Chapter 40

　　The next morning, the day of the performance evaluation, finally arrived. The students of Class A rode in carriages toward the Underground Dungeon.

　　"Isn’t it amazing?" Kamibarez mused from inside the carriage, gazing out the window. "To think so many dungeons and ruins are gathered on this little Roc Island…"

　　Dick shrugged. "From what I’ve heard, Lady Nephthys is a collector. They say whenever she finds ancient ruins, she has them moved here in their entirety."

　　"Wow! The ruins as a whole?"

　　Dick and Kamibarez chattered on, trying to ease the suffocating tension, but Simon and Meirin remained silent for the entire journey.

　　"Alright, we’ve arrived! Everyone out!" an assistant called.

　　The carriages finally halted, and the students disembarked. The noisy chatter died down as all eyes turned toward Meirin, who was carefully exiting her carriage on crutches.

　　"They’re screwed."

　　"I heard their combat member got injured."

　　The students murmured among themselves.

　　"If she’s in that state, they’re done for. Their whole plan is shot."

　　"Good for us, though."

　　"Shush! Keep your voice down!"

　　Meirin did her best to ignore the whispers, her chin held high as she walked forward. The rest of Group 7 followed close behind her.

　　Kizen’s Underground Dungeon was a massive prison, a repository for monsters captured from across the continent. It was rumored that the lowest levels held not just beasts, but also the continent’s most heinous criminals.

　　As they followed the assistant, the students’ eyes darted around nervously. Horrific screams and monstrous roars echoed from the darkness.

　　"It’s an unconfirmed rumor," Dick whispered conspiratorially, "but they say an actual angel is sealed in chains on the very bottom level."

　　Kamibarez flinched. "D-Don’t say things like that! Angels don’t exist!"

　　"Hehehe. We have demons, so why not angels?"

　　Fortunately, their destination wasn’t deep within the dungeon. They arrived at a large chamber enclosed by bricks hewn from solid rock. Just like in the training rooms, a mana projector was mounted to the ceiling.

　　"This way."

　　Inside, Professor Jane and several other assistants were already waiting. It was their first class with her since the end of the student protection period, and everyone stiffened, standing at attention.

　　Jane’s voice cut through the silence.

　　"Alright, listen up."

　　"Attention!" the assistant echoed.

　　"This morning, we will conduct the performance evaluation for Groups 1 through 8. Once you enter the dungeon, you will come face to face with a live Cyclops."

　　The assistants moved through the ranks, handing out clipboards and pens. It was the liability waiver Jane had mentioned on the first day, a document absolving Kizen of all responsibility for whatever might happen inside.

　　"Of course, if you value your life above all else, you are free to put down the form and walk away."

　　But this was a risk they had all accepted the moment they enrolled. Every student signed without hesitation. The assistants then distributed training uniforms.

　　"I will say it again: the evaluation will be halted under one of three conditions," Jane stated, her gaze sweeping over them. "First, if the combat member is rendered unable to fight. Second, if any team member raises their hand to forfeit. Or third, if a professor or safety officer determines that continuing the battle is impossible. Our safety officer today is Agent Andrew, dispatched from Kizen headquarters."

　　A man standing beside Jane, heavily armed and clad in tactical gear, gave a curt nod. He had a grim, taciturn air about him.

　　"We will now begin, starting with Group 1."

　　*** Group 1 remained behind while the others were led to an observation room on the upper floor.

　　It was a lounge-like space, but one wall was as clear as glass, offering a direct view of the arena below.

　　"I-It’s a real Cyclops!"

　　"This is insane."

　　"I honestly didn’t think they’d use a live one."

　　"What are we going to do?"

　　The room buzzed with nervous energy as students stared at the beast, but Simon’s group had no time to watch the other teams. The four of them found a quiet corner to finalize their new plan.

　　"Alright, let’s lighten up, people! We still have a chance!" Dick declared, clapping his hands to start the meeting.

　　They exchanged ideas, their faces grimly serious as the sounds of battle—cheers and screams in equal measure—drifted up from below. They could vaguely track which groups succeeded and which failed.

　　As expected, Hector’s Group 3 completed their hunt successfully.

　　Time flew by, and before they knew it, their turn had come.

　　"Group 7, step forward."

　　An hour or two had vanished in a blur, and it was their turn. The assistant guided them down to the arena floor. The other students, who had been quiet as Meirin descended, now rushed to the transparent wall.

　　"Looks like they’re going through with it, even with Meirin’s leg."

　　"How is that possible? The doctor must have put restrictions on her."

　　"Uh… wait a minute!"

　　Someone pointed toward the arena.

　　"It’s Simon! They made Simon Polentia the combatant!"

　　"Is that a good idea?"

　　"Of course not! They’ve been relying on Meirin’s Dark Flare this whole time. This completely ruins their strategy."

　　"How is a Summoning major supposed to take down a Cyclops?"

　　"They’re probably just trying to put on a good show before they fail."

　　Just then, Hector, who had been occupying two seats, opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them.

　　"Simon Polentia is the combat member?"

　　"Y-Yeah, that’s what they’re saying," a male student from Hector’s clique replied with a strained smile. "Isn’t he the guy you’ve had your eye on? Aren’t you going to watch?"

　　Hector offered no reply, simply closing his eyes again.

　　***

　　Phew.

　　Simon took a deep breath, trying to calm his hammering heart. As he fastened the vest, a barrier gauge materialized in the air, projected from the device on the ceiling. If that gauge hit zero, he would be automatically judged ‘unable to fight,’ and the test would end immediately.

　　Behind him, Dick, Meirin, and Kamibarez took their positions. Fortunately, Meirin had convinced the doctor to let her participate as stationary support.

　　"Not much has changed," Simon said, glancing back at his teammates. "The situation is a little different, but all our hard work isn’t going to just disappear. Let’s give it our all."

　　The three of them nodded. Meirin, who had been in a daze, now looked terrifyingly focused, her game face on.

　　Safety Officer Andrew checked his watch.

　　"Next Cyclops. Send it in."

　　The dungeon’s iron gate screeched open. From the impenetrable darkness beyond, a real Cyclops emerged, bound in heavy chains. Four keepers strained against its weight, guiding the beast forward.

　　Simon’s throat went dry. It looked just like the simulation, but seeing it in the flesh was completely different. A foul stench assaulted his nostrils, and its ragged, uneven breaths filled the air. His heart pounded with a primal fear. The thought of encountering such a creature in the wild was horrifying.

　　A Jet-Black magic circle floated above its head, the source of a curse that left its eye vacant and unfocused. The moment that curse was lifted, its mind would clear, and it would attack the first thing it saw.

　　Clank! Clank!

　　The keepers unfastened the shackles and scrambled out of the arena.

　　"We will now begin Group 7’s performance evaluation," Jane’s voice echoed from the ceiling. "There’s no need to overdo it. If you feel you cannot continue, any of you may raise your hand to end the test."

　　"Yes, Professor!"

　　At some point, Andrew had vanished from sight, becoming invisible. Now, only the four of them and the Cyclops remained.

　　"Curse, release. Begin the test."

　　With a sharp shatter!, the magic circle above the Cyclops’s head broke apart. Instantly, the monster’s vacant eye flashed with savage intelligence.

　　"GROOOOOOAAAAAAARGH!"

　　It let out a titanic roar, the force of it like a physical blow.

　　"Simon! Snap out of it!"

　　The battle began. Simon pulled a virtual lever in his Subspace, and his skeletons burst forth. Three armed skeletons charged from different directions.

　　Just like we practiced, he thought, his mind racing. Just stick to the plan!

　　Though the combatant had changed, the core strategy was the same. While Simon distracted it with skeletons, the other three would layer on curses. They would stack Exhaust until the Cyclops was helpless, then Simon would go for the killing blow to its solar plexus.

　　CRASH!

　　The Cyclops completely ignored the skeletons. It charged like a freight train, bowling them over with its massive body before making a beeline straight for Simon.

　　"Huh?"

　　"Wh-What’s happening?"

　　The plan had already gone off the rails. The Cyclops, its eye a furious, bloodshot red, swung its club in a wild arc.

　　Simon threw himself aside just in time. The club slammed into the ground where he’d been standing, shaking the entire dungeon.

　　"Dick! What’s going on?" Kamibarez cried out in a panic as she prepared her curse. "This is nothing like the simulation!"

　　"Are they trying to teach us that reality is unpredictable? No, this is…" Dick bit his lip. It’s like it’s been targeting Simon from the very beginning!

　　Drool flew from the Cyclops’s mouth as it swung its club with rabid intensity. Faced with the murderous onslaught, Simon had no choice but to roll across the uneven stone floor to evade the blows.

　　"Ugh!"

　　His back screamed in protest. After dodging the barrage, Simon scrambled to his feet and thrust out his right arm.

　　Clack-clack!

　　A skeleton that had circled around behind the Cyclops slashed at its back.

　　Tch! It’s much tougher than the simulation! Simon realized.

　　The blade didn’t even leave a scratch. Perhaps sensing the attack was harmless, the Cyclops once again ignored the skeleton and renewed its assault on Simon.

　　Stay calm.

　　Simon’s eyes narrowed.

　　A diagonal downward swing.

　　He bent his knees, leaning sharply to the side. The club sliced through the air an inch above his head.

　　A horizontal swing with a long wind-up!

　　With a quick step back, he evaded the next attack. The students watching from above gasped at his fluid movements.

　　For Simon, however, it was hell.

　　I can’t believe the analysis I did to help Meirin is what’s keeping me alive!

　　"Woooooaaaaargh!"

　　Just as the enraged Cyclops turned to charge again—

　　"Exhaust!"

　　The three casters in their set positions finally unleashed their spell. The Cyclops’s movements slowed for a fraction of a second, and Simon seized the opening.

　　Leaping from a foothold of pure Jet-Black, Simon reached back. A spear, thrown by a skeleton, landed perfectly in his hand.

　　Chance!

　　The spear shot toward the Cyclops’s eye like a bolt of lightning.

　　***