I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Chapter 173: The Third Trial: Mysterious Origins

As he compared his two friends' strengths and potential, seriously wondering who between a cultivator and an evolving chimaera would be stronger, Octavia walked out of the room.

This time, her physical appearance remained the same. However, he curiously looked at her new outfit.

Silk intricately woven in an elegant, tight white t-shirt hugged her upper body while matching black shorts clung to her lower half.

Noticing his scrutinising eyes, her smile widened as she cheekily said, "How is it? I used spider silk to make them after developing their glands."

After devouring the chimaeras, she spent a few minutes creating clothes, knowing her nakedness disturbed him. Moreover, she felt sorry to see him shirtless because of her.

"It's too tight! Have some decency, young girl!" He answered, his tone serious, yet his eyes inexplicably drawn by her...

Gulping loudly, he blushed, ashamed of his brief moment of weakness.

"Haha. Sure, gramps. But ample clothes hinder my movements in combat. You'll have to adapt." She answered, her eyes glinting mischievously, as she gave him his t-shirt and a silk ribbon before adding caringly. "Use it to bandage your arm."

With a nod of appreciation, he carefully covered himself and used the silk to make a sling for his arm. Then, he walked behind her, his gaze inexplicably attracted by her...

'STOP!' He screamed inwardly as he vigorously shook his head. "It's going to be a long day..." He sighed and fixed his eyes on the top of her head.

After five minutes of awkward silence, Octavia turned and asked, her golden eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Where do you come from, and how did you end up in this place?"

"I'm living in the College of Alchemy and Transmutation," he said, then paused to consider his next words. "I don't know much about this place or even where it is. But I must defeat its owner."

He couldn't tell her about the tower and trials, but, as an honest person, he despised lying. So, he told her what he could, hoping she wouldn't press for more answers.

"Where is that college?" She answered with another question, confusion reflecting in her eyes. It sounded like an important place, yet she never heard about it.

"In Alkemia Al-Nur. Don't tell me you don't know about one of the nine magic academies." He said teasingly before widening his eyes at her answer.

"I travelled the world for years before being captured but never heard anything about magic or academies." She started pensively before adding, "The only place you'll find mentions of it is in kid's tales."

However, despite her words, she couldn't help but believe him. After all, his mysterious projectiles, explosions and the scene she witnessed on the third floor implied he was a magic user.

She fell deep in thought, her brain churning to understand their knowledge discrepancies about the outside world. Swiftly, she came up with a theory, 'did the governments successfully develop a new energy source after my capture?'

Simultaneously, Adam wondered why the tower created such a deep background for its third trial. What was the point? He just had to kill ten abominations to complete it, anyway.

As the silence lingered, disturbed only by the echo of their footsteps on the rocks, they reached their destination.

Putting her pondering aside for now, Octavia said teasingly, "Don't take too long to aim, or I'll finish them."

"Humph. Open the door," he answered, his attention already on the battle.

Despite knowing they would easily achieve victory, he didn't want to relax, risking leaving openings or missing opportunities.

"Alright, Mister magic. Let's end this quickly." She answered, opening the door and revealing the three next abominations.

Alarmed by the sudden sound, they screeched and lunged at the intruders, their acidic saliva drooling in their wake, living holes in the ground.

Without hesitation, Octavia propelled herself toward the first. Her body cut the wind like an arrow as she reached it in a flash. Then, with an elegant sidestep, she positioned herself on its side and swung her right leg.

SCREECH

A painful screech resounded, and a leg flew in the air as her low kick struck the creature's kneecap. Her hair fluttered wildly in the powerful momentum of the movement, and her golden eyes already landed on her next target.

With a graceful lash aimed at its legs, spider silk entangled them. Then, she pulled hard, breaking them in loud, crunching noises.

Another screech echoed as she searched for the last chimaera. Yet, she quickly frowned as she failed to spot it.

Subsequently, coming from her blind spot, an enormous claw collided with her face, sending her crashing against the wall in a cloud of dust.

Simultaneously, Adam, who failed to follow their movements, shot six mana bullets at the unmoving enemies, piercing their armored heads and ending them swiftly before worryingly looking at the wall.

He noticed golden hairs colliding with it, making him fear for Octavia's safety. However, the scene he witnessed after the dust subsided left him speechless.

Her left cheek was mauled, revealing her jaw and broken teeth reddened by blood. But half a second later, her tissues moved on their own, lacing themselves together to reform the muscles as new teeth sprouted to replace the damaged ones.

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Then, he saw her stand up effortlessly and say with raging eyes, "It stings, minuscule pests."

In a flash, she reached it and punched its abdomen, making it explode in a rain of chitin and organs flying all over the room.

Despite his shock, he swiftly fired three mana bullets to get the Xp before his face turned serious. He didn't possess Octavia's regenerative abilities or sturdiness. If he took a hit like she did, he had no doubts his head would have exploded.

'I can't stay that vulnerable against their speed.' He thought with calculative eyes as he moved to lean on the corridor's wall.

'I shouldn't have used all my points,' he lamented, realising he should have invested in agility to accelerate his reaction speed and equilibrate the other stats later. But how could he have known that the insect-based abominations' acceleration was that scary?

Worry gnawed at his heart as he thought about the formidable speed of the enemies awaiting them on the last floor.