[Valeria PoV]
The second stage of the exam has begun, and every team has started moving into the desert.
By now, that pervert and I have covered about 8 kilometers after walking for two hours. However, the scorching sun is relentless, and I'm already starting to feel exhausted. I glanced sideways; the black-haired man was still walking at his usual pace, showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
Ugh... it seems to be true that Knight students possess far better physical stamina than Magic students.
"The journey is still long, you know," the man said in a flat voice. "Want me to carry you? You look spent."
"Huh? W-what do you mean? I'm not tired at all!" I replied, denying his observation immediately.
I picked up my pace. I refused to let that pervert see me as weak.
—Snap!
My foot caught on something, sending my body off balance. I shouldn't have let his words distract me and break my focus. However, I didn't hit the ground. A hand gripped my waist firmly, steadying me.
Our faces were inches apart. His dark eyes were like the night sky during a full moon. His expressionless face was, for some reason, quite captivating. His grip was incredibly strong...
Are all men's hands like this...?
—Thud!
"Ow!"
Suddenly, the man released his grip, letting me drop straight onto the ground.
"Ugh... why did you suddenly do that?" I complained, rubbing the back of my head.
"Get ready... several monsters are approaching," the man said without turning his gaze.
Huh? Monsters?
I scrambled up and saw a pack of dog-like creatures a hundred meters ahead of us.
"Those are... Desert Predator Hounds..." I murmured, noting their size, which looked much larger than the illustrations I'd seen in monster encyclopedias.
Desert Predator Hounds are two meters long and one meter high. They are the largest canine species in this desert and are categorized as Level 1 monsters.
Eight... nine... ten...
With these numbers, however, their difficulty level seemed equivalent to a Level 3 or even Level 4 monster.
—Shing!
The pervert unsheathed his sword and, without a word, lunged toward the pack.
—Grrrr...
Five hounds began to close in on me. Saliva dripped onto the sand, their tongues lolling out and sharp fangs bared, showing just how hungry they were.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
Seeing the threat approach, I prepared my magic.
"Wind Cutter!"
A gust of wind sliced toward the five hounds. Several gashes appeared on their bodies. Two collapsed instantly as my attack struck their vital organs.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
The remaining three leaped at me. I wanted to jump back to dodge, but the gear I was carrying made it difficult to maneuver.
"Earth Wall!"
A wall of soil rose directly in front of me to block the three hounds. I heard a dull thud as they slammed into the wall quite hard. However, the impact didn't stop them. One circled the wall and lunged to tackle me.
"Wind Blow!"
The hound was blasted into the air by my spell.
"Woof! Woof!"
My body was pushed forward and I fell; another hound had pounced on my backpack, which was full of food. I tried to unbuckle the heavy bag, but I struggled because the hound was pinning me down, making it hard to move.
"Woof! Woof!"
The last hound was heading straight for me. The sharp teeth in its maw were terrifying. I had to get free, fast! The hound drew closer, leaping to bite at my head.
—Slash!
The hound's head fell to the sand, severed from its body by the black-haired man's sword. He had suddenly appeared in front of me.
"Woof! Woof!"
The final hound tearing at my backpack lunged at him. However, the man deftly thrust his sword into the hound's mouth, piercing through its throat. In an instant, the two hounds about to prey on me were dead.
"I told you, didn't I? That massive amount of gear only slows you down," the black-haired man remarked as he sheathed his sword.
I stood up and resumed walking without acknowledging what had happened. It was utterly humiliating to be helped by the man I hated.
"Are you still going to carry that heavy bag?"
I ignored his words. It was true that this bag slowed me down in a fight, but its value would prove itself when there was nowhere else to take shelter and rest.
***
[Scarlett PoV]
The exam had only been underway for two hours, yet we had already faced quite a number of monsters.
"Crescent Slash!"
A bird's head was separated from its body by a swing of my sword. Although these monsters were only low-level, their sheer numbers were hindering our progress. At this rate, we wouldn't cover 40 kilometers in a day.
This isn't normal. Why are there so many monsters roaming this arid region?
"Lightning Cut!"
"Sky Dragon Dance!"
"Light Burst!"
I turned around at the sound of a man shouting his techniques. A blonde man was slashing through every monster that drew near. His body was enveloped in a dazzling golden light.
He had been fighting and casting high-output magic for nearly half an hour. Yet, why hadn't he suffered from Mana Exhaustion like I did when I fought that man?
"Light Executioner!"
He performed a wide sweep, instantly slaughtering the six monsters surrounding him. Brian's abilities were far above average. His magic and swordsmanship were better than even third-year students. But why was a man with such immense talent and skill defeated so easily by Raul?
"Did you see that, Scarlett? I told you not to worry about monster attacks here!" Brian said confidently. "We just need to push forward and be the first to reach the finish line!"
I simply nodded in response.
I think I'm starting to understand why Brian was so easily defeated by Raul. The blonde man is overconfident and tends to be reckless in his attacks. Such an attitude is expected given his talent. Against a normal enemy, Brian would undoubtedly win with ease.
But against an opponent with cunning tactics and a calculated fighting style like Raul, Brian's tendency to fight on instinct without thinking makes him incredibly easy to exploit.
"Let's keep moving, Scarlett!"
I don't know what lies ahead in this second stage. I just hope everything goes smoothly until the end.
***
[Raul PoV]
Valeria and I decided to rest after walking for four hours through the desert. By my estimate, we've covered at least 15 to 17 kilometers. This distance is on target, considering it's already two in the afternoon.
This desert region has specific characteristics. The outer areas are mostly barren wasteland where water is scarce. However, further in, we will encounter an abandoned city.
Humans used to inhabit this area in large numbers. But ever since it became Imperial territory, the original residents left, unwilling to be a minority in a foreign land. Consequently, the cities were deserted. Imperial citizens were also reluctant to move here because it was so far from the centers of civilization. In the end, the Empire only utilized this place for new crystal and gold mines.
Once we enter the urban area, there will be many monsters lurking there. They use the abandoned buildings for shelter from sandstorms and the sun. There is also an oasis located past the city, which serves as a water source for the local monsters.
At our current pace, we should reach the urban area by the second day. However, I doubt our path will be that smooth. Not to mention, the students will likely fight over the supplies of other participants. As the exam progresses, their food and water will inevitably dwindle.
I've planned for this. That's why I brought very few supplies—so I could reach the city faster than the others and have enough time to set an ambush for those arriving later. However, Valeria's insistence on carrying all that gear is significantly slowing us down.
She is currently inside the tent she set up not far from where I am. I'm resting under the only tree visible for miles.
Should I give her a few lessons on surviving in this world?
Compared to Brian and Ariel, Valeria thinks logically and can recognize her own weaknesses easily. However, her ego often stunts her growth.
Right now, what she needs is combat experience.
Valeria may have a wide array of magic choices because she isn't restricted by Nature Mana rules. However, this prevents her from focusing on a single element and mastering its utility to the fullest.
But, I believe she is capable of overcoming that deficiency.
There are many mage fighting styles Valeria has yet to master, such as Multiple-Casting, Moving-Incantation, Element Mixing, and so on. In the game, she would eventually master all of these. But this world is now reality. A single fatal mistake results in death, and there is no "Respawn" to try again.
I saw Valeria emerge from her tent and walk toward me. She had removed her academy uniform jacket; it seemed she couldn't handle the stifling heat of the desert.
"Get up. We'll be late if we stay here too long," she ordered in an unpleasant tone.
"Hey, weren't you the one who asked for a rest earlier?" I teased.
"S-shut up! You needed a rest too, didn't you? Hurry up! Don't waste time," Valeria replied, her cheeks flushing red.
"Fine, fine..." I stood up. "Why are you always so angry with me? You should control your emotions so we can be more relaxed on the journey," I ribbed her.
She simply turned and walked away without responding. I followed behind, watching her beautiful braided hair sway in the wind.