Chapter 83 83. CRIMINALS

Plunging one of his daggers into the head of a tier 2 bear in the middle stage, its body began to dry up, while it's rich brown color turned sickly grey.

Noah and James swept their gaze's around, hearing a loud ding which signified that a wave was done. Noah removed his dagger, and sat on the ground, not minding the pool of blood on it.

James did the same as they both had ragged breaths. Yes Noah's breathing was ragged. How wouldn't it be, after all he had been fighting for over 29 hours basically non stop.

This was the short four minutes break before the last wave of Magical beasts, for the second level of the second stage.

"Good job," Noah's tired voice rang out, patting James's shoulder.

James simply nodded, not having enough strength to bother in replying.

Noah couldn't help but pity this lower stage cultivator, which made him bring out a health potion. James wasn't really injured, it was because Noah had found that health potion also helped refill stamina, the only problem being that continuous usage meant reduction in its ability to affect them for a period of time

James happily received the bottle, as he immediately chugged the whole thing down, a slight green glow appearing on his body, while a relaxed sigh escaped his mouth.

Noah also drank a health potion, closing his eyes to savour the refreshing feeling of his refilling stamina. Quickly bringing out a loaf of bread for the two to eat, Noah and James felt a lot better.

"This is the last fight before we succeed in this level. Lets do our best," Noah announced, James nodding in response, resolve and excitement beginning to find its way on his face.

Why was he excited?. Well because the thought of becoming a tier 4 just a bit after he became a tier 2 was immensely crazy, and this was only possible because of the young man by his side.

Noah cast energy armour, he didn't really have a problem with mana, due to his high regeneration capability, which let him freely use Mana.

A tier 2 magic circle expanded beneath is feet, followed by the emergence of tendrils of electrical energy, which wrapped around his body, only a dull halo signifying the armours existence.

Noah glanced at the daggers in his hands, they were incredibly useful, even as powerful as spells, all he had to do was stab a beast was the it, and the beast would become food for the daggers.

He knew when the daggers were filled, because of the gauge of sorts on their handle.

Another ding resounded, which for some reason wasn't there in the first level of the stage, probably because it was recently added, Noah didn't really care, all he cared about were the five inscriptions that lit up in the far ends of the circular cave.

"Uh...!," Noah exclamained when his eyes fell of the figures that appeared out of the inscriptions light.

"Why are there humans?," Noah couldn't help but ask an equally confused James. When his eyes inspected the five scantly clothed but armed men, who also inspected the duo, while snorts resounded from their mouths.

Three of the men were middle staged cultivators, but seemed in the bottom of that stage, while the other two were at the very top of the middle stage, threatening to spill into the higher stage.

During their moments of immense shock, Noah couldn't help but think to what the illusory figure said, it didn't actually say magical beasts opting for monsters and just beasts, which could mean different things instead, 'Are they criminals of the state, or something,' Noah wondered in thought.

As if listening to his thoughts, an inscription lit up, on the caves roof, while the same illusory figure emerged from it's light.

"Congratulations participant Noah, and participant James, on getting to the very last wave. Just as normally, this wave will also last seven hours, only that you can leave before that time." it started.

Noah raised an eyebrow at the hologram words but still listened.

"This last wave has been given a seven hours time limit, where you'll have to fight just three batches of these criminals, who have death sentences," it continued, affirming Noah's guess.

"The faster you end them, the earlier you'll get out of here, it's all dependent on your fighting prowess. The first batch only features five middle stage, the second will feature two peak stages, while the last will feature all in the peak stage, all at the bottom of the stage." the illusory figure explained.

"Do not have pity on them, each of these men have committed nasty crimes, and are here to have a chance to be cleared from their death sentences." it warned them.

"Good luck, may the best win." The illusory figure ended it's explanation at that point. Disappearing the next Instant. While leaving an awkward air among the opponents.

Noah scratched his head, he wasn't sure of what to do, and it seemed the five cultivators were also the in the same predicament.

After all Noah was a peak stage tier 2, and they were all middle stages, by all normal standards they wouldn't be able see the next day if they clashed with him in a one on one battle.

The five didn't say anything for a while, untill one of the two most powerful middle stage among them talked.

"I know we barely know each other, but it doesn't matter. None of us can beat him in a one on one fight, so how about we band together and overwhelm them. The second is just a lower stage after all," the 5'6 tall man said, his eyes glancing at Noah once in a while.

The other four didn't seem to go against the idea as they walked towards the man that gave the idea, Noah not bothering to inspect their names, since they were dead to him.

A sigh escaped Noah's mouth when he saw that they were about to attack him. "At least tell me the crimes you committed," Noah said with a bored expression. Whatever they were planning wasn't going to work, he would only take the wave of sorts seriously, only when the group had peak stage tier 2 cultivators.

None of them answered, Noah shaking his head again, while his voice rang out, "I actually asked that question: to know if I should give you a painless death or painful one. But oh well, painful it is," Noah shrugged, his aura sharpening intensely, the five cultuvators sensing immense danger.

Noah ran; without using his super speed. Appearing behind the group of five, one of his daggers going to stab the man right in front of him.

During his multiple hours of using the daggers, Noah found that it caused organisms Intense pain, as he had tried touching the tip of the dagger which immediately siphoned energy from his finger.

The dagger entered the man's back, as Immediately he began to dry up, but before the man could let out a scream of pain, Noah moved to the next person.

Leaving his blade in the man's back, Noah stabbed his second dagger into another person's waist, and also left it there.

Flashing to his next opponent, this time he kicked the man's leg, moving before the snapping sound could spread. For his fourth opponent, one of his fingers entered his eyes, puncturing it in the process.

At that point Noah stopped moving, and walked back to James's position.

Ignoring the screaming and writhing humans. Noah let the last man, who brought up the idea of them banding together, experience terror.

He cast long stakes of stone towards Noah and James, who dodged it effortlessly, as the attacks weren't coordinated, but out of panic.

The man ran towards the end of the cave screaming about wanting to return to prison, and that he wouldn't complain anymore.

Noah shook his head, glancing at the recovering James; who still seemed to be amazed by Noah's abnormal speed capability.

"Should I end it, or should we rest a bit," Noah's lazy voice rang out.

Shooting a weird gaze at Noah, who still ignored the screams, he replied, "Na....let's rest a bit," James said, kicking the dead body of a magical beast next to him.

As immediately after, an inscription lit up on the ground, then all the dead beasts, and even their pools of blood were teleported away. After which a light of sorts washed over the ground, bringing it to its formerly clean glory.