Chapter 113: The Trial of Unity [3]
The enormous slime sphere bounced along the mountainside.
BOING.
Liam felt Lydia’s body deform beneath his feet before it began returning to its original shape.
"We’re almost there!"
The sphere launched itself upward again.
BOING.
This time, everyone could see the summit.
Lydia gathered momentum one last time and jumped.
The group hung suspended in the air.
Then they landed on the mountain.
PLOP.
Lydia’s body expanded to cushion the fall, leaving everyone standing on a surface of slime.
"I think we’re here."
Liam said it.
Lydia slowly returned to a more compact form.
In front of them, two hunters were lying on the ground. Both appeared unconscious and had several wounds across their bodies.
Emily looked at them.
"They must be from the group that girl who fell was with."
But before they could approach, they heard voices.
Farther ahead, a man stood beside four considerably younger hunters.
Two women were cornered in front of them.
The gray-bearded man with a serious expression watched them calmly.
Emily’s eyes widened.
"That’s..."
Liam looked at her.
"Robert Hanks."
The lone hunter from the Ace of Spades.
The same man who had placed fourth in the rankings.
Robert had a completely different expression from the one they had seen during the first trial.
He didn’t seem interested in helping anyone.
He seemed to be enjoying the situation.
Liam clenched his teeth.
"Lydia, cover those two women."
Lydia responded through the system.
[Lydia: Understood.]
Her body began to expand.
But before she could move, Robert turned his head.
"What the hell...?"
An enormous body crashed into him.
"Take this!"
THUMP!
Jordan had jumped directly at Robert with all the force of his body, slamming into him with his hardened belly.
The impact sent him flying several meters.
Robert rolled across the ground until he came dangerously close to the edge of the mountain.
He planted one hand on the ground and managed to stop himself.
Jordan landed heavily.
"That was good."
Carol said it.
Jordan gave her a thumbs-up.
"Thanks."
And he stuffed another potato into his mouth.
Chuck looked at him.
"Are you seriously going to keep eating while we’re fighting?"
Jordan held up another potato.
"It helps me concentrate."
"Right."
While they argued, Lydia moved.
Her body transformed into a green wall that completely covered the two female hunters, forming a barrier between them and their enemies.
Emily disappeared in a flash and appeared behind one of the hunters.
CRACK!
A lightning-charged punch struck him in the back.
The man was sent flying.
Carol wasted no time and pulled a small metal fragment from her belt.
She held it between her hands, and her skin began to change.
Within seconds, her arms had taken on a metallic surface.
"Let’s go."
Carol punched the next hunter directly in the face.
Emily appeared in front of another, and lightning coursed through her arm.
The four hunters barely had time to react.
The two women protected by Lydia watched the scene, completely confused.
"Why are you helping us?"
The other hunter nodded.
"We’re competitors."
Liam approached them.
"That doesn’t matter."
He positioned himself in front of the women while Lydia extended part of her body to protect them.
"We didn’t come here to let the strong take advantage of everyone else."
One of the women looked at him in surprise.
"But the trial..."
"It’s a trial to form teams."
Liam looked toward Robert.
"And a team doesn’t work by leaving others behind."
◇◆◇
Robert finally managed to get back on his feet.
He was extremely annoyed that they had interrupted his fun.
He looked around and spotted several small rocks on the ground.
He picked them up.
"You..."
He threw them at Jordan and Chuck.
The rocks rolled across the ground.
Chuck looked at them.
"Was that it?"
Robert frowned.
Chuck smiled.
"You’re terrible at throwing things."
He pulled out one of his knives.
"If you want, I can teach you."
Robert laughed.
"You think this is a game?"
Then he pressed his thumb against his own fist, as if squeezing an invisible detonator.
BOOM!
The rocks exploded instantly, and a cloud of dust covered Jordan and Chuck.
"What the fuck?!"
Jordan reacted immediately.
He grabbed Chuck and shoved him to the side.
A fist tore through the cloud of dust.
THUD!
The blow struck Jordan directly in the stomach.
His body sank a few inches, but he didn’t fall.
Jordan looked down.
Then he raised his eyes toward Robert.
"That hurt."
Robert smiled.
"Is that all?"
Jordan clenched his teeth.
"Chuck, leave him to me."
Chuck straightened his clothes.
"Suit yourself."
But he immediately threw one of his knives.
The weapon flew directly toward Robert.
The hunter narrowly dodged it, and the knife passed beside his face.
Robert smiled.
"Looks like you’re not as good at throwing things as you claimed."
Chuck smiled.
"Don’t get cocky."
He raised a hand.
"Jordan, don’t let him go!"
Jordan nodded.
Robert barely had time to react.
The enormous man lunged at him and grabbed him with both arms.
The fat on his body began hardening around Robert.
"What do you think you’re doing?"
Robert tried to break free, but he couldn’t.
Jordan held him as if he were a doll.
"I told you I’d handle him."
Robert clenched his teeth.
Then he pulled his head back.
THUD!
His forehead slammed into Jordan’s face.
The man’s nose began to bleed.
Chuck’s eyes widened.
"Jordan!"
But Jordan didn’t let go.
He wiped away the blood with his tongue.
"That was rude."
Robert struck him again.
THUD!
This time, Jordan barely moved.
"Are you done?"
The hunter stared at him in disbelief.
At that moment, the knife Chuck had thrown returned.
Robert heard the weapon whistle through the air.
He turned, but it was too late.
SLASH!
The knife sliced into his leg.
Robert screamed and fell partially against Jordan.
"AAARGH!"
The weapon returned to Chuck’s hand.
Robert looked at the wound.
Then he raised his eyes.
"I thought you’d cut my head off."
Chuck put the knife away.
"You just wasted a great opportunity."
Robert laughed.
"And that worries you?"
Chuck shook his head.
"I’m not a killer."
He looked at him seriously.
"But I don’t understand why you’re doing this either."
◇◆◇
Meanwhile, Liam was standing beside the two women and the hunters who had been knocked unconscious.
Lydia had returned to her human form.
Her hands glowed softly as she used her [Healing Growth].
The aloe she had created began covering the hunters’ wounds.
"This should help them."
One of the women looked at Lydia.
"I didn’t know someone could do something like that."
Liam smiled.
"My wife is pretty special."
For a few seconds, the atmosphere felt less tense.
Until Jordan appeared carrying Robert.
The enormous man held the hunter trapped between his arms.
Robert tried to move, but Jordan’s hardened fat kept him completely immobilized.
"Done."
Chuck walked behind them, chewing his gum.
"This guy weighs less than I expected."
Robert snorted as he looked toward the hunters Emily and Carol had defeated.
"To think those four paid me to protect them during this trial."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"They hired you?"
Robert laughed.
"Easy money."
He looked toward the four hunters Emily and Carol had defeated.
"And I have to admit, they’re incredibly weak."
Emily crossed her arms.
"So all of this was for money?"
Robert smiled.
"What other reason would there be?"
Liam approached.
There was something about the way Robert spoke that he didn’t like.
He looked at the injured hunters.
"Robert."
The hunter raised his eyes.
"What?"
Liam kept a serious expression.
"Why are you attacking other hunters?"
Robert didn’t answer.
Liam continued.
"This trial isn’t about eliminating the others."
The wind blew across the mountaintop, and everyone fell silent.
Liam took another step toward him.
"So why are you doing it?"