Failing

Just like I had thought. Ethan failed a little while later. I smiled as I was thrown into our lobby.

"How much longer do we have?" I asked Ethan.

"I don't know," Ethan pulled up an options screen, "Let me check."

He zoomed in on a little timer in the upper corner.

"About forty-five minutes," Ethan minimized the screen.

"One more round then," I clicked team match, "Maybe if we're quick enough we can get in two."

Ethan smiled at me as we were transported back into the forest.

"Hey," One of the three randoms behind us spoke up, "Can we work together in this round?"

I looked at Ethan, and Ethan looked at me.

"I'll work on scouting them out," I switched forms when the starting horn went off, "Find out what they're good at."

I jumped into the trees, and darted off in the trees as quietly as I could.

Stealth level up. Stealth level 3.

That took awhile to level up. I stopped when I got close to a group of three. I knew how to get back to Ethan easily enough. I used infrared to look for others. These three were the only ones in this area.

They were fairly spread out so I wouldn't be able to just freeze them like I liked to do. I ducked low to the branch as they passed beneath me. I shifted on the branch as I got ready to drop on the last guy. I dropped wrenching his head around, and springing off of him before he could burst into particles. The other two swung around to see what had happened to their third man, but I was already off to the side behind a tree.

My muscles tensed as I got ready to do some more damage. I got a wind slash ready, and released it suddenly. Slashing the guy that was closest to me as I dashed away from the last guy who was now shooting randomly in a panic. That would draw in the others. I sprinted up at tree, and then leapt full speed through the branches of the trees to get back to Ethan.

50 xp awarded. 195/400 xp until level 7.

I jumped out of the trees suddenly dropping in on our temporary group.

"Hear all that shooting," A bunch of guys will be headed that way, "I vote we circle around the side, and thin the numbers quietly."

Ethan nodded then looked back at the group, "Dragonbeast, you seem to do better on your own. We'll probably hold you back as a group. Can you handle covering for us instead of working with us directly?"

"Easily," I snorted as I looked over my sharp talons.

I looked around with my infrared vision right quick.

"There's no one close," I jumped back up in the trees, "Make your move while you've got the chance."

Changing color, and vanishing into the canopy. I kept one eye on our little group as I headed into the forest. Ethan could handle them he seemed to have a talent for leadership. My tail twitched as I snuck through the trees. I started closing in on a pair of dudes nearby.

My wings twitched slightly as I got closer to them. My body was tense from being so close to my prey. I leapt once one of them was close enough to me. I froze them both as I clung to one of them. The other one wasn't killed by the freeze zone, but he couldn't move.

Shivering violently as she raised her hand slowly. I hadn't realized it was a girl until I was inches from killing her. The plants that weren't frozen started leaning my way quickly. I jumped, and my head shot for her neck. My teeth clamped around her shoulder as I coiled myself around her slowly.

I squeezed her body as I dug my talons into her. The plants that had gotten close enough to reach us started trying to pry me off. I had to admit her ability was pretty well suited to this kind of environment, but she was too slow to act. I squeezed with my full strength. Bones broke under the sudden added pressure.

The plants stopped moving as she struggled to breath, and then she broke into particles.

50 xp awarded. 245/400 xp until level 7. Water affinity level up. Water affinity level 2.

Yes! I wondered how much damage I could do now with my freeze zone spell. My wings twitched as I got excited about my affinity leveling up. I checked around me with infrared, and noticed that Ethan's group was being stalked. I half hissed half growled as I sprinted through the trees towards Ethan. I didn't know how fast I was going, but I closed the distance between me, and Ethan quickly.

I jumped hitting the trunk of a tree on the side with all fours.

"Someone is coming up behind you," I scaled back up the tree as Ethan got everyone into a defensive formation, "You want me to help or do you have this?"

"No," Ethan was tense, "I think we've got it."

It was hard to read him with that mask on. I glanced around for my next target. I was in a hurry to do some damage now. We had to be running low on time by now. Time wasn't on our side anymore.

I kept running through the branches of the trees as quietly as I could. I had to gain xp in skills slower when I was in the VR. Annoying, but it made sense. I kept running until I was right on top of a lone student. I didn't even take the time to stop. Throwing a wind slash at him as I ran past.

25 xp awarded. 270/400 xp until level 7.

That was easy. This was getting easier. Every single level boosted my strength. Even if it was only a little each level. Right now my goal was to get my water affinity leveled up.

If I wanted to be an ice dragon I needed to make sure my water affinity was stronger than my air affinity. Becoming a white dragon or just a light colored dragon in general was so close to the annoying light color I was already. It wasn't something I really wanted. Using mana to change my color took time, and mana which I couldn't waste in a real fight. Granted I was pretty good at changing color, but still.