The Smiling Death

The domed-shaped barrier of forest had shrunk by a lot. Now it had become much smaller. Many students had already been eliminated from the exam. Only a handful remained.

It was the last day of the exam. It would end at noon. The same time it had started.

Amon, Seraphina, and Eliana had been moving toward the center, avoiding unnecessary fights whenever possible.

Their steps were careful but quick, weaving between trees as the pressure of the shrinking dome tightened around them.

"Only a few hours left…" Eliana murmured, her pointed ears twitching in alert. Her bow remained drawn, an arrow of condensed mana hovering slightly above the string.

Seraphina walked ahead with calm confidence, her sword emitting a faint glow of soft gold. "Stay focused. The monster density is increasing. The academy must be pushing us toward the end."

Amon walked behind them, holding his sword in his right hand and his hatchet hooked on his belt. His body still felt sore from escaping multiple fights earlier, but he pushed forward.

"Let's just hope we don't run into anything crazy," he muttered.

Of course, fate wasn't that kind.

A loud crack echoed through the forest.

Followed by a deep, rumbling growl.

The ground trembled beneath their feet.

Eliana's eyes widened. "Something big… coming from the right!"

Trees suddenly snapped apart as a massive creature burst through the foliage. It stood nearly four meters tall, covered in thick crimson scales.

Its eyes burned like molten lava, and smoke curled from its nostrils.

A Rank Three Fire-type monster. Something far above what first-year students should normally face. But if they were in a team, then there was a chance.

Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "That explains the tremors."

The creature opened its jaws. It was ready to attack. To obliterate the tiny humans in front of him... no, two tiny humans and one elf.

A surge of scorching flames gathered in its throat.

"Move!" Amon shouted. He lunged to the other side to avoid the attack.

FWOOSH!

A torrent of fire blasted toward them. The three split apart instantly.

Eliana rolled behind a tree and fired an arrow, wind swirling around the shaft.

Thwip–BOOM!

The arrow hit the lizard's side, exploding in a burst of compressed air.

The monster staggered but barely flinched. It didn't have much effect on its body. The Fire Lizard glared at Eliana with hunger.

Roarrrr!

Seraphina dashed forward, her blade glowing. "I'll cut its front!"

She swung her sword, a crescent of light slicing through the flames. It was clearly dominating the monster's fire.

Amon circled to the left, gripping his sword tightly. 'This thing's hide is thick… I need an opening.'

The lizard roared and slammed its tail into the ground. It made the ground shatter.

Shaking the earth beneath them. The tremors were strong.

CRASH!

Amon jumped back, rolling to avoid the sweeping blow. "Great! It's fast too!" The monster was faster. Considering its size, it was moving a lot faster.

Eliana kept firing. Each arrow trailing blades of mana, but the lizard's scales deflected most of them, sparks flying with every shot. It was as if they were tickling the monster's scaly body.

Seraphina leapt upward, light gathering at her feet. Her blonde hair swayed in the air beautifully.

She soared above the lizard's head and slashed downward, her sword gleaming like a falling star.

CLANG!

The blade struck the monster's horns instead of its skull. Seraphina clicked her tongue and landed lightly.

Amon took the chance.

He ran in, sword raised, and hacked at the monster's leg.

CRACK!

A small cut appeared. Not deep, but enough to draw the lizard's attention. Its eyes glared at Amon.

It snarled and swung its claws toward him, flames flaring.

Amon ducked and pulled out his hatchet with his left hand, slashing upward. A silver line formed. The trajectory clashed at the monster's scale.

The hatchet sparked against the scales. Not much damage… but enough to irritate the beast even more.

"Amon, fall back!" Seraphina shouted, rushing in with another strike. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Eliana fired a trio of mana-covered arrows, hitting the lizard's eyes. The monster roared and reared back, shaking its head violently.

"Nice shot!" Amon yelled.

Eliana didn't smile. "Don't relax yet!"

The Fire Lizard's body began to glow, heat rising like waves.

Its entire chest swelled. It was glowing in red-orange color. As if fire had formed at that spot in huge amount.

"Oh no… it's charging a big one!" Amon shouted. He realized that monster was going to burst a huge and strong flamethrower.

Seraphina stepped forward, light gathering intensely around her blade. "Then we finish it first."

Amon and Eliana exchanged a quick nod.

Amon tightened his grip on his weapons.

Eliana drew a glowing emerald arrow.

The Fire Lizard opened its mouth. Flames erupting.

And the three launched their attacks at the same time.

The Fire Lizard's chest expanded. Heat surging so intensely that the surrounding trees began to smoke.

Amon gritted his teeth. "Here it comes!"

FLAAARE—!

The beast unleashed a massive fire blast.

Seraphina's eyes sharpened. "Amon, Eliana–now!"

Eliana released her arrow. At the same time she had conjured multiple wind arrows.

THWIP— WHOOOSH!

They all shot forward, spinning like a drill. They smashed straight into the Fire Lizard's open mouth.

The monster choked. Its fire blast destabilizing and bursting prematurely.

BOOOOM!

Flames exploded inside its own throat, making it stagger backward violently.

Amon didn't waste the opening.

Shadows curled around its feet.

"Shadow Clutch!"

Dark tendrils burst from the ground, grabbing the monster's front leg for a split second.

Just enough. It gave enough time for them.

Seraphina blurred forward, her whole body wrapped in brilliant light. The glowing light element covered her body as she moved like a flash of light.

Her sword slashed in a diagonal arc,

SHIIING—!!

A bright line of light cut across the monster's chest. Scales cracked. Flesh split. The Fire Lizard roared in agony as a deep wound opened, bleeding molten-red blood. It flowed like a stream.

Eliana fired another arrow straight into the wound.

BOOM!

The air explosion made the wound tear wider.

Amon sprinted in from the side, sword in hand. "Die already!"

He leapt, twisting his body.

His sword slammed into the cracked scales. Shadow and mana coating the blade.

CRUNCH!

The sword pierced through.

Amon dragged it downward with all his strength.

"RAAAAH!"

The wound ripped open completely.

The Fire Lizard's roar turned into a gurgle as its body swayed,

Then collapsed with an earth-shaking THUD. It gave one last groan.

Dust and heat washed over them.

Amon fell back, breathing hard. "Damn… that thing was huge."

Eliana let out a long breath, lowering her bow. "And troublesome."

Seraphina flicked monster blood off her blade, her expression calm but her breathing slightly heavier. "But it's done."

Amon wiped sweat from his forehead. "Did we… overkill it?"

Eliana gave him a look. "You used shadow magic to trip it, Seraphina nearly cut it in half, and I blew up its mouth. What do you think?"

Amon shrugged. "Teamwork?"

Well the monster was newly entered on third rank. One of the reasons it was weak. And easy to kill. Seraphina didn't need to go all out.

"Then shall we move?" Amon asked. He was wondering now how much points he would get once the exam was over. It's just a matter of some hours.

If that was not enough, he was wondering about something for days.

"Yes. We should. I don't know... but there might be something at center position... and we might meet Arnold and Marcus." Seraphina's voice was calm.

Her face expressionless and cute... at least Amon thought it was cute.

"Oh~ So you want to fight them?" Eliana asked curiously. It was an amazing thing that Seraphina was not attacking Amon or Eliana.

She was strong enough to defeat both of them and get their points. But she refused to do it since they were her close friends.

But she's not treating Arnold, Marcus, or Aisha the same. Actually, she had wanted to defeat them, but then she found Amon. He was the reason she decided to hold back that day. Seeing his tired and battered condition. Taking him to safe place.

"Well. Off course I want to. If I want to be at top... I need to defeat either Arnold or Marcus. I believe they will meet us at the center," Seraphina said with confidence.

Amon gulped his saliva. After all he had played with those guys. Running away, bringing them together... making them fight. Then sneaking away.

'Fuck! I can just pray to goddess that those three do not have a grudge against me,' he thought with sweat dripping on his forehead.

Both Seraphina and Eliana were oblivious to his worry. They did know how he was running from here to there. They heard his stories.

Amon still remembered how Eliana was laughing at it. How her face was ecstatic at that time.

"Anyway... let's go." Amon decided to push away his bad thoughts.

The group started to move toward the center direction.