Chapter 448 102.3 - Examination

Chapter 448 102.3 - Examination

Reina watched Astron leave the training area, heading to a designated room to rest before his next test.

The trainees whispered among themselves, clearly impressed by the display of skill they had just witnessed. No, it was not just a mere impression.

Their eyes were wide open. None of them had ever seen someone obliterate a squad of enemies this fast. It was clearly something that they had never seen, something that they could not make sense of.

Reina turned to Dakota, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

"Impressive, wasn't it?" Reina asked, her tone carrying a hint of pride.

Dakota nodded slowly, still processing what she had just seen. "Indeed, it was. I knew he was skilled, but I didn't expect him to handle the test with such efficiency and precision."

Reina's eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and satisfaction. "It's not just his strength that sets him apart. It's his ability to adapt and think on his feet. Did you see how he handled the berserker dummy? He didn't just react; he anticipated its movements."

Dakota crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "He used the environment and his own limitations to his advantage. The way he manipulated the threads to retrieve his dagger and then used it to disable the berserker... That was remarkable."

Reina nodded, her gaze still fixed on the door through which Astron had exited. "He has a natural talent for combat, but more importantly, he has the mindset of an observant. That's what makes him valuable."

Dakota looked at Reina, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "You seem quite invested in his success. More so than I've seen you with other recruits."

'For what reason, I don't know, is she putting this much importance on him?'

Dakota was already aware of his class as [Weapon Master], but that wouldn't make him this important. Though his class was not that bad, it was not like there weren't any better. She just saw someone she knew inside his eyes, and that was why.

'Was it the Eye? Just because of that?' Reina's smile widened, but there was a glint of something more in her eyes—something colder. "He has potential that could be very useful to us. And he's motivated by something powerful. It's not just about strength or skill; it's about what drives a person. That kid has a drive that can be harnessed for great things."

'Indeed, that is the case.' Dakota thought.

"But, is that it?" She still pondered.

Reina, seeing her enthusiasm, smiled. "It seems you have taken fancy of him."

Hearing that, Dakota did not hide her thoughts; after all, the fact that she had tested him before would already be revealed to the organization, as she had no reason to hide it.

While she could hide Astron's [Weapon Master] occupation from other trainees, she could not do the same to the organization. And she had an inkling that they already knew as well.

".....Indeed. I am considering taking him as my disciple."

Reina raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Considering taking him as your disciple? Even if his main weapons are daggers and bows?"

Dakota nodded her head, her expression serious. "That kid can also be a [Martial Artist]. He has a natural talent for it."

Reina's curiosity was piqued. "How do you know this?"

Dakota met her gaze steadily. "I confirmed it myself this morning."

At this, Reina displayed a knowing smile. "It's good to see you motivated once again. It has been a while since I've seen the 'Fist of the Tempest' in action."

Dakota's eyes sparkled with a mix of determination and pride. "It's been a while since I've found someone worth training. But that kid... he has something special. He reminds me of a certain someone."

Reina nodded thoughtfully. "If you see that potential in him, then perhaps you are right. The organization could benefit greatly from having him trained under your guidance."

TWANG!

The second arrow flew through the hole and struck the dummy behind the shield, deactivating it instantly.

As he continued, the difficulty increased. More dummies appeared, some wielding ranged weapons, others employing stealth tactics. One dummy, cloaked in shadow, fired a volley of arrows at Astron.

He reacted swiftly, using his bow to deflect some of the arrows and dodging the rest. He then drew a rapid-fire set of arrows, unleashing a barrage that took down multiple dummies in quick succession.

A particularly formidable dummy emerged, this one imbued with magic. It conjured a barrier of wind around itself, making it difficult to hit.

At least, that was how it was supposed to be, as the moment he saw the wind barrier, he had already thoroughly analyzed it.

And the moment he analyzed it, it was over.

TWANG!

The arrow flew through the air, cutting through the wind barrier and striking the dummy in the center. The barrier dissipated, and the dummy was deactivated.

'What?'

To this one, even Reina was surprised as she did not expect such a thing to happen at all.

"Stop," Dakota's voice rang out, signaling the end of the test.

Astron lowered his bow, breathing steadily. This time, the reactions were not as intense as the first one, as while his ability with the bow was not that bad, it was not that overwhelming.

However, at the same time, this also stemmed from the fact that many were not able to comprehend what he did to the shielded dummies.

Most assumed that he just overpowered them, but that was not the case.

Dakota stepped forward again, her voice carrying a tone of authority. "The next phase of the examination will test your skills in observation, investigation, infiltration, stealth, quick thinking, and judgment in crucial scenarios."

Dakota motioned to a section of the training area that was set up with advanced Virtual Reality (VR) equipment. The setup resembled an urban environment with buildings, alleyways, and hiding spots, but the technology made it incredibly realistic.

Dakota stepped forward again, her voice carrying a tone of authority. "The next phase of the examination will test your skills in observation, investigation, infiltration, stealth, quick thinking, and judgment in crucial scenarios."

Dakota motioned to a section of the training area that was set up with advanced Virtual Reality (VR) equipment. The setup resembled an urban environment with buildings, alleyways, and hiding spots, but the technology made it incredibly realistic.

"You will navigate through this environment, identify key targets, gather intelligence, and avoid detection," Dakota explained. "You will have to use your skills in observation and quick thinking to succeed."

"You will be given missions that would need to be accomplished, and each of them will test one type of skill."

"Understood."

Astron nodded his head and accepted the device, feeling its weight in his hand.

He took a deep breath, focusing his mind on the task ahead. As Dakota signaled the start of the test, the VR environment around him activated. The realistic urban landscape materialized, complete with sounds, smells, and the feeling of the wind against his skin. It was as if he had been transported to a real city.

And just like that, the second part of his test began, as he appeared right in the city itself.

"Now, for your first mission....."

With the mission shown.