37 There is always another way out. (1/2)

”You have two options. One, surrender and tell us everything we need to know. Two, fight us and lose a limb or two and then answer our questions. Which one would you prefer?” The protector with the bear spirit stepped forth and hit his lance's tip on the ground causing a resonating sound in the fort.

”I don't think we can beat them. Is there no other way out?” Ken unsheathed his double edged katana seeing Izumi already unsheathed her katana.

”This is the only way out of the fort. We have to fight, we have no choice.” Izumi gripped her katana tightly as she held it up to face the protectors in front of them.

As Izumi and Ken prepared to fight, a slow voice came from the shadows of the wall near them.

”Yes, this is the only way out of the fort, but fighting isn't the only way to get out.”

”Lesson number 1, never believe there's no other way. There is always a way out, but sometimes you have to pay a price and sometimes the price is too high. One of the common way of paying is 'taking the hit'. So remember that fighting isn't the only way out every time.”

”Enemies will only tell you the options that are in their favour, won't they? That only proves that they aren't the only options and there might be more.” Shin stood in the shadows as he leaned on the wall with one leg supporting one the wall. He was on the other side of the wall and was hiding his energy, so the protectors couldn't see him.

”You as*hole! Is this the way you train people? by putting their lives in danger!” Izumi shouted out loud forgetting about the protectors in front of her, a few meters away.

”Didn't I tell you that she will drop the strict and worked up tone after the training starts?” Shin let out a small smile looking at Ken to which he sighed and replied with ”You are unbelievable.”

”What are you talking about…training?” The protector in front of her looked at her with a perplexed face thinking that she was speaking to him.

”We can talk afterwards. Coming back to the lesson Ken, what is the goal of the training?” Shin asked in all seriousness as he looked at Ken.

”To get out of here alive.” Ken didn't want to bicker either given the present situation.

”Does the goal include that you have to fight them?” Shin diverted his look to Izumi who replied immediately with a ”no”.

”Do you both think that you can fight your way out?”

”No.” Izumi and Ken replied at the same time. The protectors in front of them were getting confused by every second and started to think that something's wrong and prepared to charge ahead.

”Good, then you don't need to fight. Only focus on evading the attacks just like I taught you both and reach the other end of the road and when you reach it, hide your energy and lose them in the city. I will meet you guys at the forest's entrance but don't worry, I will be scouting you all along the way.” Shin disappeared as he said those words. A swift wind made it's way through the protectors, to which they didn't pay much attention. The swift wind was created by Shin passing by them at high speed. But he was so fast that the protectors couldn't even see him passing by them.

”Easier said than done.” Ken commented in a slow voice as soon as he saw Shin depart.

”Ken, focus on getting out for now.” The protectors charged forth as Izumi completed her sentence while the spirits were ordered to stand their ground to stop them from escaping.