"Could you help me hunt two more mid-level Soul Eithers?"
Miwa turned back with a look of utter boredom and gave me a mercilessly blunt answer.
"Nope."
"The Soul Order exam starts in an hour. I have to get going."
"W-What!!" My eyes went wide with shock. One hour! That's all the time I had left?!
"Hmm? Don't tell me you're taking the exam too?" She looked me up and down with that same teasing glint in her eyes. "Running into some trouble? Still need two more mid-levels, right?"
"Well... good luck with that. Hehe."
And then she turned her back, waved a dismissive goodbye, and walked away, leaving me standing there completely stunned.
"W-Wait..."
I felt utterly hopeless. My limbs were trembling. One hour... and two more mid-level Soul Eithers... it was impossible!
What if all the ones out here were high-level like the last one? Just thinking about it felt like I was already dead.
Or maybe... I have to lure the mid-level ones into the barrier, then finish them off when they're weaker?
I was starting to get a rough idea of how to tell the Soul Eithers apart... High-levels had special powers and could talk. As for mid-levels... I'd never actually seen one, but I guessed they were probably just upgraded versions of the low-level ones...
That would be great if it were true... but if I go out there and run into another high-level... I'll definitely die a pathetic death out here.
I gripped "Divine Moon" tightly, gritting my teeth until my jaw ached. There was no more time to think. The Soul Order exam was starting in an hour, and that girl wasn't going to help me at all.
She probably only needed one more white crystal herself, so she helped me finish it off and we split the prize... Damn it!
I have to fight... the only way left is to fight!
My mind was made up. I turned around and walked out of Stone City's sacred territory once again.
Before crossing the barrier, I looked down at the white crystal in my hand... I had one from splitting it with Miwa... so... I just need two more white crystals. That means two more mid-level or higher Soul Eithers... in one hour!
BOOM!!
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from my left! And to my left was the small village I'd seen in the distance. Without a second thought, I broke into a sprint and dashed towards it!
SCREEEEEECH!!
The roar of a Soul Either rang out again, but this time it was so high-pitched and piercing I had to cover my ears! Too bad... I only have one hand!
The roar ended, but my ears were still ringing. A question popped into my head.
"What the hell was that?"
But I had to shake off the fear and keep running. The village wasn't far. It didn't take long for me to arrive.
But the sight before me made me stop dead in my tracks... A massive Soul Either had been torn to pieces, its parts scattered everywhere, no longer recognizable.
And the one who did it was a man with green hair, holding a Soul Staff exactly like Kylo's!
A large, light-green energy dome surrounded him, protecting the terrified villagers. The Soul Either that had been rampaging inside the dome was now just a pile of shredded parts.
And then I caught a glimpse of the symbol on his cloak... A member of the Soul Order, no doubt about it!
"Incredible..." I breathed out. His power was just on another level.
Then his energy dome dissipated, leaving behind the Soul Either's parts, which hadn't dissolved yet... probably because he hadn't destroyed its weak spot. And it was starting to regenerate!
What are you doing!? Finish it off! I wanted to scream.
But then... he raised his Soul Staff again and pointed it at the remains. Its body was chopped into even smaller pieces before finally dissolving into dust.
"Wait!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, but my voice didn't reach him... the man had vanished in the blink of an eye.
But I rushed to the spot where the Soul Either had been, and yes... there was a white crystal lying on the ground!
That guy probably didn't need it... I'm just... taking an opportunity.
And so... only one left! I gripped my sword tightly, feeling a spark of hope ignite within me again! I only need to hunt one more!
I immediately ran out of the village, leaving the confused villagers behind. That wasn't my duty... my duty right now... was to get to the Soul Order exam on time