Chapter 285: Graduation

The long table cracked from the strike of the hardened tentacles.

Ned was even surprised by his own movements. Leaving them underground for days coupled with his regular training with Roy made his body stronger and moved much faster than he used to be.

Ned simply tilted his head to evade the strike from the unnamed Shoon. He can't help but smile at his own action. Since when did he become so fast, that he could evade an attack from his blind spot. Perhaps his training with Roy that he doesn't felt the slight difference of his new physique.

"Shoon!"

Akk'ro and the rest stood in surprise. It was prohibited to fight inside the Hive. Even though they were fighting with other races. Still, as creatures trusted and valued by the Queen, they must respect others inside the Hive.

"If you want to fight go to the pits!"

They weren't angry at all, but they were paling. One even trembled as he stood looking at the Shoon that attacked Ned.

Then the ground shook and the ceiling above the dome-shaped chamber crackled with heavy footsteps.

A gigantic spider-like-creature with a trident she held dropped down from the ceiling. Over its abdomen attached a naked figure of a woman covered in yellow fine hair.

The rest of the crowd stumbled with their feet and limbs as they watched the descending giant.

It was one of the guardians appointed by Kon Sas Koron to watch over the Hive. This was also the first time Ned witnessed them.

The Hive guardian landed behind the Shoon that attacked Ned. Ned stood not to put his thoughts on the Shoon but the guardian that apprehends the attacker.

"You!" said the Shoon.

His body then hardened and turned to a dark metallic figure, disregarding the enormous Arachne behind him.

The Shoon then flashed forward with its limbs turned pointy as though looking like a drill and raised it to point to Ned.

Just like any other beast, his mana shone over his legs and arms. He tried to stab Ned with his drill-like arms but was blocked by the trident the Arachne was holding.

Instead of stopping, the Shoon took a step to his right and manipulated his tentacles, and then directed them towards Ned.

All these only to be blocked by the trident., again.

"Where is my brother!" Cried the Shoon.

Ned frowned from the Shoon's revelations.

"Brother?" Ned said. "What are you... "

"Khiccaal!" He cried. His breath was steamy under his darkened tentacles. "Where is my brother!"

"Shit!" Ned said as he rubbed his temples. "Another brotherly complex individual."

Last thing Ned remembered about Khiccaal the Shoon was that he was being battled by Twali. The butler slash Werewolf had completely defeated Khiccaal but Ned wasn't sure if defeating means death or simply incapacitated.

"That's enough Khicc," said the Arachne guardian. It seemed that being a guardian means to memorize the names of the inhabitants of the Hive. "It is prohibited to fight inside the Hive."

Khicc the Shoon, brother of Khiccaal, won't listen. He twisted his limbs to escape the trident that was locking his limbs, bones snapping could be heard inside his limbs. He then raised his free hand to form another hardened drill and extended it to Ned.

But there was a reason why guardians were called guardians, they only had one job, to guard and promote peace inside the Hive. And so, she did what she must have done after seeing the commotion a while ago. Yellow flashes of light ran from her fine hair down to the trident she was holding. These flashes of light electrocuted the Shoon. Making him looked like a smoked squid.

The Shoon then dropped on his knees with smoke leaving his purple skin.

"Human," the guardian Arachne said after picking up the unconscious Shoon. "You've done well enough. On behalf of the citizens of the Hive, I thank you for giving us time to prepare."

Ned elevated his head to meet the guardian's eyes. Slitted in yellow, the Arachne was honest about what she was saying.

After the guardian left, the creatures who were dumbfounded by what had happened let out a long sigh of relief.

"I told you," Akk'ro said towards the seated male Arachnes. "Human Ned is on our side."

Ned learned that after the incident at the ruined castle hidden underneath the Hive, Kruthiks were less seen invading.

—A week later after the incident at the Hive's mess hall.—

Ned and Roy trained. For Roy, this could be Ned's graduation training. He wasn't a man to share his emotions, but it was obvious that he was happy to train Ned. Although his burned skin was hiding his facial expressions, it was a crystal in his eyes as though he was relieved of something that was bothering him.

"This will be your last training," Roy said as he focused his mana on his body. The tip of his horns, on his forehead and shoulders, glowed red. "Come at me like you meant to kill me."

It was rare for a beast to conjure spells, but as a human turned beast, Roy could conjure spells and use them to extend his attacking range.

He raised his hand and conjured a fire spell. The Fireball then flew toward Ned after a long chant.

Ned frowned as he saw the Fireball flying toward him with a speed he could easily evade.

Ned showed a dangerous grin. His eyes gleamed silver as he stood unmoving on his spot.

"Oi."

Roy was surprised that Ned didn't move or conjured a spell to block his Fireball.

"What are you—"

Roy's Fireball was made from a Tier one spell. Ned wanted to try out if he could block spells from Tier one spells.

Ned raised both his hands and assumed a position that would limit the striking power of the Fireball. He spread his legs while he popped out his chest.

With Defender skill of the Mark of the Knight and the magical clothing Silk Road, the Fireball exploded to Ned but left nothing but traces of smokes, and fumes, and sparks.

The chamber dimmed orange after the explosion followed along by ripples of air that gushed out to the tiny stream behind Ned.

Under his display, the 3D model of his body flashed red but immediately turned to blue as though nothing had happened.

"Tier one was it?"

Ned smiled after feeling the tingles on his chest.

"You... " Roy laughed after the smokes vanished and saw Ned standing, unscathed. He then sighed and said, "Another monster I created. Yes. Yes. That was only Tier one."

"Is it possible to raise it to Tier two?" Ned asked, determined.

"Yes," Roy answered then raised his attacking hand. "But this is the strongest Fireball I could conjure."

The Mana around his palm condensed to tiny particles and formed a tiny orb of flame. He then threw the Fireball with a grunt for a more convincing and dramatic effect.

The difference in power per Tier was vast. One would take years to raise a Fireball to another Tier and the effect would not be much appreciated.

One would need a lot of time to train to properly feel the magic. By doing so, it would be a walk in the park once a spell has been mastered.

Roy's Fireball was different from Ned's Fireball in terms of strength, casting time, and Mana density. Not to mention the purity.

Still, a once veteran Hunter turned beast Fireball was different than the others. His Tier two Fireball was spinning faster, and much denser than before.

Ned felt the vast difference between the two Fireballs. If his Tier one was a river, then his Tier two was like raging waves before the storm.

So Tier two was my limit, Ned thought. But he wanted to feel the power Roy was giving off. So, he didn't move an inch.

"'Oi!"

For the second time, Roy was distracted by Ned's unwavering determination.

But before he could react another, Ned conjured a Wind spell to counteract the Fireball.

Windball was conjured the moment it reached Ned's range of one meter. The two spells clashed head-on and exploded upon contact.

That was close, Ned thought with a grin. "Seems that Tier two is my current limit."

"I said to come at me like you meant to kill me!"

Roy shook his head and brandished the blade on his waist and continued, "Again! This time you attack!"

It wasn't hidden anymore that Ned has spatial inventory. He flicked his wrist and the broken Butterfly produced as his main weapon. To his left was an orb in passive spinning only waiting to be released.

"Hmm," Ned hummed and said, "I might as well become a Magic Knight."

Ned bolted. Traces of fumes and smokes were left hovering in the air as he zigzagged towards Roy. With Vanishing Stance he was willing to use, Ned stabbed Roy with the broken Butterfly.

The broken Butterfly blurred, its path was unknown, whether it would hit Roy by the neck, or by the shoulder, or by the chest—it was unknown.

Ned's sword's mastery was the repetition of the Vanishing Stance he was training. It was the Third Form wherein his hands were blurring with speed.

But Roy was the one that thought him the Stance, to him, the counter was simple. Speed.

To match Ned's speed, he enforced his legs with mana.

With a speed that almost created a sonic boom, Roy blocked Ned's attack with his blade. But in order to be on par with his student's strength, Roy imbued his blades with his mana. Now, his sword was flaming red, while Ned was stretched to increase his strength.

The wind around them whistled after they made contact.

With a grin, Ned released the orb on his left hand at point-blank.

This time the air exploded from Ned's Fireball.

After the smoke vanished, Roy was left with scars, and one of his horn (over his forehead) was cut in half.

Roy was baffled by Ned's attack.

"It was a combo specifically made for you, Roy."

Ned smiled and explained that after Roy blocked the attack, Ned was already conjuring the orb on his left hand to be released as Fireball. But then again, the Fireball was only a distraction. Even before the Fireball exploded, Ned already changed the Stance's Form to Fourth, enabling him to increase the reach of the broken Butterfly. Successfully cutting his horn instead of his wide-open neck.

"Ned of Sskat," Roy said after a gulp. "You just graduated under my training."

After which, his horn fell on the ground.

CLANK