"Who is this guy?"
"Are you so stupid that you don't even look at the ranks? He's 31st in Class A."
"If I keep looking at the ranks, I'll end up sad. As long as I don't look, in my head I'm the best."
"Damn... why did we have to run into the guy who, according to the news, seems to have reached the Second Circle?"
Three girls ran across the battlefield, desperately trying to get away from someone who was right behind them. The sound of fighting grew louder with every second, and when they looked back, they saw several students being sent flying through the air. Around ten Class C students had been defeated in just a few moments.
After the incident that had occurred in the dungeon months ago, the new students of Class C had gone through a long period of training. The teachers had worked hard to make sure they would finally reach the level expected of that class.
The problem was that, after all that effort, they never would have imagined that they would have such terrible luck right in their first confrontation and be massacred so quickly.
"Leaf Magic: Deep Cut!"
One of the students launched several leaves charged with a large amount of magic. The technique was powerful enough to defeat most Class C students, especially because that student occupied 92nd place in the ranking. However, his opponent was on another level.
"Fireball."
A flaming sphere appeared in front of Enrico and advanced toward the leaves. As soon as the two attacks met, the fire completely consumed the plant blades, leaving the student with no possibility of continuing.
'I should have given up before fighting him.'
He simply smiled, acknowledging his defeat before the flames struck him and sent him flying away.
The moment the student was defeated, his body disappeared, indicating that he had been eliminated from the competition.
Enrico opened a demonic smile when he realized that the three girls were still running. One of them, with orange hair, looked at the girl in front.
"Do something, Sisaka! You're rank 91, aren't you?"
"You bunch of cowards."
"But you were running with us..."
The girl with tied black hair and silver eyes stopped running. She took a step forward and took a deep breath. An aura began to concentrate in her hand, taking the shape of a katana.
The yellow-haired girl, who had a few white strands, saw Sisaka preparing to fight and did not want to stay behind.
"I'm going too!"
A small sphere of fire appeared in her hand as she assumed a combat stance.
The third girl, however, was about to continue running.
That was when Enrico appeared between the three.
"Eh?"
Before any of them could react, Enrico spun his body and delivered a kick that hit all three at the same time. The girls were sent flying away, rolling across the ground.
None of them had fainted. Therefore, they were still not eliminated.
Enrico calmly approached and took out a rope he was carrying with him. Then, he tied the three of them up.
They could easily break those ropes, but when they raised their eyes and met Enrico's gaze, none of them seemed willing to try.
"Alright. You three will be my subordinates during this competition."
"What?"
"And I don't accept no as an answer."
The girls looked at each other. If they refused, Enrico could simply eliminate them from the competition. On the other hand, if they accepted, they would at least remain on the field and still have a chance to improve their ranks.
In the end, looking at that demon in front of them, they had no other choice but to accept.
'They really accepted? I'm surprised. I thought I'd have to eliminate them from the test.'
He would try this with a few more students. A second after untying them, Enrico looked at the three.
"First, I want to know your names and your magic."
The black-haired girl was the first to answer.
"I'm Sisaka Kagetsura, from Tsuyokuni, rank 91. My magic is Spirit Construct Manipulation, and my dream is to get revenge on a certain person."
"I didn't ask about the last part."
Enrico stared at her for a few seconds. For some reason, that last sentence seemed familiar. He had the feeling he had heard something similar somewhere before.
The girl with fire magic then stood up and pointed a finger upward, completely excited.
"My name is Kaela Virossol! I'm rank 100, my magic is fire magic, and someday I'll be the strongest in the world!"
Enrico remained silent for a moment as he tilted his head.
'Was there a second protagonist by any chance?'
He was already beginning to feel that there was something strangely familiar about that girl. Kaela clearly seemed to see Sisaka as a rival, and that made everything even stranger.
"I already said I only need your name and magic."
"But Sisaka told you her goal."
Enrico took a deep breath.
"Next."
He looked at the last girl, hoping that at least she would be simpler. She had different hair from the others and was staring at him with an expression full of hope.
"I'm Erina Montavero. I'm rank 95 and my magic is earth magic."
"Your goal?"
"But you... I want to be rich."
"Thank God."
Enrico placed his hand on the girl's shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief.
At least things weren't going in the direction his thoughts were taking him.
'Right... thank goodness they're not that similar.'
"Alright. I'll call you the Shonen Trio. And don't ask questions about that title. I'm hunting some people, and you will help me with that."
The three looked at each other, not really understanding what that meant. Even so, they simply nodded. After all, at that moment, they did not have many options.
Enrico then began guiding them to a specific location. It was a position where other people would easily be able to see them.
When they arrived, the three became a little tense.
A shadow appeared above them.
The girls immediately went on alert, thinking they might be facing an ambush. However, they soon realized who was descending.
Serenya.
She approached through the air as if she were walking down an invisible staircase, maintaining her usual arrogant expression.
The three girls preferred not to say anything about that expression or the proud way the noblewoman walked.
Before Serenya could speak, however, a shout came from below the cliff.
"ENRICO! ARE WE GOING TO HAVE OUR REMATCH?"
Kai appeared, quickly climbing up the wall. Behind him, several students who seemed to belong to Class D disappeared in the distance, indicating that they had been eliminated.
Now, Enrico, Kai, and Serenya were gathered together.
Of the four Class A students who had attracted the most attention due to their rapid evolution, only Valença was still not there.
"You found me quickly. That's impressive."
"Of course, subordinate. I am your leader and the person who cares about you the most. So, I will always be the first to find you."
Serenya maintained her usual arrogant expression.
Kai, on the other hand, did not even seem interested in that conversation. His gaze was fixed on Enrico, clearly wanting to start fighting as soon as possible.
Erina, still trying to understand the situation, approached the three.
"Why do you need our help?"
"That's right... I need to explain."
Enrico looked at Kai.
"Sorry, Kai, but our rematch will have to wait a little longer. But don't worry. I know it's not just you. Serenya also wants a rematch against them, doesn't she?"
At first, Kai became discouraged. However, as soon as he heard those words, his expression became excited again.
He and Serenya immediately understood who Enrico was talking about. There was only one person who had defeated the two of them in recent months.
Elowyn and her subordinates.
Serenya's expression became serious, while Kai smiled. The protagonist could barely wait. He would finally have the opportunity to face Deymon again, this time without being at a disadvantage.
In another part of the field, Elowyn had managed to gather her subordinates.
Luckily, she had found all of them quickly and now intended to take advantage of this opportunity.
Grakk cracked his neck while Thalen, the Elf, remained beside him with a curious expression as he looked at the Orc.
"I'm here because I already made the oath. But you've already been defeated by Enrico, haven't you? So why do you continue following Elowyn?"
Grakk answered without hesitation.
"Yes, I was defeated by him. But I was also defeated by Elowyn. I follow the strongest. So, I will continue following whoever defeats the other in a fight."
At first, Thalen thought Enrico would become irritated by that. However, Enrico simply agreed and stated that he would completely win next time.
Grakk, in turn, wanted Enrico to win that dispute more and more. It would be good to fight alongside someone who seemed so honorable.
Looking at Thalen beside him, Grakk felt sorry for him. In his eyes, the boy did not possess the same conviction as the Orcs and seemed to be being forced to follow someone.
Thalen, however, did not think the same way.
He was not there merely out of obligation. He wanted to discover whether Enrico would really be capable of challenging someone with as much political power as Elowyn.
Deymon, Narisse, Velka, Lan, Lan's two subordinates, and Elowyn's three new subordinates were gathered together.
Elowyn observed everyone for a few seconds before speaking.
"Very well. With everyone gathered, let's begin our hunt for everyone from Class A. And this time, I don't want any failures."
Velka raised her hand, a little nervous. She needed to ask that to make sure they could win.
"Lady Elowyn, it seems Enrico has reached the Second Circle. Even if we attack all together, we could be eliminated. Especially if he's with that Valença, who also seems to have managed to..."
"I don't trust that information very much... at least not completely."
Elowyn interrupted the girl.
"Because it was spread by the girl who is always by his side."
Elowyn then raised her eyes toward the sky, as if she were waiting for someone to arrive.
"But don't worry. If it's true, I prepared for it."
She had invited someone quite important for that battle.
She also knew it was risky, as it was someone she could not control.
"I asked for help from someone ranked 10th who recently became interested in them."
Deymon watched everything with irritation.
He really hoped that information was nothing more than a rumor. However, from what Elowyn had researched, there seemed to be some truth behind it.
The princess's words only reinforced that possibility.
Deymon noticed the movement of a shadow coming from the sky and raised his arms to protect himself.
The next moment, something fell from above.
The impact destroyed part of the ground and sent backward those who did not possess enough strength to resist, while Lan's subordinates managed to remain standing.
When the dust began to settle, a female voice echoed across the field.
"Tell me... did you find that boy? I really want to fight someone already."
Everyone looked at the newcomer. She was a girl with an athletic and well-defined physique. Tiger ears emerged from the top of her head, while black stripes ran across her body.
One of those present immediately recognized her.
"Isn't that rank 7, Danyana Stormclaw?"
The Beastman girl opened a confident smile.