ROAARRR!
The moment Aestrea's sword clashed against the Bloodclaw Wolf's crimson horn, the beast let out a furious roar, swinging its massive paw toward him.
Zing!
A giant, clawed paw came hurtling at Aestrea, forcing him to sidestep to the left just in time.
Splurt!
But it was too late; the edge of the claw grazed his right shoulder, tearing through flesh and muscle.
The Bloodclaw Wolf's lips curled into a menacing snarl as its paw stretched out toward Aestrea once more.
Shing!
Splurt!
"Arghhhhhh!"
Aestrea screamed as the small wound on his shoulder ripped open wider, blood gushing out like a fountain, creating a dark stain on the ground beneath him.
He gritted his teeth, a faint layer of mana enveloping his shoulder in a desperate attempt to stem the bleeding.
He was about to retaliate when he noticed a pack of smaller wolves eyeing him hungrily.
"God damn it..."
He enveloped his sword in its usual silver color and swung at the wolves.
But this time, it wasn't the same as before.
Instead of a crescent wave of mana, he unleashed a piercing shot that punched a hole straight through one of the wolves.
Then, he turned to the big wolf and dashed towards him.
Growl...!
The small wolves together jumped in Aestrea's direction upon seeing his intention to attack the big wolf, catching him off guard.
He twisted his body mid-air, and then took the opportunity to increase the amount of mana in his sword, swinging it down.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed everywhere as he sliced through the smaller wolves, their bodies cleaved in half, leaving a gruesome scene behind.
But what Aestrea didn't notice, was the massive wolf charging at him from the side.
THRAM!
The big wolf swung his arm at him, giving a strong strike on Aestrea's stomach region.
"Kugh—!"
Aestrea's eyes widened spontaneously, and blood gushed out of his mouth. This body was blown away and flung onto a tall tree.
Crash!
The tree cracked in half as Aestrea's body passed through it before it landed on the river nearby splashing his whole body.
"Ugh..."
He stood up groaning faintly as he felt every part of his body aching in pain.
Naturally, the big wolf didn't give Aestrea time to rest before two attacks, in the form of a giant blood claw, came towards him.
He bit his lip, dragging his battered body to the right just in time to avoid the attack.
But he was still careless.
Crunch!
"KAAGH!"
One of the nearby wolves successfully bit down on his injured shoulder, prompting him to let out a scream.
He quickly grabbed the wolf's body and threw it on the ground before stabbing it with a sword.
"Kagh... haah... uhh..."
His breath came down ragged as more and more wolves approached him. He wiped the blood from his lips, then, his eyes turned colder than before.
"I didn't think... I'd be using this so soon..." he muttered, exhaling a breath that came out in a misty cloud.
THRRUUUM!
『 Your Aura attribute has been successfully awakened. 』
A panel popped in front of him.
His body was suddenly enveloped in a silver light, trembling slightly as the color deepened into a metallic lavender—a perfect mixture of violet and silver.
And then, another papel appeared in front of him.
『 Aura's Rank: S+
✦ Disposition: Violet (Power & Luxury)』
Ignoring the panel, he cracked his neck and gripped the handle of his sword tightly.
"Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art..."
『 Second Move! (✦ Ice Lotus Barrage ✦) 』
A flurry of crescent slashes erupted in all directions, cutting through the wolves like they were made of paper.
In an instant, Aestrea's figure vanished, reappearing right in front of the massive wolf. A small smile crept onto his face as his red eyes glowed with intensity.
THRRUUM!
Once again, his sword met the Bloodclaw Wolf's horn, but this time, he felt no vibration in his arms.
Instead, the impact sent the beast skidding back several meters.
ROOAARRR!
"Ah... shut up, will you?"
Holding his neck, Aestrea muttered coldly as he swung his sword.
A violet line sliced through the air, and a group of nearby wolves fell lifelessly to the ground, blood spraying out like a fountain.
Then, his sword transformed into a gun, and Aestrea leaped into the air, a violet platform appearing beneath him to keep him aloft.
"Die."
He uttered the word with chilling calmness, and a series of shots rang out.
『 Mixed Ice Series: Magic Ice Bullet! (✦ Upgraded 3th-level Spell ✦) 』
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Each bullet found its way to the big wolf's body, but soon enough, the big wolf got smarter as it started zig-zagging its way toward Aestrea.
He finally reached close to Aestrea and opened its massive jaws wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that glinted menacingly in the light.
To his surprise, Aestrea didn't even flinch upon seeing that, instead, his finger pulled the trigger of the handgun.
BANG!
His mouth swallowed a significantly different bullet, and then, a chill filled his body as he froze before he could reach Aestrea.
Aestrea transformed his gun back into a sword, ready to deliver the final blow.
Swoop!
He swung with all his might, but the wolf managed to leap back just in time, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Aestrea stopped his movements mid-air as he turned to look coldly at the wolf, now his red eyes were glowing more than ever.
Combined with those vertical slits, the big wolf couldn't help but feel a shiver running down its back.
Creaak...
A chilling sound echoed through the air as waves of violet energy surged from Aestrea's body, rippling across the ground like a dark tide.
His sword dragged behind him, carving a small fissure into the earth as he slowly walked towards the massive Bloodclaw Wolf.
Thruumm!
Growl...!
The ground trembled beneath his feet, and the weak growls of the smaller wolves filled the air.
Their desperate attempts to reach Aestrea were cut short by the deadly waves of mana that swept through them.
However, he ignored them as his vertical slits blinked ominously as the smile on his face only seemed to increase.
"Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art..."
A faint murmur came out of his lips, and hearing those words, the Bloodclaw Wolf flinched in shock, instinctively taking a cautious step back.
But it was too late.
『 Third Move! (✦ Moonlight's One Flash ✦) 』
The dim light of the moon seemed to focus on Aestrea, illuminating him in a silver glow.
A silver line sliced through the air, and in the blink of an eye, Aestrea vanished, reappearing behind the massive wolf.
Crack...!
The red horn that the Bloodclaw Wolf was so proud of was severed cleanly in half, crashing to the ground with a depressing sound.
The wolf's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed into a furious glare as it leaped toward Aestrea, its rage boiling over.
ROAAAAR!
The beast roared, its voice echoing like thunder, as its blood claws expanded, becoming much larger than before.
But Aestrea turned to face the beast, and in that moment, the wolf stared at his deep blood eyes, he felt a wave of pure...
Fear.
The emotion in Aestrea's eyes had drained, leaving behind a cold void that seemed to suck the warmth from the air.
And then...
Swing!
The wolf's claws suddenly felt heavy and useless. They began to dissolve into blood crystals that fell to the ground with a sickening thud.
Thud... thud... thud...
The Bloodclaw Wolf trembled, its heart racing as it stared at the fallen crystals, realizing with horror that they were remnants of its own claws.
"Ahh..."
At that moment, the named demon beast heard a small sigh coming out of the man's mouth.
He pointed his sword at him, as he asked:
"Who's hunting who?"
He tilted his head, a bloodied smile stretching across his face, and at that instant, another streak of light flashed before the wolf's eyes.
Growl...
Accompanied by the fearful growl of the big wolf...
.....
BOOOM!
Meanwhile, in the artificial dungeon, the Silverleaf Academy was being easily pushed back by the Eternum Royal Academy.
The air crackled with energy, and the ground shook with the force of their spells.
They had eliminated three students, but more than half of their classmates were already eliminated.
"Dammit... Derek, dodge!"
Mia shouted, her voice rising above the din as she spotted a streak of lightning hurtling toward him.
"Ah...!" Derek's eyes widened in panic.
He quickly raised an earth wall behind him, the ground rumbling as it formed, and then he sprinted to the side, trying to evade the incoming attack.
"James, prepare for the strike!"
Mia added as two cyclones of flames appeared in her hands, and James nodded his head at her, stopping in his tracks.
『 Earth Series: Iron Golem! (✦ 4th-level Spell ✦) 』
From the ground, a massive golem emerged, and then charged forward, aiming to intercept the multiple attackers closing in on them.
Then Mia raised her hands, having lost her staff, and the flame cyclones became more chaotic as the increasing wind surged.
『 Fire Series: Twin Flame Cyclones! (✦ 4th-level Spell ✦) 』
From her hands, she unleashed the spiraling flames toward the enemy students. But just as the fire surged forward, a sword flashed through the air.
Swing!
In an instant, the twin flame cyclones were sliced in half, the flames extinguished with a faint hiss.
The sound of multiple thuds hitting the ground voiced out, and Mia's heart sank.
"Damn it..." she bit her lip aggrievedly, not able to think about how to escape that situation.
In front of her stood five familiar figures—the strongest students of the Eternum Royal Academy.
It was Ella, their leader, Lucas, Rose, and Maya... and Iris.
She realized at that moment that she was going to lose, but she still held onto the hope that Aestrea would appear to save the day...
Just like he always did.
Because of that reason, she was determined to give it her all until the very end.
Closing her eyes gently, she sent a warning to Derek and James, the only two remaining beside her.
With that, she raised her hands into the air, and her eyes began to glow intensely.
『 Fire Series: Hell's Paradise! (✦ Upper 5th-level Spell ✦) 』
BOOOM!
Suddenly, multiple currents of lava erupted from the ground, shooting toward the sky like fiery geysers.
Rose's eyes widened in shock as she witnessed the sheer power of Mia's spell.
"Ella, use your strongest blow immediately."
Rose warned Ella directly, and upon hearing her words, Ella's expression grew colder as she brought her sword close to her forehead.
A golden light began to envelop her body, as golden flames erupted from it.
『 Royal Swordsmanship: Flowing Golden Dragon! (✦ SS-Level Sword Art ✦) 』
The flames twisted and coiled, transforming into a magnificent golden dragon that soared toward Mia, roaring with ferocity.
ROOAARRR!
"Dammit!"
Mia's heart raced as she quickly turned the currents of lava into a protective barrier, desperately trying to shield herself from the impending attack.
But just as she braced for impact, she felt a sudden force behind her.
"Kaughk!"
The blow struck her back with bone-crushing force, sending her flying forward. She gripped the ground, trying to slow her momentum, and turned to look behind her.
Both Derek and James had been eliminated, with Maya and Lucas looking at her. In the other side, her spell had been completely shattered by the golden dragon.
At this moment, her vision started blurring as she saw a magnificent wave of flames coming towards her.
"Ah..."
Mia fell to her knees.
She closed her eyes, whispering to herself in a sad tone.
"We've lost... even with Aestrea's help, it's not enough."
The words felt like a stone in her throat. She had hoped so hard that he would come and save them, but now, it seemed like a distant dream.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her as the last attack hit her.
"Aghh!"
She gasped, feeling her body being pulled away from the battlefield.
"No...!" she cried out, but it was too late.
The world around her began to fade, and she felt herself being teleported out of the dungeon.
"Why... If I endured just a little more, maybe he would..." She clenched her fists tightly and stood there, staring at the arena floor with a vacant gaze.
But suddenly, the loud voice of the crowd reached out to her ears...
The crowd was roaring loudly, their voices rising in a deafening chant.
"AESTREA!"
"AESTREA!"
"AESTREA!"
Mia's heart skipped a beat. She blinked, and her eyes landed on the biggest screen in the arena.
There, in the center of the chaos, stood a silver-haired young man.
His glowing red eyes were sharp and focused, filled with a deep intensity that could send shivers down anyone's spine.
But what caught her attention the most were his clothes.
They were torn and tattered, hanging off him like rags.
Dark stains of blood soaked through the fabric, oozing from multiple scratches and wounds that marred his skin.
Each cut looked deep, and the blood glistened in the light, a stark contrast against his pale skin.
It dripped down his arms and pooled at his feet, painting the ground a dark crimson.
The sight was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
At that moment, tears welled up in Mia's eyes, blurring her vision.
"I... I knew you would appear..."