Chapter 426: Solo Event
Carlston Peterson, a dedicated sixth-year student at Vermont Academy, was excited as he prepared for the Monster Hunter event.
Today marked a significant moment for him as he would be competing against the best sixth-year students of the other Academies.
The event for the day was the Solo Hunting challenge, where one member from each team would face off against a formidable monster. To Carlston's surprise and delight, he was the chosen participant from his team.
Standing in the resting area for the participants, Carlston glanced out at the crowd that had gathered to witness the thrilling competition. The atmosphere was charged with excitement, and he couldn't help but feel a mix of nerves and determination. Among the sea of faces, he recognized many of his seniors and juniors from the Academy, eagerly waiting to see his performance.
'I thought I would not get nervous, but standing here today puts a lot of pressure.' Carlston silently thought, especially after seeing Vale's group.
After all, aside from the 4th-year batch, no one else had gotten any points for the Academy. Their overall ranking points were solely from Vale's batch.
'Can I even get the top three here?' Carlston sighed as he shifted his attention to the announcer.
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena...
"Let's begin! The first to take the stage and fight against the Savage Golems is Nellie from Lakrine, Academy of Summoning Arts!"
Carlston's focus shifted to Nellie, who was about to face the two imposing Savage Golems. The golems, towering figures made of stone and earth, emanated an aura of raw power. Their rocky exteriors were adorned with ancient symbols, hinting at their mystical origins.
Carlston and other participants already knew what they would face as organizers informed them about an hour ago. Nevertheless, even with an hour of preparation, they won't be able to come up with a foolproof plan to deal with two golems that have plenty of immunity.
'Let's see how he will deal with it.' Carlston mused.
With determination in his eyes, he saw Nellie open his Grimoire, a mysterious book that only Summoners could have, and summoned a Gale Wolf and Flash Knight.
The Gale Wolf, a majestic creature with shimmering fur and fierce blue eyes, exuded an air of agility and speed. The Flash Knight, on the other hand, was a knight-like entity surrounded by an ethereal aura, wielding a gleaming sword of light.
"Whoa~"
"Those are beautiful..."
"They're just decoration. Those summons are trash."
"I think they can still do it."
The audience murmured as they saw Nellie's summons.
The battle began as Nellie commanded his summoned allies to engage the Savage Golems.
The Gale Wolf darted around the golems, using its speed to evade their colossal fists, while the Flash Knight unleashed powerful sword strikes, aiming to weaken their stony defenses.
The clash between Nellie's summoned creatures and the Savage Golems was a spectacle to behold. The golems unleashed devastating blows with their stone fists, causing the ground to tremble with each impact.
Yet, Nellie's strategic commands and the prowess of his summoned allies proved to be a formidable force.
As the battle raged on, Carlston couldn't help but be captivated by the skill and determination displayed by Nellie. Each move was calculated and executed with precision, showcasing the bond between the Summoner and summoned creatures.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as Nellie's Gale Wolf and Flash Knight worked in perfect harmony, gradually wearing down the Savage Golems.
With a final coordinated strike, the Flash Knight shattered the stony exterior of one of the golems, rendering it motionless. The remaining golem, weakened and outnumbered, met a similar fate as the Gale Wolf lunged forward, delivering a decisive blow.
It was 12 minutes and 55 seconds.
The Summoner took almost 13 minutes to finish the battle.
The arena was filled with exhilaration and admiration as Nellie emerged victorious, the defeated golems dissipating into dust. However, Nellie himself wasn't satisfied, and the other judges and participants knew the reason why.
It took quite a long time for him to deal with slow-moving golems that don't even have special abilities aside from being hard.
As the cheers subsided, Carlston knew that it would finally be his turn...
***
Soon, a group of people cleared out the stage and dispersed the Summoner's Aura, which could affect the performance of the next student.
Carlston took a deep breath as he waited for his name to be called, his eyes fixed on the two towering Savage Golems summoned by the officers of the event.
"I can't let the Fourth-Year students carry our Academy in the Overall Rankings... I need to show them that their seniors are also reliable!" Carlston said in his mind, his voice filled with determination and a strong sense of responsibility.
As soon as his name was called, Carlston stepped onto the stage, his gaze locked on the Savage Golems before him.
It didn't take that long before the signal to begin the battle sounded...
Undeterred by the noise of the audience, Carlston summoned his trusty allies: three Flesh Ghouls and five Storm Wraiths.
These were no ordinary summons. The Flesh Ghouls, bearing the marks of decay and wielding wicked claws, emanated an aura of death and decay.
The Storm Wraiths, ethereal and emanating a blue glow, glided through the air with an unsettling grace. Together, they formed a formidable force under Carlston's command.
That's right, he is a Necromancer in the Vermont Academy.
"Come!" Carlston shouted to the golem, although they probably didn't understand him.
With unwavering focus, he deftly evaded the golems' devastating attacks. He may have poor agility, but he has quick reflexes, allowing him to maneuver through the chaos with the help of his Darkness Manipulation.
Brandishing his Bone Spear, a weapon infused with necromantic energy, he also struck with precision and strength, aiming to exploit the weaknesses in the golems' stony defenses.
Well, he tried aiming for their joints.
The Flesh Ghouls tore into the golems' rocky skin while the Storm Wraiths unleashed bolts of dark energy, weakening their opponents.
The battle raged on, the clash of sturdy bone against stone echoing throughout the arena.
Carlston and his summoned allies fought with unwavering determination, their coordinated attacks chipping away at the golems' formidable exteriors. The Flesh Ghouls and Storm Wraiths fought alongside him, their combined efforts creating a symphony of darkness and death.
"So Necromancers can actually fight like this..."
"Indeed... It was a pity he couldn't summon a Death Knight... This would be over if he did that."
"He's only sixth-year... It's already impressive that he could summon Storm Wraiths."
"Mhmm... Indeed. No wonder he was selected in this Solo-Hunting."
The rogue Arcanists watching the event couldn't help but comment after seeing the Carlston's battle.