Elemental Surprise?

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The consecutive noises of several high-speed objects colliding with the ground rang out like a thunderstorm.

Millis grinned as she sat on a platform made from the wood of the tree—her head playfully tilting side to side with a playful expression.

She watched Lillian tiredly avoid her wooden steaks.

"Ya really can run, huh? Isn't your heart feeling like it's about to explode?"

Lillian's agile movements danced around her projectiles, stumbling a few times due to small pits in the ground.

"Definitely." She responded back wryly.

She had to think of something fast. She was ultimately out of health potions, so she couldn't afford to be clumsy or let down her guard again.

The haunting feeling that the next attack may be her end caused her expression to shift grimly.

'I have one more grenade...'

She hid behind a tree and breathed heavily—her hand unconsciously moved over her chest—she felt like her lungs would give out.

Leaning her back against the tree, she peeked at Millis and saw her waving ominously. Her face twitched slightly.

'I wonder what trait she received...'

The probability of one receiving a trait is higher than the lower of trials you faced, from 2 to 7.

You're guaranteed to receive an element in your first. The chances of them receiving an element are low—about 14%.

It would then increase with an increment of 14 until it reaches about 42%.

Mages who have passed a trial can't go back to it again. For example, a mage who had passed the second trial can't go back and can only enter the third and so on.

'There's no way she could've attained another element, right?' The thought of it sent shivers down her spine. The chances of her winning were already quite low.

Slap! Slap!

She shook her head—sending the thought of defeat out of her mind and slapping her cheeks to bring her back to reality.

She clutched her sword as she planned an attack on the affectionate girl.

Millis continued to stare boredly at the tree hiding Lillian—her chin resting in her palm.

"Come on, Lil~! Ya aren't actually going to hide behind the tree the entire exam, are ya—?"

At the end of her sentence, Lillian dashed out from behind her tree and shot a bullet of water at her.

Millis dived out of the way—staining her clothes with dirt. She then pressed her hand against the grass.

In a line straight towards Lillian, the grass rose and stabbed towards her like an array of knives.

Lillian stepped out of the way and charged towards her—her hand tensing around the hilt of her sword—she was now a step away from Millis.

Suddenly, something clicked inside her mind. Something that didn't make sense.

Quickly realising this, she materialised a familiar spherical object in her hand and activated it with her mana.

Lillian then watched as Millis gave a smug grin as she mouthed to her:

"Checkmate..."

The ground erupted open, and a pillar of earth shot out and slammed into her stomach.

Her body folded over as she was sent several meters into the air—her face contorting into a pained expression.

'Her element was earth all along!'

She rolled against the ground and shakily got up, clutching her stomach. This was definitely going to leave a bruise.

'A trait that controls nature through direct contact...'

Lillian clenched her jaws, 'I guess my plan should be to have her use up all of her mana...' She then eyed the glowing explosive beside Millis, who stared at it with wide eyes—realising what it was.

Quickly scurrying back to her feet, she ran away but was inevitably swept off her feet due to the force of the explosion.

She laid on the ground, dazed. "Ow..." She softly groaned before seeing a shadow slowly cover her.

She gazed up and saw Lillian's chilling eyes. With a raise of her hand, a pillar made of rocks shot out from the ground once more. Lillian, having already anticipated it, dodged to the side before dashing back and swinging her sword down on Millis.

Millis, in response, slammed her into the ground, causing an eruption of grass as sharp as a kitchen knife and 2-3 metres long to stretch out and wrap around Lillian's blade.

Lillian briskly sliced through it easily, raising an eye at what she was planning until...

She tugged at her sword that, due to her slash, was now positioned out from her side.

Wrapped around her blade like a messy bandage, Millis had successfully prevented Lillian's attempt to slice her in half by controlling the surrounding grass.

Lillian, raising her hand, which was missing two fingers, began to charge up an attack.

Water appeared in the centre of her hand, from the size and shape of a raindrop, before forming with several dozens around it and shaping into a ball that soon spun.

Millis's face, which was always displaying a jubilant expression, soon turned grim as she tried to cover herself in a dome of earth.

Unfortunately...

'N-no way...! I don't have enough to protect myself!' She internally screamed.

She crossed her arms in an X and braced with impact.

CRACK!

Lillian's water drill broke through her arms and passed through her body.

A sharp pain shot through her mind as she lost feeling in her arms.

She laid on the ground, a pool of blood forming under her. She breathed a sigh of disappointment.

"Maaan... I guess even a tier one could beat a tier two, huh?"

"Under the right circumstances. I'd say you were playing around with your trait a bit too much."

"Oh, come on! I just got it recently! Can't blame me for wanting to use it..." Millis pouted.

She stared into Lillian's eyes, "So... you going to finish me off or...?"

"Mind answering a few questions of mine?"

"Hm? Sure, shoot. But do it quick. This kinda hurts, y'know..." She chuckled wryly, gazing at her torn arms.

"It's truly a wonder I haven't disappeared yet."

Lillian pondered for a bit. After thinking about it, she asked:

"Did you happen to see a bear around here? Like a really huge one?"

"Eh? A bear? No... not really... if there were one, it must be pretty sneaky!" She laughed.

Lillian nodded with a smile and raised her sword, "Thank you very much, Millis. I'll see you again out there."

"Of course!"

Lillian's sword then slashed through the air—eliminating Millis Vellen from the exam.

["3rd. Lillian Ker Arius: 61 Monster Kills, 32 Contestant Eliminated."]