Chapter 88: Group Class Raid 4
"Alright, that’s enough, let’s stop now," Kael Vi-rel interjected, stepping between the two of them. His voice was calm, but held an unmistakable note of authority that cut through the simmering tension.
She always has to push the boundaries, Kael thought, his gaze flicking to the smirk that Selene was trying, and failing, to hide. I don’t know what you were trying to pull off, Selene Whitmore, but I can’t let you do what I am thinking. The air crackled with unspoken challenge, a familiar dance between the two of them that their classmates had grown accustomed to observing with a mixture of apprehension and amusement.
"I think we should get ready for the practical test now, right?" Kael said, the question directed at the class but clearly meant to steer the conversation away from the precipice of an argument. He placed a gentle, but firm, tap on Selene’s shoulder. "For now, let’s just start the class first, right, Selene Whitmore?"
Selene sighed, the dramatic flair of her sigh almost audible. "Okay, alright," she conceded, though her eyes promised a continuation of their rivalry later.
A quiet "Hmph, for now," came from Julie Wartin, a short, sharp sound that spoke volumes about her continued suspicion and disapproval of Selene’s antics.
Kael let out a small, private breath of relief. "Thankfully, I was able to savage the matter before it went out of control," he murmured, loud enough only for Selene and Julie to hear. "We almost got into trouble before we even prepare for the practical." He looked around at his classmates, a knot of worry tightening in his stomach. "But I hope this group is going to work out somehow." Their class was talented, yes, but their collective lack of cohesion was a ticking clock waiting to go off.
The metallic ring of a bell sliced through the air, and the teacher’s commanding voice immediately followed. "Now, everyone, let’s begin the practical!"
A collective shuffle of boots and equipment was heard as the students adjusted their gear, nerves and excitement a palpable wave in the enclosed training hall.
"First group, please head into the practical ground to start the test," the teacher announced, instructing the students with a sweeping gesture toward the large, open arena shielded by powerful, transparent magical barriers.
The composition of the First Group was projected onto a massive screen:
Name: Elric Vales Position: Tanker
Long Range Dealer Long Range Dealer Assistant Short Range Dealer Short Range Dealer Assistant
This group, a textbook five-man squad, Kael mused, watching them walk into the arena. A balanced formation. The success of a group like this hinges entirely on the Tanker’s ability to hold the line and the Dealers’ precision.
The ground trembled faintly as the testing specimen was materialized into the center of the arena. A monstrous, ten-foot-tall C-Rank Ogre stomped into existence, its massive, club-wielding arm dragging carelessly on the earth. Its roar was a deafening, guttural sound that rattled the students’ teeth.
This ogre brings back memories, Kael thought, a flicker of a past raid in his mind. It was hard to deal with a number of 10 ogres during the last raid, but 1 ogre for 5 people is a good match-up for a practice.
Elric Vales, the Tanker, didn’t hesitate. He was a figure of quiet intensity, clad in lightweight but magically reinforced armor, his weapon of choice a simple, broad iron shield. The moment the Ogre focused its beady eyes on him, Elric made his move.
He raised a hand, not toward the Ogre, but palms-up toward the ground, and a faint, shimmering blue aura surrounded him. This was his core strength telekinesis and raw physic abilities. With a silent, immense effort of will, he forced a tremor into the ground, not to hurt the Ogre, but to disrupt its balance just enough. The colossal monster stumbled, its initial charge momentarily delayed.
"Fire!" Elric’s voice was steady, a clear command amidst the chaos.
The Long Range Dealer and the Long Range Dealer Assistant immediately went to work. From the edge of the arena, a volley of bright, searing light magic missiles and whistling, barbed physical projectiles rained down on the Ogre’s thick hide. The Dealer’s magic was a continuous stream of pure damage, while the Assistant’s shots were designed to slow and cripple, targeting the Ogre’s knees and shoulder joints.
Roaring in pain and confusion, the Ogre swung its club in a wide arc. It wasn’t aimed at the ranged attackers, however. It was aimed at the source of the persistent annoyance Elric Vales.
He is really good at drawing aggro, Kael observed, impressed. Elric didn’t dodge; he stood his ground, a fixed point against a tidal wave of fury. He held his shield up with one hand, bracing for the impact. Simultaneously, he raised his other hand and focused his mind.
He is using telekinesis with one of his hands and magic with the other. A shimmering, nearly invisible force field of pure physic energy formed in front of him, augmenting the shield. The Ogre’s club met the barrier with a sickening crunch. The impact sent Elric skidding back several feet, his boots digging trenches in the earth, but the blow was significantly softened, his formation unbroken.
As the Ogre recovered from its missed attack, the Short Range Dealer and Assistant nimble and fast flashed in, darting under the creature’s massive legs. The Dealer, wielding a pair of glowing, energized daggers, delivered deep, clean cuts into the tendons of the Ogre’s ankles, while the Assistant used a short, weighted chain to bind one of its legs, further compromising its movement.
The fight was a symphony of coordinated violence. Elric maintained the Ogre’s furious attention, constantly disrupting its movements with bursts of telekinetic force, while the Dealers poured on the damage. He was the eye of the storm, absorbing blows and forcing the monster to fight on his terms.
The Ogre, slowed and riddled with wounds, finally dropped its massive club, roaring its last challenge. With a final, coordinated effort, the Long Range Dealer unleashed a devastating Plasma Bolt a massive concentration of light magic that struck the Ogre squarely in the chest, disintegrating its magical core. The monster staggered, then collapsed, dissolving into a shimmering plume of smoke.