How To Survive A Calamity

'Our ambushers have finally decided to show themselves.' i glanced at our surroundings.

We were completely surrounded.

"Barns, be careful, they have a ranker in their group. Number 2 Deandra." A different hooded figure said. They were incomparably much smaller than the Barns guy, and her voice was undeniably feminine.

The hooded Barns took of his hood and revealed his face. A male cadet with a brown buz cut and thick black brows chuckled sinisterly at his. He had a face that made it almost impossible to link him with a cadet.

And that build, too...

Just how old was this guy?

He spread open his palm to one side, and a large great sword appeared in his grasp.

The large Cadet Barns raised his great sword at us, and the other group members each revealed their pensive faces and thickly surrounded us.

'It seems like they've all recognised Deandra.'

"We're surrounded." Don said.

"For a moment there, i thought we'd already been found out. But how lucky were we for our targets to be stupid enough to intentionally walk into a known trap? Are you actually dumb?" The Barns guy said at me and laughed in a low and heavy tone.

I tilted my head dryly at him

"What trap? I don't see any."

In the first place, i walked in here because there was no threat.

...even Danger sense hadn't reacted.

At the same time, seemingly peeved by my response, Barns moved and the whole crater exploded into a flurry of movements.

-Bam!

The first attacks were unleashed at us.

The ground underneath us moved unnaturally, forming a rising mound of earth that exploded into earthen spikes threatening to skewer us.

I glanced at the approaching spikes without flinching from my spot when a bolt of fire exploded between me.

-Boom!

The force of the small explosion caused the wind to buzz and blow through my hair in a small annoying shockwave. A cloud of smoke and dust instantly spread, ensuing the surrounding in a dark lightless cloak.

I turned to the side and faced Deandra who stood resolutely with an arm stretched out, and sighed.

'That could have killed me.' i restrained those words and instead said at her.

"If we cause too much noise—"

"I know." Before i could finish, Deandra cut through my words and said.

She pulled out her sword, and gallantly charged forward into the billowing smoke.

I watched her figure with a sigh.

'Everyone is so hot blooded.'

Why can't i be as enthusiastic as these kids?

Despite the sudden intrude in vision, i could clearly detect multiple movements and vibrations from all around me. And even Danger sense would occasionally barely react from time to time.

It was five against ten, even if we had the second ranked Cadet on our side.

But strangely.

I didn't think we'd lose.

'Not against them at least.'

Don, Trise, Chelsea, and even Deandra...i had watched them grow and mature even if it was only for a little while.

It would be a different matter if we attracted the attention of the King of the Desert, especially knowing my luck.

So a part of me wanted to be done with this immediately, before it escalated beyond control.

Beyond my control.

I lowered my stance and prepared to summon my spear from my bracelet.

'Let's just get their water and go already.'

But just then, i felt my perception tingle and my intuition reacted like a pinch to my neck.

Like a charging mass of muscles, the large figure of Barns appeared from nowhere.

He raised his sword through the air, drawing an arc. And with a single broad swing, Barns dispersed a large swath of the dark smoke all around us, his figure menacing with dark glee over my head.

I raised my head and stared at Barns. Even in such a situation...

"There you are. You were talking a lot a few seconds ago, haha. Let's see how long you can keep up that attitude!"

Danger sense was silent...

Barns attack came down viciously at me with intent like a tide of force. I side stepped and twisted my body outside the trajectory of his blade, and with a heavy momentum, Barns great sword smashed into the ground against the spot where i was half a second ago.

"That dry look in your eyes..."

His lips tore into a grin and Barns raised his sword at me again.

"I recognise you, you're that no talent bastard who lost to Number one, right?" He swung his sword, the great blade cleaved for my head as i stepped back once, again.
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As Barns took another step forward, flowing into another attack, i glanced at his sword, reading its path and taking a step to the side.

"Just give us your water and we'll be on our way, dude."

"Haha! You're funny. I heard you were arrogant, but you're shameless too, huh."

Barns raised his sword once more.

But before he could, i caught sight of the black haired Don from the corner of my eyes, circling both Barns and i.

"Come, last place, I'll teach you the overwhelming difference between you and—"

Before Barns could finish those words, Don swiped his hands through the sir, unleashing slashes of wind at the cadet.

And at that moment, everything seemed to slow down in motion.

With Appraisal, i barely managed to watch the ripples caused through the air by the wind blades sent flying at the target.

Barns couldn't react in time, no one could.

At that point, i silently closed my eyes. I didn't need to see the outcome to know it was inevitable.

'That's one.'

I wasn't sure about the others, but Barns would be forcefully withdrawn from the exercise with this.

I thought silently.

'Nine left to—!"

And in the next second...

-Xui! -Slash!

My eyes widened in horror.

"!!!"

A fountain of blood drew morbid crimson patterns in mid air, painting an ugly red rose.

Barn didn't move or dodge the attack.

He couldn't.

And he also couldn't be withdrawn by the bracelet in time.

No, he wasn't withdrawn at all.

At that moment, nobody moved.

I felt my breath get caught up in my throat and my body froze as i watched in horror.

An ominous low thumping sound, it was a small one, but one that everyone could here, resounding loudly like an echoe as something fell off his neck.

Barn's head... It had fallen off.