—Booooom!
A white mist rose at the sound of the explosion, causing two of my senses to be momentarily blocked, sight and hearing.
The beeping that had been echoing inside my head decreased in intensity, bringing my concentration back to an acceptable point, which helped me define my next moves.
As my mind steadied and I thought about what to do, I heard shouting in the distance, as well as the clashing of swords.
My mind was still recovering, but the instinct that had saved me many times so far began to resound like an alarm without pause inside my head.
I tensed my legs and took a big leap to where the fog produced by the snow was minimal and what little there was disappearing.
—Thud.
A footstep echoed as I ran, putting me on full alert and forcing me to conjure an unsheathed Rose from my storage space into my right hand, which I swung abruptly toward the source of the footsteps.
-Clanck.
The sound of clashing metal echoed as my sword came into contact with a metal blade, which was held by a black-haired, black-eyed girl with a slender, tall figure.
Soon a battle of strength broke out between the two.
But due to my past experiences, I did not rely too much on my strength marked as F+ and proceeded to conjure an ice bullet with two fingers, which I had managed to remove from the hilt of my sword.
She managed to dodge the bullet by retreating a few steps, I didn't let that moment pass and conjured wind magic towards my feet, hastening my run in which I finally gave a thrust towards the girl's heart.
She tried to dodge, but it was not fast enough and my sword reached her.
—Spurt.
The sound, touch, and feel of severed flesh flooded my senses, where the faith of what moved was a living thing, or half alive, thanks to my slash that had pierced its chest from behind. I gave my sword more force and swung it downward.
She moved her hands slowly toward mine and exerted as much force as she could to remove them from my sword.
Instead, I tensed my arms much more and moved the sword inside her body, cutting slowly downward, even as her face was filled with pain and despair the indifference did not disappear from my movements.
—Spurt.
A mouthful of blood escaped from his mouth, staining my face.
—Aaaah...
The girl tried to say something, but I didn't let her when I moved Rose inside her body with indifference in my movements and eyes.
As soon as I saw that he lost all signs of life, I withdrew my sword from his heart, causing his body to fall face down to the ground, staining the snow with the distinctive color of blood.
I hurried back on my steps out of the fog and on the course gave Rose a few shakes, depriving her of the blood dripping from her blade.
—Fuuuuuuuu~.
The sound of rushing air flooded my ears but was instantly replaced by one I knew but at the same time a little different.
—Clank!
The swords clanked with a metallic sound as they came into contact, allowing sparks to emanate from them due to friction.
Despite the examination not even having begun in less than three minutes, there were already at least 13 lifeless bodies strewn across the ground, many were fighting each other, but many more were running for the doors to exit towards the mountain of Aute.
I took a quick look at those present, but could not identify Alan, so with nothing else to do I ran towards the door under the huge white tree, located to the east.
n the way I clashed swords with some of them, but it didn't happen, as if it was a pact, we didn't retreat and kept running towards the door.
In a few minutes, I went through the gate, which was already partially destroyed, and ran towards the snow-covered forest.
My footsteps were marked in the thick snow cover for at least 1 mile where I felt ready enough to take a short break.
With quick jumps and with the help of my hands, I climbed a tree that appeared to be a little over 10 meters tall, which had large branches protecting me from being seen.
At the top, I sat on a thick branch and began to analyze my current situation.
There was no change in the future of the test, so it's a familiar 5 passing score.
Alan had never counted the nature of the test, so a Battle Royale among all the participants took me by surprise.
Fortunately, I had come prepared with some provisions for long days in the nothingness that was this immense mountain.
Despite having checked it before, I gave a little browse through my storage, checking that my potatoes, clothes, and my combat tools were present.
Giving everything a thumbs up, I proceeded to observe my surroundings.
I couldn't see too much due to the snow that kept falling, but what little I did see taught me a bit of the general geography of the terrain.
I spent a few minutes doing this until I decided that enough was enough and climbed down the tree with a few movements on the branches.
Once on the ground, I summoned Rose, which I had put away along with my belt, which I placed around my waist and soon after put my black scabbard on it.
Since I didn't need it until now I had left aside the use of the belt and the sword in the scabbard, but according to what Bull said on the way it was something of culture and respect to carry the sword ready at our side, especially with the disciples of great art.
—Tap - Tap.
I hurried in my footsteps, which advanced towards the south, where I had managed to visualize a river.
The most important thing was to have water at my disposal and I refused to put snow in my mouth and wait for it to melt.
"Status window," I muttered, without stopping my steps.
[STATUS]
[Name: Adad Hall]
Rank: F +
Core: F +
Strength: F +
Agility: F +
Endurance: F+
Luck: E -
Charm: C -
[Profession]
Fencing Nv.3
[Martial Art]
N/A
[Skills]
Ice Heart (A):
Allows the user to suppress emotions momentarily by freezing them. In addition to an exponential increase in affinity and use over the ice element, with an extremely low mana cost].
After my battle with Emilia, my status window had undergone quite a few changes, especially since now all my ranks were at F+ and my sword skill reached Nv.3.
Unlike last time, there had not been a big difference in my ability to swing my sword, it was more like a part of my mind lit up and taught me to use my mana efficiently by covering both my body and my sword.
I had felt those slight differences in my battles on the way to the mountain of Aute, my mana had managed to last longer, something that until now did not happen unless I always used Ice Heart.
Maybe thanks to that and the experiences I had had, I felt a slight apprehension next to my heart, where my mana core was located.
According to what I had read and heard that is what it felt like to have your core about to break to a new rank.
I hadn't had this happen to me on my jump to F Rank, but this was because the change was minimal.
Plus this time all my stats were about to break at the same time.
—Splash!
My thoughts were cut short when I heard the sound of water being hit, along with the familiar clash of swords.
I was careful in my steps and approached, took advantage of the slightly high ground, and dedicated myself to watching the battle unfold in front of me.
It was a boy, skillfully raising his sword against a rabbit-like monster.
The rabbit, which was no more than a foot and a half tall and had ears longer than its body, moved with a great leap in the direction of the boy.
He jumped to the side, but the rabbit turned around and used its two big ears to attack.
The boy was caught off guard and had to block the attack with his knuckles holding his long, curved sword.
—Gahh.
A groan of pain escaped from his mouth and his eyes closed momentarily, the rabbit didn't miss the opportunity and as soon as it hit the water-covered ground I took a big leap towards the boy's stomach, which was hit with the rabbit's head.
—Gafhu!
All the air escaped from the boy, who fell into the water without strength and the sword in his hand the only thing he could do was to get up slowly.
The boy threw three stones at the rabbit who jumped to dodge, that moment was used to recover his sword that was under the water.
The boy stretched out his arm but was unable to grab his sword because of the rabbit, which gave a strong kick to his left knee, bending it unnaturally and horribly.
—Gaaaaaaahhhhh!
A shuddering scream resounded as the boy fell into the water, his eyes turned with fear as he saw the rabbit slowly reveal its yellow, sharp teeth as if smiling.
Step by step the rabbit ran over the boy's upside-down body, who was so focused on his pain that he forgot to attack.
Finally, the rabbit stopped at the boy's neck and brought its teeth close to his jugular vein.
—Thud - Splash!
A thud and the sound of something falling into the water echoed as the rabbit was pierced by a small ice eardrum, which hit the boy's head.
I slowly approached the boy who had calmed down and stopped screaming.
I felt the water wet my feet as I walked along the river, which was more like a stream.
My feet stopped in front of the boy, who didn't take his eyes off me, waiting for a movie.
He looked to be about thirteen years old, one year younger than me, with long brown hair and almond brown eyes.
He tried to move, but once again he fell into the river and got completely soaked, the water running in the river was already stained blood-red by his bent foot.
My gaze remained indifferent and calm as I watched his skin turn paler by the second, as well as his lips, which turned purple.
—Haaa...
An icy breath that became visible in the air was my first movement, followed by another, which was to stretch my arm towards the boy.
A big smile broke out on his face as I reached out to clasp his arm in mine.
"Thank you, for..."
But his smile and his words were erased as I reached past his hand, and placed my palm on his forehead.
—Spurt!
A large amount of blood spurted from his forehead and slowly ran down his forehead along with my hand.
The boy's outstretched arm fell into the water as he lost all signs of life, I withdrew my palm allowing his body and blood to spill into the river, finishing staining my pants.
A large eardrum of ice pierced the boy's head and from the banks where it was already melting the cerebral fluids escaped.
I calmly and indifferently moved my hands to a bracelet hanging from his wrist, which I kept as I walked to shore.
Once on land, I bent down and took in the clean water as I watched the boy's body being dragged down by the current.
**********************
PD: Forgive me if I don't put the status window too much, you might even forget it existed, but I don't like to fill the chapters too much with unnecessary windows.