Chapter 167 Combat Exam (8)



Swish...

Katarina's dagger sliced through the air with a satisfying sound before coming to a complete halt when a massive paw came its way.

Thud...

She tried to overpower the creature, but the bear seemed like an immovable object, a mounting of hulking muscle and fur.

No matter how hard she strained her Awakened body, she couldn't budge the bear an inch.

Grrr...

A guttural growl escaped a bear's throat, sending shivers down Katarina's spine.

Another paw clawed her way, its sharp claws glinting through the blizzard.

Thud...

It was so fast that Katarina barely had any time to dodge, her legs giving out a sharp jolt of pain as she abandoned her spot just in time.

'Ugh, I've sprained my ankle...'

Hobbling to the side, she winced as pain shot up her leg with each step.

However, her external appearance remained unreadable, her face calm and collected, her eyes shimmering like emeralds through veils of snowflakes.

"..."

Mana surged through her body, channeling through her veins and traversing all across her limbs.

Swish...

Her silhouette began to flicker in the blizzard as if mending with the swirling snowflakes.

Even the massive bear noticed this change and charged toward her with renewed ferocity, however, before he had the chance to reach her, Katarina vanished into thin air, leaving the bear bewildered and roaring in frustration.

The bear slammed its massive claws down onto the frozen ground, its roar echoing through the wintry landscape.

Its nose flared as it tried to catch the scent of the human, but due to the intense blizzard, all it could detect was the crisp, cold air.

Pluck...

However, it didn't need to search for her, because as soon as it let its guard down, Katarina reappeared beneath the bear's towering frame, her dagger coated with Mana.

"Please have a core..."

She whispered under her breath before driving her dagger into the monster's throat with a swift and precise motion.

Roar...

The monster reared back, letting out an anguished roar that shook the snow-covered trees.

At first, it couldn't even comprehend what had just happened, but as the pain intensified, it finally realized the threat it faced.

It lashed out with its giant paws, trying to strike Katarina, but she evaded the attacks with remarkable agility.

The monster knew it had no chance of survival since blood began to pour from its throat like a crimson waterfall, however, it continued to fight with unmatched determination, its dying breaths filled with fury and desperation.

If only it could kill this human, it could take its revenge and die a satisfied beast.

Grrr...

The bear lunged forward one final time, its jaws snapping in the air, but Katarina anticipated the move and leaped gracefully to the side, narrowly escaping its reach

Its massive body crashed onto the ground, sending a tremor through the snowy landscape.

For a moment, it seemed that the monster had breathed its last, but just as Katarina thought the battle was over, the bear let out a final growl and with one last surge of energy, swung its claws toward her.

!!!

Even Katarina didn't expect this, however, her reflexes kicked in and she crossed her daggers in a desperate attempt to shield herself from the deadly swipe.

Thud...

Her entire body shook as the bear's claws collided with her blades, the force of the impact sending her flying backward into the snow.

"Ughhh..."

She could feel her arm bones crack under immense pressure and the intense pain searing through her body.

Pluck...

She spat out a mouthful of blood and bit her tongue, refusing to let her consciousness fade.

She knew that once she lost consciousness the combat exam for her would be over.

"Aghh..."

Lying in the snow, battered and injured, Katarina managed to summon the last remnants of her strength and pushed herself up into a sitting position.

Her eyes instantly locked onto the bloody and beaten bear, its breathing now labored and weak.

Their eyes met for a second and Katarina could tell that the bear was on the verge of succumbing to its injuries.

"It's over..."

Seeing as life was seeping out of the bear's eyes, Katarina knew that her victory was imminent.

However, it came with a costly prize...

Both of her arms were broken.

Of course, this shouldn't be a problem since she had Health Potions in her Spatial bracelet.

However, how should she use those potions with broken arms?

She couldn't just ignore the pain and simply drink the potions. Even now the throbbing pain in her arms was almost unbearable.

Crunch... Crunch...

Katarina was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

"Fancy meeting you here in such a state..."

She barely managed to hold in a gasping breath, turning her head quickly to see two Golden Eyes glaring at her with amusement.

***I think you should take a look at

Crunch... Crunch...

After disposing of the ghoul's remains, I kept walking through the dense forest, trying to find as many adversaries as possible to collect many points.

However, not a single monster had crossed my path in the past hour.

"Do I have a bad scent or something?"

Sniffing myself, I couldn't detect any offensive odor.

Whoosh...

Suddenly, a strong wind blew through the trees, causing the branches to sway and the leaves to rustle.

I turned my head in the direction of the wind, sensing that something was about to happen.

In the distance before me, dark clouds were gathering in the sky, signifying an approaching blizzard.

"..."

A few snowflakes fell on my outstretched palm, melting instantly upon contact.

"Maybe I could find some monsters there..."

Muttering under my breath, I slowly started walking toward the approaching blizzard with steady steps and a confident demeanor.

Whoosh...

As soon as I stepped through the veil of swirling snowflakes, I could feel the biting cold pierce through my clothes and freeze my skin.

Although I had an artifact to defend me against minor cold temperatures, the intensity of the blizzard was far beyond what I had anticipated.

It seemed almost unnatural...

Crunch... Crunch...

However, I didn't stop moving forward despite the freezing temperatures and harsh conditions.

I could barely see a few feet before me, but in the distance, I could sense the presence of two Mana sources fighting each other.

'I can finally gain some points...'

Picking up my pace, I pushed through the blizzard, intending to kill both of the beings before they killed each other and reap all the points.

Unfortunately, after some time one of them began to glow dimmer and dimmer, indicating that it was dying.

Whoosh...

By the time I got to the eye of the blizzard, where the weather was a whirlwind of snow and ice, I could see the aftermath of the battle.

A massive bear lay lifeless on the ground, blood pooling under its motionless body, specifically its throat.

'It bled to death...'

Examining the scene, I took a few moments to gather my thoughts before turning to another source of potential points.

However, it wasn't another monster I found, but a person I had met not too long ago.

'Ohhh?'

For a second I was surprised but soon a smile bloomed on my face.

It was Katarina, the girl, who managed to scam me out of 5,000 Arcons just a few hours ago.

How have the tables turned?

Walking toward her, I put in some effort to be quiet and stealthy, not wanting to alert her to my presence just yet.

Crunch... Crunch...

She seemed to be lost in her thoughts because even though I made quite a lot of noise, she didn't notice me approaching.

"Fancy meeting you here in such a state..."

Walking just a few feet away from her, I had to forcefully gulp down the smug smirk on my face.

!!!

I could see her body tensing up as she turned abruptly to face me, surprise evident in her features.

Her emerald eyes widened as she recognized me and her surprise quickly turned into caution.

"Hello..."

She greeted me as well but I could see her guardedness, as if she was unsure of my true intentions.

For a moment, I was a bit confused.

Why does she seem so guarded?

If I were to try something funny she would shoot me with her b-

Suddenly, my thought process was interrupted by a sudden detail that caught my attention.

Both of her arms were strangely hanging limply by her sides as if she couldn't move them.

Katarina, of course, noticed my gaze and wriggled in her position, seemingly uncomfortable with my gaze fixated on her arms.

It seems that she didn't want me to see her weakness.

This time I couldn't prevent myself from smiling inwardly.

Oh, what a great opportunity this is...

Whoosh...

I summoned my Authority with a flick of my wrist and placed its blade against her throat, the glint of steel reflecting in her eyes.

"Say..."

I said, my voice calm and my golden eyes reflecting her emerald ones.

"How many monsters have you killed?"