Chapter 19

EP.19 Class Assignment Exam (3)

Class assignment exam day.

A dozen students gathered at the entrance of the Harmain Forest. They all passed the entrance exam of the prestigious Aphria Academy with high scores.

However, just because their scores were similar, it didn't mean they were treated the same.

A strange atmosphere flowed among the gathered students. The four figures standing apart were the ones creating it.

Stella, Ayla.

Battle Mage, Lak.

Summoner, Resty.

Shaman, Belnoa.

Despite being grouped together as 'students,' their presence stood out. In her mind, Belnoa thought that if they weren't going to use the 'Mana Spring,' there was no reason to come to Harmain Forest.

'Is he saving it for later?'

Belnoa decided to think that way. The assistant professors must have their own plans.

"Ahem."

A short cough.

The students' gazes turned forward at the sound of the cough.

"I will briefly explain the exam."

The assistant professor standing on the podium began explaining the rules of the exam. Since it was a pre-announced exam, understanding the rules wasn't difficult.

One, do not leave the assigned area.

Two, the score will be determined by the time spent in contact with the 'Mana Stone' placed in each area.

Three, while interference and combat are allowed to a certain extent, do not go too far.

And.

"Lastly, four, absolutely do not enter the center of the Harmain Forest."

The assistant professor's voice was stern.

"As you know, the 'Mana Spring' is located at the center of the Harmain Forest. You must absolutely not enter it. I believe you understand the reasons."

He didn't explain the reasons. Yet, no one was unaware of why they shouldn't enter.

'...Why?'

Except for one person.

Ranier glanced at the assistant professor with a puzzled look. In her mind, if she used the teleportation circuit, it would break.

'If I use it, the circuit will break.'

Swallowing those words, Ranier walked into the forest. Someone watched her go.

"Huh?"

Alchemy assistant professor Ellen tilted her head as she looked at where Ranier was heading.

'Assistant Professor Ranier is supposed to be assigned to the northern area, right?'

However, she was heading towards the entrance of the southern area.

"Huh... Assistant Professor Ranier? If you go that way, you'll have to take a long detour, won't you?"

"Hm? Can't I just go straight through?"

"..."

...Does she plan to cross the Mana Spring?

"Then I'll go first."

"Ah, yes..."

Ellen just watched Ranier's retreating back with a strange look.

2.

Belnoa is an orphan from the slums.

Like most children from the slums, Belnoa couldn't remember if she had parents or what they did. In the first place, there was no need to remember.

Her life was about survival.

A life where the corpses in the alleys could easily become her own.

In short, she had no time to ponder her past or her birth. If she had that luxury, Belnoa would have rummaged through more garbage piles.

That was her life.

A life of rummaging through garbage and scavenging corpses to survive.

If things had gone as they should, Belnoa, who would have been nothing more than a slum survivor, had no reason to be in such an academy. Even if she had the qualifications, she would have refused.

'It doesn't suit me.'

People have their stages.

And she thought this place wasn't her stage.

-Protect that child?

-If you can humble the white-haired one... Well, I can't refuse.

If not for that deal with the old man.

Belnoa wouldn't have come to Aphria.

-The child you spoke of, it's not a difficult task for me.

-This is a deal, Belnoa.

-Or perhaps a commission.

Belnoa slowly opened her eyes.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the middle of the forest. She gauged the wind blowing between the shaded trees.

-Dominate the white-haired one.

-Show that black is superior to white.

The dirty pride of the high-ups.

She was merely a tool for their use.

'As the old man said, this is a commission.'

So, she would just carry it out as usual.

"Phew..."

After a short breath, Belnoa took a step forward. As soon as she stepped, the shadow wobbled.

Ritual, Shadow Weaving.

The thin threads of shadow wrapped around Belnoa's body. The shadows between the trees were her path.

One step, then another.

As she walked silently, Belnoa heard footsteps.

-Crunch.

She looked towards the source of the sound.

White hair, the figure of Lak, who was assigned to the same area as her.

"..."

Belnoa approached him silently.

There was no need to fight head-on. Before being a ritualist, Belnoa was an assassin. If she could end it from an unseen place, that would be the best move.

As she crossed the shadows, Belnoa drew a spell stored in her fingertips.

Shadow Needle.

A portion of the shadow detached.

The moment Belnoa aimed the sharply honed spell.

With a flick.

Lak turned his head.

His narrow eyes accurately pinpointed Belnoa hidden in the shadows.

"There you are."

Lak drew the hand axe from his waist. There was no hesitation in his movement. Holding the smoothly drawn hand axe, Lak shifted his shoulders.

"Don't hide. A warrior doesn't hide."

As his arm swung, Belnoa's spell was also released. The spell and the hand axe clashed in mid-air. Lak was the victor.

Crack, the hand axe crushed the shadow.

The axe didn't stop and flew towards Belnoa.

Clang!

As Belnoa swung the shadow around her body to block the axe, she was taken aback at the moment of impact.

'Why is it so heavy...?'

Shock.

"Ugh!"

Crack! Pushed by the shockwave emitted from the axe handle, the shadow surrounding Belnoa dispersed. She was forced back.

Rolling on the ground and getting up, Belnoa gathered the scattered shadows. As she did, she looked up.

'Not there?'

Lak's figure, which should have been in front, was nowhere to be seen.

At that moment, Belnoa's intuition warned her. Following her intuition, she looked up.

Grabbing the axe handles floating in the air.

Lak, holding an axe in each hand, was falling.

'What kind of mage is he, damn it.'

Belnoa suppressed the curse that almost slipped out. And as if answering her question, Lak released a spell.

Haste.

Weight.

Lak's fingers, holding the axes, glowed.

It was a simple spell.

However, when combined with his superhuman physical abilities, its power was far from light.

Crack!

With a loud noise, the gathered shadows scattered again. This time, the shock even reached beyond the shadows. One of her fingers, the index finger, broke.

'Index finger.'

Before the index finger completely bent, Belnoa released the spell stored in it.

Smite.

The most basic offensive spell.

Its power wasn't great, but it was enough to counter the overwhelming axe.

Clang!

Lak took a few steps back.

Watching his retreat, Belnoa thought.

'The rumors about him tearing apart trolls aren't just rumors, it seems.'

Indeed, it was hard to win head-on.

And his senses were too good. She realized that trying to attack from behind while hiding would be difficult. The number of options she could use had drastically decreased.

However, if asked if it was impossible to win.

'That's not the case.'

"Phew."

Seeing Lak prepare to leap again, Belnoa sighed. She didn't really want to use it, but to complete the commission, she had to.

Ritual.

Belnoa extended her hand forward. Her fingers began to bend in strange directions.

'The old man said not to use it because it would be exposed... but...'

The rituals Belnoa used weren't easy to recognize. At least, it would be nearly impossible for anyone who couldn't make deals with stars to notice beforehand.

'How common are such mages?'

At least, if such a mage existed, they wouldn't be working as an assistant professor at the academy.

'Offering.'

Crack, crack.

Using her twisted fingers as a sacrifice, the shadows rippled.

3.

"Oh..."

These kids fight well.

I was sitting on a tree, watching the fight between Lak and Belnoa. Their level was higher than expected.

'If thrown into a battlefield right now, they'd probably hold their own in most situations.'

Especially Lak's combat sense was impressive. His senses were too good. He already possessed the intuition that seasoned knights who had crossed the line of death many times on the battlefield would have.

'If anything, he's even better, not worse.'

Indeed, he was a figure the white-haired one could proudly present as a disciple. When I met him at the cafe, I thought he was just some sickly kid.

"Hmm."

With these thoughts, I stood up.

It was time to intervene.

'That Belnoa kid seems to be hiding something.'

Shaman.

There are very few of them, so not much is known, but I've often encountered them on the battlefield.

Lizard Shamans.

The madmen who sacrificed their own kind to cause disasters. They were among the most difficult to deal with, and I still remember them.

'Damn shaman brats.'

Honestly, I didn't like shamans. The reason is that they always hide something, even at the last moment.

Yes, just like now.

-Crack, crack.

I clicked my tongue at the sight of Belnoa's fingers twisting in strange directions. This was the sign of the basic ritual, Offering.

'Training like a real battle is good, but...'

This was crossing the line.

"Enough."