"What kind of monster is this?!" All of them had the same thought as they fought the beast. Somehow, it was adapting to their fighting styles, managing to dodge and weave through their attacks that barely even did any damage. Its movements were incredibly weird and hard to predict with how it moved fluidly and flexibally.

  "Wha- Arron! Watch out!" Rynia called out as she jumped and kicked the monster right in the chest, she didn't bother to use her ability and allowed the hit to land without being delayed. Arron turned around in shock at the monster who had suddenly appeared behind him somehow. "Is this thing playing with us?" Evan clenched his jaw.

  "This is bad... If it's this strong while holding back... how strong would it become if it really went all out?" Evan furrowed his brows. We need to take advantage of this chance since it is underestimating us... Evan launched his spear at the staggered beast and it stabbed it right through the shoulder. He ran forward as fast as he could.

  "While my sister is faster temporarily using the haste spell, I choose to utilize speed in short burst instead!" Flash step! His body glowed brilliantly before he seemingly moved like a beam of light, appearing up next to his spear, his fingers already tight around it. He utilized the momentum gained from his initial running headstart before activating flash step and kicked the beast right in the face causing it to stagger back, allowing for him to pull his spear out of its shoulder and attempt to stab it right in the face.

  But it was all but a feable attempt. The beast merely tilted its head to the side and dodged Evan's stab. "Damn it!" He cursed under his breath as he prepared to flash step out of the beast's range. However, the beast did not attack. Its jaw unhinged grotesquely, the sound of bone cracking resounded as the beast's jaw opened up to reveal a void like interior. Pitch black and dripping with slimy matter.

  Evan's eyes widened and nobody was prepared for the beast's next step. A loud piercing sound resounded. The beast's screech stunning everyone in their place. Evan clutched his hand on his ears as hard as she could. He had received the worst of it being so close to the creature. He fell down from atop the creature's chest and fell on the ground still clutching his ears.

  He could feel a hot liquid trickling through his ears as he clutched them, his head ringing, his vision blurring. Muffled sounds resounded around him, he could almost hear his name being called as a shadow loomed over him.

  Amanda ran forward, activating haste and running as fast as her legs allowed her. "Evan!!!" She cried out as she prepared to strike the beast with a radiant strike, but it was too late. The beast's claw was already slamming down onto Evan. Amanda could feel her heart hammering against her chest and her throat clenching.

  The beast's claw was uppon Evan, before it could strike him dead. He burst into blue particles, eliminated from the exam.

  Amanda stood, eyes wide for a few moments processing the events. It's all just an exam after all... Right... She let out a breath of relief that she hadn't known she had been holding. Her posture visibly relaxed before her face flushed slightly. It's not like I was worried or anything... She crossed her arms, her cheeks heating up. Lets just hope he didn't hear or see me do that...

  Suddenly, she heard the beast move and her eyes snapped open. She turned her gaze to the beast in anger.

  "Shit! The blonde guy's gone, he was giving us instructions... What do we do now?" Suzi cursed, not minding her surroundings at all.

  "Attack it!" Amanda responded, too angry to reprimand Suzi about her cursing. "I would tell you to not curse... But that thing really made me angry. Let's get that fucker!" She ran forward, her fingers tight around her rapier. "Over here you bastard!" She cried out as she jumped in the air. It was a bold move as the beast was extremely agile.

  The beast simply attempted to swat her out of the air but its claw was met by a pink floating barrier that protected the furious princess. It snapped its gaze to the right where a blue haired girl stood, her hands stretched forward, glowing bright pink.

  The beast swiftly used its other hand to try and strike the princess. However, its claw was stopped temporarily by a seemingly invisible force. Though, what it truly was, is a delayed strike that Rynia had landed. "You better eat this next strike as best you can!" Rynia chuckled softly. But, her chuckling was interrupted with a small pebble that fell on her head. "Ow..." She rubbed her head.

  Amanda was right uppon the beast. Her feet landing against its chest. Her rapier glowed brighter than ever before as she slahsed down with it. Mana coating! Mana cloak! She activated two spells at once. First being the mana coating, it is where you utilize magic energy to coat your weapon with mana to strengthen it and sharpen it. Second, the mana cloak. It is a spell that strengthens the user and the body of the user itself. Enhancing speed, strength and duraility all at once.

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  The beast tilted its head to the side narrowly avoiding Amanda's blade. However it didn't avoid it completely. Amanda's blade met flesh as it tore through he beast's shoulder, cutting deep into its tough hide. The beast screeched loudly, but now they had expected it and knew to brace themselves for the sudden loud noise.

  The beast, in its fury, reached for Amanda, attemping to pry her off of it. "I won't allow you for as long as I am present to touch the imperial princess!" Evelyn shouted, her dark blue irises had an an added pink hue to them as she raised both her hands in the air. Several pink ethereal chains burst through the ground and chained the beast's wrists, holding it in place.

  "Die!" She screamed as she drove her blade deeper. And for the finale! Pillar of light! A large glowing spell circle appeared up above the two of them. The beast screeched loudly, struggling against the ethereal chains, trying to break them with all its might. Evelyn did not let up. her entire focus was on keeping the beast at bey while Amanda focused on her spell.

  The spell circle spun around as Amanda gritted her teeth. She was actively changing variables in the spell. Decreasing its area of effect as much as possible and increasing its pure damage and piercing power. It cost her as much mana as she had left to do that simple task. But the next attack would surely end the beast... Right?

  Arron watched on in awe. His mouth hung open and his fingers wrapped around his blade. He stared on in admiration at the princess and the sheer power and mana emanating from the spell circle.

  Amanda grinned. The spell was finally complete... "See you in hell!" She met the beast's gaze and genuine fear seemed to flash across the beast's eyes. Amanda had sacrificed a major variable of her spell to pour all of its funcionality into pure power and damage. That essential variable being the inability to damage the user. Normally when Amanda used the spell, even if she was struck head on with it. She would not face a single scratch. But now, she had sacrificed that variable...

  The spell circle shined brightly, looking like a star among the myriad of stars in the artifical sky. A beam of light shot down from the heavens, crashing down on both Amanda and the beast. The beam was only large enough to cover Amanda and the beast as a whole.

  Evelyn's eyes widened as her chains broke off. The sudden and unexpected disconnection to her conjured chains causing her to stagger forward. She had used up a ton of her energy and mana to strengthen the chains and hold off the beast from reaching Amanda.

  The pillar of light continued lighting up the area. Both Amanda and the beast screamed in pain. However Amanda's screams were soon cut short as she burst into blue particles. The pillar of light however, contiued descending on the beast even as its caster disappeared. The beast screeched loudly, its screams muffled by the sound of the earth breaking under the sheer force of the pillar. The ground cracked, spiderweb like patterns extending from the ground around the beast.

  The beast's form was visible through the pillar of light. It thrashed around, screeching in pain as its skin was burned to a crisp. "Did she do it...?" Arron muttered as he stared at the sight. Soon the pillar of light dimmed in brightness and slowly started flickering. Until eventually, it disappeared.

  What was left in its position was the beast's burned body. Its grey skin was turned charcoal black by the spell. Its body was limp, unmoving as it laid on the ground.

  "Did she actually do it?!" Suzi exclaimed as she took a few steps towards the beast's body. "You fucker! Haha! Get fucked!" She spat down at the beast's corpse. She turned back to glance at the remaining examineers. Which included, Arron, Rynia, Evelyn and herself. "We did it guys!"

  "Get back! You shouldn't be so close to its body!" Evelyn shouted, despite it being ungraceful of her, the situation did not call for grace. Suzi furrowed her brows, frowning at Evelyn. "Why should I? It's dead." She pointed a thumb back at the corpse behind her.

  "Yeah, I agree you should get back. We don't know if it'll get up-" Arron was interrupted in his speech as his eyes widened. He ran forward, blade in hand but he was too late. "GET BACK!" He exclaimed.

  Suzi's frown deepened. "Wha-" As she turned, she faced a charcoal black claw mere inches from her face. Soon she burst into blue particles. Eliminated from the exam.

  Rynia's jaw dropped. "It's still alive?!"

  Suzi burst into blue particles as a charcoal black claw went through the particles. The beast slowly rose off the ground. A soft groaning sound resounding from deep within its throat.

  "Oh no..." Arron's eyes widened as he stared up at the tall beast.

  Evelyn raised her hands, pointing a finger at the beast. She attempted to conjure a dagger. The ethereal pink energy collected up in the air. However, her eyes widened and she flinched as the energy turned into pink lightning and zapped her finger. "Ah!" She yelped as she drew her finger back. Mana exhaustion... One of the first signs of mana exhaustion was receiving backlash when attempting to cast a spell or utilize mana in any way.

  She gritted her teeth, but she didn't have much time to think as the beast blurred through her vision and appeared right in front fo her. "A-"

  She burst into blue particles as the beast slammed its claw down on her. Its palm struck the ground, shattering the grey tiles.

  Rynia was next. The beast disappeared and reappeared right in front fo Rynia, the brown haired girl's eyes widened and she clenched her jaw. The beast's claw blurred in the air as it struck at Rynia. However, she met the strike no problem with a well timed punch and dodge. She used this opportunity to strike the beast's other claw. Now she had both claws marked. She grinned.

  The beast swiftly struck out with its left claw. Rynia grinned as she activated the delayed strike on that claw. She immediately struck out towards its chest, confident that the beast's strike would have been stopped by the delayed force of her strike. But she was wrong...

  The delayed hit was activated but the beast simply overpowered the delayed force. It swept through to strike at her. Rynia swiftly burst into blue particles right after that.

  The beast snapped its gaze to the only person left. Its charcoal like skin giving it a new terrifying look. Arron met the monster's gaze, his hand quivering slightly as he gripped the sword as hard as he could. I will have to use it... But I don't have time... I need time!