Chapter 9 : Assessment

“You’re the members of Team 043?”

A boy in an Avalon uniform with messy short hair approached Via.

“That’s right, we’re Team 043,” Mary picked up the conversation. “Hank, looks like you’ve been assigned to our team.”

“Mary? You actually teamed up with Via?” Hank was baffled.

“I had no other choice.”

“Guess we’re both unlucky then.” Hank sighed.

Via observed Hank. The chubby boy carried a massive metal shield on his back, his sturdy build showing no strain despite the weight.

If she remembered correctly, Hank was a frontline shield warrior.

“Hank, didn’t you team up with others?” Mary asked.

“I flopped a recent exam, so no one wants me this time,” Hank said gloomily. “If I fail this assessment, I’m really screwed.”

“Let’s aim to pass.”

“Aim? With this deadweight, can we?” Hank doubted.

He had no team offers, forced into random assignment.

He expected peers of similar skill, but Team 043 had Via—this big shot?

That was random matching’s downside—who knew what teammates you’d get?

“All assessment participants, read the handbook carefully. Departure in fifteen minutes!” Professor Anima announced to everyone. “You may now discuss your action plans!”

Today was Avalon’s assessment day; teachers had brought students near the site.

Hank kept grumbling.

Via opened the handbook and read.

The assessment zone was the Evergreen Mountains, infested with magical beasts.

Teams had to face lurking dangers, defeat beasts to collect magic cores, and reach designated safe zones.

The academy graded based on core count.

A practical test examining all-around abilities.

“This assessment differs from last year—why Evergreen Mountains? The intel I paid seniors for is useless!”

“This won’t end quickly; it’s a war of attrition.”

“Shouldn’t have gone triple frontline!”

Students’ voices rose and fell.

To test on-site reactions, the academy only had teams form beforehand; details stayed secret until the day.

“Ten-minute prep over,” Anima declared loudly. “Assessment begins—enter the field!”

After a flash of white light, Via felt dizzy; the teleport crystal in her hand dissipated.

Looking up, she was in a silent mountain forest, with Mary and Hank beside her.

Once started, students were teleported via academy crystals to different Evergreen areas.

Exact locations unknown; exploration was up to them.

“Via, can you heal?” Hank asked. “This is prolonged combat—we don’t have endless potions!”

“I… can’t yet.”

“Purification then?”

“Can’t do that either.” Via shook her head.

“Nothing? Why join the assessment? Why not quit from the start—instead of dragging us down!”

Hank’s fat jiggled with anger; he truly feared failing.

“What can you do?”

“I know a little… magic.”

Via was embarrassed.

Unable to use sacred arts, she had considered switching paths and learned some spells.

But her innate magic was low, mastery limited—only entry-level spells.

“Then use magic detection—scan the surroundings now!” Hank urged.

Magic detection covered an area with mana to map terrain, sense direction, detect danger.

Basic but demanding; duration, range, and info depended on mana volume.

With Via’s mana… impossible.

“Um, well…”

Via stammered.

As Hank was about to explode, Mary stopped him.

“Hank, I’ll handle detection,” Mary raised her staff. “I major in magic—this is on me.”

“…Fine, at least we have a mage,” Hank replied impatiently. “We avoid strong beasts, target Bronze-level ones. Collect cores fast before others snatch the weak ones!”

*

“Grrraaah—”

With a wail, a boar with spike-like fur collapsed, lifeless.

“Ugh, nearly gored me…”

Hank, shield raised, panted heavily, spitting blood-flecked saliva.

Team 043 had finally killed the Madspike Boar.

Mary lowered her staff, wiping her forehead.

Battle over, Via relaxed.

But she noticed something odd, a sense of wrongness rising.

The fight was intense—Hank nearly buckled—yet Mary, the main attacker, breathed steadily, not a drop of sweat?

“…”

Mary seemed to notice Via’s gaze and glanced back.

Meeting Mary’s eyes, Via felt inexplicable chills; she quickly looked away, trying to say something to ease awkwardness.

“We’re amazing—another Bronze beast down!”

“Hmph, besides two fireballs at the start, what did you do? Just watched! Without me, you’d be boar fodder!”

Hank rushed to the boar.

“I did the most—this core’s mine first! Yours from later beasts!”

“…”

Mary said nothing, just watched Hank gleefully pocket the core.

It affected grades, yet Mary yielded without protest, as if she didn’t care.

“When’s my turn…”

Via was anxious; at this pace, they couldn’t kill many Bronze beasts.

“Hank.”

Mary smiled her usual gentle smile.

“Before the fight, I sensed a lone Bronze beast southeast—unstable aura, likely injured. Easy pickings. Pursue?”

“Oh?”

Hank was surprised—such luck?

He calculated: Mary seemed fresh.

After his last core, during team rest, he could “patrol” and slip toward the safe zone…

These two burdens’ fates? Not his problem.

Rare chance.

“No delay—let’s go now!”