--back at the final assessment location—
Third person's P.O.V
Dante and his teammates continue their sprint through the deep forest with trinity leading the way, the screen projection just floating around her side, with everyone having a clear view of it.
"damn, this victim location really is far… what a drag." Luca spoke out with a lazy tone, while running beside mark who was just surveying the premises likewise rin and trinity.
"let's just keep on going we're almost there." Trinity spoke out while still monitoring the map, trying to figure out a short route to reach the victim… though no one actually knows what the time is right now, so they couldn't waste any unnecessary time on longer paths. Dante on the other hand seems to be sensing something quite close… very close.
"is everything alright dante, is something wrong?" mark asked while coming up to him with an unsure look on his face, but dante just kept on focusing on… something… like a faint mana presence, somewhat far away or… either cloak.
"something or someone… seems to be watching us… I can't point out their precise location… but I can feel the things presence." Dante responded while taking his sights on a particular area up in the trees.
"guys I've located a shorter route, just down this right turn." Trinity called out while undoing the screen projection and focusing on his sprinting.
They all continued to make their way down the path, and upon reaching the turn, rin, luca, mark, dante and trinity share a quick nod as they finally reached the turn.
"but for now, let's take care of just one little problem." Trinity called out in a serious tone, while turning her head sharply at the top of a specific corner of a tree close by.
"rin!"
"already on it!" rin roared out with a grin and jumped forward, doing an Arial somersault and landing directly upside down a thick tree branch, while having a clear view of the specific area up in the tree. "magic technique: total concentration"
"inferno blow out!"
Rin clasped her hands together and released a torrent of golden flames that almost covered and burnt the surrounding trees, but just before it could reach its supposed target.
Bang!
A loud gunshot was heard though this seemed to have dispelled the flames and totally extinguish the fire, as the force of the projectile created a shockwave that managed to not just push back the flames but also put it out. The bullet continued to make its way towards rin, who was about to dodge it on time, but the very moment she moved away, the bullet managed to follow her and was about to get to her, until luca appeared in front of her, already in a slicing position.
"weapon technique: infusion"
"wind diversion!"
Luca swung his blade so fast that it appeared as a blur, but since it was infused with wind element the move used a high concentrated air strike, to reverse and divert the bullet to another direction entirely, missing both of them in the process. The bullet whereas shot through the forest and brought down almost a whole section of lined trees, with a devastating explosion at the end.
"damn it! don't tell me" luca said with an exhausted tone in his voice, as he turned his head towards the branch of the tree just close by, with some smoke and dust covering the figure of the person… but soon it all started to clear, revealing a slightly built guy, with a trimmed black hair and blue eyes, as he wore a uniform and gear similar to there's but the uniform is black with red detailing at the collar and shoulder patches. He stood there with his dirty silver colored magma gun at them on his right hand, with the other on his left. The gun was smoking due to the previous shot he did. "sigh… another sacred arm user hmm huh… I'm guessing you're from the 3rd representatives then."
"yes… and apologies for the shot… I don't intend on fighting you… but though that depends." The 3rd representative called out in an unsure but lazy tone, somewhat similar to luca but more on edge. He kept his gun pointed at them, while it started to glow a bright blue, with a magical circle appearing just in front of his right eyes which glowed bright blue and he seemed to be glaring at them also. "are you the rats that have been eliminating the other teams"
"wait what are you talking about?" trinity called out to him in a confused manner, along with the rest of them, as they all just continued to stare up at the 3rd representative, who just glared his eyes but then sighed, while lowering down his gun and removing the magic circle just in front of his right eye, as he immediately dropped down to the ground.
"well I guess I got the wrong people, sorry about the inconvenient circumstance, damn what a drag." He said out with a tired look on his face, before throwing his guns to the air, making them vanish out of existence. "I'm duke by the way, but I'm guessing you all already know that."
"wait a time… ain't you the guy who won his match under 20 seconds… duke regel." Rin chimed in with a grinning expression on her face, as she made her way towards him. "I should have known from the moment your shot pierced through my flame attack… impressive."
"ah… sure, so I'm guessing you guys are cool then." Duke mentioned while taking glances at everyone.
"I'm trinity… and this is rin, luca, mark and dante." Trinity introduced all of them by gesturing to them with her right hand, but then turning to face him back. "but I'm also guessing you already know that by now."
"how could I not… I watched all your battles with the 1st representatives and of course that was a sure reason why I came to check you guess out first… since you guys are far capable of taking out most of the teams around." Duke pointed out while scratching his head, as he just closed his eyes in the process, until luca came out in front of him.
"wait what do you mean by 'taking out other teams'?" luca asked with a suspicious expression written all over his face.
"well if you're to know, by now should have already been aware that about 10 reps have already been subdued, even before reaching their starting location… and apparently these are about two teams already eliminated." Duke answered with a serious tone in his voice, as he narrates to them the strange elimination of most of the representative. "and of course, this can't even be a hamjis attack, given the fact that the hamjis alert alarm haven't been rung yet… I highly suspect the action is from one of the top teams… and since you guys aren't the culprits… then I guess I'm down to just one conclusion… that the main culprits are."
"the 1st representatives then." Dante called out while stepping forward with a raged expression on his face, as he kept his gaze at duke. "they are trying to limit the competition and after that put their focus on getting the most victims rescued… those bastards!"
"hmmm… but then why are you only going after them on your own though… what about your team." Mark came along and asked duke while wearing a confused and unsure expression on his face, approaching in front of duke… who just gave a deep sigh and stared up to the sky.
"well if you must know… the only time a team can be fully eliminated… is if the leader is defeated, only then will they be officially eliminated… so in other words, I'm playing a tough gamble." Duke summoned his guns and finally answered. "I'm trying to lead those bastards away from my team, when they find out I'm all alone, they will want to attack me first, instead of going for my team… while they rescue more victims and put us on the winning road."
"but then, why are you going after the culprits… if you know they will come after you, and you being fully aware of how strong they are… if you get caught, then the chances of you winning is very slim…" rin mention with a harden expression while trying to understand the whole situation.
"and that's why I said that It is a tough gamble… and I don't intend to face them head on… I just want to monitor where they would attack next and thanks to my sacred heaven's eyes, I can easily take them out without them knowing, the bullets are mana nullifiers and can negate any form of resistance… not to mention that I can control the impact of the bullet." Duke informed them, while showing his arm to them and explaining the functions and attributes of the arms. "and of course, the predator feature is their and is quite handy, so yes, I think I'm alright."
"whoa, that's very impressive." Luca said with a stoic expression written all over his features, as he then faces trinity who seems to be checking projected map. "yo trin, I think we need to start getting a move on of things, we don't have that much time."
"of course, luca, let's go guys." Trinity called out to all of them, as she was about to resume her sprint… but then when she turned back, she noticed that dante was still staying with duke, and they seemed to be discussing about something. Trinity stopped and turned back to face dante, who seems to nod his head at duke before turning to face them.
"dante… aren't you coming?" trinity asked, unsure by what he was planning, as dante just sigh and gave a sheepish smile while touching the back of his head.
"well… I was thinking, maybe you guys could go without me, I want to stick around and help duke to stop the other teams from being targeted by the 1st reps… you guys can keep on at it and ensure our team wins." Dante suggested to them, putting a frown on both trinity's and rin's facial expression, though luca stared at them, getting both their attentions and then nodding to them… resulting to them both giving out a deep sigh. "and besides, though the general said taking out teams are allowed… I don't think the 1st reps will take it likely… cause from what we faced during the combat assessment… I'm certain they might end up doing something even worst, just so that their team wins."
"honestly, I don't really like the fact that we're leaving you again, but we understand what you mean… it's alright… just remember not to engage them all at once… you might have duke but I don't think it will be that easy." Trinity mentioned and proceeded to look at rin, who started to conjure up something within her palms, shining a golden color. She handed it over to trinity, who then gave it to dante. It seemed to be a golden glass orb. "use this to signal for us when you know you're in need of help… just crush the orb and point it up into the sky. It will release a flare that will immediately make us aware of your current position… please be careful, tobi"
"thank you, guys, so I guess I'll see you guys later then." Dante said with a large grin on his face, as he then vanished with duke, as they both went on their separate path, leaving dante's team to go to the other path.
"well, it seems we need to get a move on, before-." Luca tried to say but was then caught off by a loud fog horn, making him to give out a deep sigh in response to the alarm. "well I guess it just got harder; I hate this."
Somewhere out in the woods, creatures of purple flame and disfigured bodies, started to rush into the deep forest, releasing a might roar.
ROAR!