Chapter 357: 357. Fighting The Attackers
In an instant, Orion reappeared behind two figures crouching behind a pile of rubble, both of them holding weapons. They looked shocked, their faces draining of color the moment Orion appeared behind them.
"Surprised?" Orion asked, his voice playful.
The two immediately lunged at him, their weapons aimed at his chest and neck. One wielded a curved blade, while the other swung a spiked club, their attacks quick and synchronized.
Orion didn't flinch. He first activated the Curse Transformation for the curse of Stormcaller, the curse of Blinding Speed and the curse of Berserk Body.
He had decided to only use these three curses in this assessment regardless if he would win or lose in the end.
'Now that my overall speed and strength has increased tremendously with my control over the wind, it's time to finish them.'
With a single wave of his hand, a gust of wind blasted out, knocking both attackers backward like ragdolls. They smashed into the ground several meters away, rolling and gasping for air.
"Too weak," Orion muttered, stepping forward. "But I guess this is how it'll be for most of the assessment."
One of the attackers, a man with a scar running down his face, struggled to his feet, his body trembling as he raised his weapon once more.
"Don't bother," Orion said coldly. "You're already dead."
With a flick of his wrist, Orion sent a sharp gust of wind toward the man. The wind cut through the air like a blade, slashing across the man's chest. He collapsed instantly, his body vanishing a moment later, just like the first man who had been eliminated.
[Kill Count: 2]
Orion glanced at the second attacker, who was still lying on the ground, eyes wide with fear. Without another word, he waved his hand, and the man disintegrated into particles of light, his presence erased from the battlefield.
[Kill Count: 3]
'Or maybe this won't be so bad after all,' Orion thought, watching as the kill count increased.
Suddenly, he felt several powerful presences approaching from all sides. His senses sharpened as he looked in a certain direction. A group of participants had likely noticed his display of power and decided to target him.
He smirked. 'Looks like it's starting to get interesting.'
Moments later, a dozen figures emerged from the shadows of nearby buildings, each of them wielding different weapons and abilities.
One of them, a woman with fiery red hair, brandished twin daggers that seemed to hum with energy. Another, a hulking man with a massive warhammer, let out a low growl as he took a step forward, his muscles rippling with strength.
"Looks like you've all come to play," Orion said, his smirk widening. He spread his arms out wide, as if welcoming the challenge. "Let's see if any of you can make this even a little bit fun."
Without warning, the group of participants attacked all at once. Fireballs, ice shards, and energy blasts shot toward Orion from every direction, while the fighters with melee weapons charged in close, their blades and hammers raised high.
Orion stood still, unfazed by the onslaught. At the last possible moment, he flicked his fingers, summoning a barrier of swirling wind around himself.
The incoming attacks slammed into the barrier, only to be deflected or absorbed. Fireballs dissipated into harmless sparks, ice shards shattered into powder, and energy blasts fizzled out before reaching him.
"Not bad," Orion said, casually observing the effort they had put into their attack. "But still not good enough."
With a single thought, he condensed the barrier of wind into a powerful shockwave, sending it exploding outward. The shockwave ripped through the group of attackers, flinging them backward and smashing them into walls, buildings, and the ground.
Several of them disappeared on impact, eliminated from the assessment before they even had a chance to strike again.
[Kill Count: 4]
[Kill Count: 5]
[Kill Count: 6]
The remaining fighters scrambled to their feet, dazed and battered but still desperate to fight. Orion admired their resolve, but it wouldn't make a difference.
"You should've brought more people," he said calmly, stepping forward. "This isn't enough to stop me."
The red-haired woman gritted her teeth, her eyes burning with fury as she charged at him again, her twin daggers flashing in the light. She moved with speed and precision, aiming straight for Orion's neck.
Orion sighed, sidestepping her attack with ease. As she passed by, he tapped her lightly on the shoulder, sending a jolt of lightning through her body. She froze, her body convulsing before she collapsed, her form disintegrating into particles of light.
[Kill Count: 7]
The rest of the group hesitated, fear creeping into their eyes as they realized the futility of their efforts. They knew they were outmatched, but pride and desperation kept them from fleeing. Experience exclusive tales on empire
Orion tilted his head, watching them. "Come on," he said, his tone almost mocking. "You wanted a fight, didn't you?"
The hulking man with the warhammer let out a roar and charged forward, raising his massive weapon high above his head.
Orion smiled and raised his hand. "Let's end this."
With a single motion, he summoned a vortex of wind around the man, lifting him off the ground. The warhammer slipped from his grasp, and he struggled to break free, but it was no use. The wind crushed him, and in an instant, his body was torn apart and vanished into light.
[Kill Count: 8]
Orion dusted off his hands as he surveyed the battlefield. The remaining participants had either fled or been eliminated.
"Too easy," he muttered, feeling a strange sense of boredom creeping in.
With a sigh, he turned his gaze toward the horizon, sensing more presences scattered across the city. Tracy and Erza were still out there somewhere, and the assessment was far from over.
'Let's see how long it takes to find them,' he thought, launching himself into the air once more.
Orion flew through sky, the wind wrapping around him like a second skin.
'A group of people around here.'
He sensed a group of people around the buildings and decided to kill them all of course.
Buildings loomed below, their towering structures casting long shadows over the desolate streets. The city itself was falling apart, crumbling from the aftermath of countless battles.
A sudden gust of wind alerted him to a new threat. Three participants appeared in his path, flying toward him with murderous intent.
One had large wings of light sprouting from his back, his hands crackling with electricity. The second was cloaked in a shadowy mist, her body seeming to phase in and out of reality. The third wielded a massive spear glowing with a radiant golden light, his expression cold and unwavering.
"Finally, some variety," Orion muttered to himself, the thrill of battle reigniting in his veins. He hovered mid-air, arms folded across his chest. "Let's see what you've got."
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