"Bring it on!" screams the cheerful idiot as we prepare to enter the portal for the exam site.
I've selected a blue-bladed katana as my weapon of choice. I have never been one for weapons, but my father drilled them into my fighting style, asking if I intended to engage a creature immune to elemental attacks in a debate. The blade and sheath are attached at the back of my waist, Sasuke-style. Okay, sue me ,I'll do anything that increases my "aura points." I'm also equipped with blue light armor that offers solid defense without affecting my movement. It's not tight, as I've always hated how uncomfortable that feels. It's not the best, but it will have to do.
I feel a little dizzy as I step through the portal, only to find myself standing in a vast forest with no creatures in sight. Choosing a random direction, I start weighing my options. Do I hunt creatures and show off the survival skills needed to last thirty days, or do I make sure I'm the last person standing?
I'll go with option two. I've never loved camping, and the thought of spending thirty days in this forest is already making me depressed. Forget performance; if I eliminate every single person here, who is going to tell my old man his son isn't qualified?
Yes, I'll do just that. Plus, with the world watching, it's the best way to win this thing and get the old man off my back.
I tilted my head just as an arrow whistled past my ear. I raised my hand and caught a second one headed straight for my eye. Seriously, what is it with people interrupting a man's thoughts? If I let this slide, it'll get out of hand. Four more idiots stepped out from behind the trees, circling me. None of them were carrying a bow, meaning the archer was still hidden.
"Have you collected any points?" asked a dwarf with a massive hammer resting on his shoulder.
"No," I answered calmly, hoping they would make the wise choice and back off.
"What a shame," said the girl behind me. "But eliminating a Monarch's child will still be a good thing for us."
"Idiots," I muttered under my breath. "This is going to be boring."
Flashstep. I activated the technique and appeared instantly in front of the girl. She panicked, trying to slash at my neck with her dagger, but I went low. I grabbed her by the ankle and swung her hard, her spine colliding with a tree with a sickening crack. She spat out blood before turning into particles and vanishing.
I shifted left as two more arrows flew past, then lifted my hand just in time to catch the huge hammer aimed at my skull. I caught it with ease and punched the idiot in the face with all my strength. I felt no resistance as my hand passed through his head; he turned into particles and exited the exam.
Windblades. I raised my hand, and dozens of air-sharp arcs shot out in succession, shredding the remaining two.
Thunderbolt, I thought. A bolt of lightning struck the hidden archer who was still trying to line up a shot.
Honestly, what did these Rank 1 and 2 idiots think they were going to accomplish? For the record, elemental abilities work with your imagination. You can visualize a fireball or a flame pillar, but its scale and destructiveness depend on your rank and how much mana you pump into the attack. Most people shout the names of their moves to help with the visualization; most also only memorize five to seven different attacks to keep things simple in a fight.
Techniques are different. They use pure mana, like the Golden Shield I use for defense. However, people like me with elemental affinities can infuse elements into our techniques. For example, I can add lightning to the 12 Moon Formation Blade for extra damage.
Regardless, I doubted those idiots had any points to give me. I checked the hologram on my wrist to see my name and rank. My points hadn't budged. But then, I saw it:
Rank 1: Damien Hunt – 260 points.
Who the hell is this guy? Is he just lucky, or am I in for a surprise? There are no renowned nobles named Hunt. Is he a commoner? Is this some "protagonist" scenario? Hahaha, this is going to be more fun than I thought.
"Interesting," I whispered, looking north toward a massive mana fluctuation. I sprinted in that direction, wanting to tag in on the fun.
I arrived at a clearing littered with uprooted trees, deep ditches, and trunks torn in half. What the hell happened here...
I didn't have time to finish the thought. My Golden Shield snapped into existence around me, followed by the sound of shattering glass. I jumped forward, letting the impact carry me as I used the wind to stabilize myself. I turned around, but I didn't even have time to shout an insult—a sharp blade was already inches from my face.
I combined Flashstep with Lightning to back up, launching a massive fireball at whoever was bold enough to attack me.