In an instant, the environment had changed. The sound of sea waves could be heard from around me. I could feel his shoes sinking into the soft sand beneath him. I had been teleported to a beach.
I looked down and there was a badge stuck to his clothes around the chest. It was probably added when we were teleported. The badge read the number 97.
The numbers were probably there for identification.
I stared towards the deep ocean. I thought that for something artificial, it sure was beautiful.
"I guess, I'm probably the only one admiring the view right now… Hah…" I spoke to myself.
But at least it helped me calm down.
'Let's see… I was teleported to a beach, meaning I'm on the outside… Meaning on the inside should be…' I guessed.
I turned around and as he suspected, there was a forest.
A skill I had invented in the duration I was gone was called Demon Eyes, basically, I pour sin energy into my eyes, and they turn into slits, seeing any sign of life. I'm sure if I practice this, it will evolve, but its current state is usable.
Just as I was about to cast Demon Eyes, a loud voice hovered around the dome.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Today's host is me, Alberto Marven!" Said the man.
That was the commentator speaking.
"The event today is battle royale! The top 100 to survive will pass the exam, I wish best of luck to all of your acquaintances who are taking the exam and I hope that you all enjoy the show!" He said.
'Show..? I guess they did say they were live-streaming the exam… He must be talking to the viewers. I'm sure Dwayne is watching too. Well then, I guess I definitely won't be allowed to embarrass myself.' I thought to myself.
"Currently, there are still 1000 remaining. Once again, I will be commentating on any interesting events as you watch. Enjo- Eh? Looks like 3 players just got eliminated by a single player. That was fast… Only 1997 Players remain!" Said the man.
'3? Already, that was fast, and by a single player… Interesting.' I thought.
"This voice is only being projected to the people currently participating. You will not be able to hear the commentator so as to not distract anyone. Only those watching will be able to. I will be informing you all of the count every 20 eliminations, best of luck." Said the voice.
It was different from the commentator's voice as it sounded like an artificial female's voice. But it was good to know everyone will know how many players were left.
"Demo-"
Before I could finish, I felt a magic attack heading towards me and I leapt to the side.
A second later a steel orb went hit directly at the area I was at, splashing sand everywhere.
"Tsk, I missed." Said the guy.
"I'm sure you won't again." Replied I said as I leapt straight at him while I sent feathers at him.
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"So… It's started, huh…" Said the man.
"Indeed, I'm looking forward to seeing how things turn out…" Said the lady.
"What do you think about the competitors this year?" He asked.
"I believe we are at a generation of miracles, there are too many talented individuals."
"So that's the case… Why don't we make a bet? Who do you think will come out first?" He asked.
"You want to make a bet with me, the advisor..? Very well, but on one condition. You tell me yours first, you don't take bets that you can't win, Isn't that right? Dwayne.".
"Haha, as expected, you saw right through me. Very well, I'll place my bets on a boy called Akatsuki," Said Dwayne with a calm smile.
"Akatsuki..? What noble family is he from?" Asked the lady.
"He's from mine, obviously," Replied Dwayne.
"You dare think a mere servant from your family will win? What are you planning?" She asked.
"Nothing, at all. You're always quick to suspect me… It's quite saddening." Replied Dwayne.
"And you know why, *Sigh* Well, I already had someone in mind. I believe he is the most talented among them, he broke out of a hidden Luminos base and rescued a topper in the 3rd years who has a god mark. He himself has a rather unique mark. His name is Skyler."
"Skyer, interesting."
"He is an orphan, so I personally adopted him and enrolled him into this academy. I believe he will do great in this academy, but even if this academy has produced godly talents, he is something else, I believe he will be the wall that protects us from the demon king.
"Haha… Looks like things won't be easy for Akatsuki… But I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you," Said Dwayne with the same calm smile.
"Is that so… Well, we'll find out.." Said the lady.
...
"That's the 10th one." I said as I punched the student who had the ability to shoot web cannons from a distance, probably a beast mark.
My tactics were simple, use feathers to restrict an opponents view or trip them, then beat them using gravity and martial arts. To be honest, I prefer the ruthless rules of boxing, but martial arts is growing on me. It is more useful in the long term.
"There are 840 players remaining, there have been no added rules." Said the voice.
"840... Huh..." I muttered as he looked down at my badge number.
The number displayed was 345. This showed my rank in the exam, 1st being the best. Overall, it pretty trash, but I wanted he barely pass the exam so no one noticed me. This would give me more freedom and time for my plans in the future.
"I never expected there to be so many people here at the beach..." I said as I looked towards the small concrete and frozen sand on the ground.
They were stronger than I had expected. Some had elemental abilities, others had weird abilities like being able to turn giant. But so far, no one had been a match, and I hoped it would stay that way.
I never took the time to deeply think about it. But I realized that magic sure was revolutionary. I wondered what my previous world would be like if it existed.
"It sort of feels like a cheat..." I muttered.
Suddenly, I felt a chill go down his spine and stopped.
"?!"
After that, something came into contact with the tree which was right in front of me and it vanished.
I cast Demon Eyes without saying anything and looked around.
I couldn't find anyone, the nearest person was at least 50 meters away from me, there was no way they could have launched an attack and I wouldn't have noticed.
Suddenly I felt another attack coming and leapt to the side. A small hole was formed on the ground where I had been stood. But I managed to catch a glimpse of it.
The effects of Demon Eyes were still active. That was why I managed to notice. The person who was at least 50 meters away suddenly appeared around 10 meters in front of me and cast some sort of spell.
Teleportation!
The person slowly approached him, he had a staff in hand and I could see his characteristics. It was a teen with sparkly purple hair and deep black eyes.
He was mumbling something.
'It's a chant!' I inwardly exclaimed.
A smirk formed on his face, I then formed a bunch of feathers and put them under my feet, one with my body, making me float. I also reinforced my leg muscles with sin energy.
With these two combined, I may have as well be moving at the speed of a bullet.
That's when he heard him mutter.
"Intermediate Void Magic: Ripples in space."
Right when I was about to hit him, he vanished.
'Where did he?' I wondered.
I rotated my body mid-air and gathered air on my legs with gravity manipulation, I started to jump super high in the air. While I did that, I noticed that he was right in front of me. He was chanting something again.
As I was about to propel himself straight at him to cancel it. I then stopped, instead of using gravity to propel himself, I used it to smack the boy straight to the ground.
But as soon as he was about to touch the ground, he disappeared.
"?"
I then took a deep breath and then started to concentrate.
'This guy isn't someone I should take lightly, Ripples in space... I'm sure that's what he called it, meaning if just charge in, he might teleport again. For now, let's watch... There must be some sort of pattern to his moves something…' I analyzed.
The man had completed his chant.
"Advanced Void magic: Dimension Splitter"
Seven slices of purple light were formed around him and slowly circled him.
That line... I recognise it. It's what caused the tree to vanish... what'll happen if I get hit by that?
As I thought that, he propelled two of them straight at him.
They weren't that fast. Slower than my feathers. I took a leap back and to his surprise, they were following him.
'Seriously!? Homing killer lines?' I thought feeling shocked.
I decided to send him a taste of his own medicine.
Phoenixes Protection!
A wall of feathers was formed in front of him. He looked surprised when he saw it. It looks like he expected me to die.
And just like I had predicted, he disappeared.
At the same moment, I cast Demon Eyes. This time I set it to search for a distortion in the space around him.
'5... It was hard to tell but I could sense it... There were 5 distortions in the surrounding space. The nearest one was…' I observed.
The wall of feathers I had formed disappeared and one slice was heading straight at me. I ignored it and turned around.
"Behind me! Parting Disaster!" I shouted.
In an instant, I formed a sharp blade made of feathers, then coated it in sin energy to make in even sharper, it rivaled the draxe, but I could only temporarily use it.
"Noble Void Magic: Scatter Loop!" He shouted with a surprised expression once he noticed that I had predicted his next move.
'What? Nob-?' I exclaimed inwardly.
They then attacked each other from point blank at the same time.