Chapter 181 Chapter 40.6 - A test
"I-I will try."
Sylvie might not be the best person suited for such a field job in this world, but even then, she herself was chosen as the successor of the [First Lord's Authority].
Therefore, even with her initial hesitation, she was still able to cast the buff.
SWOOSH!
The moment the guy before me realized Sylvie's occupation, he immediately dashed toward me, this time with renewed vigor.
His movements were faster and more precise as if he had discarded any restraint.
'He is finally showing his full power.'
No sane person would start the fight with their full power while showing their cards; even though this kid before me might still be young, at the very least, he wasn't as stupid as he looked.
He finally seemed to understand that the fight wasn't going the way he wanted.
CLANK! CLANK!
His sword clashed against my daggers with increased intensity. Each strike carried more force than before, testing my defenses. The earth pillar he summoned earlier indicated that he wasn't holding back anymore and he was going to use his skills.
'I need to finish this quickly.'
With Sylvie casting a buff, I felt a surge of energy coursing through me. My movements became even swifter, and I could sense an enhancement in my overall capabilities.
"Ha!"
He shouted, as he immediately dashed to me. His sword was coated with his mana, and he was also utilizing his own trait, probably increasing his vitality.
SWOOSH!
Dodging one of his powerful swings, I countered with a quick series of strikes, aiming for vulnerable points.
TAK! TAK! TAK!
However, my attacks didn't cut his skin but rather were blocked by the small shell he made with his earthen skill.
'Earthification, huh?'
His ability to manipulate Earth to create defensive barriers added another layer of complexity to the fight. It became clear that he wasn't just relying on brute force; he had a strategic approach to combat.
"You really are like a cockroach!" he declared, gathering mana around him. Of course, I wasn't going to let him do as he pleased and immediately went to disturb him.
However, he seemed to expect this as he slammed his hands onto the wintry ground, causing a seismic tremor.
'Tch.'
I could see what he was about to do and immediately leaped backward.
CREAK!
The earth beneath me shook, and a wave of force erupted, blasting my body into the air.
WHOOSH!
I tumbled through the air, the world spinning around me. However, one of the things I had practiced while training was how to use acrobatic movements to make my aerial combat more efficient.
As I regained my composure mid-air, I realized what he intended to do. The ground in front of him cracked open, and a burst of fine dust and smoke filled the air.
'Smoke?'
It seemed this guy was on the smarter side; it was sad that he had chosen the wrong opponent for this.
'I guess you were able to rise ranks while not only relying on your overwhelming strength.'
Even without activating my skill, I knew where he would be and who they would target.
Eyes of Hourglass.
The moment my skill activated, I felt the time slowing down. My vision became more clear, and I could see the small movements in the smoke heading towards Sylvie.
'Not happening.'
SWOOSH! BOOM!
I immediately darted towards Sylvie, closing the distance rapidly.
"Thanks for the buff."
"Hmm….."
Putting her down in another place, I focused my attention on him again.
The guy probably thought he could take advantage of the chaos and grab Sylvie as a hostage to gain the upper hand. But he had underestimated the swiftness granted by Sylvie's buff.
I also felt like the wounds on my body were already healed, probably because of Sylvie's healing. I couldn't pay much attention to her, but it seemed she also made up her mind.
SLASH!
In a single motion, I intercepted his path, my daggers cutting through the air with precision. He attempted to grab Sylvie, but he found only empty space as I swiftly moved her out of harm's way.
"Nice try," I remarked, my voice cold and determined. For some reason, I was a little annoyed that he had targeted Sylvie, even though what the guy did was the right choice.
Without giving him a moment to recover, I immediately closed the gap between us. Sylvie had granted me not only swiftness but also a heightened sense of focus.
As I dashed towards him, I readied myself to use the new set of movements I had visualized while training my art.
'Bare Moon.'
SWOOSH!
In a rapid sequence, my daggers danced through the air, each movement calculated to disarm the opponent efficiently.
CLANK!
The first movement aimed to destabilize his grip on the weapon, forcing him to loosen his hold. To achieve that, I would specifically target the tip of his weapon from the side, making sure the weapon would shake as strongly as possible.
SWOOSH!
The second swiftly followed, exploiting the momentary imbalance to redirect the weapon's trajectory for an opening.
CLANK!
The third targeted the weapon itself, attempting to knock it out of his hand while making sure that he couldn't regain his balance within the time.
Finally, the fourth movement seized the opportunity to finish the unarmed enemy full of openings.
CLANK! CLANK! SWOOSH! CLANK!
The sequence unfolded seamlessly, and before he could react, his weapon lay on the wintry ground, and I stood before him with both daggers at the ready.
"What?"
The maneuvers not only disarmed him but also left him bewildered by the speed and precision of the actions.
This whole sequence was possible because of Sylvie's buff since I still wouldn't be able to exert enough power to make the weapon fall to the ground.
Before he could fully grasp the situation, I channeled my mana on my hand, and in one final, calculated movement, I aimed a swift strike at the back of his head with the hilt of one of my daggers.
THUD!
And with that one last strike, he fell to the ground, his consciousness leaving his body; I could see his breathing returning to normal, as well as other signs of losing consciousness, and confirmed that the fight was over.
'It worked as intended.'
As I stood over the fallen swordsman, satisfied that the immediate threat had been neutralized, I turned my attention to Sylvie, ready to ensure her safety.
'Hmm?'
To my surprise, the archer I had shot earlier had emerged from the shadows, now holding Sylvie as a hostage.
"Drop your weapons, or the healer gets hurt," the archer threatened, a forced smile playing on her lips.
"….."
I didn't say anything and simply looked at the archer girl and Sylvie.
"What?"
"You know you should have fled when you had the chance," I mumbled, looking at the girl.
"I won't warn you again."
She was looking at me with a clear annoyance, and she was also shaking a little bit as if she was scared and in pain.
'She still hadn't healed the wound.'
The wound I made from the first shot was still there and bleeding and it seemed something had been holding her back from fleeing.
'It must be Seraphina.'
If she had learned that the archer fled when she herself was fighting….. Then, this girl's future career would probably be over. This was probably also the reason why the swordsman fought with me even though I was buffed.
However, if you are going to take someone hostage, you need to be very cautious of your surroundings. Especially as a ranger since you are purposefully revealing yourself while not being proficient in close combat.
'Well, that is it.'
It was not like I needed to do anything. After all, the main goal of this test wasn't to eliminate other students but simply to make sure you have submitted magic formulas.
Thus, I simply sat there and watched, testing the girl's patience. I was also observing Sylvie while all of this was happening, and the small fear in her eyes showed that she was indeed caught unprepared.
'This should be a good lesson to her as well.'
The archer girl's impatience grew evident as I continued to stand my ground, refusing to comply with her demands. She gestured with her bow, a subtle threat in her eyes.
"Drop your weapons, or I'll make sure she suffers," she warned, tightening her grip on Sylvie.
I shook my head slowly, maintaining my calm demeanor. "I don't think you're in a position to make threats. If you harm her, you lose any leverage you think you have."
The archer girl's frustration boiled over, and she glared at me. "Don't play games! Are you so heartless that you don't care about the well-being of your comrades?"
"…..Sigh…" I released a hearty sigh at her question and lowered my hand.
PULL!
And then, pulled the small strings of mana connected to the tip of my finger.
TOK! TOK!
Following my movement, the small daggers I had planted on the ground came back to my hands, one of them hitting the head of the girl from the back. ((N1))
"Huh?"
Dash.
She was initially surprised, stumbling forward as the daggers collided with her. Before she could react, I swiftly closed the distance, aiming to disarm her.
The daggers I had summoned moved with precision, knocking the bow out of her hands and sending it skidding across the frosted ground.
The archer girl fell to her knees, disarmed and bewildered, while the point of my dagger grazed through her neck. I simply looked at the girl as she looked at me with clear pain in her eyes, probably from the wound earlier.
"Now, do you surrender?"
"....Yes…."
"This will hurt a little."
THUD!
With those words, I knocked her down with the hilt of my dagger as well, leaving her on the ground.
And, as I turned my attention to Sylvie, my eyes were locked on her shining green eyes. I was annoyed at the fact that such a situation could easily happen in the real world, where the attacker was mainly targeting her life.
"This is the reason why I asked for you to learn close combat. Without a person to protect you, you are a liability."
And I was also mad at myself that I lowered my guard when I had beaten the swordsman guy. If this was a real case, I needed to be aware of the archer, but I initially trusted my first attack, thinking it would make the girl impossible to move.
'I should be more careful next time.'
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