5 Practical Test (2)

The String Of Fate

It is said that connects two lovers with each other.

Legend says that the string of fate was a manifestation of the purest form of love. It all started with a young man who went from a commune to a duke in order to receive the hand of the princess.

He went through many hardships and became a national war hero that everyone praised.

However, when proposing to the princess, she tells him that her father, the King had already betrothed her.

Irritated, the young man goes to the King and has a "talk" with him which leads to him being declared as a "Traitor".

With nowhere to go, the young man decided to ally himself with another kingdom, and then he would come back for revenge.

And he arrived just at the best time possible, just when the princess's wedding was happening.

The other kingdom easily wins due to his leadership, but as the princess held her father's lifeless body, she... refused the young man and pierced his heart with a knife.

The young man smiled as he gently held the princess who started sobbing when she realized what she had done.

In the end, upon seeing the young man's lifeless body, she kills herself.

At that single moment, it is said that an Archangel appeared and created the string of fate so they could find each other again even after reincarnating.

However, the question is...

Can you break the string of fate?

That's what Matthew has been wondering since he's been alone with Lilian in the classroom.

He clenched the string around his neck, pouring his energy into trying to snap it, all while Lilian observed him with a slight smirk.

'Purest form of love? Give me a break. This feels more like a slave collar. If it truly was love, the string would be on my wrist at least.' He ground his teeth.

"Matthew, it's useless. You can't break that string, nobody can. After all, it was an Archangel that created it."

Lilian's words only fueled Matthew's frustration.

He tightened his grip on the string, disregarding the fact that it was making him bleed. Breaking it became his sole focus, no matter the cost.

"Purest form of love, my ass." He muttered angrily.

"More like a cursed chain, tying me down. If this is love, then love is messed up. Why's it gotta be on my neck, huh? It should be placed on the wrist, like normal."

His grip tightened, blood staining his fingers, but he didn't care.

However, something peculiar was happening — the string started to change its color, a slow transformation from its previous state.

As the string shifted, Lilian began to mock him. "Oh, struggling, are we? Love isn't always easy, dear Matthew."

He ignored her taunts, focusing on the changing string. It was turning darker which was quite weird.

Lilian, still wearing a smirk, leaned in. "You can't escape fate, Matthew. There's a reason this string connected us."

However, as Matthew heard Lilian's words, he suddenly had something struck his brain.

"I can't escape... fate?" Matthew bluntly said.

Lilian, tilting her head, chuckled. "Of course, you can't! Your destiny, fate, is already written. And you simply can't escape it."

'Fate...huh.'

Suddenly, a strange blood-red aura started leaking out of Matthew's body.

The air grew thick with an unexplainable tension. Lilian's smirk faded into confusion as she watched the unexpected turn of events.

The string, responding to Matthew's aura, took on an even darker, almost foreboding color.

At that moment, from Matthew's deep dark eyes, a faint scarlet smoke could be seen leaking out of them.

He looked directly into Lilian's bewildered eyes, his plans to be her disciple or someone closer to her had already dissipated.

"Hah... Purest Form Of Love? How About The Purest Form Of Hate!?" Matthew sneered.

With those words, the string transformed completely, turning as black as the deep abyss.

Lilian's body shivered as the string slowly faded away from Matthew's neck, leaving only a black thread on her wrist.

She bit her lip, trying to avoid glancing at her own wrist. Despite her efforts, her eyes involuntarily shifted, and her body froze.

Trembling, her gaze fixed on her wrist.

What she witnessed was a black string, solitary and disconnected from anyone.

All alone.

Her eyesight blurred as she saw the back of Matthew leaving the classroom, she stretched out her hand trying to reach out to him, but she only saw that same black string that wasn't connected to Matthew anymore.

"Why...?"

.

.

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2 PM. Practical Field.

"Every team will wait at the ends of the training field, and once the game starts, whoever takes the most flags until the three-day limit wins."

The professor pointed at the huge training field that stretched for kilometers.

"Only the training equipment provided by the academy can be used, and there are no special restrictions on the use of your skills or traits."

"However, it is forbidden to inflict fatal injuries on opponents. If that happens, the student will be disqualified immediately based on the judgment of the school authority. So bear that in mind."

"Also, don't worry about your injuries. We have Eve, one of the best healers in the world here."

At that single moment, every student looked at Eve, she had the aura of a mature woman who seemed to be in her late twenties.

As her lips curved into a smile, the male students seemed to have their hearts pierced with love arrows.

"Kids, don't get hurt, okay? I really would like to relax a bit."

"Don't worry, Miss Eve!" 

Like a music requiem, the male students instinctively said out of loud.

"Also, during the first day, each student will be protected with safety magic, so you'll be immediately transported away if you receive a fatal hit."

"Now, every team and their respective leader. Get your own flag." The professor exclaimed.

On that instant, each team went and got their own flag, all the leaders that held the flag had a high authority in the kingdom.

However, one student stood out.

"Student Matthew... It seems that you don't have a team?" The professor asked.

Matthew nodded his head, "Yeah, every single team also has 15 members. So, I kinda don't have a team to go." He smiled faintly.

Upon seeing Matthew's smile, the professor also smiled, his eyes shone with interest as he inquired.

"Then, what do you suggest?"

"A separate team, just for me alone," Matthew replied, his tone was serious and it seemed that it was the only suggestion he wanted to accept.

The professor sighed in response, he had heard about Matthew's personality.

"You know, this is supposed to be a practical test that is focused on teamwork, yet, you want to be alone?"

"Teamwork?" Matthew chuckled. "Professor, as someone that already went to the battlefields, surely you can agree with me."

"Teamwork isn't needed when there's a power that can simply destroy it. Besides..." Matthew looked at the other students.

"There isn't anyone here that is suitable to be on a team with me."

"Huh!? What do you mean by that!?" Kennard took a few steps forward, glaring at Matthew.

The professor seemed to want to intervene, but as he watched Matthew's calm demeanor, he simply stood watching.

"I mean... can any of you accompany me? Even the Crown Prince, who has the highest physique couldn't compare with me. On our duel, he didn't even see me getting behind him." Matthew remarked.

Leon frowned at his words, but he really couldn't deny it. The moment Matthew activated his Mana, he really couldn't see his movements.

"Besides, Kennard. Didn't I teach you a lesson before?" Matthew's voice turned extremely cold.

A blood-red aura seeped from Matthew's body, as a crimson gleam flickered in his dark eyes.

"Or, do you want to experience to feeling of kissing the ground again?" 

Strangely, upon hearing Matthew's words, Kennard seemed to have lost the strength of his legs and tumbled to the ground.

Matthew approached him, but before he could say or do anything, Stacy positioned herself between him and Kennard.

"M-Matthew, there's no need for more trouble. Let's not make trouble, okay? Besides, the professors are here, you don't want to be prohibited from going to classes again, do you?"

Stacy pleaded, her hands outstretched to keep Matthew at bay.

However, as Matthew was about to argue with Stacy, the professor's voice reached out to his ears.

"Don't make trouble. The practical test is about to begin."

"Tsk."

Matthew clicked his tongue, and in an instant, the blood-red aura that leaked out of his body disappeared.

He walked towards the professor and stretched out his hand.

The professor only sighed in response and then a flag with number '17' appeared on Matthew's hand.

"Attention everyone!" The professor exclaimed.

He snapped his finger and suddenly a huge arsenal of weapons appeared in the student's view.

"Choose your weapons." He declared.

The students made their way towards the arsenal and each one, respectively chose their weapon.

However, Matthew silently looked at the arsenal.

The students expected him to choose a sword since he had defeated Leon, but he seemed to be thinking about what to choose.

'Ah, found it.' Matthew grinned.

In Matthew's hands, a small handgun and a sword could be seen.

The student's eyes widened as they thought about why Matthew would have a gun as a secondary weapon.

After all, the bullet of a gun cannot pierce through a Mana Shield or something like that.

But, what bothered him the most was Matthew's smile. It was like a child looking at his favorite toy.

"Did everyone choose their own weapon?" The professor asked.

"Yes!"

"Then, may the practical test begin!"