Return of the Fallen Nobleman With an SSS-Rank Talent-Chapter 30: I’m Still... Not Good Enough
The distant sound of horses’ hooves still echoed as it was drowned out by the rain that continued to fall heavily.
Adam coughed up blood as he felt his mana running out, and Lucas, with the reinforcements, still hadn’t arrived.
With a somewhat lost look, he saw that the few soldiers who had stayed behind were fighting the rank I monsters that had returned.
The wolf walked toward him slowly.
A predator who knew his prey was wounded.
Adam spat blood again.
Damn, to think I’d be so close to death again.
The rain washed away the crimson trail before it touched the ground.
Now he couldn’t exchange blows or block; all that was left was to buy a little more time.
So he decided to use all his remaining mana and disappeared again in a dark burst.
The wolf charged.
Adam didn’t attack it; he just focused on dodging each of its attacks.
A claw was about to reach him, and he rolled on the ground, but a sharp pain ran through his torso with every movement.
Maintaining that same momentum, Adam took a few steps back, but it wasn’t enough. The monster spun violently, and its tail struck him in the chest.
The armor caved in, and the air left his lungs.
This time, he couldn’t stay on his feet.
He fell to his knees.
His vision blurred for a moment.
The wolf approached, jaws open, saliva dripping, its furious growl echoing in Adam’s ears.
Adam looked up, seeing the creature’s sharp teeth and smelling its foul breath, which affected his sense of smell.
At the last second, he plunged his sword into the mud and used the momentum to slide under the monster’s body.
He felt the weight pass over him and the metallic smell of blood.
He got up behind it and slashed at one of its hind legs.
The blade penetrated deeper this time.
The wolf roared and spun violently.
The claw descended.
Adam couldn’t dodge it completely.
Three red lines opened up on his shoulder, and a grimace of pain crossed his face.
Blood spurted out.
His grip almost loosened.
"How much...?"
He glanced briefly toward the wall.
Nothing.
They hadn’t arrived yet, but the sound was getting closer... or so he thought. Perhaps his perception of mana was playing tricks on him.
Time became viscous.
The wolf attacked without pause.
Adam stopped trying to fight back.
His world was reduced to dodging by inches.
To survive second by second.
The mana Dharma Wheel lost intensity.
The mana was almost depleted.
His legs began to feel heavy.
Another impact.
This time, he threw it against a tree.
Something cracked inside him.
More ribs.
Blood rose in his throat.
He spat it out with difficulty.
The wolf approached slowly.
It knew.
The damn monster knew it was winning.
Adam tried to stand up, but... his knees buckled. However, he forced his body and stood up again.
Not out of pride. But out of responsibility.
If he fell here, the wall would be next.
Then...
A cry rang out:
"YOUNG MASTER!"
The wolf raised its head, and its ears twitched.
Adam didn’t smile; he didn’t have the strength for that. But he knew it clearly. He had endured enough.
He gathered the last fragment of mana.
The Wheel turned again, faintly.
He leaped forward and slashed the monster’s face. Not with the intention of killing it, but to force it back.
The blade tore into flesh once more.
The wolf roared furiously.
But this time it hesitated.
The knights began to arrive, one after another; unseen, Adam saw Lucas in his black armor at the front of the group of knights.
The wolf assessed the situation, let out a low growl, backed away at full speed, and then disappeared into the distance.
The rain continued to fall.
Adam remained standing for a few more seconds.
Only through sheer force of will.
Lucas quickly approached.
"Young master!"
Adam tried to respond.
Only blood came out.
The world began to darken. He felt hands holding him before he fell.
The last sensation was the cold of the rain mixed with the warmth of his own blood.
And one clear, firm thought:
I’m still... not good enough.
Then everything went black.
...
After a while, Adam slowly opened his eyes and found himself under a ceiling and a tent with several leaks.
"It seems I managed to survive a Rank III monster, all by myself."
He tried to move, but every part of his body screamed in pain, especially his side, which was completely bandaged. Adam tried not to make any sudden movements; he was afraid his wounds would reopen.
The first thing he did was realize his big mistake, which almost led to his death... and it was his new attribute, Mana Perception.
Because he was using it at almost full capacity, Adam assumed that the knights were nearby... which didn’t seem to be true, so he became more reckless.
That was his big mistake: he had forgotten that he was using mana perception to resist the attacks of the rank III monster, and that very thing played a dirty trick on him.
Adam let out a long, pained sigh and smiled wryly.
To think I almost caused my own death.
He pushed his thoughts aside and opened his status window to see how much experience he had gained this time.
Adam Hall
Novice Knight [EXP: 92/500]
Talent: A
Trait: Fencing (SSS) Hand-to-Hand Combat (D) Tracking (C) Mana Manipulation (B) Magic (SSS) Mana Perception (S)
Strength: 29 +
Stamina: 30 +
Agility: 30 +
Vitality: 33 +
Mana: 75 +
Statistics points: 8
Adam couldn’t help but sigh again; he only had [92/500] EXP... well, at least he managed to kill quite a few monsters; now he’s close to [100].
To think that leveling up would be so painfully slow.
Although he knew he was growing at a rapid pace, compared to his past life, he had almost twice or three times as much mana as a novice knight, and even his other stats were much higher.
Adam closed the status window and closed his eyes again, trying to gather some strength.
After a few minutes, he forced his body to get up.
His ribs protested.
The wound on his shoulder was still bleeding.
But he couldn’t lie there for long...
The danger hadn’t gone away.
