Chapter 19: Buried Strategies

Chapter 19: Buried Strategies

As The Exam Began, I Started Up Our Movement.

"Alright, let's move," I said, gripping Lyria's hand and lightly tugging the meek girl forward as we headed north. Following that the tall guy and the burly axe wielder to thier credit broke off to the east without hesitation, their figures fading into the ruins.

"Lyria," I called, my tone sharp enough to cut through the oppressive silence of the crumbled cityscape.

"Hm?" She glanced over, her eyes flickering from the jagged road ahead to meet mine.

"You're going to be buried underground," I stated flatly, letting the weight of the words linger.

She stumbled, her steps faltering as she nearly tripped. "B-buried? What's that supposed to mean?" Her voice was an octave higher than usual, laced with panic. The meek girl beside her tensed, casting a nervous glance my way but saying nothing.

"It's the safest way to keep you hidden," I explained quickly, pulling them behind the jagged remains of a broken column. "If anyone sees you, you'll be their main target. But if we reinforce a hiding spot underground, no one will even think to look there."

Lyria's confusion shifted into unease. "An-d if they do fin-d me? I'll be trapped wit-h no escape."

"That's where we come in," I reassured her, squeezing her hand tightly. "We'll stay nearby, ready to intervene if anyone gets too close. It's a lot safer than being exposed out in the open."

The meek girl hesitated before speaking, her voice soft but steady. "And if they don't find her, we can focus on taking out their Ring Holders, right?"

I nodded. "Exactly. Survival isn't enough. We outlast them. We outplay them."

But things never go as smoothly as planned for, because we had visitors before stabilizing a plan.

My body tensed a bit as I scanned the horizon. I couldn't see anyone yet, but I felt their presence.

"Stay low," I whispered, yanking Lyria and the meek girl behind another pile of debris, ensuring they stayed hidden.

Lyria's wide eyes betrayed her fear, but she didn't argue. The meek girl stiffened, holding her breath, but she didn't utter a word. I had to trust they'd follow my lead.

Peeking around the edge of the rubble, I spotted them—three figures moving with purpose. There were definitely a teams attack squad . The one in the lead gripped a spear, his gaze sharp and predatory as he scanned the ruins.

"They're heading this way," I muttered, my voice barely audible.

Lyria's voice quivered. "Wha-t now?"

"Stay quiet and don't move," I snapped, my mind working overtime. "We wait."

I pulled them closer, positioning myself to shield them as the sound of footsteps crunching over debris grew louder. My gaze stayed locked on the advancing group, calculating their movements and distance.

"Man, I swear I saw someone earlier," one of them muttered, his tone casual but his grip on his weapon betraying his wariness.

"Stay focused," the man with the spear growled. "I can feel a teams ring holders presence here don't distract me."

Cruch cruch cruch....

As the seconds stretched into an eternity. I could feel Lyria trembling beside me, the meek girl clutching at her sleeves as if to keep herself grounded. My breath slowed as I prepared for how I would dominate my opponents.

---

The crunching of footsteps grew louder, and I knew I didn't have time. The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation. My mind raced as I reviewed my options.

To dominate, three approaches came to mind: through strength, through knowledge, or through fear. Fear was out of the question—this wasn't a survival game. Strength was equally unnecessary; this exam wasn't about brute force but strategy. That left knowledge. It was harder to pull off but ultimately the most rewarding. If I wanted to break into the top 8 from 23rd, I needed to stick to a plan and outthink my opponents.

"Ahhh, I'm losttt!" I exclaimed, stepping out from behind the rubble and into plain view, my hands clasped lazily behind my head.

The three comrades froze, their gazes snapping to me. The man with the spear narrowed his eyes, his posture tensing as he pointed his weapon in my direction.

"Who's there?" he barked.

I let out a dramatic sigh, dragging my feet as I stepped further into the open. "Relax, relax. I'm just a guy who can't figure out this stupid map. This city's a maze, you know?"

The stocky Sword-wielder in the back let out a low chuckle. "Is this guy serious?"

"Don't drop your guard," the spear-wielder hissed, his eyes never leaving me. "He could be a decoy."

"A decoy?" I scoffed, pretending to look offended. "I don't even know what I'm doing here, let alone who you guys are."

The spear-wielder took a cautious step forward, the tip of his weapon gleaming ominously. "You're lying. We're your teammates and I know the ring holder nearby is definitely not you ."

"Well, you got me there," I admitted with a shrug. "I am actually here to stall for time ."

The sword-wielder laughed again, louder this time. "This guy's nuts and you think we would let you."

"Shut up," the man with the spear snapped, shooting his companion a glare. His attention returned to me, his gaze scrutinizing every inch of my posture.

I kept my expression neutral, letting him try to figure out the fastest way to get rid of me whist giving him the impression my teams ring holders is running while am stalling for time.

With a nod from the spear wielder the two of the three separated in opposing directions trying to get passed me while the man with a spear sprinted towards the middle trying to take me head on.

A/N: This chapter isn't up to 1000 words so am going to fill it up with A's

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