The simulation world blinked into existence; the familiar scent of damp earth and fresh grass filling Axel's senses. Tall trees swayed gently in the breeze, sunlight streaming through scattered clouds above. They were in the grasslands. An open field edged by dense forest to the north. Using his book knowledge, Axel knew that they were at the north of the map.
Joseph Calign marched ahead with an exaggerated swagger, gripping his heavy broadsword. A brutal weapon, plain but effective. Elise trailed close, her short blade glinting as she scanned the surroundings. Selene stood poised, bow in hand, and her eyes sharp and observant.
Axel stayed near the back, hands resting on the hilt of his willow-leaf saber, watching, waiting.
Joseph snarled, spotting two figures moving through the underbrush.
"There," he said loudly. "Watch and learn."
He charged forward, swinging his broadsword in wide, noisy arcs meant to intimidate. His movements were powerful but clumsy, lacking finesse.
One opponent dodged, weaving through the trees, while the other circled to flank Joseph's exposed side.
Axel smirked.
Joseph barely noticed, focused on brute force.
As Joseph swung again, his blade caught on a low branch, slowing him just enough.
Axel seized the moment.
He quietly stepped forward, channeling a thin stream of mana into his willow-leaf saber. The blade shimmered faintly and a pure white aura wrapped around it, reinforcing the sharp edge.
Axel's blade sliced through the air with a soft hum.
Before Joseph could recover, Axel's saber cut cleanly across the opponent's neck.
[+1 Point — Axel Kill Confirmed]
"YOU—" Joseph whipped his head around, glaring fiercely at Axel.
The remaining opponent took this moment to runaway, but unfortunately, was shot by a flying arrow.
[+1 Point — Selene Kill Confirmed]
"Now, where are the other two?" Selene called out. They were all in groups of four. Sweeping the whole team meant double points all around.
Selene grabbed Axel and walked ahead, shielding him from Joseph. While they walked, Joseph stayed back.
"Elise, that dickhead definitely stole my kill" He grit his teeth.
"Just get rid of him then." Elise replied casually..
"I need to get him away from my Selene. That scum doesn't deserve to be that close to her." Joseph mumbled, fist clenched. Elise rolled her eyes with abhorrence.
"Let's go or else they'll be suspicious." She quickly ran towards the duo, taking Joseph along with her.
________________________________
Selene kept close to Axel as they moved quietly, her bow ready, eyes sharp. Axel's grip tightened on his saber, the faint white glow still lingering on the blade's edge.
Joseph and Elise were disappearing into the thicket behind them, their voices fading into the underbrush. Axel caught the bitterness in Joseph's muttering, the way his knuckles whitened around the hilt of his broadsword. Elise's dismissive tone wasn't far behind.
Axel didn't bother to look back.
Ahead, the terrain opened up into a shallow valley. Tall grass swayed with the wind, hiding potential enemies. Selene signaled him to stop and crouched, scanning the horizon with a hunter's precision.
"One group spotted," she whispered. "You ready to take them out?'
Axel nodded. He could already feel the faint tremor of tension in the air. Joseph wanted to dominate, but Axel had the advantage: subtlety, precision, and the control over his mana. They moved with practiced quiet, stalking their prey like wolves. Axel's saber gleamed faintly in the dappled sunlight as he prepared to strike.
The first enemy stepped into a clearing. A tall, lanky student brandishing a spear. Joseph's shout shattered the silence as he charged recklessly from the rear, swinging his broadsword with brutal force.
The spear wielder barely dodged, sidestepping Joseph's wide, slow arcs.
Axel took the opportunity. Without a sound, he slid between two trees, the white aura on his saber pulsing lightly. As Joseph struggled to regain his footing, Axel's blade cut through the air, sharp with precision, and sliced cleanly through the spear wielder's leg.
[+1 Point — Axel Kill Confirmed]
Joseph spun around, eyes blazing with rage. "Seriously?!"
Axel met his glare, expression calm. "Keep up, or get left behind."
Joseph snarled and charged again, but the slow, brute force approach left him open. Axel weaved around Joseph's swings, using the terrain and his reinforced blade to pick off enemies before Joseph could finish them.
One by one, Axel stole Joseph's kills with a quiet efficiency that enraged the larger man more than words could say.
Elise's frustration was evident too, her eyes darting nervously between Joseph's mounting temper and Axel's cool demeanor.
Selene smiled, a mixture of amusement and proudness.
Axel was as petty as always. She thought, not knowing what seemed as minor mischief to her was years of a long-rooted hatred.
Finally, Joseph lost patience. "I'm done playing second fiddle!" he roared, raising his broadsword high.
He swung with full force at an incoming enemy, a tall woman wielding a short sword. The blow crashed into the woman's shield, and in the momentary pause, she stabbed upward, catching Joseph off-guard.
Pain flared in Joseph's ribs. He staggered back, gasping.
Elise hurried to his side, eyes wide.
Axel watched dispassionately as Selene picked up another kill with a headshot.
[+1 Point — Selene Kill Confirmed]
"Come on," he said low to Selene. "They're heading east."
Selene nodded without hesitation.
East was the volcanic fiery area, and where things got a lot more interesting.
They moved quickly, following the faint trail Joseph and Elise left as they pushed toward the volcanic terrain.
Axel's mind wasn't just on the kills anymore. The air was growing warmer. The soil beneath their feet felt dryer and cracked. A faint sulfurous scent teased his nostrils.
He remembered the patterns from his past life, how the land changed just before disaster.