Chapter 173 Combat Exam (14)
The forest was shrouded in the hushed whispers of falling snowflakes, creating a serene blanket of white that concealed the secrets of the world beneath. Among the trees, a figure emerged, a girl with hair as brilliant as the clearest sky, a vivid azure that seemed to capture the essence of winter itself.
"..."
It was Rose, and her eyes were the same enchanting shade, glistening like sapphires as she stepped forward, her purpose as fierce as the frost in the air.
Clutched in her hand was a sword, its blade as icy as the winter winds, crafted from the essence of frozen magic. It was a weapon meant to pierce the very heart of the coldest of foes, and it gleamed with a blue light that matched her hair. With every step, she felt the mana within her pulse, a surge of energy that connected her to the elements, enhancing her body and sharpening her senses.
"..."
Rose sensed the presence of the G Rank Winter wolves before she saw them. Their low growls echoed through the trees, the sound of a predator confident in its strength. Seventy pairs of icy eyes locked onto her, and she knew the battle ahead would be nothing short of epic. As the first wolf lunged, Rose's sword met the beast's ferocity with grace. Her movements were fluid, a dance of blade and snow, as she parried each strike with precision.
Swish...
The cold air seemed to respond to her will, swirling around her in a protective barrier that made her nearly untouchable. But the wolves were relentless, a unified force that pressed in from all sides, testing her resolve. With a surge of mana, Rose pushed back, her icy sword glinting as it struck down her adversaries.
"Cryokinesis: Icy floor!"
She used her cryokinetic abilities to freeze the ground beneath the wolves, causing them to slip and stumble.
The horned leader of the pack was particularly cunning, its black horn glinting with a malevolent gleam. It leaped at Rose with incredible speed, but she was ready. With a swift movement, she redirected the wolf's energy, sending it crashing into its comrades.
Each wolf that dared to challenge her fell beneath the might of her icy sword and her mastery of cryokinesis. She used the very elements to her advantage, conjuring ice spikes that erupted from the ground, impaling her foes with deadly precision. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours as the snow around Rose turned crimson with the defeated wolves.
Clank...
As the battle raged on, Rose's breath formed crystalline clouds in the frigid air. Her movements were a dance of power and finesse, her sword a beacon of icy justice slashing through the pack of G Rank Winter wolves. Each wolf that lunged was met with her practiced grace, a whirlwind of slashes and strikes that seemed to flow effortlessly as if she and her blade were one with the winter itself.
The snow-covered ground was now a canvas of chaos, with Rose at the center, her determined gaze fixed on the horned leader. This wolf, with its malevolent glint, was the embodiment of the pack's determination, and it launched itself at her once more. Rose held her ground, her sword meeting the horned wolf's charge with a resounding clash. The impact sent a shockwave through the forest, causing the other wolves to pause for a moment, their growls momentarily silenced.
Whoosh...
With a fierce determination, Rose summoned the power of her cryokinesis once more. The air around her seemed to shimmer as she focused her energy. In an instant, the ground beneath the horned wolf turned into a treacherous sheet of ice, causing the beast to lose its footing. It struggled to regain its balance, giving Rose the perfect opening.
Pluck...
With a swift and precise strike, Rose plunged her icy sword deep into the heart of the horned leader. The wolf let out a final, haunting howl that echoed through the forest, a symbol of its tenacity in the face of defeat. As the leader fell, the remaining wolves hesitated, as if mourning their fallen comrade.
But Rose had little time to ponder. The other wolves quickly regrouped, their icy eyes now tinged with desperation. They lunged at her, determined to avenge their leader, but Rose was ready. She channeled the energy of the elements once more, causing sharp ice spikes to erupt from the ground, impaling several of the wolves in mid-air. The forest seemed to hold its breath, the moment suspended in time as the wolves realized the magnitude of their peril.
Huff...
As the fallen wolves lay on the snowy ground, Rose's chest heaved with exertion, her breath visible in the crisp winter air. The remaining wolves circled her cautiously, a mix of fear and determination in their piercing gazes. Rose could feel the weight of the battle, the intensity of the moment as if the very forest held its breath.
Clench...
She tightened her grip on her icy sword, the blue light dancing along its blade, ready for the next onslaught. With a swift movement, a wolf lunged from the side, jaws snapping with deadly intent. Rose spun her body a whirlwind of motion, her sword singing through the air. The wolf's attack was met with a precise counter, the blade slicing through the air and connecting with the wolf's throat. The wolf fell, a look of surprise in its eyes, and Rose moved on to the next.
A wolf charged head-on, its massive paws leaving imprints in the snow. Rose leaped to meet it, her movements graceful and swift. She sidestepped the wolf's attack, bringing her sword down with all her strength, cutting through the wolf's thick fur and into its shoulder. The wolf howled in pain, but before it could recover, Rose spun and delivered a powerful kick, sending the creature sprawling.
Grrr...
Two more wolves approached, their eyes filled with a mix of caution and aggression. Rose knew she had to act quickly. She summoned the power of cryokinesis once more, focusing her energy on the ground beneath the wolves. Ice spikes erupted from the snowy earth, impaling one of the wolves, while the other managed to evade the deadly trap.
Growl...
This wolf was cunning, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It lunged, jaws aiming for Rose's throat. But she was faster, sidestepping the attack and using her sword to deliver a punishing blow to the wolf's side. The wolf yelped, wounded but not defeated. Rose followed up with a swift series of strikes, her sword a blur of icy vengeance. The wolf couldn't keep up with her speed and precision. With a final flourish, Rose struck the wolf down, ending its threat.
"..."
The remaining wolves, seeing their brethren defeated one by one, hesitated. Rose stood in the center of the clearing, her breath visible, her eyes locked onto the remaining adversaries. She could feel their fear, their uncertainty. The tide of the battle had turned, and Rose's determination blazed like a fire in her heart.
"Come..."
With a fierce cry, she charged at the remaining wolves, her sword glinting in the winter light. The wolves scattered, trying to evade her deadly strikes, but Rose was relentless. She used her cryokinetic abilities to create barriers of ice, hemming in the wolves and forcing them into vulnerable positions. Each clash was a symphony of steel against fur, of winter magic against fierce determination.
One by one, the wolves fell, unable to withstand Rose's icy fury. She moved with a fluidity that belied her strength, her sword finding its mark with deadly accuracy. The forest bore witness to the epic battle, the snow-covered ground now a testament to Rose's unwavering resolve. The final wolf, the last of the pack, backed away, realizing the futility of its struggle.
Swish...
With a final swing of her sword, Rose ended the battle, her blade striking true. The wolf fell, and a hushed silence descended upon the forest. Rose stood amidst the fallen foes, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
"Ughhh..."
Leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree, she took a moment to catch her breath and survey the aftermath of the fight.
Blood stained the pure white snow and the lingering scent of battle lingered in the air.
Her Azure eyes glimmered with anticipation, as she counted how many wolves she had defeated.
"68... 70... 73!"
With a mixture of satisfaction and weariness, Rose realized she had successfully taken down a total of 73 wolves.
Rose stood amidst the fallen foes, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
Although she was very strong and could defeat even stronger monsters. Fighting an entire pack of Winter wolves was no easy feat.
She wasn't yet at the point where the number of enemies didn't phase her.
Anyways, now that there were only 5 hours left until the Combat Exam ended Rose had amassed quite a bit of points...
542 to be precise, which she thought would surely secure her place at the top of the leaderboard.