Chapter 36: Bottom-tier team

"To think Quinn saved Mira twice," Elias said.

Mira looked at the spider.

"It warned us about Wolf One and stopped it from reaching me."

Darius nodded.

"And it gave us openings during the fight."

Kael looked at Quinn.

"It is more useful than I expected."

Quinn raised several legs proudly.

Elias laughed.

"I think it understood that."

Kael glanced at the spider.

"Do not let that go to your head."

"Qiu."

Kael sighed.

"Too late, huh."

"Kael, it’s also a big thanks to you that we survived," Elias said as he looked at Kael.

"That’s right. If not you directed us what to do, we wouldn’t have survived that," Darius also said.

"Thank you, Kael," Mira smiled at him.

Kael shook his head. "No. It’s thanks to all of us. Everyone has contributed a lot," Kael replied.

"Well. If you say so," Elias responded.

He knew Kael would say that.

"I still can’t believe we survived that," Mira suddenly said.

Darius looked at her and said, "Me too."

The group released a sigh of relief.

Kael looked toward the trees, where the three direwolves disappeared into.

"They will probably not come back immediately," he said.

"That’s a relief," Darius responded before looking around the campsite.

The fight had left several deep marks in the soil. Broken branches covered the ground, and one tree had several long claw marks running down its trunk.

They had won. But calling it an easy victory would have been ridiculous.

"We need to check everything," he said.

And Kael nodded.

"Yes."

"Wait!" Mira suddenly interrupted them.

They glanced at her simultaneously, wondering if the beasts had returned.

Mira smiled faintly to reassure them everything’s fine. "Before that, let me heal your injuries first," she looked at everyone.

Although she already applied healing magic on Darius a while ago, it still needed a second check up. The initial healing magic was abrupt because they were in a critical situation at that moment. And Kael was obviously wounded. It required immediate treatment.

"She’s right," Elias agreed with Mira.

After Mira checked and applied healing to their injuries, they spent the next minutes inspecting the campsite.

...

Several kilometers away from the students, a large crystal projection hovered above the observation platform. The image displayed the Emerald Forest from a high angle, revealing a wide portion of the examination grounds. Dozens of smaller projections surrounded it, each showing a different section of the forest.

This was where the academy’s instructors monitored the examination.

Professor Vista stood at the center of the observation platform, watching the largest projection with a calm and focused expression. He rarely spoke unless he had something important to point out, preferring to observe the students before drawing conclusions.

Several instructors assisted him.

Instructor Rovan, a former combat instructor with a broad build and a loud personality, stood with his arms crossed. He preferred watching students fight rather than relying on their academy evaluations.

Instructor Selene carefully studied several projections at once. She was analytical and rarely commented unless she had noticed something worth discussing.

Instructor Garrick sat near the back of the platform. He looked half asleep, but as the academy’s survival instructor, he was particularly good at noticing changes in the students’ surroundings.

Instructor Liora stood near the medical observation crystal with a notebook in hand. Her attention was usually focused on injuries, healing magic, and the way students responded when their teammates were hurt.

Rovan pointed toward one of the projections.

"Seraphina’s team is moving again."

Selene shifted her attention toward the projection.

"They are maintaining a steady pace without wasting energy."

Vista watched Seraphina’s group for a moment before speaking.

"They understand that the examination lasts five days. There is no reason to exhaust themselves on the first day."

Rovan smiled.

"Seraphina probably figured that out before anyone else."

Garrick opened his eyes slightly.

"She is also keeping the group together. That will matter once they reach more dangerous territory."

The projection shifted to another section of the forest.

Leon and his team were fighting several magical beasts. Leon moved at the front, his sword cutting through the creatures with precise movements. The battle ended within moments.

Rovan’s expression brightened.

"That is more like it."

Selene glanced at him.

"You always sound happier when someone is fighting."

Rovan shrugged.

"I teach combat. What did you expect?"

Leon lowered his sword and immediately checked on his teammates.

Liora made a note in her notebook.

"At least he remembered to check his teammates before moving on."

Vista watched Leon carefully.

"Raw strength is useful, but awareness matters more during an examination like this."

Rovan nodded as he continued watching the projection.

"His team is going to attract attention if they keep performing like that."

"That’s exactly what I mean," Vista said.

Another projection showed Lilith’s team moving through a dense section of forest.

Unlike Leon’s group, they avoided unnecessary battles. Lilith stopped several times to examine plants and identify useful resources before allowing her teammates to continue.

Selene studied their movements.

"They are prioritizing resources over unnecessary fights."

Garrick nodded from his seat.

"That is probably the better approach for a five-day examination."

Rovan glanced at him.

"You sound unusually enthusiastic."

Garrick gave him a tired look.

"I am a survival instructor. They are doing exactly what I would expect."

Lilith’s team carefully gathered several plants before moving on.

Vista nodded.

"They understand that defeating magical beasts is only one part of the examination."

The next projection showed Jeannette’s team.

They were moving through an open section of the forest while two members scouted ahead. Jeannette remained near the center, while another student carried the materials they had collected.

Rovan looked at their supplies.

"They have already gathered quite a bit on the first day."

Selene nodded.

"They are managing their resources well, and they are staying close to a water source."

Vista watched Jeannette for a moment.

Jeanneth wasn’t as talented as Seraphina, Lilith, and Leon, but she was dedicated to winning.

"She is also keeping the team together. That will help them avoid unnecessary mistakes," he said.

The projection changed again.

Victor’s team appeared in a clearing.

The students were gathered around their bags of supplies, and Victor seemed to be arguing with one of his teammates.

Rovan stared at the scene.

"What are they arguing about?"

Garrick glanced at the projection.

"Supplies, apparently."

The instructors watched as Victor eventually picked up one of the bags himself and started walking.

Rovan chuckled.

"They brought just enough supplies for the three day examination, they did not expect it to extend to five days. That’s probably what they worried about."

Selene gave him an approving look.

"That’s exactly it."

Vista continued watching Victor’s team.

"Victor is impatient. He may react poorly against another team if he finds it useful to him."

Rovan smiled.

"That could become interesting."

Vista looked at him.

"It could also become a problem."

The instructors continued monitoring the various teams.

Some were already establishing camps, while others gathered herbs and magical materials. Several teams had encountered magical beasts, and a few were already struggling with navigation.

The examination was beginning to reveal the differences between them. Some relied heavily on combat ability. Others relied on preparation, resource management, or teamwork.

Then Selene noticed another projection.

"Team 37’s camp looks like a mess."

Rovan glanced toward the display.

"The bottom-ranked team?"

Selene nodded.

"Yes."

The projection showed Kael and his teammates gathering their belongings. Their campsite was in disarray, with supplies scattered across the ground and signs of a recent struggle around them. Every member of Team 37 looked exhausted.

Vista narrowed his eyes.

"Did anyone witness what happened to them?"

The instructors exchanged glances, but no one immediately answered.

Rovan was the first to speak.

"They probably got jumped by a few low-ranking magical beasts."

He shrugged dismissively.

"It’s Team 37. I doubt they could handle anything actually dangerous."

"Rovan had a point," Selene said, agreeing with him.

No one else reacted. After all, it was Team 37. No one had expected much from a group made up of bottom-tier students.

Soon, the projection showed them packing their belongings and preparing to move again. The instructors assumed they were relocating because their campsite had attracted some low-level magical beasts.

"How long do you think they’ll survive?" Rovan asked casually.

Selene considered the question for a moment before answering, "I’d say two days."

"I hope they can last at least three or four days," Liora added.

Rovan chuckled. "You’re really considerate, Miss Liora."

Liora simply gave him a quiet look and returned her attention to the projection.

Garrick, however, remained silent. His gaze lingered on Team 37 for a little longer than necessary. There was a faint trace of curiosity in his expression, though he did not comment on what he saw.

After a moment, he looked away and returned to his work.

"Well, in that case, I think tomorrow will be their last day," Rovan said.

No one expected great things from a bottom-tier team.

Meanwhile, unaware of the instructors’ expectations, Kael was wondering about something entirely different.

How had beasts from the deepest part of the forest ended up wandering this close to the outer region?