Obligatory Duty (Undergoing Revisions)

Chapter 12: Conspiration Theories

Within the green foliage, a pack of creatures was scurrying around. They were earthen brown, around half my height and had a single red eye in the head, with a relatively humanoid figure.

Golems. Yet again.

Why?! I'm so tired of these guys. Why are they even here? The army? Was it the army that put them here to raise the difficulty of the test? From a quick survey around, there seemed to be five of them. At least they were not as large as the previous one. But still, though, they still hurt a huge ton. What? You ask me to buck up and stop being such a weakling? It can't be helped, I really hate pain after all.

If only Rin was here, she could have taken care of this, thinking wistfully as I tried desperately to stop the bleeding from my left arm. Yes, if you haven't guessed yet, her ability is healing. That is why the army needed her ability so bad to the point she did not have to take the test.

In any case, I need to get out of this somehow. Darting from tree to tree, perspiration clinging to the edges of my skin, heart palpitating wildly, greenery blurred as I moved, heading towards them. Once I got near the striking range of the nearest one, I clenched my right hand into a fist and jabbed right at it. Surprisingly, my fist went straight into it and it crumbled into dry earth. A couple of rocks hurled right into my direction, right afterward, but since I was anticipating it, I managed to hide behind a tree and evaded it with ease.

What the heck? They are much weaker than I first thought. I don't even have to break the magic circle. Its body is weak.

Repeating the same process, I moved to deal with the rest in a similar manner, while still being wary, remembering the pain.

Just when two of them were left, a roar ripped through the skies. Trees were toppled down from the north direction at an alarming pace. I turned my head to look as I got into a safe spot, yet again behind the tree. Just when my hit-and-run tactic was working so well...

A towering giant poked its head above the canopy. I saw the same single red eye that I have seen way too much these past few days, to the point that I am thoroughly sick of it. What is the army's addiction with golems? Just stop. Enough.

Hmm, wait, does that means the golem that came during our first night was sent by our army as well? They say that other country's golem was invading us. But with all those golems in this forest, deep inside the army base, they can only be planted by our army.

In the first place, is it that easy for golems that colossal to infiltrate all the way into the army base? Also, the only golem we saw was the single one that attacked us. We did not see any other golem attacking the base. The amount of damage caused was fishy as well. At that time, I thought there were just superior officers dealing with the situation optimally, so the damage was low but if only one golem attacked, it could be explained that way as well.

Why did the army send it though? As a test? Does that mean the test had already started from day 1? Crap, I'm way too careless.