An Hour Earlier...
"So, gather as many points as you can, huh?"
Ran mused, reevaluating the situation after the announcement was over. He unsheathed his sword and began scanning the area for monsters.
He quickly encountered some goblins along the way, but they were little more than minor distractions, nothing worth his time. What he really wanted was bigger prey.
'Killing a sand worm might suffice.'
After cutting through a few hobgoblins, Ran finally came across a Goblin King. It was much larger than the usual goblins and hobgoblins, but to Ran, it was far from a challenge.
Without hesitation, he severed its neck in a single, smooth motion, and moved on without giving the goblin king any chance to attack. Unknowingly, a grin spread across his face, an expression that he didn't even realize had formed.
As he continued his search for more monsters, he encountered a group of five examinees. They had probably teamed up temporarily. Judging by their plain clothes and simple appearances, they seemed to be commoners.
'What a merry little band you've got here.'
Ran thought as he walked toward them, unsheathing his sword. When they noticed him approaching, one of the group stepped forward.
"Hey, I think we should team up."
He suggested offering a hand.
Ran didn't answer. With a small grin, he continued walking toward them. They grew uneasy, and instinctively, they took their fighting stances, sensing the malice radiating from him.
"I-I don't think we should fight... Come on, l-let's team up."
Still, Ran said nothing. His grin only widened, and without warning, he dashed toward them.
'Bloodrune Sword Technique, 2nd Form: Shadow Rush.'
In an instant, three of them were dead, their bodies falling to the ground in a heap. Ran followed up with a swift Crescent Slash, taking out another one. Now, only one remained, trembling with fear.
Ran approached him slowly, his expression one of dark satisfaction.
'What is this feeling? It feels so good...'
He thought, feeling an unexpected thrill course through him. His heart raced with excitement, and bloodlust consumed him more and more. His inner wrath was starting to take control.
But he remained just sane enough to speak.
"Teaming up such an important exam... You're a fool."
With a twisted grin, he decapitated the last remaining examinee. He was the one who had offered to team up. That person would never forget this day. After all, it was the day he met the devil.
Ran moved on, seeking more goblins and examinees to kill. He had likely accumulated a substantial amount of points by now.
"Five Goblin Kings, 43 hobgoblins, 91 goblins, and 14 examinees. Still no ghouls, though."
He muttered to himself after cutting down another massive horde of goblins and two Goblin Kings. His bloody face remained expressionless. To be honest, he was enjoying himself.
His mana drain had been so severe that killing a normal goblin had once taken a great deal of effort.
Now, thanks to his years of training, boosted by the strange mana the Archdemon had given him, he had become far stronger than before.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the small, hollow room in the dungeon. Someone was approaching. Ran turned toward the sound.
A pale young man appeared, wearing a bark-brown tunic with a leather vest that doubled as both armor and clothing.
He was a commoner. His black hair was unkempt, and his lips were cracked and dry. His sharp black eyes regarded Ran with quiet curiosity.
Ran took a firm stance, drawing his sword, sensing that this would be a real challenge.
"Interesting. So you're the one whose aura is so... sickeningly dense."
The man said with a blank expression.
"Well, it's time I gather some points."
He pulled out a spear and charged at Ran with breathtaking speed. Ran leapt to avoid the attack, but as he landed, he aimed his sword at the man, launching a counterattack.
The man was quick, though, and dodged just in time.
BOOM!!
"You're stronger than I thought."
The man said, as he unleashed a barrage of spears than rained toward Ran. There were too many to dodge, and Ran's defensive skills were limited, so he had no choice but to parry.
CLANG CLANG CLANG...
He blocked most of the spears, but just as the barrage ended, the man lunged at him with incredible speed.
Ran barely managed to dodge, but a small scratch on his forehead caused blood to drip down his face.
The man paused, eyes wide.
"What the hell...?"
He seemed to be assessing the situation, surprised by the dark blood flowing from Ran's wound. Ran on the other hand, glared at him in fury, his anger burning.
'Bloodrune Sword Technique, 2nd Form: Shadow Rush... Tenfold.'
With godlike speed, he rushed toward the man.
'Shit!'
The man panicked, trying to parry Ran's assault. Though he managed to block part of the attack, he wasn't able to stop the full force.
He lost a finger in the process, and he clutched it, trying to staunch the bleeding. He staggered backward, retreating as Ran closed in.
The man lunged at him again, using his spear to slash with all his might. Blood sprayed from Ran's body as the attack connected, but the damage was superficial. The man's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Ran's blood.
'What is he... a monster?'
The man leaped back, glancing at Ran before retreating. Ran, however, was far from calm. Not because he was dying but because of this uncontrollable rage boiling inside him. This bloodlust... it was overwhelming.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't calm down. He wanted to kill him very badly. With a murderous rage, he wandered through the dungeon, lost in his fury.
Present Time...
The sound of sword clashing rang out fiercely, and the red crimson aura of Ran's blade spread across the area like wildfire. The shockwaves from each impact shook the dungeon.
Mana barely managed to block the attack with her water shield.
"Fire Magic: Incinerate!"
Hana chanted and several glyphs surrounded Ran, and raging fire erupted through them. The flames were so intense that they could have roasted a chicken in seconds.
BOOM!!!
The entire dungeons shook due to the massive shockwave. The fire was so intense that one could mistake it for a bomb. When dust was cleared Ran came in view.
His clothes were tattered and his hair was burned but he remained unaffected. His only thought was to kill, his bloodlust intensifying with every passing moment.
As the flames reached him, he charged toward Hana, slashing at her with his sword. She dodged, using water magic to strike back. The attack hit him cleanly, and he was sent crashing into the dungeon walls.
But that wasn't the end of it.
Mana focused her mana and formed a sharp sword purely from water. She lunged at him, but Ran was faster. He dodged her attack, grabbed her by the face, and with a maniacal grin, threw her across the dungeon, smashing her into the far wall.
"Mana!!"
Hana cried out in concern for her sister. That moment of distraction was her fatal mistake. In a split second, Ran was in front of her, plunging his sword into her chest. She gasped in pain, but it was too late. She died instantly.
With slow, measured steps, Ran approached Mana, who lay motionless, her body slumped against the wall. She lost the will to fight after her sister lost. So she closed her eyes bracing for the inevitable.
And then, without hesitation, he finished her off.
With both sisters of the Salieri family dead, the entire stadium turned silent.