Chapter 43: Golden Target

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Golden Target

Within the gloomy depths of the Ironwood Expanse, the golden leaderboard hovered across the clouds acted like a drop of blood in a tank of starving sharks.

?With only two hours remaining until sunset, nearly half of the surviving four thousand examinees were still trapped below the 30 point mark. Worse yet, the supply of ordinary 10-point puppets in the outer ring had been picked almost completely clean.

So, for those who lacked the strength to venture into the mist-shrouded inner zone and face Grandmaster Gorden’s Giant Puppets, only one path to the Imperial Academy remained: robbing their fellow applicants.

?Across the forest, dozens of temporary hunting packs craned their necks to study the five names gleaming at the pinnacle of the sky.

?Nobody in their right mind dared to target Second Place, Aria Everlight, nor did anyone wish to provoke Fourth Place, Prince Larsen Beliath, or Fifth Place, Julian Von Draken.

After all, challenging the Imperial Royal Family or the Four Ducal Houses was suicide even outside the exam.

As for Third Place, Veera, rumors had already spread through the western sector of a blood-soaked lunatic tearing iron puppets apart with his bare hands.

?That left only the name sitting at the very top of the board.

?[ 1st Place: Aegon Noiré (260 Points) ]

?Half a mile south of the rocky creek bed, a pack of fifteen older examinees wearing the silver-trimmed cloaks of the capital’s lesser noble houses came to an abrupt halt beneath a giant ironwood tree.

At the front of the group stood a burly twelve-year-old youth carrying a heavy iron greatsword, and the B-Rank Iron Rhino Grimoire.

?"Aegon Noiré? House Noiré is just a declining count’s family from a subordinate kingdom in the outer regions. How the hell did a ten-year-old country bumpkin climb to 260 points?"

?"Boss Bramwell, I saw him during the first round at Pillar 415. He only came to the capital with three 4 cousins! For him to have two hundred and sixty points, he must have stumbled across a pair of Giant Puppets that were already crippled by Lady Aria or Prince Larsen and stole the last hit!"

?Bramwell’s eyes lit up with naked greed.

"Stolen kills? That makes sense! Even if he used some secret family scroll to take down a Giant Puppet, a ten-year-old brat must be completely drained of mana and stamina by now!"

?He licked his dry lips,

?"Boys, look at that swarm of Scrying Beetles half a mile north! The proctors are broadcasting him right now, which means he’s right beneath those trees! If the fifteen of us surround him and beat him until he hands over his badge points, 260 points split among us will send every single one of us straight into the Imperial Academy!"

?"What if he resists, young lord?" another youth asked nervously.

He shook his head.

?"No, Proctor Ronin only forbade lethal blows. So breaking a country noble’s arms and legs doesn’t violate a single rule! Moreover, Lord Julian Von Draken is sitting in fifth place right now. So If we drag this arrogant brat down from the number one spot in front of all the water-mirrors, House Von Draken will reward our families handsomely!

Now, Move out!"

?Meanwhile, down along the southern creek bed, the final spark of crimson light faded from the chest of an immobilized puppet as Marcus drove his iron broadsword straight through its core.

?Ding!

?[ Marcus Noiré: 60 Points ]

? In less than twenty minutes of following behind Aegon, he had gone from zero points and the verge of death to 60 points, placing him comfortably within the top 800 examinees.

?"Finally, eiyh 60 points each, all three of you are now safely above the passing threshold."

?"And we owe you everything today, Aegon. If we hadn’t run into you, Zane and I would have been eliminated in that hollow, and Marcus,"

Clara blushed and said.

Aegon was listening attentively, until his ears perked up.

?With 41 points of Speed and senses sharpened far beyond human limits.

He had heard the uncoordinated rustling of fifteen pairs of boots crashing through the trees 300m away long before his cousins noticed a thing.

?"It seems our guests have arrived," Aegon murmured, resting his left hand lightly over the crimson scabbard beneath his cloak.

?"Guests?" Zane blinked, raising his notched broadsword on instinct.

Soon, the bushes rising both sides of the rocky creek bed burst open.

?Swish! Thud! Thud!

?Fifteen noble youths leaped out from the trees onto the surrounding boulders, creating a tight semi-circle that completely blocked off the northern and southern exits of the stream.

"What the hell!"

?Seeing the fifteen weapons pointed at them, Marcus flinched out of pure muscle memory before remembering who was standing right in front of him.

Stepping quickly behind Aegon’s shoulder alongside Zane and Clara, Marcus glared up at the newcomers.

?From the biggest rock boulder. Bramwell looked down coldly at Aegon’s group.

When he saw Zane’s notched sword, Clara’s mud-stained dress, and Marcus’s torn disheveled tunic, he smiled triumphantly.

Finally, his gaze landed on Aegon.

In his eyes, Aegon appeared as a small, slender boy who didn’t even have an iron weapon drawn in his hands.

?"Hahaha! Look at the three wrecks behind him" Bramwell barked with laughter, pointing the tip of his heavy iron greatsword straight down at Aegon’s face

"I knew it! They nearly died just getting those points! We hit the jackpot, boys!"

"You were right young lord!" agreed one of his lackeys.

?"What do you people want?!" Zane shouted coldly, circulating the remaining wind mana in his veins.

Bramwell sneered and said,

?"Isn’t it obvious, country bumpkin? There are fifteen of us and only four of you. And three of you look like you can barely stand, while your little leader is hiding behind a scarf. You have no chance of winning against us.

So just obediently press your registration badges against mine and transfer all the points to me. I will let you go unharmed. But If you don’t appreciate my kindness, I’ll cut your pretty two legs then feed it to my dogs! All of four of you."

"Utter nonsense! We’d die than give you away our precious points," Clara said angrily.

To be continued...