7 Chapter 7 - A Dangerous Existence

After we entered the school building, we were then ushered to a room where a table was set. At the other side of the table were school staffs that required us to write our names on a single piece of paper. After all of us had written our names after that, the ikemen, Hertrude announced the preliminary activities.

It was a battle royal.

And the one that still able to fight after 20 minutes will advance to the final round. Those who were unable to pass the preliminaries are the ones to proceed to the intermediate round. However, it doesn't mean that the ones who passed the preliminaries won't undergo any types of test before the final round. It was said that a thorough interview will be conducted.

But, that's not the thing that's been bothering me.

It's the fact that there's a special treatment to whoever pass the preliminary round and I'm troubled.

"Should we pass the prelims or not?" I asked Felix who was with me. We were now given about an hour of free time before the prelims start. There are four blocks for the prelim event and Felix and I are in the list for blocks 1 and 2 respectively. For me it was a blessing. I don't want to fight Felix on the get go.

"The decision is all your, hime." Was all his reply.

"Tsk. That's why I'm asking you because I can't make the decision!" I hissed.

He looked at me and sighed.

"Hime, why would you even consider not passing?"

"Remember, Shellcy told us not stand out. So, I'm thinking… winning over a large number of group means you have to be something special, then that means we're going to stand out right?"

"Oh. I see. Hime, I didn't know you actually use your brain."

I gave him a glare with that remark, but I let him continue whatever he was going to say.

"Actually, passing doesn't mean you'll stand out, hime. It doesn't always happen but there are quite talented human beings on par with us out there hime. The hero was one of them because he actually fought and won our great ancestor. There were also a number of people who can fight monsters and are considered special human beings…"

My mouth formed into an O. I started thinking of a strategy. I am no strategist, really, but I guess preparing will not harm us. After all, prepping always is the first thing Shellcy advised us.

"Okay, let's do this. If we ever find people like that, then we will pass that exam. However, if we won't find any of them, let's just adjust in the situation on the battlefield. Just always remember not to use your full strength, okay?" I told him which he immediately agreed.

After that, we toured the first floor of the building. There were a lot of interesting stores inside, since the first floor was the commerce floor where different products is being sold.

Felix and I tried the cake shop and the family restaurant. I was even surprised that there was actually cotton candies being sold there. But I was even more surprised how the shops inside resembled the shops in my old world too much.

We already spent half and hour so we decided to return. We were already on the way to the arena when my eyes caught something very interesting.

A weaponry!

We immediately went inside and found a wide variety of weapons. There were also fellow candidates inside bathing the atmosphere inside the weaponry. The weapons were classified according to point-blank, short, and wide-range. And then each was organized into cabinets with labels A, B, C, D, E, F and S.

A to S? I wonder if that's the strength level of the weapons.

Even so, it was pretty mesmerizing at a glance.

"Hello there, young lady. Need a weapon? Here, we have every weapon the world has to offer. There are no other shops out there that deal weapons with high power levels, you know." A bald dark-skinned guy with eye goggles and white apron approached us while advertising the shop in the process.

"I could see weapons with power levels below D though." Felix muttered.

"Ahahaha. I see, you saw them." The guy laughed and scratched his head. Well, who wouldn't see them? It's being displayed after all. "Well, young lad. We just can't ignore those people who can't wield level D and higher-level weapons, can't we? Most candidates are like that, you know. Well, you two are different though. I could sense something different in you."

"Is that the reason you approached us directly?" I asked.

"Yes. I am Skank Chugger, the owner of this shop. I'm also the one who made most of the weapons being sold here. Ah, don't worry about the levels and the usability. I'm a rank A blacksmith, so all my works are high quality."

The guys, who introduced himself as Skank Chugger, started explaining things to us. It seems that this guy was a weapon maniac that when we asked something about weapons, he can't stop talking. Well, it's the same for Felix too. They get along pretty well, actually. Felix was mesmerized by this old guy and his weapons that he asked me whether he can buy a weapon for himself.

That when I realized that Felix doesn't have any weapon at all. He uses knives, but it doesn't count as a weapon, actually.

He chose roll of thin chains.

"Oh, are you sure you're going to buy that? That's one of my first works and it actually doesn't appeal at all. I mean, that's just a bunch of chain, and I ran out of ideas on how to upgrade it. I displayed it there because it has nowhere to go. I don't want it to put to waste either."

As usual, Skank's mouth started blabbering things again.

"Umu. This will be alright." Looking at Felix, he seems to like it very much, so I got no choice but to buy it for him. Skank looks like he's very happy too. I guess, you will be happy if people actually appreciate your work.

"My, my, my. Thank you for your patronage." He thanked Felix and then turned to me. "How about you young lady? Anything that interest you?"

I smiled and nodded. I was actually waiting for him to ask me that. After all, he'd been busy chatting with Felix for a while, and while they did, I was surveying the area and found weapons that I've been wanting to try ever since I was born as Hellium Dexter.

Picking it up from the shelf with the label E. I showed it to them. Skank's face paled while Felix continued to gaze at it.

"Hime, what is this?" Felix asked.

"Eh, you don't know? It's a weapon called a gun. Well, the design is different from what I imagined it to be, but it is definitely a gun. Right, Skank?" I asked the guy who was still recovering the blood on his face. He held the two guns I picked. I wonder why he paled? Maybe because it was high quality guns? I mean, those are the only guns I could find inside the weaponry.

"Y-yes. It is. To think your eyes would be able to see this…" He answered though the last part of his statement was more of a whisper.

"Anyway, I'll take it. I've been wanting to use it so it's a perfect chance for me to use them." I said. Skank seemed to be troubled by it because he kept negotiating with us not to buy the two guns, but I insisted.

"It's just level E, Skank." I said, and then he surrendered giving me that two guns. I smiled evilly. I finally had the chance to use a gun!

After shopping, we immediately walked towards the arena. When we arrived, our co-candidates were preparing themselves already. Some of those people wearing robes had taken them off, some didn't. All of those wearing robes before wore high quality clothing.

But what caught my attention was a red-head, with curly long hair, wearing a bright red high-quality clothing. She was glaring at me. When our eyes met, she walked towards me. I even thought she's going to talk to me but instead, she passed by me, bumping yours truly that I almost fell out of balance if it wasn't for Felix who caught y back.

"Watch where you're going, show-off." She told me and then walked away.

"Hime—" Felix was gritting his teeth but I stopped him.

"It's okay… I'm okay." I said, but even so… that girl, what is she up to?

I hushed Felix who was very eager to hurt that girl. Though, I, myself wanted to crush her too, but I have to abstain myself. She's just a normal human being and I'm a monster. No matter how talented she may be, if she's not hero class, she won't even stand a finger if she fought me one-on-one. Let's just consider her as a bug who keeps buzzing herself into trouble.

And so, after a few minutes, the official preliminaries started.

I was in block A so we were the first one to enter the arena. It seems that girl was also in Block A, so we will immediately crash at the beginning, eh? Anyway, I gave my short sword to Felix.

"Hime, why would you use that level E weapons instead of Siguigaran?" He asked me pertaining to the short sword I deposited to him.

"It's okay. I told you, I've been wanting to use this. Besides, that sword is just too powerful, I can't use it in a fight of this scale. My control of it is still not perfect and I might become a criminal if I did use it, here." I said. Felix nodded, giving up.

Thus, I headed towards the arena. On the bleachers were the five enrolment staffs, then Cleia McLeavan stood up.

"Hear me, candidates! In this arena, the preliminaries will begin. Whoever pass this test will immediately go to the finals, and those who fail will be given another chance. However, don't let your guard down. Because I have the special power to refute the chances of some of you who fails if I deem you unworthy of the chance. If you understand my words, I will now give Helena the stage."

Thus, Helena stood up.

"Greetings, candidates. I will now give you simple instructions. For those who can follow, then you will pass immediately, for those who can't… then I'll leave it to Cleia to decide your fate." She smoked again, and then after a split second, continued speaking. "The instruction is simple. Survive for 20 minutes. I believe that you already know this since the beginning."

It was a long pause before she talked again.

"Then," She puffed smoke. "Start."

The moment Helena said start, many of us started attacking each other. It was an amazing view. After all, inside the arena were fifty candidates trying to defeat each other.

I, on the other hand, kept evading the attacks aimed at me. On both my hands were the guns I bought in the weaponry. And on that spot, I realized I haven't asked about the bullets. Crap! Why didn't I ask about the bullets?!

Wait. I can't even find the place where the bullets should be reloaded!

It's a level E gun! It's pretty low level! How am I supposed to use this? If it's only a normal gun, I could probably make something up. Normal…

It's not a normal gun.

Wait!

I started infusing little of my energy to the gun on my left hand. I pointed it to the person that has been attacking me for quite some time now, and then pulled the trigger.

The result was as expected.

The person I targeted was stupefied when a bullet scratched his cheek. And when he was still stupefied, I performed a roundhouse kick and attacked his neck. He was beaten unconscious.

I started attacking those who were also attacking me via bullets. Using the gun in my right hand also has the same effect. However, I could feel that it's also not it. There is a slight difference but I couldn't pinpoint what it was. Anyway, I was already enjoying myself pulling the trigger and letting bullets fly around when I felt something coming from my right side.

And goodness, I evaded just on time.

Because if I didn't, I would have been cut into half. No, he was using the back of his sword, so I would be only beaten unconscious. But even so… that attack made me utterly speechless because I couldn't feel it coming even with my <Omnipotence> until the blade is literally at my back.

The guy who was attacking me lost his consciousness. He was the one who took the hit for me since I evaded using my speed skill <Side Step>, and he charged too fast.

I looked at the guy who delivered that blow. Most of the people around was already unconscious. At the left side of the arena, he was the only one standing. A guy, who looks pretty ordinary. Just like Jelal, he was wearing low quality clothes like that of those farmers. On his hip was a black ordinary scabbard, probably for the sword which he used for that blow.

His dark blue eyes hovered over me.

"You actually evaded that attack."

I gulped. Looking at his sword, it was also ordinary. So that particular attack wasn't because of magic, but it was purely skills. Furthermore, a skill so powerful even with a level E weapon.

Who is this guy?

"Ha-ha-ha. That almost killed me, you know."

"Even so, you evaded." His expression didn't change. He finally put his sword down. "I must practice more."

"Eh? No, no, no. That move was already powerful enough. You don't need to practice it."

"You still easily evaded it."

"No, no, no. I'm telling, I evaded it at last minute." As we were talking I could hear a faint 'hey' in the background but paid it no attention. My omnipotence saw who it was and knowing that fact, I chose to completely ignore her.

"That doesn't change the fact that you evaded it."

"Even so, you don't need to practice it more. That move is already overkill!"

"A move that doesn't slay his opponent in one full swing is not a powerful move. Gotta practice more."

"Ah! Whatever." I gave up. This guy is a bit stubborn. "Anyway, since you are not satisfied with your attack just now, and I'm quite exhausted talking to you already, let's just call it quits and wait for the time. Is that okay with you?"

I asked in which he nodded by response. I, too, am finally starting to calm down when I 'saw' – through my omnipotence – a wrecking ball swung our way. The guy sensed it too, and so we evaded it with poise.

"My, my, my. What do you think are you doing?" I asked the red lady in front of us catching her breath. Seems like she gave it her all in that swing. Yes, I am calling her a red lady because everything in her screams red. Her hair, her uniform, her boots, her eyes, even her face – probably because of anger.

"Who the hell are you to ignore someone like me?!" She burst out. "I am Zerxa Fidor! The daughter of Earlman Fidor, one of the pillars of peace in this world. How dare you ignore me?!"

She attacked again, but this time, using the other end of that wrecking ball. A whip.

I quickly evaded, but she was able to reached my right hand. My gun was sent flying after. My face distorted and immediately rolled over to where my gun is. I just bought this gun, I can't let it be damaged immediately!

I sighed, and then put my game face on.

"Okay, Zerxa Fidor. I will be your opponent."

But even before we could start our PvP, the bell rang signaling the end of the preliminaries.

The only candidates who passed block A was me, the guy who was called Belial Black, and Zerxa Fidor.