Thirty minutes ago.
I gripped the hilt of my kitchen knife—waiting for the right time during when the students went back to fighting after a quick rest.
Then, I slipped out. My hiding spot, where I was going to spend a few seconds before coming back out and then going back in.
The way to find a safe place, was to examine each rock on the walls of the entrance you are about to go in through. If it were lose, then it is safe. If it was stuck together and hard to break even with a blade—that is where a powerful beast hibernates.
I walked into a safe, small alcove. Once inside, I let out a deep breath and sat on my knees on a clean patch of ground.
My knife was set beside me at my right side.
Slowly, I pulled out my power stone. The red insignia burnt so bright, it blacked-out the entire—already dim—space.
I held the air in my lungs, and brought the stone to my mouth. The outer to shell was already gone, so all I needed to do—
Snap!
—was bite it.
Unlike what I thought... It felt completely safe to consume. Almost like a biscuit—but ones that couldn't be consumed too much.
"Hm... This wasn't as bad as Sasha had described..." I whispered to myself.
That was one part of me, judging too early.
The next second, I felt my entire body convulsing as I doubled over and held myself up by my palms. My lungs gave out.
And drops of crimson spilt out from my mouth and nose.
My heart was beating so much, I could stab it with a knife to save myself from the pain. My vision was going blurry, my head spinning.
Okay. That was exactly what Sasha had warned me about.
My arms were trembling violently.
If I was correct, the estimated time that the novel suggested the candidates could hold up... Was only thirty minutes.
If I stayed here and rotted, I would die along with them.
As soon as cold sweat started to break across my forehead, I stood back up, and gazed towards the passage.
I spent five minutes already...
I touched the back of my neck, feeling the wild pulse as my vision slowly cleared. I let out a deep breath, wiping my forehead and trying to act calm.
Although I felt like I really wanted to vomit.
The after effects were killing me inside-out.
It took me two more minutes before my legs stabalized and I could lean on my own two weight.
The walk out, was agonizing. But my work wasn't even small amount complete.
I walked towards a fallen student outside—whom I had been eyeing for the last ten minutes. He was my target of course.
Especially because his power was to take whatever he wanted and craft it into anything he needed.
As soon as he collapsed—and was left unattended—I went over in the guise of wanting to help him out. Of course I was forced to use the small medical knowledge I had to bandage his arm, then I had to move him to the nearest safety place.
But during that time, I stole a bit of his power.
I only needed a five-second long contact and I could siphon it out without any problem. That is the power of this Instincts element I carry.
After that, I waited for the perfect blind spot... Then vanished.
There was another section of the cave where I could clearly see mana crystals, obsidians and small amount of ores. I did need a bit of wood, but I guess... I can get that a bit later.
Using the small knife I had, I started to stab at the ores. Because it was just a small knife, I had to do things a little cautiously and a little more fragile. The thin blade was bending hazardously at dangerous angles, and if by change it did snap... It had a probability of flying and planting itself inside me.
That would be a bigger problem.
There was another thing about magic. It gives you extra boost in strength for a short amount of time, just as a leverage in case you are not strong enough for it yet.
It takes about twenty to thirty minutes to adjust to the power... And I was planning on diverting that strength into whatever I am about to do next, rather then handling it.
I have a strong endurance, don't worry. I am extremely tolerating to this sort of pain.
Snap!
The last piece of ore and obsidian fell to my sneakers, and I fell backwards on my palms—panting from all that work.
Is that why mine workers are so strong? They can even bent metals sometimes.
Ugh! I am wasting time.
Slowly, I got up to my feet, took off my hoodie, and used it as a bag to carry my collected materials towards the alcove again.
Ten minutes left...
I was surprised that I could do it all that fast.
Slowly, I stood on my tip-toes on top of my collection of ores. Using that stolen bit of magic, I applied pressure.
It crushed, turned into powder. I did the same with the other ones too.
Seven minutes left...
I collected them and mixed them up.
Five minutes...
Placed my knife in the middle of the powder. Then, reached into my pocket and pulled out a paper of scribbles mostly. But there was one thing that others wouldn't understand.
I slowly relaxed out and sat cross-legged on the ground. My eyes narrowed on their own as I bit onto my finger to draw blood.
The Instincts element had converted my own blood into magic itself. And that magic was now my DNA.
I watched as three precise drops fell onto the mixture, the crimson dropped down the steel blade of my knife.
Slowly enough, red, deep blue and orange colour streaks emerged from thin air. I shut one of my eyes and my other eye was squinted from the light intensity, that even raising my forearm wasn't enough.
Then...
I had to place my hand flat against everything, and used up all the other element I had stolen.
It was taxing, but the high risk would eventually give me a good harvest.
Slowly enough, in the blink of an eye, my fingers touched something cold, which I immediately gripped.
It took a few seconds for the residual amount of the magic to shape it, but it left me holding the pommel of a beautiful and full black sword.
Not only that, it had red hints along the seams—making it look like it were comedically made.
Slowly, I stood up. It was finally done.
One minute left...
I pulled my hoodie back on. Once outside, I saw a small scrap of fresh medical bandage. Don't worry, no one else is getting hurt anymore.
Using that small scrap, the handle was wrapped and good for use.
Three seconds...
My time of extra strength wasn't done yet. I could feel my bones turning a bit dense, although my muscle won't change.
With a deep breath, I leaped.
Swing! Slash!
That was quite easy.
I landed on the ground with no issue. The sword was so shape, it made me feel kind of powerful.
I swung it between my fingers, wiping the excess blood off.
Then, came my magic.
Fire spread across the edges of the blade as I walked forward, facing the remaining horde.
They stepped backwards in hesitation, their jaws snapping shut.
Behind me, the candidates were shocked. One arrogant one stepped forward.
"Where were you all this time, candidate fifteen?! We were literally dying here!"
I turned my head over my shoulder. "Really? Then do you want me to step back right now and you all can proceed to finish it up?"
He shut up almost instantly.
I scoffed in return. "Don't mess it up, talking that shit ever again. Some people do this out of force.
"Besides... The professors were so selfish, they sent out untrained candidates out like that. And now I am to deal with it? After that, they are going to push me away from the rest because I am the last candidate."
I offered a smile, turned my head towards him. "So no need to be scared... Because only after I die... Will the rest of you die."
They stood baffled. Nada looked speechless, her eyes widened and Sasha smirked.
I turned away in time for a beast to lung. A wolf mutilation with horns at its snout like a rhinoceros.
Fighting is quite hard, but...
Shing!
I don't hesitate when I am being threathened.
Its head rolled across the floor, the rest of its body went limp. I used it as a stepping stone to leap onto the air as one of the biggest beast reached its claws at my face.
Those nails... I thought. Reminds me of something...
Mid-air, I threw my sword at the direction of its throat. It hit the target flawlessly.
A smile reached my face, not because I am like other characters who love violence and all...
But because the certain someone those nails reminded me of... Was my mother.
If you remember well, you will understand why I feel satisfied in killing that monster.
I landed on the ground behind the remainder of the body, falling on one knee and skidded backward. With own hand, I caught my flying blade, and swung at the one next to me.
It cut off the leg.
Outside, holding this weapon felt hard... But it is the intend that matters. And the situation of course.
Being in a tight situation could often alter what a person thought... Leading to the actions they carried out.
For now... I just wanted to survive... And keep Nada and Sasha safe too.
The others didn't matter, I don't care enough to even look at their faces.
The one I had cut the leg of, yelped out in helpless pain. But I was already at the other end of the cave, dealing with another one.
It all happened in the blink of an eye. Before I knew it, my sense of gravity vanished and the room spun violently when I was mid-air.
Leaping was like thinking if I would get hurt when I was landing. To swing, made me think if I would hit the target well enough.
I had already killed three up until now... There was five more left.
Easy, I will first leave my sword to deal with two or three.
Using the side walls, I jumped high enough to read the direction my hit would make it through two barriers.
Then sent my sword flying at the direction. It was now all up to luck that I hit my predictions well.
These creatures were quite slow, so I should be correct. I had enough time to see the blade penetrate the first beast, since I was busy taking off my hoodie.
The next second, I had used an alive beast to step onto its head and reach the one behind it.
It was another wolf mutilation—its mouth wide and running towards me.
Its hind legs extended towards my direction, and I used my hoodie sleeves to wrap them like a rope around its throat.
With its own momentum—
Crack!
—I broke its neck.
As soon as it died, I pulled my cloth back and pulled it on—regardless.
Magic beast were far from unclean. Rather, if it were poisonous, I would gain resistance against it.
Fine... Now one more left to go.
As I walked to grab my sword, the last survivor stepped backwards—holding out its hands in a surrender.
It didn't matter to me.
For the last time that day, I leaped.
This time, my sword was held like a dagger before you stabbed something.
The beasts eyes were locked on my face for a long time, as I descended upon it.
Stab! Splatter!
That was it.
That was... Finally... It.
I let out a deep breath, trying to stabalize before realizing... I was so deep into the cave—that the others weren't even a speck.
Thinking I could get a chance in resting, I took out my sword, walked a few paces...
And buried it dip onto the ground before leaning onto it.
My body slouched down as I pressed my forehead against the now warm handle.
Then, my gaze fell on my handles.
Blood-stained and a few small patches of burning here and there.
But still, at the end of the day... Everything about this was satisfying.
********************
First draft: 31.10.2025
Rewritten: 20.08.2026