Chapter 729 I am Merida. The Blade of Whitehold.

Chapter 729 I am Merida. The Blade of Whitehold.

Arad and Mira returned to their seats under the sharp stares of the other students, wondering where those who went looking for them ended.

Arad sat beside Gojo and looked at the arena, "Merida is next," Gojo said, looking at him with a smile.

"What do you think?"

"The monster is strong, but she's stronger," Gojo pointed at the shaking cage as a large drake crawled out.

"Touch flesh and hard bones, scales as hard as iron and strength rivaling those of buffalo." Gojo then pointed at Merida, "But what's her matter? That's a giant demonic monster, no offense,"

"I know," Arad replied, as Merida looked at the drake charging at her. "Besides Mira, I don't fear for the rest."

The drake stopped his eyes dilating as he stared at Merida reaching for her sword. Every cell in his body screamed in terror. Even though she looked to almost have no magic and was weaker than a bush, the monster's instincts roared. That woman was dangerous.

Thud! Merida lifted her foot, taking a step toward the drake.

The drake backed away, grunting like a terrified dog.

"What's? You're not coming at me?" She reached for her long sword, "Or this is some kind of trick?"

There was no trick, unlike humans who can easily get fooled by the ring Merida wore, as it was designed to deceive them. Monsters weren't affected that much, and slowly the veil of Merida's strength was unveiled to the drake.

His nose, ears, eyes, scales, anything he uses to sense screamed, feeling the change in Merida's body. From a human, he could imagine Merida's power shot up in the blink of an eye upon touching her sword. What seemed like a weak little field rat has now leveled up tens of levels in the blink of an eye, transforming into a dungeon boss in front of the drake's face.

"I am Merida. Blade of whitehold. Prepare to die." Glaring at the monster, Merida's eyes glow with a faint, green eldritch flare. Demonic essence boiling from the fungus spreading through her body glanced at the outer world, seeking life.

Sena blinked as she sat watching, staring at Merida, "I don't have her in my catalog. A new species? No, a unique monster..." She smiled.

****

In Alina, Kayden sat in the forest, drinking tea as he watched Kali play with the monsters. He stopped, staring at the sky, "A new arrogance, born from demonic essence. How funny, she also carries a blade."

"At least she's starting like you." Kali stared at him, "You were a madman, seeing everyone else as dogs. And still is," She smiled.

"Madness is inevitable. What makes the great ones is whether they can surpass it or not." He replied. "I wonder what her madness is?"

"Anyone that isn't close to her," Kali said with a grin, staring at Kayden, "Is an unneeded fodder."

****

The drake roared, stomping and growling like an enraged alligator, smacking the ground with his tail.

"She got it!" A student screamed.

"No, he got her," The teacher replied.

The drake's severed tail started flailing around violently beside Merida, forcing her to block several stray swings.

"His tail is alive!" A student cried. "Is that thing a massive lizard or something? He'll run away with the tail distracting Merida." A girl screamed.

"No, he isn't a fool," The teacher growled.

As Merida blocked the drake's tail swings, the monster himself rushed through the splashing blood with a bite.

"He knows a human won't fall for its tail, so instead of running, it's going to attack," The teacher lifted his hand, signaling for the teachers to get ready to hop and save Merida.

One of the girls watching turned back and looked at Arad's face. He didn't intend to move. Merida still wasn't in danger.

Merida's eyes glanced around. The tail and walls of the arena were preventing her escape, and the drake was rushing at her with a bite. He cornered her the same way she cornered him, an impressive feat for a monster.

She smiled, ^As expected of a draconic monster,^

The drake's muscles spazzed for a fraction of a second, its heart skipping a beat. At that moment, Merida swung her sword, cutting it open from the jaw to the stomach with a single swing. ^But you're still a lizard,^ She stared at the drake's corpse as it fell down twitching and the teacher stopped mid-flight. "What happened?!" One of them gasped.

"Probably bleed too much, I cut its tail, he didn't discard it," Merida replied to the question with a straight lie. She looked at the monster, ^It's already disappeared, how convenient,^ She walked away.

As Merida walked into the changing room, she found Arad sitting there waiting for her. "You came to congratulate me? I was lucky there,"

He smiled, "Lucky? It was your crimson rot," Arad looked at her, "Your attacks carry the poison created by your fungus, and it messed with the drake's nerves. That allowed you to counter. I saw it from the stairs, and I bet Brother and Tempo did as well, probably even Eris. A bright red spark,"

Merida giggled as she approached Arad and sat on his lap, "This why I can't get enough of you," She licked his cheek. "Say, did I fight well?"

Arad blinked with a thinking face, slightly worried about Merida, "Yeah, you've held back nicely." He patted her head, "Last time we fought in training, the crimson rot bloomed into a magnificent red spore."

"Shhh!" She closed his mouth with one finger, "We don't talk about that. It looked ugly. I prefer it if I don't need to use it, even in a serious fight."

"I don't think it's ugly though," Arad shook his head.

"Well, since I fought nicely, can I get a reward? Something you have, that..." Her hand slowly trailed down Arad's chest, but he quickly grabbed it. "Not today. We've been at it for weeks, and we said that tonight our dorm rooms."

"Heeee! Come on. You can lock this room for a moment, can't you?!" She hugged his neck.

"I can lock the room, but we won't do it. Wait until your turn," Arad stood and put her back on the bench, giving her a towel. "Give it some time. I promise it'll probably feel better after some waiting." He smiled.

Merida took the towel from his hand, "Promise and probably don't belong in the same sentence." She said with a pout.