The Berserker barely had time to react before Victor's blade slashed through both of his legs in two quick, decisive strikes. A cry of pain erupted from the massive dude's throat as his knees buckled, sending him crashing to the floor.
Victor immediately turned toward the Healer, who gasped in horror. Before she could cast any kind of defensive spell, he pivoted on his heel and delivered a palm strike to her stomach, simultaneously channeling a burst of wind-infused qi into his attack.
The force of the impact sent her rocketing backward at incredible speed.
Her eyes widened in terror as she sailed through the air.
CRASH!
Her body shot straight through the same shattered window that the previous awakener had been thrown out of.
Victor's gaze immediately locked onto the sword.
'This is my chance.'
He stepped forward and wrapped his hands around the hilt, feeling an overwhelming surge of energy vibrate through his entire body. The chaotic winds howling through the room intensified as the electric currents sparked more violently than ever.
'It's heavy.'
Even though he was gripping it tightly, the sword didn't budge right away. But Victor clenched his jaw and focused, using all the strength in his arms to try again and then it slowly started pulling out...
When all of a sudden— BOOM!
A blast of force slammed into his side, sending him flying backward.
Victor barely registered what happened before he found himself hurtling through the window, just like the others before him.
"VICTOR!!" Selene, Megan, and Rylan all screamed in unison.
Evelyn flicked her hair back and scoffed. "Hmph! If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."
Her previous calmness returned as she strutted toward the sword and reached for the hilt. Sparks crackled around her fingertips as she braced herself and began pulling.
"This is it. This is how I win."
However, Selene had had enough.
Her usual playful demeanor vanished in an instant.
She exhaled sharply and activated her strongest Assassin skill.
Her entire form blurred as her body moved with an almost unnatural speed while she weaved through the battlefield like a shadow.
Her dagger danced in her hands, slicing through both the Assassin and the Summoner who had been standing in her way.
The Assassin she faced barely had time to register what had happened before his body went limp. His body was punctured with holes and he was losing a lot of blood. However, the Assassin's body suddenly vanished.
The government couldn't let any of the precious awakeners die.
And the Summoner, thinking he had a chance to counter, summoned his massive beast to strike Selene from behind.
The moment the beast lunged at her—
She turned into smoke.
A second later, she reappeared behind the Summoner, catching him completely off guard.
She slammed her forehead against his, delivering a brutal headbutt.
The Summoner's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.
Selene didn't stop.
Before Evelyn could fully pull the sword out, a dagger flew across the room and embedded itself deep into her shoulder.
"Ack!" Evelyn gasped while staggering back as blood oozed from the fresh wound.
Her eyes darted toward the attacker— Selene.
Selene's playful demeanor was gone, replaced with an intense glare as she dashed toward Evelyn.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" she snarled.
But before she could reach Evelyn, three of Lucian's undead minions intercepted her.
Skeletal warriors with rusted armor and hollow, glowing eyes grabbed onto Selene's arms and legs, pinning her down.
Selene gritted her teeth and struggled, trying to activate another assassin skill—but her mana was completely drained.
Evelyn clutched her wounded shoulder while panting. Her face contorted in pure rage as she glared down at Selene.
"You bitch! You wounded me!" she seethed.
Then she kicked Selene in the face.
Selene growled while trying to move, but the undead minions held her firmly in place.
Evelyn stomped on her again. And again. And again.
Meanwhile—
Outside the castle, just a few feet below the shattered window, a figure clung to the wall.
His sword was lodged into the side of the castle's wall, preventing his body from plummeting.
This was Victor.
He dangled in place for a few seconds while breathing hard before gritting his teeth and pulling himself back up.
Moments later, he reached the edge of the shattered window.
As Evelyn continued stomping on Selene, she didn't notice the presence behind her.
Victor stood at the base of the sword with his hands already gripping the hilt.
A pulse of energy radiated through the entire room.
Evelyn froze.
She turned around slowly— but it was too late.
Victor pulled with force.
SHHHHRRRRKKKK!
The moment the sword came free, a violent shockwave of power erupted outward, shaking the entire castle.
Evelyn's body was lifted into the air and sent flying across the room before crashing into a pile of debris.
Victor stood in place, panting heavily with the magical sword gripped firmly in his hands.
And just like that—
The test was over.
...
...
Minutes Later, the castle crumbled into golden dust, vanishing as if it had never existed. The chaotic winds died down, and the unstable lightning faded, leaving the awakeners standing on a now-flat, neutral battlefield.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then, the eruption of noise followed.
Gasps, murmurs, and outright shouts of disbelief rang through the air as the reality of what had just happened began to sink in.
Victor Revenant had pulled the sword.
Victor Revenant's team had won the test.
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Victor Revenant had done the impossible.
"There's no way!" someone from the crowd blurted out. "How the hell did a nobody like him pull it out?! He doesn't even have a complete team!"
"Wasn't he the guy who was dead last at the beginning?!" a warrior awakener pointed at the screen, where Victor's initial zero score was still displayed in the earlier rankings.
Others were shocked in admiration.
"That was insane..." another one of the warriors muttered. "I don't care what anyone says—he's strong."
"He actually went up against Evelyn and her team and won? They were practically the only complete team with a Necromancer... how did they lose?" an assassin murmured to their teammate.