Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Acting time

Seojun glanced at the timer displayed by his system—only a minute had passed since he started covering the camera. He couldn't afford much more time. Grabbing the man by the hair, he yanked his head back and leaned closer.

"If I had more time, I'd like to punish you much longer," .

The beaten man, barely conscious, struggled to speak. "W-Who are you…? Why… are you doing this… to me? Are you a member of—" His words were cut short when Seojun's system interrupted.

[Host, Gideon the Dragonoid is preparing to teleport to your location,]

"Tsk," Seojun clicked his tongue in annoyance. There wasn't time to waste.

He placed his hand on the man's face, and black smoke began to rise from his palm. The man's eyes widened with horror, but no sound escaped his lips. His body trembled violently, and his face contorted with visible pain as his very soul seemed to be ripped from his body, slowly being sucked away.

A moment later, the man vanished entirely, and the number displayed above his head on the screen was crossed out.

Without a second to lose, Seojun teleported back to Sui and then immediately to the Mithril Skyland, appearing beside a large tree.

[Good timing, Host,] the system remarked as Gideon arrived at the previous location, only to find it empty. The Dragonoid frowned, scanning the area, but there was no trace of Seojun or the man he had been dealing with.

Meanwhile, as the camera cover lifted, the spectators saw Seojun being flung back by the Mithril Crocodon, crashing against the tree. He was struggling to get up, as if he had just been attacked.

Gideon, appearing back in the Center sanctuary, observed the scene carefully. His brow furrowed with suspicion.

"What happened? Both No.601 and 111 is covered and now nowhere to found," he muttered to himself.

His gaze then shifted to the crossed-out number on the screen, belonging to the man Seojun had dealt with.

"Put him in the blacklist," Gideon ordered, and his assistant quickly nodded, carrying out the command.

But outside the Entrance exam, it was already too late for that man. His existence had been quietly erased and he would never return.

Three days later, Seojun was walking with Sui by his side, holding a piece of the most valuable Mithril—a Mithril Heart from the Crocodon Cave, taken from the Queen herself.

As he strolled along, he noticed a few groups of people nearby, which made it difficult for him to move freely. The system couldn't block the camera anymore, so he had to be careful.

"Kyuu! Master, I'm hungry!" Sui whined, his small body trembling with need.

Ever since the entrance exam, they had barely eaten anything other than fruits they found, and sometimes, even those were stolen by other creatures.

It was lunchtime, and Seojun knew they needed something more substantial. He scanned the area and spotted a magical beast nearby. It was a massive boar-like creature, standing taller than a human with thick, dark fur and glowing red eyes.

Using his appraisal skill,

[STATUS]

Name: Infernal RazorBack

Rank: D

Description: Infernal Razorback: A fire-element beast known for its tough hide and sharp tusks. Its meat is said to be exceptionally tender and flavorful.

"Well, Sui, looks like lunch is right in front of us," Seojun said, a small grin forming on his lips. seaʀᴄh thё NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"My acting skills will be tested," Seojun thought as he readied himself. He glanced at Sui and whispered, "Go around the other side, Sui. We'll trap it together."

Sui gave a small nod, "Kyuu!" and bounced off, circling the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, Seojun approached the Infernal Razorback cautiously, his expression tense, mimicking the way an E-rank awakener would approach a dangerous creature.

The Infernal Razorback snorted, its red eyes locking onto Seojun. It lowered its head, ready to charge, and without warning, it lunged forward, kicking up dirt and leaves as it barreled straight toward him.

Seojun's movements were deliberate and slightly sluggish, as if he was barely able to dodge. He rolled to the side just in time, the boar's tusks missing him by inches.

"Woah, that was close!" he exclaimed, his voice breathy, making sure to sound as if he was struggling to catch his breath.

He swung his sword, aiming for the boar's side, but his strike was deliberately weaker than usual. The blade glanced off the beast's thick hide, leaving only a shallow cut.

The Infernal Razorback roared in anger and spun around, swinging one of its tusks toward Seojun, who jumped back just in time, landing on one knee. He let out a pained grunt, as if the force of the beast's swing had nearly knocked him over.

Sui, meanwhile, had positioned himself behind the boar.

"Kyuu!" he cried out, leaping at the creature. The small slime formed a sharp blade with his body, striking the boar's back leg. Though it was a decent hit, the Razorback barely seemed to notice. It bucked and kicked its hind legs, sending Sui rolling backward.

Seojun took this moment to spring forward again, his sword aimed at the creature's neck. But just as he swung, the boar sidestepped, and his attack once more only grazed its hide. He stumbled making it look like he had overextended himself.

The Razorback seized the opportunity and charged again, this time catching Seojun in the side. He let himself be thrown a few feet away, hitting the ground with a grunt.

"Damn... This thing is tough," he muttered, loud enough for anyone who might be watching to hear.

Sui bounced back into the fight, forming a spiky shield as he faced the Razorback head-on.

"Kyuu! Kyuu!" he cried, trying to distract the beast. The Razorback snarled and tried to swipe at Sui with its tusks, but the little slime managed to dodge and even land a few more minor hits.

Seojun got up slowly, acting as if he was in pain. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and steadied his breathing, then moved back in, swinging his sword in a clumsy, desperate manner. His strikes seemed to lack precision, and each swing seemed to take more effort than the last.

But underneath the act, Seojun was calculating, watching for the perfect moment. The Infernal Razorback was tiring, its movements growing slower as it continued to fend off both Seojun and Sui.

Finally, Seojun saw his opening. He swung his sword enough to finish it but unfortunately the sword he picked up from earlier broke and suddenly the Razorback jumped at him.