VRMMO Brink

Bandit Extermination 3 - Job Promotion

Leaving Verm workshop of course without my robes' on, I'll probably get detain if I wore that in town. I walk toward the training center to get an Emblem, Titan Emblem to be exact, it is a kind of prove from the strongest person in here. The liability of the person who holds the emblem was to never stain Titan's name.

Once again I've arrived at the training center and stand in front of a rip tummy muscle. He's Ax Frostborne with lots of titles placed upon him but most people called him 'Titan' for his big body build as well his unbeatable power. With his 3 meter height, my 170 cm height minus 4, my head only reaches his upper eight-packs abs and I need to look up to see his eyes. While his dominating presence covered the entire field.

Walking towards the center of the training field, I saw him yelling at groups of mages telling them to run faster or punch harder or stab and s***h correctly, and so on. He literally shouted at them for everything they did. Previously he yelled at groups of warriors with the same temperament, basically roaring at every mistake they make. I guess that's just his way of teaching them.

The closer I get the louder his voice was it literally reverberated to my bone. His voice is more like a soundwave attack rather than a normal human sound can make but is he even human in the first place?

Before I get within 50 feet he turns around and grinned at me and said if I'm ready to take the trial now. Of course, I shook my head with all my might and said I'm not ready yet but I assure him I will take it soon. How did he even know it was me with my attire?

All of a sudden he appears in front of me.

"Why are you need to get ready in the first place? There is no such thing as 'ready' on a battlefield. You either fight to win or fight to win in another battle, they said. For me it's only a fight then get stronger, after that I fight some more so I can get stronger. I get stronger each battle I take."

"Erm… I'm still level 8 while my job is only at level 5 and I get a quite difficult quest so I'm here to ask if I can get a job promotion earlier than I should. I hear I can take a job promotion after reaching level 10 on my job but to finish my quest I think I may need to get a power-up from my job promotion. Is that possible Mister Ax?"

"I told you a few times to called me Instructor, didn't I? It is possible because you were still a trainee but the level would be different than how it should be if you did it normally."

I nodded my head as an approval.

"Good! I like your spirit. Skinny Bob comes over here and helps this lad to advance his job."

With a loud voice, he called a man with a normal body which not skinny at all. He's probably 1.8 or 1.9 meters, I won't know for sure until he gets closer to me.

"Come on Master! Don't call me with Skinny Bob like I was still a trainee and it was long years ago. Why are you raising your hands master? Violence won't solve the problem I'm pacifist… I'm sorry I won't complain anymore. Ahh! You were only scratching your big head."

I feel like this person has a similar character with someone I know. Don't he realize it yet his mouth will be his demise in the future? From the look of it, it wasn't the first time he acts like that in front of his 'master' and it doesn't end well for him by his reaction but why? Just why is he still like that?

Fearless…? No, I know what fearless is. Is it impulsiveness? I'll just call him Doom Mouth for short 'Dom' in my head.

"Did you want to kiss the cloud again little bob?"

"I'm sorry! I almost become a snack for a passing dragon last time after you throw me."

His face is pretty pale from answering Ax question and what's with that high pitch sorry and the last time on your sentence? It wasn't your first time getting thrown into the sky and you still didn't learn your lesson yet. Should I call you tough or a masochist?

Their interaction was pretty interesting but I need to finish my quest. The faster it is the more I can do afterward. When I planned to interrupt him, he changes his face instantly to a dignified look and asks me if I was the one who will take the job promotion test; but no matter what dignify look you put I can't just forget what I just see a minute ago.

I still nodded my head to him though. Everything in one's head stays inside after all.

"Okay let us move away from here fast then."

He rushed me to go with him to the side of the field far away from the middle where his fear stands proud and loud. We were basically running with walking posture. After we've arrived at the place far away from Ax he looked back onto the place where Ax stand and said "Damn! Someday I would beat that bastard until he can't even recognize himself in the mirror."

"I hear that and I'll be waiting for that day to come. You should hope that day would come sooner before you fly in the sky once again."

"It wasn't me master it was my mind!"

That was one hell of reasoning toddler would use to get away un-scold. It was so bad that even a 5 years old would doubt it.

"…"

I stared at him speechless for seconds before he can change his terrified expression into his dignified one.

"I'm Alexander Demian. I'm a summoner and I will watch over your promotion ritual. What is your name young man?"

"My name is Vain Mr. Bob, you can call me Vain."

"You can call me Mr. Alex or Sir Alex. Don't call me bob from now on. You shouldn't follow that brute example. He gives people stupid nicknames."

"I still hear that!"

"How can he even hear me with my voice this low and far from him while his voice literally filled the entire zone."

I heard him muttered in one breath.

"Okay then Vain, wait a minute I'll place necessary runes for the ritual. –okay it's ready, now stand in the center of the circle there. Here are the rules, after I activate the runes you won't be able to get out of the circle until you finish the ritual and you must use the weapon that appears before you later. The weapon form will be one that you were familiar with and the initial form would be in the form of mist, just reach your hand into the mist as if you would hold a weapon If you use your own weapon then the circle will power-up the monster and that's why you must use the weapon that will appear in the center. The ritual will start after I summoned a monster into the circle. So get ready I'll summon it now."

Standing on the center I listened to his direction and prepare myself for the upcoming monster. Then, a magic formation appear out of thin air from his left hand, at first it had one square spinning slowly creating a mirage of squares but after the square, stop spinning it had two more square intertwined to each other. The three intertwined square become bigger; words, runes, and scribble come from the side of the squares creating pattern some look like a triangle some look like a six-star, making sequences of magic. Then, it stops after reaching a 2-meter diameter and a green wolf step out from the formation.

The wolf is only as tall as my upper thigh but I know from experience I shouldn't ever underestimate my enemy. It's better if I overestimate them instead, which would make me more cautious about my moves. War without preparation results in defeat. The wolf walks slowly toward the edge of the circle.

When the wolf stands inside the circle I felt like an invisible chain restraining my body instantly. I'm as weak as I first started the game with my level one body but this time twice as worse, it's more like a power restriction I receive after my death on Ol' Bar farm.

The magic circle starts emitting light and it produces more runes from the five runes 'Dom' draw. Second after, the 7-meter circle turns into 15 and it stops.

Rapidly lots of plans appear inside my head.

The gazed I receive from the wolf was one of predator looked at their prey. It doesn't even try to get close only eyeing me with its pair of green eyes. I stretch my hands toward the floating mist and make a grabbing motion, a change occurred. Instead of the shapeless mist, it turns into my first weapon, a bone dagger. The dagger feels extremely the same as the one I had. Plain but reassuring.

The moment I look at my only weapon in the arena I stand on, a wolf appears less than one meter away from me. It seems to be aiming for my neck like the other canine predator. I back away and planned to activate swift step but nothing happens, no speed boost only row of fangs that get closer the more I think. Thus, I act what my instinct told me to, stab its eyes and move two step backward.

I did stab its eyes but it feels like I hit a gummy bear with a lousy straw. The dagger did damage to its eyes. A miniscule one.

Backing away, I take a closer look at the one that almost take a chunk of my neck. The thing looks pretty easy going. Am I really that weak in front of its eyes? Fine. I'll take your eye then. After that, I'll mess up your brain.

It's pretty late but I notice there is something floating on its head.

3 glowing yellow star,

Green Wolf,

Level 10,

1697/1700.

I'm pretty sure there was nothing on top of its head before he attacked me. Is it because he attack me or because I retaliate? Pretty intriguing but got no time for that. At this moment I need to focus on how to kill this wolf. My attack only did 3 damage and that was its weak point, the eyes.

I don't know if this wolf can one-shot me but I can't risk it even if it's not. After all, with my 0.2% damage per hit, I need to hit it for lots of times before it can go down or me if I get hit once. Hence, the safest method is to hit it when it tries to attack me.

We gazed into each other eyes looking into each other weaknesses. From its eyes, I can still see the predator that looking down at its prey.

I can't help but smile internally. With its half-asses intelligent I may be able to create more chance for me to land two or three hits a row before it realizes its mistakes.

I advance with cautious toward the wolf, the distance between us is less than 4 meter and it still doesn't even see me as a threat with a dagger in my hand. I don't know if my previous hit gave him pain. No. high chance the wolf can feel it but some factor makes it arrogant.

I cut of my thought when its show its fangs at me and pounce toward my head. I take one step back and measure its landing point. I wait until its as low as my chest and kick its lower jaw, I proceed with another stab its left eye. With its position in mid-air, it can't do much to prevent me to land another hit with my left hand to its wet nose. I know when not to be greedy and back away for few meter.

In a matter of moment I land three consecutive hit and backed away, maybe I can considered it as a combo. This time I chipped more than 2% of its total health.

The wolf shake its head and show it sharp fang after it land on the ground to me. Now it sees me as a threat I need to be more careful with my moves.

This time, it didn't wait and directly ran toward me with the strength it didn't show previously. In a blink of an eye, the wolf appear inches away from my left thigh. I hastily pull back my leg and grab its left ear, pull it and I stab its eye again with all my might. I release my grip on its ear and I kick its chest with a back-kick from my left leg, plus the momentum I get add more damage and send it two-meter away from its initial position.

With a low growl and showcased of teeth I can see its emerald-green eyes getting redder by seconds, its probably mad at me for hurting it thrice but it doesn't attack like before and start moving while trying to maintain our distance.

The wolf is being wary of me but I can feel its desire to pounce and rip me from its erected hairs and ears forward. Just from our brief exchange of attack, I can feel my stamina drained at a fast pace. I need to finish this faster.

Once again lots of plans raced inside my head but none seems would works. Anyway, I need to cripple its left eye first before I can make my next move.

I wait for a few minutes and it still doesn't try to attack me nor closing the distance. I guess I have no choice but take the initiative to attack first or make a chance so it can attack. I ran to close the distance but the wolf takes a step back. It give me no choice but take a risky plan.

I made a stumbling act and sure enough, the wolf run forward ready to pounce. I leap at the same time as the wolf and with my left hand in vertical position, I push its face my left arm so it can't bite me and with us both in the air of course I win because of our difference of weight. I shove it to the ground put my leg to replaced my arm, with both of my hands free I maimed the wolf; eye, ear, any vulnerable spot I can reach is brutally maimed by me.

The wolf struggling harder and harder even with my whole weight placed upon its face. I stopped randomly hitting and focus on its eye with both my hands holding the bone dagger, I stabbed and stab and stab till its eyes no longer hold the substance of an eye but I stop not, even so, I still stab the eye socket until the hard thing possibly its skull bone. Then, "Scloth." My dagger broke down inside its brain only leaving the handle intact. The wolf finally stop moving forever.

Released a long sigh I heard "Ping!" and lots of notification pop-up in front of me.

『Congratulations! You've completed the job advancement trial with outstanding performance.』

『Criteria for hidden job acquired 'Berserk Assassin' proceed Y/N?』

『Job Assassin changed into Berserk Assassin.』

『Profession Trainee changed into Assassin.』

『Congratulations! From your outstanding evaluation, you receive active skill 'Weapon Break'.』

Reading through the notification I startled because of the formation light-up once again but it gone a second after leaving nothing behind, not even a mark or the wolf corpse.

"Wow! Vain you should've told me that you aren't level ten yet. The wolf evolve into half-lord because you don't yet met the ritual criteria. I don't know if you were lucky or talented, maybe just plain crazy. Yup crazy totally fit for you, especially when you mount the wolf. You totally maimed it with everything you got, you bit, you head-butt. Right! At the start, you were trying using a skill yes? Is it possibly called 'Swift Step'?"

"Yes? And Sir why you didn't tell me that I can't use skill inside the formation?"

"I thought you know! Okay then, I'll give you an advance skill of 'Swift Step'. I create that skill so I can moved away from the battlefield after summoning my summon monsters and the one you were using was the inferior version so lemme give you a superior version."

『You've received a superior version of Swift Step. Swift Step upgraded.』

"Thank you."

"Haha~ you have potential and talent so use them wisely."