《F Ranked: World Domination with the Weakest System》Entrance Exam (7)
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In the deepest depths of the rainforest was a mammoth-like tree standing proudly. Its tall trunk went past the canopy and basked in the sunlight while its expansive branches scared away the other trees growing out. Squirrels ran up and down its body while small birds nestled into it.
"Mmmm Good Day."
A ripping sound reverberated through the air as a gaping split appeared in the tree's trunk. The birds fluttered away while the small animals rushed out of the branches and ran to the other trees. Two more splits appeared on the trunk of the tree as a pair of eyes were formed above the mouth.
"WHY? Good Day!"
The monster's screeching voice shook the entire forest as its eyes trembled and settled on a bush not too far away. The earth quaked and the ground below tore away. Roots came gushing out of the ground and the gargantuan tree raised itself off its spot.
Three scrawny figures rolled out from the bush. They gathered themselves from the ground and slowly turned to face the tree.
"Fuck... all this happened because you said we should put them to sleep! You bastard!" one of the three turned to his friend and screamed at him.
"Me?! You wanted in too!"
"MMMM?!?" The tree growled when it saw the three of them arguing with each other. "Good? Day??"
The three of them scuttled close to each other. "No no no no no... You are not actually going to make us do this! Zachary! Zachary Ainsworth! Please! We'll follow your orders!"
"GRAH!"
The enormous tree stood up and ran towards the trio in a flash as its roots slammed against the ground one after another. The trees around it were crushed away as it closed in on the three of them.
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"Ah ah aH!"
"Nooo! Heeelp! Help!!!"
"GOOD DAY!"
The tree swung its branches down on the ground. They tried to jump away but were too slow. One of them was crushed from the head down while the other two found themselves smashed into the ground. Unfazed, the tree continued smashing its two main branches on them again and again until the kids were reduced to an unrecognizable pulp while sadistically wishing them a good day.
In its fluster, the enormous tree, the boss monster of the rainforest, Ender Ent could not even notice the flames that had caught on its leaves and branches.
***
Hidden inside the trees that the Ender Ent had just passed through and all the trees behind them were thirty more students. The ones closest to the Ent were all that had any skills which could set fire to something.
As the Ender Ent chased after three people thrown at it as bait, the ones hiding in the trees in its path used their skills and set the monster on fire.
"Good... day?"
Its scathing voice scratched everyone's ears as the monster brought its burning branches in front of its eyes.
"Nooo! Heeelp! Help!!!"
Ender Ent screamed, mimicking the voices of the ones it had just killed. The monster flailed about in confusion while screaming at its burning branches. It swung its body from left to right at great speed, as if using the wind to brush off the flames.
"N-now! Ranged attacks!"
A shout snapped the students out of their stupor. Their hearts raced as their mana streamed through their veins in preparation for their skills.
"[Magic Missiles]"
"[Thunder Arrows]"
"[Sun Beam]"
The students used their skills in pre-planned succession and hit the Ent's enormous frame. Small marks appeared on its body while the monster was still panicking at the flames. Ents were characteristically stupid, seeing as the monster could not even notice itself taking damage filled the students with confidence and they attacked with more vigor than before.
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"I-it's working!"
"Don't stop!"
"Now is the time! Ride on the momentum, Melee team jump in!"
Another command and the students in the trees leaped down. Spears, swords, hammers, axes, and all kinds of weapons were unsheathed as the numerous students rushed into the Ent.
"Good Day?!" The giant monster's eyes spun at the sight of the dozens running towards it.
“We can do it!“
“It's possible! Take this!!“
Various attacks rained down on the Ender Ent once again. The students mercilessly hacked and slashed at the monster in a coordinated movement with scouts guiding their attacks.
They circled the monster in six files and attacked while alternating between each other, the scouts looked out for the Ent's movements and instructed the melees to attack and defend accordingly. Though minimal, each attack piled up the damage on the monster.
"Ralph... It's working!" From behind a tree, Zachary who had been issuing the orders spoke to Ralph next to him. His black-haired friend was rubbing his chin while he narrowed his eyes at the battle.
"Ralph?" Zachary called out again.
"It's... too easy."
Zachary's eyes widened at the urgent tone in Ralph's voice. "What do you mean?"
Ralph slowly turned to Zachary. "A boss battle like this, it shouldn't be this easy."
"Maybe you think that way because of how good our coordination is?"
Zachary's reasoning wasn't off-grounds. The group was pretty tight-knit since all of them centered around Zachary and Ralph, and their cooperation had only bettered when they saw what happened to the three fools that tried to sabotage them.
"Graaah!"
The monster's wail sounded from the battle as Zachary stood up.
"I should join them—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Ralph grabbed him and jumped down the tree.
The two of them fell to the ground and rolled over before sitting back up. The shade of the canopy had disappeared and the ground was brighter than ever. Their eyes shot to the side toward the tree they were on just a few seconds back.
A long and thick appendage was embedded through its trunk. The appendage contracted and bulged in waves as the leaves of the trees shriveled up followed by the branches and the trunk. All the nutrients were being sucked out from the tree... and every other tree around them.
"Good? Day???"
"W-what the fuck..."
The wounds on the Ender Ent started to heal. Its roots sucking in the trees slowly retracted back towards the body of the monster. The flames on its branches subsided and new leaves took the place of the burnt ones, the trunk grew taller than it was before as all the tears the students barely managed to make sealed shut again.
Everyone was stunned in place.
All their hard work had been reduced to zero in the blink of an eye.
"I-it's..."
The monster imitated the sounds of the students and its roots rose into the air.
"WORKING!!"
The roots crashed back into the ground...
... And dug out of the bodies of the students surrounding the Ent.
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