Capítulo 43: Points Rat
Upon arriving at the location, I stopped and hid among the tree leaves. The distance between me and the Dracolion who fought against the group of students was a little far, but enough for me to watch them.
As I took a closer look at the group, I found familiar faces among them.
"Lux? And Seo Yeong-Ha?"
Lux's snow hair was easy to notice, even more so Seo Yeong-Ha's fighting style.
When I arrived here, they were in a fight against the Dracolion. Looking at the situation, then on my Nova Watch, I guessed that it had been 20 minutes since the fight start as well as the time which I had wasted to reach here.
If it was not for the trouble I encountered on the way, I should've reached here 10 minutes earlier.
On my way here, I encountered several problems like slipping and tripping then falling, and bruised. Other than that, there was also a little hunting… or maybe stealing was the right word.
That's right! I was steal killing from the other group! And I was proud to say it out loud!
Because of that, now my group was in the second position with 33 points. I just added 6 points to my group's points. I guess my team members didn't slack off either.
Oh right, it was not because of the steal kill I did which made me waste my time. Rather, it was because of the chasing. So, the group whose target got steal killed by me was chasing me like a madman.
It was a good thing I knew how to fasten my movement speed with mana-coating so they couldn't catch me.
It was fun, except for the fact that I needed to feast on the bigger plate.
"Well, as long as the Dracolion is still alive. I guess it's fayn."
I observed the fight while sitting leisurely on the tree branch. Fruits were growing, that looked like an apple but the color was black.
Picking up the fruit that resembled a black apple and upon closer inspection, I realized it was not actually a fruit. I played with it on my palm, feeling its texture and shape, surprised to find such an unexpected item in this place.
"I didn't think this place would have this little guy."
The Smokefruit, resembling an apple in shape but with black color, was not meant for consumption. Instead, it served as a weapon or support kit. When thrown, it would explode upon impact, releasing smoke in circular areas, akin to a smoke bomb.
Unlike a normal smoke bomb, the Smokefruit was lethal for the monsters, it had a weakening effect on them, making it a valuable tool in hunting a group of smaller monsters.
"Though I doubt it would work against the Dracolion."
But then, if I used this and stacked the smoke. It might weaken the Dracolion but also would be fatal for humans too, if they were to inhale the smoke, they would pass out in an instant.
So much work to weaken the Dracolion but no one could finish it off when it was weakened.
'If only I have a gas mask or purifier potion.'
At that moment, a loud, girl's shouting voice rang out, immediately getting my attention back to the fight.
"Lux! Get ready for the final blow!"
"Let's go! Seo Yeong-Ha!"
Lux and Seo Yeong-Ha started to move, pinching the Dracolion. The other three of their group were all long-ranged, they positioned themselves far back. Two of them had their bows at ready, and another with a shortsword, a transparent blue glow emanating from his body.
I straightened my body and stood on the branch, taking out my daggers.
"I guess it's about to reach the climax."
Lux and Seo Yeong-Ha, the two frontline fighters, moved with precision and skill, aiming for the weak spots of the large beast. They were attacking and dodging in a precise manner and with teamwork.
The other three members positioned farther back, using long-ranged attacks to support Lux and Seo Yeong-Ha.
Two marksmen fired arrows at the Dracolion's head and neck, while another cast buffs from a distance, providing continuous support for his group's members.
The Dracolion's roars grew weaker, and its movements slowed further. Lux and Seo Yeong-Ha seized the opportunity, pressing their attack with excitement.
"Now, Lux!"
As Lux was about to deliver the final blow with his swordsmanship that was seen from the faint glow radiating from his sword, I threw the Smokefruit at the Dracolion.
With mana-coating, my throw strengthened and the Smokefruit flew at a high speed and exploded before Lux could even make his move.
"Wha–?!"
The Smokefruit exploded in a burst of black smoke upon impact, engulfing the three meters tall Dracolion in its noxious fumes.
Lux and Seo Yeong-Ha were caught off guard, their attacks halted as they tried to get themselves out of the black smoke that blocked their visions.
As they succeed, they stumbled back, coughing and choking. The other members of their group, positioned further back, were also affected by the smoke, and their attacks were disrupted.
"What is happening?"
While they were in a state of confusion about what was going on. I leaped down from the branch with my daggers drawn, seizing the opportunity.
Before I leaped down and darted in, I saw something flickering from the trees across from me. It was red, glowing red, like a flame.
Then, when I darted in, midway before I could reach the Dracolion. Someone also jumped in from the direction where the glowing red came.
"?!!"
It was Ember. Her sharp flame eyes focused on the Dracolion.
She was jumping toward my line of direction, if either of us did not stop, it could lead to a crash. Noticing me, she furrowed her eyebrows and quickly shifted her body.
We moved with synchronized precision movement, avoiding a collision mid-air as we both descended toward the Dracolion. Her whip sword raised and I used her sword blade as a temporary foothold to maintain my momentum to jump upward and launched her down at the beast first.
"Go!"
I didn't expect this kind of situation and synergy between Ember and me. But, since we were teammates, I helped and let her dealt with the Dracolion first.
Her whip sword glinted with fiery flame as she swung it expertly, using it as leverage to propel herself toward the beast.
Thanks to my Clairvoyance, I could see what was happening inside the black smoke.
I watched in awe as Ember unleashed a barrage of fiery strikes, her flame eyes focused and her movements precise. Her relentless assault was too much for the beast to handle.
With a final, powerful strike, Ember unleashed a powerful downward strike aimed at the Dracolion's head, causing it to roar in agony and collapse to the ground yet still alive.
That was where I came in.
I coated the soles of my feet and then force-released the mana to make it explode, launching me downward.
Darting in, I used my mana-coated daggers to deliver one fatal blow to the Dracolion's weak spot, its nape which was unprotected by its hard scale.
Grrroooaaarrrggghhh!!!
The Dracolion was defeated, with a deep-cut wound on its nape, almost separating the head from the body.
"Who are you guys?! How dare you stole our hunt?!"
A female voice rang out in the air, assaulting my eardrums. It was Seo Yeong-Ha's.
The black smoke from the exploded Smokefruit subsided, revealing Ember and I stood victorious over the defeated Dracolion. Ember's whip sword crackled with residual flames, and my daggers gleamed with the beast's blood.
"Zio?" Lux started, then his eyes darted at Ember. "And Ember?"
I turned around and faced them with an innocent smile.
"Yo, Lux!"
I sheathed my daggers and jumped down from the beast's corpse that soon would be dispersed into a particle of mana because it was just a doll monster.
As soon as I approached them, Seo Yeong-Ha grabbed me by my uniform's collar.
"Hey! Why did you do it?! It's our hunt!"
Lux was surprised by her aggressiveness.
Before I could answer Seo Yeong-Ha, Lux's voice was coming out first.
"Calm down, Seo Yeong-Ha, it's just a game."
Seo Yeong-Ha's face darted from me to Lux.
"It's our–!"
She paused mid-sentence when everyone's Nova Watch vibrated and beeped, and eventually did not finish her word.
Sighing, she released my collar.
"It's 10 minutes left before this end," Lux said upon checking his Nova Watch.
Seo Yeong-Ha's eyes widened in shock as she cried out, "WHAT?!! Our group ranks down to second!!!"
Before she could direct her frustration at me again, I was already far away from their group the moment Seo Yeong-Ha turned, looking like someone who wanted to choke people to death.
"Thank you for the points!!!"
"YOU!! COME BACK HERE!!!"
I couldn't hold my nervous laugh as her voice reached my ears considering our distance.
Chuckling, I quickly spun on my heels and sprinted away together with Ember who was already ahead of me.
I pushed my body to its limits, using my agility and speed to put as much distance as possible from Seo Yeong-Ha's wrath, disappearing into the dense forest.
That day, I got a nickname from my victims. 'Points Rat', that sounded so lame…
For the last 10 minutes, we hunted any monsters in sight. And when the time was up, my group placed in the first position with a total of 51 points.
The result of the hunting practice was uploaded to the student's Nova Watch when we gathered back at the Octagram's Training Field.
===
[Group Rank]
1. Lupus-8 - 51 points
2. Draco-30 - 44 points
3. Tigris-3 - 40 points
4. Draco-17 - 37 points
5. Serpent-9 - 35 points
6. Draco-11 - 33 points
7. Lupus-20 - 31 points
8. …
9. …
10. …
===
[Individual Rank]
1. Ember Crimson - 53 points
2. Lux Virtus - 49 points
3. Zio Varrez - 48 points
4. Leonardo Miguel - 45 points
5. Seo Yeong-Ha - 41 points
6. Ayano Fuyuki - 39 points
7. Lin Xao - 33 points
8. Enzo Ruiz - 30 points
9. Grace Callaghan - 27 points
10. Lumi Alicia Alexa - 26 points
===
…
After class was dismissed, I immediately looked for Ember before she could slip away again.
"Here, your earring," I said, extending my palm toward her.
She stared at the earring for a moment before taking it, and I acted as if I had no idea why she had given it to me in the first place.
"I'm not sure why you gave this to me before my fight in the Neophyte Nexus, but I'm sure you didn't intend for me to keep it, right? Thank you, anyway," I said, trying to sound casual.
Ember reached up to fix the hair that covered her ears, and as she put the earring on her left ear, I found myself tensed up. My eyes were watering for no reason, and I quickly wiped them with my hand.
'Damn, I know she is pretty, but why am I so fascinated that it makes me sobbing?!'
Was it because she resembled Nuria? It seemed plausible, although being charmed by a 17-year-old brat didn't make sense to me, and how my eyes were watering.
Nuria was considered the epitome of beauty in this world. Despite being 60 years old, her appearance was still youthful and stunning, akin to that of someone in their 20s.
Well, to be frank, 60 years old is considered young for an Enhanced like us, who can live up to 200 years old, could be more than that if they had vitality related blessing, talent, or skill.
Ember frowned as she was done putting the earring on her left ear.
"Is there something wrong with it? If I somehow broke it, I will pay for the damage."
As she shook her head, I found myself feeling relieved. I felt relieved because I didn't need to pay for the damaged item of other people, which I couldn't afford to pay.
"There's no need for that," she said as she turned back. "See you later."
I stood still, watching her disappear from my sight.
"Huu…"
When I was about to return to my dorm, I suddenly felt an intense aura directed at me from behind. Peeking over my shoulder, I found Seo Yeong-Ha walking with heavy footsteps toward me.
"You…!"
I tensed up as I saw her. I instinctively ran away soon after that.
"COME HERE YOU DAMN RAT!"
Thus, with that, it marked the end of today's Combat Training class, as well as the end of my story.
'Just joking! I shall not die until I can change this world's fate!'
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