Are you okay?" Amanda asked, her brows lifting with genuine concern.
"Ye… yeah, I'm okay," Rudra replied, trying to hide the blush creeping up his face.
Amanda studied him for a moment before sighing softly.
"Alright… if you say so. Listen, Rudra—I won't be able to stick with you anymore. I need to collect points for myself too.
"O‑oh. Yeah, of course. You should go," he said, forcing a small smile.
"I'll manage."
Amanda nodded, though she looked like she wanted to say more.
"Good. Then… best of luck on the exam. Really."
She gave him a quick wave before turning and sprinting deeper into the forest.
.
.
.
Rudra's POV
As she ran farther and farther away, only one thought echoed in my mind—
How am I supposed to pass this test alone?
After thinking for a while, I settled on a plan. I would hunt as many Asura as possible on the outskirts of the forest first. Then, once I had enough points, I'd move toward the center—where the strongest students would be fighting nonstop. By then, most of them would be exhausted, their mana completely depleted.
Mana… the fuel behind every magical attack. Once it runs out, even the strongest mage becomes nothing more than a regular fighter. And since magic had become so powerful that it could obliterate metal, no one bothered using weapons anymore. That meant they'd be forced into close‑quarters combat.
And that was where I had the advantage.
I'd trained in hand‑to‑hand combat my entire life. Those idiots never even considered learning martial arts—they believed their magic was superior to everything.
With that confidence, I began searching for Asura. I needed points too.
After heading a little to the left, I spotted a group of F‑rank demons surrounding the bodies of a defeated squad. I immediately hid behind a tree, trying to stay out of sight.
Then my foot stepped on a twig.
Snap.
""...""
""…""
""...""
Fuck.
All four demons turned toward me instantly. Before I could react, they charged at full speed. They were far stronger than the last demon I had fought. Panic surged through me as I tried to parry their attacks with my talwar, but they were faster, more skilled, and relentless.
Cuts opened across my arms, my sides, my legs—deep, burning wounds. My vision blurred. My body screamed for me to stop. I was losing strength fast, getting overwhelmed from every direction. I just wanted it to end.
One demon swung its sword down at me, aiming to cleave me in half. At the last second, I dodged and stumbled backward, barely staying on my feet. Blood loss made my legs shake.
I forced myself to breathe.
Don't panic.
I remembered Amanda's advice:
If you can't fight a group, isolate them. One at a time.
I tightened my grip on my talwar.
---
With renewed focus, I lunged at the nearest demon. Before I could land a blow, another demon swung at my side. I twisted away, letting the blade whistle past me, and countered with a sharp kick that sent him tumbling off the cliff's edge.
Now it was three against one.
They circled me, waiting for an opening. I couldn't afford to drag this out.
One demon rushed in first. I met him head‑on, my talwar slicing across his guard. The other two attacked simultaneously—one from the left, one from behind. I ducked under the first strike and rolled forward, barely avoiding the second.
I was being pushed closer and closer to the cliff.
Think, Rudra. End this fast.
As one demon leapt toward me, I hurled my talwar straight at him. Instinctively, he raised his arms to block it. That moment of distraction was all I needed.
I dashed forward, grabbed his head with both hands, and slammed it into the ground with every ounce of strength I had left. The impact was brutal—the demon went limp instantly.
I snatched my talwar from the ground and spun toward the next demon. He hesitated for a fraction of a second—fatal mistake. I drove my blade straight through his chest.
Only one demon remained.
Breathing heavily, I stepped back to steady myself. The last demon roared and charged. I forced my exhausted body to move, meeting him halfway. Our swords clashed violently, sparks flying with every strike. Blood dripped from both of us—we were at our limits.
One final attack.
We rushed each other for the last time. His blade came down with everything he had left. My body trembled, but I managed to slip past the strike and deliver a clean, decisive slash across his torso.
The demon collapsed.
And with that, my strength finally gave out.
I fell to the ground…
and everything went dark.