Demon Tamer's Ascension-Chapter 36: Trials 2

Lines shimmered across the sky, and a balloon floated high above, clearly broadcasting everything onto the massive screen inside the arena.

The cheers of the crowd returned, loud and merciless.

They didn’t care who died. They didn’t care what happened. They only wanted entertainment.

That was the nature of the aristocrats. Every single one of them. Disgusting, utterly treacherous. To them, everyone else was nothing more than extras, while they carried themselves like Gods.

And from time to time, there were those who weren’t born into such families, those who wondered, what if the age of beast tamers had never come?

I mean, could you really blame them?

Some would rather embrace death than relive another version of hell. Why endure it again when you had already survived one?

It was a question Alex often asked himself. And in the moment his body began to glow, that same thought resurfaced.

It came naturally, the sensation sharp yet fleeting, as the light continued to swallow his vision. His body could no longer remain grounded. Something unseen pulled at him, dragging him forward into the unknown, toward the very first step of the trial.

It wasn’t just him. Every awakener within the arena was being pulled in the same way, all of them drawn into this so-called academy trial.

Above them, the woman smiled. Vanesca. Vanesca Vor Artorious.

She hadn’t spoken a spell. She hadn’t summoned a beast. She hadn’t even moved. And yet everyone beneath her was caught within her grasp, as if she were some divine being commanding the world itself.

It’s almost like... Alex thought, his eyes narrowing, she’s a beast.

With that final thought, he blinked.

Not darkness.

A cave. A dungeon filled with creatures.

"Well, well," a voice echoed within everyone’s mind. "This is your principal speaking, at least for those of you who will pass. I won’t be specifying the exact criteria for your tasks. We will observe everything, so act as you see fit. I do recommend working with your partners."

Alex stood in the center of the cave. Two other awakeners, also participants in the trial, stood nearby.

At the entrance of the area they had just been transported to, two knights stood waiting, as if this encounter had been prepared in advance.

Those are my partners...? Alex thought, glancing at them briefly. It’s fine. They’ll do.

Vanesca continued, her voice carrying authority that demanded obedience. "All in all, each of you has been assigned to an A-rank beast territory. I understand that this may be too difficult for most of you, but do not worry. Our scouts are observing at all times. They are simply hidden from your sight."

"If she assigned scouts..." Alex muttered, glancing back at the two knights who held their spears with rigid precision, "then who are those..."

As he turned his head, one of the knights lifted its spear, the tip already aligned with the throat of one of his group members.

Alex’s expression sharpened. The Abyss Blade formed instantly within his palm.

---------------------------

[Abyss Blade]

[Status]

└ Equipped

---------------------------

His skills barely carry any cooldown now. As he continued to grow stronger, the delay between his abilities thinned, allowing him to chain actions with precision.

"Quick step."

Both knights had already committed to their strikes, their spears inches from their teammates’ necks.

"You two need better awareness."

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[Quick Step!]

└ -10 DE

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The world seemed to fold for a split second.

Alex vanished from where he stood, reappearing between both knights in a single breath.

His blade moved without hesitation.

One clean motion to the left.

Another to the right.

The Abyss Blade slid through their necks with a quiet, controlled precision, as if it had already traced the path before his body caught up.

A faint metallic sound followed.

Then stillness.

The two knights froze for half a second...

Before their bodies dropped.

Thump.

Alex didn’t even look back as they fell.

The two group members turned at the sound, only to see the towering figures collapse behind them. They stood there, stunned, unable to process what had just happened.

There was no blood. No resistance. The knights’ bodies flickered before dissolving entirely, as if they had never truly existed.

But that wasn’t the case.

Because his system confirmed otherwise.

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[Slain Metal Knights]

└ X2

└ A Rank

[Deity]

└ The Armor Deity

[Rewards]

└ Eligibility to tame Metal Knights

---------------------------

Alex glanced down at where they had fallen before shifting his gaze toward his new teammates.

"Tame."

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[Tame Used!]

[-100 DE]

[Tamed Successfully!]

[Tamed?]

└ X2 Metal Knights

[Rank?]

└ A Rank

[Evolve Cost To S Rank]

└ +1,000,000 Coins

[Evolve Now?]

[Yes or No?]

[No!]

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He didn’t have nearly enough coins, so he dismissed the screen and moved on.

[Metal Knights placed in the user’s armor inventory][Summon at any time!]

Once Alex reached S rank, he had gained a new tamer ability. Any beast he killed could be tamed, granting it another chance at existence, unless it was powerful enough to resist.

This only applied to creatures below his rank.

So for now, it worked perfectly.

His teammates’ expressions caught his attention. Shock, confusion, and a hint of admiration all mixed together. It fed slightly into his ego.

Vanesca’s voice echoed through their minds once more. "I hope you’ve all completed your first challenge. Those of you who were saved by our scouts will now be escorted out of the academy and returned home. You may try again next year." She let out a soft laugh. "For those who remain, your real task begins now. You are placed in groups of three within your respective dungeons. Explore the entire area, eliminate the species within, and claim the territory as your own. Once completed, my scouts will report back, and you will be transferred."

The tension in the cave rose slightly. Water dripped steadily from the ceiling, each drop echoing through the space.

"Good luck..."

Her voice faded away.

Alex turned back toward his new teammates, deciding it was finally time to introduce himself.

"Hello," he extended his right hand with a faint smile, "my name is Alex Vor Artorious. Nice to meet you both..."

A complete lie. One he came up with on the spot.

The two of them remained frozen for a moment, still trying to comprehend how effortlessly he had taken down both knights in a single instant.

Then they looked back at him, at his calm, unreadable expression.

"I’m..."