Though Nick hailed from a prestigious family and possessed commendable equipment, the equipment prepared for him by his family consisted of only one type of weapon.
Stumbling upon a battle axe with such unique effects, Nick would undoubtedly not pass it up.
Switching between two weapons depending on the enemy could elevate his combat prowess significantly.
Howard was well aware of this and immediately remarked with a smile, “Nick, it’s yours!”
“Thanks, boss!” Nick couldn’t hide his delight, swiftly picking up the axe and swinging it a couple of times. “What a shame. I need to be at LV20 to wield this. Leveling up is such a drag. Even with my family’s help, I’ve only managed to barely reach LV15 in half a month. I still need five more levels.”
Hearing this, Mike quipped, “You’re doing fine. I’m an assassin, and leveling up is even tougher for me. I’m only at LV13 now. Boss, what’s your current level?”
“Don’t worry. Maybe after this assessment, you both could hit LV20!” Howard replied with a subtle grin, skillfully sidestepping Mike’s question.
Still, his statement made both Nick and Mike’s eyes widen in disbelief.
For an ordinary person, achieving this in just five days would be unimaginable.
But with Howard’s numerous SS-level skills and the capability to draw in and annihilate a large number of monsters at once, leveling up wasn’t a daunting task.
Moreover, Nick and Mike had obtained the Experience Amplifier Pill, which accelerates experience gain.
Though they had fewer pills than Howard, it still made a difference.
Otherwise, why would students from top academies level up faster than the rest?
Nick and Mike exchanged a knowing glance, simultaneously chuckling, “We always trust what the boss says. So, what’s our next move?”
“What else can we do but keep going?” Howard grinned, “Having encountered one Kobold squad, there are bound to be more ahead. Let’s aim to take down every last Kobold we find!”
As he spoke, Howard glanced at the bamboo tablet. The number prominently displayed caught his eye — 26.
Howard began, “We’ve taken down six regular Kobolds and one Kobold Captain, netting us 26 points in total. This means a regular Kobold is worth 1 point, while a Kobold Captain is worth 20 points! Let’s see if we can find higher-tiered Kobolds. The more points we accumulate, the greater the benefits we’ll reap back at the academy!”
“Sounds good!” On hearing this, Nick and Mike nodded in agreement.
Soon after, Mike cloaked himself into invisibility, venturing forth to scout the terrain ahead.
Meanwhile, Howard, Abby, and Nick regrouped to recuperate, awaiting Mike’s return.
Knowing oneself and the enemy is the key to invincibility in battle.
Rather than advancing recklessly, it’s wiser to await specific intel from Mike before engaging in combat.
In a fleeting moment, Mike returned, his face flush with excitement, “Boss, you were right. There’s a Kobold squad every short distance ahead. However, the weapons held by the Kobold Captains vary — there are axes, broadswords, and wands. I suppose their roles differ. Shall we proceed with our usual strategy?”
“Of course! Lead the way!” Howard commanded with a flourish. The quartet immediately followed Mike towards the monsters’ gathering point.
The Kobolds were stationed quite a distance away, about 200 yards or so.
As long as they didn’t unleash any SS-level skills, they wouldn’t inadvertently alert other monsters.
Thus, Howard and his team didn’t fret and simply employed their typical tactic, singling out the Kobolds to eliminate them.
This was when the Frost Arrow Spell truly showcased its might.
Once encased in ice, the ordinary Kobolds stood no chance of resistance. They were either cleaved through the frost or shattered by the flaming arrows.
And the Kobold Captain?
Mike would approach and cast the Toxicity skill.
Once the Kobold Captain was affected by the negative BUFF, Howard would immediately deploy crowd control skills.
Gravity Spell and Frost Arrow were unleashed in succession, either immobilizing it with overwhelming force or freezing it in place.
Abby, Nick, and Mike chipped in with their offensive prowess. In no time, the Kobolds were strewn before the quartet, defeated.
Various weapons also burst forth from the fallen foes.
As Howard and his party ventured deeper, the configuration of the Kobold squads began to change.
From the initial six ordinary Kobolds and one Kobold Captain, it had now morphed into five Kobold Captains, accompanied by a Kobold Priest!
Fortunately, as the monsters grew stronger, their dispersion also increased.
As long as Howard and his team didn’t recklessly provoke the creatures, they would avoid being surrounded and ambushed.
The attributes of various Kobold Captains from different professions varied, but they did not become more formidable.
On the contrary, those of the magus class or archer class, though boasting higher attack power, had reduced defense value and HP, making them even more vulnerable.
Once Howard’s group managed to close the distance, their HP drained rapidly.
So much so, that before they could even unleash a single skill, their HP was depleted, dropping their spoils of war.
Their demise was far more ignominious compared to the melee Kobold Captains!
Those melee Kobold Captains, with their rugged builds, could muster a few strikes, posing some threat to Howard and his comrades.
Time flowed steadily on.
With each Kobold Captain that fell, the points on Howard and his team’s bamboo tablet surged dramatically.
While these points didn’t necessarily equate to spoils of war, they could be exchanged for substantial rewards after the assessment.
Watching their points climb, Howard and his team couldn’t help but revel in delight.
However, they were, after all, on the outskirts of the Valley of Fierce Winds, where higher-level monsters weren’t expected.
After clearing out the Kobold Captains, they found no monsters ahead, but rather stumbled upon another group of students also participating in the assessment.
This group comprised six members, their classes meticulously arranged: a shield bearer clutching a shield and a one-handed sword, a warrior brandishing an axe, an archer, a magus, an assassin, and a priest.
This was the archetypical team class combination, complete with a tank, ranged and melee damage dealers, both magical and physical outputs, a scouting assassin, and a dedicated healer in the form of the priest.
From this, it was evident that these six individuals either had influential connections or were exceptionally astute.
Otherwise, they couldn’t have formed such a cohesive team in such a short period.
It’s worth noting that the team selection before this assessment was a tactical maneuver orchestrated by the mentors, allowing only a few fleeting seconds for choices to be made!
Suddenly spotting Howard and his team, the group of six appeared momentarily startled.
They then shifted their gaze to the fallen bodies of the Kobold Captains on the ground, their expressions subtly darkening.
“Did you all wipe out the monsters up ahead?” The warrior among them couldn’t help but inquire.
In response, Nick flashed a cheeky grin, “Indeed, you’re a bit late to the party.”
At his words, the six of them looked utterly astonished, their eyes darting between Howard and his comrades, filled with disbelief.
After a momentary pause, the young archer stepped forward, querying, “Does anyone among you possess an awakened S-level talent?”
Mike chuckled, replying, “What about you? Do you?”
Having battled here for so long, this was Howard and his team’s first encounter with fellow students.
This encounter hinted at the possibility that these students were exceptional in strength, and there might very well be someone among them with an awakened S-level talent.
Hearing Mike’s response, the group of six exchanged glances.
Then, one of them remarked, “Seeing as you’ve already cleared this area, we won’t linger. Let’s keep our paths separate. Farewell.”
With that, the six swiftly turned on their heels, heading deeper into the territory.
A sense of urgency had gripped them.
To secure the top rank in this assessment, perhaps merely hunting the perimeter monsters wouldn’t suffice!
“What the? Leaving just like that? How rude!” Watching the retreating figures of the six, Mike couldn’t help but comment, “They must be some of those other individuals with awakened S-level talents. Can’t believe they’ve formed a team too!”
“It’s not certain,” Howard interjected, shaking his head. “Among them, the archer seemed to take the lead. They might not all possess S-level Talent Awakening.”
Stroking his chin and with a discerning gaze fixed on the group’s fading silhouettes, a thought occurred to Howard.
Recalling mentor Jack’s words, an idea began to take shape in his mind.
So far, they needed to defeat monsters to boost their points on the bamboo tablet.
However, the mentor never mentioned that these points couldn’t be transferred!
Additionally, by the end of the assessment, they would be judged based on the materials they collected, attributing extra points.
Why not, then, rob other students of their points and materials? 𝑖𝘦.𝑐𝘰𝘮
That way, regardless of how many points they had individually garnered, wouldn’t they confidently secure the top spot?
After all, they would have appropriated everyone else’s points!
Yet, at that moment, Howard didn’t act on his impulse. Even with a plan in mind, he continued to lead Abby and the rest deeper into the Valley of Fierce Winds.
The students had only just entered the valley and hadn’t accumulated many points.
Robbing them now would be prematurely revealing their intentions.
Why not wait a couple more days, allowing their resources to grow, and then seize everything in one sweeping move? It’d be perfect!
The unsuspecting students were unaware that in Howard’s mind, they had already become prey.
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