On a certain secluded area inside Orze Advanced Adventurer Zone, sounds of metal clashing against metal resounded along with a cacophony of resolute battle cries.
As evening approached rapidly, the dimming heavenly canvas slowly provided the five assassins with additional cover as they carried out their bloody operation to eradicate an entire academy convoy.
Fiercely fighting for their lives were the people from Colzen Academy who were currently the target of the aforementioned assassins—they were ferociously defiant in the face of death, regrettably, they were simply outnumbered five to two in terms of high-ranking veterans.
The instructors worked together brilliantly to fend off two assassins, however, that's all they could manage and the seven strongest students of Colzen must manage on their own.
Unfortunately, despite what most would consider a "good start", Bakko was proving too tough of an adversary for them—far faster, far stronger.
Their well-practiced hunting formation easily collapsed as soon as the loathsome old goat used skills—their front liners, including Shye—beaten black and blue as Bakko unpredictably maneuvered, skillfully dodging their skills and masterfully counterattacking promptly after.
Still, the Colzen seven vehemently resisted.
They knew that if the hateful scrawny bastard managed to get past them, he would massacre the companion students.
Of course, Shye wouldn't permit any harm to come to his beloved little sister and girlfriend.
Even though a few of his bones were already broken, he relentlessly tried to cause problems for Bakko, standing up and charging right back into the fray even after multiple failures.
The Colzen Seven's chaotic struggle continued for around ten minutes before Bakko decided to go all out.
Clenching his fists tightly in utter fury, Bakko performed some hand and finger seals.
"You little pipsqueaks...I'm done playing along with all your bullshit..." said Bakko with a quivering voice, extremely irked at the fact that he still hadn't killed a single one after trying for ten minutes.
Somehow, one of the little twerps would always jump in when he was about to finish someone off.
Earlier, he was reluctant to use his ultimate skill because the other assassins might laugh at him but now, he couldn't care less.
It would be more embarrassing if he failed to kill them in the next minute.
Instinctively, Shye recognized this and promptly offered to handle the elderly goat.
"Crowley! Hold on for a few more seconds! Once I finish this mutt off, I'll come help you!" Dean Snowcrest exclaimed, relentlessly attacking his opponent with consecutive vicious skill-empowered slashes, stirring up clouds of dust and gusts of wind as he ferociously hacked away.
Shye genuinely struggled with how to handle Bakko, part of him acknowledging that some of them might not survive the day, including himself. Therefore, Dean Snowcrest's words truly brought him hope.
'A few seconds...just a few seconds...' thought Shye, his heart blazing with the resolve to survive.
As for Bakko, alarm bells rang inside his head as the gravity of the situation finally struck him.
If he failed to finish this little bastard on time, then they might actually fail their mission.
'Crap...I gotta finish him off now!' thought Bakko, warping the air at his initial location as he disappeared once more.
Realizing that the old goat was trying to finish him off, Shye unhesitatingly used [Power Slash Lv.4] to empower his next attack before slashing at the air behind him—a technique he learned from Siegfried.
*CLANG*
Shye's greatswords clashed fiercely with Bakko's dagger, igniting a cacophony of fire, water, and thunder, causing white vapor to billow as Shye was forcefully pushed back, sliding across the ground.
Knowing that Bakko was now truly desperate to take him out, a pair of rotten wings promptly materialized on his back accompanied by a bone-chilling howl as Shye unhesitatingly used all of his trump cards.
To make matters worse for Bakko, he also activated [Stoic Lv.4], reducing all incoming damage by 65% for five seconds.
Feeling the changes in Shye's body, the old goat cursed at the wind before swiftly teleporting behind Shye again, promptly attempting to slice his neck off right after.
Unfortunately for Bakko, he quickly found out how badly he underestimated the little twerp.
Armed with a bunch of skills, Shye managed to stand his ground this time, fighting on equal footing against the old goat who had a rather comical desperate look on his face—curved lips, visibly gritting his teeth, brows hilariously furrowed while his eyes were wide open.
Regrettably, this magnificent scene of a graduating youngster valiantly standing his ground against a veteran adventurer would only last for five seconds at maximum.