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"Best of luck, and do your best," said the headmaster with a sly grin, already knowing what awaited the students.
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Rudra's POV
When the final number was spoken, we stepped into the portal and were scattered across the outskirts of the forest. The moment I landed—flat on my ass—I was greeted by a grotesque creature. It took me a while to process what I was seeing: an Asura, a G-rank demon.
Gripping my talwar tightly, I tried to recall the martial arts and weapon techniques I had learned. But reality didn't wait for me to prepare. The Asura lunged forward, and panic took over. I swung my sword wildly, without rhythm or coordination, making it easy for the demon to toy with me. Small cuts began to appear across my body—done with his bare hands. He hadn't even bothered to use his weapon yet.
I was desperately trying to parry, but failing miserably. The demon, bored of playing, grew more vicious. I spotted an opening at his side and tried to strike with all my strength, but he turned on me and ripped a deep wound across my chest. My vision blurred, my breathing grew shallow, and panic clawed at me.
Then, out of nowhere, the Asura was kicked aside. Amanda had arrived, wielding the radiant power of Suryadev—the Sun God. The sight was breathtaking, as if she herself was the light I needed to move forward in my life.
Snapping out of my daze, she came close.
"Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not at all okay."
"Stand up."
"…Okay."
"Now you'll do exactly as I say. You will be the one to kill the Asura. Got it?" Her face was deadly serious.
"But wouldn't that hurt your chances of earning more points?" I asked, worried.
"Do you want to kill the Asura or not?"
"Yes, but I don't want—"
"Then just kill him now," she snapped, annoyed.
I forced myself up. Amanda stepped back, ready to guide me but not interfere. As I advanced slowly, her voice reached me—calm, steady, reassuring.
"Keep your focus on the Asura. Steady your breathing. Think less. Let your body move instinctively."
"Okay… got it. Thanks."
Her advice grounded me. The pain dulled as adrenaline surged. When the Asura charged again, I moved instinctively. He aimed for my chest, but this time I saw it coming. I dodged gracefully and countered with a horizontal slash from his stomach to his chest. The force of the strike launched him ten meters into the air before he crashed fifteen meters away.
The demon rose slowly, now armed with a baseball bat studded with nails. I didn't wait—I dashed forward. He swung for my head, but I slipped past it and retaliated with a slash that grazed his neck. Blood spilled, and his rage intensified. He attacked wildly, and I met him blow for blow, parrying and striking in a brutal exchange.
We were both drenched in blood, though I had taken more damage. Amanda's voice cut through the chaos:
"Put everything into one final attack."
I obeyed. The Asura seemed to have the same idea. We closed in, both aiming for each other's neck. His strike came first—I dodged by a hair's breadth—and unleashed all my strength into one decisive slash. My blade tore through his neck.
"Haaa… haaaa… ohhh fuckkkkk…"
I staggered, about to collapse, but Amanda caught my hand.
"How did it feel, killing an Asura for the first time?" she asked.
"It felt… great. Finally, I was able to do something," I said, smiling through the blood on my face.
"Thanks. It meant a lot to me."
"You're welcome," she replied, her smile genuine.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause just to frame that smile. The curve of her lips lit up the space around her, and warmth rushed through my chest. My heart stumbled, caught between disbelief and awe. I forgot how to move, how to speak—every thought drowned out by the simple, stunning fact that she was smiling at me.
.
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.
"Beauty can be pretty dangerous," I thought to myself