Chapter 253 Hunting License Exam
Lyrian joined the students at the wall, but not before being greeted by the lady at the desk. "Welcome!" she said in a similar tone to the front desk lady outside in the lobby. "Feel free to sit or watch the license exam currently taking place."
Lyrian nodded and walked to the glass. He stared out with his hands in his pockets, nonchalantly waiting to get this damned license. He wanted to rush this as much as possible...
Inside the dome, the student was fighting the dummy, which was rather large. Although it looked weak, its movements were actually quite good. It had a wooden sword in hand, and it seemed that it was enough to push back the examinee.
It seemed he had joined the others viewing the battle just in time, as the dummy leaped into the air at that moment and swung down its wooden blade with force. The student went to one knee and placed his spear above his head, but the power behind the dummy's attack was too much to handle. The boy's spear broke into two after a short struggle.
*Thwack*
The wooden blade pushed back his neck as it hit his temple top. He was knocked out in an instant. The dummy stood facing forward, its sword to its side, as it walked backward to the middle of the dome.
To Lyrian's surprise, it even shrunk for some reason, turning into a 5'10 ft dummy, instead of the 7 ft monster that it was just a moment ago.
'Huh?' he thought, slightly confused by that.
"Ile Hevan has failed," the lady at the desk announced, as a few guards entered the dome from some side doors and dragged the boy outside.
"Next examinee, please enter."
Another kid entered. The kid seemed to talk out loud for a minute or so, saying words that Lyrian couldn't hear or discern. After that odd conversation or whatever it was, the dummy suddenly changed into an even smaller size.
As the battle began, the dummy moved around swiftly, as if it was a leopard in the forest. Dashing from side to side, it avoided all of the kid's attacks before suddenly thrusting its blade forward and digging it right into the boy's chest.
His eyes rolled back into his head as he failed. The dummy reset itself, and he failed soon after.
"Wow... he had to be the worst out of everyone yet. He didn't even last five minutes," a kid exclaimed, seemingly disappointed. "He talked a big game too..."
Lyrian observed all of this and imagined that the dummy would change its shape and fighting technique according to the specific examinee. Still, this was just a theory. He would have to figure out the answer for himself when it was his turn.
40 minutes later, it was finally his turn. His name was called, and he entered the dome without hesitation. 'Finally...' he said, his hand on his hilt as he approached the dummy.
By now, a group of five students had piled up behind him and watched him through the dome as he took the exam. After walking up to the average-sized dummy, he stared at it for a few seconds. Finally, a voice suddenly sounded from its being, even though it didn't move at all.
"What is your class?" the deep voice said, throwing Lyrian slightly off.
"Uh... class? I guess this is for hunting class..." he said, confused.
"I will provide you with the classes," the dummy instantly retorted.
Lyrian didn't say anything; instead, he listened intently.
"Warrior:
Description: Frontline fighters, strong in close combat, are known for their physical strength and heavy armor skills.
Class Abilities: Weapon Mastery, Shield Expertise, Close Combat Prowess."
It paused after each class to allow the examinee to understand properly.
"Mage:
Description: Magic experts wielding spells and elemental powers from a distance.
Class Abilities: Spellcasting, Elemental Affinity, Mana Restoration."
"Rogue:
Description: Stealthy and nimble characters excel in sneak attacks, traps, and ranged combat.
Class Abilities: Sneak Attacks, Evasion, Trap Handling."
"Paladin:
Description: Divine spellcasters, specializing in healing, protection, and moral guidance.
Class Abilities: Divine Magic, Healing Abilities."
"Ranger:
Description: Wilderness experts skilled in archery, tracking, and survival.
Class Abilities: Archery, Animal Companionship, Survival Skills."
"Which class are you?"
Lyrian paused for a moment also before replying. He hadn't ever considered these options. From the descriptions, however, he thought that the Rogue and Warrior class suited him most. Since he didn't wear heavy armor and was more fast in his fighting, he decided to go with the former.
"Rogue."
After a short pause, the dummy transformed into a 4'5 ft being. Its wooden sword turned into half of its original size; a dagger. Without wasting any time, it dashed forward toward Lyrian.
Lyrian withdrew his sword and jumped backward. He had analyzed the dummy's powers and had seen that they usually acclimated to the examinee's strength. But, so far, he hadn't seen it be too fast for him, which made him feel confident for the exam.
However, his confidence was immediately challenged as the dummy appeared in front of him in an instant. It swung its dagger at his neck, and Lyrian had no choice but to enhance his arm to move his Obsidian blade fast enough to parry the attack.
He hadn't used Enhance in a while, so this caught him off guard. The dummy backed up, before beginning to run around toward Lyrian from the side. Its speed was intense, and its ferocity and precision were nothing to laugh at.
It was clear now that it could acclimate to a much higher strength than what Lyrian had seen of it before. "It's not bad... but I'm not gonna let some chunk of wood defeat me." He widened his eyes before propelling himself forward.
He went on the offensive as well, clashing with the dummy. They began to exchange several blows with the sword, and Lyrian quickly began to push it back.
Clutching his blade firmly, Lyrian thrust forward with utmost focus; using the art of Smithing to advance his attack proficiency. The thrust pierced straight through the dummy's torso, seemingly breaking through a thin protective barrier that revealed itself on breaking.
The dummy instantly flew back several feet before skidding to a stop over 50 feet back. The lady at the desk furrowed her brows in surprise as she looked at the magic orb in front of her which showed the exam ground.