Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Chapter 36- First hunt
“Are you prepared, My Lord?” Sebastian asked, as Austin changed his attire and wore the expedition gear, and got prepared for the assessment.

It was mid-nood when the students were provided an hour of break so they could mentally and physically prepare themselves for the hunt.

Looking at the older one, Austin gave him a short nod before saying, “I think I can do this.” After today’s training and the fact that Austin has knowledge of the future, he knew he would be able to make it out alive and safe today.

“Even if you don’t do well today, Young Master, don’t forget that you still will get a lot more opportunities in the future. So please, pay attention to your safety.”

Austin nodded, “Yep, I know. And you don’t need to worry, because of you and Val, I cannot let myself get any more injured.”

Taking a pause, and looking at his butler, Austin added with a thin smirk, “But don’t assume that I am going to fail this one. I am going to retain my position in the Apex Circle.”

Sebastian was rendered speechless for a moment. The confidence in his eyes and the way he left no room for persuasion left the man helpless.

In the end, Sebastian could only hope that his young lord, succeed in his venture.

——-**—–

The students 2-A were standing side by side near the rear entrance of the Academy.

They all were wearing similar uniforms. The top was a fitted jacket made of reinforced yet breathable fabric, tailored to allow a full range of motion. Its high collar provided protection against the elements, while multiple pockets were strategically placed for carrying tools and small supplies.

The trousers were sturdy and flexible, made from a lightweight yet tough material resistant to tears. Reinforced knee pads were built into the design, offering extra protection during treks through rough terrain.

Students were allowed to carry additional weapons, artifacts, and potions for this assessment.

Austin was wearing a pair of steel knuckles since he knew his Soul Shard was unreliable.

He was standing on the extreme right while Valerie was on the extreme left.

He couldn’t turn to look at her. That’s why he was waiting for the opportunity to see his Princess in this attire.

“Okay now that you all have gathered and seem prepared, I would like to tell you a few rules you need to keep in mind during this assessment.”

The instructor was a tall woman with long green hair and a pair of piercing violet eyes. Austin remembered her name to be Victoria.

With her left hand on her waist, the woman began, “First, your goal: hunt monsters, the minimum limit is one, and the maximum is none. You have six hours in the forest so utilize your time wisely. Second, you cannot hunt your fellow classmates. Under any circumstances, you are not allowed to launch any attack which could harm your classmates. Third, if you feel your life is at risk or face any unexpected situation, use the spell [Regilia] or light up a torch provided to you.”

Austin checked the SOS torch which he had kept in his pocket. Since he couldn’t chant a spell, this was his best option if something went awry.

“Fourth, this is an assessment to test your individual strength and brilliance on the battlefield. So helping out others would have your points deducted. Be careful about that,” When she said that, the teacher turned her eyes between Valerie and Rhea alternatively.

Valerie remained nonchalant while Rhea awkwardly smiled.

Victoria asked in a louder voice, “Cadets, are you ready?!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The woman nodded, “Move out!”

At once, every student dashed ahead, a huge cloud of dust erupting as they entered the forest.

Austin was also like others, as he entered the forest, and after taking a few steps, he came to a halt.

‘Okay, let’s see…’ If he remembers correctly, the forest was densely populated with monsters on the north-west side. And currently, he was standing somewhere around the south-east.

His first goal was to hunt a beast as soon as he could so that when the real threat arrived, he would have enough points. After all, when ‘that being’ would make an appearance there was a high chance for the professors to end this assessment.

So before that, he would gain some experience of hunting. Well, forget about the points, the experience is what matters.

‘Okay, so the first step is…’ He was just trying to try and sense the nearest beast when suddenly he felt something jumping towards him, urging Austin to sidestep, and barely dodge the beast.

“Fuck!” He cursed as he saw a sabertooth tiger landing in the space where he once stood.

‘Brilliant…’ Austin grinned as he got up on his feet and gripped his Soul Shard.

The manifestation of his soul glimmed with a deathly illumination as Austin stared at the seven-foot-long beast in the eye.

Austin had retained the memories of the previous owner so he knows about the weak points of the beast.

Its throat.

*Grr*

The tiger growled, ready to lunge any moment as it moved in a circle and retained its gaze on its prey.

Austin didn’t flinch, his breathing steady despite the heavy tension in the air. His grip on the steel knuckles tightened, the glow of his Soul Shard pulsing faintly in sync with his heartbeat.

The sabertooth tiger growled low, its massive claws raking the dirt as it prowled in a circle. Its golden eyes locked on him, hungry and calculating.

‘It’s stronger and faster. I can’t face it head-on,’ Austin thought, his mind racing. ‘But its movements are predictable. It’s a beast, not a tactician.’

The tiger lunged suddenly, a blur of muscles and sharp fangs. Austin dove to the side, feeling the air shift as claws swiped inches from his face. He rolled to his feet, heart pounding, and quickly scanned his surroundings.

The forest floor was littered with broken branches and uneven terrain. Perfect.

As the tiger spun around, ready for another attack, Austin kicked up a cloud of dirt into its face. The beast snarled, momentarily blinded, giving him just enough time to grab a thick branch from the ground.

The tiger roared, shaking its head clear, and leapt again. This time, Austin ducked low and swung the branch with all his strength, aiming for its exposed underbelly. The wood cracked on impact, making the beast howl in pain, but it wasn’t enough to stop it.

The beast suddenly used its skill and dashed toward Austin with faster pace, leaving no room for him to dodge.

“Guh!” Austin cried in pain as the tiger rammed its head into his chest, and threw the blond into the nearest tree.

It wasn’t enough that the tiger pressed its massive paw against Austin’s body to keep him pressed.

“*ROAAAAAAR*” Already considering it its victory, the tiger roared, but then,

**TREMBLE**

An aura that made the tiger tremble in fear, radiated from behind. The roar silenced up under the pressure as the beast felt its instincts shouting at it to run away.

**SQUELCH**

Austin took the advantage of the distraction and plunged his dagger into the tiger’s vulnerable neck.

“*GRUOO*” The beast growled in pain as it swayed its head left and right to release the grip. However, Austin clung to his dagger and while gritting his teeth, he stabbed the dagger deeper,

“HAAAAA!!!” A loud cry of agony mixed with agitation echoed as Austin suddenly pushed the tiger back and got up on his feet

The tiger was bleeding profusely and was trying to get away, however, like shackles connecting them, Austin kept stabbing the dagger until the beast stopped moving around.

“*Gruff*” The last groan of pain seeped through the dying beast throat, as Austin stated,

“I hope you attain peace in the afterlife.”

Praying for his first hunt, Austin began to pull out his dagger….only to find his eyes widening.

“What the heck…” he continued to pull and pull but the Shard seemed like getting endlessly pulled out of the dead beast’s body.

“Damn…” the moment he took the whole dagger(?) out, he realised the reason why the beast died so easily.

Subconsciously, Austin augmented his Shard and increased its size.

But before celebrating the achievement, he looked at the one who assisted him and waved at her, “Thanks for that. See you later.”

He received no response but he knew she was there.

His guardian angel. His dear Villainess.

———**——-

A/N:- Thanks for reading.