Against Miyorirath.

Luck.

To hope to encounter puppets, one must rely on this statistic that no one could directly influence—Luck.

However, this last trial is not based on luck.

The first two trials were also based on that luck.

However, the luckiest ones who had found cores were mostly massacred by other participants.

As for the second trial, it was purely strategic.

'The third trial relies on butchering.' Mystic had assumed after understanding the stakes.

Neither of the first two trials required the participants to kill each other, although some insane guys like Mystic had done so to take advantage of this shortcut.

But this time, it was different.

Certain clues made the participants understand that the only way is to not leave a person behind after a fight.

The most important is the period of this trial.

There is no guarantee that a participant who lost their puppets would not be able to find others. So it all depends on their luck.

To top it all off, only two participants will qualify.

Therefore, the best thing to do is to kill all the participants to be the only one.

Although...

There is another way.

'Initially, there were three of these creatures. But apart from the girl who was killed by the examiner due to her arrogant nature, the other two have survived until now; which proves their strengths.'

Out of the fifty participants, only six have remained alive so far.

That is more than enough proof of power.

While Mystic and that girl were staring at each other, Devon glanced at the girl's stats.

-Miyorirath-

[Blood Demon (mid-1st order)]

[Lifespan: 20/380years]

[Combat power: 2010.]

[Skills: Blood puppet - Blood Carnage - Blood Shield - Blood Explosion - Bloody needles - Bloody Harvest....]

...

A sense of agitation flashed in Devon's eyes as he saw this information.

'This girl is strong, statistically stronger than both of us!'

Although he could now see the skills of non-beasts, the system still limited itself to simple revelations without explaining their effects.

Nevertheless, it's still better than nothing.

'This is the first time the system has tagged someone as a demon. Also, a blood demon?

Never heard of it, even in the books I had in Mystic's bedroom before.'

As Devon pondered, Mystic and this girl whose name seems to be more complicated to pronounce than anything else, stood guard.

Unexpectedly, the two didn't try to waste their time on vicious tricks.

Miyorirath, also holder of a grimoire of the same rank as Mystic's, summoned three crimson-furred mutant wolves.

Mystic's eyes turned cold as she saw those three beasts appear near that girl.

'Blood wolves? Quite problematic as enemies.'

She made an inner growl as she drew her sword from its sheath.

'That doesn't explain how she managed to tame those three wolves, though.'

Bloodwolves usually operate in packs, it is impossible to subdue them even after killing the entire pack by letting one live. 

So you have to be really lucky to find a lone-blood wolf and defeat her to tame her later. 

'TSS, whatever.' 

Then, without looking away from the girl she now sees as an enemy, she mutters to Devon's attention. 

"You can handle these three wolves?" 

Firstly, Devon stares at the wolves with doubtful eyes. 

To answer Mystic, he created a long sword with his dark energy. 

Mystic smiled slightly—but her smile held a trace of madness in it. 

However, in Devon's eyes, the situation couldn't be that simple. 

'This battle is not going to be as simple as our previous ones.' 

He looked tense, more so than ever before. 

"[Maybe I should take care of the girl.]"

"Heh, aren't you underestimating your master a bit?"

"[I wouldn't go that far, but her skills are...how shall I put it...pretty problematic.]"

"Don't worry, I already know what to expect."

"..." Devon was perplexed by Mystic's confidence.

'Can she see other people's stats too?'

He couldn't help but wonder due to an uneasy feeling in his heart.

In the end, he gives in to his master's whims.

"[Good, you better don't die.]"

"...gets yourself ready, they are coming!"

At these words, two of the three advanced wolves roared at Devon and Mystic.

However, none of them had moved from their places yet.

At that confident act from them, Miyorirath frowned. 

'This is the first time I've seen a creature like this.'

Like Devon, Miyorirath also seemed on high alert.

Her emerald eyes scanned Mystic like a hunter strategizing to take down her prey in one shoot.

'To think that I was planning on finding Elaydja before and teaming up with him before cleaning up..., I had to come across the most dangerous of all the competitors; am I that unlucky?

Anyway, I must not be reckless, especially with that insane one who has never lost her composure since the start.'

At these words, she decided her strategy.

Consequently, she ordered her two wolves to attack Mystic and Devon together.

-Grrrghh!!!

When the order was given, the two wolves rushed towards Mystic and Devon with prodigious speed.

'I'll first see if she's a mage or warrior type. Even if they manage to defeat them, I'll at least be fixed on that.'

Although simplistic, it was the best strategy she could have on hand.

However, contrary to what she had imagined, Mystic did not move or look away from her.

Instead, it was Devon who, driven by his desire to test his new powers, defined himself to be their opponent.

With his sword in hand, his body vanished near Mystic and emerged like a shadow in front of the first Blood Wolf.

As soon as he reappeared, his gaze became complicated.

'...They're slow...or perhaps I'm the one who's faster.' 

He tightened his grip on his sword's hilt, swinging it with all his might!

Although the wolf saw him popping out of nowhere, due to his forward speed and the element of surprise, the beast tried to jump back.

But Devon's sword had already passed through its flesh, decapitating it in one go!

"Huh!?" 

It wasn't just Miyorirath, even Mystic had an incredulous light in her eyes.

'Since when!?' She whispered but with a proud smile that carried its dose of sadism in it.

Devon wasn't satisfied with that.

He remodeled his long sword into a crossbow to shoot the second bloody wolf which leaped at him.

-Shoot!!!

This time, he hit the mark!

His black arrow flew straight into the beast's open mouth and pierced it until it came out the back of its skull!

Miyorirath's pupils trembled as if she was seized by a fit of madness when she saw her two beasts get one shot by this skeleton.

Her reaction was the same as the man who had seen Mystic break the neck of a participant just to get the core.

Fear, ...an uncontrollable fear that was eating away at her from the inside.

At the same time, Devon pointed his crossbow at her.

A chill ran down her spine with this sight. 

After seeing the power of Devon's crossbow, any other participants will feel threatened by it.

"Crap!" 

She exclaims with a face deformed in fear.

Before Devon fired, she instinctively reacted by stabbing the last wolf that was left behind.

Both Mystic and Devon's eyes widened with disbelief.

'...What...that's insane!'

Due to his extreme surprise, Devon took a bit of a delay before pulling the trigger of his crossbow.

However, the second he released his arrow from his crossbow, a wall of blood formed between Miyorirath and his arrow, blocking it!

Another wave of surprise passed through his eyes when he saw this strange skill of Miyorirath.

However, upon remembering the information from his system, his gaze became determined.

'...Blood control...perhaps?' 

As he whispered those words, Mystic also stepped forward. 

"Leave her to me, I'll take care of her." 

Devon looked at her next to him with unconvinced eyes. 

"[Don't be reckless.]" 

"Pff, you're starting to get annoying." 

She retorted without even glancing at Devon. 

Her eyes were still on Miyorirath. 

She smiled at her and held out her hand. "What if you give up and leave me your puppets?" 

She was smiling, but her eyes didn't seem to show the same feeling as her lips. 

Miyorirath knew that very well. 

"Will you let me go if I do that?" 

Mystic's smile became more 'harmless' after hearing Miyorirath's proposal. 

"Of course, I'll do~." 

She said, trying her best to hide the madness in her eyes.

'Even a brainless wouldn't believe you with that smile you keep up on your lips, you crazy sadist.'

Devon, too embarrassed, looks away.

Miyorirath smiled wryly.

'That bicth!' She cussed. 

The fear in her eyes turned into something contradictory afterward.

She glared at Mystic angrily, using her humiliation as a catalyst to ignite her rage and indignation.

"You're so predictable, bitch!"

Such rudeness didn't bother Mystic, the most disturbing thing for her was seeing her target see through her diabolical intentions.

Anyway, she didn't take Miyorirath's insults to heart.

"Goodness, you make things better for me."

She slowly pointed her sword at her target and spread her left leg back to prepare her momentum.

Miyorirath became calm as she prepared to receive Mystic as well.

'Just like her beast, she must be a melee type, I must not let her get close to me in any way!'

In the next second, Mystic's figure vanished in front of Devon and Miyorirath as she charged at her.

-!!

Seeing that Mystic's speed was nothing compared to Devon's, Miyorirath changed her strategy.

She took all of her wolf's blood and formed a protective dome to enclose herself!

However, unlike Devon's attack, Mystic's blade tore through her blood shield!

-! 

A trace of surprise crossed Mystic's eyes despite this.

'Something even harder blocked my attack inside?' 

As soon as she whispered to herself, the shield transformed into a sort of Spiked Mace, creating dozens, if not more, sharp spikes on its surface!

'Tsk!' 

Sensing the danger, Mystic backed away just before the daggers exploded in all directions.

Their speeds and ranges were not inferior to Devon's arrow.

However, none of these projectiles were able to hit Mystic.

"You think you can defeat me with such a mediocre trick?"

She then muttered coldly.

She doesn't care if her target hears her or not.

"Heh, I may not be faster than you, nor as strong with a sword in my hand, but you're no match for me!"

Unexpectedly, Miyorirath's voice echoes through the bloody shield that immediately regenerates.

'What an annoying enemy!' She growls dryly.

Anyway, what she wanted was to see her enemy feel annoyed by her provocations. That way, she could use her anger against her.

Hence her frustration at seeing Miyorirath consider the situation as a whole and prioritize her protection over the fight.

Two choices were available to her now, either to engage in a battle that would take too long or to go ahead and try to gain points.

'Points, huh?'

She looks at the three puppets behind Miyorirath with a frown.

'The only way to steal another competitor's puppets is to make the latter give them up voluntarily or kill it.'

With the puppet numbers in her possession, Miyorirath had three more points than Mystic who had nothing.

'...Points, huh?' She asked herself that question again but with a sly smile this time.

'Since she doesn't want to come out, I'll just have to do this...' She snorts at 'that' with contempt.

Her eyes narrowed in their sockets due to the cunning smile that barely showed on her lips.

However, before she could move to put her evil plan into execution, a black arrow passed right by her cheek like lightning and targeted not Miyorirath but one of the puppets behind her!

-Bang!

Helpless and defenseless, the puppet was destroyed without any resistance.

Mystic looked behind her with a burst of bliss. Seeing Devon come to the same conclusion made her confused but delighted.

This duality made her smile more sadistically.

If puppets allowed for points to be gained, they were also at a greater disadvantage due to the points they made the candidate lose.

They were not strong, nor did they have any consciousness or emotions of their own, therefore, unable to protect themselves.

Yes, from the start, Miyorirath did not have the advantage.

Now, she only had one point despite still having two puppets to her credit.

"What the hell are you doing, you son of a bitch!?" Miyorirath howled like a wounded animal due to her boiling rage.

Although she had considered this option, it had never crossed her mind that Mystic would act like this.

Even if Mystic manages to defeat her after, she will get nothing in return if she destroys all the puppets; all she does is make her lose points unnecessarily.

'That fucking psycho bitch!'