Final Exam - [Bunch Of Clowns]

Kathleen's gaze fixated on the person who spoke, a man with jet-black hair and a plain face.

She recognized him instantly – he was the one who had voiced his opposition to Max when he joined the academy.

"Heh, what's all the talk, Tian? Can't you see there are only two of them? Is there even a need for a fight? I reckon they've already made up their minds to surrender the opportunity." Chimed in another member of the party, walking forward confidently.

"Ren, what are you doing?" Tian asked, but his friend didn't give back any response and simply brushed past him.

"Well, Miss Kathleen, do you truly intend to engage in a fight for this opportunity, despite being aware of the disadvantages you face?" The young man spoke in a gentle manner, yet Kathleen could discern his true intentions - to provoke her and incite a battle. After all, it was an opportunity for him to defeat someone of her status.

Kathleen didn't respond and remained silent, absorbing his words.

'He didn't bother concealing his magic. I can sense he's is a peak level 2-Star mage. But one thing is clear, he foolishly underestimates me. I can already anticipate what's coming next - he'll likely propose a one-on-one duel, while blabbering about fairness.' She mused internally, her gaze fixed upon the approaching figure.

He possessed black hair and black pupils, his physique athletic and his hair flowing long. It was a rarity to encounter male students with such lengthy hair, after all, this is not a cultivation world.

"Well, on the off chance that you truly desire a confrontation, why don't we have a battle? How about a fair fight, just you and me. If you win we will give the cave to you, and the opposite will happen if we win." Ren proposed with a gentle smile.

"Ren, what are you blabbering about? You're clearly attempting to push Miss Kathleen into a battle, aren't you?" Tian exclaimed, he also thought that Kathleen stood no chance against his friend seeing her silence.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Ren was merely providing them an opportunity, wasn't he? After all, Miss Kathleen comes from the esteemed Black Dragon Clan. It would be an utter disgrace for her if she couldn't even win against an ordinary mage like Ren." One of the three individuals behind him remarked, snickering under their breath.

'So that's the reason.'

Tiann suddenly realized that the reason for their behavior was because of recent encounter they had with a group of noble students, who had not only defeated them but humiliated calling them commoner trash.

Yet, to Tian's surprise, the noble students had spared their lives, opting to mock by not even killing them.

Naturally, Tian under stood that their defeat in the face of those snobby noble young masters made it all the more tempting for them to seek revenge against someone weaker.

That explained why his friend Ren had instigated this whole situation. After all, they were well aware that the instructors were observing their every move and their accomplishments.

He had assumed Kathleen would opt out of the fight, given her silence. But to Tian's surprise, a sinister grin materialized on Kathleen's face.

"Hehe, well, you all do seems to value fairness. I accept the challenge." Kathleen declared, a chuckle escaping her lips.

Iris, who had been utterly disregarded by the group of students, sighed and placed a palm against her forehead, as she saw Kathleen's ominous grin.

'Well, looks like Kathleen isn't fond of them. Their journey is about to reach its conclusion.' She mused, as she know what's going to happen.

Having spent numerous days in Kathleen's company, Iris possessed a good understanding of her character.

Kathleen simply don't like and only have disdain for those who look down on her. Furthermore, Iris know about Kathleen's true power.

She wasn't merely an ordinary 3-Star mage, she was someone capable of engaging opponents who are beyond that level. It didn't require much thinking for Iris to foresee the fate awaiting the five students.

Seeing that Kathleen had willingly accepted the challenge, Tian stopped his objections. They all shifted to the side, creating space for the duel between the two people.

Ren and Kathleen assumed their battle stances, ready to unleash their attacks upon each other.

Kathleen holding her usual sword while Ren also took out a sword.

'Hehe, should I eliminate her swiftly with a single strike? Nah, that would be too simple. Let's have some fun.' Ren pondered in his mind as he charged forward.

Kathleen's eyes sparkled as she observed the swiftness of her opponent's movements.

'So, he's using a footwork technique, huh.' Kathleen deduced. Footwork techniques were commonly utilized to refine movement skills and increase speed. She herself possessed a technique she had used during her battle with the boar.

However, during that time, Kathleen hadn't yet mastered the technique to a significant degree.

In her training, she gone deeper into the intricacies of the technique, discovering that it ranked among the most superior footwork techniques probably in this whole world. Her father had given both the sword technique and this very footwork technique to her simultaneously.

Because of that, Kathleen worked hard in her practice, she realized that the technique she had initially thought was not a single technique but rather a collection of various techniques amalgamated into one.

Through the training, she had managed to grasp a few of them, as she recognised their usefulness in different time.

"Now, it's time to witness how much I learned by testing it on a living target." She thought inwardly, launching herself forward into action.

The students eagerly watching to discover who would land a the first blow between the two people, little did they know that the first strike would also be the final blow, leaving them completely astounded.

[12 Steps of the Sword God - Fleeting Step]

In the blink of an eye, Kathleen vanished from the midst her running, only to reappear behind Ren in a swift and seamless maneuver. This move silenced Ren's party, leaving even Iris taken aback by the astonishing speed of Kathleen.

Ren halted his sprint, a wave of bewilderment washed over him, his consciousness fading as his body started separating into fragments, his flesh dissolved into shining particles of light.

"You... you!" Ren's three companions abruptly charged forward, their words struck in their throats as they witnessed the state of Ren's body.

Shaking her head, Kathleen observed their stupid attempts at launching an attack. She was genuinely puzzled to see their confidence, they are weaker than Ren and despite witnessing the overwhelmingly one-sided battle they still attacked her.

"Wasn't this just supposed to be a friendly battle? Why did you have to eliminate our friend!" One of them shouted as he charged towards Kathleen, his two companions trailing closely behind.

"A bunch of Clowns." She scoffed before lunging herself towards them.

In a blur, Kathleen appeared before them, launching a devastating assault. Her sword sliced through the air, with dark flames surrounding it.

A single swing of her blade is enough as it cleaved through the three remaining opponents' necks.

Like their unfortunate friend, they too dissolved into shining particles of light, vanishing from existence. Only Tian remained, the sole survivor among the party.

"So, are you going to flee or meet your death?" Kathleen inquired, gazing at Tian. Understanding his own capabilities, he opted for escape, hoping to gain some points in the exam.

Kathleen watched him flee, but suddenly, her attention was abruptly diverted as she felt a gentle pressure upon her shoulder. Looking down, she discovered her hand was surrounded by a pair of plump, round malons.

Iris clasped Kathleen's hand, pressing her bosoms against Kathleen's shoulder.

"Kathleen, that was really cool!" Iris exclaimed, her voice resonating loudly.

However, Kathleen seemed entranced and didn't even catch her words. Suddenly, she snapped out of her reverie, raising her sword and lightly tapping Iris on the forehead with the hilt.

"Aww" Iris stumbled backwards while holding her head.

"I recall telling you not to use your charm magic on me, didn't I?" Kathleen scolded, a hint of anger coloring her expression.

"Aww, I was merely curious to witness your reaction, no ill intentions behind it." Iris responded, her head hanging low.

"Stop your acting. Let's go and open the doors." Kathleen said, gesturing towards the entrance.

Iris didn't respond for a second, but suddenly she jumped forward maintaining the same cheerful smile she had worn earlier. The door swiftly swung open, allowing them to pass through.

Little did they know, that what was beyond that door was not a boss chamber, but something different altogether.