"Begin!" Instructor Lou shouted.
A Holder, tails swaying behind him, surged forward, adopting a quadrupedal stance as he targeted the nearest Holder.
Bang!
The tailed Holder landed a swift kick, but his target swiftly retaliated, the Holder's elongated arm coiling around him tightly.
Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the platform, Noah extended his hand, taking aim at Seva, a Holder endowed with illusionary movement and superhuman strength.
"Steady now! Steady! Don't overdo it, or this platform is going to blow," Noah muttered to himself, his eyes locked on the Holder.
Meanwhile, another A-rated Skill user named Lilla activated her Skill. A transparent ogre materialized before her, and with a simple command, it charged forward, delivering a powerful swing that sent a Holder tumbling off the platform.
"Yey! That's one!" she celebrated.
Dante couldn't help but marvel at the various Skills materializing before him. He decided to join the fun and although his Concentration Skill was on cooldown, he still charged at the nearest Holder.
Since George and his companions were on the opposite side, Dante held back, opting to wait for them to approach. They needed to navigate this assessment cautiously to avoid getting targeted by the other Holders.
Suddenly, Dante's mind weighed down, and his body responded with a slight sluggishness.
"A mental attack" Dante quickly deduced. Despite the reduced speed, he pressed on, determined to face the Holder before him!
Having witnessed the skills of the other applicants during the second assessment, they were not entirely caught off guard by the abilities of their fellow applicants.
Extending his hand, a white light coalesced, forming a sword. As Dante approached the Holder, the mental assault intensified. His movements slowed, nearly reducing him to a jog. Yet, in those critical seconds, he activated his Skill, Concentration, and the oppressive sensation vanished, revitalizing Dante's speed.
Observing his Skill countered, the Holder raised his dagger, poised for combat. However, before he could even blink, a sense of weightlessness overtook him, and his surroundings spun.
Thud!
He landed beyond the platform, effectively out of the assessment.
Dante lowered his raised foot and turned towards another Holder.
Dante swiftly closed the gap, targeting another Holder known for his ability to transform into a metal, bolstering both defense and strength. With this Skill active, the Holder was capable of standing toe-to-toe with an ogre.
In a deft move, Dante manipulated his inventory, seamlessly mimicking the appearance of a Skill. The sword he had been wielding disappeared, replaced by a formidable mace.
As the Holder morphed his form into an impervious metallic state, he braced himself for Dante's oncoming assault.
A resounding clash echoed through the arena.
The Holder's fist met Dante's mace head-on, a smug smile playing on his lips.
"You're merely-"
Before he could complete his taunt, the force emanating from the mace surged, sending the Holder hurtling to the side with startling power. Though he quickly regained his footing, another Holder's Skill struck him, propelling him off the platform, sparing Dante the exertion.
Meanwhile, George inched his way closer to Dante. Despite Dante having subdued him, George's ego and pride refused to accept defeat as an inevitability.
"You only managed to suppress me because I'm not prepared, you are really dead!" George thought, the certainty of Dante's demise still shrouded in uncertainty.
George's companions skillfully dealt with the approaching Holder, allowing them to maintain a brisk pace. Their three distinct Skills complemented one another, a testament to their mutual understanding. Jacob, standing vigilantly beside George, ensured his safety throughout the ordeal.
Notably, George's companions and Jacob were also striving for a 2-Star status.
Instructor Lou observed the unfolding situation with a watchful eye. He had already thrown his support behind George's plan, even if it meant sacrificing his own medal and Holder reputation for the sake of his family.
Dante expertly maneuvered through the ranks of Holders intent on bringing him down. The final Holder, with an A-rated Skill potential, proved to be an enigma, employing evasive maneuvers with uncanny precision.
While their objective was to eliminate only half their adversaries, the allure of the Skill Enhancement Marble heightened their determination to be the last one standing. These marbles held immense value, for once consumed, they permanently amplified a Holder's Skill capabilities. Although they weren't exceedingly rare, the marbles' effects varied from Holder to Holder. Nevertheless, their coveted status remained unchanged. It also helps a Holder inched closer with their 'Mana Reconstruction'.
Mana Reconstruction is a pivotal stage in a Holder's journey, involving a transformative ritual. Within the ethereal white space, their physical form strengthens, and their Skill undergoes a profound metamorphosis. The first Mana Reconstruction takes place at the age of 16, and embarking on a second reconstruction demands a fortuitous combination of talent and luck. Talent is gauged by one's Skill Potential, while luck, as the name suggests, is a more capricious factor. Those who successfully achieve their second Mana Reconstruction earn the esteemed title of a three-star Holder.
Despite the seemingly close proximity of the second and third star Holder, they stand worlds apart in terms of physical prowess and Skill mastery.
***
With a resounding impact, Dante delivered a powerful strike to the back of a Holder, sending them hurtling off the platform.
Seventeen contenders remained on the platform, their numbers dwindling. Dante stepped to the side, allowing his Skill to cool down, while also applying Invigorate to energize himself. Concentration and Invigorate had proven to be his lifelines in the heat of battle.
Energy: 95/130
Each activation of his Skill depleted Dante's energy reserves, prompting him to wield his abilities sparingly.
Beside, Dante and George were now only separated by a few meters.
Dante stood surrounded, the other Holders keenly aware of the conflict between him and George, opting to not intervene.
The looming question hung in the air: would they go as far as taking each other's lives? It was a grim reality known to all Holders — in this perilous world, death lurked at every corner. Conflict among Holders were not uncommon, and due to the influence some wielded, they often escaped with minor punishment.
In this harsh world, such brutal displays of violence were tragically quite often.
"Haha! Do you think I will let you go?!" George's laughter echoed. Witnessing Dante's Skill, George bolstered his confidence, convinced that Dante possessed only a weak Skill.
Blinded by arrogance and ego, they pressed on, consumed by the desire to witness Dante in agonizing torment.
"Why not beg for mercy? I might think about sparing one of your limbs," George taunted, with Jacob and his comrades closing in.
"But first I will b-"
"But first I'm the one who's going to beat you up first!" Dante interjected, suddenly lunging towards George.
"Young Master, watch out!" Jacob's warning rang out as he swiftly positioned himself in front of George.
George's trio of allies swiftly activated their respective Skills. One of them possessed the ability to enlarge their hand.
The other commanded the ability to summon flames. Interestingly, there were others who possessed similar Skills, with some capable of generating fire, others manipulating it from their surroundings, and a few conjuring it seemingly from thin air.
The final member boasted a fortifying Skill, rounding out their formidable offensive.
As the three onslaughts closed in from every side, Dante's gaze narrowed, an exhilarating surge of anticipation coursing through him.
Suddenly, Dante's muscles clenched. With a keen inhale, he converged his legs and leaped!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In his previous position, an unrelenting series of detonations reverberated, narrowly missing Dante. Mid-air, Dante pivoted, his hands forming a bow and arrow. His muscles tautened, drawing the bowstring. Each sinew, every fiber, coiled like a spring wound to its limit, poised to unleash its pent-up force.
Dante let loose the bowstring, and with a swift whoosh, the arrow hurtled towards George's back.
Thud!
A transparent barrier materialized behind George, causing his body hair to stand on end as he swiftly turned around. The barrier before him bore an arrow, impaled halfway through.
"Damn it!" George cursed, quickly raising his shield. A shimmering aura enveloped him, and his form expanded. In this augmented state, George possessed a Skill that not only increased his size but also fortified his strength and defense, resembling a bear in his enhanced form. The reason he had earned only a single star was due to being swiftly eliminated in the last assessment.
Jacob lowered his hand, causing the barrier to dissolve.
Dante landed gracefully, wasting no time before he launched himself towards his opponents.
Daggers materialized in his skilled hands as the three adversaries squared off against him. Dante deftly evaded a burst of fire, executing a swift roll forward, then moved to slash a looming giant hand, and skillfully parried an oncoming sword.
Observing Dante's deft maneuvers amidst the onslaught, Instructor Lou couldn't shake the nervous inkling that their plan might fail.
"How in the world is he pulling off those moves?" George inquired of Jacob, bracing himself for the imminent onslaught. Dante's agility seemed almost supernatural, devoid of any theatrical flair; each motion appeared straightforward yet was executed with precise calculation. There were instances when their strikes seemed destined to connect, yet Dante managed to sidestep or deflect them with uncanny ease.
Empowered by the Mask of Support, Dante's Skill, Concentration, underwent a transformation that facilitated this very feat.
Spotting an opportunity, Dante's attack echoed with a harrowing scream. George's comrade writhed on the ground, a severed hand leaving a gruesome scene. This was the Holder known for expanding his hand size.
Swiftly adapting, Dante transformed his weapon into a mace and delivered a crushing blow to the Holder who bolstered his physical prowess. The Holder's armor caved in, sending him hurtling through the air, unconscious.
As George beheld this unfolding scene, a foreboding shadow crossed his thoughts. However, glancing at the other applicants who had chosen to cease their fight and instead watch them, he resolved to confront Dante directly.
With a resounding shout, George charged ahead, and Jacob, though harboring reservations, had little choice but to follow George's lead.