On a certain secluded area inside Orze Advanced Adventurer Zone, sounds of metal shing against metal resounded along with a cacophony of resolute battle cries.


    As evening approached rapidly, the dimming heavenly canvas slowly provided the five assassins with additional cover as they carried out their bloody operation to eradicate an entire academy convoy.


    Fiercely fighting for their lives were the people from Colzen Academy who were currently the target of the aforementioned assassins—they were ferociously defiant in the face of death, regrettably, they were simply outnumbered five to two in terms of high-ranking veterans.


    The instructors worked together brilliantly to fend off two assassins, however, that''s all they could manage and the seven strongest students of Colzen must manage on their own.


    Unfortunately, despite what most would consider a "good start", Bakko was proving too tough of an adversary for them—far faster, far stronger.


    Their well-practiced hunting formation easily copsed as soon as the loathsome old goat used skills—their front liners, including Shye—beaten ck and blue as Bakko unpredictably maneuvered, skillfully dodging their skills and masterfully counterattacking promptly after.


    Still, the Colzen seven vehemently resisted.


    They knew that if the hateful scrawny bastard managed to get past them, he would massacre thepanion students.


    Of course, Shye wouldn''t permit any harm toe to his beloved little sister and girlfriend.


    Even though a few of his bones were already broken, he relentlessly tried to cause problems for Bakko, standing up and charging right back into the fray even after multiple failures.


    The Colzen Seven''s chaotic struggle continued for around ten minutes before Bakko decided to go all out.


    Clenching his fists tightly in utter fury, Bakko performed some hand and finger seals.


    "You little pipsqueaks…I''m done ying along with all your bullshit…" said Bakko with a quivering voice, extremely irked at the fact that he still hadn''t killed a single one after trying for ten minutes.


    Somehow, one of the little twerps would always jump in when he was about to finish someone off.


    Earlier, he was reluctant to use his ultimate skill because the other assassins mightugh at him but now, he couldn''t care less.


    It would be more embarrassing if he failed to kill them in the next minute.


    "Bakko! You still haven''t killed them?! Quickly finish them off! These deans are stronger than we expected! We need help!" eximed Turner, the assassin who was fighting Dean Snowcrest.


    ''Tch, I know what to do…just shut the hell up…all of you…'' Bakko inwardly reprimanded, he didn''t dare say it out loud to them though, deep in his heart, he knew that he was f*cking the mission up.


    After performing hand seals, Bakko mmed his palm on his chest, prompting some sort of dark rune to appear.


    Subsequently, six shadows rose from the ground, materializing into exact copies of Bakko, though these copies had stiff facial expressions making it easy to determine which of them was the real old goat.


    "Hmmph!"


    Seeing the clones, Ian promptly teleported behind one and stabbed at its neck.


    As a scout he was more familiar with the properties of clonespared to the other representatives, hence, he decided to step up.


    Unfortunately for him, the clone had fast reflexes, allowing it to raise its dagger ordingly and block Ian''s stab with brilliant precision.


    Still, Ian was unshaken by the clone''s excellent block.


    As though he already expected his first attack to be blocked, Ian somersaulted and charged once more.


    This time, the clone wasn''t able to cleanly block Ian''s attack, allowing him to shallowly cut the clone''s neck.


    Normally, clones were fragile.


    Suffering a single shallow cut was enough to dispel them.


    Shockingly, this clone was still alive and well, prompting Ian to narrow his eyes before informing everyone of the clone''s characteristics.


    "Everyone! Careful, these clones can''t be taken down in one hit, however, they''re weaker than the true body, probably around 50 to 60 percent of that old goat''s actual strength…"


    Hearing Ian''s words, the other representatives gripped their weapons tighter, realizing that six of them would have to deal with the clones while thest one dealt with the one true goat.


    Instinctively, Shye recognized this and promptly offered to handle the elderly goat.


    "Crowley! Hold on for a few more seconds! Once I finish this mutt off, I''lle help you!" Dean Snowcrest eximed, relentlessly attacking his opponent with consecutive vicious skill-empowered shes, stirring up clouds of dust and gusts of wind as he ferociously hacked away.


    Shye genuinely struggled with how to handle Bakko, part of him acknowledging that some of them might not survive the day, including himself. Therefore, Dean Snowcrest''s words truly brought him hope.


    ''A few seconds…just a few seconds…'' thought Shye, his heart zing with the resolve to survive.


    As for Bakko, rm bells rang inside his head as the gravity of the situation finally struck him.


    If he failed to finish this little bastard on time, then they might actually fail their mission.


    ''Crap…I gotta finish him off now!'' thought Bakko, warping the air at his initial location as he disappeared once more.


    Realizing that the old goat was trying to finish him off, Shye unhesitatingly used [Power sh Lv.4] to empower his next attack before shing at the air behind him—a technique he learned from Siegfried.


    *CLANG*


    Shye''s greatswords shed fiercely with Bakko''s dagger, igniting a cacophony of fire, water, and thunder, causing white vapor to billow as Shye was forcefully pushed back, sliding across the ground.


    Knowing that Bakko was now truly desperate to take him out, a pair of rotten wings promptly materialized on his back apanied by a bone-chilling howl as Shye unhesitatingly used all of his trump cards.


    To make matters worse for Bakko, he also activated [Stoic Lv.4], reducing all iing damage by 65% for five seconds.


    Feeling the changes in Shye''s body, the old goat cursed at the wind before swiftly teleporting behind Shye again, promptly attempting to slice his neck off right after.


    Unfortunately for Bakko, he quickly found out how badly he underestimated the little twerp.


    Armed with a bunch of skills, Shye managed to stand his ground this time, fighting on equal footing against the old goat who had a ratherical desperate look on his face—curved lips, visibly gritting his teeth, brows hriously furrowed while his eyes were wide open.


    Regrettably, this magnificent scene of a graduating youngster valiantly standing his ground against a veteran adventurer would onlyst for five seconds at maximum.