Chapter 25: Making Points at a single shot
Carter saw Sam walking towards him. He broke out in cold sweat. He felt his legs shaking and his palms are almost dripping sweat. If possible, he just wanted to turn tail and make a run for his life. But he felt that if he made a move, he might even die. His instinct told him that the best decision is to stay still. So, he did.
Sam slowly walked and stood in front of Carter. Then he just stared at his eyes without even blinking. Sam slowly raised his killing intent slowly and released his aura of blood line. He just stared at Carter like he was staring at an insect.
Carter observed the eyes, the killing aura and felt like he was about to die just like that. He felt like the decision of whether he should live or die is not his but in the hands of the person standing in front of him. He felt like the air around him became still as if paying respects to the existence before him.
Sam then leaned forward and whispered in Carter's ear. "Do you know why you are still alive? Because I disdain to kill punks like you." Sam then stepped back. He took out a letter and gave it to Carter. "Give it to your family head." Sam said and turned around and walked away.
As soon as Sam left, Carter immediately fell to his knees and he looked at the letter in his hands. His body is soaked in sweat. He doesn't have any strength in his legs. Just when he was about to break his token, he heard Sam's voice. "Take away your lackeys with you. If I see them again, I will definitely kill them." Carter immediately stood up and walked to other four people and started breaking their tokens. After that Carter broke his token and left the place. When he appeared at the viewing platforms, he saw a furious Carl who stood up from his chair and looking at him coldly. Then he saw the family head who is also extremely disappointed. Then he slowly walked towards them and didn't say anything. He just passed the letter.
*Pah*
Carl slapped Carter and said. "Trash"
Carter didn't try to explain himself and just stood there his head held down. He waited for the family head to reprimand him, but no voice came. So, Carter turned towards the man standing behind the family head. It is his father. When he looked at his father, he just patted his shoulder and said nothing. Maybe Carl didn't understand but both the family head and Carter's father clearly understood the situation as veterans. They clearly knew what kind of situation Carter is in, that is why they didn't blame him.
The family head opened the letter and read. When he read the content, he almost puked blood in anger. Then he looked at his daughter who is gloating as if saying 'you asked for it.' Now he finally understood why the family head Heart field behaved like this. He already in a bad mood today because of his daughter. Because, when heard that a young and genius artisan has emerged in the city and the rumour said that they saw, Freya came along with him, he asked to invite him over, so that they can strike up a relationship. But his daughter refused to give any details regarding that person's identity and he didn't connect that Sam and that artisan being the same person. As he thought that a genius artisan like him don't need to attend this normal academy. But he doesn't know he can't be anymore wrong.
Carl looked at Philip who is grinning from ear to ear. He reluctantly took out the spirit stones and passed it to Philip, who took them as his grin grew wider. Carl then looked at the projection gloomily and he swore that he would teach Sam a lesson.
Meanwhile in the testing grounds, Sam is making his way towards the hyenas as stealthily as possible. He just didn't want to alert them. He took a high vantage point on a tree and looked towards the Blood hyenas pack. There are around 100 plus hyenas in total. There are around twenty level 2 initial stage, a level 2 middle stage and rest of them are all level 1 beasts. He looked at them and pondered on how to take them down. He really didn't have any points right now as he didn't encounter any beasts on his way here. Now, he finally understood why. This is the territory of the blood hyenas. He started observing the surroundings of the lair and finally came to a conclusion.
Sam took out a bunch of formation flags as he disappeared from the tree. All the spectators at the viewing platforms are puzzled from his actions. They are now paying special attention as he took out the whole group from a noble family.
Sam is moving around stealthily with a high speed as he placed the formation flags in various positions.
"What type of formation is he laying?" A young man from the formation tower's viewing platform. The rest of the people also looked at the formation tower's head curiously.
"It's a type of illusory formation." The tower head slowly. He recognised the formation. It is one of the most difficult rank 1 formations. This formation has only one effect. The appearance of the people in the formation will change in the perspective of one another. But the formation tower head didn't understand, what is the use of the formation in this situation. In fact, nobody at the viewing platforms understood, except for one person. The Principal of the Starwood academy is also looking at Sam laying down the formation with a faint smile.
Meanwhile Sam quietly finished laying down all the formation flags except for the one which acts as the formation energy core. As soon as the energy core is laid down. The blood hyenas will definitely sense that something is wrong with the energy flow nearby and this will cause him some trouble. He took a deep breath and threw the last formation flag to its location from a distance and as soon as he did, before even the hyenas could react, he took out few bottles of read liquid and threw them in between the pack and ran towards a tall tree and climbed it up. When hyenas finally sensed the weird energy fluctuation, they smelled blood of various beasts. This blood is precisely the liquid Sam has thrown inside the pack. Sam bought these bloods for making inscription ink. But now he is using them to confuse these hyenas.
Actually, blood hyenas are very cunning and intelligent hunters. So, even if Sam distorted their view and make them see their companions as other animals, they won't be easily fooled as they still have the sense of smell. That is the reason Sam used the blood of various beasts because, the blood hyenas immediately lose their rationality as soon as they smell blood.
Sam saw as the blood hyenas tear each other apart. He just stood on the tree from afar and saw the hyenas trying to kill each other as if they are mortal enemies. All the spectators are dumfounded at the viewing platforms as they saw the scene. The points beside Sam's name are soaring high as he slowly overtook the position one by one. Finally, he settled in the top position, but his points are still raising.
Sam observed the hyenas as they are rapidly decreasing in number. Then he saw that the leader of the pack stopped its killing spree. Sam understood that the Leader of the pack observed something and he just waited there.
The Pack leader of the blood hyenas sensed the energy fluctuations due to the formation a bit later after they started killing each other. It looked around as to sense the cause and finally saw a anomaly and ran towards the core of the formation. As soon as it sensed the formation core it immediately crashed into it to stop the illusion, but the backlash from the formation sent it into a half dead state as he flew over and hit a large rock. There are several broken bones protruding out of its body. As soon as it took a look after it the illusion is gone, it saw a miserable scene. There are only about 12 hyenas that are still alive and all of them are really in a miserable state. They can even be killed by a single critical blow. Sam took out a black colour bow, from his storage and a took some a rank 1 arrow. This bow is forged by Sam himself in the private forging room. Since, he learnt that rank 2 weapons are a not allowed in the assessment
He nocked the arrow on the bowstring and stretched it for its limit as he aimed at the pack leader, who is now surrounded by the rest of the hyenas which are alive. He then started circulating his spiritual energy as a ball of compressed golden flame is started forming at the tip of the arrow. When the ball of flames grew into the size of a soccer ball, he finally released the arrow.
The arrow hit the Leader and an explosion of golden flames took place spreading it to the rest of the hyenas which are alive. After a few minutes the hyenas were completely burnt to ashes leaving only a pile of bones. Sam slowly made his way and collected the corpses of hyenas which are not stuck in the explosion.
All the spectators at the viewing platforms are stunned by how the scene played as they watched how Sam dealt with a pack full of hyenas. Then they noticed that Sam has already obtained 124 points in total and then they looked at the second ranker. The second ranker is someone from the city lord mansion. His points are a little over thirty. The third and fourth places are rapidly getting caught up with his pace.
The difference between the first and second places is so huge. All the noble families sighed at this and felt ashamed after seeing the performance of Sam and compared it to their younger generation. Sam collected the corpses and his formation flags as he started his journey again. Soon he found a river. He sat down at the river bank and took out the corpse of a hyena. He cut the hyena into small pieces as he threw them into the river which is flowing slowly. As the smell blood started spreading slowly inside the river, slowly fishes came, but Sam didn't make a move as he stood still with his arrow nocked.
After waiting for sometime a huge crocodile like beast came and jumped to the surface. Sam immediately released the arrow as it pierced right through the eye of the crocodile. The crocodile halted its movements briefly. Sam this time took a ranked arrow and shot it imbued with the spiritual energy. This time the arrow pierced in its other eye and the crocodile dropped dead.
Sam then slowly approached the corpse. After making sure that it is really dead. He started dissecting it with a dagger, he had forged in the private room. He slowly and neatly separated the hide on its back and put in his storage and started grilling the meat on a fire.
Sam sat beside the fire as he just stared at the horizons. Then Sam saw two people walking towards him. They are both familiar faces to him. They are precisely Jack and Shawn. Sam had a mischievous smile on his face as soon as he remembered Shawn's words.
At the viewing platforms.
All the spectators are watching Shawn and Jack move towards Sam with some expectations. Both Shawn and Jack took third and fourth places in the point ranking right now. So, they wanted to see them fight and know who is stronger as they didn't see the full extension of Sam's battle prowess.
Shawn and Jack stopped in front of Sam and stopped. Shawn spoke.
"Hey buddy, where are you from?" Shawn asked and Sam didn't reply and just smiled.
"Oh, you don't want to say. Okay. The meat you are eating is smelling so good. Could you sell us some?" Shawn asked.
"Not possible." Sam said. Shawn had a disappointed expression on his face. Then Sam continued.
"If you want it. You can take it after you beat me." Sam said and took a big bite of meat. Both Jack and Shawn furrowed their brows. Then Sam stood up and made his move.
Sam disappeared in front them and appeared at the back of Shawn and he unceremoniously kicked his butt. Shawn immediately screamed in pain. He is a level 4 acolyte, but he still felt a groaning pain as fell forward.
Immediately Jack made his move as he attacked Sam. But all he hit was thin air. Then Jack saw as Sam appeared behind Shawn who just got up and kicked his butt again. Shawn again cried out loud.
"My handsome bum. How can you do that?" Sam felt speechless at this narcissist. Meanwhile Jack drew his sword and lunged towards Sam. But Sam easily dodged as he disappeared and by the time, he reappeared he saw a hand wielding a sword coming towards him at high speed.
Sam felt that he couldn't dodge. So, he grabbed Jack's hand and stopped it from moving. Sam smiled faintly as he felt the momentum and smile.
"Impressive." Sam said genuinely impressed. But before Jack could react, he felt that he was held by a python as Sam immediately moved and locked him in a hold as he pointed a finger at Jack's neck. He then whispered. "But not good enough." Jack felt helpless as he tried to free himself but failed to do so.
"I lost." Jack surrendered. Then Sam released his grip and walked towards Shawn who is still holding his butt as he stared in shock. Sam then kicked his butt again and said.
"Well, you guys can have rest of the meat and you don't have to quit the competition. Thank you for the spar. I enjoyed quite a bit. Sam then smoothly disappeared as they stared at him with their mouths open.
They two who are at level 4 acolyte were toyed with a level 3 acolyte. Shawn felt even worse as he didn't even have a chance to fight back. Both of them sighed as they looked at each other.