The white haired boy stood there in awe. It was only until Adam had asked him a question with a condescending tone that he finally snapped back to reality.
"Oh, Uhm… I-I could have finished them off myself." [White Haired Boy]
The girl he had been protecting threw a stick at the back of the boy's head.
"Ow! What was that for?" [White Haired boy]
"Stop being rude to our savior, Noah!" [Girl]
"He was asking for it!" [Noah]
She raised her hand, threatening to throw another stick.
"A-alright! Just put down the stick, Claire!" [Noah]
("These two are pretty fun to watch.") [Adam]
Claire walked up to Adam and tilted her head into a short bow.
"Thank you for saving us. If you had not saved us, we would've had to drop out." [Claire]
She grabbed the top of Noah's head and forced him to bow as well.
"...Thanks." [Noah]
"I-its fine, you can lift your heads." [Adam]
"Now that we have said our thanks, I believe it's time we part ways." [Claire]
As she took a step forward, her ankle gave way and she collapsed.
"Claire!" [Noah]
He ran over to her and held her within his arms.
"It seems like I sprained my ankle. Sorry Noah, but I'm going to drop out from here." [Claire]
"Don't worry, I'll get us first place." [Noah]
Claire pressed the SOS button on her watch, causing her to vanish.
("I don't really want to ruin his moment, but there are some voidlings coming this way.") [Adam]
"Just take care of them when he leaves." [Krino]
("Hm… We'll see.") [Adam]
Noah picked himself up and walked off into the forest.
"Not even a goodbye?" [Adam]
Noah only looked back for a moment before disappearing into the wilderness.
"Well, he's gone. Time to get back to work." [Krino]
Adam weaved through the thicket while handling any voidlings detected in his Scout. Sometimes he would take a small break by observing other contestants.
"Hey, I just had an idea. Although, I'm not sure if you'll like it." [Krino]
("What is it?") [Adam]
"Why don't you just let your rivals do all the work? After the voidlings are weakened, just swoop in for the kill." [Krino]
("I see… I don't like it.") [Adam]
"Why not?" [Krino]
("First of all, it's a scumbag move.") [Adam]
"And the second reason?" [Krino]
("All the voidlings here can't even touch me with you equipped. It's faster to just confront them head on and deal with them in one blow.") [Adam]
"That's not completely true. There is still a voidling capable of harming you here." [Krino]
("The level 5?") [Adam]
"Yeah, that one is a tough one." [Krino]
("You easily slice through level 4 voidlings, how is a level 5 going to be any different?") [Adam]
"If you don't remember, each level increases the difficulty drastically. A level 5's defense is able to defend as well as Mr. Frank's old man." [Krino]
("That doesn't sound too hard…") [Adam]
"I only said it's defense. It's power is greater than his." [Krino]
("...Alright, but how am I supposed to find it?") [Adam]
"Honestly, I don't know. Just try following the screams or something." [Krino]
Although Krino was trying to give good advice, people's screams had not stopped since the tournament had begun. Adam had no means of locating anyone through sound alone.
("Wait a minute. What if I…") [Adam]
He brought back his Scout and stretched it as far as he could in a single line. Afterwards, he spun it around him in a circle repeatedly.
("It works!") [Adam]
He was using his Scout as if it was a radar. He was given momentary knowledge of his surroundings each time it went full circle.
"I have no idea what you're doing, but you better get a move on." [Krino]
("Hold on, let me concentrate.") [Adam]
After standing still for a few seconds, he suddenly sprinted off into a random direction.
"Where are you going?" [Krino]
("I found the level 5 voidling!") [Adam]
Before arriving, he hid behind a tree to monitor the level 5 voidling.
("That thing is huge!") [Adam]
It was at least 10 feet tall, with scales covering its entire body. It had a cobra-like head and its tail seemed like a blade.
("Who captured that thing and why did they put it in this tournament!") [Adam]
Its fork like tongue waved back and forth before turning its head in Adam's direction.
"Run!" [Krino]
Adam hastened his way out of the area with trees falling behind him.
("What's the plan!") [Adam]
"Lure it towards some random people! Let them take care of it!" [Krino]
("As much as I hate to do this, I'll listen to you anyways!") [Adam]
Sensing multiple people near him, he made his way to their location.
"That should be it, I think we got a decent amount of points." [Player A]
"At this rate, we might even get into the top 10." [Player B]
"Yeah yeah, save your delusions for later. Wait, do you hear that?" [Player C]
Adam appeared from the forest and ran past them.
"I leave it to you!" [Adam]
"What the-?!" [Player A]
"OH MY GOD!!!" [Player B]
The voidling burst out into the open hissing at the contestants. Adam quickly hid behind another tree, eager to see how it would play out.
"Kill it!" [Player A]
Their attacks seemed ineffective against it, but they definitely left some marks.
"Drop out! We can't beat it!" [Player C]
All three pressed the SOS button as soon as they exhausted their abilities. The voidling flicked it's tongue once more and located Adam.
"Do it again." [Krino]
Adam ran around like a madman, bringing destruction to wherever he set foot. The entire forest was a complete mess. It was more of an open area now that most of the trees had fallen. As he was running around, the next person he brought it to was a familiar face.
"Oh crap! Tiffany?!" [Adam]
"Fueee?!" [Tiffany]
She was shocked at the sight of Adam, but he was even more surprised that she wasn't eliminated yet.
"W-what are you doing here?" [Adam]
"I-I was just… walking around…?" [Tiffany]
"Wait no! This isn't the time for this! We have to run!" [Adam]
The ground rumbled, indicating the voidling was near.
"Sorry about this!" [Adam]
He quickly picked Tiffany and ran once again.
"EHHHH~~~!!!" [Tiffany]
("P-p-p-p-princess carry!?!?") [Tiffany]
She looked up at Adam with beads of sweat trickling down his face.
("...He's so cool…") [Tiffany]
(That was actually just her own delusion…)
("I need to find another person quickly!") [Adam]
Another person was picked up on his radar, so he headed their way. Unfortunately, it was another person he knew.
"Noah?!" [Adam]
"What are you doing here?!" [Noah]
"Just leave him!" [Krino]
Adam ignored Noah and continued on.
"What was that about… HUH?!" [Noah]
Noah finally noticed the voidling chasing after Adam and he began to follow suit as well.
"Stop following me!" [Adam]
"No way! If I stop now, the voidling will get me!" [Noah]
They kept running until Adam picked up another signal.
("Please God… Please be someone I don't know!") [Adam]
Regrettably, it was someone he knew. Running to the signal revealed Felix standing upon a pile of voidling corpses.
"There is no God!!!" [Adam]
"Adam?!" [Felix]
"Damn it! Now I actually have to fight it!" [Adam]
"Fight what? And who's that guy with you? Wait, is that Tiffany?!" [Felix]
The voidling appeared holding branches that had been broken off the trees it demolished.
"What have you done?!" [Felix]
"No time to explain! Just fight!" [Adam]
He placed down Tiffany gently, but somehow quickly and attacked the voidling.
"Scales of Libra!" [Adam]
("Why does he always bring trouble?!") [Felix]
"Spatial Slash!" [Felix]
"Contract!" [Noah]
The voidling was riddled by not only Adam's swords, but rubble that suddenly flew at it. It blocked with its arms and its sharpened tail over it. It was leaving an immense amount of scratches, but not many of them were noteworthy. The only attack that seemed effective was the Spatial Slash seeing as it left a deep cut in its arms.
"I think we're doing it!" [Adam]
Although the attacks were not fruitful in doing damage, it was helpful in angering the voidling. It spun around, deflecting the projectiles and slammed its edge in their direction.
"Dodge!" [Adam]
He quickly grabbed Tiffany and dived to the side, while the other two dived the other way. The shockwave from the blade left a gash in the ground where they had stood.
"If that didn't work, then close combat it is." [Adam]
He charged in with his blade at the ready.
("That idiot!") [Felix]
"Tiffany! Buff us!" [Felix]
"Invigorate!" [Tiffany]
Their bodies were enveloped by a golden light and they felt much stronger. Felix quickly followed after Adam when he felt empowered.
("I can't let them leave me in the dust!") [Noah]
"Form!" [Noah]
Dirt, rocks, bark, and whatnot gathered to his hands. He forged two daggers out of the environment and charged along.
All three attacked simultaneously, making it difficult for the voidling to defend. It would swing its tail at them, only to be blocked by Adam. If it tried to grab them, Felix would punch it in the snout. Any time it would go in for an attack, one of the three would counter.
("Its working!") [Adam]
It was slowly getting whittled down, but its attacks ended abruptly. It balled itself up with no openings being shown.
("Is it surrendering...?") [Adam]
"Hey guys… Do you hear that?" [Felix]
A low hissing sound along with the sound of running water was coming from the voidling.
"Get back!" [Adam]
Calling for a retreat was the right call, but it was too late. Black liquid shot out from the voidling, spraying all three with it.
"Agh! What is this?!" [Felix]
"AHHH!! I got hit!" [Noah]
"Urgh! It burns!" [Adam]
The group was on their last legs, with the voidling looming over them.
("Damn it! What do we do?!") [Adam]