Kai saw a shadowy figure hiding on a branch. His lips curved dangerously. "Found you, coward!" He finally found that coward.

Kai raised his hand as mana surged forward. Lightning gathered as a spear of lightning formed in front of him.

[Lightning Lance]

The spear dashed forward at the tree branch. It tore apart the air.

BOOM!

It collided against the tree branch as an explosion occurred. The shadowy form on it slowly dissolved away, making Ricky and Kai more angry. The tree caught fire from the lightning spell but slowly extinguished.

"Shit! He fooled us again," Ricky groaned in anger. His eyes were full of rage to beat that sneaky commoner.

Kai was no different. Just when he was going to respond to Ricky, he heard the sound of something spinning.

His eyes shot to the left side, only to see a shadowy hatchet spinning and coming in their direction. Particularly at Ricky. It was aim at his friend.

Kai's eyes widened. The hatchet spun as it moved at blinding speed, cutting through air.

"Ricky!" Kai yelled urgently. He threw himself on Ricky as both of them crashed on the ground.

Thud!

The hatchet barely missed Ricky's shoulder. If not for Kai helping him.

"You okay?" Kai asked his friend.

"Yes, I am." Ricky pushed himself up. Kai also got up. They looked in the direction where the hatchet came from.

"The rat is hiding there!" Ricky declared.

Kai held his spear tightly. Just when they were going to move,

Crush!

"Ahhhhh!" Kai let out a painful cry.

Splash!

Red blood splattered in the air.

The sound of flesh tearing echoed through the silent surroundings.

Ricky's eyes widened. The fresh smell of blood hit his nose.

He saw it. The same hatchet stuck in Kai's back, dug inside his flesh deeply.

"Kai!" he called out worriedly. He could see Kai's painful expression.

The commoner boy was attacking while hiding.

Ricky held Kai by the shoulder and led him toward the tree.

They needed to get away, or another sneaky attack might come.

And their thoughts were not wrong, because it did come.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

The sound of bullets shooting echoed this time.

The three bullets, covered with mana, cleaved through the air. Their speed faster, fiercer than the hatchet.

Ricky didn't get much chance to avoid.

"Aaaarghhh!" The bullet hit his left shoulder. Another hit his right leg, just below the knee, from the backside, entering his flesh as blood started to flow through it.

His steps buckled as he stumbled forward with Kai.

Ricky and Kai both groaned in pain, clutching their wounds. The smell of burnt flesh and iron filled the air.

Ricky's voice shook. "Damn it... where is he hiding!?"

But before either could move.

They sensed someone was coming in their direction. They couldn't hear, but they could feel it.

Kai's head snapped up, his vision blurring from the pain. From behind the flickering shadows, a figure stepped out calm, steady, and terrifyingly composed.

Amon Vale.

His sword was drawn, the blade glinting with a faint dark aura. Shadows coiled around his feet, hiding the sound of every step. His black hair swayed lightly in the cold breeze as his eyes gleamed in the dim light. Calm, focused, and merciless.

"Y-You bastard!" Ricky roared, forcing his trembling body to stand. "You sneak attack from shadows like a coward–!"

He couldn't even finish.

Amon vanished. He was faster. With shadows coiled around his feet and mana strengthening his legs, he moved quicker than before.

In the blink of an eye, his body blurred. Swallowed by darkness.

Whoosh!

"Wha–?!"

Amon appeared in front of Ricky, his blade already moving in a slash.

[Umbral Veil Sword Art: First Form — Crescent of Dusk]

The blade sliced through the air with a faint hiss, almost silent. A crescent of shadow light flashing for a brief instant.

Clang!

Ricky raised his sword just in time, but the impact sent a violent shock through his arms. He staggered back, blood dripping from his palm. His body ached in pain.

"Too slow," Amon whispered.

Before Ricky could recover, Amon's foot twisted, and he spun. His sword cutting in a diagonal arc.

Slash!

Ricky's weapon flew from his hand, clattering to the ground. A dark line appeared on his chest before blood spurted out, and he fell to his knees, gasping.

"Ricky!" Kai shouted in pain, trying to raise his spear, but his body wouldn't obey. The injury in his back burned like fire.

Amon turned to him. His shadow flickering like a living mist.

Kai thrust his mana-covered spear forward with all his strength.

Crack! The blue blade of the spear moved, but Amon tilted his head slightly. The spear grazed past him.

In the same motion, Amon swung his shadowy blade upward.

Thud!

The spear was cut in half, sparks scattering in the air.

Amon's cold gaze met Kai's frightened eyes. "Don't blame me~. You picked the fight first."

Then, with one swift strike, his sword moved. Faster than a blink.

Slash!

Splash!

Kai's weapon arm was hit. He collapsed beside Ricky, both unable to move.

The battle ended as quickly as it began.

Amon exhaled softly, the dark mist around his sword slowly fading away. He sheathed his blade and glanced at the two fallen students.

They fell unconscious as their bodies started to shimmer and then were teleported outside the barrier. Both of them eliminated.

Amon exhaled heavily. He had just defeated two students. He also got their accumulated points, which was a really sweet thing for him.

He turned back. Now he needed to go back to his cave again.

But– "Where did I come from?" He forgot the direction. Amon already had a bad sense of direction, and now it would be hard work.

"Hah," he sighed. He retrieved his hatchet from the ground, which had fallen when Kai was teleported. Good thing it didn't go with him.

He moved back toward his place.

After wandering for an hour, he was able to get back there.

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