Master Of Astral Summoner

Branches whipped across Shaan’s face as he tore through the dense forest. Twigs snapped beneath his boots while vines clawed at his clothes, trying to slow him down. Every ragged breath burned his lungs, yet he refused to stop. Behind him, Fenrir’s savage growls echoed through the trees. Closer and closer with every passing second. One mistake... and the hunt would end with his death.

’GROOOWWL!’

The sound sent a chill racing down Shaan’s spine. ’Damn it...’

[Hey, Shaan, wait!] Robin Hood called as he raced after him. [I still don’t understand your plan.]

"I’ll explain while we run!" Shaan glanced over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the forest ahead. "I plan to knock down a few trees and trap them."

[Seriously? You think that’ll work?]

"It has to." Shaan scanned the towering trees with desperate eyes. "First, we need somewhere to hide."

[Why don’t we just run out of the forest instead?]Robin Hood folded his arms and looked at Shaan with a puzzled expression. [We can leave this place and put much more distance between them and us.]

"Bad idea. They’re much faster than we are." He wiped the sweat from his forehead without slowing down. "I’ve already burned through most of my stamina. If we run into the open..." He clenched his jaw. "...they’ll catch us."

[Hmm... that makes sense.] Robin Hood slowly stroked his chin. [Turns out you’re pretty sharp after all.]

"Yeah, yeah. Say whatever you want." Shaan rolled his eyes. "Just help me find the nearest hiding place."

[The nearest hiding place...] Robin Hood quickly scanned the forest. Suddenly, he pointed toward a nearby tree. [That one. Perfect.]

"Behind that tree?" Shaan shook his head. "No. Bad idea. The trunk isn’t thick enough to hide us." He glanced toward the direction of Fenrir’s growls. "Besides, I’m pretty sure Fenrir has excellent eyesight. He’ll spot us immediately."

Robin Hood laughed. [Behind it?] He puffed out his chest proudly. [Shaan... you’re talking to the Prince of Thieves.] He pointed upward. [We hide above it.]

"W-Wait... what?" Shaan stared at him for a moment before letting out a short laugh. "Robin Hood, this isn’t the time for jokes. How are we supposed to climb that tree?"

Robin Hood ignored the question and walked straight toward the tree. [Hmm... The trunk isn’t very thick. It reminds me of the trees back in Tansel Swamp.] He ran his fingers across the rough bark. [The bark also gives us plenty of grip, which makes it perfect for—]

’Jeez... He’s completely lost in his own world again.’ Shaan shook his head and frowned. "Hey, Robin Hood." He snapped his fingers several times. "Did you even hear what I just said?"

Robin Hood let out an annoyed sigh and looked back at him.[Yeah, I heard every word. What is it?

"Then why didn’t you answer me?"

[Because I was inspecting the tree.] Robin Hood tilted his head up toward the branches. [And I was right. These branches can support our weight. We can hide up there.]

"So... how exactly am I supposed to climb this tree?" Shaan asked with genuine curiosity. "Honestly, I’ve never climbed a tree in my entire life."

[Good. Then watch me and copy what I do.]

Robin Hood planted his left foot against the trunk and used it as a foothold. At the same time, he reached up with his right hand and grabbed the lowest branch. One powerful pull lifted his body effortlessly. Without losing momentum, he repeated the motion again and again until he reached a thick branch high above the ground.

Robin Hood rested one hand on the trunk and looked down at Shaan with a grin. [Climbing isn’t about strength.]

[It’s about trusting your footing.]

’Wow... He’s incredibly fast.’ Shaan rubbed his eyes several times in disbelief. Robin Hood had reached the top in the blink of an eye.

[See? Easy, isn’t it?] Robin Hood called down with a grin. [Now hurry up before that crazy woman finds you.]

"Ah... all right."

’GROOOOWL!’

"Damn it!" Shaan’s expression stiffened. The roar sounded much closer this time. Leaves rustled somewhere behind them. ’I must move. Now!’

[No more talking. Climb now!] Robin Hood said. [Follow my footholds]

"I get it."

Shaan took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and started climbing the tree. His fingers gripped the rough bark exactly as Robin Hood had described.

’Now I just need to find the footholds Robin Hood used.’

He scanned the trunk, searching for them. Unfortunately, the forest had grown too dark, making the marks almost impossible to see. He slowly ran his fingers across the bark, feeling for deep grooves where Robin Hood had planted his feet.

’...There it is.’

Shaan gripped the groove and pulled himself upward with all his strength. Pain shot through his back and arms, but he gritted his teeth and ignored it. He kept climbing without looking down until he came within reach of the branch where Robin Hood waited.

[Stay focused, Shaan. You’re almost here,] Robin Hood called out. [Don’t look down. Keep your eyes forward.]

"Y-Yeah, I know, but—"

Unfortunately, Shaan misplaced his foot. He thought he had found a solid foothold, but he stepped onto a smooth patch of bark instead.

The instant his foot slipped, he lost his balance.

"Oh, Sh*t!" His face turned deathly pale.

[Shaan!]

Robin Hood lunged forward and grabbed Shaan’s wrist just before he fell. He tightened his grip and strained every muscle as he slowly pulled Shaan upward. Inch by inch, Shaan climbed onto the branch beside him.

[Phew... That was close.] Robin Hood let out a long breath. [Good thing I caught you in time.]

"T-Thank you, Robin Hood." Shaan swallowed hard, his face still pale from the scare.

[Don’t mention it.] Robin Hood smiled, crouching down slightly. [Now we have to wait for them to arrive]

"Yeah, hopefully they won’t find us here." Shaan crouched slightly, trying to blend in with the tree branches. "Robin Hood, get your bow ready."

[Oh, yeah. Of course.] Robin Hood slowly drew an arrow. His confident smile disappeared. [...They’re here.]