Chapter 97 - Fierce Battle: 5 minutes

Souta was lying on the ground while looking at the [Vajra Sword Saya] on his hand. He opened his mouth and said, "Oi! Red lady, are you there?"

After a few moments, he hasn't heard anything at all. There's no reply and it seems that this sword wasn't going to bother him for a while.

He then tried to call her once again but to no avail, she hasn't responded at all to his call. He wanted to know what her stance. If she was his enemy or ally. In truth, he doesn't want her to become his enemy as the sword was useful to him. It gave him a large boost to his stats and the equipment skill really help him in his expedition on the Desolate Forest.

He wouldn't be able to defeat the knight leaders if not for the equipment skill of the sword and the added stats. No matter how much he predicted his opponent's movement if his stats were too low compared to his opponent then he wouldn't be able to react fast enough. Before he could react he would receive a blow from his opponent.

That's what will happen if the gap in stats was too large.

"Hmm...?"

He then averted his attention and heard a lot of people in his surrounding.

"Something is happening around me. Hmm... That's favorable for me as well as I don't need to go to their cla.s.s to collect their red flags." Souta muttered and he slowly stood up. He patted the dirt and dust on his clothes.

He then felt the ground shake. It only means that the battle already started and he could only hope that they didn't discover Lynn.

Swoos.h.!.+

The gust of wind blew the thick smoke that was covering this area. It revealed him to the rest of the people in this place. But most of them didn't have time to look at him as they were busy fighting each other.

"Hmm... What are you doing? Since you all are ignoring me, then let me collect your red flags..." Souta muttered and he placed his hand on his chin. He swept his eyes over the people that were present here. He counted the people that were holding the flags since they were his target.

Gyron, Mark, and Sena glanced at him wondering what he would do in this situation. But they have no time to watch him as their opponent attacked them.

Gyron jumped away to create a distance from his foe. He was fighting the top 2 ranker Irlin and some of the students from other cla.s.ses. He got his hands full of these people just Irlin alone was giving him a hard time and now other people joined the battle to take him down.

Some of the other students decided together that taking him down would be important if they wanted to collect the red flags, so they decided to work together. But some of the students didn't want that as they knew that they were next once they managed to take down the top 1 ranker. That's why Gyron was fighting a lot of people at the same time.

Irlin who was launching spell at Gyron didn't even notice Souta. He was too busy trying to take down the top 1 ranker who defeated him. Even with the help of other people, he still couldn't catch Gyron at all.

"Tsk! This tras.h.!.+" Irlin clicked his tongue while looking at the people who were attacking Gyron.

Ailene was the one who noticed Souta, not Grunge. Grunge was enjoying himself while fighting other students at the same time. She tapped her staff on the ground and created a barrier around herself.

She then waved her staff and the floor around her quickly turned into ice. And once again she casted another barrier around her.

"This is enough..." Ailene muttered before she turned her head and looked at Souta. She saw Souta eyes were looking at every people here in this place. She wondered what he was planning to do.

Souta looked around and muttered, "If Bryan is here, then he would join the battle without hesitation. Well, me too..." He started to circulate his mana around his body. He looked at his sword one more time. He was actually reluctant to use this sword after what happened last time when he evolved.

"Huff..."

He took a deep breath and slightly bent his knees. With a "boom" he charged towards the nearest person who was holding the red flags.

Swoos.h.!.+

"I got you," Souta said as he grinned and slashed his sword towards the man.

"Wha-" The man was surprised when he saw Souta appeared in front of him. He tried to move away but it was too late. The sword was already on its way towards him and he knew that he couldn't avoid it.

Putchi!!

"Argh!!" A large cut appeared in the chest of the man. Blood spurted out of the wound on his chest.

Souta moved his hand and grabbed the red flags on the man's hand. He forcefully yanked out the flags out of his hand. He then lifted up his feet and kicked the man's chest.

Bang!

The man flew away and crashed on the ground.

This alerted the people around the place. They all stopped moving and looked at Souta who was holding the red flags that he s.n.a.t.c.hed from the man.

Souta looked at them and he slowly opened his mouth and said, "Let's fight and see who will win."

He slowly raised his palm and casted [Shadow Bind] spell along with [Shadow Spike] spell.

"Hmm...?" Irlin looked on the ground and immediately jumped. "Jump!!" He shouted to his comrades.

Ailene jumped in the air and pointed her staff on him. She gathered her mana and casted a spell.

[Mana Bullet]!!

Dozen small blueish b.a.l.l.s appeared beside her. The blueish b.a.l.l.s shot towards him quickly.

Swoos.h.!.+ Swoos.h.!.+

Souta threw the flags that he was holding in the sky. He then swiftly avoided the [Mana Bullet] spell that Ailene casted.

"Oho, that's dangerous you know..." Souta said as he then swept his eyes in the area around him. He found another student who was holding red flags.

He charged towards that student while using [Dash] skill. In just a moment, he arrived in front of the student. Souta used [Shadow Bind] and slashed his sword. He then grabbed the flags and kicked the student away from him.

Swoos.h.!.+

Suddenly, he ducked down as a fist pa.s.sed above his head. Souta glanced and saw Grunge, the top 4 ranker of the first year.

He slashed his sword horizontally but Grunge took a step back and avoided his sword easily. He gripped the red flags that he was holding tightly before he threw it towards Grunge.

Grunge stepped aside to avoid the flags and he launched himself towards Souta.

Swoos.h.!.+

Suddenly, he found his feet being stuck on the ground. Grunge looked down and saw that the ground turned into mud.

[Mud Slide]!!

"I will fight you later." Souta smiled at him before he turned around and charged towards the student who was holding the red flags.

His target this time was the students who have red flags. Souta doesn't want anyone in this place to collect the red flags. He will avoid any fight except for those who have red flags.

His [Shadow Bind] and [Shadow Spike] spells knocked a few of students that gathered in this place. It removed the weaklings from the strong, so only people who possessed some power were standing in this place. All of them were top 1 to top 30 ranker and a few ones who were saved by their comrades just like those people who were holding the red flags.

Irlin frowned at this and said, "After him!!"

Ailene and Grunge looked at Irlin and nodded their heads. They chased Souta who was running around the battlefield.

Swoos.h.!.+ Swoos.h.!.+

Irlin casted a spell to stop Ailene and Grunge's opponents. He will handle these people but he was worried that Gyron would attack him. He turned his head and glanced at Gyron. He found that Gyron was fighting the other students.

"Haha, catch me if you can." Souta laughed as Ailene and Grunge chased him with all of they've got.

He moved around and jumped on top of the tree before he jumped down again. The two people were having a hard time to follow his movements. While he was running around, he picked up the flags of the Brawler Cla.s.s 1-A that we're scattered on the ground.

'What is he planning to do? Did he run around just to get the red flags or did he have another motive? I couldn't tell at all.' Ailene thought as she was trying to guess what's his motive behind his action.

"You!! Come back here and fight me!!" Grunge shouted at the top of his lungs. He opened both of his palms and casted a spell towards Souta.

Swoos.h.!.+

"I will fight you later," Souta replied with a laughed and moved his body to avoid the spell. "So, wait for it. I will fight you with my full power."

Remaining time before the test ends: 5 minutes...