Chapter 97: Victorious
The steel wire attached to the black kunai snapped taut.
Candidate Number Two cried out as the massive force yanked him several steps sideways, breaking the formation around Lia. At that exact moment, a dark figure burst out from the forest. It was Leo. He tore across the open field in a blur. As he cleared the trees, his right hand flicked three times. Three throwing knives hissed through the air, streaking toward the remaining candidates from different angles.
"Scatter!"
Not one of them dared to block the incoming blades. They had all witnessed his terrifying strength over the past few years, knowing any delay could cost them their lives. At the same time, the three men leaped in different directions. One rolled to the left, another sprang backward, and the third dove to the right. Their careful encirclement fell apart in a heartbeat.
The third candidate barely landed from his dodge when his instincts flared. He snapped his head up. Lia was already there, having predicted exactly where he would go. Her dagger flashed, slicing cleanly across his throat. His eyes widened in shock. Blood sprayed into the air as his body collapsed onto the grass without making another sound.
By the time the corpse hit the ground, Leo had reached Lia. He stepped in front of her, shielding her with his own body. Without turning around, he asked, "Are you alright?"
Lia stared at his broad back. The fear and tension weighing on her heart melted away. A relieved smile appeared on her face.
"I’m okay."
"It wasn’t a big deal."
Leo gave a small nod. "Good." "You did well." "Shouting gave away your location." "It helped me find you."
Only then did he raise his eyes toward the remaining enemies. Candidate Number Two clutched the shoulder pierced by the kunai, blood dripping between his fingers. The other two stood several meters apart, wearing grim expressions.
Leo slowly rotated his wrist. "Two healthy opponents..." "...and one cripple." A faint smile appeared beneath his mask. "Victory is already in sight." Without looking away from the enemies, he spoke quietly. "Stay alert."
Lia nodded. "I will."
A moment later, Leo dashed forward, a blur as he shot toward Candidate Number Ten. His hidden blade crashed against the man’s sword with enough force to make the candidate’s entire arm tremble. Before the man could recover, another candidate rushed toward Leo’s blind side.
"I’ve got him!"
His sword thrust toward Leo’s exposed back. Before the strike could land, a throwing knife cut through the air. The blade buried itself deep inside the man’s knee.
"ARGH!"
His leg gave way, and the attack faltered. Leo never glanced backward. As if anticipating Lia’s support, he smoothly pivoted with the momentum of his previous strike. The hidden blade swept across the man’s neck, sending another lifeless body to the grass.
The remaining two candidates stepped backward as a chill crept into their hearts. Their teamwork was flawless. Neither needed to communicate or use signals. One created opportunities, and the other seized them without missing a beat. It was as though they shared the same mind.
Candidate Number Two shouted, "Split them apart!"
The two men charged from opposite directions. One rushed toward Leo, while the injured Candidate Number Two dashed toward Lia despite the wound in his shoulder. Seeing him approach, Lia calmly retreated two steps, sliding her right hand into her sleeve. Three throwing knives appeared between her fingers. She flicked her wrist, sending the knives toward his face, chest, and thigh all at once.
The man desperately swung his sword, deflecting two of them. The third blade sliced across his thigh. Even though the poison no longer affected him, the wound slowed his movements. Lia closed the distance. Her twin daggers danced through the air like silver butterflies as the man barely managed to block. Sparks flew with every collision.
Meanwhile, Leo overwhelmed his own opponent. Every strike grew faster than the last, forcing the masked candidate to retreat again and again.
"No..." "No..."
He tried in vain to defend himself. Leo dropped his body low and slammed his shoulder into the man’s chest. The impact threw the candidate off balance. Before he could recover, Leo thrust his hidden blade upward, piercing straight through his throat. The candidate’s body froze, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Leo withdrew the blade, letting the corpse collapse.
Without wasting a second, Leo pivoted toward Lia. Candidate Number Two noticed him first, fear filling his face.
"Damn it!"
He abandoned Lia and turned to flee. But he had already lost his chance. Lia narrowed her eyes and hurled a throwing knife, striking the back of his calf.
"ARGH!"
His injured leg buckled, sending him crashing face-first onto the grass. Before he could crawl away, a shadow appeared above him. Leo looked down silently. The terrified man threw up both hands.
"W-Wait!" "I surrender!" "You already won!" "I can help—"
Leo remained expressionless. "Unfortunately..." "...this examination doesn’t allow surrender."
His hidden blade descended. Everything became quiet.
The wind gently swept across the open field. Five corpses lay scattered across the bloodstained grass. Leo slowly exhaled and wiped the blood from his blade. Lia cleaned her daggers, returning them to their hidden sheaths. The two quietly looked at each other. At the same time, they smiled. The smiles weren’t filled with pride, only relief. They had survived. After eight years of endless suffering, the final examination was finally over.
Lia let out a long breath and laughed softly. "We did it."
Leo nodded. "Yeah." "We’re finally graduates."
For the first time in years, both siblings allowed themselves to relax.
Just then, the wristwatch on Leo’s arm flashed to life with a beep. Lia’s watch did the same. A familiar mechanical voice echoed from both devices.
"Congratulations." "Candidate Number One." "Candidate Number Seven." "You have successfully completed the examination."
Lia couldn’t help smiling wider. "I knew it." "We passed."
Before either of them could celebrate, the mechanical voice continued. "However..."
Both of their smiles slowly faded. A brief silence followed before the emotionless voice spoke again.
"The examination..." "...has not yet concluded."
Leo’s eyes narrowed, and Lia’s expression stiffened. The voice continued without the slightest emotion.
"You have now qualified..." "...to participate in the final task."
The forest grew much colder. Leo slowly tightened his grip around the blade in his hand. He had a feeling that whatever came next would be the true purpose behind this examination.