Chapter 367: Going All Out

Archers fall under the rouge occupation that were heavily relying on initiative and innovation. Being an archer, they were tasked to support the team from behind; must have a keen sense; and sharp minds. While most mages carry items to support the team, especially healing and replenishing potions. Archers on the other hand must-have items that would ensure the team's survival and mission accomplishment must be at a hundred percent.

These items include deployable traps, hidden weapons, food, ammunition, and signal flares that beckons the team's position.

Depending on the color of the flare was the team's next movement. Blue means a team was down and needs help. Green was for mages, and healers if they have one, white was to flee, yellow if a team needed to escape but unable to do so with certain circumstances, and red means all team must gather to a spot and prepare for a possible battle of stronger enemies.

Claurette shot a red flare. To the sky, from a place barren of any individuals but only him and Ned.

But the flare might also open the team to any potential threat that didn't belong to the team or was not invited by the team. Bandits perhaps, luckily no bandits in Wrath Island or candidates looking for their next target—and that confused Ned.

Ned took a long and calm breath, he knew, fighting a puppet was too much for Ned, added with the worm-like beast, he was also forced to fight his limits.

With the additional puppet that came, there's no stopping anymore.

The new puppet raised his other hand to punch Claurette—

"Ten seconds," Ned muttered—

A spray of acid came, along with the tattered puppet's figure appeared behind Ned. The puppet pulled a thin knife off his sleeves and stabbed Ned behind his back, just above his waist.

But the knife hit nothing but Ned's afterimage. The acid barely grazed the puppet, but not Ned. Ned appeared behind the puppet, instead, and conjured Fireball.

Before the Fireball exploded, Ned blurred with steam and then instantly appeared beside the new puppet and slashed his hand with Krisalix. Ned's other hand conjured Firelance and Windlance that stabbed the gaps of the shells of the beast.

In a blink of an eye, the tattered puppet was launched midair from the explosion of the Fireball, the magical beast coiled in pain from the Firelance and Windlance. Although the Krisalix bounced from the ceramic arm of the new puppet, the force Ned connected along with Overclock forced the new puppet to bent and fall on his knees, letting go of Claurette in the process.

The boost ended within two seconds, but it was enough for Ned to feel all the strain speeding through his vessels.

He then bent and scoop Claurette. The latter could barely make a whizz, let alone sound, to counter the awkwardness he was feeling. He instead kept quiet.

Ned boosted again, and in one second, he traveled almost 15 meters. But the distance wasn't enough to leave the trio, now conscious, and pursuing them.

Ned had to cycle the Overclock, to remain active while he carries Claurette over his shoulder. The tall guy could barely move while he slung the bow behind his back. The plain made the surrounding somewhat easily recognizable without the trees blocking Ned's view. The downside was, Ned wasn't able to use the Zephyr spell to latch himself to trees or tall objects—it would somehow increase his maneuverability.

Ned observed the mountain in the center was visible, but still far over the horizon.

Ned was getting slower in between his cycle of Overclock, so much that pair of puppets was now able to catch up with him.

Ned skipped, evading the kick the pair of puppets committed as they tried to thwart Ned from going any farther but failed to do so.

A faint light Ned caught from the tip of his eyes, too faint as though it was a thread of a spider. This thread of bluish light kept on extending to Ned. He was on Overclock, his senses were heightened more than the double, so much he was able to see even the finest, and micro form of Mana.

Ned twisted his waist, spun with his boots in a blur against the dust, and slashed the fine thread of light with Krisalix.

Although hidden under their black coat, the pair of puppets were acting in unison that Ned was able to notice the shrug of their shoulders. The puppet to his right, the one with his cloak tattered from the fight between, flicked a wrist, throwing another fine tread of Mana.

He might have thought, or Tailor might have thought that what Ned did just not was a fluke. But it wasn't, the fine thread of Mana was once again cut by the Krisalix. It was also at this moment that Ned was able to notice another Mana connected in their chest. The thicker kind of Mana was connected back to the forest, which gives Ned the understanding that the Tailor was left back inside the forest, or to wherever he was planning as he hides.

Ned better makes it to the center before the Tailor enacts whatever his plans were.

If he could cut the fine thread that was trying to stick to him. Then what if he tried to sever the thicker thread that connects those puppets and their master.

By now, Ned has the understanding that the fine thread the puppets were trying to connect to him was the spell that able to control their target. But it seemed that he was only able to see the thread when Overclock was active.

But if he wanted to make it to the center, Ned must be able to battle the three of them.

"Three?" Ned raised an eyebrow, overlooking the gaps between the two puppets, where the magical beast was supposed to be trialing with them. But for whatever reason, there was none, the beast wasn't even following them anymore.

Ned took this chance to have his plan in motion. Ned canceled Overclock, giving him time to relax, then activated it once again.

Then, Ned's legs were set in motion, they blur. It blurs so much that even a Hollow wasn't able to see them, as though he was floating midair.

Ned made a hard turn, leaving the puppets confused. Not far from them was where he laid Claurette to rest over a cold grass. The latter was conscious but was having a hard time following Ned. He smiled, his neck was bruising in red from the puppet's print.

Six more seconds and ICE will force the Overclock to stop.

Now, if there were no other participants aside from him and Claurette. Ned suspected that the Tailor must have done something about this. But this would also give Ned an advantage if the puppets weren't invited in the exam, in which they are, since they killed some of the candidates, then they must have taken a great measure for them not to be discovered by the Hunter's Association.

Ned grinned with his body in steam, his skin turning red.

Once he was near the pair of puppets, Ned flicked his hand and produced the broken Butterfly. His other hand was swapped with the Krisalix. With the remaining energy he had, below 25%, Ned swirled the pair of swords and made the Vanishing Stance. His energy was draining so fast from the Overclock and Vanishing Stance, but it must be done.

A swirl of greenish light was made to extend the Butterfly. It made a humming sound whenever Ned waved the sword. It was also the same humming sound it made after Ned appeared on the side of the tattered puppet. The puppet slashed Ned with the knife as soon as he determined Ned's location. But before his knife could reach Ned, his arm fell.

Even Ned was surprised to see that the ceramic arm the puppet has—had—was cut to half.

The Butterfly, which wasn't even in its final complete form, cut the puppet's arm like it was nothing. Like Ned hit nothing but air.

Ned didn't stop just there. Under his vision was the bluish thread of Mana with the end connected to the puppet's chest.

The puppet raised his remaining hand as though devious of what had happened to his other arm, unable to predict Ned's movements.

Ned then appeared behind the tattered puppet and pointed the Butterfly in the center of its back, hoping that he would stab the Cote the puppet hidden—

The other puppet appeared behind Ned as though anticipating Ned's next move.

But with Overclock on, the new puppet's speed couldn't be compared to Ned.

Ned made a cyclone move between the two puppets. Cutting and pushing them both.

Their hands were made to block the pair of swords were left hanging of tattered cloth, with the ceramics underneath it almost peeled.

After Ned made a complete turn, he stopped and cut the neck of the tattered puppet. Before he falls, Ned stabbed his chest from behind. The swirling green of energy from the Butterfly made its way between the chest of the puppet. Destroying the Core, severing the bluish Mana of thread, and eventually killing the puppet.

Ned's breath came along with heavy steam. His skin now fiery red from hotness and Ned heard yelling from afar where the magical beast was fighting with someone.