In the heart of the dense forest, a group of skilled beings advanced from branch to branch, exhibiting surprising agility. Their forms were agile and elegant, while their movements flowed like a harmonious dance in the tree canopy. The branches bowed under their weight but never broke, as if the forest itself supported them in their pursuit.
Wearing clothes made of natural fabrics and colors that merged with the environment, the members of this group were masters in the art of camouflage, their outlines blending with the shadows and forest foliage.
Eagle-sharp eyes scanned the terrain below while they jumped from one branch to the next, keeping themselves completely silent.
"Are they close?" inquired the leader.
"Yes! That emerald-haired woman's mana is unmistakable; she is near."
The leader grinned from ear to ear.
"Stay alert and split up! I don't want them to notice us coming!"
As they approached the spot where they felt the pulsating energy of Colin and his group, their movements became even more coordinated.
Each jump, each movement was calculated and precise, as if they were following a predetermined plan. Their agile fingers clutched thin branches as if they were made of steel, and none of them hesitated.
"Sir! They are over th—"
BAM!
A fire arrow struck the tracker in the chest, knocking him unconscious and alerting all the others, but before the leader could even think of fleeing, he stopped abruptly on the next branch, seeing Colin standing on another branch in front of him.
"You guys are predictable."
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Three more of them were hit, and before their bodies hit the ground, they disappeared, removed from the trial.
"How did you sense us?" inquired the leader, breaking into a cold sweat. "I made sure to keep our mana usage minimal; there was no way for you to find us!"
"Yeah, there wasn't, but fortunately, my companion can do that."
"Your companion?" He felt a shiver down his spine and looked to the side. Brighid was sitting there, swinging her feet while wearing a gentle smile. "Tsk…"
"I can't move, this woman… this aura emanating from her is terrifying, and there's this man in front of me… but something tells me the spells that hit my companions didn't come from them. Shit! The others must be hidden; I've been completely defeated…"
"I… give up…"
His body was filled with a bluish mana that consumed him like fire until he disappeared.
"Are there more of them coming?" asked Safira, landing on the same branch as Colin.
"Seems so, there are other manas approaching very fast, must be another group."
Colin nodded.
Brighid is attracting them like a light in the middle of the night. The dumber ones are being drawn here quickly, making it easier to finish them off. There are other skilled students, but if they show up, we'll handle it.
Outside the tournament, the nobles watched the participants with disdain, mainly because Colin's group, which was being hunted by several students, proved to be more competent than they thought.
"Crap!" shouted one of the nobles on the other side. "Is this in the regulations of this tournament?"
"Is no one going to do anything?" complained another noble. "These bastards spat in our faces when they messed with the nobles, and the emperor is allowing this!"
Ayla was sitting with her legs crossed, savoring some wine.
"That group seems to be making them angry…" said her Elf friend. "I hope they'll be okay…"
"They will be…" answered Ayla. "They managed to take out three teams and didn't even break a sweat. They are strong, but they aren't the only skilled ones in this trial." She pointed with her chin to the big screen. "Anton should reach them soon."
In the trial, a woman was standing still, looking at the counter in the sky.
"Thirty teams still remain to be eliminated," said a man beside her. "If we don't act, you won't see the boy against anyone notable."
"So, what will you do?"
An orange-haired Elf with greenish eyes and freckles on her face rested her hand on the pommel of the sword at her waist. "Are you not going to greet your sister?"
"It is not time yet, and you are disobeying orders by being here. Hodrixey might notice you."
She smirked. "He won't. Keep eliminating the other teams."
"Yes, ma'am."
Colin was holding a man by the neck, releasing him, and before he could hit the ground, his body disappeared.
"How many groups has it been? Six? Seven?" commented Colin, massaging his shoulder. "We should cover more area; that way we'd finish this trial faster."
Kurth landed on the branch next to Colin. He hadn't done anything relevant so far, but he was amazed by the synergy of that trio, and how powerful they were.
"Good thing I'm on their team…"
"There's someone else coming," said Brighid, pointing west. "It's a single person."
"Someone in a hurry?" Colin stretched his arms behind his back. "It's alright, leave him to me; I'm almost done warming up."
After a few more seconds, the redhead Elf appeared, atop a branch, getting a good look at that quartet.
"Came alone?" said Colin, squatting on the branch. "You shouldn't have split from your group."
"Colin…" she said with a smile. "You are different; I thought you'd be thinner, but it's good to see you. You really do look like him."
"There is something wrong," thought Brighid. "Her mana trail… is incomplete."
"Colin! Be careful, she's hiding something!"
The Elf gave Brighid a malicious smile. "One of yours here? When did you escape that hole?"
"Does she know who I am?" thought Brighid.
"How do you know my name?" inquired Colin. "And who do I look like? What are you talking about?"
She replied with a smile. "You can all come at once if you prefer; I think I can handle everyone together."
"Oh, yeah?" Colin bent his knees. "Don't say I didn't warn you later!"
"Colin!" shouted Brighid. "Wait!"
BAM!
He leaped quickly and struck with a straight punch. The Elf managed to defend herself, crossing her arms at face level, but that didn't stop her from crashing against a few trees before recovering, planting her feet on a trunk.
Her broken arms were quickly healed, returning to normal in a split second.
"Hehe! Such strength!" Concentrating mana in her feet, she dashed forward, mana fragments circling her.
BAM!
It was Colin's turn to defend against the knee strike and be thrown back, but he also recovered very quickly, squatting on a branch while leaves fell like rain on the forest floor.
His arms were trembling.
"Brighid is right, something is wrong; how can she, with that fragile body, hit so hard?"
"Kurth! Safira! Focus!" shouted Brighid.
They positioned themselves to surround the Elf.