Reborn Soul Master: The Rogue's Counterattack

"Here we are."

The student who had guided Cardin to the examination room stopped and pointed to a black door.

"Open this door and walk down the hallway and you'll see a large room."

The student delivered the message in a formal tone.

"Can I go right in?"

"Yes. Good luck."

Cardin nodded and walked towards the door the student pointed to.

Click.

When he unlocked the door and it swung open, a long corridor made of black stone came into view.

There were torches everywhere in the corridor, so it didn't seem dark at all.

"If you walk to the end of this corridor, you will see the guardian..."

His heart began to beat faster.

Although he couldn't take revenge yet, the thought of meeting one of the six people who killed Charlotte made his long-suppressed emotions bubble up.

"Candidates? Do you have any questions?"

Seeing that Cardin didn't take a step, the student standing on the other side of the door asked curiously.

"Nothing, just a little nervous."

Cardin waved his hand to indicate that everything was fine.

"I've had those moments too. Is this how you feel, Senior?"

The student seemed to understand Cardin's feelings and nodded.

"Thank you for bringing me here."

Cardin gave a brief thank you and began to walk forward.

Boom!

After he took a few steps, the door behind him slowly closed.

“I need to keep my distance.”

He thought as he walked.

Now is not the time.

He couldn't let his plans be ruined because of a guardian.

Pass the exam, enter the academy, and embark on the path of a guardian. This is the beginning of Cardin's plan.

"Fortunately, the Guardian's exam is conducted individually."

If it was a Guardian exam taken by a team, Cardin would probably be at a disadvantage.

Known as a "one-man army", the Necromancer acts alone, whether on the battlefield or in a dungeon.

He had never had experience working with others, let alone receiving similar training.

"I had good luck in the first round of exams, so I'll have to show my strength in the second round."

Cardin smiled solemnly, and soon his steps reached the end of the corridor.

"The Guardian is not alone."

Walking down the corridor, he saw a large room with several robed magicians standing behind a man in an academy uniform.

"That person is Guardian Gilbert..."

Although his hair was already graying, he looked to be in his forties.

"Don't hesitate, come in."

A man in a college uniform called out to Cardin, who was standing at the end of the corridor, from the crowd.

"Yes."

Cardin nodded and walked to the center of the examination room.

"Please briefly introduce yourself."

Gilbert looked at Cardin and spoke as Cardin stopped in the middle of the examination room.

In an instant, he felt tremendous pressure.

His shoulders felt heavy, as if an invisible hand was strangling his neck.

"As expected of a guardian... just standing in front of him."

Even if their eyes just met, he could feel the threat.

“Now I can’t do anything.”

Just by standing in front of him, you can feel the difference in power.

The thought of revenge suddenly became pale and powerless.

"I am Cardan, a necromancer."

Cardin took a deep breath and spoke with difficulty.

Under pressure, Cardin's answer made Gilbert smile softly and nodded.

His laughter seemed to say that one should at least be able to withstand this pressure.

"Necromancer..."

Gilbert seemed to be lost in thought, and then he continued again in a calm tone.

"Without further ado, let's start the exam."

"I see."

"My test is not difficult. Let me recognize your potential."

Just like the first round of exams in Ternus, all you have to do is show your abilities?

Cardin waited for Gilbert's next words with a puzzled look.

"You will face off against one of these men behind me, and I will determine whether you have the potential to be a hero."

The reason why the magicians behind Gilbert stood there. Cardin nodded and looked at them.

"A duel with a magician?"

Aside from his father, Charlotte, Cardin had never had any real duel experience.

"I am familiar with fighting, but this is my first time facing off against a magician."

He had no idea how to deal with them, and Gilbert's magicians were certainly no ordinary opponents.

"Tebes, come here."

"Yes!"

During this time, Gilbert called someone, a magician took off his robes and walked towards Cardin.

"armor?"

Strangely, the magician named Tebes was not wearing a robe, but a light armor.

In one hand he held a sword.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Tebes. Please give it your all, just like in real combat."

Tebes waved his sword and greeted Cardin.

"I'm Cardin."

Cardin frowned and looked at Tebes and Gilbert.

"Tebes will let you attack first. Start when you're ready."

Gilbert finished, leaning back in his chair while Cardin thought about the magicians behind him.

"They have prepared corresponding countermeasures."

They want to see how candidates cope with adverse situations?

"Don't think about winning. This duel is not about deciding the winner. Even so, you have to give it your all. Don't you want to pass the exam?"

Tebes swung his sword and struck a pose with ease.

He looked like he was about to charge, but Cardin continued to look at him expressionlessly.

"If it wasn't a battle based on magic, I would be more familiar with it."

Cardin finished his thoughts and held out his hand.

Then he muttered something in a low voice that only he could hear.

“Remember death.”

Whoosh!

Starting from the ring on his finger, white powder quickly flowed out and scattered on the floor.

Click!

Where the powder had scattered, skeletons began to rise from the floor.

"Oh?"

"It seems like he didn't just luck out on the first round of the exam."

"It takes some skill to be able to summon so many skeletons so easily."

"That guy Tebes might get into some trouble."

As the skeletons filled the examination room, the magicians standing behind Gilbert talked quietly.

"..."

Gilbert's expression did not change at all, he just looked at Cardin and the skeletons he summoned quietly.

"A skeleton without weapons is too easy to deal with, isn't it?"

After checking the skeleton's status, Tebes looked at Cardin with a chuckle.

"Are you ready? Shall we get started?"

Whoosh.

Suddenly, Tebes' body was surrounded by a pale green light.

"magic?"

This is a magic that increases strength and speed.

"It's combat magic."

Even though he was wearing robes, it wasn't surprising for a magician to use magic.

Cardan raised his finger and pointed at Tebes, commanding the skeleton.

"attack."

Click!

The skeletons rushed towards Tebes without hesitation.

Although there was no strategy or plan to their charge, they looked quite threatening.

However, Tebes didn't seem worried, and smiled as he swung his sword towards the oncoming skeleton.

Click, click, click!

With just one swing, the skeletons were easily shattered.

"Strengthening magic has also been cast on the sword."

Cardin frowned as he looked at the lavender light coming from the sword.

Clearly, this was not a fair fight.

Click!

"You think you can be a hero with these weak skeletons?"

Tebes destroyed the skeletons easily and provoked Cardan.

Click!

Cardan continued to summon skeletons and continued to attack.

This is the basic way a Necromancer fights.

Constantly summon skeletons to consume the opponent's physical strength.

Cardin tried to threaten Tebes in this basic way.

"If you think you can wear me out with these weak skeletons, your plan is naive. These weak skeletons can't do anything, can they?"

Click!

But Tebes didn't seem to intend to act according to Cardin's plan.

After he destroyed the skeletons that rushed towards him, he immediately rushed towards Cardan.

Click, click, click!

The Skeletons tried to stop him, but they were unable to stop his advance.

"This exam ends here."

Finally, Tebes reaches Cardin, swinging his sword with all his might.

Whoosh!

Cardin quickly stepped back, trying to avoid the sword.

The blade cut through the air, but Tebes seemed to have anticipated it and continued to pursue.

"Necromancers are vulnerable in close combat, and he's taking advantage of that."

Tebes seemed to know how to deal with the necromancer, swinging his sword continuously.

"Can he dodge all the attacks?"

"Necromancers aren't usually that agile in dodging."

However, Tebes's sword was unable to hit Cardan.

Not only that.

Whoosh!Whoosh!

Cardan also summoned skeleton warriors and threw them at Tebes.

While the attacks weren't heavy, Tebes's magic shield blocked them, which did slow him down.

While Cardan and Tebes were fighting, Gilbert observed Cardan with a calm gaze.

"With such strength, he doesn't seem to be qualified to be a hero."

Although he was able to summon and control many skeletons, using simple magic and physical abilities to dodge attacks, this did not seem to be enough to win Gilbert's approval.

At this time, the voices of the magicians standing behind came.

"He's good in close combat?"

"He's just a two-star necromancer who has done some training to compensate for his weaknesses?"

Cardan not only dodged Tebes's attacks, but also summoned skeleton warriors, using the summoned skeletons to interfere with the opponent's attacks.

"Well, that's not enough to win the game."

"After all, we are not survivors, but examinees."

“Even if it’s just persistence, it’s already amazing.”

Seeing Cardin's performance, the magicians made sounds of admiration, and Gilbert closed his eyes.

"Maybe I expected too much from him."

Gilbert thought of his former colleague Charlotte Ingmar and smiled wryly.

“It can’t be compared to that guy, but considering that guy’s vacancy, it’s still a bit of a shame.”

Gilbert also admitted that Cardan was better than the average necromancer.

"After all, I grew up watching Charlotte's talents, so my expectations for her are high."

Gilbert shook his head and quickly gathered his thoughts.

"You have to look at it calmly. Now is the time to confirm the hero's potential, not the time to compare with the Guardians."

Compared to the Guardians, there is not a single student who can enter the Hero Academy.

Gilbert thought so and slowly opened his eyes.

"Ok?"

Then, the sight before him disappointed him.

"Is this really the end?"

Cardan, who had been dodging the attacks, was caught by Tebes.

The captured Cardin looked powerless, while Tebes smiled as a winner.

"it's a pity."

"Tebes, you never show mercy."

"Didn't Tebes fail to deliver the decisive blow?"

"But that candidate was also very capable. No matter what, the attack was successful, wasn't it?"

The magicians standing behind Gilbert thought the exam was over, nodded to each other, and began to look away.

"He seems to have done his best to make up for his weaknesses. This kind of necromancer is not bad."

Gilbert also felt a little regretful and decided to end the exam.

"With such strength, if you train him well, you can send him to the academy to be an instructor."

at this time.

"Ahem! Ahem! What?!"

Tebes's urgent voice came over.

Everyone in the examination room looked at Cardin and Tebes.

When Gilbert confirmed the two's situation, his expression quickly turned serious.