Golden Arena(3)

After using [Blade Of Aeolus] all of my Ki had been used up, and my muscles felt a bit strained. Overall such a move would only make rare appearances moving forward.

Soon I began once again leading the charge until we had finished off the last of the rank 2 beasts. As I took a look around me I noticed Janice dragon ing some of the bodies out of the arena. Luckily no one was dead, either knocked unconscious or temporarily crippled until they used Ki to heal themselves.

Once all of the participants that could no longer proceed any forward exited the arena, Klaus took the time to brief us on the next stage of this exam.

"As I said before there will be one rank three beast making an appearance today however, Janice and I can no longer interfere if your life is in danger. Take a while to think about this before deciding to either continue or join the stands." He said before taking a seat by the lever controlling the gate, with a blank expression.

I looked towards both Steward and Patricia and in an instant both of their heads snapped towards mine and they nodded furiously. Even though I had many reasons to continue I still took the time to think about his offer.

'If I leave now, there's no guarantee that I'll never have to fight for my life or run from the beast if we lose the war. And even if we win, it still wouldn't sit right with me knowing that my uncle was on the front lines while I was laying around in bed.'

'Plus that still doesn't cover the fact that the golden might send higher up members to track me down…for this system. I mean what else could they want, but how would they even know of its creation?' I thought beforeI was snapped out of my thoughts by the creaking sound coming from the gates, and the cheers of men around me.

"Shall we?" Patricia said as she raised her single gauntlet into the air before slapping Steward on the back.

"Ouch, you know for a woman you sure hit like a man." Steward said while sheathing his sword, obviously growing closer to us the more we fought side by side.

"Ke," I said, letting out a small chuckle.

"Girls can be heavy handed too you know, and Marcel you really should work on your laugh it makes you sound creepy," Patricia said.

"I never really thought about it," I said before reading my sword and taking my stance once the gate reached its peak and a green, almost transparent feathered bird came flying through the gate.

Though the speed had surprised me, it was moving at almost a snail's pace. However it's speed couldn't fool be as the beast radiated an aura of invincibility and violence.

"That beast!" Both Steward and Patricia shouted In unison.

"What is it exactly?" I said scratching my head in confusion surprised when a screen appeared before me.

[Sorrow Bird]

[A long descendent of a wyvern, and a Hefty Eagle.]

[Strength: 25]

[Agility: 3]

[Endurance: 18.5]

[Rank: 3]

[Is this to your liking host?]

'Yes thank you system! I'm amazed I'd never thought you would have such a function!'

"It's a Sorrow Bird!"

The bird was majestic in almost every way. The way its wings slowly flapped up and down and its strikingly silver beak along with its small gray eyes.

Its wings are about as large as my entire body, times two in length, but regardless of its appearance It's aura was enough to make any fighter take it seriously.

So that's what I did.

"Your name's Marcel right?" A woman dressed up in casual clothes with black metal armor pads at her vitals.

"Yes," I said, snapping around and staring directly at the woman. I was surprised to find her behind me as her steps were so quiet and I was focused on the Sorrow Bird.

Spotting her black dagger and bow and quiver on her back I had one thought. 'This woman could have killed me.'

"Would you and your party be willing to team up with mine in order to take down the Sorrow Bird?" She spoke with egalance as she pushed her silicate hair behind her head.

It took me a few seconds before I responded as I was analyzing her team. It was a group of female archers along with one man who wielded a shield and sword.

"What do you guys say, we could use the help in order to take down the bird?" The two were stunned when I said bird but they quickly shook their heads yes.

"Sure, nice to meet you, I'm Marcel." I said as I shook the woman's hand and she replied with her name.

"I'm Ymir of the Ambrose household and over there is my brother Ray Ambrose." I nodded before our groups greeted one another and then just like that the Sorrow Bird struck.

"Why…me?" I said as I saw half of the Sorrow Bird's silver beak into my stomach.

[Ranks and Grades of 3 have the innate ability to read aura, and make accurate guesses of who the strongest of a certain group is. Then when they let down their guard they strike.]

I heard the system say as I was lifted into the air and plumbing at a swift speed.

"Heal…Heal…Heal!" I said to myself as I rushed all of the Ki in my body towards the almost open wound.

[Life Force: 5/30]

[Healing one point after every fifteen seconds due to Ki usage!]

[Skill Dodge has been activated!]

[Skill Survive at all cost has been enabled!]

By time the wound had finally closed I had reached the ground using my hands across my body to shield my weak body from the impact.

BANG!

After reaching the ground I had the brilliant idea to play dead in order to recover more health however my body acted on its own due to the skill dodge. Which would take control of my body and dodge five strikes.

[⅘ Ddges left over!]

'I thought you said it was slow?!'

I said seeing that I had just barely dodged the attack from the Sorrow Bird. Though being able to see the surprised faces of the combined party satisfied me just a little.

[The Sorrow Bird must be using its high affinity for wind magic to boost its speed! This would classify it as a grade beast instead of being in the ranked category! On your toes Host!]

'Literally, huh?" I said, before thrusting the blade of my sword into the eye of the Sorrow Bird using Ki to strengthen my jump enough to reach its eye. Even though this halted my healing process, it caused the bird to drop to the ground.

While its eye was leaking blood and before it even had the thought to conjure a wind barrier I shouted at Ymir's part to unload their arrows even if the use of Ki of its feathers wouldn't because of its high endurance stat, we had to take down this bird somehow!

"Fire, attack while it's down!"

While the arrows were airborne both Patricia and Steward arrived at my side.

"Do you need me to give you some Ki?" Steward asked while I was using Ki to further heal my body.

"Yeah, then you and Patricia cover me…I'll use that same attack once more. And it's using its wind affinity to boost its speed so stay sharp."

[Ki 10/10!]

[Life Force: 8/30]

"That would mean it's a grade beast rather than a ranked one then right?" Patricia caught on while staring at the arrows landing on the beast. Some went into its skin, others either missed or were rebounded off.

"Right."