HEX: Aspect Of The Void

The supervisor pulled down the second lever beside the opened gate and suddenly the ceiling of the room opened up mechanically.

Within it emerged many shiny stones, falling from their heights and descending on the floor. The stones rained down and fell among the restrained monsters.

"These stones are called Luminous stones. They shine extremely well in the dark, so they are a very common and valuable commodity in the market. However, among the Luminous stones that have been scattered around the room, there are duds which resemble the original stones, with only slight differences. Careful observation is required in order to differentiate the genuine Luminous stones from the fakes." The test supervisor said.

"Now, for your test... I'll be releasing these monsters now. They are still feeling very irritated, but they won't attack you unless you bother them. Your goal is to collect as many genuine Luminous Stones as you can from their midst"

"You may use any method, you can even decide to fight the monsters and then obtain the stones after you're done. But I wouldn't advice this... After all, you're on the clock" The supervisor smiled.

I looked at him, and then at the monsters. The stones were littered all about, among the beasts who would get nervous and defensive should I make the wrong move. Not only do I have to obtain the stones, but I must only obtain the real ones and not the fakes. Such a test... It's actually more interesting than I initially thought.

"You have 10 minutes... Begin!" He declared.

Immediately he released the collars on the monsters as they vanished back into the glove he wore on his hand. 

"That's quite the Relic" I found myself thinking.

This new world has shown me so many new things, a lot of which are trash. But... I can't deny how much things have changed. It's all going to get destroyed though.

The monsters hesitated to draw near me and gathered amongst themselves. They move sluggishly, but it's clear they are on their guard. The stones on the floor gldittered as their hooves clamped the ground, not minding them.

Now then, what should I do?

This test is meant to judge how skilled an individual is in collecting loot and treasures in a den of monsters. More often than not, Adventurers find themselves in precarious and dangerous situations. Whether being surrounded by monsters or outmatched by enemies. In such circumstances, an Adventurer relies on his wits to overcome such a predicament. This is no different.

I am supposed to figure out a way to sneak about the monsters or find a way to collect the actual stones, as many as I can within the time limit, without putting myself in danger. There is the option of combat, but time doesn't permit the test participant to fight the monsters and also seek out the real stones.

After putting all these into consideration, I have come to a conclusion. The difficulty of this test is definitely not in the Beginner level. Looks like Nathan is right. The supervisor raised the difficulty for me. Now this leaves me with two options.

I could play the part and work as hard as I can to clear this hurdle, surprising him and gaining a high score. This way, I'll use my intellect and come up with a strategy that works in my favor.

Then there's the second option... Overwhelming victory! Considering my mood, I think I'll go with the second.

I unsheathed the blade by my hip and brought it out, pointing it at my enemies. Since he said I am able to use any method, it means weapons and Relics are allowed. In that case, I should be able to use my signature weapon, 'The Blade of Rupture'

The supervisor let out an amused laugh when I did this.

"You fool. So you're going with combat eh? Good luck with that! You still have over 9 minutes left. Let's see just how far an entitled brat like you will go!" The man said.

His words are borne from ignorance, so I'll just ignore him. Besides, he'll soon be eating those words after witnessing this.

"Blade Of Rupture... Mutilate" I said.

Immediately, the monsters who paraded about the grounds got sliced and diced by an invisible force. This wasn't just any regular cut. It was a fine chopping, dicing them into thin and fine pieces. In a moment, these beasts had become little chunks of meat.

<Splurge!!!>

Their blood splattered everywhere, but due to the angle in which I cut them up, none of their life juices reached me. The supervisor on the other hand was drenched in their crimson liquid.

"W-What is.... What the hell is this?!" The Supervisor blurted out in shock, trying to remove the blood that covered his body in futility.

In a single moment, all 50 Maalus were mutilated beyond recognition. Their bones, flesh, internal organs, all finely chopped by my invisible blade. The splattered blood on the walls flowed and connected with the pool of blood, oozing, flowing and enveloping the floor beneath me.

Looking at the scene before me, I let out a satisfied grin. Now this... This is a much more pleasant sight.

"Then, for the second part" I said, ignoring the stunned and frightened look of the supervisor.

The Luminous Stones. I understand their basic function. I'm certain I will be able to tell the difference between the original and fakes, after all I have worked with countless minerals before. Even though these ones are extremely poor in comparison, they shouldn't prove to be an issue to me.

However, I refuse to search for some petty stones myself when there are easier ways to solve this. And by easier, I mean Root.

"ROOT"

"Analyze and Obtain all Luminous Stones in the area" I commanded.

"<<CONFIRMED>>"

<<Commencing and Executing Command>>

<<Analysis complete, Retrieving all objects identified as Luminous Stones>>

<<Retrieval Complete>>

There they are... The prize of the test. The Luminous stones floated in front of me, all suspended in the air by ROOT's power.

They glowed in different colors, glistening before me. Their lights shining and reflecting on the sea of blood and monster parts... Is this what is called art?

With this, I believe the test is over... I wonder how long has passed.

TIME LEFT: 9 Minutes 31 Seconds