Chapter 446 Natural Beauty



After leaving the comfort of the building, Klaus, Andrew, Emily and Cloe entered the dense forest.

The transition from ordinary surroundings to the wilderness was remarkable and strange for the group, except for Klaus, who was already used to it from Rise Online. The sound of voices was soon drowned out by the serene silence of the forest, interrupted only by the rustling of leaves and the singing of birds. The first few minutes in the forest were a shock, as the darkness enveloping the tall trees created a mysterious atmosphere, and although they were in a group, a sense of loneliness seemed to fill the air, as everyone was quiet.

While Klaus looked around, marveling at the natural beauty that surrounded him, at the sunbeams that penetrated the branches of the trees, creating patterns of light and shadow on the dry, leafy ground, the girls didn't seem to enjoy it very much.

Still, the difference between the fresh forest air that filled their lungs and the dense city air was clear, and in this forest it was even greater than on campus.

The group members walked cautiously along the narrow path that stretched before them. The uneven ground and the roots of the trees required attention to avoid tripping, and Klaus made sure to remind everyone of this so that no one would be seriously injured by a simple mistake. With each step, they plunged deeper into the heart of the forest. Slowly, Klaus and his friends' senses began to adjust to the environment. The sound of buzzing insects, rustling leaves, and the distant echo of a nearby stream created a natural symphony that somehow soothed their initial unease.

As they walked down the path, they passed a small stream and a beautiful clearing where the sunlight filtering through the treetops created an almost magical setting, and since no one wanted to get hungry, they got the idea to follow the stream to find the river or waterfall from which it flowed. As Klaus and his friends approached the river, the sound of voices and laughter caught their attention. As they approached, it became clear that they were not the only ones with the idea of fishing before anything else.

To the surprise of Klaus' group, they found several people from other groups scattered along the banks of the river. Students from different classes were gathered, all trying to catch something to eat, others setting up makeshift camps or exchanging information.

It was then that Klaus heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Hey, Klaus! Oh, is Andrew here too? Man, it's good to see you guys." exclaimed David, one of their roommates, waving at them with one hand while holding a fishing rod with the bait already in the middle of the river.

Klaus and his group approached David to say hello.

"You came here too, man? What a coincidence." Klaus said.

"Yeah, and Carrie's here too. Look at her over there." David pointed to his departmental colleague, a girl with expensive brown hair and short stature, but who was very good with a bow and arrow.

Carrie was distant, but she waved to Andrew, Klaus, and the girls with them.

"So, it seems to be very crowded here. Are you managing to catch anything?" commented Andrew.

"Actually, no. I've never done this before, so maybe I'll just have to be patient." David replied.

At that moment, Klaus and Andrew exchanged glances, knowing that the fish were probably scared away by the noise the people were making on the riverbank. Therefore, they needed to find a quieter but still safe stretch of river where they could catch fish and not get hungry so that they would have the energy to look for the golden tickets.

Klaus' trained eyes scanned the area he could see, and he spotted a place nearby that looked promising, so he asked the members of his group to follow him.

So Klaus led his group to the quieter part of the river, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded banks. They passed through some trees and bushes, following a narrow path that led to a point farther away, but from where it was still possible to see people. It took them only a few minutes to reach the quieter and more ideal environment for fishing. Klaus and his friends approached the shore, watching the calm, crystal clear water reflecting the sun's rays filtered through the treetops, and saw dozens of large fish swimming where the water was also shallower.

While Andrew prepared to set up the folding fishing rod, Emily and Cloe looked for flat rocks to use as makeshift seats.

"So, Klaus, what do you have in mind? Do you think we can fish here?" Andrew inquired. "The water is shallow here, so we might have trouble hooking.

Klaus smiled, took off his shoe and then tucked in his pants, "Yes, of course it will be easier, but we won't be fishing with hooks or bait. This place is better suited for a different method."

Andrew looked at his colleague with a confused and uncomprehending expression. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me borrow the fishing rod." Klaus asked.

Without any fear, Andrew handed over the wooden fishing rod and a second later saw Kaizen bending it so hard that it broke, making a snap that caught the attention of the girls who were approaching.

"Hey, what did you do?" asked Andrew, startled. "Have you gone crazy?"

"Don't worry, man. This kid's fishing rod is too fragile to fish in a place like this. Any medium-sized fish could easily break it when it hooks the bait in the river, so it's better to take the line to reuse it for other things, so there's no chance of it breaking either. Also, the hook can be used to take the scales off the fish."

Klaus' explanation calmed Andrew down a bit, but he was still confused, "And how are we going to go about fishing?"

Klaus smiled and put his feet in the river. "We've got good reflexes, so it's time to make use of them, isn't it?" He said and swung the fishing rod, which had turned into a stake, towards a fish that was swimming peacefully.