Chapter 27: Wrong Target
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"The assessment is very simple— in the next hour, I want you all to find and kill ten F-Rank beasts."
"Ten!?" The students all exclaimed simultaneously.
"What? Is it too hard?" Instructor Gerald said with raised eyebrows. "This is going to be my easiest assessment, as it is my first time giving you one."
"Easiest?" The students all groaned like they had just signed a death sentence.
But Theon could understand how they all felt. After all, most first year students in the Ashborne hall were either F-Rank or E-Rank.
Assigning them to kill ten F-Rank beasts was basically sending them to their own deaths.
The E-Ranks could probably handle it. It would give them a little tough time, but they would be able to do it. The F-ranks though, didn’t stand much of a chance.
"Now as you all know," the instructor continued. "All beasts possess a resonance core. Your goal is to kill and bring back ten F-Rank resonance cores."
The grin on the instructor’s face didn’t change as he continued. "Of course, you could also bring me five E-Rank resonance cores. You will still get your full marks. And as a reward, whoever completes this assessment will get to keep the resonance cores they collected."
The students all gasped, their faces filled with shock. Resonants also had the ability to absorb essence of other creatures from their cores directly into theirs.
It was a much faster way of breaking through than absorbing essence from the environment.
And they had just been offered a chance to take ten of such cores for themselves. Well, they still had to get it themselves.
"There is still another alternative, of course." Instructor Gerald announced. "You could also bring me a single D-Rank core. Whoever is able to bring me that, will receive a special reward from me personally."
The students’ eyes widened. A personal reward from an instructor such as Gerald was not something to come by so easily.
Some began to consider trying to get the D-Rank core, but they soon deleted the idea from their heads.
Although it sounded tempting, it was still not worth them losing their lives to get it.
"Oh, and one more word of advice before you all begin." The instructor’s expression became serious. "Do not, under any condition cross the boundary of the outer region. Is that clear!"
"Yes sir!" The students all responded.
"Good! Now you may begin."
Immediately he gave the word, the students all dispersed into the forest with determined expressions.
Damon and Theon slowly walked towards the edge of the forest.
"What did he mean by the boundary of the outer region?" Theon asked Damon
It had sort of become a usual thing for Theon to ask Damon questions he didn’t have answers too. After all, Damon was the smart one.
It’s because the Bestial grounds is separated into three regions. The outer section— which contains beasts from F-Rank to D-Rank. Beasts on our level.
Then there is the inner section which contains beasts that have achieved C and B rank.
And lastly, the core region with beasts at the A rank. F rank students could die in the outer region, talk more of the inner regions. That’s why we are restricted from entering further regions."
Theon nodded quietly. ’As usual, he has the answer to everything.’
"By the way," Damon paused on reaching the edge. "Do you think we should handle this assessment together. The instructor never specified on whether we were supposed to get the cores in groups.
He also didn’t specify on how we were supposed to obtain the cores. Meaning things are bound to get dangerous if left alone."
Theon stared at Damon quietly. He knew Damon was right, but he didn’t plan on fighting any of the F rank or E rank beasts even.
Killing them would be too easy, and their cores would probably increase his current essence by a little margin. That was the disadvantage of having a triple resonance core. He required three times the essence a normal resonant did.
His targets were the D rank beasts. And he didn’t want to drag Damon into such danger.
"Sorry Damon," Theon scratched the back of his head. "But I want to handle this on my own."
Damon’s gaze lingered on Theon’s determined expressions, then he sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Fine—"
He turned and began walking towards another part of the forest, then he stopped and whispered.
"Just don’t overdo things, if you know you can’t handle this—back out now and— stay safe Theon... Wouldn’t want Amy after my life later."
He chuckled then disappeared into the forest.
Theon stared at the part of the forest Damon entered, smiled and stepped into the forest.
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The forest was incredibly dense, with trees towering towards the clouds and dense bushes that made it incredibly hard to walk through.
Theon had to use his katana to slash them apart to create enough space to move.
He had been walking within the forest for about ten minutes and he had already come across four F rank beasts and only a single E rank beast.
Of course, they were all relatively easy kills as it took at least a single slash of his katana to end their lives.
And just like he had suspected, when he tried to absorb both the F and E rank cores, it only increased the essence in his resonance core by a little margin.
The bushes rustled and another beast jumped out of it. It was a boar types of beasts with tusks as large as an elephant.
Based on the essence the beast released, Theon could tell that it was an E rank beast.
The beast charged forward with incredible speed matching that of a horse powered car on earth. It kicked up a massive amount of dust as it’s legs moved quickly.
It’s tusk was pointed forward with the aim to impale its prey.
’Predictable, as usual.’ Theon thought, then he sidestepped the beast’s attack— and in one smooth motion, he unsheathed his sword and performed a quick downward slash, aimed at the boar’s neck.
The dark blade glinted as it pierced through the beast’s hide, easily severing it’s head from its body.
"Another one down," Theon slashed the air, removing the traces of dark blood that stained it and sheathed the katana.
"How is it that I have not seen a single D rank beast?" Theon sighed helplessly. "Perhaps I should just head over to the boundaries of the outer region."
"But first—"
He turned and pointed his katana at a dense group of bushes. "You can come out now, I know you’re there."
The bushes began to shift and figures began to emerge from them. About five students, and leading them was— the bald-headed student from before.
"So you finally noticed," The bald-headed student walked forward with a sly grin on his face.
"I knew you had been tailing me from the very beginning," Theon sighed. "I just didn’t want to say anything till now."
The bald-headed student gritted his teeth. "You must be feeling on top of the world. You think beating me without my mutation type counts as a win."
"Really," Theon smiled. "So then why did you carry your little friends along."
"Why? Because they also have scores to settle with you of course. I don’t know how you got this strong," the bald-headed student pointed at the dead boar. "But, we are going to make your life a living hell."
"I’ve heard that more times than you’d think," Theon shrugged, then casually stretched out his hand and flicked his fingers to himself, beckoning them to approach.
"Come on! Let’s get this over with quickly."
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