Chapter 135 - Mid-terms
"Thank you for your time."
Sylvie said as she stood up. At this point, the library had already been emptied to the point where only a handful of people were left.
"No problem." Hearing his curt reply, Sylvie was once again reminded of the fact of what kind of a person this guy was.
"T-then, I will take my leave."
With those words, she returned to her own table. However, when she glanced back at her table, she noticed something amiss.
Jasmine was sound asleep, her head resting on her arms, which were spread out on the table. Papers and notes were scattered around her in a haphazard manner.
"Jasmine?" Sylvie whispered, gently shaking her friend's shoulder.
Jasmine stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she groggily looked around. "Huh? What? How long was I out?"
Sylvie couldn't help but smile. "It looks like you needed a break more than any of us."
Jasmine yawned and stretched. "You're right about that. Thanks for studying with me, Sylvie."
"No problem," Sylvie said, her gaze shifting briefly to Astron, who was still deep in his studies.
'I guess he won't be leaving here for a while.' She thought, looking at his concentrated face. ' But, he is quite good at teaching.'
She never thought he would be this good at explaining things, especially when it came to her mistakes.
The surprising thing wasn't the fact that he was able to solve the questions; the difference was that he was able to dissolve and analyze her own thought process when she was solving on her own.
It was as if he was able to understand her better than herself. Truly weird.
Hmm?" Sylvie noticed Jasmine looking at her with squinting eyes as if she were suspicious of something.
Sylvie couldn't help but feel a little uneasy under her friend's scrutiny. "Jasmine, why are you looking at me like that?"
Jasmine blinked and then shrugged. "It's nothing…." She said, her eyes going back and forth between Astro and Sylvie as if she was implying something.
Sylvie chuckled nervously. "An interesting conversation? Well, we did discuss a challenging problem from 'Dungeon Theory,' and Astron helped me understand it better."
"Is that so?" Jasmine still seemed unconvinced, but she didn't press the matter further.
"Yep. It was really helpful. He's more knowledgeable than I thought," Sylvie admitted.
Jasmine yawned again. "Well, it sounds like you had quite a productive evening. I'm just glad we took that break; I really needed it. Shall we call it a night? Mid-terms are going to be a handful."
Sylvie nodded, and the two friends gathered their belongings. They quietly left the library, leaving Astron to his studies, and headed back to their dorms to rest up for the upcoming exams.
********
Different from what one would expect, the mid-term period of the academy didn't have any events related to demons or demon contractors.
This was mostly because they needed to lay low after the recent incident they had caused. Of course, there were those individual demon contractors working for their own cause inside the academy, but at this period, nothing big would happen.
Though, that didn't mean the game missed this part.
In the Arcadia Hunter Academy, the exams were separated into two parts. One was a written and theoretical exam, and the other one was a practical exam.
The theoretical exams were mostly skipped in the game since no player wanted to look at a bunch of papers while playing. After all, the target audience of this game mostly played it in order to distract themselves from the stress of school.
However, this is not the case in the real world. You can not skip the theoretical exams like you did in the game, and there was a certain score average requirement not to get expelled from the academy.
When it comes to prestigious schools where the supposed 'manpower' of humanity attended, they were very strict with their examinations and student performances.
Therefore, I needed to meet at least the basic requirements. That was the reason why I went to the library that day.
Though I wasn't expecting to meet Sylvie at that time, even then, the encounter still helped me.
While teaching her, I was also learning and grasping things a lot faster than usual, and in the end, when my study session met its end, I was able to finish all the subjects I needed to study.
Of course, there was also a practical exam as well, and that was the thing I needed to pay the most attention to. After all, it was one of the game events where Ethan would start showing the world his talents as well as gathering the attention of some groups on himself.
To showcase his talent, he needed to overcome difficulties, and the difficulty of the second act was {Mid-Term Dungeons}.
And just like that, the week had passed in a second, and now it was the mid-terms.
********
In the hushed halls of Arcadia Hunter Academy, students began to gather for their mid-term exams. It was a day of tension and anxiety, a moment of reckoning for all their efforts throughout the semester.
As they waited for the exams to begin, clusters of students could be heard discussing their preparations. Some expressed nervousness about the challenging curriculum, while others were anxious about not having covered all the material.
"I can't believe how hard {Advanced Mana Control} was. I couldn't get through half the textbook in time," one student complained to their friend.
He was a senior of the academy, taking an advanced course in terms of mana manipulation. {Advanced Mana Control} was one of the continuing courses of the [Introduction to Mana for Hunters] for freshmen.
Another student chimed in, "I know what you mean. {Demonology and Dark Arts} was no joke either. There was so much to learn, and I feel like I barely scratched the surface."
Both of them were seniors, but even those who had been in this school for a long time were still finding it hard to cover all the curriculum.
But, as one progressed in the corridors and reached the freshmen classes, they would see a slightly different atmosphere.
Even if the seniors were complaining about the exams, they were veterans who had already survived this hellish exam period at least thrice.
But that wasn't the case for the freshmen.
In the freshmen classes, the atmosphere was notably more nervous. These students were facing their first mid-term exams, and they were feeling the pressure keenly. While they talked amongst themselves, many couldn't help but anxiously review their notes one last time.
"Guys, I'm so nervous about {Introduction to Mana for Hunters}," a wide-eyed freshman exclaimed. "I stayed up all night trying to cover everything, but there's just so much!"
Another student nodded in agreement, their hands trembling slightly as they held their notes. "Tell me about it! {Dungeon Theory} is the bane of my existence. I'm not even sure if I remember what I ate for breakfast, let alone these complicated diagrams."
As the clock ticked closer to the exam time, a few students were still flipping through their textbooks and hurriedly scribbling down last-minute notes.
"I just can't believe we have to take the exam so early in the morning," one student muttered, rubbing their eyes as if trying to ward off fatigue. "My brain's not even fully awake yet!"
The anxiety in the air was palpable as the freshmen grappled with the intensity of their first mid-term exams, desperately reviewing their notes and praying they'd remember everything when the tests began.
All of them knew the importance of the theoretical exams, not because of their implication in real life but because of their implication on their notes.
'Why are we learning this even though we will never calculate the mana of dungeons?'
Even though every one of them had this thought in the corner of their heads, they didn't voice it loud because they knew nothing would change anyway.
Of course, not every student was like them. There were some of those who had already studied enough from the start. Those were composed, sitting on their seats and waiting for the papers to arrive.
And one of them was….
"Irina."
The girl with blazing red hair was sitting at the front desk.
"What?"
As her desk mate, the white-haired girl, sat beside her, she threw her an annoyed gaze before closing her eyes again.
"What are you doing?"
"I am sorting the information."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"You don't need to know."
Even though most people didn't know, mages of high-ranking families had access to certain special magic skills that enabled them to sort their information in an organized manner using mana.
'Mind Storage.'
And, now, Irina was sorting all the information that she had stored there.
"Yo, Ethan. How are you doing?"
Seeing Irina was not going to entertain her as she wished, Julia turned her attention to the boys sitting behind her.
"I am checking my notes." Ethan was a serious type to study, but he had one little weakness. He was bad at solving analytical questions and calculative topics.
That was why he was still trying to study.
"I am sleepy," Lucas added as he leaned on his left arm.
"Tch…." Seeing this, Julia clicked her tongue. Because she knew this twin of hers was good at exams and he was smart.
"Why are you clicking your tongue? Mad at you got the short end of genes?"
"Shut up, bastard. At least I don't have a small stick."
"HA! You bitch, what are you saying?"
The bickering between Julia and Lucas continued to escalate as they exchanged insults and jabs at each other.
Lucas couldn't resist the opportunity to provoke Julia further. "Maybe if you didn't look like a boy, you'd actually have a boyfriend by now."
Julia's eyes blazed with anger. "You've really crossed the line now, Lucas. You're such an arrogant know-it-all."
TOK!
But, before she could even say anything more, suddenly, the door opened wide open, and the instructor entered the room.
"Get rid of your notes; we are starting with the bell."
SILENCE!
Everyone fell silent, and a palpable tension hung in the air as they turned their attention to the instructor, the same stern woman who guided them.
The mid-terms were about to start.
Chapter 136 - Mid-terms (2)
'This reminds me of the college times.'
I thought, looking at the exam paper before me. The me from Earth had been admitted to one of the best national colleges in his country.
Therefore, he had his fair share of exams, both before admission and after starting as an undergraduate.
The questions on the exam paper had a certain familiarity to them, just like the engineering courses I had taken back on Earth. It was almost like a flashback to my college days when I'd spend my time preparing for similar tests.
The first question on the page seemed like a nod to classical physics. It read, 'Calculate the maximum velocity a hunter can achieve when applying a continuous force of 500 Newtons to a mana-propelled vehicle weighing 300 kilograms with 2.7 M density. Assume negligible air resistance and conductivity c=10.'
It was a straightforward problem involving Newton's second law of motion and required applying concepts I had learned in my college days. Of course, there were some weird things that wouldn't normally make sense.
Firstly, the name of Newton. In this world, rather than being a simple physicist, he was actually a mage who rose the ranks in the mage tower in the past.
'Developers were lazy.' I thought, jotting down the formula, and started working through the math.
The first exam was {Introduction to Mana for Hunters}, and this course wasn't that hard from my point of view since it was just an introduction and the formulas used weren't that hard.
I was already familiar with the concept of last week's cramming and solving the past exam questions, and because I didn't neglect my weekly reviews after the lessons, I was able to keep the knowledge in my head.
Adding my trait into the equation, these written exams were nothing but a simple maze in which I knew the path to reach the end.
********
Just like that, the exams continued, and in two days, everything was finished. Normally, it was something inhumane, but because the academy was growing Awakened Humans who had both supernatural body and mind, they didn't regard their mental health.
Five exams in two days was like hell for most of the students.
Day 1: {Introduction to Mana for Hunters} – {Bestiary 1}
Day 2: {Dungeon Theory} – {History of Continent 1} – {Understanding of Combat}
The schedule was in such a manner, and at the end of the day, almost all of the students were left exhausted at their desks.
Some of them were sleeping, and some of them were just trying to clear their heads.
And, of course, there were bound to be people who always talked about the exam questions after it finished.
"Hey, could you solve the second question?"
"The one with spear trajectory?"
"Yeah, that one."
"I don't know, man. I skipped the spear section, thinking they wouldn't ask about it, but they asked. How unlucky I am?"
Listening to the students talking like that, Sylvie felt a touch on her left arm.
"How were your exams?" It was Jasmine.
"It could be said fine."
"Fine?"
Sylvie looked at Jasmine, her face expressing a mixture of exhaustion and surprise. "Well, some of the questions were quite challenging, but I think I managed to solve them thanks to... some help."
Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "Help?" At first, she slightly questioned, but as her exam-fried brain worked, she understood what she was talking about. "Ah…."
After all, she was there watching when they were studying together.
"Was it really thanks to him?" Jasmine asked.
"Yes. The exact question he solved was in the exam."
"Ah, that one…."
"Don't tell me you forgot?"
"Cough….."
Seeing Jasmine lowering her gaze, Sylvie couldn't help but shake her head. Her friend was weird sometimes. She was the sole reason she asked Astron, but she didn't even listen to her.
What kind of setup was this?
"Sigh…You really need to be careful about your notes."
"Yeah, yeah."
'Stupid Jasmine.' Sylvie thought, wanting to punish this girl, but she refrained.
"Ho, girls, you are here." With Danielle's appearance, the trio gathered once again.
"Let's hang out today; I am so tired."
********
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
In the training rooms of the academy, I was standing, firing arrows continuously.
"My speed has improved."
As the written exams met their end, the only thing that was left was the practical exam. Of course, when the name practical exam is mentioned, what comes into one's mind would be dungeons or sparring.
This was what we have been doing so far, and that would be the case in this one as well.
'Solo dungeon raid.'
We were expected to raid a dungeon all alone. Since the academy did have specially crafted artificial dungeons, they could adjust the strength terrain of the dungeon accordingly.
According to one's rank, they would be assigned to a specific dungeon that was adjusted to their strength, and then they would be ranked according to their performance.
Of course, the word 'Solo' didn't mean you needed to complete the dungeon all alone. It was just there weren't any predetermined teams while entering, different from the practical lessons before.
Therefore, in the game, there were quite a lot of students who ganged upon others by simply grouping together and having a momentary truce.
Though, in the end, when it came to scores, those momentary truces would be broken.
"Let's see which dungeon I will be assigned to," I mumbled as I grabbed my bow for another training session.
DING!
Just at that moment, I was startled by the sound of a notification, and my bowstring slipped from my fingers. I turned my attention to the holographic interface that appeared before me from my watch, displaying the academy's emblem and a message that held my future:
[Academy Notification: Solo Dungeon Assignment]
[Assigned Dungeon: B-3]
*********
The Arcadia City was the capital of the Human Federation, Valerian. It had countless towering buildings that reached the sky.
Guilds flocked to those buildings, and lower-ranking ones were left with normal buildings.
Inside one of those small buildings, a young woman was sitting at the table looking at the picture of a young kid.
"Don't worry, son; mother will avenge you soon."
The image she held was that of a young boy, a cheeky smile on her face, a stark contrast to the solemn room, and the hatred in the woman's eyes. "They think they can just take you from me and get away with it. They don't care about your life, about the pain you suffered."
Her fists clenched, and a trembling anger gripped him. "The authorities, the so-called protectors of the people, they couldn't care less. They brushed it under the rug, called it a 'tragic accident,' and moved on. But I won't move on."
The woman's fists were squeezed to the point where they were fully white. The hatred in her eyes was clear.
The young woman's hands shook as she pulled out a small report and a set of documents from a hidden drawer. The room was dimly lit, and the only sound was the heavy thumping of her heart.
As she leafed through the documents, she saw the details of the incident that had taken her son and two other children. Her vision blurred as she read the chilling account of that fateful day, and the pain washed over her once again.
"The authorities did nothing... They just let this happen," she muttered through gritted teeth. "And the survivor, Astron Natusalune... He's the one who took you from me."
The hatred in her eyes burned even brighter as she read Astron's name.
She didn't know who had provided her with these documents as suddenly they appeared in her office with a small note.
"Don't you want to know why your son died?"
That was what they had written in that note, and without even thinking, she opened the document.
And there, she found what they had been searching for this long. The details of the incident. She read the lines over and over again.
"All three cadets had died because of the claw marks of the Unclassified Monster."
This was what they knew as well. But, the shocking things were what came afterward.
"In the scene when we arrived, the three students were already dead. We could see the dead body of the monster and one cadet, later his name was confirmed as Astron Natusalune, injured while his dagger was stabbing the monster."
When she read this, she couldn't understand. The sole survivor was the last ranked student, who had overwhelmingly lower strength than other cadets.
But, things revealed themselves as she read further.
"After the autopsy and investigation of the crime scene, it was concluded that the monster died after the students were already gravely injured. There were traces of Holy Mana and Lighting attributed to mana in the environment.
It was found that the mana came from none of the students but the one-time usage consumables, Holy-Radiance Scroll and Thunderstrike Orb, purchased by Astron Natusalune in the same week.
According to the DNA and Mana analysis, it was found that the monster used the Shadow attribute and contained demonic energy comparable to a rank-10 demon. From the experiments, it was later revealed that the monster is weak to both Holy and Lightning mana when used at the correct time.
It is being suspected that the monster was a demon without humanoid properties, but further investigation is needed."
As she read the report, she understood one thing.
'My son was set up.'
The material Astron Natusalune coincidentally bought this week turned out to be the weakness of the monster in the forest. Any sane person would easily understand the link between the two.
The woman's hands trembled as she continued to read the report, each word fueling her rage. The realization that her son had been set up, that he was the victim of a cruel scheme, sent her into a fit of anger.
CREAK!
With a furious, almost animalistic growl, she seized the pen she had been holding and snapped it in half, the sound of it cracking echoing through the dimly lit room. She felt a deep, seething hatred for Astron Natusalune, the one she believed responsible for the death of her son.
"I will make him pay," she hissed to herself, her voice filled with venom. "He'll pay for what he did to my boy."
TOK!
Just as her mind swirled with thoughts of revenge, the door to her office swung open. The woman turned to see the person she had been expecting, a sinister smile creeping across her face.
'He said we shouldn't do something reckless, but I can't wait anymore.' She thought.
The newcomer was the person that was sent by them. From the moment her son died and the authorities didn't do anything about it, she knew where she would be standing at this point.
His eyes held a dark and ominous glint, and he seemed unfazed by the hatred that radiated from the woman.
"Madam, it seems you've found what you were looking for," he said, his voice dripping with a malevolent undertone.
The woman nodded, her eyes locked on the demon contractor. "Yes, and I want you to help me make sure Astron Natusalune doesn't make it through another day in this world. I want him dead."
The demon contractor grinned, revealing sharp, predatory teeth. "Understood, madam, you can leave him to us, though you do know how we are getting paid, don't you?"
The woman nodded, her eyes unwavering as she gazed at the sinister demon contractor. "I am aware of your payment, and I have already made arrangements."
The woman stood for a second.
"The orphanage you requested is complete."
Chapter 137 - Mid-terms (3)
-WROOM!
Walking in front of the place filled with a bunch of gates, I was looking for my dungeon.
'This is similar to Black Market dungeons.'
Even though the academy didn't have access to that many gates, there were still sufficient gates to test the students.
Today was the day of the practical exam, where we would be left alone inside a dungeon and be expected to explore it on our own.
[B-3]
As I stood in front of the dungeon, the professor in charge made his appearance. He wasn't someone I knew, probably someone who was lecturing in another class. Considering the academy had 2400 students each freshman year, the number of lecturers was also high.
"Kuhm."
The professor cleared his throat, gathering our attention.
"Good morning, cadets. Today, you will be taking the practical exam in this dungeon. The academy has carefully selected dungeons of varying difficulty levels to match your skills and ranks."
He gestured to the gates behind him, each one representing a unique challenge. "Your task is simple: navigate through the dungeon, overcome any obstacles, and retrieve the artifact that was assigned to your name at the end. You will be assessed on your problem-solving abilities, adaptability, and your capacity to work independently."
'Yeah, there was such a thing.'
Most of the time, when thinking about dungeons, the condition for dungeons to be cleared would be killing the boss monster.
However, in this exam, we would be without a party, and cooperating with others to kill the boss monster wasn't what we expected from us.
In the case when the dungeon wasn't related to the boss monster, the trigger was reaching the end and taking the artifact that was linked to it.
This exam was the parallel of that in a sense. By reaching the end and taking the assigned artifact, we were basically completing the dungeon's linked quest.
While I was thinking to myself, the professor's gaze scanned the crowd, his voice firm and commanding. "Remember, the practical exam is not just about survival; it's about demonstrating your ability to thrive in unpredictable situations. You will face unknown creatures, traps, and puzzles within. Some of you may even encounter your fellow students.
In such cases, alliances are permitted, but competition is inevitable."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Once you enter the gate, the timer begins. You will have four hours to complete the assigned task and return. Failure to do so will result in an automatic fail and presumably taking the note of NA."
"You will be able to request help from the faculty members, but note that doing so will also result in NA, and your exam will be negated. Therefore, I would suggest you hold it as much as possible."
Knowing what kind of things were waiting for us inside the dungeon, I knew why he said that. Most of the time, working with a team would be a lot different than working without one, and the students were about to experience this firsthand.
The professor's expression was still scrutinized. "Stay vigilant, trust your training, and rely on your instincts that you have developed after entering this academy. You have been polishing your skills with sweat and blood, and now this exam is your chance to prove your worth."
As he said those words, his eyes wandered around.
"Best of luck, and may you return victorious."
With those words, he stepped to the side, leaving all the students in the line, and went to inform the other students.
"Everyone entering the B-3 dungeon, get ready," a faculty member responsible for dungeon [B-3] announced, calling our attention.
The line of students quickly began readying themselves, ensuring they had their equipment, identifying bracelets, and other essential items for the exam.
One by one, students stepped forward, offering our identification bracelets for inspection by the faculty member.
"Alex Rodriguez, Rank 1800."
Of course, with each student coming forward, the faculty member read their name loudly to make sure every student could hear it with their ranks attached to it.
"Emily Sullivan, Rank 1950."
And this was actually a very cruel method. Because I could clearly see each name coming up, the students' eyes started forming targets.
'Targets to take their possessions.'
After all, humans were greedy creatures, and Hunter Academy knew how hard the real dungeon environment was.
"Tom Anderson. Rank 2100."
.
.
As the instructor called me with his eyes as the last one, I stood up and made my way there.
"Here."
Grabbing my card, the instructor loudly announced my name and my rank.
"Astron Natusalune. Rank 2450."
The moment my name and my rank were announced, I could feel everyone's gazes turning to me.
At that exact second, I knew I became the target they would think easy. My name was known thanks to rumors, and my low rank would make it pretty easy for others to target me.
However, that didn't mean much. After all, they would probably just pursue me while gathering together all those people; therefore, I would highly be pursued by those who were left behind.
"Everyone's ID is confirmed. Get ready, you are entering."
Before anyone could form a strategy in their minds, the member gestured for us to follow as everyone made their way to the dungeon entrance.
However, while I was waking, I felt something was amiss. Between the gazes directed at me, there was a feeling.
The feeling that I got when I was in the dungeon.
FLINCH!
The instinct that I had developed was alarming me as if something was going to happen.
'What is this?'
I thought to myself.
From what I remembered, nothing would happen in the mid-term exams; therefore, this didn't make any sense.
Looking at back, my gaze met with countless pairs of eyes looking in my direction. There were at least ten pairs targeting me, but I couldn't notice anything different.
'Am I overreacting?'
In the end, I couldn't do anything. Leaving the exam was out of option at this point, and aside from entering the dungeon, there wasn't anything else to do.
-WROOM!
As we reached the entrance of the dungeon, the dimensional gate's voice entered our ears.
"You may enter."
With the confirmation coming from the faculty member, everyone entered the dungeon one by one.
-THUD!
As I entered the dungeon and stepped inside, the natural feeling of nausea came right after.
However, at this point, I was already familiar with this feeling. Countless dungeon explorations of the Black Market made me very familiar with the mix of my insides. I presume even my body had adapted to it, as the feeling disappeared right after.
Therefore, I didn't even bat an eye and calmly looked around.
"Burgh!"
Still, there were some students throwing everything they had eaten outside as if this was the first time they were entering the dungeon.
However, I guess the practical lessons related to dungeons weren't that frequent for other students since this scene was more frequent than I had expected initially.
But my attention wasn't supposed to be on the students.
HOWL!
The wind blew as the coldness of the air grazed my skin. The terrain of the dungeon wasn't something that you would expect from the term 'dungeon.'
In front of me stood an open asphalt road and a bunch of destroyed buildings. Moss and vines could be seen around the walls, indicating that all these buildings had never been taken care of before.
No signs of life could be seen as if everything was destroyed in this world. However, this suffocating feeling was still there, as if something sinister was lurking there.
'Like an Apocalypse.'
It was an apocalyptic world, probably a projection of a design inspired by another destroyed world.
'They really put a lot of effort.'
I thought to myself.
Each dungeon had its own difficulty adjusted according to the average rank of the students entering. And, the dungeons with the B- letter in their name were the ones for lower rank ones.
'Ethan is probably in the {B-1} dungeon.' I thought. Since Ethan's rank was also on the lower side, he was assigned to B-rank dungeons as well. However, I wasn't sure which one it was since a small butterfly effect might have changed which dungeon he was assigned.
"Waaa….How different?"
"Right?"
I could hear some students exclaiming with their eyes wide open as if they were surprised. Of course, them being surprised wasn't something I didn't expect since those guys were lower ranked for a reason.
Their attention was on the things that wouldn't benefit them most of the time.
'Let's move.'
On my watch, I could see the remaining time I had left before completing the dungeon, and I needed to find my way inside. Even though the dungeon wasn't probably that long, this weird feeling I was getting made me on alert and want to leave this place as soon as possible.
With that thought in my mind, I readied my weapons as I made my way into the town.
TOK! TOK! TOK!
I could feel my boots hitting the thick asphalt as I walked forward. There was a deadly silence in the town as if no life existed.
I was calling town since even though most of the buildings were destroyed, there were still some signboards showing this place was once a place filled with stores and many other things.
Just at that moment, I felt someone's presence approaching. No, it wasn't someone. A lot of students were approaching at the same time.
SWOOSH!
"I don't have much time, move."
As one of them went past me with a high-speed running, the other one followed him. They were running on the asphalt road as if this was some sort of race.
'What a pity.'
I thought.
After all, whenever there was a dungeon, there were bound to be monsters.
"Grrrrr..."
The small presences appearing from the buildings were the proof of that….
Chapter 138- Mid-Terms (4)
There are certain times when people's rationality gets blocked out by different reasons. One of them is when they are desperate.
Students who are at the bottom of the rank chain were in such a mindset while participating in the mid-term exams.
The Arcadia Hunter Academy was ruthless, and they would cut down those who failed to meet their expectations.
Who were the ones that failed?
That would be the ones that fell behind.
Therefore, they were desperate to get good notes in this exam, improving their ranks. However, desperation had never been something that cooperated with rationality.
And staying rational and calm is the most important thing when you are putting your life in danger.
As the students rushed past me, moving at high speed, their focus was solely on getting ahead.
It was a typical sight – desperate students in a rush, eager to explore and conquer the dungeon.
But as they raced forward, they triggered something I had suspected from the moment I entered. Growls and snarls echoed from the dilapidated buildings, and dark, menacing figures began emerging.
"Grrrrr…"
From the darkened doorways and broken windows, grotesque creatures emerged. They had monstrous appearances, a mix of decaying flesh and misshapen limbs. These were the dungeon's denizens, the challenges that awaited us in this place.
'Ruinscreechers.'
It was a monster between rank-2 to rank 3, depending on their evolutions.
From the moment we entered the dungeon, I knew the monsters we would encounter here could be found in our curriculum. After all, the academy may be ruthless, but they were fair to students.
At least to those who fulfilled their responsibilities.
SWOOSH!
As one of the monsters immediately jumped from the stores, the weapons were drawn.
CLANK!
"Hold your ground!" one student shouted as the monsters drew nearer, with his weapon clashing the claws of the monster.
The real battle had begun. Some students frantically wielded their weapons, and their combat skills varied.
It was a fight for survival, but I couldn't help but shake my head at the chaos.
'This is why parties are important.'
Without a scout and proper party formation, the sloppy parties wouldn't be able to live against the overwhelming monsters of dungeons.
This mid-term exam was actually serving as an example at the same time as the lessons. It was to show why teamwork was this important to those arrogant Hunters.
The reason why humanity was able to survive against the huge numbers of monsters, otherworldlers, and demons.
In a sense, this was also a lecture.
'I should move as well. Thanks for making the way.'
With that thought, I climbed on top of the abandoned buildings and started walking while masking my presence, thanks to the fight happening underneath.
Even though hunting monsters also contributed to our notes, I had never been stupid enough to confront this amount of enemies alone and waste such an opportunity presented to me.
**********
The chaotic battle in the ruined town continued to unfold beneath the abandoned buildings. The desperate students were forced to fight for their lives against the menacing Ruinscreechers.
"Arghh!" A student's cry pierced the air as he swung his weapon at one of the monsters.
THUD!
His strike was met with a sickening thud as he landed a blow on the creature's decaying flesh.
"SCREEECH!"
The Ruinscreecher retaliated with a swipe of its misshapen claw, leaving deep gashes on the student's arm.
The once-silent town was now filled with the sounds of battle.
Desperate students clashed with the grotesque Ruinscreechers, each strike and swing accompanied by grunts and shouts.
"Look out, behind you!" one student cried out as he spotted a Ruinscreecher approaching another from the rear.
The warning allowed his fellow student to narrowly evade the surprise attack, rolling to the side and narrowly avoiding the creature's claws.
Two students wielding swords moved in tandem, their blades flashing through the air.
They exchanged quick glances before one called out, "I am counting on you."
"Yeah."
They lunged at a Ruinscreecher together, delivering a synchronized attack that cut through the monster's flesh.
However, not all interactions were as coordinated. Two students with staff-like weapons were trying to fend off a Ruinscreecher. Their movements were hesitant and uncoordinated. "Get its attention!" one yelled to the other.
The second student attempted to distract the monster with a feint, and it worked momentarily. But the Ruinscreecher quickly refocused its attention and lunged at the first student, forcing him to parry with his staff.
In the midst of the battle, a conversation could be heard between two students who had luckily known each other before entering this dungeon.
"We should stick together, Sam!" a female student exclaimed as she defended herself from an approaching Ruinscreecher with her bow in her hand.
Sam nodded and replied, "Agreed, Emily. I'll cover your back." He stood guard behind her, ensuring no monster could get the drop on her.
Of course, while such positive scenes were happening all around the place, not every student was in a good condition.
Despite their best efforts, some of them couldn't avoid fatal strikes.
"SCREEECH!"
SWOOSH! SPURT!
When a Ruinscreecher's claws struck home, leaving a grievous wound, the injured students would fall, cries of pain escaping their lips.
"AAAAAAH! IT HURTS!"
One by one, the students who had been fatally wounded disappeared in a flash of light.
They would be resummoned to the entrance of the dungeon, saving them from the fatal wounds. This was the countermeasure for the past events where the students almost lost their lives thanks to the interference of demon contractors.
As the battle raged on and the wounded students were resummoned to safety, a group of students watched the chaos from a distance.
They huddled together behind a crumbling building, their eyes fixed on the ongoing fight.
A young woman with a serious expression turned to her companions. "Is everything in place? We can't afford any mistakes this time. All the eyes on the academy right now."
A tall, lanky student, twirling a dagger in his hand, nodded. "Yeah, everything's set. We just need him to get isolated enough."
"I still think we shouldn't have taken this mission." Even though the man looked relaxed, that wasn't the case for the girl. She was still not sure about the mission they had, it seemed.
"You know we don't have much choice, right? They will cut us down if we don't prove we are useful."
"...Yeah….Anyway, can we locate where he is?"
"We can, here." As the young man raised the watch in his hand, there they could see a small dot moving.
"Then, we should start moving. I am not sure why, but I feel like he is a lot better than what we know. We should be more careful."
"Really?" At that moment, the third member of their group, a girl with a sly grin, joined the conversation. "Then, won't it be more fun?" she had a crazy smile on her face as she licked her lips. "Maybe he can entertain me more."
The leader emphasized the seriousness of their mission. "Indeed, this is an assignment, not child's play."
The enthusiastic girl couldn't resist adding a playful comment, "But what's life without a little excitement?"
The leader concluded, "Regardless, our primary objective remains to ensure this mission appears as an accident or a monster attack. We can't afford any suspicion of foul play or any traceback. If such a thing happens, we both know what is going to happen to us, don't we?"
"Yes."
"Good. Now, let's start moving."
Just like that, the group started moving in the terrain of the dungeon, slowly approaching the dot shown on the map while slaying monsters on the way, just like any other student was doing.
*********
When it comes to dungeons, the monsters never meant to leave you alone. This is basically how it is.
"Grrrr...."
Looking at the monsters obscuring my path, I slowly counted their numbers.
"10, huh?"
While the students took the aggro, thanks to their stupidity, I was walking in the dungeon, masking my presence.
Since this was not a cave but rather an open field, scouting was needed to find where my mid-term artifact was.
However, not every time my presence masking was going to work without using my [Shadowborne] trait.
I knew at some point I would encounter monsters, and here we were.
I reached for my bow, smoothly drawing an arrow and taking aim at the closest Ruinscreecher.
"Hufff….."
SWISH!
With a focused breath, I released the arrow, and it struck true, dropping the creature in its tracks.
"SCREEEECH!"
The monsters reacted quickly, letting out a cacophony of screeches and growls. They were already aware of my presence and charged towards me.
SWISH! SWISH!
I continued to fire arrows rapidly, targeting the approaching Ruinscreechers, aiming to thin their numbers.
Since the academy and many other guilds were watching me right now, I didn't want to use many different mana attributes. After all, I don't want to give them enough data to work on.
Using only green-colored mana to improve the trajectory of my arrows, I slowly reduced their numbers.
'9'
SWOOSH! THUD!
One was down.
'8'
So was another.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Firing three arrows at the same time, I targeted two Ruinscreechers.
"SCREEECH!"
The power of the arrows wasn't strong enough to kill three at the same time. But that didn't matter.
Eyes of Hourglass.
With the time slowing down and the mana tendrils connecting the monsters, I once again knocked three arrows at the same time.
Imbuing them with the mana of green color, I intuitively connected the tendrils marking each monster to the arrows.
'Bam'
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
With that, I released the string, and at that exact one second, the arrows flew to the monsters. However, this time, their trajectory wasn't as sloppy as the former wave.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
'5.'
All of them hit the Ruinscreechers from their necks, and three monsters died at the same time.
WOOSH!
"SCREEECH!
'They are close.'
However, the enemy's number was still high.
As the monsters drew nearer, I knew it was time to switch to my dual daggers.
'This should be enough display for the sake of my bow skills.'
Having two weapons as a major meant I would be subjected to a different type of grading, and it would be harder to pass the grade. Thus, I was doing this right now.
With my daggers in my hand, I stood facing the monsters.
'Bring it on.'
Chapter 139 - Mid-terms (5)
The group of high-ranking individuals sat in a luxurious observation room; their attention focused on the live feed of the mid-term exam's practical test taking place in the dungeon. Their discussions were muted, reserved for their privileged circle.
"They do seem promising," one of them remarked, her eyes fixed on the various students in the dungeon. "Victor Blackthorn is truly remarkable. His control over mana is unmatched."
Looking at the individual holding the longsword, the woman spoke. He was all alone in the open field of sand.
No student stood beside him, but the monsters had shown no signs of stopping. Countless types of monsters came: [Crystal Mantis], [Black Worm], [Thunder Scorpion].
All of them were at least rank-4 monsters, and some even were classified as peak rank-5.
However, none left his presence alive. His long sword, shining with compressed plasmatic aura, butchered every living being in his presence one by one without sparing anything.
"Certainly. There is a reason he is known as the century's biggest genius and the new face of the Blackthorn's now."
"It seems the recent events hadn't been able to shake him down."
"You are talking about the Blackthorn Family. They never show any weakness."
"Though, he is not the only one shining."
Another individual nodded in agreement. "Yes, and the Middleton twins, Lucas and Julia, are showing impressive teamwork and adaptability. They've always been a dynamic pair."
Even though the twins always bickered with each other whenever they were outside, or they were in the presence of many people, when it came to fighting, they showed incredible talents.
Julia wasn't a smart one to make plans, but she had a good field vision to control her group, and the innate talent she had on the battlefield made her fill the blanks easily.
Lucas was more of a brain as she led her twin while also dynamically completing her empty points.
A man leaned forward, studying the screens more closely. "Carl Braveheart is also displaying remarkable leadership skills, guiding his team effectively. He's destined for greatness."
As they continued to discuss the students, their conversations revealed the pride and interest they held in the academy's talented individuals. They were well aware that these students might shape the future of the Human Federation.
Most of the people's eyes were on the higher-ranking dungeons since most talented students fought there.
However, even then, there were some who were watching the lower-ranked ones for one simple person who had the 'name' to attract their attention.
"Ethan Hartley."
The man holding the spear.
The late-bloomer heir of the Hartley family.
He had just recently awakened and was registered as a Hunter just before coming to the academy.
According to the norm, he shouldn't have had enough time to compensate for the times he had lost compared to others.
But, the norm didn't apply to the name of Hartley.
And they were now witnessing that.
He stormed through waves of monsters with remarkable prowess, his spear moving like an extension of his own body. The astonished gasps from the onlookers in the observation room were a testament to his remarkable performance.
"How brilliant," the woman who had earlier praised Victor Blackthorn whispered as she watched Ethan's exceptional display of skill.
Ethan Hartley was a true anomaly. While others in his ranking might have struggled, he fought with the grace and power of a seasoned Hunter. His late awakening had no apparent effect on his combat abilities.
He was someone who had just recently entered the world of the Hunters and was a simple citizen beforehand.
He should have struggled against such monsters classified as rank 3 to rank-4. All of them would be the demise of newbie hunters like him.
But that wasn't the case. Rather, it was as if he was more comfortable on the battlefield; with a slight smile on his lips, he stormed into the battlefield, making his own way himself.
And even while he was fighting with monsters, he didn't overlook other injured students' situations and helped them to escape.
Another observer couldn't help but comment, "The Hartley name is indeed something else. He's advancing faster than any of us expected."
As they continued to watch, it was evident that Ethan Hartley had quickly become a standout among the lower-ranked students, proving what the name 'genius' really stood for.
But even then, when most people were watching the students who were already known to some extent, there was one woman whose attention was on a different person.
Her black eyes continued to stare at the screen almost no one was paying attention to. There, she could see a student facing a bunch of monsters with a bow.
The scene wasn't as amazing as it was when being watched by the others, but the woman could feel it.
The talent she had developed on her own to survive in the harsh world of rich families was now tingling just like it tingled with other high-ranking students.
She could feel this was a special gem, different from others.
A gem that could be beneficial to her.
"S-so, who's that... individual?" the woman inquired, her voice trembling slightly. When she talked, the others turned their attention to her for a second, but they discarded her after another one with disdain.
Her assistant, a man standing beside her, responded, "Let me check it."
As the man was checking the youngster's name, the woman licked her lips as she saw the unique purple eyes.
'I should get him under me.'
Those eyes were filled with desire.
*******
"SCREECH!"
As the Ruinscreechers closed in, their screeches echoing, I remained calm, focused, and ready for close combat, with my hands holding my dual daggers.
It was time to showcase my proficiency with these weapons.
The monsters lunged towards me with their grotesque forms, and I began to analyze their movements. My brain worked rapidly with my trait complementing it.
With my training and experience, I had developed a formula in my head for such battles.
'First open with a sidestep to counterbalance.'
My first move was to sidestep a charging Ruinscreecher, allowing its momentum to carry it past me.
'Now, time to slash.'
SLASH!
As it stumbled forward, I delivered a swift, precise strike with my left dagger, targeting the monster's exposed neck. It collapsed with a screech.
"1 down."
My developed instinctual senses allowed me to perceive time at a slightly slower pace, giving me an advantage in reacting to their movements.
The Ruinscreechers were relentless, but my head was clear.
'Brainless monsters.'
I feinted an attack to my right, drawing the attention of two Ruinscreechers. As they lunged at me, I swiftly parried their claws with my right dagger, then spun to face the one on my left. With a single, well-aimed strike, I dispatched it, reducing their numbers.
"2 down."
The remaining Ruinscreecher retaliated, lunging at me with a ferocious strike. I dodged to the side, but my body wasn't able to correspond to what I had in my mind, allowing the monster's claws to graze my shoulder armor.
"Tch."
The pain was a reminder of the danger, but it didn't deter me. The lack of stability, when it came to endurance, was once again showing its effects right here, though it wasn't something detrimental.
"SCREECH!"
As if to avenge his fallen comrades, the Ruinscreecher lunged at me with a scream, a dreadful aura enveloping it.
SWOOSH!
It was using dark mana to absorb the souls of his fallen comrades, and that was why they were essentially undead type creatures.
His speed was faster than before, and in the blink of an eye, the monster almost reached me.
Dash.
Enduring the pain in my right shoulder, I activated my skill as I felt my speed increase.
Tilting my body to side briefly, the monster's claw went right before my face, the tip slightly grazing my skin.
The wound got hot instantly thanks to the corrosive dark mana of the monster.
But the failed attack also gave me the opportunity to strike.
STAB!
"SCREECH!"
I saw an opening in its defense and drove my left dagger into its side, ending its threat with a final screech.
"3 down."
But the battle had yet to reach the end, as the last two monsters now stood before me. They were excluding a different aura as if they were stronger than the rest. And, in fact, that was the case since I could see the mark that would appear on the rank-4 Ruinscreechers on their forehead.
A special gem was shining there, and that was the container of the dark energy they would use.
After dealing with these two, I would probably have enough points to pass the mark enough to not fail. Thus, I was just going to look for my goal artifact.
'I should heal myself.'
Since we were going to explore the dungeon on our own, all students were given five potions to use, and we couldn't bring any other artifact with us.
Trying to take advantage of the momentary pause of the fight, I reached for my spatial bracelet and immediately took out the potion supplied by the academy.
FLINCH!
As I was just about to drink it, my senses suddenly screamed at me, warning me of impending danger.
'Something-'
SWOOSH! CRASH!
Before I could react, something whizzed through the air and into my hands, smashing the potion vial into pieces. The veil containing the healing liquid shattered, leaving me stunned and vulnerable.
SWOOSH!
However, the momentary stun immediately left my body as my instincts kicked into overdrive.
Dash.
Eyes of Hourglass.
Activating both of my skills at the same time, the time slowed while I felt my speed increase. And there, I could see a small projectile flying to me.
A special dagger imbued by mana, completely bypassing my senses.
Throwing my body to the side, I immediately tried to put myself into a safer position, but the dagger's speed was still so fast that it cut my right arm.
THUD!
As the skill deactivated after I fell to the ground, the pain also registered in my brain.
"Grrrr….." The wound on my shoulder, on my arm and on my face was burning, but the one on my shoulder was different.
I could feel it.
"Ho? You have dodged it."
At that exact second, I heard the sound of another student as three presences made themselves known.
Chapter 140 - Mid-terms (6)
"Grrrr...."
Gritting my teeth, I endured the pain surging through my body. My head spun, and my mana felt disrupted with each passing second. The dagger wound on my arm throbbed relentlessly.
"Ho? You've managed to dodge it."
As the pain from the dagger wound seared through my arm, I clenched my teeth and tried to regain my composure.
THUMP!
My heart was beating rapidly, and my body heat was increasing.
'Calm down.'
My instincts had saved me from the full brunt of the attack, but I had been injured, and the danger wasn't over.
I forcefully calmed myself down, applying mana to my veins and heart, slowing the circulation of blood.
Swiftly, I scanned my surroundings, assessing the situation. My eyes locked onto the three approaching students, their faces set with malice.
One of them, a tall and imposing figure, spoke with a hint of satisfaction. "You are quite good, aren't you?"
He was one of those who entered the dungeon with me, but I hadn't sensed anything from him, let alone any attention.
'This is not good.'
My brain worked rapidly, processing the information I had gathered. I didn't know why they were targeting me, but it was evident that I was not in a favorable position.
'My senses aren't working.'
Something was amiss about those guys. Even though my stats weren't as high as high-ranking students, at the very least, my [Intuition] parameter should have been enough to sense their presence, considering they belonged to the lower ranks of the academy.
That meant one thing.
'They are hiding their strength.'
If they were able to trespass my senses and sneak attack me, that meant they were hiding their strengths. I am pretty confident that I should be able to sense any intent directed at me unless the enemy is a high-ranking person.
'Or, there is something fishy.'
Before I could analyze the situation further, the guy before me made his move.
And as he stepped forward, something unexpected happened. From his hand, black-crimson energy started coming out, directly linked to the body of the remaining monsters.
"SCREECH!"
The two remaining Ruinscreechers, still alive, suddenly started oozing a dark aura from their bodies as they went berserk.
Their growls turned into enraged screeches, and their eyes glowed with an eerie light. The dark energy within them surged, making them even more powerful.
THUMP!
Coupled with my heart beating. My body was responding to the energy that started surrounding me.
It was repulsing….The same thing that I had felt whenever I was in the presence of my enemy.
"Demonic Energy."
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
As I mumbled to myself, another student before me started clapping her hands. This time it was the girl with a hood covering her face.
"You are really, really good."
Even though most of her facial structures weren't visible, I was able to see the crazed smile on her face.
"Give me a good show, won't you?"
Following her words, immediately, the Ruinscreechers, now infused with demonic energy, charged at me with even greater ferocity.
Their movements were faster and more erratic, and the aura of malevolence that surrounded them was overwhelming. I was struggling to maintain my focus, as the pain on my body was making it harder for me to move.
SWOOSH!
Even then, I dodged a vicious swipe from one of the monsters but narrowly avoided the claws that came dangerously close to my throat.
CLANG!
The other Ruinscreecher lunged at me, its fangs snapping perilously close to my arm. At the last second, thanks to the feeling, I was able to block the monster's attack with my daggers, but my posture wasn't the perfect one.
I wasn't able to properly estimate the enhanced strength granted by the dark energy, and my dual daggers struggled to keep up with the accelerated movements of the Ruinscreechers.
"Focus, Astron," I reminded myself, drawing on my experience and all the training I did. I couldn't afford to falter now.
Even the pain was enveloping my thoughts; even though my body was holding me back, I couldn't falter now.
Because, in front of me, were demonic humans.
'I need to see their faces at least.'
The fight became an intense dance of death.
SWOOSH!
At that exact second, the Ruinscreecher blasted itself to me, leaving a trail of dark energy on its path.
It was so fast that I wasn't able to react. No, it was as if something was disturbing my senses that the intuition I developed wasn't working. I couldn't even activate my skill [Eyes of Hourglass], let alone [Dash].
STAB!
The monster's claws went past through my chest, and from three points, I was penetrated. My insides were burning, and the monster's dark mana entered my body, disturbing its functions.
"Burghk!"
I couldn't help but feel the blood rushing through my mouth as I vomited a mouthful of that.
'It is too fast.'
My head was spinning, and I couldn't think properly. My consciousness was on the verge of losing.
"SCREECH!"
With a screech, the other monster also rushed at me and bit me with its fangs.
'At least I can return back.'
Since this was a Mid-term exam, the watch provided by the academy had the function of returning any student with a health risk.
But as the second passed, and I felt the connection between my consciousness and me was slipping away, nothing like a spatial mana psions moved around me.
'Huh?'
As if what was supposed to happen wasn't happening.
"SCREECH!"
Between the monster's screams, I was able to take a look at the watch provided by the academy for the mid-terms.
It was supposed to show the number of monsters killed by each student by connecting the server.
'Don't tell me.'
The moment my eyes darted to the watch, I saw nothing on the screen.
'They are blocking the mana connection to the watch.'
"Did you realize it?"
At that exact second, the same voice of the tall student reached my ears.
PULL!
"Burghk!"
His voice was followed by the monster's retreat as the first one pulled its claws out. And, because of the absence of its claws, the wounds were opened, and blood started pouring out from there.
"The connection between the academy and this space is blocked." He continued. I could see a clear mocking in his eyes, as if I was nothing but a mere insect to him. "No one's going to save you, you know. You will die here, alone."
THUD!
From the dizziness and the loss of blood, I could no longer sustain my body as it fell to the ground.
"It is pathetic." The girl with a hood watching me from the side spoke; the smile on her now vanished. "End it, Reiner." And she sentenced me to death.
"Tch, don't order me." The tall boy said, waving his hands. "I am going to do it anyway."
"SCREECH!"
With the wave of his hands, the monsters started screaming once again as if going berserk. More and more demonic energy was being supplied to the monsters as their aura got stronger with each second.
"Heh...." However, as they were talking, I couldn't no longer hold it in. I could no longer hold the feelings in my head.
"Hahahahaha….." The laughter I had been suppressing for a long time, I was finally able to let it out.
"What?"
Amid the dire situation, their expressions transformed from mockery to confusion. The boy, Reiner, showed a puzzled look, his arrogance faltering. "What's so funny, huh?"
I couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up. After all, if the connection to the outside was now broken down, didn't that mean I could go all out here?
Didn't that mean I could use everything in my arsenal? Since the cameras watching me are probably not working either.
"Man...….It is flipped once again…."
As I started supplying myself with crimson mana, I could once again feel the world around me turning to crimson.
My thoughts, my vision, my feelings….Everything started transforming…..
The wounds on my body, the pain, the blood loss….Everything turned into one simple thing.
"I want blood."
At that exact second, on the cliff of death, I was having my best time.
"He's gone mad!" Reiner declared, taking a step back. His companions shared alarmed glances.
'Yes…..This is how it should be…..You should fear me more….'
The girl with the hood, however, maintained a twisted smile. "No, he's not mad. He's something else."
I was pretty sure I was making the same expression as her right now.
"JUST DIE YOU FUCKER!" The guy named Reiner shouted as he pointed his finger at me.
At that exact moment, the monsters rushed at me.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
The Ruinscreechers, fueled by the dark energy, were faster and more relentless than before. Their movements now had a different pattern, and they attacked with a savage ferocity that made it difficult to anticipate their strikes.
CLANK!
But I didn't need to anticipate.
I could simply feel it.
On the verge of death, when the afterlife was this close, I slowly transformed into something.
Something animalistic.
'Two Fangs of Blood Moon.'
SWOOSH!
At that exact moment, my body shot forward….