Group of Monsters

Three days have passed since the exam began...

Lucas hasn't encountered any harrowing creatures like the three spiders in the beginning. 

Most were just D or C rank creatures, which were pretty mild compared to the three spiders. 

They weren't as grotesque or revolting as them, so he easily breezed past them.

Currently, he was sitting on the edge of a broken building on the top floor as he gazed down at the ruined city.

His feet were dangling in the open air as the wind brushed past his face, making his white hair flutter, creating quite a scene that would get pictured and become trending online later on.

"I wonder where those three calamities are..."

He had been trying to find them, yet he wasn't so lucky with his search no matter how hard he tried. He had a theory that one of the three calamities was a spider like the ones he fought at the beginning, since he had found quite a few spiders but not like the ones at the start.

"Hmm? Is that..."

As he was enjoying his peace, he suddenly saw a group of people together on one of the broken streets.

This wasn't his first time seeing other people; he had met a few, but none were worth caring about since they were quite pathetic in his eyes...

But this group was different... Sylviette was in that group.

Her silver hair was fluttering in the air as her beautiful eyes were silently gazing like calm water at the group.

The black combat suit that she was wearing, like everyone else inside this virtual world, really suited her as it showed off her perfect figure.

She was like a contrast as she stood in the middle of this ruined city filled with monsters.

Narrowing his eyes, he could not only see Sylviette there but also a boy with blonde hair and golden eyes. His entire aura was that of a cheerful person as if everything was going to be alright.

"So that is Klaus, huh, the second hero..." Lucas mumbled as he gazed at the boy who was said to surpass even Sylv in talent.

Checking out the rest, he could see a bunch of random nobodies that didn't impress him at all except for two others.

One was a boy with fiery red hair and blazing red eyes. If Lucas recalled correctly, that should be Leonne Velheim.

And the other was another beautiful girl who was only slightly inferior to Sylviette. Only slightly. She had beautiful blonde wheat hair and sky-blue eyes. Amaya Frostheart.

Both of them were champions of the current generation like Klaus and Sylviette.

That made four people out of the nineteen in the group being among the top of the current generation.

"Heh."

"How about I finally have some fun in this annoying world?"

Lucas said as he was starting to get bored constantly searching for the three calamities.

Red lightning started surrounding his body, and he suddenly disappeared, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind.

*****

Bored

Sylviette was feeling extremely bored.

Three days had passed since the exam began.

On the first day of arriving in this apocalyptic city, she was all alone and hadn't found anyone.

Only on the second day did she find a group of a few elves and humans who were being attacked by a herd of huge rats.

She was planning to leave them be, but one of the elves spotted her and called out for help.

Having no choice, she decided to save them since she couldn't ruin her princess facade after all...

Since then, they decided to stick close to her in hopes of passing the exams while staying under her shadow.

On the third and current day, she found another group that was being led by the second hero of humanity or something...

That was a few hours ago, and now they were out in the open trying to come up with a strategy to find and face the three great calamities.

At least that is what the others were doing as she didn't bother with all that since there was only one thing, or better said, a person on her mind.

Lucas.

Though she didn't show it on her face, she really wanted to see Lucas.

She was extremely worried and anxious about Lucas.

She had heard from her father about the attack on his city and how he got kidnapped and even tortured.

She felt helpless as her only and best friend got kidnapped and tortured while all she could do was stay in her home.

She couldn't go and help him unless she wanted to cause a big commotion that would only make the situation escalate.

Rumor has it that a saint managed to rescue Lucas on time. 

Neither she nor her father knew who the saint was that managed to rescue him, but she was incredibly grateful to him or her for saving him.

Honestly, all she wanted to do was leave this stupid group and go find Lucas in this ruined city.

'I hope he is okay... Knowing him, he won't be in a group, but he must have figured out how to complete this exam. He won't complete this exam on his own... right?'

Suddenly, she grew even more anxious that Lucas might complete this entire exam on his own by defeating the three great calamities.

She was probably one of the only few people who knew just what type of monster he really was...

Snapping out of her thoughts was the voice of one of the members in their group.

"We are getting nowhere with this... shouldn't we wait until we gather more people, and shouldn't we choose someone to lead this group of ours?"

"You are right, we should wait for more just to be sure. And isn't it obvious who should lead us? It should be her highness who is the strongest among us all."

One of the elves said who was saved by her yesterday, as the others who were previously in her group agreed, nodding their heads.

"Hah, what are you talking about? It should obviously be the hero, Klaus! Even though he isn't the strongest, he is the most talented out of all of us!"

"What type of stupid reason is that to lead us? Sure, he might have more talent, but that's it. He still isn't strong enough. And besides, stop calling him a hero. We all are here meant to become heroes!"

'Seriously...'

She could only sigh in her mind as she saw how they decided to stupidly argue with each other as the supposed hero kept darting his eyes around, flustered, thinking of a way to solve this situation.

"Shut up."

Suddenly, they heard Leonne ordering every single one of them to be quiet as he furrowed his brows, and they all instantly listened, not wanting to get on the bad side of a champion.

"Is something wrong, Leo?" Amaya asked, looking up to him worriedly.

"I feel a gaze on us. Someone must be watching us. Be on guard."

He said, making everyone nervous as they got ready for any danger that might come.

'A gaze? But why haven't my spirits warned me that someone is watching us...'

Suddenly, before she could find out the reason, everyone heard a bone-chilling voice that made Sylviette and the rest freeze on the spot.

"Don't move."

A blade was pointed at her neck by someone who was standing behind her.

'W-what... I didn't even feel anything, nor did my spirits warn me again!?'

"H-her highness! You! Do you know who you are threatening!"

Another one of the elves said with a trembling voice as he looked towards the person threatening the princess.

Though no one made a move since the person was obviously very skilled and strong enough to sneak behind the strongest champion without any of the other three champions noticing.

It wasn't like she would actually die, but to have the strongest champion be killed in the exam...

"Be quiet. Unless you want to lose one of the key factors in defeating the three calamities."

The voice responded behind her.

'Wait... that voice. Don't tell me...'

Sylviette's eyes widened as she found the voice sounding familiar to someone she knew.

"L-Lucas?" she asked as her voice trembled a little.

As she spoke, the blade that was on her neck suddenly disappeared, and everyone heard the voice changing from cold to amusement as he laughed.

"Pfft! Looks like I got you good this time, Sylv."

Turning around, she saw Lucas, who she hadn't seen in months, trying to hold back his laughter.

"Lucas!"

She exclaimed loudly as she ran right in front of him, yet she wasn't angry or anything at the prank he pulled on her; only worry could be seen in her eyes.

She had totally forgotten about her image...

"You actually came for the exam!? Are you sure you should be here? You aren't hurt, right?"

She started barraging him with questions as she kept checking his upper body for any injuries...

"H-huh! Calm down, Sylv, I am fine. Why are you so worried?" Lucas said, bewildered, as he held both of her shoulders to stop her from pacing around him.

"What do you mean why!? Of course I would be worried! After everything you went through!" She said as if she couldn't understand why Lucas would ask her that.

Finally, after hearing her, his eyes widened for a second as if he realized something before his face relaxed with a small smile appearing on his face.

"I see you have heard about 'it'... you don't need to worry. I am perfectly fine now."

Lucas said with a gentle voice, making her finally calm down a little.

"Are you sure?"

"I am. Don't worry, we can talk about this after the exam, alright?" he said as both realized what they had done as they glanced at everyone who was watching the two of them bewildered.

'Ah! I just ruined my perfect image!' Sylviette shouted in her mind but didn't show anything on her face as it returned to that before Lucas' prank.

Releasing his hands from her shoulders, she suddenly felt a little disappointed from the warmth leaving her.

Lucas turned towards the group of people, or better yet, the three other champions as they all looked at him as well.

His face turned to that of no emotion, as did his eyes, bewildering most again at the sudden switch.

'Ugh, please don't cause any trouble, Lucas...'

Sylviette prayed in her mind, but her hopes vanished as she looked towards Lucas and heard his next words.

"So these three are the current champions of the human domain, huh?" he said as his voice wasn't cold anymore but neither was it warm or gentle like when he talked to Sylviette a moment ago.

The three, hearing his voice, narrowed their eyes at him as they didn't like how he looked at them.

They felt as if they were not his equal at all...

Before anyone could object, Lucas's body was suddenly in red lightning as he suddenly disappeared from his spot, leaving only a trail of red lightning behind.

And then...

He was in front of the hero, Klaus.