Ch.8888. Reversal (4)

The academic year at Levrant Academy serves as a unit of the learning process, limiting and determining the range of lectures a student can take.

It’s obvious, of course, that you can’t have practical deployment lectures from your freshman year.

Therefore, it’s inevitable that what you learn differs by grade level.

The change is particularly pronounced between the second and third years.

In the second year, the entirety of campus life consists of attending lectures, learning theory, and then training physically.

However, from the third year onward, that becomes a thing of the past, and it gradually becomes time to seriously consider whether to remain at the academy.

Among these, people say that the third year is a major hurdle for everyone who hasn’t experienced the battlefield, and statistically, this is when most students choose paths other than combat roles, with the highest dropout rate.

That’s why the third year is called the “Demonic Third Year.”

Because it’s the year when students engage in combat with magical beasts for the first time.

“I warn you once more. If your bracelet lights up and your magical armor shows signs of disappearing, withdraw from the battlefield immediately. If a supervisor or instructor has to intervene to stop a student who doesn’t comply with this provision, that student will be considered to have received a complete zero. Understood?”

I heard there were a few nobles who disobeyed the instructor’s orders trying to score points and ended up with zeros.

I don’t think anyone in vanguard or support positions will get a zero score.

Some don’t have magical armor, but that’s fine. This exam is explicitly about team formation.

Since it’s a unit formed solely for the purpose of taking the exam, even without a designated leader, if someone seems to be pushing too hard, they’ll try to return through mutual agreement.

‘Still, this quarter should be more stable.’

The reassuring factor is that most of those taking the exam aren’t doing so for the first time.

They’ve already encountered Kud Rats, albeit weak magical beasts, during the Tveshar joint practical, and some of them have even faced Giant Kud Rats.

I don’t know how it was for them, but quite a few have faced Osopteras too. By then, they should have developed sufficient caution toward magical beasts.

What remains is what happens on our end. We just need to carefully monitor that side.

“Come back safely, senior.”

“…Aren’t you being too unconcerned?”

“It’s because you’re my senior that I’m not worried. Hehe.”

Having witnessed almost everything Junon had shown so far, Renias had no particular concerns.

Although it was supposedly the most important moment as an academy student, Renias had absolute faith that the senior would handle it well due to their exceptional skills.

“I should prepare something to celebrate when you return. Hihi.”

Going even further, Renias was already preparing a celebration. Just how much was being relied upon? Junon could only laugh helplessly.

“I will now announce the groups for the exam. Everyone please confirm.”

Leaving behind Renias, who was waving arms saying “Take care~”, Junon went to find the assigned group members.

And then, encountered them.

Two people holding fluttering papers marked with the letter J.

“”…””

Our thoughts were probably similar at this point.

Could it be that we’re all in the same group? Probably thoughts like that.

***

Whether it’s putting heads together or combining strength, people can naturally solve tasks more easily and quickly when dividing work that would otherwise be done alone.

Facing magical beasts is, of course, the same.

Even with magic power as a weapon given to the human body, victory in a one-on-one against a magical beast still cannot be guaranteed.

The division into groups follows this principle. While smaller than a team that includes all six positions, even a group can complement each other.

It was also meant to improve teamwork along the way.

Of course, since everyone has different personalities, there will certainly be teammates who don’t get along. That’s why discord is inevitable.

However, this was too blatant.

-Keee…!

The Fenril is visibly slowed down as it’s afflicted with Erica’s debuff.

It was Erica’s magic, who could participate in support as a sub-position when necessary.

“…”

With its movements noticeably slowed, the Fenril becomes vulnerable to side attacks, and Senia and the other group member easily dispatch it.

Looking at it from the outside, one might wonder what’s wrong with this sequence of events.

But what if one person’s hands remain empty?

Our group consists of two close-combat vanguards, one buffer, and one close-defense vanguard. Four people in total.

Following the standard approach, the buffer should cast buffs on the close-defense vanguard to withstand the magical beast’s attacks, while the two close-combat members look for openings to strike.

This is much better both for continuously damaging the enemy and for reducing the damage we take.

So why is the close-defense vanguard’s role being left empty?

It’s because the buffer unnecessarily took on a support position role, stealing the close-defense vanguard’s role.

The aggro is drawn elsewhere, and the person who should be at the front as a shield for their comrades doesn’t even get to face the magical beast.

In other words, our group’s buffer, Erica, is marginalizing one person and essentially saying:

Don’t even think about stepping in.

‘So Erica really can’t stand me.’

Despite pointing out the past just as clearly as with Aris—no, even more clearly—her attitude doesn’t seem to have changed.

And yet I was worried about awkwardness growing in our group activities.

I almost wanted to sneer at my own foolish thoughts.

‘This seems to be the limit.’

After hunting fifteen Kanak Fenrils, Morel Snakes, and Willos Boars, this group’s limitations quickly became apparent.

“Ah, I can’t go on anymore…”

While Erica and Senia are still fine, the bracelet of our other group member lights up.

It’s a signal that his magical armor’s duration is up and he needs to return. It also means he’ll get a zero if he continues.

“Since the three of you still seem fine, I’ll head back first.”

The third-year male student said that, then bowed slightly saying thanks for teaching him well, and left.

With one member gone and only three people remaining, silence flowed through the place until something unexpected happened.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”

Senia said, grabbing someone by the collar.

The important thing is… the collar she grabbed was Erica’s.

‘…What’s wrong with these people?’

I honestly don’t care what happened between them, but I don’t like this situation itself.

I’ll have to accept getting penalty points, but ending with just penalty points would be the best outcome for now.

“If you disliked it that much, you could have just said so. Then I would have left from the beginning.”

“Wait, Junon! That’s not…”

“Well, whatever. I guess I was insensitive. I don’t want to spoil the mood, so I’ll leave. The source of the problem will leave, so don’t fight and handle it yourselves.”

With that, I turn my back. As if planning to continue the exam alone, I head toward another area.

Junon’s figure quickly disappeared.

‘I can’t even follow…!’

Senia felt her stomach burn as if acid was rising to her esophagus, seeing an innocent person take the blame and withdraw.

She had tried to avoid causing trouble between team members, but this was simply unbearable.

Erica calmly brushed off Senia’s hand and responded nonchalantly.

“Did I do something wrong? Why are you acting like this?”

“Ha…! Did you do something wrong? Are you kidding me? You deliberately prevented him from participating. Did you think I would just let that slide?!”

Senia had noticed it too.

Despite having a close-defense vanguard, Erica strangely drew aggro first, and cast crowd control magic directly on the magical beasts instead of buffing the team.

It was clearly behavior meant to exclude one person from this group.

“Tell me. What were you thinking, pulling such a petty stunt?”

“Petty? I just did what I was taught.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. How many mock battles have we done together? Are you trying to gloss over this?”

“I don’t know. There was no role for him in our group, so he was inevitably left out. What’s wrong with that?”

“Ha…! You’re really going to be like that?”

Faced with such shamelessness beyond pettiness, Senia lost all patience.

“Are you that afraid of Junon getting involved? Why, because he created a magic stone faster than you? Because he created his magical armor much faster than you?”

“You…!”

“Does it make you sick, jealous, envious when he participates in battle? No, I’d prefer if it were that, but it might not be. Looking at the speed of magic stone creation and magical armor manifestation… are you afraid that Junon is growing faster than you? Yes. So you’re trying to hold him back?”

“Senia!!”

Erica raised her voice sharply at Senia’s mockery. Already irritated by what Renias had told her, Senia’s taunting was enough to make Erica lose her composure.

“You’ll definitely regret this. Remember that.”

J group’s exam ended there, excluding Junon.

***

It’s not like there were never any conflicts in Tembris. There were “few” of them, and none during combat.

I’m aware that two people would bicker as part of daily life due to their personalities.

However, the antagonistic relationship was between Senia and Aris, not particularly with Erica. So it was a bit puzzling.

“Still, it’s good that I left.”

Whether Senia and Erica are there or not, being part of a group restricts my movement and limits what I can discover.

Since Adel mentioned that something might happen, I’m now finally free to check various places.

Meanwhile, I’m also refreshing my combat senses by taking down beasts like this one.

-Kweaak…!

Being alone means taking on more risk, but I’ve faced these magical beasts in mock battles with up to 40% synchronization rate, and the battlefield is filled with far worse creatures.

In such circumstances, how could I feel any sense of crisis fighting these low-level magical beasts?

I’m not being careless, but at my level, it naturally felt too easy.

“I think I’ve more than made up for the penalty points… but the light still hasn’t come on.”

Despite taking down more than ten beasts, the bracelet hasn’t lit up. That means both my magical armor’s duration and my magic power are still plentiful.

I thought I’d return much faster than those who left earlier since I’m hunting alone… but well, that’s not a bad sign.

“That area over there seems to be the last one. I’ll check it out before leaving.”

─Thanks for the backup. You saved me!

─Don’t mention it. But… ah, my magical armor is at its limit too.

─You still held out for a long time. Let’s head back.

Besides, I’ve looked around everywhere, but it doesn’t seem like any major problems have occurred during the exam.

The voices of students, combat noises, and explosion sounds from the exam site have gradually and completely subsided.

I thought Adel had a reason for being so cautious, but it seems this time was a false alarm.

That’s fine though. It’s better when nothing happens.

And so, the third-year students’ first practical combat ended safely.

However… by the time we returned to the academy after this exam.

An incident was unfolding from a completely unexpected direction.

‘Why… is the Dube building…?!’