Chapter 28

“Ugh.”

The groans of the first group of students. It was impossible to figure out anything just by looking at the shapeless elements from a distance.

“Ma, may I touch it?”

The team leader asked.

“Of course. You can use any method you want, so feel free to examine them closely.”

Professor Karen nodded.

“Then start. I’ll start timing now.”

“Understood, Professor.”

The first group of students quickly approached the seven elements to examine them. calculated movement. Considering the short time, it was a smart choice to decide in advance who would examine what.

They used all five senses: they looked, smelled, tasted, listened, and reached out to feel.

A thorough investigation using all five senses. The students’ expressions changed in real time. Their eyes shone with joy when they found a familiar sensation, and their pupils shook with anxiety in front of an unfamiliar one.

After a while.

“Time’s up.”

Professor Karen’s voice cut off sharply.

“Oop…..”

A sound of regret came from the first group of students. It seemed like they were about to find the answer, but they were cut off.

“Now, you have 30 seconds to discuss and then give your answer.”

The students quickly huddled together to discuss.

“I think I know one, but one is ambiguous…”

“I’m sure about one, but the rest…”

“I only know one for sure.”

Out of seven, they had figured out three. Considering it was their first time facing such a problem, it wasn’t bad. And for the four they didn’t know, if they guessed, statistically one should be correct. That would mean they did more than half right.

With that…

Not quite satisfactory, but the first group of students didn’t seem too disappointed with their performance. They decided how to guess the answers they didn’t know. Then time was up.

“Time’s over. Now tell me the answer.”

The team leader organized his thoughts one last time and then spoke.

“From the left, in order: Earth, Darkness, Wind, Fire, Light, Water, Electricity.”

“Good. Now let’s check the correct answers with your eyes.”

Snap.

Professor Karen flicked her finger.

Then.

“Huh?”

“Whoa, the elements?”

The students widened their eyes and murmured. The shapeless elements began to take form rapidly.

Fire, Water, Wind, Electricity, Earth, Light, Darkness.

Soon, the forms of the seven clear elements were revealed.

And then,

“How can this be?”

“That’s impossible……………”

The first group of students’ faces turned to shock.

It was inevitable. All the answers they thought were certain were completely wrong.

“One point. Try harder next time.”

Professor Karen delivered the final blow. They had barely managed to get one right. The first group was utterly devastated. The students began to murmur anxiously. They sensed that this test was as difficult as the first one.

“Next group, come forward.”

“Ah… Yes.”

The second group came forward with tense faces.

And they too.

“Two points. Keep trying.”

“….”

“How can this be…”

They failed spectacularly.

“Next group.”

And so, one group after another was dragged into the hellish test. And most of them. Failed without an answer. A gathering of those whose lives were over. If there was such a place, it might be right here. They lay sprawled out with empty eyes, like people who had lost the will to live.

From their appearance, you’d think they were homeless on the streets. Others might wonder why, but for them, the shock was that great. Especially for those like Royals or Nobles who had always lived successful lives, the shock must have been greater. They had never experienced such a failure in an exam before.

“It’s all over…………… over…….”

“Life is…….”

“….. It was a beautiful life.”

They muttered with expressions like old people who had tasted the bitterness and sweetness of life. The fact that these guys with such expressions were just over twenty was horrifying.

Just looking at them seemed to spread the negative emotions they were emitting. The remaining students desperately fortified their minds.

“Damn it, let’s never end up like that.”

“……That’s not a person, that’s trash, trash.”

The survivors practiced social distancing, fearing they might catch the bad vibes. But in reality, most of them were destined to end up like that trash.

“Hehe… it’s over, over…………….”

………But this tofu brained guy hasn’t even had his turn yet, and he’s already losing his mind?

No wonder he lost his position to his younger brother, He’s truly an extra for a reason.

Can this guy really be rehabilitated…? I seriously doubted it, but since we were in the same group, I decided to watch over him until the end.

“Hey.”

Slap.

The easiest way to bring someone back to reality. I slapped his cheek with the palm of my hand, giving it some weight. Only then did Allen’s eyes start to return to reality.

“Uh…? Uh…… Uh?”

Allen muttered in a dazed voice.

“Stop dawdling, it’s almost our turn.”

“……Uh?”

“Ah, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

Even I, who loves peace more than anyone, couldn’t help but raise my hand against Allen.

“No, no, it’s not. I, I really didn’t.”

Allen flinched and quickly shook his head from side to side. It was annoying, but his expression seemed genuine, so I decided to let it slide. He was lucky to have a humane team leader like me.

“Hey, Allen.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“What did I say I hate the most?”

“People who cause harm to others.”

“Right. You remember well. That’s exactly it.”

“As a team member, you shouldn’t cause harm to the other members, right?”

“That’s right. I’ll, I’ll do better.”

Allen, seemingly stung by the comment, nodded several times and said so. But kid.

This isn’t something you can handle. I’m the one who carries the team. You just need to not hold us back.

“Listen.”

I leaned in close and said.

“I’ll take two, you take two, she takes three.”

With only 30 seconds, dividing the tasks was essential.

“Why do I have three?”

Rivera, who had been rolling around doing nothing, suddenly popped her head in.

Ah, you startled me. She came in without even signaling.

“If you have any conscience, you should earn your keep.”

“Tch.”

“Got it?”

She slipped away and rolled back without responding. But at least she seemed to accept it for now. Well, I don’t need to worry about her unnecessarily.

I turned my attention back to Allen.

“I know your level well. So don’t expect anything from the start.”

“Ugh.”

Mentally he was soft as tofu, but he had some pride in his skills. So normally, even if I were the opponent, he would have glared at me with dissatisfaction, but now he couldn’t make a sound.

He was painfully aware that the problem was beyond his level. Anyway, it’s not bad that he grasps the situation quickly.

“I told you. I’ll carry our team. Just listen to me and follow.”

A statement that had no credibility at our first meeting. But now it’s different. I proved my skills in the first test.

There’s nothing more convincing than that. So Allen had no choice but to agree quietly.

Anyway, what I’m about to say is important.

“Forget all the sensations of the elements you’ve known up to now.”

“Forget them?”

“Yes. You saw the others getting destroyed, right? That’s because the sensations they knew caused confusion in their minds.”

Allen looked confused at that explanation. Of course, he had no choice in the matter. He was helpless with his own abilities. So he had no choice but to follow my words, which had scored full marks in the first test.

“Remember this. Fire feels sticky, water is purple, wind is lukewarm, earth is salty, electricity is cold, light smells fresh, and darkness is bitter.”

What kind of nonsense is this…………?

That was the look on his face. But you see.

This was the culmination of the hardships endured by everyone in this test. Each one was a cross verified fact.

So.

“Just memorize it.”

“・・・・・・ Okay.”

He wouldn’t be so pathetic as to fail at this. If so, I’d have to throw away my own judgment.

“Memorize it.”

Of course, the fact that I’m watching over him doesn’t mean I don’t trust my own judgment.

“Next group, come forward.”

Finally, it was their turn. The group everyone was watching. It was the group of Max, the troublemaker of the second year.

All the groups of Royals and Nobles who had lost to Max’s group in the first test glared at them with fiery eyes.

As if to say, let’s see how much you can do. What they wanted, of course, was for Max’s group to fail completely. They hadn’t forgotten the blow to their pride from losing to someone like Max.

“Ugh, what an eyesore. Sorry to the other team members, but just fail please.”

Elaine’s friend cursed. Since Elaine had been there when she had a rough time with Max, it was a natural reaction. Elaine didn’t respond to the words and just stared at Max.

‘This test is about the effort you’ve put in all along.’

Picking out the shapeless elements. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved with learned sensations.

Only those with innate senses who had grown the level of their original senses through continuous efforts could be approached. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by luck or special intuition. Only with basic talent and consistent effort could one solve it. So,

‘It’s not possible.’

Elaine muttered with certainty. She had never seen someone as insincere as Max.

“Start.”

Professor Karen said. Soon, they dispersed to their respective elements, just like the other groups. Elaine’s gaze was fixed solely on Max. There was nothing unusual about Max’s movements.

Like the others, he meticulously examined the shapeless elements using all five senses.

‘That won’t be enough.’

Elaine was sure of it. Ordinary elements could be distinguished with the five senses. But the sense required to pick out shapeless elements was not the usual five senses.

A sense above the five senses. The very sense that she referred to as ‘original.’

‘He didn’t really understand the professor’s paper after all.’

All of this was, of course, written in Professor Karen’s paper. Yet, if he acted like that, it meant he either didn’t understand the paper properly or hadn’t read it at all.

That meant the fluent answer earlier was possible because he happened to know that part,

‘I might have been too sensitive.’

Elaine even thought that she might have been too sensitive about an incident that was just a series of coincidences.

Meanwhile, time was up.

“Now, you have 30 seconds to discuss and then give your answer.”

‘Huh?’

For a moment, Elaine doubted her eyes. Max’s expression was too relaxed. That’s an expression that couldn’t possibly come from someone who failed the test… No.

On second thought, it was possible for Max. He was a man who didn’t care about test scores.

‘Right, you were that kind of person…’

An unpleasant past she didn’t want to remember came to mind.

Elaine decided. After today, she would completely stop caring about the person named Max,

“Now, tell me your answer.”

Professor Karen spoke.

Max answered leisurely.

“From that side, Darkness, Wind, Electricity, Water, Light, Fire, Earth.”

Regardless of the answer, everyone thought the result was already decided.

‘It’s one point.’

‘It’s one.’

‘It’s definitely one.’

Getting two right by guessing was difficult. Max was definitely a one pointer.

A perfect failure.

The feeling fit perfectly in the mouth. Now, all they had to do was jeer and cheer at the moment of disgrace. But as they waited for that moment.

“Excellent.”

Yes, excellent… Huh?

The students doubted their ears.

But,

“It’s a perfect score.”

“What, what, what?!”

“Pe, pe, a perfect sc…?!”

A tremendous shock swept over everyone like a storm.