'Does this guy think through his b*tt hole?' Blake was considering giving him a proper beating, but luckily for Ansgar Luciano gave him a glare that made him shut up and listen.
"First, let's talk about the rules of the forest. Don't make unnecessary sounds. Leave immediately after you kill a beast because the smell of blood might attract other beasts to the areas..." Blake took his time to explain the does and don'ts of the forest before he emphasized the last part.
"If you see a prey know that there is a chance that another predator is around and also remember that the members of its pack might also be around so be careful."
Blake went on setting ground rules. The team had no leader and no one could boss each other around, meaning everything a person does is by their will. The spoils were agreed to be shared based on how much damage one inflicted on the beast, that meant if he was to kill a monster, he was to keep all the spoils.
As for food issues, everyone was to keep the food supply they got for themselves and if that of anyone finished before the exercise was over, they were free to hunt, besides they were in the forest.
Most of the rules he had created was to prevent those didn't work hard or made little preparations to reap from those that did in the name being a team.
"Now that all the rules have been laid out, what is our main goal for the exercise? We can't just hole ourselves up because we have to survive, I propose we go out on regular hunting." The whole team was looking at him as if he had lost his mind.
Seeing the looks on their faces, Blake couldn't help but ask. "Don't tell me that was your plan?"
"The forest is swarming with beasts, not only I may lose my life or the exercise, but if we I end up getting injured, I will have to consume more food for my injuries to heal up." Because her dimensional amulet was not of high quality like the 3 nobles in the team, she couldn't store much food meaning she had to ration them for it to be enough and the same went for the entire.
[What were you expecting from kids who haven't been in life threatening situations.] The system was not surprised by their reactions.
'I thought them being elites meant they were above average students, but seems I overestimated them.' Blake sighed.
"Well that makes things easier for me, but you have to stay put for me regroup with you guys." Blake said to the group.
"But what if we get attacked by a beast and we have to move?" Esmeralda asked. She didn't like his idea of hunting for beasts, but since she couldn't order anyone the next best thing was to prevent the team from permanently being divided when a member got lost.
"Don't worry I will find my way." Blake said as he leaped unto a tree and left the area.
'The rumors about him being weak is totally false, Luciano might not even be his match and that may have been the reason he hasn't challenged him.' Esmeralda couldn't help but think as she watched as Blake's figure leave their line of sight.
When Ansgar was about to attack Blake, she saw the indifference in his eyes, it was as if Ansgar wasn't even a threat to him. Even from the way Blake had responded to the fraxen's attack she saw him brimming with confidence.
…
A hundred meters away from the team's position, Blake was on a tree scanning his environment.
The team was still within the system's detection range, but he was contemplating if he should move further, because he hadn't come in contact with any beasts since he left.
"Make a map of the area I just passed; I wouldn't want to get lost." Blake didn't want to take chances of getting lost, because everywhere in the forest looked exactly the same because of the tall lush trees that blocked out most of the light.
[11 students detected 58 meters east.] The system reported.
'Let's see what happens when the two teams meet each other.' Blake dashed towards the area.
When he got close to the area, with the help of the system he concealed his presence. After checking that no one else was planning on ambushing them, Blake decided to spectate from a distance.
'Idiots.' Blake shook his head when he saw them making the same mistake as his team.
"As you can see my team is greater in numbers and in more high rankers, so hand over your food and no harm will befall you." A brown haired muscular boy who stood in front of his team which had 6 members spoke up.
(AN: remember the exam is only taken by the students of the elite class and remember they are 64 in number meaning the last set won't make up a team of 5. So the 4 remaining students were added to random groups.)
When they were informed that the exercise was to last for a week, many had tried to leave the hall in order to store more food, but they were stopped from doing so, meaning that some hadn't taken enough food.
'This reminds me of the walking dead. The zombies hunt humans and humans hunt humans, that makes me wonder what is the difference between humans and beasts?' Blake had no plans of saving them because he had nothing to gain, neither was he a hero to work for free so he decided to watch how everything unfolds.
[Humans are truly despicable, because they have power, they chose to oppress those weaker.] The system said in disappointed tone.
"But here we are waiting to capitalize on their misfortune." They both inwardly laughed at the system's acting skills.
…
"If you decide to fight us you won't be getting anything because a professor will save us if our lives are in danger." A female member of the oppressed group said in attempt to make the oppressors realize their actions were futile.
'You idiot, why will you speak of such vital information to your opponents!' The leader felt like pausing this, so that he could have a one on one fight with this moron he called a teammate.
The leader knew that they stood no chance against the oppressors, but he didn't want the enemy to leave unscathed. His plan was to let himself get hit so that a professor would come save him, making his opponents actions futile, but a daughter of a thousand fathers decided to talk.
'How naïve, because of a few words you expect someone that's fighting for survival to back down so easily.' Blake was trying his best to hold back his laughter, at this moment he was wishing he had a bowl of pop corn.
"You heard him guys don't shoot to kill." The leader sneered at how naïve the girls was.
"Okay we agree, don't attack." Seeing their was a high chance for them to be tortured by the oppressors, the leader decided it was best to give them what they wanted, but their was still a chance that they will go back on their words and still attack them.
"Now that's what we are talking about." The muscular brown-haired leader smiled when he heard his opponents words.
He truly didn't want to fight because it would have been difficult for them to win, if they were holding back their strength to make sure they didn't land non lethal blows, but thanks to his inexperienced opponents his team will be getting food supplies without raising a finger.
Following their leaders footsteps, all the members of the team brought out their dimensional amulets, but before they could activate it, two sklades which were lizard type beasts with exoskeletal skull armor and a thick tail with a spiked end, came dashing towards them.
The sudden appearance of the hideous beasts left both sides rooted to the spot, giving the sklades enough time to close in. It lowered its head and crashed into one of the oppressors, causing multiple fractures, internal bleeding, external bleeding and losing consciousness, but he was not dead.
Luckily for the student, sklades preferred eating their prey alive, so it went after it next target which was the muscular brown-haired leader.
Immediately, the sklade turned to the leader, it used its tail to slam another student behind it rendering her unconscious before dashing forward.
…
Prior to the sudden attack, Blake had already been informed by the system about the sklades, but since beasts attacking them was expected and him not being their targets, Blake remained concealed and prepared to take advantage of the situation.
'Are there only 2 sklades?' Blake asked as he prepared to take action.
[Affirmative. No other beast is in detection range.] The system's report put a smirk on Blake's face as he unsheathed Reaper.
'Let's go.'
