Kiera’s shortsword blurred, beheading a level 90 beast before she spun, moving the blade in an arc to bisect a level 100 beast.
She already had fifteen normal tokens and hit level 20 around the time she killed the seventh Gold-ranked beast. Her two current kills also finally filled the bar of level 20— she was eligible to upgrade her rank. Now, all the EXP she’d receive only be counted when she’d choose to undergo a Mana Circulation.
She didn’t encounter any Level 101 or more beasts yet as well, which greatly irritated her.
Raising her finger, Thunderstroke was immediately released from its tip, penetrating a level 80 beast hidden away in the nearby bushes right between the eyes.
[Tier 1 Lv.80 Wind-Clawed Jaguar killed, EXP received.]
[You defeated an enemy a single level above you, EXP bonus received.]
[Error! EXP cannot be granted until individual {Kiera Ashborn} undergoes Mana Circulation.]
…
Kiera traveled in the forest, leaping from branch to branch with {Eye of the Tyrant} activated, trying to find strong mana signatures. Then, after a short while of looking around, she picked the wild but brief signature of an encounter several hundred meters away.
Suppressing her aura as much as she could, Kiera utilized Vanishing Step and appeared at the scene, halting her vital signs to a minimum in order to be as stealthy as possible while hiding beneath the shade of a tree.
She saw a young man harvesting a superior token from the head of a massive python, the single kill already yielding him 35 more tokens than her. Surprisingly, he was also familiar— none other than the imbecile who interrupted her at the start and also a lackey of Corinth’s Crown Prince, Ronald-something-something… Who apparently thought she was deaf and decided it was a good idea to spit trash the entire duration of the wyvern’s flight.
Kiera didn’t reveal herself immediately, taking the chance to observe one of her opponents, although he was insignificant to her from what he showed back then. As soon as he put the token in the bag, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a compass-like device.
The needle twitched for several seconds before it suddenly stopped, causing Kiera’s eyes to narrow. The man immediately departed in the direction the needle showed, with Kiera in his tow.
Several kilometers later, a level 102 {Aqua Rhinoceros} greeted Kiera’s surprised eyes. And as much as it pained her, she let the man dispatch it instead of intervening. There was something suspicious about the compass, and although she understood what it was for, she wanted to confirm it.
The man repeated his earlier actions, and Kiera followed him, once is a chance, twice is a coincidence and third time’s a pattern— her suspicions confirmed the moment another Diamond-ranked Mana Beast came into view. It was a kindred of an old adversary of hers— a Level 110 {Inferno Leopard}.
Both a Mana Beast of a rare bloodline and two levels above the young man, Kiera believed it’d make short work of the inexperienced man.
Her assessment was, of course, proved correct, the man immediately falling into a disadvantage after foolishly thinking it was a good idea to provoke the immense leopard.
BOOM
The leopard’s huge palm traveled like a missile, hitting the flat of the man’s sword, who while commendably— barely succeeded in blocking the powerful attack. Emphasis on barely, as the man was flung like a broken kite in a spring’s wind. Landing on his back several dozen meters away as his body continued moving, making a trail in the earth. His forearm was clearly shattered and his shoulder dislocated nastily while blood flowed from his lips.
“Help!” he shouted, fear suppressing the excruciating pain as he gazed at the rapidly advancing leopard, which appeared before him in seconds. The man closed his eyes, obviously too scared to think of even retaliating, the hot wind generated from the leopard’s flaming paw scorching his face.
“I guess this idiot can be useful,” Kiera shook her head and vanished from her place, appearing in front of the enraged leopard.
No longer feeling the strong wind cooking his face, the man slowly opened his eyes, freezing at the sight.
A small girl stood in front of him, her emotionless violet eyes staring right into his as her violet-white hair danced in the forest’s wind. Her arm was raised, encased in powerful violet mana as lightning curled around it, her small palm stopping the Leopard’s own in place without even looking at the beast.
“Y-you…” he stuttered, unable to process the happening.
“I have a suggestion for you,” Kiera completely ignored his existential crisis and proceeded right into business. “In exchange for saving you from this cat, you will teach me all you know about this locating device you have.”
“Y-you mean the B-beast C-compass?”
Kiera tilted her head, “its name is more straightforward than I thought…“
“Yes.”
“I-I agree, just make this menace disappear, I beg of you!” he nodded frantically.
Kiera tightened her grip, which already could immobilize the leopard beforehand, and slightly twisted her wrist— causing the entire body of the beast to roll in the air before it crashed on its back. Then, her shortsword blurred, severing its carotid artery with a swift movement.
[Tier 1 Lv.110 Inferno Leopard defeated, EXP received.]
[You defeated a beast of a rare-ranked bloodline, EXP bonus received.]
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[You defeated a beast thirty-eight levels above you, EXP bonus received.]
[Error! EXP cannot be granted until individual {Kiera Ashborn} undergoes Mana Circulation.]
The man watched in shocked silence, his jaw threatening to reach the ground with how wide it was open. With the crisis averted, he was able to collect himself and perceive what just happened.
A beast that was strong enough to play with him was really so helpless in front of a little girl’s single arm? How was it possible? How could someone so young be so superior to him? He refused to believe it, it was only a bad dream! Yes, just a bad dream that’d soon pass.
Alas, reality was often disappointing, and it couldn’t be whatever he wanted. The truth was laid right in front of him, accentuated by the questioning gaze the expressionless girl gave him, or rather his arm.
“Does it not hurt?” Kiera asked, seemingly innocently, actually sighing in her heart at the young man’s abysmal lack of self-awareness.
Following her gaze, he looked at his arm and instantly froze, his eyes as wide as humanly possible. A chill then traveled down his spine, causing his whole body to tremble as the adrenaline was immediately curbed.
And then, he let out a deafening scream. Prompting Kiera to sigh the deepest she ever did before she moved her small foot to shut him up.
“There will be a lot of work to do with this one…”
....
The apparition crystal's screens were based on the movement of Mana Beasts, so naturally, it'd concentrate on wherever the most movement was. Therefore, the crystals hidden within the tree trunks were concentrated on the man’s skirmish with the leopard and Kiera’s subsequent extermination of it.
From its earlier swift handling of the young man, they understood it was a high-leveled Diamond-ranked beast. The young man was also a rather renowned person, so the casual ease in which Kiera killed it incredibly impacted the crowd, causing its deafening excitement to be replaced by stunned silence.
“A monster has appeared… Born with the attribute told in legends,” the emperor said under his breath, the eyes capable of striking fear into tens of millions looking intently on Kiera’s small figure, who shook her head disappointingly as she looked at the unconscious young man.
“Truly,” his wife nodded in agreement, chin rested on the back of her dainty palm. “The way she moves, kills, carries herself and especially the way she used this situation to her own benefit screams of the rich experience of a veteran. I worry Leywin won’t triumph, her caliber is too high.”
“Trust our son,” he answered, sipping from his wine glass. “The other five will find it difficult contending with her, however. No, only four of them.”
“You despise the Queen so much, yet hold her student in such high regard. You are not one to contradict yourself normally.” the empress faintly smiled, her gentle voice amused.
“Those who manage to freeze the Emperor’s Golden Flames will naturally possess accurately discerning eyes.” golden embers appeared in his eyes as his words fell, their meaning causing the empress’ gentle expression to turn ugly.
Her fingers moved, vast mana instantly erecting an invisible soundproof barrier.
“Your flames were frozen?!” she raised her voice, disbelief disturbing its normally melodious tone. “Why have you not told me until now? And in public nonetheless!”
“Remain calm, only her skills have reached a level untold, not her magician rank. And why should I hide in shame? The Emperor of Avelot embraces personal defeat as a chance to grow! Only were it to threaten the Empire or the Royal Family’s longevity would I resort to drastic measures! Now, let us return our attention to the tournament, we shall speak later.”
“If you say so, then I trust you,” the empress deactivated the barrier, returning to her former serenity.
…
Ten minutes passed before the young man regained his consciousness, clearly still dizzy from Kiera’s kick. However, the resounding alarm that followed shortly shook him out of his daze, his unfocused eyes filled with anger.
"How dare you?!" he raised his working hand, pointing.
Kiera ignored his childish protests, her arm turning into a blur as she grasped the young man's right wrist and fixed his dislocated shoulder.
He immediately moaned in pain and grabbed his shoulder, wincing as fright colored his eyes. He now realized he should shut up because the alarm meant the one-hour preparation period passed. Meaning, it was now permitted to fight other participants.
"I only fixed your shoulder, you are embarrassing yourself…" Kiera's reposeful voice mocked, eliminating the otherwise soothing effect it had. "Now, speak, or I will test the limits of your pain endurance."
Her voice remained calm even when she threatened. As if she didn't imply she'd torture him in case he didn't deliver but simply greeted him like an old friend. But the indifferent gaze was the straw that broke the camel’s back— the way she regarded him with no emotions. As if in her eyes, he was comparable to a rock on the road’s side, not worthy of a second glance unless it had a weird shape or a trail marking on it, and in his case— the trail marking was his beast compass.
The young man immediately started talking, explaining to Kiera that the weird device was used by magicians to hunt specific Mana Beasts. It could track based on both the beast’s level, species, or both as long as the right mana or blood signature were registered in it. It was also mana-bound, meaning only a single person could use it until they either forsaken the ownership or died.
Finished with his explanation, his expression suddenly contorted when he realized what he said. Stepping back, he eyed Kiera wearily with an aggressive posture, the young man faintly, but rather obviously trembled in fear.
“I abide by the rules, killing you will be only my loss,” Kiera said, easily picking up his fear but followed with one of her own. “Is it not considered cheating?”
“N-no, everything is legal as long as the rules say otherwise!” he stuttered, making clear he already succumbed to Kiera’s whims. But within, palpable resentment was building, he hated it, hated the fact someone much younger than him played him like a fool. Hated that he went along with it against his wishes, as if she was controlling his mind— a hidden effect of Kiera’s superior bloodline, something neither nor the girl knew about.
“Good, then you come with me now and lead the way, I need to hunt,” Kiera said indifferently and turned away, beginning to walk.
“E-excuse me?” the young man blurted in surprise, “c-come with you?!”
Kiera looked over her shoulder, her violet eyes shining with a dangerous light, her aura washing over the man like a tsunami.
“Did I not make myself clear all this while? Did you think I wasted my time saving you out of benevolence and curiosity? No, I saved you because the item on your person is valuable to me.” Kiera spoke slowly, Tyrannical Lightning gradually releasing from her body before {Influence Extension} formed, the spherical cage causing the man to bend his knees as Lightning Bolts threatened to turn his body into charcoal.
“Now, will you lead the way or do you want me to make sure both of us cannot enjoy the Beast Compass? I said it once and I’ll say it again, I may abide by the rules... But it doesn’t mean I can’t ruin your body to the point this tournament will be out of the question for you for the next decade.”
Extreme coldness laced every word she uttered, contrasting the metal-melting temperatures of the violet sphere covering them. The firm conviction in her tone made her chilling words akin to a decree, prompting either possibility to be set in stone. The man realized— understood that he could only choose to follow, or experience pain like no other.
Greeting his teeth he opened his mouth, his lips quivering— signifying his unwillingness. Unfortunately, he knew there was no other way, “I-I’ll lead the way!”
Immediately, the field dissipated and so did the pressure weighing on him. Standing up, he started walking in front of Kiera, his pacing filled with obvious rage and indignation.