Chapter 234 - 234: Love, what did you do to them
"It's daybreak, wake up." Zane nudged Cyra's shoulder with a helpless sigh. He almost thought she was here on holiday, given her laissez-faire attitude toward training these women.
"Mhm…just send those women to the east oasis to train with the catamels or licks.'' Cyra muttered carelessly and continued sleeping.
That had been her intention from the outset; the women would train their fighting skills with live targets.
Zane paused at her words, his expression becoming thoughtful. "So, that was your plan." He lay back on the empty side of the bed, sighing as he gazed at the ceiling.
"We'll be leaving here in two days," Cyra announced, feeling the time was right. After three months, she would return for them.
"Are we still going to the place you wanted to show me?" Zane turned to his side, poking Cyra on the cheeks to get her to answer his question.
Cyra flipped on top of him, pinning his hands above his head and glancing down at him through half-lidded eyes. "Disturb me again, and I promise you won't leave this bed for two days," she warned, her voice still sultry from sleep.
Zane stiffened, realizing she was serious. "Go back to sleep, I just remembered I have to discuss something with Greed." He muttered with an awkward laugh as he tried to free himself from her hold, his gaze darting towards the exit.
Cyra chuckled softly at his obvious lie, gave him a quick peck on the lips, and shifted to the side to carry on sleeping.
Her body was used to sleeping by day and waking by night, so it didn't matter that she was in Viktor's space, where there was no sun or moon.
Zane breathed a sigh of relief, visibly glad and grateful that she hadn't done anything. He slowly and quietly got out of bed and left the room.
Out in the real world, the women woke up, still reminiscing about the taste of last night's meal as they drank the tasteless tree sap for breakfast.
They were scattered around in small groups of twos and threes. Some were doing their morning workouts, while others polished their weapons—everyone waiting for the boss or her husband to instruct them on what to do here.
After some time had passed, Zane and Viktor finally appeared before the women. As soon as they saw them, they stopped whatever they were doing and straightened up, awaiting Zane's orders.
"We're heading to the East oasis for your training,'' Zane informed them as he called out Greed. Soft murmurs filled the crowd of women, though they quickly summoned their beasts, mounting them as they followed Greed.
Viktor didn't need to call out Pain; he relaxed on Greed's back as they began their journey. "What does he mean by training? I hope we aren't going to meet those monsters we saw on the first day we arrived," Erica muttered beside Amellia and Ayra.
She had assumed the boss who trained them on combat, but now she felt that things weren't that simple.
"We'll know when we get there. We have to be careful," Amellia responded, her gaze flickering with worry. 'I have to survive this; I can't leave Camelia alone in this world.' She promised in her heart, her hand gripping her beast's cuffs.
Ayra nodded silently as she followed them. The women's beasts kicked up a cloud of dust as they travelled for hours before they spotted a flash of green ahead—an unexpected splash of colour in this dull, colourless place.
As they moved closer, they saw it was a forest of cacti, and to their surprise, it was their destination. Zane jumped off Greed's back and announced to the crowd, "We're here. Before we go in, listen carefully to the two types of monsters you'll be facing." Zane started explaining Lick's and Catamel's weaknesses and strengths.
The crowd fell silent as they listened, a wave of fear spreading through their hearts at the monster's ferocity.
"A-A-Are we going to face it alone?" A woman stammered, feeling there was no shame in showing her cowardice when it came to her life.
Some who wanted to ask the question but were too embarrassed sighed in relief and glanced at Zane with glowing eyes, awaiting his response.
Zane glanced through the crowd and saw the fears they couldn't hide, and he sighed, feeling responsible for training them to survive—since they were the ones who obeyed instructions and stayed behind in danger instead of fleeing.
"I'll guide you today. Group yourselves in threes," Zane instructed, his tone taking on a distant, firm edge. If Cyra had been present, she might have felt a tinge of pity for the women gathered here, because Zane was in his emotionless teacher mode.
And a few hours later, the women held their women in trembling hands or feet, too exhausted by Zane's constant blows on their bodies to correct their posture while they were battling both monsters.
At that moment, they wished they could wipe out all the monsters in the East Oasis just to stop Zane from instructing them. They were both mentally and physically exhausted, while Zane shook his head, clearly unsatisfied with their strength.
"We'll stop here for today," he called out, sensing their exhaustion was blunting their attacks. The licks used for practice dashed into the forest as if trying to escape, as though sensing something was wrong with these humans.
"Finally!''
"I can't do it any longer, my legs!''
Infectious shouts of joy spread through the crowd of women, some lying face down on the ground, too exhausted to move, with their beasts lying beside them, equally drained.
Viktor emerged from his hiding spot, rubbing his numb thighs where Zane had struck him with the unsheathed sword. "So scary." He muttered with a shudder, recalling Zane's cold tone, scolding him to strike Catamel swiftly.
Clearly, he wasn't here to learn; he wondered why he was dragged into Zane's teachings. 'I won't come here again,' he swore to himself as he climbed onto Greed's back.
They dragged their exhausted bodies back, hoping Zane would never guide them again, but they were destined to be disappointed because they had been through hell in the past two days. When Cyra informed them of her departure, they nearly wept with relief.
"Finally, he's gone! We're free!" A woman yelled as soon as they lost sight of Cyra. The others responded with cheers, hugging each other in relief, grateful for Cyra's decision.
They weren't afraid to face those monsters alone. They simply wanted Zane's training nightmare to end.
"Love, what did you do to them? I could hear their cheers from afar," Cyra asked curiously as she pulled Zane towards her.
Viktor shuddered faintly as he recalled Zane dragging him to train in the east oasis, and he instinctively shifted to the side—training with Zane was stirring up unpleasant memories from his past.
"Nothing, just guided them on how to kill the monsters properly," Zane responded lightly, feeling there was nothing wrong with his action. Cyra chuckled in response, muttering 'no wonder' under her breath.