章節 8: chapter 8: forget thy principles
Luca had just completed his test on strategy and resource management. The examiner, stunned by his rapid completion, handed him a scribe-like template marked with a number.
"This is your exam number," she explained, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Once we process your materials, this will notify you of your score. If you insert a token into its scribe holder, you can access the results directly."
The examiner's thoughts churned. How could he finish everything in such a short time? It hasn't even been ten minutes.
Luca accepted the template with a nod, though his mind was already elsewhere—on Valeri. Deciding to check on his disciple, he turned, only to be blocked by a man in a dull green overall. His long shawl draped heavily over his shoulders, and blades glinted ominously beneath its folds. The man's voice carried a measured weight.
"The boy is with my colleague, facing his challenge. I will be your examiner for the physicals. Follow me to the exam hall."
Luca's expression didn't change, but a faint shadow of irritation crept into his gaze. Two tests, back to back? No preparation, no transition? It was unusual—borderline unprofessional—but Luca said nothing. He followed the man silently through the winding corridors, his footsteps echoing in the stillness.
Before they reached their destination, a deafening THUMP reverberated through the hall. The walls quaked violently, and for a moment, it seemed the building might collapse. Luca's brow furrowed, his disciplined exterior cracking ever so slightly.
His examiner, visibly shaken, darted toward the sound. Luca followed close behind, his long strides fueled by a quiet urgency. The air felt wrong. No Mana or Ki fluctuations, just a faint vibration of Aura, so slight it was almost imperceptible.
When they arrived, the scene was chaos. Medics and healers swarmed the area, tending to the fainted Valeri. Bruises and cuts marred the boy's body, his frail frame crumpled against the medics' care. On the other side, Aleixi—a towering figure with one arm in a sling—sat stone-faced as another medic applied bandages to his battered limb.
Luca's gaze zeroed in on Valeri, his sharp, quiet anger bubbling beneath the surface. He moved forward, his voice a cold blade.
"What happened to him?"
Aleixi flinched at the sound, his body reacting instinctively to the authority in Luca's tone. Before he could stop himself, Aleixi swung a punch with his uninjured arm. The blow landed squarely on Luca's face with a resounding CRACK.
Luca didn't budge. His expression remained still, even as the redness blossomed across his cheek. The sheer force of the punch should have sent him reeling, but he stood like an unmovable wall.
Aleixi froze. The weight of his mistake hit him like a tidal wave as fear took over his features. He stumbled back, nearly knocking over the medic who'd been tending to him. Scrambling, Aleixi reached for his axe, but Luca paid him no mind. He turned sharply, his steps carrying him toward the shattered remnants of the barrier that once held the exam's alternate dimension.
The damage told a story. Shards of the dimensional array glittered faintly, their inner glow a signature of destruction from within. Luca's sharp eyes pieced the scene together instantly.
Valeri did this.
Luca's examiner, Kenan, watched from a distance, his mind racing. He was a C-class Vanguard with a reputation for unparalleled speed, his swiftness rivaling that of Special Grade warriors. Yet even he hadn't caught a glimpse of what had transpired.
Aleixi, despite his brute strength and durability, was battered—by a mere student, no less. The shock of it gnawed at Kenan's composure. His initial irritation at being assigned to this desolate land had shifted to intrigue. He no longer saw Luca as just another candidate.
---
When they finally reached the next exam hall, Kenan's excitement had taken a dangerous turn.
"Your task," he explained, a predatory grin curling his lips, "is to find me in this jungle and land ten strikes. You have thirty minutes."
The conditions weren't unusual. What was unusual was the glint in Kenan's eye, the look of a predator itching for a hunt.
Luca's expression betrayed nothing, though his jaw tightened imperceptibly. He knew the examiner wasn't just testing him—Kenan was challenging him.
As the room shifted, holograms flickered to life, transforming the space into a dense jungle. The heat, the smell of damp earth, the rustling of leaves—it all felt real. Too real.
"This should be interesting," Luca muttered under his breath.
Kenan vanished into the trees, leaving Luca alone in the clearing. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the distant call of a bird. Luca scanned the area, his sharp mind piecing together possibilities.
He's fast. An open attack would be idiotic.
Luca moved cautiously, his movements calculated. He felt the weight of Valeri's unconscious form lingering in his mind, an unspoken burden driving him forward. Every rustle of the leaves, every whisper of movement set his nerves on edge.
Somewhere in the distance, Kenan smirked, ready to pounce.
The jungle was alive with sound—chirping insects, rustling leaves, distant calls of unseen animals—but all of it faded into the background as Reaper and Kenan faced off. The oppressive humidity clung to their skin, mixing with the metallic tang of blood in the air. Reaper stood still, his dark coat blending with the shadows, silver eyes gleaming under his hood. Kenan, cocky and confident, circled him like a predator savoring the kill.
And then, like a coiled spring, Kenan struck.
The blade in his hand hissed through the air, aimed for Reaper's neck. Reaper ducked, narrowly avoiding decapitation as the blade sang past him, cutting through a vine behind him.
Kenan didn't pause. He followed up with a rapid series of strikes, his fists moving faster than the eye could follow. Reaper twisted, sidestepping a jab aimed at his throat, then ducked under a spinning kick that would've shattered his jaw.
Thwack!
Kenan's palm connected with Reaper's ribs, sending a jolt of pain through his side. Reaper staggered slightly but didn't flinch.
"One," Kenan said, his voice low and mocking, a grin spreading across his face.
Reaper straightened, his breathing steady, his gaze colder than ever. He didn't respond. Words were wasted on men like Kenan.
Kenan darted back into the shadows, disappearing into the thick foliage. For a moment, the jungle seemed to hold its breath. Reaper's eyes scanned the darkness, his ears straining to catch the faintest sound.
And then Kenan was there again, striking from the side. Reaper twisted, narrowly avoiding the blow aimed at his spine, but Kenan anticipated his dodge. His knee drove into Reaper's ribs with brutal force.
"Two."
Kenan's voice echoed, dripping with arrogance. Reaper exhaled sharply, but his expression didn't change. His predator's instincts were kicking in now, sharpening with every second.
Kenan vanished into the shadows again, but Reaper didn't move. He stood still, his body coiled like a spring, his mind calculating every variable. The jungle was Kenan's domain, but Reaper wasn't just prey. He was the hunter now.
Another burst of movement.
Kenan lunged, his fist aimed at Reaper's head, but Reaper moved faster. His body twisted, his arm snapping out to intercept Kenan's strike. Their forearms collided with a bone-jarring impact. Reaper followed up with a low kick, aiming to sweep Kenan off his feet, but Kenan leaped back, agile as a shadow.
The fight was turning brutal.
Reaper launched forward, his strikes relentless. Kenan ducked and weaved, his speed keeping him just out of reach, but Reaper was relentless. His movements were precise, his strikes calculated. He was no longer just reacting—he was forcing Kenan to play his game.
Kenan's grin faltered for the briefest moment as Reaper's fist grazed his jaw. The blow wasn't a direct hit, but the power behind it sent a chill down Kenan's spine.
Kenan darted back, his breath coming quicker now. He tried to slip into the shadows again, but Reaper was faster this time. He closed the distance in an instant, his fist slamming into Kenan's shoulder with crushing force.
Crack!
Kenan staggered, his arm going limp at his side. He hissed in pain, but his grin returned, though it was tinged with desperation now.
"Three."
Reaper's voice was low, almost a whisper, but it carried an icy finality that made Kenan's heart skip a beat.
Kenan lashed out in fury, his movements becoming wild. He struck at Reaper with everything he had, but Reaper was calm, his motions fluid and precise. He ducked, dodged, and deflected each strike with an almost eerie ease.
And then he struck.
Reaper's leg shot out, a devastating kick slamming into Kenan's chest. The force of the blow sent Kenan flying backward, crashing into a tree with a sickening crunch.
Kenan hit the ground hard, gasping for air as he clutched his chest. His ribs felt like they were on fire, and his vision blurred with pain.
"Four."
Reaper stepped forward, his boots crunching against the jungle floor. Kenan tried to push himself up, but his body wouldn't obey.
"Get up," Reaper said, his voice devoid of emotion.
Kenan's heart pounded as he forced himself to his feet. Fear clung to him like a second skin now. He realized with growing dread that Reaper had been holding back, letting him score those early hits. It had been a game.
Kenan lunged again, his movements desperate, but Reaper was a shadow, slipping past him effortlessly. His fist slammed into Kenan's side, the impact shattering ribs and driving the air from his lungs.
"Five."
Kenan stumbled, but Reaper didn't stop.
Thwack!
Another strike.
"Six."
Crack!
"Seven."
Kenan's vision swam as blow after blow landed, each one precise, each one devastating. Reaper's voice was a metronome of doom, counting out Kenan's destruction.
"Eight."
"Nine."
"Ten."
Kenan collapsed, his body broken and trembling, blood dripping from his mouth. He tried to crawl away, but Reaper knelt beside him, grabbing him by the collar. Their eyes met, and for the first time, Kenan saw death staring back at him.
Reaper's fist came down one last time, slamming into Kenan's chest with bone-shattering force. The world went dark as Kenan crumpled, unconscious and defeated.
Reaper rose, his breathing steady, his expression unchanged. Without a word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the jungle's shadows, heading towards the dimension crystal. The hunt was over
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