147 – The First Day of Practicals

“Uwaaah──!!! It’s over! Freedom! Freedom at last!”

The moment the written exam ended, Noah shot up and stretched mightily.

It was supposed to be a roaring declaration of a tiger dominating the snowy fields, but only his voice was loud; the situation was rather wanting.

“Noah, good work today.”

“More! More! Praise me more!”

Seeing Noah, a head shorter than Ichinose, eagerly begging for praise, Rohan.

Smiled contentedly as he packed away his writing utensils.

“Hmm…”

Rohan felt rather confident about this written exam.

Not only had he received Ichinose’s full support, but he had also genuinely studied hard.

And because the curriculum had been revised, the scope of theory had been reduced.

The questions that determined the top rankings still required a deep understanding, as always, but the amount of material requiring rote memorization had been significantly reduced compared to the midterm.

Which had made things easier for Rohan and Noah.

He didn’t know where he’d rank, but if you only looked at the score itself it was bound to be higher than before.

‘It’s nice to get a high score, at least.’

More than anything, wasn’t the Orion Academy supposed to cultivate specialists in combat?

Even if the scope of theory shrank, that didn’t mean pedantic questions for differentiation wouldn’t appear.

With so many achieving perfect scores on the written exam, the inclination would be to firmly separate the ranks in the practical.

“Rohan. Good work. How was the exam?”

“A lot of what you highlighted came up. Thanks to you, I think I did well. Ichinose, perfect score as usual?”

“Well, if fortune smiles upon me, perhaps.”

The words were humble, but confidence shone in the upturn of her lips.

“What about Noah?”

“She’s on the phone with her parents. She seemed pleased that she could solve a lot of the problems on the written exam herself.”

Good news. With that thought, Rohan finished preparing to return to the dorm.

Ichinose, quietly aware of his actions, opened her mouth.

“Rohan.”

“Hm?”

“Tomorrow, in the practical exam, you’re going to collect all the bells… right?”

“Of course.”

“Me too. And Noah as well.”

“Then it’s a competition.”

Just from the way Rohan asked questions when Jooyeon explained the practical exam, one could foresee what he was aiming for.

As this was a good opportunity, the girls would’ve undoubtedly challenged Jooyeon regardless. Separate from that, their mindset was different now.

It would be accurate to say that Ichinose, and Noah as well, were stimulated by Rohan.

“A competition… that’s good. I won’t lose.”

Rohan quite liked the smile on the girl’s face as she kept her eyes closed.

··

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The first day of the practical exam began.

The first-year cadets gathered on the academy grounds, not in the classroom, each loosening their limbs.

‘I believe the second-years were taken to a completely different location.’

Rohan double-checked the harness binding his Radiance scabbard and his pistol holster, then checked the time.

Exam hours were from 9:00 to 17:00. Meal times were free.

Not much time left until 9:00.

“Hoo!”

Rohan rotated his shoulders, loosening up.

Ichinose approached, her cherished sword held close to her chest.

Today, Ichinose wasn’t wearing the academy uniform, but the training clothes she wore in the practice room. She seemed to have paid attention to ease of movement.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Is Rohan okay too?”

Rohan nodded, checking their surroundings.

“Noah’s not around, huh?”

“She’s over there.”

Ichinose’s slender finger pointed. He followed her gaze.

Amidst the bustling throng of students, he saw the tiger girl devouring a hamburger.

He wondered how many she’d already eaten, judging by the mountain of wrappers piled next to her.

“The exam’s soon, and she’s eating that much…?”

“Noah can eat her fill and move right away.”

“Doesn’t her stomach hurt if she moves like that?”

“I asked her that once, and she said she’s never felt uncomfortable or hurt, even if she sprints at full power right after eating. I stopped trying to stop her after that. It’s her way of managing her condition.”

“Wow…”

Even considering she was a descendant of the White Tiger Emperor, it was still a marvel.

Just what kind of body did she possess? He couldn’t help but admire her.

The other demi-human students seemed just as fascinated, watching Noah from nearby.

“…Rohan. Actually, I came because I have something to tell you.”

“I’m listening. Speak freely.”

“My mother called just now. She told me to warn us both to be careful.”

“Me?”

Rohan had wanted to ask how she was doing first, but the gravity of her words made him question the message.

Ichinose nodded, her expression serious.

“There have been survivors returning from the dungeon who have been caught in the Monolith twice. Like Rohan. We haven’t heard they came back yet, though.”

“Not just one person, but ‘people’?”

“That’s right. Not one person, but two. It’s an unbelievable coincidence.”

“Hmm…”

“This theory, it sprouted from the incident and Rohan’s case. Isn’t it more likely that anyone who’s ever been inside a dungeon is more susceptible to being drawn back into the Monolith’s influence…?”

This was new to Rohan. Never seen it in any of the established lore.

It could be an astronomically improbable coincidence, or this hypothesis might just hold water.

Monoliths weren’t the kind of thing you could necessarily avoid, even being careful, but if he did end up trapped in another dungeon, well, this could be a decent excuse.

“Make sure to thank them for me. I’ll be careful.”

“Understood.”

“Ah! Sion and Clara went to a dungeon with me once too. I want to tell them, would that be alright?”

“Your mother already said she’d call them separately, so don’t worry about it.”

“…?”

Rohan was momentarily speechless.

Sion and Clara were that close to Ichinose’s mother? How did she even get their numbers?

His moment of wonder was interrupted by a broadcast.

— The Orion Academy Practical Exam will now commence.

“I should head back. Was going to stick with you, but… it is a competition, after all.”

“Good luck.”

He watched Ichinose leave, then turned to see the other students surging forward in a wave.

Most of them seemed to be aiming for the bell exam with Instructor Marcel, possibly because it has the lowest point value.

‘I guess I should just follow the flow for now.’

Three days should give him enough time to explore.

Rohan moved along with the other students.

He spotted a male instructor sitting on a chair on the wide field.

His eyes, etched with experience, and meticulously groomed beard were striking.

Instructor Marcel had as many bells as there were first-year students.

A box overflowing with yellow bells sat before him.

Marcel specialized in healing and detoxification.

Skills that are invaluable anywhere, allowing him to live a comfortable life in a secure position, yet he volunteered to participate in suppressing the dimensional rifts, taking the lead in monster subjugation. He’s a veteran.

He heard that students struggling with applying abilities typically seen as rear guard-type to combat seek guidance from Marcel.

‘What’s the exam?’

Students were strewn about, groaning, retching, and complaining of dizziness.

Could it be related to the exam?

Pushing through the throng of buzzing cadets, a stark line etched on the floor came into view.

Beyond it, the space conjured by Instructor Marcel’s magic shimmered, translucent and alive.

“Just come in and collect your bauble.”

Instructor Marcel announced once more.

*There’s a catch, surely.*

Judging by the number of cadets around clutching their heads and reeling, stepping into this space must trigger something.

At the same moment, Rohan felt a pang of regret.

The preparations he’d set up around here would need to be salvaged later.

*Whatever it is, this place is out of bounds.*

It was a consideration weighing on him. The exam was diverging from his expectations.

Rohan replayed Joo-yeon’s explanation in his mind; there must be instructors testing cadets in ways beyond combat and awarding baubles accordingly.

Adding to that the rule of no excessive destruction, and no harming other cadets.

Therefore, even the preparations he’d made before dawn had their limits, never quite providing him with complete satisfaction.

*…Lucky for me, instructors supposedly don’t share information.*

The academy building was vast, the grounds expansive, leaving the instructors separated.

They couldn’t visually interact with one another.

*Even if they hear something, they’ll only be able to guess at the situation or weapons. It’s even possible that they would assume it’s simply the cadet’s ability.*

It would be impossible for anyone to make perfectly accurate assumptions with certainty.

His pre-prepared measures remained a constant stream of new possibilities.

Thinking this, he extended his foot.

Invading the space. The cadets observing the situation turned their collective gaze to Rohan.

Wooong──!!!

A vibration gripped his entire body, shaking him violently. It felt as though his body transformed into a cell phone.

Rohan’s lips curved into a smile at the novel sensation, something he’d never experienced before.

*Interesting.*

It was indeed a bizarre place.

Enveloping his body with magic, he became immune to the vibrations.

However, the vibrations persisted, creating an erratic current that attempted to unravel the very magic shielding him.

*So that’s why they’re all lying around, dizzy.*

A test of one’s ability to control their magic, evidently.

It was simple, yet effective, demanding considerable finesse in its control.

Rohan strode directly towards Instructor Marcel.

The instructor looked up from his chair, fixing Rohan with a gaze.

“So, you’re Cadet Rohan, the one who’s been to the dungeon twice.”

“That’s right. May I take a bell?”

“Of course. Impeccable magic control. You pass.”

Rohan pocketed the bell Marcel handed him and moved on.

Afterwards, Rohan set out to find a place with as few people as possible.

Completely polar opposites.

Perhaps because the exam had just started, cadets were crowding around Instructor Marcel, the easiest, and Instructor Juyeon, the most difficult. Could it be because there was only one bell?

The other areas weren’t empty, but the difference in numbers was clear.

“Oh! Cadet Rohan!”

Instructor Carrot spotted Rohan approaching and waved with evident delight.

Rohan passed a cadet who’d just been kicked and sent flying.

His gaze remained fixed on the silver bell hanging from Instructor Carrot’s waist.

Rohan bowed slightly and immediately got to the point.

“Instructor, how does one take your exam?”

“Show Instructor Carrot an attack or action that pleases me. I’ll kick you if you attack, though!”

Her rabbit ears twitched! She waved her foot through the air.

Without using magic, her foot was fast enough to be invisible.

“Simple, I like it.”

Faced with an exam he approved of, Rohan smiled, a corner of his mouth lifting.

Looking around, he saw that the cadets had given him a wide berth.

The cadets who had been knocked unconscious by kicks were picked up and dragged away by what appeared to be friends.

“Right? Whatever anyone says, being one-dimensional is the best!”

“You speak the truth.”

Rohan drew his pistol and casually reached for a magazine pouch.

He stared at the instructor standing in the pre-designated spot, and manipulated a small device.

It was fleeting.

A very brief moment.

Kee-ee-ing!

The earth split, and searing light poured out in rivulets.

With a roar, the ground beneath Instructor Carrot buckled and inverted.

Kwaaang───!!!