Thick blue fog rapidly began to form two short scythes with curved handles and blades in both of Vandel's hands at once. It's slash can be as fatal as splitting a basic level monster at its peak in two at once.
[Auto activating skill sceptre..]
[Activated]
Orin had rushed to save the girl who had screamed earlier when a gust of wind rushed past him fluttering his hair even before he could blink.
Creak...
Crack...
The Rhizopus began to break free again. All elemental magic below the super level had no effect at all on this monster. That is why it is amongst the deadliest of the advanced level monsters.
Currently, the highest ranked mage amongst the magic hunters are the advanced level mages and all their efforts combined seemed to be struggling to scratch the Rhizopus.
Following the sudden onrush of cold air, the only thing that came visible next were rapidly swinging blades that slashed the vines which had grabbed the girl.
Swoosh..
Swoosh...
The blade continued spinning, slashing through the remaining Rhizopus even as they broke free from the frost lock.
Everything unexpectedly quietened. Then suddenly, Vandel took shape before the mages with two shiny scythes in his hands. It's steel blade glowed under the sunlight.
[Congratulations]
[Secret quest completed]
[Two sets of rewards recieved]
[Reward 1: Two new skills unlocked]
[Reward 2: Additional stat points]
'Secret quest huh? You just turned me into a flying ninja because of a freaking secret quest!' Vandel yelled at the system in his mind. His heart had almost burst out of his chest while he was rapidly slashing at the Rhizopus. 'Why won't there be such humongous reward when you just toyed with my life! Hmph!'
"Are they finally dead?"
"Look! They are not regrowing!"
Vandel looked around and found the tiny sticky bits of the Rhizopus lying on the ground. How? 'Does this mean the scythe blades have some special powers?'
"We made it!"
"How did Vandel do it?"
"He has a scythe, maybe he has succeeded the grim reaper."
"..."
The excited mages began jumping up and down while some like Opal and Orin were still finding it hard to believe. They still looked shocked. Just few moments ago, they had been struggling with the their magic energy to eliminate these creepy Rhizopus but Vandel just killed them all with a random scythe! How is that even possible? But then...his speed. From the onrush of wind, even his afterimage could not be seen. Then the swinging scythes and the time he used to eliminate the Rhizopus. Everything seems out of the ordinary. This is definitely not just some random martial arts skill.
'Just what happened to him in the orange zone,' Opal thought. She didn't try to hide her disbelief.
Her brother had always being weird. He had always being afraid of cockroaches and always screams for help when he sees one. But his courage this time...
"Hehehe! He just managed to steal a hunter's monster weapon while he was alone in the orange zone. It's nothing out of the ordinary," Orin said. He would never believe that the good for nothing Vandel had saved them instead of him, the advanced level blue fire mage. That's practically impossible!
"He only managed to kill the Rhizopus by sheer luck. I beg he'll wet his pants when he sees another monster. A povo like him!"
Vandel quickly felt his temper rising. This Orin was seriously getting on his nerves. Sure he may consider it sheer luck that he saved them all but mocking him and calling him a thief is not acceptable. Who the hell does he think he is?
"What if I don't wet my pants huh?" He snapped.
"Of course you will. Orange zone are not for trash like you who merely survives by stealing other people's monster weapons and leeching off them."
Fire mages are known for their hot temper and arrogance and Orin is not an exception but his is quite abnormal. He's just a prick. He gets really angry at trivial things and makes things up real quick.
Vandel was shocked. Wasn't Orin a bit too rude? He didn't even accord him his appreciation for saving their lives instead he gets a spit to the face?
Orin walked closer to him. "A shitty rabbit chaser like you should quit stealing other people's things."
"I think you're crossing the lines this time," Vandel said through gritted teeth. It was one thing to mock his incompatibility with magic if it actually is possible or his inability to go on close combats and it is another bigger thing to call him a thief. Surely, Orin was pulling the strings to his anger this time.
"You called me a trash but why do I have the feeling that you are the only trash here. You couldn't even kill a Rhizopus or properly cast your magic. You were only fidgeting with your casting like a scared cat."
Orin's anger began to boil dangerously. He has always been on the winning side. Saying things that pleases him the way he wishes to and subjecting others to public ridicule.
'Now my loud-mouthed brother is back,' Opal thought and giggled outwardly. She had thought his stay in the orange zone had put an end to his trouble making part but here he is, displaying one of his greatest soul weapons, spiky word weapon... Hehehe!
"Trash like you shouldn't be given the opportunity to cultivate magic. You'll only end up disgracing your sponsors. Ingrate!"
"Very well then, I can see you finally managed to gather some guts. I've never fancied bullying people so my lackey from the fire department will teach you a lesson when we are back to the green zone. He's only a basic fire mage and I bet you won't last more than a few seconds with him. Then we'll know who's the real trash..."
'Well...your insults were getting too overbearing. There's no need to draw daggers at this point or duel anyone...' Vandel thought when he saw the seriousness on Orin's face. Maybe he did hit some bones with his words.
"And in return, you're going to stand before the whole mages in Maple institute and acknowledge yourself as trash..."
"And if I win?" Vandel found himself asking.
"I'll apologize to you. Hahaha! There's no possibility you'll win the duel. You're just a riff-raff."
"There's no need for the squabbles. Vandel only managed to save us." Master Park cut in at this point to prevent further escalation of this matter.
'Managed?'
"And the least we should do is to be grateful!" Opal glared at Orin.
"Where did you get the scythe from boy?" Liam asked. He had been inspecting Vandel's scythe which were still in his hands all along. And for some reason, he felt strange unfathomable energy around it, more like it is not from this world and not forged by the weapon masters. It has a strangely dangerous aura.
"I got it from..." Forget it. There was no need to tell them the truth anyways. Who would believe him?
"Come on Liam, what are you asking him? He got it by chance since he has been in the orange zone. There's every possibility it was left behind by a high ranked mage," master Park said.
"No high ranked mage leaves their monster weapon behind. It is always kept within the soul universe."
"OK then, I did steal it!" Vandel announced and began to walk away.
Liam still had that look of doubt on his face as he stared at Vandel's back. He just can't accept that as an answer. Something must have happened to Vandel here in the orange zone. He definitely did not see him with any scythe earlier when they first saw him, then how did he get it? Master Park patted Liam's shoulders to ease him.
"Remember the duel Vandel!" Orin screamed right after Vandel.
'What have I gotten myself into? How do I avoid these weird magic I had just witnessed in the supposed duel?'
"Vandel not that way..." Master Park pointed to the other side opposite Vandel. "It's that way."