Chapter 63: Summer Training
Year 0003, IV-VII Month: The Imperium
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The Summer Training
The first rays of dawn painted the sky in hues of amber and gold as sweat already glistened on the villagers' skin. Their warm-up exercises concluded, they prepared for the day's joint combat training—a crucial practice designed to solidify both their teamwork and individual strengths.
Summer's oppressive heat had arrived early this year, bearing down on them with increasing intensity. The villagers knew from experience that the temperature would only worsen as the season progressed. Before they would be forced to reverse their training regimen to the cooler summer nights, they needed to squeeze in as many of these early morning sessions as possible.
In recent weeks, August had immersed himself in learning various military tactics from Jonathan and Christopher. The two veterans provided him with invaluable battlefield experience—knowledge that could only be transmitted by those who had faced the chaos of actual warfare. Their lessons on strategy, formation, and improvisation had proven more valuable than any theoretical text.
Today's exercise, however, had a special purpose. The entire group would fight against August, who would have to defeat them single-handedly using only his skills and wit, all under the watchful eye of his master, Aetherwing.
Before the battle commenced, strict rules were established to prevent serious injuries. Everyone would utilize only 5% of their power, though they were instructed to fight as though their lives depended on it. Should the situation become too dangerous, Aetherwing stood ready to intervene with a protective barrier.
The victory conditions were simple. The attacking force would win if they either captured August—defined as making physical contact with any part of his body—or inflicted minor healable wounds upon him. August's objective as the defender was to avoid capture or injury while eliminating his opponents without being touched.
A support team consisting of Theressa, Donna, Andy, Adarna, and Hiraya stood by, prepared to heal any minor wounds that might occur during the exercise. Meanwhile, the combined fighting force of Teams 1 and 2 had been reorganized into two units. Jonathan assumed overall command with Erik serving as his sub-commander, stepping into August's usual leadership role for this exercise.
After finalizing their strategy, the battle began. August immediately employed his stealth skills, camouflaging himself among the thick undergrowth and treetops of the forest floor. The designated combat area spanned two kilometers, offering ample space for August to plan and execute ambushes while maintaining a safe distance from his pursuers.
The attackers fanned out across the forest, moving methodically through the terrain. Their plan was straightforward—once someone located August, they would signal the others to converge on that position. But they knew defeating August would never be so simple. Despite his youth, he was possibly the most formidable individual in the entire forest, perhaps even beyond.
While his pursuers scoured the area frantically, August perched atop a tall oak tree, observing their movements with calculated patience. From his elevated position, he studied their formation, noting vulnerabilities and planning his counterattack.
Minutes passed with no signal from either team. The prolonged silence began to unnerve the searchers, raising uncomfortable questions: Where was August hiding? Why hadn't he attacked yet?
This uncertainty poisoned their judgment, making them doubt their surroundings. Every tree and bush became a potential threat, every rustle of leaves a possible ambush. They flinched at the slightest movement, their imagination conjuring attacks from the shadows.
With this psychological edge, August had already secured his first victory. Their focus compromised, the hunters became the hunted.
Suddenly, the distracted Bren found himself launched skyward as August literally threw him into the air. Before the others could even register what had happened, Bren lost consciousness mid-flight, eliminating him from the battle. As swiftly as August had appeared, he vanished again into the forest's embrace, leaving only the fallen Bren as evidence of his presence.
Erik immediately signaled the other team to converge on their position, alerting them that August had either been located or had engaged them in combat.
When Jonathan received the signal, he halted his team and redirected them toward the other group's location.
With Bren—their primary defensive fighter—eliminated, Erik now commanded only Betty and Angeline. All three remained on high alert, but visibly shaken by how easily August had penetrated their supposedly tight formation. Uneasy sweat trickled down their foreheads as they stood back-to-back, scanning their surroundings with growing apprehension.
Minutes later, Jonathan arrived with the rest of Team 2, finding the three remaining members of Team 1 in their defensive stance. Before the teams could properly regroup, August launched a series of diversionary magical attacks in their direction, deliberately masking his true location.
"Watch out!" Erik shouted in warning.
The teams reacted a fraction too late. Though they avoided the full impact of August's magical assault, the momentary distraction cost them dearly. A pained groan escaped from Team 2 as they struggled to maintain their footing. Team 1 rushed to assist them, but August moved faster than thought.
He launched another volley of wind blades. While the group managed to evade this attack, Adam had not yet recovered his balance from the previous assault. August seized the opportunity, propelling himself toward the vulnerable fighter and driving him into the ground, rendering him unconscious.
"Tsk... sly bastard," Jonathan muttered, frustration evident in his voice as he surveyed their mounting losses.
"Language, Daddy," Angeline chided, ever mindful of propriety even in combat.
Jonathan's frustration only deepened. How could they counter a teenage boy who outsmarted them at every turn?
At least now, with both teams converging, they could present a more united front against their elusive opponent.
Meanwhile, August observed his prey from a concealed position, suppressing a yawn at their performance. Though maintaining a safe distance, he remained close enough to strike at any moment. His strategy was elegantly simple—hit-and-run tactics complemented by psychological warfare, exploiting his opponents' natural weaknesses and hesitations.
Jonathan and Erik huddled briefly to formulate a counterstrategy. They decided to adopt a tighter formation in a defensible area that might allow them to trap their opponent rather than chase him fruitlessly through the forest.
The group moved in unison, searching for the perfect location to implement their plan. However, with Bren—the most observationally gifted member of both teams—eliminated, their chances of finding an ideal spot diminished significantly.
As minutes stretched on without contact, impatience grew visibly among the pursuers. August sensed this shifting mood and prepared to capitalize on it. His strategy remained consistent—target the weaker members while distracting the stronger ones with flashy magical displays.
After witnessing several devastating losses to August's ambush tactics, Jonathan reached his breaking point. The next time August emerged to strike at a vulnerable team member, Jonathan sprang into action. With decades of combat experience guiding his movements, he propelled himself forward with unexpected speed, aiming to bash August into submission with his shield.
A mighty thundering roar accompanied Jonathan's shield bash, catching August by surprise. Despite his supernatural reflexes, August barely managed to tuck and roll away from being pinned to the ground. In that brief moment of contact, Jonathan's shield grazed August's shoulder.
Just like that, the training session concluded. Despite August's overwhelming advantages in one-on-one combat and ambush tactics, a single perfectly executed counterattack had proven sufficient to defeat him. Though disappointed by the outcome, August understood that failure often taught more valuable lessons than success.
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The End of Another Fruitful Exercise
As they gathered to debrief, each participant had learned something valuable from the exercise. For the team, it highlighted critical weaknesses in their group tactics, though they acknowledged that August represented a uniquely formidable opponent. For August himself, the defeat illuminated blind spots in his combat approach that would require attention.
They returned to the village for a brief respite before continuing with their daily responsibilities. The walk back resonated with animated discussions about their combat strategies and execution, with Aetherwing observing from above, occasionally swooping down to offer insights on details they might have missed.
"Good job everyone," August addressed the group as they reached the village. "I think that was eye-opening for all of us, and we'll certainly improve next time. Let's rest for now—we have much work ahead today. Summer is upon us, and we need to expand the basement beneath our lodgings and prepare our forest retreat to withstand the coming heat."
With those words, their day of training concluded, but their seasonal preparations were just beginning.
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Construction Projects
Later that day, the rhythmic sounds of construction echoed through the village as they began excavating the basement expansion. Workers carefully positioned additional wooden timber frames beneath the house to maintain its structural integrity, while others assembled reinforced stone walls designed to distribute the weight of the longhouse above.
The initial phase focused on the eastern wing, directly beneath the bedrooms. This expanded underground space would provide a cool refuge during the most scorching days of summer, when temperatures soared beyond tolerable ranges.
Within a week, they completed the eastern wing excavation. Another week saw the installation of massive timber frames and stone walls, crafted to support and evenly distribute the weight of the upper floors.
Simultaneously, they selected a location for their forest retreat. Their growing population had outgrown the previous rock shelter, necessitating a new site that offered both relative coolness and proximity to flowing water.
Bren, whose uncanny talent for finding suitable natural resources seemed almost supernatural, he identified a hidden cave with the very same specifications as they had discussed; it was also several kilometers within Aetherwing's protective ring. The spacious cavern could comfortably accommodate their entire community while providing natural insulation against the summer heat.
The entire village journeyed to inspect the site, taking careful measurements and planning the necessary modifications. The sound of saws buzzing and hammers striking wooden frames soon filled the forest as they constructed their summer sanctuary.
By the end of the first two weeks of summer, both projects had progressed substantially. The basement expansion beneath the longhouse neared completion, its stone walls radiating pleasant coolness even as the outdoor temperature climbed. Meanwhile, the forest retreat had been outfitted with basic amenities—sleeping platforms, cooking areas, and water storage—ready to provide refuge when the truly unbearable heat arrived.
As August surveyed their accomplishments, a sense of pride washed over him. Despite the challenges posed by the changing seasons, the village had once again demonstrated remarkable adaptability and foresight. Their preparations complete, they now stood ready to face whatever trials the summer might bring.
The setting sun cast long shadows across their village, its golden light illuminating the faces of people who had become more than neighbors—they were a family forged through shared hardship and triumph. With Aetherwing's protective presence circling overhead, August allowed himself a moment of contentment, knowing that together, they could overcome any obstacle.
The summer had only just begun, but they were prepared.