Chapter 316
ELIMINATED
Sensing the presence growing closer, Reuel forced his focus higher, every stray thought cut away as his grip tightened around the shaft of his very expensive and exquisitely crafted spear.
The weapon felt alive in his hands.
The spear was long and spare, built to endure. Its shaft was forged from an unknown dark metal, oval rather than round, allowing it to settle naturally into the grip, as if it already knew the angle it wanted to face. Leather binding wrapped the middle, just enough to promise traction even when rain or blood slicked the surface. The balance sat just forward of his hands, the weight always urging the point toward its purpose.
At its head, a narrow steel blade rose clean and leafless, diamond-edged and cold, designed to slip effortlessly into flesh. Small wings flared at the base like restrained thorns, halting a thrust just short of excess and granting control during a bind. At the opposite end, a hardened spike waited patiently, meant for sudden reversals when distance collapsed and the fight turned inward.
Subtle, faint lines ran along the weapon's length. Compared to a gun, they were simple, making the mech far easier to run mana through, allowing for enhanced strikes and the use of methods.
Rustle.
Tension grew as Reuel's breath slowed.
Then—
Rustle.
Stepping into the open, the source was revealed. It was a… a… another student.
The student wore standard academy training gear, a thin, long metal needle gripped in one hand, the other held open. They had brown hair and narrowed green eyes that looked cunning as they swept through their immediate surroundings—before landing on Reuel.
A slight sigh escaped him. Reuel had thought it was a deadline creature, and he wasn't confident in his luck, especially if he had run into a devilborn.
He smiled slightly."Thank god, it's just you. I thought some ugly ass thing was about to pop up—"
A needle whistled through the air as if it weighed nothing, its tip aimed straight for Reuel's left eye. It closed the distance instantly, so fast that Reuel's brown eyes didn't even have time to blink.
Whoosh.
The needle had shockingly met nothing but open air before slamming into a tree with a loud thud.
It was worth noting that it hadn't pierced very far, the trunk itself far stronger than that of a normal tree.
An expression of shock and surprise appeared on the student's face, clearly not expecting Reuel to somehow dodge what he had believed was a guaranteed fatal strike.
"How the fuck did you dodge that? There's no way you should've been able to dodge that!!" He gritted his teeth as he reached behind him and pulled four needles from a bag, slipping them neatly between his fingers and making his intent to fight unmistakably clear.
Reuel, wearing a slightly tired expression, wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead before pointing his spear accusingly at him.
"Hey, what's wrong with you!? Who just goes around throwing needles at people's eyes for no reason!? You could've killed me!"
A smirk spread across the student's face as he looked at Reuel like he was a complete and utter idiot."You fool. Were you not listening? Or are your ears plugged with shit? You should've heard the part where they said we can kill!!!"
With that nasty snarl at the end, he lunged toward Reuel.
While he could have kept his distance and thrown needles—especially given the reach of Reuel's long spear—he chose to close in instead. He wanted to deny Reuel the time and space needed to dodge again, or at the very least tire him out before retreating and opening distance to attack properly.
He wasn't an idiot. He had immediately noticed the strangeness of Reuel's ability to dodge that first attack and knew that fighting purely from range would only waste his ammunition.
It was solid judgment. Spear users weren't particularly strong in close-quarters combat anyway.
Seeing the action the student had taken, black lines streaked across Reuel's face as he let out a deep sigh and said loudly,
"Hah… the youth these days… so hot-blooded and ugly… a very nasty mix."
Even as he spoke, he was already moving.
Contrary to the student's expectations, he watched in shock as Reuel actually pushed forward. The spear thrust out with terrifying speed and strength, flying through the air as if it had wings of its own, its target aimed not at his chest—but at the sole of his foot.
His eyes shrank. He hadn't expected Reuel to aim for such an odd position.
Reacting quickly, he tried to adjust midair, twisting his body and pulling his foot out of harm's way. Reuel's spear struck nothing—but a smile appeared on Reuel's face.
In that same motion, Reuel swung upward with incredible strength. His stance was solid, both feet firmly planted into the ground as his muscles flexed, the shaft of the spear whipping up and smashing into the youth with brutal force.
The blow sent him flying clean over Reuel's head.
The student barely had time to react before slamming into the dirty forest floor, rolling across it in shock, his body rattled by the sheer skill that had just been displayed.
Reuel turned to face him, casually twirling his spear with ease as a smirk crept onto his face. "Wow… is that it?" he said lazily. "With all that smack, this is all you've got? I hope not—for your sake—or you're in a world of pain, Jeremy."
The student's expression twisted instantly, turning vicious as he glared at Reuel with pure distaste and hatred while slowly pushing himself back to his feet. Only then did he notice it—two of his own needles embedded through his clothing and flesh, the result of Reuel's earlier movement.
"Y—you—"
"Surprised?" Reuel cut in smoothly. "How could I not know the name of a fellow year after so long at the academy? Jeremy Hunt. Twenty-one this year. Smart, blood-hungry. Your path is suspected to be the Poison Path." He tilted his head. "And extremely ugly."
"You—!"
"Oh, my apologies," Reuel said lightly, placing a hand over his chest. "That last part just slipped out. Please forgive me. Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with a face that not only a mother can love… but everyone else too."
"You—!!"
"Don't worry though," Reuel continued cheerfully, "I'm sure you have other qualities that could help you attract a partner, right? I heard people are starting to like something called a personality. I believe that's what it's called." He shrugged. "Ridiculous, right?"
"You—!!!"
"Oh, sorry," Reuel added, blinking innocently. "It feels like I keep interrupting you. But I'm not sure… do you feel like I'm interrupting you?"
"You are fucking dead!!!!"