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Condemned To Death
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15th September, 1507
Elise's mind raced with disbelief as she observed the unfolding scene. Her thoughts were tinged with a mixture of bewilderment and cynicism. She couldn't help but think, 'The hell is this cliché plot?' as she observed the three students before her, who seemed like third-rate villains straight out of a movie.
Elise found herself reminiscing about the countless hours she had spent reading the pages of cheesy novels with repetitive plots. 'Were those shitty novels with repetitive plots real after all?'
The tall student in the middle exuded confidence with a smug expression. A stark contrast to the tension that hung in the air.
His words dripped with arrogance as he issued a command to his companion on the left "He’s only a first-year fledgling, you go get him and then-"
BANG!
But before he could finish his sentence, a deafening bang shattered the tranquillity of the forest. Startled, he jumped back instinctively, his expression morphing from arrogance to apprehension as he scanned the area for the source of the sound.
To his horror, he found Seren standing where his other companion had been just moments before. The skin on his knuckles ripped open from the punch. Behind Seren, the other student's figure was slumped against a tree and blood stained the ground beneath him.
His eyes widened in disbelief with his mouth hanging slightly agape as he struggled to comprehend the rapid turn of events. The sight of his fallen comrade, incapacitated by Seren's decisive strike, served as a harsh reality check.
As Seren turned his gaze toward him, the tall student felt a surge of adrenaline course through his veins, jolting him back to reality. "Shit, he got us good," he cursed under his breath, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and begrudgingness. "Cole, ready your relics now!"
His companion, Cole, visibly shaken by the sight of his fallen comrade, quickly composed himself. With a determined nod, he activated his relic. His right hand then transformed into an ominous shade of black as he drew forth a long, menacing object that resembled a sword, its dark aura pulsating with latent power.
“BRISTLE BACK!” The tall student shouted.
As the tall student's command reverberated through the forest, a primal roar echoed from deep within, sending shivers down the spines of all present. The air seemed to thicken as the ground trembled beneath the approaching behemoth's thunderous footsteps.
Within moments, the towering figure of a beast burst forth from the dense foliage, its massive form casting a shadow over the group. Its fur, a blend of earthy browns and deep russets, rippled with each powerful stride. The beast's limbs were as thick as tree trunks, ending in long, curved claws that gleamed ominously in the fading light.
Elise and Susie felt a surge of instinctive fear course through their veins as they locked eyes with the creature, its deep green gaze piercing through their very souls. Its mouth hung slightly agape, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, adding to its menacing presence.
With deliberate grace, the beast positioned itself beside the tall student, its gaze never wavering from Seren.
"I-isn't that a Bristle back?" Elise stammered, her voice trembling with fear. Susie's eyes widened in apprehension as she turned to Elise, her voice barely above a whisper, "What is that?"
Elise took a deep breath, her expression darkening as she recounted what she knew. "Bristle backs are ferocious beasts that dwell and hunt at the base of the second peak of Chimera Vale," she explained, her tone grave. "I read in a book at the library that they are classified as superior rank 2 beasts and require a team of at least five rank 2 Lexarchs to hunt."
Susie's breath caught in her throat as she processed the gravity of the situation. The realization that this single creature possessed the strength to rival five seasoned warriors left her stunned, her mind reeling with the implications of their predicament.
The tall student's egoistic taunt hung in the air, his smirk reflecting the arrogance that emanated from his words. "Keke, I should thank you for being so dumb and attacking out of the blue. Now at least I have an excuse to test my new relic against someone," he boasted, his tone dripping with self-assuredness.
With a chuckle, Seren brushed off the insult.
Seren's response was unexpected yet filled with a calm confidence that seemed to unnerve the tall student. "What's so funny?" the student demanded, his confusion tinged with annoyance.
A smile played on Seren's lips as he replied, "How could I not laugh when a bunch of insects are buzzing around me" Then, with a deliberate motion, he extended his left hand to his side, with his palm open.
Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted from Seren's palm, its intensity so blinding that everyone around instinctively shielded their eyes from its radiance. The intense light lasted a few moments before subsiding. They cautiously opened their eyes and were met with a sight they hadn't anticipated.
A long, thin line of golden light extended from the center of Seren's palm, illuminating the surrounding area with its brilliance. It stretched at least five meters into the air, a dazzling display of power that left the onlookers in awe.
With a serene smile gracing his lips, Seren calmly advanced toward Cole and the tall student.
"I don't know what that relic is, but it doesn't matter," the tall student concluded, desperation edging his voice. "Bristle, get him!"
At the command, the massive beast let out a deafening roar, its muscles tensing as it prepared to charge at Seren. With a thunderous rumble, it launched itself forward, a force of nature hurtling toward its target.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
But Seren remained unfazed, his expression impassive as he faced down the charging behemoth. With a casual sweep of his left hand, the beam of golden light shot forth, slicing through the air with alarming speed.
The beast, sensing the impending danger, reacted with instinctive agility, leaping high into the air to narrowly evade the lethal beam as it whizzed past, missing its mark by mere inches.
As the beast's towering form loomed ever closer, its ferocious roar filling the air, Susie's panicked cry pierced through the tense atmosphere. "NO!" she screamed, her voice laced with desperation as she attempted to rush to Seren's aid.
But Seren remained eerily calm, his expression devoid of fear or hesitation as the massive creature closed in on him. Then, almost imperceptibly, a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, a glint of determination flickering in his eyes.
"Trash," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible above the din of the roaring beast.
With a swift motion, he slashed his left arm upward toward the creature, the beam of golden light erupting from his palm with deadly precision.
Seeeeee
The laser made contact with the beast's massive body with a sizzling sound, the air filled with the scent of burning flesh. In an instant, the beam pierced through the thick hide of the creature, slicing through its organs and bones with ruthless efficiency.
Dark red blood and various colored organs erupted from the gaping wound like a macabre fountain, splattering onto Seren's figure in a grotesque display. Despite the grisly scene unfolding before him, Seren remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the crumbling form of the once formidable beast as the beam sliced right through the beast cutting it in half.
Crash
As the two halves of the beast crashed to the ground, Seren stood amidst the carnage, a grim silhouette against the fading light of the forest. His once pristine form was now obscured by the crimson tide of the Bristle back's blood, his figure cloaked in the aftermath of battle.
With a tube-like intestine hanging loosely around his neck and his left hand still raised, the golden beam of light extending from his palm, Seren resembled a fearsome specter, a dark harbinger of destruction standing amidst the wreckage.
His expression remained eerily calm, a serene smile playing on his lips as he surveyed the scene before him.
To Susie and Elise, who watched in shock, he seemed like a figure from their worst nightmares, a devil incarnate standing triumphant over the fallen beast.
The sheer ease with which Seren had dispatched the bristleback left them speechless.
Tap Tap Tap
As Seren advanced toward the two students, their terror and disbelief palpable in their wide eyes, he paid no heed. With each step, squelching sounds came from beneath his feet which was now a pool of blood and organs.
With a sudden burst of speed, Seren surged forward, the golden beam of light in his left hand poised to strike.
The tall student's heart pounded with terror as he beheld the nightmarish sight before him—a humanoid figure cloaked in blood, its smile sending shivers down his spine.
In a desperate bid to save himself, the tall student acted on pure instinct, seizing Cole by the arm and hurling him toward Seren with all his might.
Cole, frozen with fear, let out a sharp gasp as he hurtled through the air toward the approaching Seren, his fate seemingly sealed.
But Seren remained unfazed, his focus unbroken as he slashed forward with the laser, the beam cutting through the air with lethal precision.
In a split-second decision, Cole instinctively raised the black blade at his side, its ominous aura shimmering with latent power.
The laser collided with the blade with a resounding clash.
Crack
As fractures spiderwebbed across the surface of the black blade, it splintered into pieces under the relentless force of Seren's laser.
Cole's screams of agony filled the air as the beam bore into his arm, cutting through flesh and bone with merciless precision. But just as it seemed Cole would be bisected, the light from the laser abruptly dimmed, then vanished entirely.
With lightning reflexes, Seren evaded Cole's tumbling body, which crashed to the ground. Cole writhed in pain, clutching his mangled arm, blood pooling beneath him from the grievous wound inflicted by the disappearing laser.
Undeterred by the interruption, Seren wasted no time, his gaze fixed on the remaining student who now wore a mask of terror.
With a determined resolve, the tall student activated his relic as a shimmering energy shield enveloped his entire body in a protective barrier.
Bang
As Seren's fist collided with the shimmering energy shield, he felt the force repelling him, pushing his whole body backward with unexpected strength. With a surprised grunt, he stumbled backward, his expression shifting to one of apprehension.
Regaining his balance, Seren assessed the situation before him, his gaze locking with the shocked expression of the tall student.
Then a triumphant grin spread across the student's face as he taunted Seren, his voice dripping with malicious glee. "Ha… AHAHAHA! Your laser broke! What are you going to do now?!"
But Seren remained unfazed by the student's jubilation, his smile unwavering as he calmly replied, "That's fine. I will just make another one."
The tall student's expression morphed from triumph to dread in an instant, realization dawning on him as he comprehended the gravity of Seren's words.
With a surge of panic, he lunged forward, desperation lending speed to his movements as he sought to prevent Seren from making another laser.
Just as the tall student closed in on Seren with desperation driving his movements, his vision suddenly started darkening and in just a few moments he found himself enveloped in an impenetrable darkness.
Panic seized him as he groped blindly in the void, unable to see even his own hands before him. It was as though he had been plunged into a world of utter blackness, his senses overwhelmed by the absence of light.
Confusion turned to alarm as he felt a sharp kick to his face, sending him sprawling to the ground. "Ah! What's happening? Who's hitting me?" he cried out, his voice tinged with fear and bewilderment.
Meanwhile, from Seren's perspective, he observed the tall student floundering on the ground, his wide eyes darting around frantically as if trying to see the light that wasn’t there.
With a calm yet threatening tone, Seren spoke, "I have taken away light from your eyes," he declared, his voice echoing with ominous authority. "Surrender now if you want to keep your limbs intact."
As the tall student heard Seren's voice piercing through the darkness, confusion and terror gripped his heart. "W-what? How did you?" he stammered, attempting to rise to his feet. Before he could fully comprehend his situation, another kick sent him crashing back to the ground, his head spinning from the impact.
"Answer," Seren demanded, his voice devoid of emotion.
"I-I surrender," the student stammered, his words barely audible over the pounding of his heart.
With a sense of relief flooding through him, the student watched as the light gradually returned to his eyes, dispelling the suffocating darkness. Blinking in nervousness and confusion, he scanned his surroundings, grateful for the restoration of his vision. But his relief was short-lived as he remembered.
Looking up, he saw Seren towering over him, his form imposing against the backdrop of the forest. With a calm yet chilling tone, Seren laid down the terms of their interaction. "I ask, and you answer. If you take more than three seconds to respond, or if I suspect that you're lying, I break your legs."
The student's heart sank at the cold certainty in Seren's voice, realizing that he was now at the mercy of his captor's whims.
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Condemned To Death
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