"Just look at the audacity of that worm..."

"A Bloodless beating that troll? What an idiot, even a A rank couldn't handle it."

"I'd like to show him where the trash belongs!"

The various comments were spreading around in small whispers, but Kaito was interested only in the reaction of Selize Salibar.

"So you are going to defeat the troll with this group of three people? Is that it?"

"If in ten minutes we don't beat this troll then we will fail the test. But if we win..."

"If you win you want something.... I get it, Mr. Kaito. So why don't we make things a little spicier?"

She takes a brief sip of her wine and makes a hand signal. Coming out from behind the huge cage, as if camouflaged in the environment, came an older man with brown hair and brown eyes. He approached Selize and bowed in obedience.

"This here is Gebediah, one of the rare druids that exist in the world. He can not only summon monsters and beasts but also empower them and control their reactions. The troll you faced was controlled to stop and act so as not to cause any serious injuries." she showed a smile in challenge "Now he will be here, by my side. The troll will be totally out of control and using his full strength. Do you still want to do that?"

Bairon tugged at Kaito's blouse clearly panicked.

"For the love of the Scarla, let it go! I don't want to die!"

Opame, on the other hand, couldn't hide her excitement.

"Now things are getting interesting..."

Kaito examined the principal in front of him for a moment. Was she challenging him because she didn't trust that he could do it or did she just not want him there? Whatever it was, he would face it head on.

"If I made a condition, it's only fair that you make yours, principal. My team accepts."

Bairon stared at the boy in a mixture of fear and anger, but before he could say anything, the principal rushed into action, clapping for the group.

"This is what I expect from a Phoenix Academy student! You have five minutes to get ready."

Everyone around looked at the trio preparing for combat with a creature even more ferocious than before. The thirst to see them fail because of the Bloodless was enormous and so everyone there stood to witness the end of the one who was the weakest.

Kaito turned to his two teammates and said with his mind made up.

"We have to fight as a team to defeat this beast. He is strong and fast. So I thin-"

"Have you forgotten what I said? You don't think anything. I'll fight him alone and you two watch. Then you can buy me a pizza when the fight is over and I'll be happy to take it." replied Opame stretching and facing the monster.

Bairon held Kaito by the collar of his shirt with intense anger in his eyes.

"Look at what you're dragging me into, shit! Now I can die for real!"

"Bairon, just don't take the exam. It's that simple," Kaito replied, taking his hand off his collar.

"It's not that simple! My father will kill me if I don't get in! They wouldn't let me in even for his money! They said it was okay if I was B rank, but C they wouldn't let me in!"

Kaito remembered what his parents used to say about when they studied at the Phoenix Academy. It was a place funded by the rich low ranks, who were sucked down to the last penny to make the high ranks stronger. Apparently the entrance fee went up a lot according to the rank.

"If you just listen to me everything will work out fine. With the right weapon and the right strategy we can defeat this monster!

"Get real, Bloodless! Even a A rank couldn't handle it! Worse yet, they were slaughtered in seconds and the beast was still being controlled to be calmer. With us it’ll be much worse!

Kaito found himself in a complicated situation. He only had a few minutes, and Opame wouldn't listen to him, so he would have to focus on Bairon. He looked directly into the cleric's eyes and with both hands held his face at once, directing it to his gaze.

"Listen to me, Bairon, and listen good! You're going to end up in there one way or another, aren't you?" Bairon noded somewhat confused and Kaito continued "Then let's fight together, because there's only me and her on your side! That's a troll that experienced C ranks stand up to, but since he's stronger I'd say a B rank group could handle him. But we're going to do it in three! Now ask me how we're going to do it!”

"How are we going to do it?”

"Trolls have hard skin and very high regeneration. They are fast and focus their attention on one target at a time. So I'll be the bait and you'll use a good shield and stay in the back healing and waiting for the right moment and Opame..." Kaito looked at the girl who was ignoring them completely "She's going to help take this monster down. Do you understand the plan?"

Bairon nodded.

"Then repeat it for me!"

"Take shield, stay behind healing and strengthening and wait for the right moment." replied Bairon as if he was being controlled.

Kaito let go of the boy's face and saw that the cage was being opened at that moment. If Bairon had listened to him they would have a better chance. The problem now was Opame. She wouldn't listen, and that would make it very difficult for them to win.

The three of them went to the weapons table and Kaito took the chance to talk to the monk one more time.

"Opame, how about we go over some strategy-"

"If you say that again I'll throw you to the troll," she said in a harsh tone, "I already said I'll kill that monster. Sit back and enjoy it, white boy."

Kaito took a deep breath as he saw the girl already entering the cage and facing the creature. He looked at the weapons at his disposal. There were bows, swords, shields, spears, and many others of good quality. Not as good as those powered by gems, like those of his parents, but they seemed good enough to do the job.

He held up a long sword, pondered, and looked at his opponent, giving up the idea immediately. It was at this moment that he picked up a spear with a reinforced wooden handle and a sharp point.

Beside him Bairon took a thick shield, but it was too heavy for him. Kaito realized he’d have to help him with that too.

"Clerics don't need heavy weapons, Bairon. Take that smaller shield and I guarantee you will succeed with it."

The cleric wasn’t sure about that advice, but in the end exchanged his shield for another. Ready, the two boys joined Opame inside the cage and soon all the attention in the room was on them.               Kaito saw the monster look at them as if its wasn’t fully consciousness yet, but it still looked like a frightening creature of impressive powers.

"Ready, my dear? Let the battle begin!" ordered Selize raising her wine goblet as a toast.

The very moment she started the fight, Kaito saw that the troll's eyes had changed its color. What was once a pale green turned into an oppressive red. The creature roared much louder than before and slammed its clubs into the ground with such force that everything around shook.

Opame took a deep breath, made a respectful gesture to the creature as she bowed, and the next moment she moved forward at enormous speed. She wasn't as fast as the A rank rogue, but it was still an impressive speed. Still, it was what happened next that surprised Kaito.

The creature jumped backwards, getting ahead of the monk’s movement, and attacked from top to bottom with its heavy club, which came down at enormous speed against Opame.

"Bairon, use magic protection now!" ordered Kaito in desperation.

But what his eyes saw no one there could believe. The creature's heavy blow crashed into the monk’s fist, creating an impact so strong that it pushed everyone backwards. The next moment the club broke into several pieces.

Taking advantage of the opening, Opame stepped forward and delivered a powerful spiral punch to the troll's stomach, which was thrown violently against the bars, which were crushed on impact.

"Windmill Fist!"

Kaito could see a spiraling wind coming out of that blow, just like the wind coming out of the blows of Eleanora and his mother.

The troll agonized and soon roared in intense hatred, and as he stood up Opame turned to the two on his team with a full smile on her face.

"What is that face? Didn't I say I could solo him?"

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