The Smiling Death

The barrier was covering the forest center in only that 50-meter diameter. There were no new students coming. So that meant most of the students got eliminated. Only three of them remained.

The exam was coming to an end soon. Amon watched the fight of Seraphina and Aisha. It hadn't even been one minute since they started to fight, and Aisha was already defeated.

Seraphina was standing with her sword. The cold breeze made her blonde hair sway softly. Her fair skin was now dirtied by dust and soil. Sweat was dripping from her forehead.

Aisha lay in front of her, unconscious. Her body started to shimmer in blue light as she vanished. She was teleported outside the domed barrier.

Seraphina sighed; she exhaled softly. Her calm golden eyes turned in the direction where Amon was hiding. She tilted her head.

"Why are you hiding there?" Her voice was calm, just like her expression. But there was some tiredness in her voice.

Amon flinched behind the tree. 'Oh! She knows that I am hiding here.'

Slowly, cautiously, Amon walked out from his hiding place. His figure came into view.

Seraphina saw the young man coming out from behind the tree. His academy uniform tattered in some places. Messy black hair. There was a mischievous smile on his face.

Watching his usual smile made Seraphina's lips curl up into a small smile. "It seems we are the only survivors. There are only last three minutes remaining. Now we just need to wait."

Now that made Amon surprised. He had thought she might attack him. But rather, she asked to wait for the exam to end. 'That's a good thing, I guess…' he thought with a relieved sigh.

But then his eyebrows furrowed. Now he felt a little bad. Was she pitying him? Or just thinking he's not worth fighting? Or she just doesn't see him as competition?

'Is she… pitying me? Or thinks that I am no competition at all? Damn! It doesn't feel good… it feels shit.'

Amon was a coward. He accepted that fact. But that didn't mean he had no pride… Alright, he actually didn't have any. Still, it didn't feel good.

Amon's dark eyes fell on Seraphina. He could see his angel was tired from fights. It had taken a lot of toll on her. Meanwhile Amon, he was not in bad condition. Rather, he was far better compared to Seraphina.

A sudden thought came to him. Seraphina was now tired. More weakened. Maybe he got a chance. 'There is a chance… to win against her… Alright, let's do it… It's not like I can't keep up with her for three minutes.'

Amon raised his hand. His shadow beneath his feet moved immediately and went to the place where his hatchet had fallen. It covered the hatchet.

Then it trembled and flew back through the air toward Amon. He grasped the silver hatchet with his left hand. The hilt was dusty and cold.

He pulled out his sword from his storage ring in his right hand.

Seraphina looked at Amon with confusion. Was he going to fight her? That was unexpected for her.

"You want to fight?" she asked in confusion.

Amon gripped his swords tightly. His eyes full of resolve.

"Yes. Seraphina… I will fight you… Please don't look down on me. Just because I am weak… don't pity me. I want you to see me as a competitor… a rival. I don't want your mercy here. I want to fight you head-on, Seraphina. Just like the others did." Amon said loudly. His voice was full of confidence and resolve. His face was serious.

Unlike his usual funny face.

Right now his words seemed like that of a real protagonist. He had enough. There was no smile on his face… only an expectant gaze. For a fight with Seraphina.

'Hehehe. My acting might be nice.' Of course, he was just spouting nonsense for fun.

But it had an actual effect on Seraphina. She was looking at Amon with shocked eyes.

Then her gaze lowered. She clenched her fist.

She was questioning herself. This was an exam. Here they were competitors. Not friends. Was she actually looking down on him? Thinking it wasn't needed to fight him? Pitying him?

She sighed. Yes. She did it wrong. She shouldn't have treated him like that.

Amon's expression was serious. He wanted a fight from her. A real fight where she wouldn't hold back. There was very little time remaining.

The wrist watches had started to show the time when there was only one hour remaining for the exam to end.

She exhaled. Her sword raised. She was ready. She would fight against Amon. Not thinking of him as a friend. Not thinking of him as someone who was weaker. She would fight him respectfully. With all she had got. Even if her body was aching, even if there was toll on her body.

She wouldn't stop now.

"Very well, Amon… I am sorry for not trying to fight you before. Not… thinking how you feel… but now I will fight you."

She took a fighting stance.

Her breathing even. Slow. Steady.

While Amon gazed at her. The time was moving slow. More than ever.

'Fuck! Why is it so slow?' He gripped both his weapons tightly.

Seraphina's golden eyes locked onto him.

Amon swallowed.

Her presence changed.

It wasn't the calm, gentle Seraphina…

It was the Seraphina who defeated Aisha in under a minute.

"Alright, Amon," she whispered, lowering her sword slightly. "Let's fight. I won't hold back at all."

Amon tightened his grip on both weapons.

His heartbeat thumped loudly against his ribs.

He bent his knees slightly, mana flowing around his feet.

The moment Seraphina exhaled,

She disappeared.

"—!!"

Amon's eyes widened. He barely raised his sword.

CLANG!!

A golden blur appeared in front of him.

Her strike hit his sword at an angle, sending him skidding back several meters.

'Holy shit! She's still this fast!?' He thought worridly.