Conflicting Conquest

10; THE PARTNERS

Somewhere close to the epicenter of the Academy Final exam forest field...

In a massive artificial forest clearing littered with dead beasts and mages...

A sweat bead slides down Dom's temple as he finds himself face-to-face with a large lizard-like magical beast with its entire body from each of its four legs to its head covered by a shiny black armor like scale which had been stained with blood.

<This thing is huge, but I didn't notice it. It's good at hiding its presence.> Dom thought with his teeth gritted while Dae cautiously reaches for his sword with one hand.

Meanwhile, all the beast could see was shrouds of colored mana in the shape of humans. Once it sees that the purple and blue mana shrouds intensified in power, it lets out a deafening shriek before raising its fore-limb and quickly slamming it down on them. The impact, easily crushing the ground with a loud explosion of debris.

It continues to stare at the dust cloud beneath it before turning its eyes to the side where Dom was on a knee several feet away with Sam still in his arms.

"Dom." Sam mumbled once he sees the cut made on Dom's right shoulder.

Dom clicks his tongue at his wound which had already began to stain his damaged shirt with blood before looking at the beast which walks towards them.

"Can you walk?" Dom asked as he releases Sam who tries to stand but ends up stumbling to the ground. "Hey." Dom said as he quickly turns to help Sam.

"Dominic!" Dae, who was completely unharmed, shouted out from the opposite side while Sam gasps once he finds the beast now directly behind Dom.

Before he could even speak out, Dom shoves him aside before turning to guard against the beast's tail swing. He reinforces his arms with mana.

But the force of the beast's swing was too strong as the resulting impact pushes his arms against his chest, causing Dom to cough up some blood before being instantly flung across the clearing.

His body tears through every obstacle before meeting with the trees on the other end of the clearing where he continues to rip through the forest until a loud crash was heard several hundred meters away in the deep forest.

"Dom." Sam grumbled before flinching once he finds the beast now staring directly at him. "No." He mumbled in horror, wetting his pants as the beast raises its fore limb, its fingers producing long sharp claws that soars towards the paralyzed Sam... just as a streak of purple lightning snatches Sam out of the beast's destructive path.

It shrieks out in frustration before turning back to Dae who skids back into the clearing with Sam already hidden in the bushes. "Now what?" Dae mumbled to himself as he glances at the path of destruction left by Dom's body.

<I doubt Dominic survived that.> He thought before turning back to the beast which moves towards him menacingly.

Dae places his hands on his sword handles while a nervous sweat slides down his temple. <This beast can't be a B. It's at least A class.> Dae thought as he senses the powerful red aura the beast gave off and the beast lets out a shriek that causes him to wince from the loud sound. <Should we run?>

The beast suddenly charges forward, its speed strangely fast for a monster this size but Dae manages to leap out of the way just in time. He flips to his feet a couple meters away with his blades already drawn.

<No. It'll just follow us. And I can't carry that guy and move fast enough.> He thought before dodging another attack. <Which means I have to bring it down.> He thought as he lands safely again before glaring at the beast. <Or at least slow it down so it can't follow us.>