Chapter 41: Approaching Night.
Whether it was fighting anomalies that could pop out, or whether it was fighting other students in her class.
She had no interest in forming alliances or seeking assistance from other students. Her A-rank talent and noble training provided all the advantages she needed to excel independently.
The Frost family doesn’t rely on others for success. We create our own opportunities and claim our own victories.
As she continued deeper into the gate, Selene’s pale blue eyes remained alert for both threats and opportunities. This examination would serve as another step in establishing her reputation as one of the academy’s most formidable students – a reputation that would serve her well in future endeavours.
With her ice-cold determination, she moved toward her next hunting ground, ready to continue her accumulation of examination points.
...
Meanwhile, Draco and Zephyr continued their exploration of the gate’s terrain. They had encountered several more Midnight Bears along their route, but these encounters had become almost routine by now. The creatures were simply too predictable and too slow to pose any meaningful challenge to them.
These bears are too easy, Draco reflected as he extracted another core from a recently defeated beast. My speed advantage makes their attacks almost irrelevant, and Nano-Vision reveals their weaknesses so clearly that the fights end before they really begin.
[Master, that bear didn’t even get close to hitting us! Are all the monsters in this gate this slow? (・∀・)] Zephyr chirped from his perch on Draco’s shoulder, having barely needed to participate in the last few combats.
"We’re becoming much stronger, and common-rank gates aren’t designed for us. We are approaching elite-rank."
As the day progressed, Draco became increasingly aware that night was beginning to descend within the gate’s environment. The strange, ambient light that had illuminated the landscape throughout the day was gradually dimming, creating shadows and reducing visibility across the terrain.
I need to find a secure place to rest. Wasting energy now makes no sense, not with tomorrow guaranteed to be worse. When everything escalates, I’ll need every ounce of strength I can hold onto. Risking useless fights tonight, would only weaken me before the real battle begins.
The examination was designed to last a full day, which apparently included a night cycle that would test students’ ability to survive in less favourable conditions. Draco had come prepared for this possibility, but he still needed to locate appropriate shelter.
It wasn’t that he was afraid to fight in the darkness. Not at all, he was just being practical and reasonable. He wanted to perform well in this examination, and fighting through the night would only make his performance when it mattered, worse.
He wasn’t conceited enough to believe that there was nobody that could deal with him yet. Despite his talent being ranked SSS-Rank, it was still a growth type talent and he needed time to truly bloom.
Scanning his surroundings, he spotted a promising hill formation about half a kilometre away. Hills often contained natural cave systems that would provide both protection from the elements and defensible positions against potential threats.
"Zephyr, let’s head toward that hill and look for a cave we can use as a base camp," Draco decided, pointing toward the elevated terrain.
[Good idea, Master! Caves are cozy! And we can use my skill to find the perfect one! (◕‿◕)]
The journey to the hill took about fifteen minutes, during which they encountered no additional threats or other students. As they approached the rocky formation, Draco began searching for suitable cave openings.
With Zephyr providing aerial reconnaissance and their shared Nano-Vision revealing details that normal eyesight would miss, it didn’t take long to locate what appeared to be an ideal shelter. The cave opening was large enough for comfortable habitation but not so large as to be difficult to defend.
However, as they approached the entrance, both Draco and Zephyr detected clear signs that the cave was already occupied.
[Master, I can hear movement inside! And there’s a strong animal smell!]
"Sounds like a family of bears has made this their den," Draco observed, noting the scratches around the cave entrance and the unmistakable scent of large predators.
Rather than trying to fight them in their own territory, I’ll lure them out into the open where I have better advantages.
Draco positioned himself at a distance from the cave mouth and began making noise designed to attract the attention of whatever was inside. He banged his sword against rocks, called out loudly, and generally created enough disturbance to provoke responses.
And just like he predicted, three adult Midnight Bears emerged from the cave with obvious aggression, clearly intent on defending their territory from the intruder who had dared to disturb their rest.
Perfect. Now I can deal with them on my terms.
The fight that followed was brief and decisive. The bears were larger than the individuals he had encountered throughout the day, suggesting they might be slightly more powerful variants, but they still lacked the speed and power needed to threaten his current capability.
Draco’s combination of superior agility and Nano-Vision allowed him to identify and exploit weaknesses without resistance. Zephyr provided support, attacking the bears vulnerable areas while the they focused their attention on Draco.
[You have killed a common-rank beast, Midnight Bear]
[You have killed a common-rank beast, Midnight Bear]
[You have killed a common-rank beast, Midnight Bear]
After extracting the cores from all three creatures, Draco dragged the bodies a considerable distance away from the cave entrance. He didn’t want his shelter to reek of blood and decay, which would both make the space unpleasant and potentially attract scavengers or other predators.
Better to keep my base camp clean and defensible.
Once he was satisfied that the area was secure, Draco entered his newly acquired shelter. The cave was spacious enough for comfortable rest while being defensible enough to provide security during the night hours.
Using dry wood he had gathered during his earlier travels, Draco lit a small campfire inside. The flames provided both warmth and light that illuminated the previously dim cave.