Levelling Up, I Became The strongest Dragon Elementalist-Chapter 50: Team 24 Reckoning
Jayden whispered to Tyler, ensuring he was clear on the ’Dos and don’ts’ of the test.
Tyler nodded and went ahead, barely stable on his feet. He held together his cold, shivering arms, trying not to glance at the whole trap setting so as not to lose the small confidence Jayden had talked into him.
"You can do it, just take the first step, Tyler", Jayden shouted from the side. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂
Tyler exhaled a deep breath, "one step at a time."
He half-closed his eyes and walked into the traps, stepping on anything but trap triggers with vertical markings, which would toss him into the sky, just like in the level two dungeon.
Blades and hammers flew at him from both sides, and the trap triggers larger than the others fell into the ground to form pot holes, but Ryan’s vines lifted him above the ground and defended every incoming projectile.
Troy stumbled backwards, "Wha—What rank is he, how the fuck can his vines stop those blades?"
The whole crowd was shocked, and even Mr Tony’s eyebrows flushed awkwardly high.
Tyler entered through the second lane, counting from the left.
Next were the hammers, sweat dripped from his face as he imagined being hit by one of them.
He quickly resolved, ’Jayden said as fast as possible.’
His vines reached for the top of the hammers and lifted him over it quite easily.
"Wait, does that even count?" Troy bellowed, pointing at Tyler while gazing at everyone
Now Tyler stood one-on-one against the horned bunny, his thighs shut tight. Feeling the urge to pee.
"Okay, let’s stick to what Jayden said," he said shakily, "No combat, just get it off the floor and it’s powerless."
Before he could even embrace his resolve and pick up a stance, the bunny was already mid charge, making a loud squeak that rang in Tyler’s ears.
He clenched his teeth, using a foot and both hands to defend his face.
Two seconds... he was still breathing, two more and no pains on his skin yet.
Did time stop?
Tyler slowly opened his eyes. He smiled, until it became too wide, reflecting his mystified state.
The vines which would normally defend him just followed a command he didn’t know when, or if he gave.
It held the bunny mid-air, completely disabled.
Tyler looked at himself, still baffled, ’maybe this is my true evolved aspect, gotta look more into this’.
He smiled switched sides with the bunny, walked out of the circular arena and dropped it as the door automatically closed
Jayden and Ryan applauded Tyler as he returned, but Troy couldn’t find his voice and neither did the rest of the crowd
Ryan was up next, but he was feeling a bit tense, as Jayden and Tyler had already done marvellously well, and he couldn’t do any less.
"Come on, Ryan, there’s more to your beast, it knows it!" Jayden called out just before he felt a gentle pat on his shoulder.
Jayden turned and found Zoe standing delicately behind her.
Always dressed in crimson mini gowns, with delicate skin, an ember gaze and soft cheeks that allowed her dimples.
But one thing was missing, that particular figure that crowned her personality...
Her look was too gentle for the ZOE Jayden knew, like, where did all the fire go?
"Oh, hi Zoe!" Jayden smiled.
She dropped her head, both hands held together above her thighs, "I wanted to apologise for the other day, I shouldn’t have come off on you like that."
Jayden nodded, "No... no... that was all just a misunderstanding—"
"Yeah, I wish you could forgive me, I was being too selfish." Zoe’s face flushed, trying to avoid eye contact cuz the moment she does, she’ll lose control of her emotions."
Jayden patted her head softly, "How could I be angry at you?"
Zoe flushed, ’he’s so kind-hearted, didn’t even take offence after I forced myself on him, I could be jailed for that!’ Zoe thought, stealing a glance at Jayden.
"Can I come closer?"
Jayden raised an eyebrow, ’Why’s she being so polite and cautious?’
"No. I will." Jayden stepped closer to her.
Zoe gasped for air, feeling the heat mingling around them, ’he’s close, his damn fucken too close,’
"Em, I was guessing, maybe your team know something the others don’t?"
Jayden paused for a bit, ’So that’s why she approached me,’ he then said, "Not really, it’s all what Mr Tony had said, but I could repeat it for a special someone."
Zoe swallowed hard, ’Why’s he giving me mixed feelings? He literally gave me a NO to the face, and now he’s calling me a special person.’ She shook her head as if waving off thoughts, ’No, I’m overthinking, he’s just too much of a kind-hearted person.’
Zoe smiled, "It sure would be helpful"
He turned to Ryan who was walking over the first set of traps without triggering any of them,
"Mr Tony did say you’ll need mid-tier grade mana prediction skills, but when you don’t have a pen, you compromise with the available pencil."
Zoe nodded, "So is that like his evolved aspect.
Jayden winked, "I guess, just anything you’ve got that can stand the trouble," he then gestured at Ryan, "Don’t forget the second tunnel from the left rule" he said while Ryan used the exact lane
"Quick reaction was one of his list, you’ll need timing and accuracy"
Ryan used the same timing, taking one step at a time just as Jayden did until he passed all eight hammers.
"Remember, no combat, but the most important of all", Jayden pointed at Tyler, who was tirelessly cheering Ryan up, "teamwork is what keeps you from the very first step to your last."
Ryan walked passed the horned bunny without it even realising.
Was it a miracle? The weakest mammalian beast was able to cancel his weight while walking over those traps and even conceal his presence...
All because of the so-called evolved aspect that many overlook because of rank.
Evolved aspects were unique for everyone, even those with the same beats rarely had the same evolved aspect.
Jayden looked back at Zoe to see her lost in his charm.
He cleared his throat.
Zoe snapped out, straightening her posture, "Em, thanks for the tips, you’re very insightful to have noticed all those."
