Their fiery companion, capable of pyrokinetic attacks, also charged forth, determined to join the fray.
Bang!
The barrier shattered into fragments as Dante's sword surged toward George's chest, but in the final moment, George summoned enough strength to deflect the blow.
Whoosh!
A wave of fire hurtled towards Dante, prompting him to leap backwards.
His Skill was now in cooldown. Each Skill had its own distinct cooldown period.
With his immediate options limited, Dante chose to initiate another round of long-range attacks, wielding his bow and arrows.
***
Noah, Lilla, and the final Holder boasting an A-rated Skill potential, Kal, watched the skirmish unfold with a mixture of awe and respect.
"So cool!" Noah exclaimed, his eyes ablaze with a fiery determination.
Lilla pondered quietly, considering whether or not to enter the fray. The transparent ogre's hold on the captive Holder grew tighter.
"Hmph! Show off!" Kal remarked, a hint of arrogance gleaming in his eyes.
***
Bang!
Dante's kick sent the fire-wielding Holder sprawling. His sword cleaved through a barrier before him, shattering it. Jacob's eyes widened as a colossal fist loomed into view. Both the Holder and Jacob were sent hurtling in the same direction.
"Why here?!" Instructor Lou's mind raced in panic as two bodies hurtled toward him. Their velocity was formidable, and as a support-type Holder, he lacked the means to prevent the impending collision. In an instant, all three were propelled off the platform.
"I hope my hunch is right." Dante mused, steeling himself as he faced George head-on.
George bore an array of wounds, varying in size and severity. Dante's attacks were relentless and unpredictable, each strike delivered with a different weapon. George's breathing grew labored, and his Skill had now deactivated. With a heavy thud, he sank to his knees, his shield offering as a measure of support.
Suddenly, he raised his head, his eyes ablaze with fury.
"Do you know who I am?! My father is the head of Heidil!!" George bellowed, flecks of spittle escaping his mouth. The looming specter of defeat had shattered his pride, driving him to invoke his family name—a desperate act he often resorted to when sensing imminent defeat.
George's pettiness became glaringly evident.
Behind his white mask, Dante's eyes remained icy and unforgiving. As he stared at the individual who had once bullied him, someone who had merely stood by while Lucius kicked as a bait, Dante couldn't suppress the urge to raise his sword.
The journey from his initial ritual had been fraught with hardship. Dante had moved from one squad to another, enduring a litany of unfair treatments while maintaining a low head. All his struggles were in service for his "goal." Despite the injustices he had faced, Dante never voiced his grievances. His goal revolved around conquering dungeons, driven by a desire to prevent another monster invasion and the subsequent tragedies it could bring. And perhaps, within those dungeons, he hoped a 'clue' might eventually reveal itself.
Dante thought of his dead parents, his grip on the sword tightened, causing his hand to tremble and the blade to rise higher.
George stood as one of the catalysts for this transformation. Dante could sense it from the moment he awoke in that forest—something within him had change. His thirst for vengeance increased, a burning desire to exact retribution upon those who had wronged him, a resolve to never bow to anyone again.
"I must find 'them'." Dante resolved, the elusive 'them' resurfacing in his thoughts. It wasn't Lucius, nor was it Sarah, nor even those who had tormented him within the dungeon.
"Y-you! What's your plan?!" George stammered, his voice betraying his unease as he beheld Dante poised with his raised sword. The other applicants exchanged uneasy glances, their apprehension palpable.
"Is he really going to do it?"
"Isn't he aware of the Heidil family?"
"Is he out of his mind?!"
In an instant, Dante's sword descended!
George's eyes locked onto the glinting blade. He could feel the specter of death drawing near, yet in the next heartbeat, he witnessed the sword veering away from his neck. A smile of grim satisfaction tugged at George's lips, a silent acknowledgment that invoking his family name had likely bought him a crucial moment.
"I knew you were scared, why don't you kn-" Before he could continue his sentence, he felt searing agony in his right. While shouting, he looked to his right side and his eyes widened; his entire hand and shoulder were on the floor. The wound continued to bleed.
"ARGH!!!!!" George yelled.
Dante gave a serious glance at George, who was shouting in front of him. He lifted his hand and examined it.
"Why did I hesitate when I aimed for his head?"Dante questioned himself. Yes, Dante planned to kill George, but he adjusted the course of his sword at the last second and only sliced his shoulder.
Dante, though perplexed, opted to push the matter to the recesses of his mind. He shifted his attention to the remaining Holder, still upright on the platform, and the now-recovered Instructor Lou. Satisfied that there were only twelve contenders left, including himself, he made a decisive move and leapt off the platform.
The collective response was one of astonishment.
"H-He jumped off?"
"Yes."
"Side Quest Completed!"
***
Instructor Lou ascended the platform once more, while the medical team swiftly attended to George and the other injured participants. George's bleeding had ceased, but the intensity of the pain had caused him to lose consciousness.
Frustration welled up within Instructor Lou; he wanted to reprimand Dante for hurling two bodies at him. However, he restrained himself, knowing that this facility was under constant surveillance.
"Moreover, my agreement with George only extends to not interfering with their ploy. I've fulfilled my duty," he reminded himself, though a hint of uncertainty lingered due to his familiarity with George's personality.
"They won't let you go." Instructor Lou mused, observing Dante beyond the platform. He lacked sufficient grounds to reprimand Dante for the incident. In the final assessment, it was not uncommon for a Skill to inadvertently target the Instructor. This necessitated constant vigilance from the instructors.
While the loss of a limb during combat assessments occurred on occasion, George's loss of an arm was a significant event. He hailed from a prominent family, and should they opt to restore him, they would need to have a Holder possessing the rare ability to regenerate severed body parts. Such Holders were scarce, and if one were located, the cost would be exorbitant.
The remaining applicants resumed their battle, with only 11 participants left, all guaranteed a 2-star medal. Some among them chose to forgo the Skill Enhancement Marble, expending minimal effort. Among those who continued to stand were Noah, Lilla, and Kal, who had primarily focused on evasion, along with two other exceptionally skilled Holders.
The ultimate victor emerged as Lilla, who celebrated her triumph with joyful leaps. Noah extended his congratulations, while Kal quietly departed the platform.
Dante opted not to pursue the Skill Enhancement Marble. For one, it held no use for him, and secondly, he had only half of his Energy remaining. He harbored doubts about whether this amount of Energy would suffice to contend with the remaining 11 Holders.
As Dante made his way out of the examination area, he heard a voice calling from behind him.
"Hi, Mr. Eka!" Noah's cheerful voice rang out. Dante turned to face Noah, intrigued by what he had to say.
"Could we exchange phone numbers?" Noah asked, taking out his phone.
After a brief pause, Dante decided to share his phone number. Following this exchange, they went their separate ways, with Noah departing in good spirits.