57. Ambush

The black market bustled with people of various races.

After being tormented all day by Gon and Rika, I stopped by briefly before heading to pick up Olivia.

“I heard it’s around here…”

I needed to find the Voodoo Shaman.

I had to find a way to stop those things called Roa that I’d seen that day.

“Here it is.”

As I wandered through the black market, I spotted a shop covered in skull decorations and ominous-looking drawings.

This was the place-a specialty store for Voodoo supplies.

“Hello.”

“Welcome.”

When I stepped inside, a bald Black man glanced at me.

His entire body was covered in piercings and tattoos, which made him look somewhat intimidating.

You could say he exuded the aura of someone truly versed in Voodoo.

Voodoo is like shamanism from South America, right?

If I pissed this guy off, I’d probably wake up with a curse on me.

“Uh, I was referred here by Rafnel-nim.”

I took out the letter of recommendation Rafnel had given me and handed it to the Voodoo Shaman. He examined the paper for a long moment before asking with a grave expression:

“If she sent you, something must be wrong. What’s the matter?”

“Well, you see…”

I explained everything I’d seen to him.

About the three Evil Women and what they had tried to do to me.

“Wait, so the Evil Women just toyed with you and left?”

“Yes. Is this… a serious situation?”

“It’s serious, but it could also be an opportunity. Some people spend their entire lives in asceticism just to communicate with the Roa.”

“I have no intention of communicating with them.”

“Then try using this.”

The Voodoo Shaman handed me a small wooden box.

“A Substitute Doll.”

“A Substitute Doll?”

“Yes. A doll that will endure the Evil Women’s torment in your place. When you get home, press your lips to the doll’s mouth and breathe into it. That way, the Evil Women won’t be able to tell you apart from the doll. They’ll torment the doll instead of you.”

“Seriously?! Oh!”

This was exactly what I wanted.

A tool that would cleanly solve the problem I was facing.

“But you’ll need to check on the doll occasionally.”

“Just check on it?”

“Yes. If the doll is torn at all, come find me immediately. If it’s stained, wash it thoroughly. If it’s not cleaned, they’ll realize it’s a doll. And if the doll disappears from the box… they’ve already found out. If you don’t recover the doll before nightfall, there’s nothing you can do.”

“Guess I’ll have to check it every day.”

“Exactly. And when you enter the labyrinth, always carry the box with you. Then you’ll have no problems.”

“Understood.”

If I had to stay overnight in the labyrinth, I’d need to keep the box in my dimensional pouch.

“The price is 1 gold.”

“That’s more expensive than I expected.”

“This is cheap, actually. I’m only charging you cost price because you’re an acquaintance of Rafnel-nim.”

“Ah, I see…”

“That doll is worth quite a bit. It’s extremely difficult to make.”

Still, 1 gold was far cheaper than the cost of my life.

“If the three sisters keep appearing to you, come back. We’ll try another method then. And whatever you do, never answer them if they speak to you. Answering means you’re willing to ‘communicate.’ Even if they realize you can see them, never respond. If you do, they’ll keep tormenting you.”

“Got it. I’ll keep that in mind.”

I left the shop with the box containing the doll.

This was a huge relief.

Knowing I had a solution to my immediate problem put my mind at ease.

******

Today marked my fourth day at the Martial Hall.

For the past three days, Gon and Rika had been drilling me relentlessly in endurance training.

It wasn’t combat techniques-just muscle-building exercises.

Somehow, my muscles seemed to be growing faster, and I could feel my body changing.

The fact that I was seeing results in just three days made me think Shaka’s remnants were having an effect.

Either way, with my muscles growing, training was starting to feel rewarding.

“You’re a quick learner when it comes to muscle growth. Maybe being a warrior was your true calling.”

“You didn’t seem too impressed with me at first.”

“I didn’t expect your muscles to develop this fast.”

Gon seemed quite pleased with me now.

He grinned every time he saw me.

“By the way, Rika isn’t here today?”

“No idea. She didn’t show up.”

“Ah.”

She was always here alone, training hard.

Something must have come up today.

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen the young lady since that day either.

Yuria hasn’t returned yet, either.

I’ve been living a busy life-training all day, then collapsing into sleep as soon as I get home.

Everyone’s just living their own lives diligently.

“Um, I think I’ll need to enter the labyrinth soon. When will you teach me how to fight?”

“I was just about to start teaching you warrior combat techniques today.”

“Finally!”

After four days, Gon finally told me to pick up a weapon.

Five weapons were laid out in front of me.

These were the ones Gon could teach me to use.

“A one-handed sword, an axe, a hammer, a club, and a shield.”

A one-handed sword with a broad blade, perfect for slashing. An axe that looked like it could split skulls.

A hammer that seemed ideal for crushing bones. A club-reliable in anyone’s hands.

“Do I need to learn how to use a shield separately?”

“Blocking effectively requires skill too. Always carry a shield, then choose one other weapon.”

“Yes, understood.”

A seasoned warrior should be able to wield multiple weapons.

Unlike swordsmen, who obsess over mastering a single blade, or knights who train with spears as their primary weapon, warriors can turn anything they can swing into a weapon.

That’s why they prefer blunt weapons-tools that don’t demand extreme finesse or intricate techniques.

“An axe is good. It combines the best of blunt and edged weapons. Clubs and maces are great too. Mass equals force.”

“What about swords?”

“Swords are fine. They cause bleeding, which drains an enemy’s stamina. Honestly, anything works as long as the weight distribution feels right.”

I hesitated between the sword and the axe before picking up the axe.

It seemed versatile-good for both slashing and crushing with sheer weight.

“An axe is an excellent weapon. There’s an old saying that if you want to ‘talk’ to monsters, you should bring an axe.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Absolutely. An axe is the finest tool for conversation. Now, chop wood 300 times.”

“Chop wood 300 times?!”

“The most important thing in wielding an axe is sensing the moment to strike-the ‘grain’ of your target.”

Gon told me to keep chopping wood until I could feel that grain.

Following his instructions, I started splitting logs behind the Martial Hall.

He even made me hold a shield while doing it, insisting that my equipment should feel like an extension of my body.

“Can you feel the grain yet?”

“Something like… the right moment to strike? I think I’m starting to get it.”

“You understand what the grain is. Your learning speed is absurdly fast. Yes, that feeling-knowing when it’ll split cleanly-is crucial. Once you grasp it, you can cleave through anything, whether it’s armor or stone.”

“Whoa…!”

“Next, let’s work on shield techniques.”

At his command, I raised my shield into the most basic defensive stance he’d taught me.

“Good, that’s the stance. Now, I’ll hammer you with charges. Combat is about learning by taking hits. From today until you enter the labyrinth, we’ll do endless sparring alongside your endurance training.”

“W-wait a second-!”

BAM!

I raised my shield harder to block Gon’s charge.

I definitely blocked it, but the impact sent me flying backward.

Just blocking wasn’t enough.

It was like getting hit head-on by a speeding car.

“Ugh.”

“Your balance just broke. Can’t even handle a charge like that? Get up. Even if you’re sent flying, don’t let yourself fall. If you fall, it’s over.”

“You expect me to regain balance midair?!”

“The labyrinth is full of big bastards. Just look at High Orcs-they’re bigger than grown men. Are you going to collapse every time you’re hit? You want to be a warrior, don’t you? If you’re going to crumple like paper, get out and join the Swordsman Guild.”

“Damn. Harsh words. Calling me a shrimp like those swordsmen? That’s an insult to warriors.”

“If you don’t want to hear me tell you to become a swordsman, stop whining and get up. I endured my father’s insults to learn this, so consider this tough love. Warriors don’t complain.”

Gon was determined to teach me how to get pushed back without falling.

And his method was exactly what it sounded like-learning through brute force.

“For a small East Asian like you, grit is everything. Stop falling over. If you go down, your comrades die too. You wanna feed your friends to the monsters?”

“Haah… I’ll try again.”

“Good. Hold your ground. Hold it. Hold it.”

Gon charged again.

Even over a short distance, the pressure was overwhelming.

A massive barbarian like him was a force of nature just by running at me.

‘This guy isn’t teaching systematic techniques. I have to learn by taking hits. I need to grasp the instincts Shaka left in me through Gon.’

Gritting my teeth, I stared straight at Gon as he rushed me.

For a warrior, the most important thing is the will to endure.

BAM!

Gon crashed into my shield again, and my body lifted off the ground, flung backward.

‘If I fall here, it’s over.’

I had to land on my feet without losing balance midair.

Or hold my ground and not get sent flying at all.

Both were beyond me right now.

“Ugh…!”

I toppled over again.

My back hit the ground, compressing my lungs and knocking the wind out of me.

I coughed uncontrollably, my vision spinning.

“Does it hurt? Don’t dwell on the pain. Swallow it and get up fast.”

“Ugh… Isn’t this teaching method too haphazard?”

“Don’t question my methods. If you want to do it, you can. That’s the warrior’s mindset. Did you really try to hold your ground? Or did you give up? You flinched at my charge. Why? This isn’t a place where you can run. Endure. Your comrades are behind you.”

“Haah… Damn it.”

I got back up.

“Balance yourself properly. If you know you’re going to be sent flying, why give up on keeping your footing? Don’t quit. Stand up. Here I come again.”

For the next two hours, I practiced nothing but holding my ground. By the time the training shield was in tatters, I could finally withstand Gon’s charge and stay on my feet.

“Ha! You held. To manage this in one day… You’re fast. When a larger opponent sends you flying, you’ve just learned how to keep your balance and not fall. Don’t forget that feeling. Your strength is enough. If you have the will to endure, you can.”

“My back… hurts so much.”

“Quit whining. Next step.”

“Next step?”

“Yeah. This time, you knock me down.”

“Huh? Me? Wait, what?”

“Questioning me again? If you want to do it, you can. Don’t doubt. If I say you can, you can.”

“Tch…”

After that, I kept charging at Gon over and over.

“Put more power into it! A warrior’s job is to stand firm and knock the enemy down!”

“Is that all you’ve got? Some playboy who only thinks about fucking.”

“Tch. Charging in blindly again without bracing your core?”

“Are you stupid? If you can’t overpower me, go for my legs! Is your weapon just for show?!”

“You bastard! Come at me properly! Charge! Your rush has no soul! Pathetic.”

Gon mercilessly shoved, struck, and flung me away.

“Haah. Fuck.”

The curses came out on their own.

My body felt so heavy I could barely stand.

“Whew. Let’s stop here for today. But that last one almost moved me. You learn fast. Good job.”

“Yeah… Thanks…”

Though brutal during training, Gon always praised me afterward.

In a way, he was the epitome of a true teacher.

“So when are you entering the labyrinth?”

“In two… no, three days.”

“Oh? Make sure you come the next three days too. I’ll teach you more about holding your ground, pushing back, how to roar with conviction, unbreakable spirit, and increasing your pain resistance.”

“Uh, Wednesday might be tough…”

“Why?”

“I have to go to the Magic Tower…”

“I see. Then I’ll drill you hard these next two days. How far are you planning to go in the labyrinth?”

“Just the upper layers-first or second floor for now.”

“You’re strong enough to go down to the fourth. With a good team, you could even reach the underground city.”

“The underground city is still under lockdown… And I have some people I need to guide. They’re not fully adapted to mana yet, so we can’t go below the second floor.”

“Ah, you’re a guide. Got it. Training newcomers is tough. Hang in there. Clean up before you leave.”

“Yeah…”

Gon left in a flash.

After catching my breath, I cleaned up and exited the Martial Hall.

The sun was setting. Evening already.

I needed to hurry and pick up Olivia.

Tiny, her music teacher, would have gone home by now, so Olivia was probably waiting for me alone, longing for my return.

I quickened my pace toward the building where the Druid Society was located.

‘Should take the shortcut.’

To avoid being any later, I decided to cut through an alley.

Going through the backstreets would save time instead of taking the long way around.

I just wanted to get Olivia, have dinner, and rest.

My muscles ached terribly, especially my back. Standing was a struggle.

‘What should we eat tonight?’

Lost in thought about dinner, I walked briskly through the shortcut when-

A voice called out from behind me.

-“Hey!”

A woman’s voice.

One I’d heard before.

Ah! I remembered. It was definitely… one of the three Evil Women.

Damn it! I turned around!

It was too late to pretend I hadn’t heard.

The voice had caught me off guard, and I’d instinctively looked back.

If it really was one of the three sisters, the best move was to act like I hadn’t heard and keep walking.

“…!”

But what the hell?

Behind me stood not an Evil Woman, but men in black masks and robes.

Caught off guard, they froze mid-step, just as shocked as I was.

The alley was silent.

This place was always deserted.

No passersby.

And likely no one coming to help.

“Tch.”

I immediately drew a weapon from my dimensional pouch.

At the same time, the three men lunged at me like arrows loosed from a bow.

Black daggers flashed toward me.

If I didn’t block properly, I was dead.