The kind of Test that will kill you.
Bam-
Bam-
Bam-
Repetitive and quick thrusts of Zephyr's spear made holes in the wall.
Mark, on the other hand, could only move sideways.
He desperately tried to find an opening that would allow him to move away from the wall behind him, but Zephyr did not allow that.
Mark's vision, focused on the incoming spear, barely allowed him to dodge.
The "Berserker[SSS]" Skill shouted its wish for retaliation, but there really was no opportunity.
With his reach advantage now even more obvious, Zephyr stayed a good distance away while thrusting the spiraling spear in his left hand.
It took a dozen more thrusts before Mark decided to do something different.
Instead of dodging on the outside like he was used to, he dodged to the inside-
BAM-
An unexpected right hook sent him flying.
Crack-
Crack-
Crack-
Mark's launched body rolled on the ground.
Cough-
A drop of blood went down his face.
"Weapons are..."
He stood back up, seemingly struggling.
"Pretty cool."
A disgusted expression was hidden by Zephyr's helmet.
The Monster smiled widely.
Its first time fighting an enemy with such an overwhelming reach advantage.
Its first time fighting an enemy this strong and intelligent.
Its first time fighting an enemy it could talk to.
"What are you waiting for?" Zephyr asked, his spear held in his left hand.
Mark thought holding the Weapon with both hands to be the next difficulty for the Test.
He shook his head.
"Focus... Focus... Gotta stay focused..." Mark whispered.
"Speak clearly."
Embarrassment immediately filled him, but he clenched his fists.
"Mm." Zephyr nodded. "Do it quickly."
"You could tell?" Mark asked as he opened his left hand.
On it, lay a crushed head.
The eyeless hawk, brought to him by his Magic Skill "Bone Manipulation".
Upon coming into contact with Mark's hand, it turned into a sphere of energy.
A green sphere.
And the disgust that filled Zephyr grew.
Mark swallowed the orb.
And a peaceful smile appeared on his face.
The sphere felt entirely different from the previous one.
Light.
Refreshing.
Delish-
Zephyr suddenly ran forward.
He pulled his spear back.
Mark jumped backwards and upwards, forcing Zephyr to thrust to be upwards.
The Weapon's blade missed by a tiny distance.
Had the Monster gotten lucky, or had it gotten used to the spear's dimensions already?
As soon as the Weapon was fully thrust, Mark spread his wings.
Zephyr's disgust turned into repulsion.
Wind Blast-
A version of the Magic Skill, while not as strong as the Guardian's, much stronger than his used to be.
Zephyr raised his right hand towards the powerful gust of wind approaching.
Meanwhile, Mark's own Magic Skill had launched him backward.
About twelve meters above the floor, he took hold of the wall with his left hand and foot.
"Barely pushed him back... What to do...? Even if I reach him, that Armor..." Mark whispered.
Having spoken his first words in a new World minutes earlier, the separation between thinking and talking seemed blurry.
A Test that will kill you if you let your guard down-
A Test that will kill you if you're careless-
Mark rather liked the sound of that.
It still didn't sound like a battle to the death.
No.
It sounded like a Challenge.
And Mark loved Challenges.
Sigh-
In front of Zephyr, a smiling Monster hung from the wall.
'He's taking this like a fight. Mm... I must have done a bad job explaining things. Now that the damage is done, I'll just have to...'
Zephyr pulled his spear back
'Break him.'
At the thought, Zephyr's spear was already less than a dozen inches away from Mark's eyes.
BAM-
"Did he just-"
Before Mark could finish his thought, Zephyr's fists slammed him onto the ground below.
CRACK-
As soon as he could, Mark pushed himself off the ground.
The spear, thrown once more, drew a long wound on the Monster's side.
Zephyr landed on the ground, by Mark's uninjured side.
The latter trembled.
A sudden leg kick launched the Monster away.
Its body hit the ground at the center of the Boss Room.
All excitement and joy had rapidly left Mark's mind, just as Zephyr wanted.
He took hold of his spear and took slow steps closer.
Despite not feeling pain, the Monster's body trembled.
Despite not feeling pain, the Monster threw up blood.
'Focus... Focus...' Mark reminded himself internally as blood left his mouth.
The sound of Armor hitting the ground resonated.
Mark's body shivered.
A short exchange had changed everything.
With overwhelming speed and power, Zephyr had seemingly accomplished his goal.
'Now... Which should we go for first...' He thought as he approached.
There was barely a hint of hostility or malice.
But from the usually stoic and detached Zephyr, that hint was nothing to scoff at.
"You're a Monster, aren't you?" He asked.
The Monster didn't answer.
"Then it's time for you to start fighting like one."
Unable to focus, unable to react in time.
A leg kick launched the Monster's body to the wall once more.
And it hurt.
"Come on."
As soon as the Monster pushed itself off the ground, a punch launched it to another side of the Boss Room.
"Show me how Monsters fight."
Kick-
It hurt.
Punch-
It hurt.
Zephyr took hold of the Monster's arm, and after spinning its body around, launched it to the ceiling.
"Show me."
The Monster was embedded in the ceiling.
And it hurt.
But it didn't scream.
It didn't shout.
It didn't cry.
In the face of pain, the Monster roared.
Like any Monster would.
Despite being capable of speech, it roared.
With its body embedded in the ceiling, it roared.
A slight smile appeared on Zephyr's hidden face.
A hint of malice.
Zephyr grabbed his spear with both hands.
Floating words appeared in front of him.
[Your Title "Monster Hunter" stares at the monstrous prey!]
[Your Title "Monster Hunter" increases...]
He was momentarily surprised by the messages.
'No. There's no need.'
[Your Title "Monster Hunter" rolls its eyes.]
The slight smile on Zephyr's face had disappeared.
'Seems I was getting ahead of myself...'
The "Monster Hunter" Title waking up only meant one thing.
That the "Monster Hunter" was preparing for a Hunt.
But right now, Zephyr didn't stand in front of the Monster as a Hunter.
No.
"Let's carry on with your Test."
