Chapter 352: Hunter Exam: Theatre of War, VIII

They weren't just surrounded, they were overwhelmed as well. The ratio was 1:20, for everyone candidate was 20 Kruka-toas and that wasn't included the eight orange-striped humanoids that played the Were candidate in a matter of seconds.

Ned counted 9 candidates, behind, 10 including him. The two from the first cage were dead already, and the female mage was unable to fight as she was losing blood faster than Ned expected from her right leg. She was pale as a ghost, a cliche he often heard but was the only one he could think of.

Ned gripped the Krisalix on his right hand, he smiled thinking that buying a sword was the right decision at all. But thinking that the revolver would suit best at this situation, she barely shrugged his shoulder. He was going all out this time with the Zephyr spell chains illuminating on his left wrists, but the black hunter he was wearing piped inside was long sleeves that barely shows the light of the spell.

Easy, Ned told himself. Easy.

The thought of the man ordering Tiathe to kill the candidates put stress on Ned.

"I get that you have a plan about this?" The candidate was already a Were even before he approached Ned. For a young Were, he was quite big after the brownish fur kept on growing over his shoulders and arms. But he was young for a Were since his face was barely covered with the fur that shows his brown eyes burning of the eagerness to fight. He cracked his knuckles and neck as he waited for Ned's response.

"How was your team?" Ned had to ask. He wasn't going to battle all of them, he needed someone to spread the aggressiveness evenly and hoped that the Werebear's team could hold out an escape if was given the chance.

Ned stood facing nearly 200 of the Kruka-toas, Minron in the middle, and Tiathe behind his minions standing and gritting her teeth in anger as he looked at the candidates.

"When you have the chance, leave," Ned commanded and robbed the Werebear the chance to respond.

The Werebear stopped growing bigger and Ned supposed it was his final form as he stood towering him by over a few inches, but still looking like a cub compared to Minron.

"We can't," spoke the Were.

"Why?"

"We need the orbs to proceed to the next phase." It was the male who wore a lady's clothing, he was blushing red even with torches as the light. "Last time I checked"—glaring at the Werebear—"someone took it."

"If only your team let my team go, we wouldn't be here." Glared the Werebear back.

"How are we going to fight?" One of the archers said approaching Ned and the rest empty-handed. "And Brok, that's enough. It was also your fault that we ended up crossing the path with him."

Brok's team was balanced with him the only warrior profession, a pair of knight classes, and another pair of archers. The next tallest to the Were was their captive with his fingers seemed to be fidgeting nonstop.

"Girl," he said, his hair covered half of his back down to his waist, "give me a bow."

"If we can leave this place," says the first archer, "but we needed to find our weapons."

"It's next to the granary," a voice rang behind the group. All spun except for Ned whose eyes boring at Tiathe. "That's where they keep the weapons they seized.

"I'll hold them off," Ned said, his face was calm but if anyone would put an ear next to his chest they would hear a loud lab-dub lab-dub sound, and ICE will strongly agree.

[You don't need to do it, Ned.]

ICE agreed to what she thinks logical in the current situation.

[Leave them.]

I understand why you wanted me to do it, Ned thought. But a part of me was crying to save them, and save Tiathe.

There, Ned has said it. What he wanted to say amidst all the anger. It was a part that Master Will taught him. If he couldn't obey that part of him—that feeling—then what's the point of being Master Will's student.

"So," Ned said instead of a thought. "You have to aid me on this one. I'm sorry."

A series of chimes resounded inside Ned's mind, and he smiled. ICE has gifted his ideas on how to, at least, hold them just in time for the candidates while saving himself on the process.

With the remaining Mana of 2, 000 and energy sitting duck at 35%, ICE made the best option for Ned.

[I know this was as close as to what you are thinking.]

[But you won't do it if the elf is there.]

"By the way," the Werebear grumbled, he then threw himself on the ground and readied himself to fight on four. "I don't know who you are, but I wished you were on my team."

Ned ignored the Werebear and said over his shoulder, "At my signal, someone must go the shelter to your right, it is the fourth hut next to the granary. Leave two of your team to protect them."

Ned looked at the pair (seemed to be a warrior) and the female mage leaking blood. She was supported to stand by the warrior by wrapping his hands over her shoulder while the staff was raised with her trembling hand.

Does she still want to fight?

Their faces were twitched in different directions after hearing Ned. What could be the signal? They must have thought.

But before any one of them could utter a single word, Ned vanished from his spot and left an afterimage, then appeared hovering over Tiathe.

Tiathe was Ned's plan, so he conjured Egneous one more time using a thousand of his mana and instantly appeared above her with the Egneous orb on the ready to fling right on her face. It might not be enough to stop her, but sure to slow her down.

"Such Mana for a tiny human," Tiathe said conjuring spells to defend herself.

"Size doesn't matter." Ned flings his right hand.

There goes the Egneous orb and as soon as it entered the range of Tiathe, a wall of crystalized mud and wood sprouted on the ground.

Ned hoped that the other candidates knew that it was the signal. But as soon as the two spells impacted, Tiathe felt a shiver running down her spine as she trembled her body. Ned wondered about this, it seemed that instead of withdrawing away from the spell, she was deliberately putting herself in front of Ned's spell.

Ned had to brush off the thought for the moment, since according to ICE's plan: Tiathe must be distracted even just for a brief moment. Seemed that Ned's attack distracted her after the Egneous spell was still taking her time as he kept on absorbing the orb.

Ned left an afterimage midair after he conjured Zephyr spell that went latching to the ground nearest to the Kruka-toas' leaders striped with orange.

"Four," Ned muttered after killing four of the orange-striped Kruka-toas in two seconds.

Ned caught a Fireball blowing two of the minions. The spell was from the mage standing on one leg while being supported by his team. Everything on Ned's vision felt like the time around him slowed down as he leaps from one spot to the other with his body steaming.

After three seconds after the signal, Ned killed all of the Kruka-toas' leader, that left them with only the smaller ones. But their encampment would not just fall from losing their leaders. As far as Ned was concerned, there was Minron and Tiathe that he needed to deal with.

But at least, now that the leaders of the magical beasts were killed, the candidates were given the chance to fight back.

It has been five seconds and the candidates were still making their way inside the gaps of the shelters being the Werebear in front to deal with the advancing beasts. While the knights and archers were supporting him from behind.

Ned frowned killing dozens of the Kruka-toas as he made his way towards Minron. Ned looked over his shoulder and saw that it was the one captive's captive who was left to stand guard with the bloodied mage.

Now that the first plan has been set: to distract Tiathe for a moment. Ned now has to deal with the minotaur. Gauging from their fight before, a thousand Mana and a little less than 30 energy were enough to defeat him; defeat, not totally kill. But it's worth a try.

Seven seconds passed, Ned didn't defeat Minron. Not just he didn't but he could not. When enraged, most of his spells, especially fire spells, were not working at him.

But Ned let out a fury of hundreds of cuts using Vanishing Stance in which Minron couldn't even follow.

The minotaur gushed out of blood as his skin was cut open with Ned's swords. He could barely stand with his eyes wide open in disbelief. He held the ax on both hands while steam leaving his nose.

Ned stood in front of Minron, but not looking at him. Instead, he was looking over his shoulder. Behind him, Tiathe was brimming with a smile as he looked over Ned. She could barely hold her grin as he looked at Ned.

Ned saw an afterimage, this time it was Tiathe. With the Overclock exhausted, Ned could barely keep track of her.

Tiathe appeared over Minron's shoulder and said, "Kill him."

After which followed by the crystallized mud coating his body like armor.

"Now let's see what you can do, Ned?"