Parallel Memory

[ "Hmph! Actually asking me to apologize. They don't know their place. I will ask my dad to teach them a lesson." ]

Zarek has gone out of the forest after running for 8 minutes. He was angry all the way to the exit. He never felt others will condemn him as he was a heir of diamond graded guild.

[ "Huh?" ]

As he was thinking of taking revenge for the injustice he faced, he saw a brawny man of about 190 cm standing in his way. He wore a golden badge on his chest. He stopped for a moment.

[ "Devil Contractor!" ]

He turned his head sideways to check whether he had another companion or not. He was relieved to see that no other Devil Contractors were there.

[ "Yo! You are the first student I met. Looks like others couldn't do their job properly. They let a Rank F + student escape, what an embarrassment." ]

[ "Devil Contractor I suggest you get out of my way if you don't want to die. I have already killed other Devil Contractors. If you don't go while I am being nice you will regret it." ]

Zarek believed he could easily defeat this Devil Contractor. He thought this Devil Contractor was weak since he couldn't sense the overwhelming aura like the other Devil Contractors he had fought previously. But the truth was quite opposite; while a butterfly thinks spiders are dangerous, they wouldn't necessarily be scared of the tiger because the tiger is way stronger than them that they couldn't comprehend their strength.

Similarly, a Rank F + student couldn't possibly sense the strength of Rank D - while they could feel the strength of Rank E. Rank D was way beyond a Rank F + student. Zarek arrogantly thought that the man before him was weak.

[ "Hehe. A man who can't even grasp my power dare to say he will kill me. Hahaha… You won't even survive against 1 percent of my power." ]

[ "A mere Devil Contractor tries to be arrogant in front of this young master. BEGONE!" ]

[ "Thunder Saber: Power Strike" ]

The man in front of him just stood without showing any movement. He was smiling at Zarek like some kid was going to punch him.

[ "You are dead!" ]

-BAM!

Seeing that the man was not resisting, Zarek pressed on. He thought he had already won. But when the dust settled, he saw the man was still standing there unscathed. The man looked at Zarek happily as Zarek had a terrified expression on his face.

[ "A pretty good attack for an ant." ]

He extended his hand forward and grabbed Zarek's neck. Zarek at first struggled but he couldn't move Devil Contractor hand at all.

[ "KKGGHHHHHH!"]

[ "Please let me go. I will give you everything you want. My dad is a guild master of the diamond guild. I can give you treasure and all the money you want. I will even join your group. Please spare me. Spare m--- KKKGGHHHH" ]

[ "Hehe. We are not here to recruit a weakling like you. It is better to kill weakling like you." ]

He increased the strength of his grip. He continued to increase his strength until Zarek couldn't struggle at all.

[ "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" ]

-CRACK!

Zarek's neck was snapped. He threw Zarek's body on the ground and waited for other students to pass through here.

*****

[ "Is it Zarek?" ]

[ "He is dead?" ]

Both Alva and Remus were scared after seeing Zarek's body. His head was separated from his body and his whole body was covered in blood and dirt.

[ "Hehehe. Are you his friends? Sorry I had just finished killing him. I will make sure he is not lonely, let me send you all to him." ]

[ "Let's defeat him and report the situation to the professor." ]

Though terrified Alva has sensed that the man before them was not very strong. At least not more powerful than what they faced previously.

[ "Be careful! He is at least Rank D -. I can't properly sense his Rank. He is several times stronger than other Devil Contractors." ]

Hiro said to his team worriedly. Only he could sense that the man before them is very strong. Others can't really tell as the man before them had his strength suppressed. Both of them were tenser after Hiro told them about their opponent's strength.

They thought if Hiro was telling them then it must be true as he was a higher rank than them. They were both only Rank F + and Hiro was one whole Rank higher than them so they had to believe him.

[ "Hehe. You are Hiro, aren't you? The only Rank E + student in this test. Only you could see through my Rank but what can you do even if you know. I suggest you join our rank. We will treat you well and our superiors are also pretty interested in your talent. We could nurture you to become the strongest." ]

The Mission of Devil Contractors send here was to either recruit Hiro or kill him. Along with him, they were also told to recruit other talented students or kill them.

[ "Slave of Devil. Do you think I will join your group? I will kill all the filthy Demon along with you all. " ]

Hiro said to the Devil Contractor with a voice full of hate. To join Devil Contractors will be like joining the group that harmed his family. He could never forgive demons and Devil Contractors who serve under them.

[ "Hmph. You will be begging for your life like that guy after I torment you." ]

[ "Alva. Cover our back. Remus we are going to directly fight with him" ]

Both his teammates nodded. Alva kept Lavinia down and prepared for combat. She took out her bow and arrow.

[ "Shooting Wind: Airburst" ]

Alva shoot arrow which contained Wind Energy. The speed has exceeded 200 km/h but the Devil Contractor casually blocked it with his ax.

[ "StarShatterer Style: Star Fracture" ]

[ "Piercing Spear Style: Maximum power" ]

The Leader (Devil Contractor) easily caught their attack with his ax and pushed them. He then began attacking Hiro with his ax though Hiro parried it with his sword. Remus tried to attack him while the Leader was occupied with Hiro but his attack was caught by his bare hand.

-CLANG!

They were in stalemate but the Leader was slowly putting more strength making Hiro bend a little. The leader then turned around and kicked Remus with his right leg.

-BAM!

-SPURT!

Remus landed several meters back. He ends up throwing up a handful of blood from his mouth.

[ "REMUS! You will pay for it." ]

[ "You can't win. Just give up and join us. This is your last offer." ]

[ "In your dreams!"]

[ "Then DIE!" ]

The Leader hacked his ax at Hiro. Hiro rolled to his side to dodge the Leaders attack.

[ "Shooting Wind: Penetrating Arrow" ]

Alva took this chance to help Hiro create distance between them. The attack was once again blocked by the Leader.

[ "Axe Hew Style: Strong Lacerate" ]

[ "StarShatterer Style: Starfall Fracture" ]

-BOOOM!

They both used powerful skills. The air seems to be vibrating after their clash.

Hiro was pushed back 5 meters while the Leader was pushed back just one meter. The Leader didn't give Hiro a chance to catch his breath. He started attacking him.

Just as Hiro was about to block Leader's ax attack, the power in his ax increased drastically. Hiro was barely able to block Leader's attack. Leader continuously attacked Hiro giving him zero chance to counterattack.

[ "Axe Hew Style: Killing Strike" ]

-CLANK!

Hiro quickly used his sword to block Leader's attack. Hiro barely manage to stop the leader's attack from stabbing his heart but a large gash appeared on the lower right side of his stomach.

Taking a couple of steps back, Hiro manages to create some distance between him and Leader.

[ "HIRO! Retreat, I don't think we can defeat him." ]

Alva shouted. She was giving a health potion to Remus when she saw Hiro getting attacked but she couldn't interrupt as they were too fast for her to aim properly. If she attacked and mistakenly hit Hiro then he would have been seriously injured while even if she hit the Leader, he would be fine.

[ "Alva! We can't retreat. Not with him blocking our way. You take Lavinia and retreat and find other students to help us." ]

Remus who regained his strength told Alva. Just by getting hit by Leader's kick, he had broken some rib which told him that his strength was several times higher than him or Hiro. They needed more help.

[ "B-But.." ]

[ "No buts. Your attack can't do anything to him. Even I can't do anything other than distract him for a few seconds. Only Hiro can deal some damage to him. We need other Rank E students to help us or we are really dead." ]

Alva thinking for some time, she nodded her head and carried Lavinia, and went back to the forest.

After Alva retreated Remus went to where Hiro was. What they needed to do was survive until other students get here to help them.

[ "Hiro, we need to buy some time for other students to come here. We couldn't beat him by ourselves." ]

Hiro nodded. Even with his system and his high-level Art and Skill, he could hardly close the difference in strength brought by their Rank. His opponent was Rank D - who seems to be on verge of breaking through Rank D. He has just reached Rank E + two months back, it was already good that he survived for so long against a higher rank opponent.

[ "I told Alva to retreat and bring other students here. If she manages to bring Zion or Lisa we could have a chance at victory." ]

[ "Hahaha… Do you seriously think you can survive against me? Let me show you my real power." ]

Devil Contractors Leader released his suppressed mana which formed a thick and dark aura that surrounded him. Hiro and Remus felt pressure on their body like some gravity is pulling them down especially Remus Who was two major Ranks below the Leader.

Remus felt enormous pressure on his body that he even knelt a little.

[ "Try to survive against this attack." ]

[ Axe Hew Style: Malice Adrenaline Surge]

The Devil Contractor's body which was already big began to become even bigger ripping his shirt. He was like orge who was emitting dark mana. He then held his ax in the air and hack his sword with his full power.

It was so fast that Hiro couldn't dodge it. He could only try to block it but the impact of the attack was too powerful. Both Hiro and Remus were flung back.

-WHAAAM!

-SPURT!

Both Hiro and Remus end up throwing up blood. Their body was no longer in any condition to fight especially Hiro who took the full brunt of that attack. Despite that Hiro stood up, if they give up here then it will truly be the end of him.

( In the end, I have to rely on the system. System, how many minutes will System Double Power last. )

( System: Noted. With the Host current point this state will last only for 5 minutes.)

( Okay )

Looking at the Leader, who was approaching them slowly, Hiro took out this time to quickly take out a couple of potions from system inventory and chug down quickly. Hiro felt better with his injury recovering slowly.

[ "System Double Power Activate!" ]