I changed my strategy.

I spoke, facing forward.

"Mr. Chris, please put a defensive barrier around me."

"What? What about the Sword Saint's attacks?"

"I have a way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Fine... but I'll be angry if you fail."

Chris withdrew his defensive barrier and placed it around my abdomen.

Shanche, who was watching, exclaimed in surprise.

"Then what am I supposed to do?!"

"Please endure it just once."

"What the... Ugh?!"

In an instant, an attack flew in and left a red line across Shanche's body.

The defensive barrier had disappeared, leaving Shanche to take the full force of the Sword Saint's attack.

Thud.

Shanche collapsed to the ground, unable to withstand the blow any longer.

Fortunately, it didn't seem like she had been eliminated.

Twitch.

She was convulsing on the floor, which meant she wasn't completely unconscious.

I'm sorry.

I silently offered a brief apology and focused on the Sword Saint's next attack.

Swish.

The Sword Saint swung his sword again after dealing with Shanche.

'Now.'

The sense of unease that had been holding me back finally disappeared.

It was a momentary lapse of concentration, but I didn't miss it.

Just before the Sword Saint's sword created a shockwave.

I observed the Sword Saint's movements and

"Designation."

I pointed an arrow at the sword.

"Move."

I instantly swapped the positions of the Sword Saint's sword and myself.

The sword that had been sent into the air fell and rolled on the ground.

And I was floating right in front of the Sword Saint's face.

Whoosh-.

Sword Saint swung his fist without showing even a hint of panic.

In that brief moment, he realized that the sword had disappeared and decided to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

'If I can just endure it once.'

I hoped that Chris's barrier, which was floating in the air, would hold.

And then Sword Saint's fist struck directly.

Bang-.

A tremendous roar pierced my eardrums, but I glared at the fist.

Fortunately, Sword Saint's fist did not penetrate the barrier.

A terrible pain surged through me, but it was not unbearable.

Gulp.

Blood gushed out of my mouth as I simultaneously deployed my darkness attribute.

The moment the darkness spread.

Suddenly, I had an intuition.

'This might work.'

It was an application I had acquired while training in Bares's mana technique, as the amount of mana I possessed increased exponentially.

It was to create a space filled with darkness.

And to trap me and my opponent within that space.

A space created with the darkness attribute that did not allow even a speck of light to enter.

Therefore, I also would not be able to see in front of me, but I had an artifact that I had obtained from the land of the undead.

The Fang of Darkness.

This artifact, which took the form of a dagger, was strengthened by dividing darkness into two.

In addition, it had the effect of assisting the wearer's movements in the darkness.

Of course, it did not allow one to see.

Should I say that it gave me a sense like that of an animal in the darkness?

In short, it was said to boast performance that was not inferior to that of a legendary weapon in pitch-black darkness.

That was why the newly acquired application of the darkness trait and the Fang of Darkness were a good match.

Within the space of the darkness trait, the Fang of Darkness transformed into a weapon more powerful than any other.

'Let's spread it out freely.'

There was no set pattern or form.

I simply created with darkness.

I had also considered simply increasing the size of the dagger, but since my physical abilities were not overwhelmingly high, there was a high chance that it would be destroyed.

So I came up with a different method.

If it was impossible to launch an attack that could break through Sword Saint's defenses.

Let's make it an attack that 'will' succeed.

!!

When Sword Saint's vision was blocked, he hesitated and did not move rashly.

However, I immediately noticed Sword Saint's movement to regain his composure and respond through the sense I shared with the Fang of Darkness.

As expected, a monster.

Even with my current enhanced strength, I couldn't be certain of victory.

That's why.

"I'll kill you with all my might."

I'll face him with the best technique I can unleash without holding back.

The moment I made up my mind.

BAM-.

The Sword Saint kicked off the ground and charged towards me.

A terrifying aura accompanied his movement.

In response, I lifted the left corner of my mouth into a long grin.

I had already prepared a means to block Sword Saint's movements and attack him.

A technique I had been preparing ever since I learned that I could manipulate the darkness attribute.

Its name is.

"Black Blade Rain."

I recited it succinctly.

The incantation for a technique created by fusing the darkness attribute with the Fang of Darkness.

As I finished the incantation, the Fang of Darkness began to absorb the surrounding 'darkness' and ripple.

The rippling darkness soon transformed into dozens of blades.

The blades floated in the air, completely surrounding Sword Saint's body.

Clench.

I clenched my fist.

I looked at Sword Saint, who was swimming through the darkness, and opened my mouth.

"Die."

That moment.

Dozens of blades surged towards Sword Saint.

Stab, stab.

Stab, stab, stab.

The blades began to tear Sword Saint's body apart indiscriminately.

Soon, the dull sound of Sword Saint collapsing reached my ears.

Only then did I release the darkness attribute.

Then, Sword Saint, whose entire body had been riddled with holes, came into view.

Swish.

I looked around and saw the students, their mouths agape in disbelief, Chris and Kina frozen in each other's arms, and Shancie lying on the floor.

In that silence, I felt a sense of exhilaration.

The hundreds of students who had previously rushed at Sword Saint and been defeated.

This was the moment when I, for the 'first' time, accomplished what they could not.

"Adel, you're amazing!"

Chris, who had broken the silence of the examination hall, patted my shoulder with a grin.

"W, what."

"How did you do it? I never thought it would actually work!"

"I did well. As you can see."

"Amazing!"

"Yes, but more importantly, my arm is... getting numb."

"Oh, sorry."

Only then did Chris remove his arm as if he was sorry.

I told Chris that I was okay and started walking again.

Although I quite liked this silence mixed with surprise, there was still something I had to finish.

Swish.

I quietly pulled out a dagger from my bosom.

Stab.

And in front of Chris, I stabbed the dagger into Sword Saints chest.

Seeing no reaction, I stabbed him again.

Thud. Thud.

"W-what are you doing?"

Chris, who had been approaching me, stopped in his tracks.

"Well."

I smiled at him and answered calmly.

"Shouldn't I make sure he's dead?"

How do I know if Sword Saint is just pretending to be dead and will attack again?

As I answered Chris, I continued to stab Sword Saint's chest in the silence.

Until the instructor announced the end of the test...

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