The Place Where Everything Begins

Jeremy's moves earlier, together with his excellent footwork skills, were executed almost flawlessly, as the gnoll didn't have time to retaliate at all.

Despite the fact that it had superior physical specs compared to Jeremy, the gnoll still lost to his tactics and swiftness.

It was such an intolerable insult toward its great pride...

After a few seconds, the hidden boss of this normal-difficulty trial finally stood up from the ground while shaking its head to lessen the concussion's aftermath.

'It seems not to be that hurt. Well, it wore a head guard and leather armor...'

"GRAAAA!!!"

The gnoll growled aloud harshly in anger at the tricky human after experiencing the same thing it had done to him a moment ago.

Its voice traveled far and wide into the quiet winter forest, causing some birds nearby to hurriedly flap their wings away for fear of the terrifying shout.

Without any delay, the second round began...

Jeremy dashed forward swiftly towards the standing-still gnoll, initiating to be on the offensive side this time.

When the gnoll saw the incoming human, it readied the stances, preparing to defend first before counterattacking after.

"Arf!!" It said, which should mean 'Come!' in its language.

Not long after, Jeremy finally reached the optimum range to attack.

'You will regret letting a spear user initiate the attack...'

With that thought in mind, Jeremy swung the spear horizontally towards the gnoll's left side while the gnoll also swung its steel sword to clash with the approaching spear blade.

*Whoosh*

*Clang!!*

Simultaneously with the sparks of metals, the clanging sound resonated out loudly within the desolate forest again...

Not waiting for the gnoll to regain a chance to counterattack, Jeremy jumped back slightly and spun his body one round in mid-air while using the deflected momentum of the spear blade to increase the swing's force towards the gnoll's right side.

With a terrifying full-round swing of the spear, the gnoll's expressions got ugly, whereas its right hand holding the sword slashed obliquely upwards, trying to deflect the deadly attack from the human.

*Clang!!*

*Splitch*

Followed the clanging sound of metals hitting one another was the sound of flesh being sliced...

Obviously, the gnoll was slashed from the terrifying force behind the full-round swing as its body's right side had a long gash with red blood oozing out incessantly.

"Kaaa..."

With a painful expression clearly plastered on its face, the gnoll used its left hand to cover the wound.

*Fwoosh*

Suddenly, another thrust from Jeremy's spear came towards the gnoll swiftly, not giving room for it to tend the wound...

Thus, the gnoll had no time to think at all as instinct took over its body while it promptly slashed the sword horizontally at the spear's trajectory that was coming straight towards its neck.

*Clang!!*

The clanging sound rang out once again while the spear was diverted to the gnoll's side, missing its body entirely.

After Jeremy's spear was deflected to the side, there was a tiny opening on his left flank...

"Krruaa!!"

With a loud shout, the gnoll finally had a chance to counterattack the hateful human as it hacked down diagonally at Jeremy's head.

When Jeremy saw the counterattack finally come, he hurriedly jumped one step back slightly, making his feet lift off the ground while using the spear shaft as a shield to block to powerful hack from the muscular gnoll.

*Clang!*

"Kuhuk..."

Jeremy's light groan followed the clashing sound of the two weapons as his body flew back some meters away in a straight line from the impact.

After rolling two or three rounds on the snowy ground while being protected by his mana field projection from the impacting damage, Jeremy stood up slowly.

"Karff?"

As if finally noticed that the human ahead had a transparent layer protecting his body from any damages, the injured gnoll got confused...

'Why the human doesn't seem to be hurt at all?', was the only thought within its empty head.

The hidden boss, gnoll, was also no different than the short lifespan wolf that Jeremy had killed earlier as it was born only ten-odd hours ago like the pitiful wolf.

Nonetheless...

It was 'programmed' to kill the contestant inside this normal-difficulty trial, nothing more, nothing less...

So, it could only grit its teeth before dashing forward to battle the human again, albeit a bit slower than before as it had a deep gash on its side.

'Round three began...'

Jeremy thought entertainingly to himself after seeing the wounded gnoll still had a will to fight with him.

After all, this fight was the first time ever after going back in time that could be considered a 'proper' fight for Jeremy.

*Clang!!*

*Bam*

*Clang!!*

Afterward, the sounds of sword and spear clashing and clanging with one another resounded out continually within the ever desolate winter forest, making it not so lonely anymore.

The two sides continued trading blows alternately, with the winner yet to be decided...

Still, Jeremy clearly had the upper hand in this life-and-death fight...

...

Some tens of minutes later...

*Clang*

*Clang*

After attacking two times with his spear but being blocked by his opponent, Jeremy quickly approached the distressed, badly-injured gnoll's body; and then gave it a powerful uppercut using his left clenching fist.

*Bam!!*

The two-meter-tall muscular dog-humanoid's feet lifted off the ground more than ten centimeters before it dropped back to the ground, tipping over with its stomach facing the darkening sky.

*Thud*

Upon dropping to the thick snowy ground with a thudding sound, the severely injured gnoll tried to get up.

However...

*Whoosh*

Its instinct screamed loudly at the approaching deadly danger, so it hurriedly let go of the steel sword and brought the two hands to shield its front...

*Puchi*

The spear blade pieced through the distressed gnoll's two hands, leaving only some inches away from reaching its exposing neck...

"Kek!"

With its whimpering sound from intolerable pain, the badly injured gnoll, who laid on its back, kicked the right leg strongly towards Jeremy's stomach.

*Bam*

The bamming sound generated from the kick hitting against a transparent barrier...

Meanwhile, Jeremy flew back several meters away while still gripping the spear shaft tightly.

As a result...

*Plush*

With the plushing noise, the sharp spearhead that had been stabbing through the aggrieved gnoll's hands was also pulled back together with Jeremy.

"Gaaa!!"

The gnoll's pain-filled voice echoed out towards the darkening sky...

At the same time, it also tried to struggle up from the ground, but its hurtful body seemed to give out already as it dropped back down to the ground with a thudding sound.

When Jeremy, who had just stood up from the impact earlier, saw the sight, he smiled slightly...

'It is strong indeed... too strong for a normal human to handle...'

But Jeremy was not normal in any way, so that didn't count...

While having thought so, Jeremy walked slowly towards the panting-heavily gnoll.

*Huff* *Huff*

The gnoll let out huffing sounds nonstop as it looked at the incoming reaper...

Shortly after, Jeremy arrived before the gnoll, obviously with the steel spear in his hand.

"Farewell, doggy."

Jeremy said lightly after looking at the badly injured gnoll's two dazed eyes.

Then...

*Puchi*

Without further delay, Jeremy pierced ruthlessly at the gnoll's neck...

*Plush*

*Gurgle* *Gurgle*

Upon the spear blade being pulled back from the dying gnoll's neck, a fountain of red blood oozed out endlessly with the gurgling sounds.

"Kakk..."

The dying gnoll's fading voice was heard, with fresh blood gurgling out from its wound ceaselessly...

*Gurgle* *Gurgle*

The gnoll could only hold its neck tightly while looking at its ruthless killer with wide eyes. At the same time, it also opened and closed its mouth as if trying to say something...

"Gaa... Tkaa..."

But the words coming out of the dying gnoll were but only some muffled noises with no real meaning at all.

After a while, it stopped moving... forever...

The hidden boss of the normal-difficulty trial had died...