Awakening: I Became a Legendary Spirit Summoner-Chapter 26 - : First Trial, Timed Monster Slayer

[First Trial: Timed Monster Slayer]

[Three monsters will appear before you.]

[Defeat them as fast as possible.]

Karl didn't need to read the notifications twice.

He already knew what was coming.

The organizers of this [Entrance Examination] weren't clueless.

They had all the information they needed on every participant, especially those with high-ranked professions.

And with an SSS-Ranked profession under his belt, Karl was definitely on their radar.

So, it wasn't a surprise when he saw the trial laid out for him.

Fwish! Fwish! Fwish!

Three massive figures materialized in front of him.

They towered over him, each nearly two and a half meters tall.

Coarse green skin stretched over thick, bulging muscles.

Their crimson eyes glared at him, filled with predatory hunger.

[Level 16 Orcs]

Their presence alone radiated hostility.

Tusked mouths curled into snarls, and each one gripped a deadly-looking weapon: a spiked club, a jagged axe, and a rusted sword stained with dried blood.

Karl's expression didn't change.

He simply stared at them, cool and composed, assessing their movements, their breathing, and their stances.

He knew how this would go down.

A transparent barrier separated him from the orcs, giving him a moment to plan.

[The Trial will start in three seconds.]

Karl exhaled slowly, his mind running through his options.

The key wasn't just to win, it was to win smart.

'This shouldn't be too hard.'

The real challenge wasn't defeating the orcs, it was how he defeated them.

After the trial, results wouldn't stay private.

Every participant's performance would be reviewed and possibly displayed.

That meant showing too much could expose his strengths and strategies to potential rivals.

[3...]

He frowned slightly.

That was the tricky part.

He had multiple spirits at his disposal, but revealing them all now would be a rookie mistake.

Every spirit he summoned in this trial would become common knowledge to his competitors.

[2...]

Karl wasn't about to let that happen.

His spirits were his trump cards, each offering unique advantages in battle.

Keeping them hidden was crucial if he wanted to maintain an upper hand in future encounters.

[1...]

So, he made his decision.

Fwoosh!

Karl summoned just two spirits.

[Frenzied Rabbit]

[Alpha Dire Wolf]

The [Frenzied Rabbit] wasn't a surprise.

It was practically his mascot at this point, a spirit known for its speed and agility.

Most people expected it from him since they saw it.

But the [Alpha Dire Wolf] was a calculated move.

Strong, ferocious, and capable of handling orcs with ease, it could end the fight quickly without revealing too much of his arsenal.

[Start!]

The barrier dissolved in an instant.

The orcs didn't hesitate.

With guttural roars, they charged, their heavy footsteps thudding against the ground like war drums.

Their eyes burned with bloodlust, weapons raised, ready to crush him.

But Karl was faster.

"Go."

His voice was calm but sharp, slicing through the tension in the air.

He sent each spirit after an orc, letting them handle the first wave.

If they finished early, they could assist with the others.

The [Frenzied Rabbit] darted forward first, a blur of motion, almost too fast for the eye to follow.

The first orc, the one with the rusted sword, swung wildly at it, but the rabbit was already gone, zigzagging around the attack with impossible agility.

Its target wasn't this orc.

It was just distracting it.

Before the orc could adjust, the [Alpha Dire Wolf] lunged.

With a snarl, the wolf's massive jaws clamped down on the orc's arm.

Crunch!

The sound of breaking bone echoed through the arena as the orc howled in pain, dropping its weapon.

The [Frenzied Rabbit] finished the job by slashing its neck.

Karl didn't waste a second as he saw that.

He sprinted forward, movements fluid and precise.

The second orc, the one with the spiked club, tried to intercept him.

But Karl sidestepped effortlessly, closing the distance in a blink.

With a swift, powerful strike, he drove his blade into the orc's chest, piercing straight through its heart.

The orc's eyes widened in shock before the life drained from them.

Its massive body collapsed with a heavy thud.

Two down.

The third orc, wielding the jagged axe, hesitated for just a fraction of a second, enough for the [Frenzied Rabbit] to leap onto its back.

With rapid, brutal strikes, the rabbit tore into the orc's neck, severing its artery.

Blood sprayed in the air as the orc gurgled, trying to claw at the rabbit.

But Karl wouldn't allow that.

"Spirit Flames!"

A burst of white flame shot from his palm, engulfing the orc.

The orc screeched, caught in the blaze, before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

Three down.

Karl stood there, his breathing steady, as the dust settled around him.

The entire trial had lasted less than five seconds.

Ding!

A notification popped up in front of him.

[Trial Complete.]

[Time: 4.73 seconds.]

[Performance: Exceptional.]

Karl allowed himself a small smile.

He unsummoned his spirits, the [Frenzied Rabbit] and [Alpha Dire Wolf] vanishing into thin air as if they had never been there.

Suddenly, Karl's body began to glow, and he was teleported out of the trial arena before he could gather the [Spirit Orbs] that spawned.

"Aw, dang it."

Fwish! Ding!

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

He reappeared in a large area, and other participants began appearing around him as well.

[Out of 71,862 participants, 67,371 managed to pass the first trial.]

[Do you want to proceed or give up now?]

[If you decide to give up, your current results will be taken as is.]

It was expected.

Most people wouldn't give up this early.

Everyone wanted to aim for high rankings to secure a spot in the most prestigious academies.

[Displaying scoreboard...]

[1. Sylas Crowell: 0.4 seconds.]

[2. Darius Blackthorn: 0.78 seconds.]

[3. Eira Stormbane: 1.23 seconds.]

[4. Celeste Frost: 1.39 seconds.]

Karl glanced at the rankings.

He could've scored higher if he had summoned all his spirits, or even just the [Sovereign Wolf].

But that wasn't the point.

[26. Karl Bloodlorne: 4.73 seconds.]

He was still satisfied with his result.

Usually, the top 100 were accepted into [Starlight Academy].

That was all that mattered.

[There will be a short break before the second trial. Use that time however you like.]

Karl didn't need to talk to anyone.

None of his friends were nearby, not that he had any.

Instead, he opened the scoreboard again.

There was an option to watch replays of the top participants.

Curious, he clicked on Celeste's video.

She had fought [Level 16 Orcs] as well, just like everyone else with SS-Rank and SSS-Rank professions.

The moment the battle started, she raised her hand and cast [Mana Missile].

Ten glowing orbs formed around her, crackling with energy.

It took less than a second for them to fully charge.

Then she sent them flying at the charging orcs.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The orcs were instantly obliterated.

That's how she managed to finish so quickly.

'Damn,' Karl thought, 'That's pretty good.'

He leaned back slightly, considering her strategy.

It was clean, efficient, and didn't waste a single moment.

But he wasn't worried.

He still had cards left to play.