(Phix’s POV)

I get back to the training grounds, where Akatsuki-san is sitting on the ground. As soon as I approach, he looks back to me and gets up, patting his pants to get rid of the dirt. He doesn’t say anything, so we stay in silence. After a few minutes, someone walks out from the guild building.

(Phix): “Wolf-san?!”

He laughs as he approaches, now covered in red light armor. His hands are covered by gauntlets with heavy armor, made to break when punching. He approaches and says;

(Wolf): “Don’t worry Phix! Unfortunately, we don’t have anyone at B or A rank on the town right now, so I’m the only one that can make the test for him right now!”

(Phix): “Wait, why such a high ranking?”

I ask confused. After all, al nobles want to start at D or C rank right away. Wolf-san smiles, looking at Akatsuki-san and says:

(Wolf): “Well, this guy has an application for B rank, signed directly by the Duchess. I can’t refuse at all, so here I am.”

(Wolf’s POV)

As Phix’s brain stop working with my last sentence, I check out the boy in front of me. Dressed in assassin gear, wit ha pair of daggers in the base of his back. If you just take a glance at him, you wouldn’t pay much attention, as he has quite a faint presence.

Even if you focus on him, he doesn’t give off that much of the aura the assassins that I met before would give off. However, as an experienced fighter, I can tell that this guy is dangerous. He’s just looking up to my eyes, seeming a bit uninterested.

(Wolf): “Nice to meet you, Akatsuki Yozora! I’m Demon Strength Wolf, and I’ll be your instructor for the rank up test, ad I’m also a monk.”

He nodded, saying:

(Yozora): “nice to meet you. Akatsuki Yozora, assassin.”

I nod, liking how he keeps it short.

(Wolf): “Alright, let’s take our positions and start this. Phix, stand over there.”

She comes back to the real world and hurries off. Me and Akatsuki stand, five meters from each other. I take battle stance, waiting for Akatsuki, as I’d rather wait from the first attack from the enemy. He’s an assassin after all, he’s on plain sight, so he already lost 99% part of his attack power.

He takes off his daggers, and start walking in my direction, completely open in all sides. What is he doing? He stops one step away from me, and confused, I react a bit late. I look down to him, and he looks up to me. Suddenly, his right hand moves, killing intent exploding, scaring the shit out of me.

He slashes with his right hand at my throat, and I pull back my head to avoid by instinct. He took me completely out of guard! He jumped forward, holding the dagger on his left hand in a reverse grip, slashing and aiming at my throat again.

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I take a step back, avoiding again. However, something is still coming to my head. I forcefully pull my head, avoiding whatever came flying at my head, and it cuts my cheek. This guy, he threw something with his left hand at the same time he slashed, aiming at where my head would be!

I stomp the ground to correct my posture forcefully and throw a straight punch in his direction. And what happened next was extremely confusing. He avoided my punch, and with three fingers from his right hand, he grabbed my wrist.

With his left shoulder, he hit my body, putting his left hand on my armpit. Using one of his legs, he broke my balance, and bent forward while holding my arm. Suddenly, my body lost all weight, and I was thrown over his shoulder.

The world spun around me, and it suddenly stopped when my back hit the ground heavily. I groaned from the pain of the impact. Suddenly, another burst of bloodlust made me roll to the side, and a dagger pierced the ground where my head was.

I rolled off to get some distance, and as I was getting up, something small came flying to my head. Unable to avoid, I blocked with my gauntlet, and as I lowered my hand as I got up, a foot suddenly entered my vision, and hit my face like a bull, throwing me on the ground on my back.

He then proceeds to knee my stomach with quite power, making me lose my air, and a dagger was put on my neck. Akatsuki is holding the dagger against my neck, and his eyes now are full of life, different from the indifferent attitude from before.

(Akatsuki): “So, did I pass?”

I smiled savagely. It has been some time since someone cornered me like this!

(Wolf): “You pass. Welcome to the rank B, boy!”

(Phix’s POV)

What the hell just happened?! As Wolf-san gets up, I remember what happened ion this fight. Akatsuki-san took the initiative, catching Wolf-san with his guard down, and from there, he didn’t give him any chance to react.

When Wolf-san tried to attack, Akatsuki-san used some strange technique to throw him over him, slamming the Guildmaster on the ground. The Guildmaster also moved in some strange ways after he attacked, as if something flew to his face. Not only that, when he was getting up, me blocked something that I manage to see, but not make out.

Wasn’t he supposed to be a noble? Nobles can’t fight! What the hell?! Wolf-san gets up, laughing and saying:

(Wolf): “You got me completely! It was quite a close call, boy!”

(Yozora): “You let your guard down, old man.”

Wolf-san took something from the ground, the thing that Akatsuki-san threw at him. It’s a think nail-like thing, a bit longer than a finger and with a tip made for piercing. What is that? I never saw a weapon like that.

(Wolf): “But wow, I didn’t even see you throw this thing!”

(Yozora): “That’s why it’s called ‘hidden weapon arts’. If you see it coming, than there’s no meaning to use it.”

(Wolf): “I see.”

The Guildmaster says, touching the shallow cut on his cheek. I approach as they still talk for a bit:

(Wolf): “Anyway, what’s with that technique that you used to throw me? I never saw anything like that.”

(Yozora): “My master taught me. Next time, slam your feet on the ground and counterattack, or you will lose miserably again.”

The Guildmaster flinches, saying:

(Wolf): “I’ll keep that in mind. Phix, can you take him to the reception and rank up his card?”

(Phix): “Y-yes sir! Please, Akatsuki-san, follow me.”

He waved goodbye to Wolf-san and followed me back to the guild. As we walk, I glance back at him. In the end, he’s really strong…

(Wolf’s POV)

Well, that was a good fight. Although he indeed beat me, he most likely doesn’t stand a chance against my skills diamond body and herculean strength… no, I shouldn’t say that. Skills are give to those who have the ability to use them, the most skilled you are, more skills you win depending on your level.

Even me, who’s level 150, have five skills. That guy probably has one too, since he is quite skilled at level 30. I look down to the nail that he used to throw at me. The material is certainly iron, and since he used two at this fight, they must be disposable, justifying the cheap material.

He also didn’t collect the other one, so he probably walks around with a supply. Not only that, that natural walk to get close to me… and that sudden bloodlust… he has the blood of a lot of people in his hands, that’s for sure.

In this world, levels aren’t everything, as most people think. There are things beyond level, such as skills and martial arts. That technique that he used to throw me, for example. I never saw anything like that, but I’m a monk, and I clearly can see how the way he executed it can be used to throw a bigger opponent.

Not only that, he’s different form your average assassin. He doesn’t have any wasted movements, and he certainly is trained to kill the opponent, even though he manipulated the fight with those attacks to get me on the ground, if I failed to avoid any of them, I would be dead.

I put the “hidden weapon” on my pocked. I guess I’ll talk to him later to each me how to use these. I should spar with him a few times to get some of those unarmed techniques. I also should find an ogre and try out that throw. As I walk back to the guild, I smile to myself. No wonder the duchess sent a recommendation, he’s a good seedling that will grow a splendid tree.