwardly and shook her head. "What kind of training would it be, Captain? It must be different from before, right?"
"Right," Zein nodded, assessing the guides one by one. "As you know, we will start marching to the Deathzone in two batches; in June to establish a headquarters, and in August. In other words, there’s not much time anymore for us to prepare."
Now that Zein had mentioned the Deathzone, the guides became more serious, straightening their back and stopping their whining. Even those who weren’t chosen to go there kept rapt attention.
They already knew that the first batch was sent to establish a safe zone; a headquarters where they would rally their forces and expand little by little. Thus, the first batch would face the most danger, with no place to fall back into, where they had to enter the unpenetrable darkness and be surrounded by toxic air. That was why Zein had chosen his best pupils to go with him for the first campaign.
That being said, it was imperative for all of the chosen guides to receive the training. Depending on how the campaign progressed, there might be a time when all guides needed to be mobilized.
"You don’t have to go through rigorous endurance training anymore--I think you all have built sufficient stamina to follow the espers around," Zein continued. "What you still lack, instead, is also what you need to have the most--defensive skills."
Some of the guides’ widened eyes had sparkles on them now. Defensive skills. Skills that set Zein apart from the other guides; skills that made him thrive as a combat guide.
"How to dodge attacks efficiently, how to utilize shields better, and of course," Zein raised his palm, where a white knife materialized, and promoted even more sparkling eyes. "How to handle a weapon so you don’t have to be passively waiting for a rescue."
"So...so you’ll finally allow us to use weapons, Captain?"
"Eventually."