Chapter 42

　　After the evaluations for both the morning and afternoon teams were complete, all of Class A gathered in the Beginner’s Black Magic lecture hall.

　　"You all did a great job today," Jane began. "Regardless of the results, as your professor, I am satisfied that all of Class A completed a live combat scenario without any major incidents."

　　"Thank you, Professor!" the students shouted, a wave of relief washing over them.

　　"However, in Kizen, results are what matter most."

　　It was just like Jane to build a touching atmosphere only to douse it with cold water. By now, they were used to it. A few students chuckled quietly as they waited for her to continue.

　　"I will begin with Group 1. Group 1, step forward."

　　Simon sat calmly, listening to the evaluations of the other groups. Jane was as sharp as ever, analyzing each team’s strengths and weaknesses with chilling accuracy and even offering suggestions for improvement. Her logic was so sound that even those unfamiliar with a group found themselves nodding in agreement.

　　"Student Carell Oxara. Student Yona Kasmi."

　　"Yes!"

　　"Shake hands."

　　A handshake? The two students blinked in confusion until the assistant gave them a pointed look.

　　They awkwardly did as they were told.

　　"While you didn’t let it compromise your teamwork like amateurs, it’s best to resolve any hard feelings between you quickly."

　　The two students flinched, their eyes wide with shock.

　　"Next group."

　　Jane could even see through the students’ interpersonal dynamics. Her perception was almost supernatural.

　　Another surprise for Simon was how many teams had actually succeeded. The initial simulation had a success rate of just over 40%, but in the real battle, a staggering thirteen out of sixteen teams had managed to hunt the Cyclops. Even accounting for the extra practice time, it was a testament to the raw talent of Kizen’s students.

　　This meant that the final score would depend not on whether you succeeded, but on how you succeeded.

　　"Group 3’s final grade is an A+. Well done."

　　Hector’s Group 3 had been overwhelming.

　　Cheers, applause, and envious gazes filled the room.

　　"Group 3 had very few flaws," Jane noted.

　　Their combatant, Hector, had shown outstanding skill and leadership. Each member had a clearly defined role, and their teamwork was seamless. They had an unparalleled hunting time in the three-minute range and had maintained their barrier gauge above 90%. They were, without a doubt, the model team for Class A.

　　"I look forward to seeing the growth of each and every one of you. Good work."

　　"Thank you!"

　　Another top contender was Cindy Vivace’s Group 5. Their hunting time was on par with Group 3’s, but their all-in strategy centered on Cindy had been their downfall, costing them dearly in the teamwork and stability categories.

　　"Group 7, step forward."

　　Finally, the infamous Group 7 was called before Jane. While Group 3 had earned the highest score, it was Simon’s group that had created the biggest buzz.

　　They had delivered an overwhelming performance, and the lecture hall was still buzzing with excitement.

　　"Group 7 is…" Jane began, the rustle of the scoring sheet she held aloft cutting through the sudden, expectant silence. "Abysmal."

　　Simon’s heart plummeted. Meirin squeezed her eyes shut, and Kamibarez’s lips trembled.

　　"Time elapsed: 13 minutes and 58 seconds," Jane recited, her voice flat and clinical. "The deployed member’s barrier gauge was down to a mere 7 percent. Furthermore, your actions were entirely unplanned and impulsive, a complete departure from your initial strategy."

　　Lowering the papers, she fixed Group 7 with a blank, unimpressed stare.

　　"Anything to add?"

　　Faced with such cold, hard figures, they were speechless. As the four of them stood in silence, Jane spoke again.

　　"Group 7’s evaluation score is a D."

　　Any score below an F was reserved for teams that had failed to hunt the Cyclops at all. Essentially, they had received the lowest possible score among all the groups that had succeeded.

　　Just as the dejected students began to turn back to their seats, Jane’s voice cut through the gloom.

　　"Of course."

　　An assistant handed her a new document. Jane placed it atop the scoring sheet.

　　"That would be the case if this new information hadn’t been factored in."

　　The members of Group 7 froze, their faces etched with confusion.

　　"The autopsy of the Cyclops hunted by Group 7 revealed traces of abnormal side effects caused by the curses and drugs used during its capture." Of course, the report also contained ‘seriously suspicious information,’ but that detail was classified as a Kizen Level 2 secret. This was all the students were permitted to know. "The creature exhibited extreme aggression. The moment the curse was broken, it went berserk, its physical abilities temporarily and dramatically enhanced. The higher-ups have determined that the difficulty of this test was significantly different from the Cyclopses hunted by the other groups."

　　The Kizen higher-ups. A wave of murmurs swept through the lecture hall. Jane waved the report, stamped with the official seal of Kizen’s main office, for all to see.

　　"After a comprehensive assessment of this particular Cyclops’s aggression, strength, and curse resistance, we will apply a new scoring metric under the premise that Group 7 hunted a monster on par with a Red Cyclops—a superior variant. That, I believe…" Jane’s gaze shifted pointedly to Hector. "…keeps things fair, wouldn’t you agree?"

　　Hector’s expression hardened into a stony mask. A decision from the Kizen higher-ups was not something a student could contest. Besides, every student in Class A had harbored the same suspicion about the monster Simon had faced. Wasn’t Group 7’s Cyclops just… far too strong?

　　"I will now announce the revised results," Jane declared, her eyes returning to the document. "Meirin Villenne."

　　Startled, Meirin jumped. "Yes, Professor!"

　　"With Jet-Black elemental magic that far surpasses the average for a Kizen first-year, you played the most crucial role in protecting your deployed teammate. I award you 80 points."

　　A collective gasp of awe erupted from across the room. The current high score was Hector’s 90. For Meirin to score an 80 without the bonus points for being the deployed member was an exceptional achievement. She trembled, overcome with emotion, as Kamibarez threw her arms around her in a congratulatory hug.

　　"Getting injured due to excessive training and poor self-management was undoubtedly a mistake," Jane continued, her eyes drifting to Meirin’s heavily bandaged leg. "But your fighting spirit in the face of that injury was impressive."

　　Meirin couldn’t answer, her shoulders quivering slightly. Of all of them, she had been the one to suffer the most emotionally.

　　"Next, Dick Hayward."

　　"Yep!" Dick snapped to attention.

　　"By utilizing high-performance Jet-Black enchantments at precisely the right moments, you were the linchpin that allowed Group 7’s strategy to function. I award you 80 points as well."

　　Another wave of admiration rippled through the hall. Dick threw both hands in the air with a triumphant cheer.

　　"Kamibarez Ursula."

　　"Ah, yes!" she squeaked.

　　"As a prospective Hemomancy student, you perfectly fulfilled your role as the core damage dealer for your team." A faint smile touched Jane’s lips. "Even among active necromancers in the field, it is rare to see Hemorrhage magic of that caliber. I award you 85 points."

　　"Oh…!" Kamibarez gasped, her eyes welling with tears as a wave of emotion washed over her.

　　"Kami!"

　　"That’s our girl!"

　　Meirin and Dick pulled her into a group hug, showering her with praise. "You did great!"

　　"And finally, Simon Polentia."

　　A sudden, profound silence fell over the lecture hall. Hector, who had been anxiously watching Group 7’s meteoric rise, felt his face drain of color. He shifted in his seat, his body lifting slightly from the chair.

　　"As the deployed member, you fulfilled your duty flawlessly," Jane stated. "You managed your team through unexpected variables and personally bought time by evading the Cyclops’s attacks. Through a dramatic use of your summons, you wounded the monster, fulfilling the prerequisite for Great Hemorrhage. Your application of Restoration was also impressive. And in the end, you were the one to deliver the final blow."

　　She finished reading from the sheet, took a shallow breath, and delivered the verdict.

　　"…It was perfect. I award you a personal score of 100."

　　One hundred points.

　　An explosive roar of cheers and applause shook the lecture hall. Even the other students of Class A had to acknowledge Simon’s incredible performance. Group 7’s triumph was a powerful motivator for them all.

　　With that, Group 7’s total evaluation score became an A+, the highest possible grade. Their rank had leaped several levels, placing them on equal footing with Group 3, the strongest team in Class A.

　　And then came the final blow.

　　"It’s a shame there’s no score higher than an A+," Jane remarked dryly, confirming for everyone that Group 7 was, in fact, the best in Class A.

　　Hector squeezed his eyes shut and sank back into his chair, defeated.

　　"Hector…" one of his teammates began.

　　"Don’t talk to me," he snarled, "unless you want me to rip your mouth open."

　　The members of Group 3 immediately fell silent, stealing cautious glances at their furious leader.

* * *

　　"To A+!"

　　"Cheers!"

　　Beer mugs clinked as boisterous laughter filled the air. Against the backdrop of a darkening sky, a bonfire blazed before a small cabin. Simon, Dick, Meirin, and Kamibarez sat in a circle around the crackling flames, where skewers of meat sizzled, dripping with rendered fat as they cooked to perfection.

　　"Phew, this performance evaluation was basically carried by yours truly!" Dick declared with a drunken chuckle, his face flushed. "If it weren’t for me, you guys wouldn’t have even scratched that Cyclops! Right? You gotta admit it!"

　　"There he goes again," Meirin chided, rolling her eyes. A smile played on her lips, however, lacking its usual sharp edge. "If even one of us hadn’t done their part, we would’ve lost, you idiot. Besides, you had the smallest role! All you did was toss out some weapons!"

　　"Wow! Unbelievable!" Dick cried in mock outrage. "Is this how you treat the team’s MVP?"

　　"Ugh, get away from me! You stink of booze!"

　　"Huh? Do I really? I’ve only had one drink." Dick sniffed the palm he had just breathed into. Meirin shook her head, thoroughly disgusted.

　　Meanwhile, Kamibarez stared down at the beer mug clutched in her hands with a deeply serious expression.

　　"You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to," Simon said with a gentle smile.

　　"Oh, n-no! It’s not that!" she stammered. "It’s just… my first time drinking, so I’m a little nervous."

　　"It’s fine! It’s fine, Kami!" Dick waved his hands dismissively. "As long as a Kizen student can take responsibility for their actions, anything goes! Besides, we’ve got a ‘guardian’ with us, right? This is legal drinking! Totally legal!"

　　After watching the hyperactive Dick for a moment, Kamibarez turned to Simon and cautiously asked, "If I drink this… will I become like him?"

　　Simon couldn’t hold it in any longer and let out a snort of laughter. Across from him, Meirin was practically howling. Dick’s face fell into a pout.

　　"Kami, not you too…"

　　Just as Dick’s slurred speech was livening up the mood, someone emerged from the cabin.

　　"Here, have zome of thiz, too!"

　　It was none other than Professor Hongfeng from Combat Magic Studies. She placed a large pot on a stand over the fire, steam billowing from the meat soup within.

　　"Woooow!"

　　Drawn by the delicious aroma, everyone scrambled toward the pot. Hongfeng personally ladled a bowl for each of her students.

　　"Thank you for the food!" they chorused.

　　Hongfeng had been the one to invite them. Having heard that Simon had received the top score, she had organized a small party for him and his teammates to celebrate. The skewers and the soup were all made from game she had hunted herself.

　　Simon took a spoonful. This is incredible!

　　He had never tasted anything like it. It was so good it left him speechless—a mild, natural flavor without heavy spices, yet it possessed an impossible depth.

　　"This is amazing!" Dick exclaimed.

　　"You’re the best, Professor!" Meirin added.

　　"Hehe! Eat up, now!" Hongfeng beamed, taking a seat among them.

　　A drinking party like this among students was normally unthinkable within Kizen’s walls. But thanks to her providing the venue and taking responsibility as their guardian, they were able to enjoy this rare moment of respite. Dick quickly poured her a glass of beer from a nearby oak barrel.

　　"Thank you, Dick."

　　"Waha! To think I’d live to see the day a Kizen professor invites me to a party! As expected of…" Dick shot Simon a sly grin. "Professor Hongfeng, you secretly favor Simon, don’t you…?"

　　Meirin, who had been focused on her soup, snapped her head up. "Hey, Dick!"

　　"That’z right," Hongfeng replied with a simple smile. Everyone froze, staring at her. "We’re all juzt people. It’z only natural to have ztudentz you like and ztudentz you don’t, izn’t it?"

　　"…Ahaha! Now that you mention it, you’re right! Cheers!" Dick quickly proposed a toast. Simon, feeling a bit embarrassed, blushed as he clinked his glass against the others.

　　Hongfeng chuckled. "I’m kidding. I’m proud of and fond of all my ztudentz!"

　　Even as she said it, she affectionately stroked Simon’s head. Dick and Meirin watched with unconcealed envy, while Kamibarez glanced between Simon and the professor before quickly lowering her gaze.

　　"I know it muzt be hard for you now that the protection period iz over," Hongfeng said, her tone softening. "But it’z not becauze the profezzorz dizlike you. Juzt hang in there a little longer! Got it?"

　　"Yes! We will!" they answered in unison.

　　Outside the classroom, Hongfeng shed the stern authority of a Kizen professor. Her warmth and easygoing nature made her feel more like a friendly older sister, allowing them all to relax into the party atmosphere.

　　"Next week," she announced, stretching out her legs as the mood grew lively.

　　Dick immediately cupped a hand to his ear. "Yes, Professor! I’m listening!"

　　"Next week, you all will finally be going out on ‘mizzionz’."