"Don't let them get past the line.
Hold the Line! Hold the fucking line!"
Orson's voice carried over the battlefield.
The camp had turned into a mini hell filled with blood and scattered bodies of both humans and monsters.
Len with a sword in one hand and his crimson dagger in the other battled a grotesque millipede-like creature with little mouths all over its carapaced body.
Underneath its giant body were tiny legs, which carried its weight easily.
Blocking one of its maw, Len managed to roll to the side of the creature's head and plunged his daggers into its tiny eye.
SHRIEEEEK!
A loud shriek echoed over the area as the creature swung its body in pain.
Len was struck, flying backwards and crashing into one of the tents.
The creature filled with anger fixed its one good eye on him and charged forward.
"Urghhh, these damn creatures."
Throwing his broken sword, which he had managed to use to block the attack, he finally gripped the crimson dagger firmly.
He saw the creature charging forward, its body slamming through every obstacle in its path.
Running forward, Len moved through the tents around the area, using them as a form of cover
Bursting forth from the corner of the creature's damaged eye, he easily climbed its body.
"You could have just run away when you had the chance." Lifting his daggers high, he brought them down on the creature's head.
The blade pierced through, striking its brain directly and ending its life there and then.
"Ahhh." Len exhaled, slowly catching his breath.
This was his fourth kill, since the battle began. All F-rank creatures.
His gaze fell on the raging battle as he flicked the dark blood off his blade.
He carefully observed the aspirants, how they fought and made use of their abilities in battle.
His eyes lock on a figure, a flicker of surprise glinting in his eyes for a moment before disappearing.
The figure appeared randomly on the battlefield, tearing unexpected creatures apart with his axe.
"So he can teleport. That's one ability to watch out for."
Len quickly headed back towards the battle. Though as harsh as it is, this was the perfect chance to grow.
The closer one was to death, the more one could draw the power residing within them.
Also, each kill filled something within him, slowly making him stronger.
Most of the beasts he noticed were weaker than the F-rank creatures. Though there were a few F-rank creatures among their ranks, the majority were of the same kind: decaying slimy bodies, black worms feeding on their flesh, eyes bulging as if given a shot of steroids.
Len wasn't interested in them. Rather, he continued hunting the F-rank creatures.
His eyes locked on a new prey, and without hesitation, he charged forward.
Mid-run, his newly acquired relic he got from his last kill slowly took form in his hand.
Relic: [Myeptic Jagged Sword]
[Rank: F]
Enchantment: [Nil]
Leaping high, he slashed down on a big-headed creature with long rocky dangling claws, which was already impaling one of the NPC soldiers.
He slammed onto the top of the creature's head like a meteorite, causing it to stagger before dropping to the ground with a piercing shriek.
By then, Len was ready far away.
Just then, chaos unfolded in the western part of the battlefield.
A couple of humans were on the ground, scratching their bodies as if trying to rip something off their skin.
Those close to them watched with cold dread. Strange black worms had latched onto their body, burrowing deep into their skin with terrifying ease.
After a couple of seconds, the humans rose from the ground, eyes now bulging fiercely with their skin beginning to turn dark.
Their eyes locked on their fellow humans, who they had been fighting together moments ago and without hesitation ripped one throat with one brutal slash.
Panic spread as the western side was getting overrun with more humans turning into 'zombified creatures'.
Just then, a figure dropped from the sky, slamming its massive hammer on the ground.
A couple of figures were lifted off the floor, and with fluid grace, several arrows struck the head of each creature cleanly.
Meanwhile, below, the warhammer was swung in a sweeping motion, turning all those in its path into mushed flesh.
"Get a hold of yourselves... goddammit!"
It was the commander, Orson.
"So that's the strength of an E-rank," Len murmured, feeling his body surge with excitement. 'I don't think I'll be able to defeat an E-rank just yet.'
His eyes landed on a lady who dropped beside Orson, her green hair gliding softly with the cold wind.
The little green token crystal on her chest shone softly as she nocked another arrow in her bow and, with a pull, released it.
The arrow soared forward, weaving through the raging battlefield as if having a mind of its own and pierced through the neck of a creature about to kill one of the NPCs.
"She's good." During this moment, Len was using it to take note of those he ought to be wary of and soon found out the count was slowly increasing.
Space warped slightly, and then a figure materialised beside her, his dark hair clinging to his skin.
"Bet you haven't crossed the tenth kill." Isaac said with a taunting smile.
"Fourteen." She muttered casually, already nocking another arrow.
"Huh!" Isaac's eyes widened in shock.
"Fourteen?! And I just barely killed my tenth creature?"
WHOOSH!
Soon, her arrow nailed another creature down, exploding it in a gory mess.
"Fifteen." She said once again, winking at the stupefied Isaac.
"C'mon... you lot are with me." Orson finally spoke. "We need to clear a way out of here!"
Len stared at the duo as they ran behind the hulking Orson.
"Fifteen..." he mumbled, eyes narrowing. "Is she human? Here, I thought I was doing well."
"Fuck it!" Clenching his fist tightly, a blaze ignited in Len's eyes. "I need to catch up!"
Len knew how one strength increased subtly with each kill. For someone to kill fifteen of these nasty creatures, he wondered just how strong she must have gotten.
Leaping back, Len managed to evade a long steel-like web, which struck where he stood moments ago.
His gaze narrowed as he struggled to locate the creature.
The steel web easily dislodged itself from the ground and streaked right at him again.
Len leapt backwards, only for his eyes to widen in shock.
The web had moved upward as if expecting the move.
SPLATTTT!
Crimson blood splashed on the ground as the steel web pierced through Len's shoulder.
He had just in the nick of time repositioned his body slightly, causing the web to pierce through his shoulder instead of his chest.
He wasn't free, though.
The creature, seeing it had failed in its attack, slammed him hard to the ground before flinging him away.
"Ughhh..." Len groaned, slowly rising from the ground.
"This one is quite strong."
Clenching his weapons tightly, he rolled sideways, evading the web only for another to come up at him from an odd angle.
He managed to swing his sword, barely deflecting the attack aimed at his neck. He wasn't unscathed, though. The web had slashed his cheek, inches away from his eye.
Rising from the ground, he watched as the creature finally revealed itself, a couple more steel webs floating around its abdomen.
With a flick, Len found himself surrounded on all sides. He slashed, rolled, blocked, and tried as much as possible to evade the steel webs, yet they still found their mark.
Leaping backwards, he clutched his stomach tightly before vomiting a blob of blood.
"Shit... This is gonna be a tough fight." He muttered with a grimace, wiping the corner of his mouth.