Chapter 63 63:Hunting Field Test



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[Item]

[Flash Ring]:20000 Experience Points

Cast a blinding flash over a radius of 1 meter that blinds the opponent's vision for 10 seconds. The user's vision wouldn't be affected

[Swift Boots]:50000 Experience Points

Increase agility by one minor realm for a minute.Cannot complement the user agility if it surpasses the threshold of peak 3-Star.

Cooldown:1 hour

...….

[Skill]

[F Rank]

[Shadow Steps]:30000 Experience Points

The skill allows the user to step in and out of the shadow by using the technique of shadow teleportation. The user can use shadow steps around a radius of 50 meters.

[Ice Spikes]:20000 Experience Points

The skill allows the user to summon ice spikes of various sizes according to the user's capability, throwing them anywhere according to the user's will. The user can summon a maximum of 10 ice spikes at once. The size and range of the throw depend on the user's expenditure of mana.

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Glancing around the screen seriously, he sighed seeing the experience points. On top of being busy, encountering monsters he could take on had become quite rare.

The crew cannot waste their time entering the G or F-rank dungeon, whereas Lucas did not want to take the risk of entering the dungeon alone.

Being unfamiliar while accompanied by deadly bad luck, he won't want to be caught in a mess before the Field Test.

The situation was becoming quite serious. Since Horizon was actively looking for perpetrators, there might be some changes in the scenarios.

Moreover, secret battles had already been fought. There were also traces of a few people getting imprisoned.

So, Lucas wanted to be better prepared and use all the skills he had in his arsenal. However, he was only able to accumulate 23,400 experience points.

"I should buy the items for later."

''The two skills are great but the number of skills is less than previously. And why am I feeling that the system is proactively selling me Ice related skills?"Lucas rubbed his chin, staring at the blue skin suspiciously.

"If given a choice, I feel Shadow Step is more useful. It can be used both for attacking and escaping. And it doesn't even have a cooldown."

"Alas, I have no choice."

"I can only buy an ice spike but can I use it effectively.."

At that moment Sir Harris's words echoed in his ears. There is no useless skill or power. Everything has its use, no matter how insignificant it may be. If one can't use his power properly, then that means that person is just incompetent.

Without a second thought, he picked Ice Spike's skill. Information crashed like waves in his brain.

Though his vision became blank momentarily, his condition was better than the previous times as his body was slowly getting adjusted to this ambiguous feeling

Exhaling heavily, Lucas stared outside the window with an uneasy expression.

"I hope I can survive to see the moon after tomorrow."

....

When all the students gathered, the number approached nearly 4000 students.

Seeing the huge number of students, one might think that there was going to be a ceremony. In a way, the Hunting Field Test carries a subtle meaning.

Hunt your way to the top or get hunted.

After two months of sheltering, this was the first event where there is an actual threat to life. Students have died here previously after being attacked by monsters. So, the faculties and staff are quite meticulous in their preparation.

Still, what can they do if there were moles in between them? Sadly, Lucas did not know the identity of the moles or the process through which they infiltrated Horizon.

The attack would catch everyone by surprise. Their main targets were the noble heirs and noble children of higher authority.

Rose, Charles, and Frederick were their top targets. Many students were going to be kidnapped and many are going to be killed today.

There was going to be a bloodbath today.

When the appointed time arrived,15 Instructors followed by 20 assistants entered the scene.

The students stood in line in front of the forest gate. Soon after, students were handed out a copy of the map.

Harris shouted standing in the middle of the group of Instructors.

"I will tell you the goal of the test so listen carefully."

Lucas, looking at the map marking a part of the forest leading to a ridge forming a small hill, wondered if Sir Harris gave the set of instructions in the novel.

"Your goal is simple. Clear the obstructions that lay in your path, Climb to the top of Mace Hill and cross the finishing line, stamp your hands on the registration plate."

"On the path you will encounter Golems made by magic faculties. After crossing that line, you will encounter monsters and beasts."

"There are many routes marked on the back and labeled with danger they possess. The shorter the route, the greater the danger it possesses."

"This test will evaluate your performance. From your decision-making skills to your battle and survival skills. Everything will be marked. Naturally, the one who finishes first will get more benefits. Your position will also affect your ranking at the end of the year."

"Once entered, if you find yourself in trouble or want to quit, just fire the emergency signal given to you. Guards who are on standby will immediately rush to your rescue."

"However, you will fail, and failing another exam after this would mean…."

He did not speak further but everyone knew it was goodbye.

The students carefully noted Harris's instructions. While some were fueled with battle spirit, some started to panic.

Not everyone enters Horizon to be a warrior. Many pursue different paths. The ones in the lower ranks mostly pursue research-oriented fields like Alchemy, Engineering, Blacksmithing, Refining, Healing, and many others.

Since they mostly have expertise in another field, their fighting capability is less so naturally they were scared.

However, they had to harden themselves. As awakened, they naturally had better physiques than unawakened ones and should at least know to protect themselves in time of need.

Lucas, putting back the map, glanced at others forming teams. Frederick asked about this and naturally, he refused...

He is not that eager to court death.

Team play was encouraged by instructors and it would also help the weaker ones to avert troubles.

However, Lucas did not form a team as he was going to hide. As he passed through the crowd, he met Roan.

Thinking for a moment, Lucas decides to warn him.

"Roan, you should be careful today. There lies a great peril in there."

"Are you sure you don't want to team up?"Roan asked worriedly.

"Yes! I want to be free. You know I don't feel safe to leave my back to strangers. And yeah, even if you want to be in the team don't join Frederick. We are quite weak compared to them. Not only will we hinder them, but we will also be in constant threat as they have to face stronger opponents."

Roan nodded obediently.

"Okay, good luck."Lucas wished Roan and was about to leave when Roan called him.

"Wait, Lucas..."

"Take these..."Roan took a few black balls from his poach and handed them to Lucas.

"What are these?"

"Smoke bombs."

Lucas's eyes flashed with surprise and a smile appeared on his face.

'Good...Good...I didn't raise you in vain, Roan.'

Smiling happily, Lucas flicked something at Roan.

"Take this..."

"This...."

"Think of this as a return gift from me, "Lucas shouted and left before Roan could thank him.

In his hand, was a storage ring. He lacked a storage ring so he carried things in a pouch tied around his wrist.

"Thanks, "Roan muttered softly as clenching the ring tightly, he found that there were some useful things in it.

.....

The grassy ground started to tremble as soon as the gate opened, and a huge line of golems of various shapes appeared in everyone's sight.

Some were big but had stiff movements while some were small and quite agile. Their strengths varied from 1-Star to 3-Star.

The line of golems started to extend. Seeing this, the faces of the students were distorted.

In respect to 4000 students, the number of Golems standing before them was enormous. It was certainly no less than their number.

Lucas unfocused on the army of golems, stared at the sky with a piercing gaze. It might be difficult to notice with a glance but if observed, one could see tiny black dots with a pair of feathers whipping vigorously.

They were snitches. It was a magical device that was used for sending letters previously but with the advent of technology, it can also be used for monitoring after being fitted with a camera. Lucas wanted to take the opportunity of the chaos to slip out so he needs to keep an eye on that thing.

As students tensed their nerves and gritted their teeth to fight, Lucas could see many already prepared to fire the emergency signal in the case of trouble.

Lucas's brows furrowed as a sudden realization struck him.

'Maybe...Maybe, the members of Omen have replaced the guards and will use emergency signals to their advantage to infiltrate.'

Lucas did not know how much his assumptions were correct but once he thought about this, he couldn't shake away the inkling feeling.

"I should stay away from guards."

BOOOOM!

A huge firework blasted into the sky signaling the start of the test.

Upon getting the confirmation, students started to run wildly and pounced on the Golems...

The group of wolves and sheep jumped at each other but it was unknown which group was of wolves and which was of sheeps.