Waking up and doing some stretches, I start getting ready for the practical exam.
I got my new gun from a case, it was not anything expensive, but it was still quite good. I loaded it with rubber bullets. Apparently, I couldn't use live bullets for the practical exam because they were too dangerous, so they decided I would use rubber bullets, but I could enchant them. The problem was I didn't know how to, but I didn't need to know. I decided to show off, so instead of entirely relying on my mana, I would try and execute as many tricks and stunts as possible to increase my style score. (does not exist) The sword on the other hand was nothing special it was just a one-handed sword that I found online for cheap.
The practical exam was not an exam. It was a tournament-style, one vs. one, but instead of being an exam, it was more of a way to make more money for the hunter association, and although you don't get much from winning, the people loved it. Even I used to love it when I was a child. The thing a hunter gained from the tournament was fame and the attention of powerful guilds.
Before I went downstairs to meet my family, I checked the system to see if I gained the skill and if I got any debuff.
[Name: Oscar Blake]
[Rank: F]
[Status]
[Health: 230/230] [Stamina 230/230]
[Mana: 41/41] [Satiety:100/100]
[Buffs: none] [Debufs: none]
[Corruption: 24.7%](+23.3%)
[Attributes]
[Attrbute Points:17] [Strength:19](+7)
[Agility:21](+11) [Intelligence:18](+4)
[Mana:8.3](+3.9) [Charisma:19](+6)
[Physique:23](+12) [Reflexes:18](+9)
[Personal Skills: Expert Liar, Predictions LV1: 57%, Close Combat LV3, Ranged LV2, Piano Expert.]
[??? Skills: Internet Backup, Data Mind: Cooldown 13 Days 19 Hours]
While I saw the corruption level, it didn't scare me that much, but I knew I should be a bit worried because it could ruin a lot for me.
I was also quite sad because my [Close Combat] and [Ranged Skill] didn't increase much, but that was because I didn't have enough mana, nor did I want to corrupt myself too much.
'However, it might be better to gain my own experience instead of using others,' but I immediately had to ignore that thought because my mother broke me out of my daze.
"What's taking you so long? Are you doing your makeup?" I had the urge to facepalm myself and slightly got irritated at the joke, but I decided to ignore it.
"No, I was just making sure I got everything. I'm also surprised that you have already finished your makeup. I thought you'd take at least two more hours." I laughed as I said that, but my mom didn't think it was funny, so she slapped the back of the head.
'I should probably stop being so cringe...'I think that repulsing at my own joke.
Going downstairs, my family encouraged me to win. And I smile at them, but strangely deep down, I felt angry.
'Win? I'll not just win; I'll obliterate the competition,' After thinking that, I begin to worry, but those thoughts got ignored for some unknown reason.
Arriving at the arena, I went to the registration office to get my pass and get my F-Rank pass badge.
Apparently, there were two tournaments today, an F-Rank tournament and a D-Rank tournament. The F-Rank tournament would probably still get most of the views. The reason was that F-Ranks were more desperate to get a good score because they needed to get a good position at a guild, or wanted to get to a good academy and for that reason, they were more brutal and more desperate, which led to matches filled with a lot of violence. But the viewers loved it, and it was one of the most exciting tournaments loved by many.
Entering the training room, I find that it's filled with people. Not minding them, I find a place to sit and watch the matches before I remember to check which match is mine.
I found out that my first match was against somebody named Ivan Solovyov. Apparently, he's someone to look out for because he's from a wealthy Russian family and is known to cheat. Those were the rumors going around about him. It's also presumed that he has a level-up system like me.
I got a bit worried about my first match but soon calmed down and tried to theorize what could happen.
My name is called out after the first four matches, and I went to the arena. Walking towards the arena, I got looks of pity, and some even laughed at me, to which I began to grow a lot angrier. It felt like I wasn't myself today.
Coming out to the arena, I see my opponent and come closer to greet him.
I stretch my hand out to greet him, but he slaps my arm away before I can open my mouth. "I don't shake hands with poor people. All you have is your mana, but you don't even know how to use it, am I right, Oscar? Don't worry, I won't beat you that much, even if you don't surrender,"
And that was enough to make me snap from anger, but before I could retort, I got a notification.
[Warning! The host is becoming unstable. Please stop doing the current action immediately!]
[Corruption attacking... Attempting to fix... Unable to fix... Gained status effect 'Insanity'...]
Ignoring the notification, I begin laughing at Ivan as if he said the funniest joke ever. While the audience and Ivan thought I was just some crazy bastard.
"Why are you laughing?" Ivan asked, but I merely ignored him and started heading back to my side of the arena.
After running back, he looked incredibly pissed, but I stopped caring. Instead, the only thought I had was, 'This will be fun!'
Looking at the referee, I tell him I'm ready, which snaps him out of his daze, and soon after, the match begins.
'Combat,' i mumble to myself and activate the HUD.
Ivan immediately starts running towards me while I merely intimidatingly walk.
As Ivan got close, I immediately drew out my gun and, without aiming, shot him, which hit his forehead straight in the middle. Although the bullet didn't kill, it still hurt, and I mean a lot. Ivan got shot in the forehead and immediately fell to the ground and started shouting.
"God damn bastard!!!" He shouted but was ignored, making him angrier.
"C'mon stand up we don't have all day." I made sure to make him angrier to make the battle more fun, and it worked. He immediately pulled out his sword, which looked stunning and ran towards me with full intention to kill, but I merely laughed at his attempt at an attack. At this point, most of the crowd saw me as a villain and even said it was unfair to use a gun, so I merely smiled and holstered my gun not even bothering to take out my sword.
"Listen, how about this? I'll fight you with my fists while you can play around with your sword." Those words made Ivan a lot angrier, and he even began threatening me and my family but i wasn't in the state to care. He came at me full force.
Swoosh
He ran toward me, and I instantly saw his impatience as he got ready to swing his sword from down to up, but I merely dodged left and punched him in the face.
"C'mon, seriously? I saw that coming from a mile away,"
Most people at this point understood that this wasn't a fight; this was a one-sided beating. Most contestants felt two emotions, one was fear, the other admiration, while the viewers felt only amazement.
After ten minutes of playing around with him, he saw that he had no chance of defeat, so Ivan took out a pill, but I had already taken out my gun before he could consume it. I shot at his hand, which made him drop the pill, and I finished the fight with a light tap on the neck to knock him out. Which I learned from the combat data that was uploaded
[Enemy Beaten... Calculating Difficulty... Adding Bonuses... Gained 150 XP]
Before anyone could respond, I was punched by a middle-aged man. Luckily for me, I was saved by the referee but still sent flying. 'At least I've not fainted.'