Problems vanish

I thought his end was near as the troll's Warhammer came crashing down upon the poor lad. However just as he was about to get hit, his halberd shot through the air, slicing the giant hammer in half.

His weapon melted through the troll's arm and sent it flying across the clearing. The beast roared in pain as blood gushed forth from where its limb used to be.

It stumbled backward and landed hard on the ground, leaving a trail of black smoke behind.

Awe and disbelief filled my mind as I watched him. How can someone that is supposed to be my age be that much stronger than me? This surface is really an interesting place.

War cries echoed throughout the forest as the other trolls rushed at the young man. Together, they swung their weapons, covering any escape room possible for the young man.

My heart beat fast as I stared at the battlefield. If the young man dies, I'll probably follow after.

The end seemed inevitable for him but he proved me wrong once more.

Taking his giant halberd in his mouth, he jumped high into the air, just enough for the attacks to miss him.

With perfect timing, he managed to climb on top of one troll, making cuts and burn marks over its whole body in the process.

Another troll tried to attack him but he flawlessly dodged it, letting the troll he is on face the brunt of the blow instead.

As if that isn't impressive enough, he went on a rampage afterwards, cutting away every troll he sees.

They didn't seem to care anymore as they threw themselves recklessly at him, trying desperately to kill the young man.

What a terrifying sight. As if he was dancing, he elegantly moved between the blows and strikes. Not a single cut or wound appeared on his skin but the same couldn't be said for the ice trolls.

It was a massacre that will remain etched forever in my memory. It was simply too mesmerizing.

It seems that running away isn't necessary as there are only a few of them remaining. Furthermore, since he can somehow conjure fire, staying with him will be beneficial for me.

Drawing my claymore, I was just about to come out of my hiding spot to help him finish off the last few trolls when suddenly a voice behind me made my heart jump.

"Crazy right?"

Startled, I turned back towards the direction the sound came from. There standing was a girl with blonde hair and red eyes, staring intently at the ongoing fight.

"What? Who are you?" I asked her while keeping my distance.

"Me? You can call me Luna. By any chance, have you seen my brother? He should be somewhere around here. He looks exactly like me." Replied the stranger without a care in the world.

"Your brother? No I don't think I have. My name is Kayn by the way." I replied whilst trying to figure out if she means harm.

"Did I ask? You are just another NPC running away from something dangerous. Why are you even here in the first place if you don't want to challenge yourself?" She retorted rudely, not showing the slightest bit of remorse.

"I was just about to help the young man over there." I answered.

"Oh, you mean Onyx Meadowbleeder. Yeah, I don't think he needs your help. That guy is already at D-Rank thanks to the kingdom raising him to be a future weapon that will dispose of their enemies."

Her words made my blood freeze. D-Rank? No wonder he could easily defeat the trolls.

But what does she mean by "future weapon of the kingdom"? Is he like a slave to them? Or maybe some sort of experiment?

"His strength makes me want to fight him." Exclaimed Luna as she approached him.

"Wait, you are also D-Rank?" I asked, surprised.

"D-Rank? I'm far from it. I'm around E-Rank." Responded Luna with a confused look.

"Are you crazy? Why would you fight him then? Onyx will win without breaking a sweat." I responded exasperatedly.

Why is she so calm about that? Am I the only one normal here? Even the other participants were all kinda weird.

Talking about something like "nobility" and how they are better than me when they are clearly weaker.

"That's the fun in it. The thrill of knowing the odds are against you and your life can slip away at any moment." Said Luna whilst leisurely walking towards the battlefield

This girl must be insane. What kind of logic is that? I never understood people who enjoy danger.

To me, being able to survive is way more important than risking everything for a mere adrenaline rush! These psychopaths...

Feeling my wound open up again, I decided to find a place to rest before I get involved in this meaningless fight and killed.

With all the participants spread out, I couldn't rely on any help as I was forced to rip apart my clothes to use as bandages.

Without the warmth that Onyx's halberd radiated, my body started to shiver violently as I walked through the cold forest.

My wounds still hurt terribly as I limped along, slowly heading deeper into the woods until finally finding a small cave where I could hide myself away from prying eyes.

I didn't have anything on me to make a fire so that I can escape the chill of this freezing weather. My only saving grace was that the cave is relatively warm compared to the outside.

With nothing else to do, I used the time in that my body recovers to absorb the little amount of mana in the vicinity. One step at a time to achieve greatness.

------------------------

Name: Kayn Cinderash

------------------------

Rank: E-

Mana Synchronisation: E+

Physical Capabilities:

-Agility: E-

-Strength: E-

-Endurance: E

-Martial Skills: C+

Mind:

-Muscle-Mind Connection: B

-Mental Fortitude: B

-Sensory Awareness: D

Unique Abilities:

(F-Rank Unlocked) Cull the Meek: Raised in the depths of the Underground, you have developed the instinctive ability to sense weakness in others. This allows you to quickly discern whether an opponent poses a threat to you or not.

(E-Rank Unlocked) The Heroes Path: Ascent to power is inevitable for those born with talent. However, the road to glory is littered with obstacles. For you however, the path to success has been paved with gold and silver. Prosperity follows your every step.

(D-Rank Locked) ...

(C-Rank Locked) ...

------------------------

"Still so far away from D-Rank..." I muttered to myself, feeling slightly depressed.

Just thinking about how Onyx effortlessly sliced through the countless trolls made me feel pathetic. I need to grow even stronger.

I thought surviving in the Underhive made me strong but after seeing Onyx, I realized just how wrong I am. There is always a bigger fish.

I think I have rested enough. The blizzard outside seems to have stopped now which allowed me to see the light of day once more. It feels good to be back in the sunlight.

"I'm famished..." I complained. If I knew that the entrance test would be this long, I would've brought something with me. Guess I'll have to hunt something down instead.

As I wandered around, I spotted a few participants wandering around aimlessly looking for food. Some were even fighting each other for scraps. Now, everyone is on their own I suppose.

Associating with them will amount to nothing with the little strength they emit. Not worth the risk of betrayal. The lonely path it is. Just like it has always been...

The first thing that caught my eye was a large deer running across the field. Its white fur glistened under the sun as its antlers swayed in the wind. A sight to behold. Too bad I have nothing to cook it with.

My stomach grumbled loudly. That's definitely hunger talking there. Taking aim, I threw my claymore at the animal, impaling its throat as it fell dead onto the ground after a bit of struggle.

I spoke a short prayer over the carcass. Respecting the organisms that provide you with food is a given.

At least it was like that in the Underhive. Here though, they all seem to have forgotten what it means to be grateful.

Cutting the flesh with precision, I separated the bones using my dagger and carved some thin strips of the fat. They taste alright. Until I find a source of fire, this will suffice.

After devouring the meat, I left the remains behind. It is unfortunate that I can't eat all of it but maybe someone else finds use in the leftovers.

Hunger sated, I continued to explore the area. Looking around, I noticed many of the contestants had already settled themselves into camps. Judging by the number of tents present, I estimated that at least twenty people are here.

However, that doesn't matter as I need to find out what I have to do to pass this test. Grouping up is definitely not the answer.

Professor Erosius talked about evaluating based on actions so I guess I should prove my worth to them.

Fighting it is then. Maybe I can find one of those ice trolls, isolated from the rest. Or something even better...