Chapter 162 Combat Exam (3)

Chapter 162  Combat Exam (3)

Clang...

My Longsword collided with a Silver whip that coiled around its gleaming blade, sending sparks flying in all directions.

"..."

I could see the metal of my sword strain against the force of the impact, the sound of steel meeting steel reverberating in my ears.

It was already the fifth time that the whip had tried to disarm me during our duel.

"Just give up..."

However, I only sighed in response, dismissing my Authority with a wave of my hand and summoning it once again within seconds.

"Do you really want to fail the Combat Exam?"

I tried to persuade Stella to reconsider her approach, however, it seemed as if she was deaf to my warnings.

'Annoying...'

Massaging my strained wrist, I realized that there was no reason to hold back any longer.

If she won't listen to me then I'll just finish this fight quickly and decisively.

"Aura Blade..."

With a surge of Mana, a golden dagger began to materialize in my free hand, its ethereal glow illuminating the area around me.

Even Stella hesitated for a moment, her eyes widening at the sight weapons in hand.

of the mysterious weapon.

However, I didn't allow her to rest, dashing forward with now two weapons in hand.

Clank...

As per usual, my Authority clashed against the whip, each strike sending vibrations through my arms.

However, my Aura Blade...

Creak...

It tore straight through the silver whip, slicing it cleanly in two.

"Wha-"

Stella's words got stuck in her throat as she stumbled backward, her weapon now in ruins, but before she could even recover I pressed forward, driving my fist into her gut.

"Ughhh..."

Stella crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath, defeat evident in her pained expression.

However, I didn't hesitate even for a moment, delivering a swift strike to the side of Stella's head with the hilt of my Longsword, rendering her unconscious.

"..."

Seeing as her body relaxed on the snow-covered ground, I cut the Mana flow to the Aura Blade and let it dissipate into nothingness.

My attention instantly shifted from the defeated Stella to the surrounding area, glancing at the short boy, who was still watching the duel with a pained expression.

Swish...

I saw as he reached for his pocket to pull out another dozen of his daggers, however, before he could make a move, I appeared before him, delivering a swift kick to his jaw and knocking him unconscious.

"That was a good fight..."

Suddenly, Robbin appeared behind me, clapping his hands and lifting the unconscious Trio with his Mana Art.

I observed as their bodies floated mid-air, suspended by Robbin's powers.

"I'm just collecting the bodies of failed students..."

He soared into the air, effortlessly hovering above the ground as he carried the defeated trio away, signaling the end of the confrontation.

"Continue the exam and..."

Throwing me the last look, I could swear I could see him smirk."

"Reach Top-30 if you don't want me to harden your training!"

With that he disappeared into the sky, leaving me with a dreadful expression.

I'd rather fight the Boss of this Dungeon than face the wrath of Robbin's intensified training.

It was already hell and I really didn't want to imagine what would happen if I failed to meet his expectations.

"..."

Blinking my eyes a few times, I took a deep breath before preparing myself to continue the exam and give it my best effort.

Crunch... Crunch...

The sound of my boots crunching on the snow beneath me underscored the silence that hung in the air.

The spruce trees towered over me, their branches heavy with snow, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere despite the dangers that hid in every corner of this forest.

Howl...

Suddenly, a distant howl echoed through the forest, making a small smile appear on my face.

"I found a target..."

My gaze shifted toward the direction of the howl, my senses sharpening as I prepared to face whatever awaited me in the depths of the forest.

Crunch... Crunch...

With hurried steps, I dashed toward the source of the sound, ignoring the sound of my footsteps.

Even if I were to draw any predators' attention, I could pummel them and gain some points.

Swish...

Moving through the dense forest with agility, I managed to reach the location of the howl, only to discover that it was nothing more than an injured monster, whimpering in pain.

It was a creature I had encountered the last time I ventured into the Ice Dungeon, a Winter Wolf.

The monster had white fur and a black horn protruding from its forehead.

A long slash wound ran along its side, oozing with blood and leaking onto the snow-covered ground.

I could see its ribcage rising and falling rapidly as it struggled to breathe.

"It's about to die..."

Looking at the pitiful state of the Winter Wolf, I slowly came out of hiding, instantly garnering its attention.

Grrr...

The monster growled at me warily, its eyes foggy with pain and exhaustion.

The wolf was on its death doors.

Crunch... Crunch...

However, even when the monster continued to growl, I didn't stop advancing toward it.

The wounded beast also understood that and tried to run, but its injuries slowed it down significantly.

Whoosh...

I channeled Mana into my body, making the Wolf freeze in place, now aware of its impending fate.

Since it was a G-Rank being I was more than a whole Rank stronger. There was simply no way it could escape, so even though it struggled, it was ultimately futile.

"I'll make it quick..."

Summoning my Authority, I stepped closer to the Winter Wolf, our eyes locked in a somber moment of understanding.

"..."

The wolf stopped whimpering or moving and simply stared at me, its eyes carrying a mix of fear, resignation, and relief.

Swish...

With a swift motion of my Longsword, I brought an end to the suffering of the Winter Wolf, ensuring a quick and merciful death for the wounded creature.

Thud...

As its body slumped to the ground, I didn't waste any time, using 'Mana Perception' to scan its body for a core, but, unfortunately, the wolf was not in possession of one.

"That's... unfortunate..."

Pinching my nose bridge, I turned away from the lifeless Winter Wolf.

I didn't have any more time to mourn the loss of the possible core and potential loot.

Crunch... Crunch...

My eyes shifted to the blood trail leading away from the Winter Wolf's corpse. The lonely crimson path stretched as far as the eye could see, disappearing into the snowy landscape.

"..."

Observing it for a few moments, I glanced back at the wound on the Winter Wolf's side.

The white fur of the monster was stained with a deep red, evidence of the struggle it had endured.

A deep slash wound ran across its flank, however, observing it closer, I noticed something peculiar.

The injury of the creature was not narrow and clean like a typical sword cut would be.

Instead, it was jagged and uneven, almost as if it had been clawed by another creature.

"Yeti..."

My golden eyes shimmered in the dim light as realization dawned on me.

I've spotted another prey...

***

Swish...

An arrow tore through the frosty air, striking the target with deadly precision and bringing a Yeti to its knees.

Grrr...

The monster barely managed to let out a growl before collapsing onto the frozen ground, its massive frame trembling before finally going still.

"..."

For a few minutes, the vicinity grew still as if the being responsible for killing the Yeti disappeared into thin air, leaving only the remnants of its lethal encounter.

Crunch...

However, soon, the silence was broken by the sound of crunching snow under a pair of boots.

A figure emerged from the cover of the surrounding forest, its emerald eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

The figure wore a thick cloak of fur and held a sturdy longbow in her hand, which seemed to require immense strength to pull back.

A pair of silver earrings glinted in the sunlight as the figure tilted her head, listening for any sounds that would alert her to nearby threats.

"It's safe..."

Brushing her blond hair out of her face, she stepped forward, moving closer to the fallen Yeti.

Click...

The massive longbow in her hands suddenly disappeared in her Spatial Bracelet and a sharp dagger appeared in its place.

Pluck...

Without hesitation, she began to expertly cut into the Yeti's thick hide, her skilled hands navigating through the rough and coarse fur.

With every cut, the sound of tearing flesh filled the air, revealing the creature's muscular body underneath.

"Found it..."

With a satisfied small, if that could even be called a smile, the figure extracted a shimmering Azure Core from the Yeti's chest.

It was an Ice Affinity Core.

"I could sell this for a significant amount..."

Katarina muttered, carefully placing the bloody orb into her Spatial Storage and wiping the blood off her hands with snow.

'I should-'

Before she could even finish a thought, her ears perked up at the distant sound of footsteps.

Within seconds a bow appeared in her hands as she swiftly turned towards the source of the noise, her Emerald eyes scanning the surroundings for any potential threats.

"..."