CHAPTER 217: CHAPTER 217

A sly smile crept across my face as I met her gaze. "You sure about that?" I challenged, activating my Spectral Seal. Its glow shimmered softly, a subtle reminder of the power I held just beneath the surface. I’d held back before entering the Sky Tower, knowing the risks, but now I was ready to turn the tables.

Jane’s eyes didn’t show any immediate sign of approaching me, so I decided to push her further. I leaned into the provocation, voice dripping with mock confidence. "Don’t hold yourself back— you might regret it later."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

I let the silence stretch before answering, my smirk widening. "The last time I killed someone, it was because they underestimated me." I kept my tone light, but the underlying warning was clear—she shouldn’t dismiss me too easily.

Her expression hardened, and the once playful smile vanished, replaced by a sharp glare. "You asked for it," she declared, suddenly discarding her robe in a fluid motion.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the tattoo etched prominently in the center of her chest, just below her neck—a fierce lion. The emblem of the Scar’s Pride Society.

A surge of curiosity and caution washed over me. Why was someone from Scar’s Pride Society here, in the Sky Tower, of all places? That society was known for cooperating with Rogues.

Jane’s voice cut through my thoughts as she prepared herself. "Let’s start," she said, her gaze narrowing as the weapons behind her began to shimmer and shift. At least twenty of them—mostly swords and axes—hovered ominously, all pointing in my direction.

She regarded me with a dismissive smirk, her tone dripping with condescension. "Since you’re interesting, I’ll allow you to make the first move," she said, her voice echoing with a superiority that made it clear she saw me as no more than a distraction. Her mana-infused weapons shimmered like a curtain of deadly intent, shielding her completely. There was no visible opening—no way to slip past her defenses.

I held her gaze. "If you say so," I replied, activating my Serenade of Daggers. Instantly, the daggers I have floated in the air around me.

Jane’s laughter rang out, a sharp, mocking sound. "Pfft! Hahaha!" she scoffed, watching my weapons with amusement.

Seizing the moment, I launched my daggers toward her. In an instant, they multiplied—hundreds of blades swirling through the air, a storm of daggers aimed directly at her.

Her mana-shielded weapons intercepted the barrage effortlessly, parrying most of the blades. But amidst the chaos, one dagger slipped past her defenses, slicing across her cheek.

Jane’s eyes narrowed as the single dagger found its mark, a thin line of blood tracing down her cheek. Her smirk grew sharper, and her mana-infused weapons flared brighter, as if responding to her rising fury.

She lunged forward with incredible speed, her weapons darting toward me like deadly serpents. With a swift motion, she swung a massive axe in a sweeping arc aimed at my side, while simultaneously launching a flurry of sword thrusts to keep me on the defensive.

I dodged the axe by a hair, feeling the gust of wind it left behind. Reacting quickly, I activated my own skill—Predator’s Instinct—gives heightened awareness of my surroundings, allowing me to anticipate and dodge attacks before they happen to evade her sight. My body flickered in and out of visibility, making it harder for her to predict my next move.

From the shadows, I launched a volley of small, swift dagger throws, aiming to disrupt her focus. Jane countered by raising a shield of her mana-imbued weapons, which absorbed and deflected most of my attacks. Still, a few slipped through, grazing her arm or knocking a weapon aside.

She roared in frustration, then suddenly dashed forward with incredible agility, closing the distance. Her weapons spun around her like a cyclone, blurring into a deadly whirlwind. She swung her sword in a wide, horizontal slash, forcing me to leap back to avoid the cutting edge.

I need to be faster than her so the air around me shimmered as I controlled dozens of daggers which formed a vortex, spinning rapidly. I aimed to trap her within, forcing her into a defensive stance.

Jane responded instantly, summoning a massive shield of her weapons to block the vortex. The clash of my spinning blades and her shield created a burst of sparks and energy, illuminating the tense battlefield.

She snarled, eyes blazing with determination. "You’re tougher than I thought." She charged directly at me, her mana-infused weapons blazing brighter than ever.

I anticipated her rush, stepping into a defensive stance, ready to meet her head-on. As she closed in, she swung her massive axe downward, aiming for my shoulders. I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.

"Glacier!" I quickly shouted, activating the summon. In an instant, Glacier materialized out of the shadows—his icy form shimmering with a cool glow—as he lunged at Jane with ferocious determination, pinning her down. His icy jaws bit into her shoulder, sharp and unrelenting.

"What the—?" Jane was stunned for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise as Glacier’s weight pressed her down. Then her expression twisted in pain, and she shouted in agony, "Aaacckk!"

The sudden appearance of Glacier gave me a crucial advantage. With him by my side, my Spectral Seal usage was less taxing—my abilities were more sustainable, and I hadn’t even used most of my skills yet.

I approached Jane, who was still being held down by Glacier’s icy jaws. Her eyes flickered with a mixture of hatred and desperation as she glared up at me.

"R-Release me!" she hissed, voice trembling with fury.

I paused, dagger steady in my hand, and looked down at her coldly. "I’ll release you if you’re dead..." I said, my tone unwavering as I aimed the tip of my dagger straight at her heart.

Her eyes widened in panic. "W-Wait... P-Please don’t kill me...." she begged, suddenly shifting her demeanor. Her voice took on a pitiful tone, eyes pleading as she looked up at me with a false sense of vulnerability.

But as she saw I remained unmoved—completely indifferent to her pleas—her expression hardened again. The pitiful act was just that, a facade. She quickly reverted to her previous tough stance, the defiance burning behind her eyes.

"Okay, fuck! I’m on a mission and you just got caught up in the middle—" she started to explain, attempting to regain control of the situation.

I cut her off sharply, my voice cold and dismissive. "Why are you telling me that? I don’t give a damn why you’re here. So, goodbye now."

Jane’s eyes widened further, a flicker of frustration and fury crossing her face. She had tried her usual tactics—playing the victim, trying to manipulate—but I wasn’t buying it.

This tactic of hers worked every time in the past, but I wasn’t the type to be swayed by tears or pleas. I wasn’t interested in her excuses or explanations.

"You’re just another enemy to eliminate," I muttered, tightening my grip on my dagger as I prepared to end the confrontation.

"Glacier, you can let go now," I said calmly, patting his icy head. He hesitated for a moment before releasing his grip and disappearing into the shadows.

Just as I was about to deliver the final strike, the loud blaring of an alarm shattered the tense silence.

[18 hours have passed since the first student reached the Sky Tower’s top. The exam is officially over!]

I was caught off guard when my body was suddenly engulfed in white smoke and I found myself transported outside the Sky Tower.

When the smoke cleared, I found myself already standing back outside.

I let out an annoyed laugh as I replayed the situation in my mind. That woman was luckier than me—she managed to escape my dagger! She’s the first to slip through my grasp, and I hate that I let her get away.

Jane Melvin. Mark my words, I’m sure that we’ll meet again. I’m sure our paths will cross once more, and next time, I won’t let her slip away so easily.

I let out a sigh to steady my nerves as I made my way back to the waiting room. Glancing down at myself, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed—she definitely did a number on me. My ointment was already running low; maybe I should ask Kairos for more before it’s completely gone.

My thoughts were interrupted when I suddenly heard someone calling my name. I turned around swiftly, just in time to see Ezekiel and Pierre rushing toward me.

"Witch! Wait, no, I mean Remillia! No offense, but why do you look like a witch right now?" Pierre asked, a mischievous grin on his face as he eyed my appearance.

I don’t know if this guy is insulting me right now or just genuinely curious.

"Remillia, are you okay?" Ezekiel asked anxiously, gently holding my face and turning it side to side as if searching for more injuries.

Suddenly, he lifted my chin, his brow furrowing as his eyes landed on a slash on my neck. His voice trembled slightly as he said, "This could have been dangerous! Why didn’t you drink any recovery potion?" Without hesitation, he pressed a piece of cloth against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding with a worried look in his eyes.