(41) First trial [1]

As if giving all the kids regrouping time, the thick wooden door opened slowly. 

Mangrel ascertained that this was an intentional act, to increase the survival probability even by the slightest. 

He stood his ground, not trying to join any of the groups around him. It was useless, the chances of him getting accepted were abysmal, and he might just be used as cannon fodder, in the worst-case scenario. 

'The number that everyone was granted seems to be very important. More than half of the kids here grimaced upon hearing the leader's words. Mine is one thousand, the last place, can't say I am surprised.' Mangrel accepted this result as if it was natural, he had long predicted the category of his potential. 

As a result, who would want to accept a deadbeat like him?

There was an identical action everyone performed before taking anyone in their group. 

It was to glance at the necklace on the person's neck.

"Hey...How are you so calm?" A girl with an aghast face looked at Mangrel with an unsettled feeling. 

Mangrel took a glance at the fair-skinned girl, before looking forward again. He made sure that there was some distance between him, and the wooden door.

There was no time for chit-chat anymore. 

A wolf foot stepped outside from the shade of the door, and the sharp claw of the wolf, with dark green fur — entered everyone's sight. 

'That's!' Mangrel's eyes widened slightly.

The green wolf completely walked out of the door entrance, exposing its above-a-meter-tall body and bloodthirsty aura. 

Rank zero upper-grade beast — Providence plant wolf!

The providence plant wolf was actually rarer than finding a rank-four beast. It was because of the immense benefit they brought to a beginner cultivator. They were hunted heavily, making them almost non-existent in normal forests and hunt zones. 

The Providence plant wolf's heart contained purified life essence, making it very nutritious and beneficial for a cultivator's body. 

Eating five hearts increases the potential by one percent. Three percent of potential was maxed amount gained using this method, as the body develops a natural resistance to it, similar to drugs. 

'I miscalculated then, this is not trial in the truest sense of the word, it's an opportunity. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.' Mangrel's eyes blazed seeing the wolves stepping out of the door one by one.

The providence plant wolf revealed their fangs threateningly. They moved forward one step at a time with their head lowered, searching for an opening in their prey's defense. 

Mangrel breathed in softly, 'Surprisingly, all the participants here know the basics of not showing their back to a wolf. These wolves are smart, they can pick up human fear and attack even fiercely to agitate their prey.'

'However, this stalemate won't last long either...' Mangrel concentrated all of his origin essence within the body.

Seeing their prey had no fear towards them, the wolves changed their way of approach. Attack all at once ferociously!

Not caring about their safety, the wolves pounced forward with blood-red eyes.

The group foremost was hit by their coordinated attack at once. 

It was clear as day that these wolves were trained beforehand to kill humans. While one of their kin distracted the human, the other would land a killing blow. 

Chomp!

The wolf directly bit off a kid's head with little effort. They showed strength worthy of the upper grade, many couldn't even contend against their strength, in one on one fights.

Three spiky roots grew from between their furs, assaulting everyone. 

There were only limited ways to guard against such attacks when they didn't have any weapons. 

Earth path art — rock skin! 

A man with rock-hard skin acted like a tank, while his teammate played their part as damage dealers.

Fire path art — Flame rings!

Lightning Path art — quick strike!

A few fought and survived, but they couldn't land a finishing blow to these infuriating wolves.

Like this, twenty participants of the demonic inauguration — Died within two minutes of the first trial. 

Having gotten a complete understanding of their attack pattern, Mangrel standing in a safe place decided to begin moving. 

The wolves were not far from reaching him. 

'There are another two doors, and they are showing signs of opening too. In a few minutes, another batch of monsters will arrive in the room.' Mangrel calculated.

Originally, Mangrel was planning on being passive, conserving his strength and surviving for fifteen minutes. 

Now, it has all changed. 

'I can't let this immensely rare opportunity slip past my fingers. There are around thirty Providence plan wolves, so I have to take half of them down.' Feeling it to be the appropriate time, Mangrel turned to the side.

His action attracted the attention of the girl, who tried talking to him. Seeing Mangrel looking at her, she felt strange internally. She felt a threat to her life instantly.

"Wait...! Don't come near me!!" The girl screamed with a pale face. 

Being exposed to such blatant killing intent, the girl was flustered and frightened out of her wits.

Stab!

Not using any art, Mangrel simply covered his palm in origin essence and thrust it into the girl's heart like a spear. 

'...I wonder what such a stupid girl was trying to achieve by coming here.' Mangrel thought and focused with all his might.

Rank zero dark path art — Ghost claw!

Transparent black flames covered Mangrel's right palm, giving out a grim aura. 

Feeling the wicked presence being released from the black flame, the kids around Mangrel all felt cold sweat and chills rising from deep within them. 

Mangrel's hand transformed into a sharp claw, made up of black flame. The black flame flickered as if it was screaming in agony. 

This was a demonic art famous for its atrocious effect of — creating a claw with the sacrificed soul. Using another's Soul for yourself, instead of letting it rest, was a very big taboo everywhere. 

Everyone distanced themselves from Mangrel, but they were already too late. The providence plant wolves had already made their way there and started to slaughter indiscriminately. 

"Ahhh!!" 

"Save!... Save me!!!" 

"Don't push, bitch!" 

Taking advantage of the disorder, Mangrel landed a finishing blow to another cultivator. His other palm got covered in black flames and blood.

This scene caused blood to rise to some of the kids nearby.

"You bastard! What do you think you're doing?!" It wasn't that he was angry because he was sad about others' death, it's just that the meat shields were decreasing!

Not bothered by the scream of some unknown kid, Mangrel confronted the wolf that arrived before him at last. 

'The Ghost claw would last at most two minutes. I need to kill fifteen of them within this time.' Mangrel's eyes shone in determination.

....

In the shadows, the leader and his subordinate watched the suffering of the many participants this decade. 

Living in this kind of place for a long time, it had become a habit to take pleasure in the suffering of the kids, who participated in the demonic inauguration. 

Still, they were loyal to the sect. They looked to see if there was anyone worth calling a talent. 

The leader, Bukeren, watched the ones fighting in the frontline. 

From their level of cooperation, it was apparent that they were not very close. 

'Well, they might survive...' Bukeren thought with contempt. 

At that moment, a scene attracted everyone's attention. 

'That's number 1,000, he is still alive?' Bukeren took a glance, only to have his eyes frozen there in place. 

The action of 1,000 was outrageous!

Without a care in the world, he killed the girl beside him, with no change in expression. Doing such a thing, while the enemy was nearby, could not be done by a sane person. 

What happened next, surprised others even more. 

A dark art that even Bukeren saw for the first time was performed by Mangrel. Its nature was beyond sinister using the soul of a living being, but it was nothing new to the demonic cultivators who had no bottom line, to begin with. 

Unknowingly, the attention of every cultivator, hiding in the shadows, moved to Mangrel.