Chapter 211: First Battle

The yellow platform was raised to three metres high, spanning almost all the ground area in the hall. The stage was elliptical in shape, 60 metres in length, and 30 metres in breadth. It spanned an area of 1414 square metres, a large moving space.

Thanks to the depth of it, situated 3 metres below the raised yellow platform, the students had to be decisive in jumping down and climbing up, a fraction of a second delay or a single misstep could cost them their lives.

Four teams currently stood on one edge, in teams of two. Standing on the left extreme was Ashten, giving a piggyback to Jyorta. To the extreme right was Esina, carrying Haesha. To her left was Dalna Doppler, carrying Laila.

Finally, to Jyorta's right was a boy, a head taller than him, sporting a slight blush on his face. Jyorta remarked, "Are you nervous? You don't seem well."

"Heh, I will fare better than you, Jyorta." The boy scoffed, his expression though was plain, the hint of a smile apparent.

"George is enjoying the situation, Jyorta. See that blush on him? Don't interrupt him." Ashten snickered. Carried on George's back was a tall girl, possessing a relatively thin frame. She had short hair, a smile etched on her face, slightly blushing. It was Laekha Walta.

"Once this ends, let me smack you once." Laekha raised her hand, puffing her cheeks as she glared at Ashten.

"Is everyone ready?" Dalna Doppler's voice resounded. Once everyone nodded in return, she spoke with a solemn voice, "This will be our first fight with a Frenzy Beast. I advise caution. If we encounter any difficulties, we will readily retreat. There is enough time and we have the terrain advantage."

The remaining students had turned calm by now, part of their attention on the One-horned Rhino while the rest was focused on Dalna Doppler. They watched the actions of her and her team with anticipation.

The best of their Batch had begun to take action. They wanted to first gauge the situation and see how the top students fared before planning to follow along.

"I will focus on the front. Thanks to my Skill, I can manage myself. George will focus on its back," Dalna Doppler gazed at George, "Keep it distracted and prevent it from focusing on me for too long. We'll take turns distracting it."

Dalna Doppler then looked at the other two teams, "Ashten will take its left while Esina will take the right. You will get more chances than us to attack its eyes; keep moving, but keep attacking."

Once she finished her instruction, she turned silent, waiting for the opportunity. The moment the One-horned Rhino turned her way, she shouted, "Now!"

The four teams made a jump, landing on the stage. The legs of each of the four Warriors were steady, only bending a little to use up the momentum, displaying the shock-absorbing capacity of their nurtured bodies.

Dalna Doppler sprinted, having long activated her Skill, letting out a bellow to garner the One-horned Rhino's attention. The One-horned Rhino perked its head, alarmed, its eyes regaining clarity, brimming with frenzy.

Its Skill was related to smell, detecting the four approaching figures. Thanks to the position of its eyes on the sides, it had difficulty seeing far ahead. But, it noticed two figures approaching on its sides.

Dalna Doppler charged straight while Ashten proceeded left. George sprinted on the right while Esina followed behind. With a mild shout, George raised his speed, crossing Dalna Doppler.

The One-horned Rhino turned its head to the left, focusing on him in alarm. George suddenly closed in on it, letting out a loud bellow when he was three metres from it. As the One-horned Rhino reacted, he stepped away, going past it, running towards its back.

Using the distraction, Dalna Doppler arrived before it, slightly bending her body backward. In response, Laila let go of her hold, landing on the ground, watching Dalna Doppler slide on the floor a little, using the momentum to land a kick to its lower jaw.

Using the rebound of her kick, her legs landed on the floor, kicking on it to propel her body backward. The One-horned Rhino turned its head, shaking it a couple of times to rid itself of the effects of the kick, charging towards the foe before it.

Dalna Doppler quickly retreated towards Laila, allowing the other party to jump on her back. Dalna Doppler showcased her speed as ran backward, with the One-horned Rhino charging on the front.

Laila had long unleashed her psychic arm, a startling 80 centimetres, keeping it ready, pointed at the eyes of the One-horned Rhino. The One-horned Rhino beat its hooves as it raised its speed, closing in on Dalna Doppler.

To its back charged George, raising his speed to the limit, trailing right begin it. Laekha Walta rested her head on his shoulder; her psychic arm emerged from her head, inching forward before grabbing hold of the One-horned Rhino's tail.

The psychic arm pinched once, shaking the tail, as if playing with it. The One-horned Rhino stopped its charge, alarmed as it turned its head left a little, using the position of its eyes to gaze at George.

Ashten charged forth, making a jump, tilting his body backward, his legs aiming at the sides on its right. He didn't make much sound, landing his legs on its sides, quickly buckling his legs. Holding onto his back was Jyorta, his psychic already unleashed and pointed in the required direction.

His psychic arm reached towards the One-horned Rhino's right eye, seeping into it, facing a lot of resistance in its path. The moment Ashten's legs landed on its right side, its body violently jerked, the motion throwing off his balance.

It lifted its forelegs, aiming its pointed horn his way. Dalna Doppler sent a kick to its jaws on the right, displacing its head a little. Ashten watched the pointed horn flash before his face, the gap only spanning three centimetres.

He was flustered, and losing his footing thanks to the One-horned Rhino���s abrupt lifting, he could only kick at whatever area of the One-horned Rhino his legs could reach, using the rebound to fly back.

Jyorta's psychic arm had wrapped around the One-horned Rhino's right eye. Only then did he find its weight exceeding a kilogram, something he couldn't affect much unless he used his real strength. After a moment of thought, he seeped the psychic arm deeper, not caring about the psychic energy expenditure.

The resistance he faced increased exponentially as he passed through each of its cells, seeping through the aura filled region, with each cell exerting its presence, furthering the resistance offered to his psychic energy.

Ashten jumped back, Jyorta held his psychic arm as is, having grabbed hold of its optic nerve. Ashten's jump carried enough momentum, adding onto the pull he timed with his psychic arm, pulling at the optic nerve.

"Damn it," Jyorta cursed, sensing the optic nerve slip from his hold. The momentum exceeded what his psychic arm could handle, breaking off at the point of the hold. Still, he witnessed his psychic arm managing to pull the optic nerve a little.

He didn't know how much he managed to damage it, watching Ashten make some distance. The One-horned Rhino was enraged, turning around to chase them. Blood dripped from its right eye, forming a small trickle that flowed down the side of its face.

The moment it turned its head, Dalna Doppler inched closer, allowing Laila to seep her psychic arm into its left eye. The One-horned Rhino charged at Ashten; all Dalna Doppler hand to do was step back a little, using its momentum against itself.

Laila damaged it the same was as Jyorta, targeting its optic nerve. "It's blind now."

Her attack added to its pain, making the One-horned Rhino feel a momentary conflict about who to charge at. George made a jump, landing on its buttocks, his legs buckling like a spring. His hands grabbed hold of its tail, and his legs kicked forth, allowing his body to spring back in one fluid motion.

Held in his hand was its tail, leaking out from its former spot was a copious amount of blood. George hurriedly created distance between them, watching the One-horned Rhino turn around, targeting him.

He back stepped for a couple of steps, watching Laekha jump onto his back. He then firmed her hold and sprinted backward, watching the One-horned Rhino charge at him with reckless abandon.

The moment he One-horned Rhino turned and charged at him, Dalna Doppler used the chance and sent a kick at its wounded spot, making it shriek in pain. Using the chance, Esina made a leap and grabbed hold of its horn, her legs landing on its head.

She controlled her body's balance, synchronised with the One-horned Rhino's head movements as it tried to throw her off. Haesha seeped her psychic arm through its right eye, making use of the longer duration of contact to seep her psychic arm further in.

She grabbed whatever her psychic arm chanced upon and pulled at them, ignoring the cost of her expenditure.

"Growl!" The One-horned Rhino tumbled to its right, the force throwing off Esina. It then used the momentum to make a spin and get back on its feet.

Sent flying in the air, Esina grabbed hold of Haesha, protecting her as the two fell on the floor and slid for almost four metres. They rolled a couple of times and came to a stop. Esina began to cough, suffering some scratches. Haesha just felt some pain due to the impact; most of the force had been absorbed by Esina.

They lay on the floor, unable to gather their bearings quickly, still recovering from the fall. They didn't suffer many injuries, but the shock still affected them, momentarily stunning them. The One-horned Rhino charged straight at them, its body posture slightly wobbly due to the damage it suffered in the head.

Dalna Doppler made a jump, sending a kick at its head. Due to its slightly muddled state, it was unable to sense her approach. George, on the other side, made a kick on its stomach. Their two kicks stopped its charge, making it tumble, the momentum of its charge making it slid forward.