Level Up The Colony
Chapter 50: Vanessa

Chapter 50: Vanessa

Suddenly, one of Joshua’s apprentices barged into the room, holding a full suit.

Joshua, still clad in tattered clothing, looked rather ridiculous.

But before he could react, a voice cut through the room.

"Leave it there and go."

Vanessa hadn’t even turned to look at the apprentice’s confused expression.

The apprentice hesitated, glancing at Joshua.

After a brief nod from him, he obeyed, placing the suit on a nearby piece of equipment before exiting.

Meanwhile, Timothy turned, not toward the counter, but toward the door.

"Peak of B-rank... but not quite there yet. Something is holding you back. No wonder you were able to keep up with Mr. Joshua here," the chairman mused, stopping Timothy in his tracks.

Timothy had assumed his evaluation was over, but it seemed the chairman had no intention of letting him leave just yet.

Gray, his companion, strolled up to his feet and swiftly climbed onto his back, his scarf wrapping around him as if securing the creature like a bag.

The watchers gasped at the unusual sight.

"Do you have somewhere else to be?" the chairman asked, his gaze sharp.

All eyes turned to Timothy.

This was the chairman extending a hand to a mere B-ranker, an opportunity most would beg for.

The prestige that came with it was undeniable.

Timothy, however, remained unfazed.

"No, I just came to pay my mother’s medical fees... and to remind someone that withholding information is no different from lying." His gaze landed squarely on Joshua, who had just finished changing into his new suit.

"In my defense, I didn’t expect you to afford the fees, let alone awaken after that failed dungeon raid," Joshua replied, his tone shifting to something more official.

"Which brings up an interesting question, how did you get the money, Timothy? You’ve been under watch for a while now, and frankly, Timothy Walters, you’re quite the suspicious character."

"I value my privacy. Everyone has their secrets," Timothy said evenly.

"And as a law enforcer for the Hunters, my job is to uncover secrets, especially illegal ones."

"First of all, you work for the Hunters and the government. Second, you’re barking up the wrong tree."

"We’ll see about that. There’s already an investigation underway. The results will come soon," Joshua countered, stepping closer until they were nearly face-to-face.

The chairman, unfazed by their tension, interjected. "Regardless, we can’t sit around waiting for results. I see you have experience in dungeon raids... but only as a porter. I have a job for you. I’d like to assess your skill level."

"Sir, every recruit here has more experience than a porter. You’d be overlooking serious talent by skipping them," Joshua said, gesturing toward the other recruits.

"Is that so?" The chairman turned to Vanessa. "Are you comfortable with that?"

Dressed sharply in her suit, Vanessa barely spared him a glance from behind her tablet.

"It makes no difference, sir," she said coolly.

"Then let’s begin," the chairman declared.

Joshua pressed a few buttons on the control panel.

The equipment used to measure mana retracted into the floor, and the entire room dimmed into a power-saving mode, leaving only the overhead ceiling lights shining brightly.

The open space at the center of the room became the battleground.

A shimmering barrier materialized, enclosing the equipment in the room.

"Anti-theft measures. Should be sturdy enough," Joshua remarked.

Vanessa stepped into the center of the room alone, placing her tablet aside.

She glanced around, her expression indifferent.

"Let’s make this quick. Come at me separately or all at once, it doesn’t matter," she stated.

A heavy silence fell over the recruits.

"I’m a mage. I can’t fight without my equipment," one of them muttered hesitantly.

"So am I, but I don’t neglect physical combat. Don’t waste my time," Vanessa shot back, unimpressed.

The recruits consisted of three individuals, two men and one woman.

The bulkier man was a melee fighter, while the hesitant mage lingered behind.

Despite being older than Timothy, they were all still in their twenties.

"We’ll go together," the bulkier recruit, Jack declared.

"Good choice, Jack," Vanessa said, her tone unreadable.

Jack’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected praise, but he quickly realized Vanessa must have already researched them through her tablet.

The three recruits took formation, ready to attack.

Timothy, however, remained on the platform’s edge, watching.

"Aren’t you joining in?" Vanessa asked.

"Not yet," Timothy replied.

"Foolishness is thinking you’re stronger just because you brawled with me!" Joshua suddenly yelled.

Timothy didn’t flinch.

The fight began.

The female recruit lunged from the right with a high kick, while Jack charged from the left with a powerful punch.

The mage stood at a distance, desperately trying to chant a spell.

Vanessa snapped her fingers.

A sharp crack echoed through the room, stunning all three recruits.

They staggered, clutching their ears as disorientation set in.

By the time they recovered, they attacked again only for Vanessa to snap her fingers once more, rendering them stunned yet again.

Changing tactics, they tried using erratic movement patterns, zigzagging left and right to throw her off.

Snap.

Once again, they were stopped in their tracks.

Realizing the attack had range, they retreated to the platform’s edge.

This time, Vanessa snapped her fingers while locking onto a single target.

BAM!

The mage was sent flying into a piece of equipment, which repelled him with just enough force to knock him out cold.

The female recruit, seeing an opening, relied on her speed, darting around Vanessa in an attempt to flank her while her attack was still in motion.

Snap.

Aimed with her left hand.

The recruit reacted quickly, attempting to dodge, but something hard struck her stomach before she could fully evade.

She collapsed, gasping for breath.

"Victory Amadi, Archer, you’re quite slow in perception," Vanessa remarked before ruthlessly kicking the woman off the platform.

She turned to the next challenger.

"Now, Jack, show me what you’ve got."

Jack wasted no time, sprinting toward her.

He braced himself for an impact, preparing to absorb her invisible attacks while attempting to land his own.

But just as he closed in, Vanessa clenched her fists and seamlessly transitioned into close combat.

The moment they entered striking range, Jack was met with a swift jab, followed by a brutal uppercut.

He gritted his teeth, standing his ground, and aimed for a straight punch.

Vanessa, however, effortlessly weaved around it, slipping behind him in an instant.

A flurry of blows followed rapid, precise, and relentless.

Jack resisted, but within moments, the B-rank brawler had been reduced to nothing more than a battered punching bag.

Though she refrained from drawing blood, Vanessa ended the fight with a final kick, sending Jack tumbling off the platform.

All her opponents were still conscious, just writhing in pain.

"And the only thing you all have in common is inexperience," Vanessa said, her voice dripping with disdain.

She then shifted her gaze to the last opponent.

"Your turn."

Timothy stepped forward, his expression calm.

"I’d advise you not to exude any killing intent. If you feel you must, then quit."

Vanessa smirked.

"Cocky."

With a snap of her fingers, a force surged toward Timothy’s stomach, pushing him back slightly.

His hands shimmered with a faint blue light, visible proof of his activated ability as he blocked the attack.

Vanessa snapped again.

And again.

And again.

Each time, her hand flicked in misleading motions, but Timothy dodged, sidestepped, and ducked, evading each invisible attack flawlessly.

"Impressive," she admitted as they began circling each other.

Timothy’s mind raced.

’Her attacks... I can’t quite grasp them. They’re like air bullets, yet different. When I tried catching them with Armament, they had no physical properties, no air displacement, and no tangible form. It’s as if they exist and don’t at the same time. And she said she was a mage... I need to rely on my perception.’

The tension between them escalated as they finally engaged.

Vanessa, the elegant brawler, versus Timothy, the reserved speed attacker.

They exchanged blows at a rapid pace, strikes that never landed, and dodges that shouldn’t have been possible.

Their footwork and movements were so precise, it almost resembled a choreographed dance.

Then, in a sudden clash, their arms locked.

For a moment, they stared at each other before breaking away, retreating to the edges of the platform.

"To think you’re holding back on me?" Vanessa asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Timothy remained unfazed.

"I’m merely reciprocating the gesture."

Without warning, Vanessa’s hands ignited with a vibrant yellow energy, pulsating with a strange, controlled vibration, yet her arms remained completely unaffected by the force.

Timothy studied the phenomenon carefully, saying nothing.

With a deep breath, he activated Armament, confident that his 100 Intelligence, equating to 200 points in Mana would allow him to sustain it long enough.

The battle resumed, this time fiercer than before.

Vanessa’s strikes became sharper, and Timothy’s movements grew even faster.

The tension reached a peak when she suddenly swept his legs, sending him airborne.

But rather than panic, Timothy twisted midair, launching a precise double-kick at her head.

Vanessa raised her arms to block, only for Timothy to coat his feet in Armament, intensifying the force of his attack.

The impact pushed her back, and before she could fully recover, he followed up with a sidekick, forcing her to shift twice before flipping backward to create distance.

Then, she disappeared.

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