Chapter 180: Midterm Random Defense (4)

Chapter 180: Midterm Random Defense (4)

Tudor recalled the fight with Highbro that had nearly turned into a duel not long ago.

"Asshole. I'll see you someday in Naphtali, and I'll kick your ass again."

"Wow, you sounded like a real third-rate villain."

Bianca jerked a thumbs up at Tudor.

It was quite a surprise to see Tudor and Bianca in the same group, as they were always arguing.

"...Will we be okay?"

"...Mmm."

Piggy and Sancho looked at them, uneasy.

Beep-!

[First year group 108, the four members of the first year group 108, please come up to the stadium now].

But it was an unnecessary worry.

"Now then, please cover me as a range dealer from behind, Ms. B."

"Don't worry about it, Mr. T."

Because as soon as the exam started, Tudor and Bianca completely put aside their personal feelings and became businesslike party members.

Tsutsutsuts...

Before my eyes I was summoned to a dank darkness, to a dank crypt, to gloomy molds and foul slime, and to a mass of eggs and eggshells that stirred unpleasantly.

Dgldgldgldgldgl...

And among them, countless armies of ants began to swarm.

A monster wave! A monster wave! It soon rushed towards the four examinees, almost overwhelming them.

-Tingling!

A magical status board appeared in front of everyone's eyes.

<Map: Killer Ant Colony 'Filthy Spawning Grounds'

-Let's join forces with our allies and fend off the murderous ants!

Time remaining until the end of Phase 1: 19 minutes, 59 seconds

1. Don Quixote La Mancha Tudor

HP: 100/100

Kill point: 0 points

Assist point: 0 points

2. Sancho Panza Barataria

HP: 100/100

Kill point: 0 points

Assist point: 0 points

3. Usher Pou Bianca

HP: 100/100

Kill point: 0 points

Assist point: 0 points

4. Piggy

HP: 100/100

Kill point: 0 points

Assist point: 0 points

"Alright, let's set a new record!"

Tudor, the most promising young man in the Don Quixote family of spearmen, lunged forward, holding a large spear.

...Whoosh!

A steamy aura of blue light emanated from the spear, indicative of an Expert rank.

Although it is weaker in hardness and density than the liquid aura of a Graduator or the solid aura of a Swordmaster, the expert's gas aura is still the lightest in weight.

...That means it's easy to swing!

Puff-puff-puff!

The ants in front of him got caught in the storm of auras from the spear and were torn apart like paper.

Bianca snorted at the sight.

"Do you really need to tear them to pieces? It's inefficient to waste energy you don't have to use."

"What? Fine, then you can try it."

"I'm sure I can, just watch."

Bianca let go of the demonstration as she spoke.

Poof!

An arrow, imbued with mana flew in a bluish trajectory.

It pierced the brow of the ant crawling in front of her.

It flew all the way back, lodging itself halfway in the brow of the ant behind it before exerting its full force.

Bianca killed the ants one by one, using minimal effort.

Bianca's arrows hit just the right spot, wounding the ant just enough to kill it.

Her penetrating shots, imbued with the unique gas aura of an Expert, leave the ants lined up and dying.

The first place record has been broken!

Looking at the status window, Tudor, Sancho, Piggy, and Bianca, with their HP-recording suits half off, shouted.

"We're in first place! Yay!"

"Well done, everyone."

"Really? We're in first place? Hooray!"

"Good job."

Tudor, who killed the most ants up front, Sancho, who killed the next most ants, Bianca, who had the highest score for kills and assists combined, and finally Piggy, the unseen hero who gave orders at just the right time.

Their synergy set a new record in spectacular style, and there's not a group in sight that can top it.

Tudor looked down at his suit's HP log and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad impacts are quantified in HP, because if this was real life, it would have meant death, right?"

With that, everyone realizes the horror of the real thing.

They look back at the number of monsters they've defeated and realize their capabilities, limitations, and potential for improvement.

"Now, let's get out of here!"

Piggy shouted, and everyone nodded.

First year students only have to complete one phase of the test.

In the second year, they'll have to endure another twenty minutes of Phase 2, and in the third year, they'll have to endure another twenty minutes of Phase 3.

Bianca muttered.

"One day I'll be a warrior like Ms. Dolores who can last an hour."

Tudor, Sancho, and Piggy nodded in agreement.

They headed for the dungeon's entrance.

Soon, the holographic spell would lift and they would be back in the real world.

The illusory anthill would disappear, the real arena would appear, and the magic wall would be lifted.

Then you will hear the thunderous roar of the crowd.

Tudor, Sancho, Piggy, and Bianca walked on, wondering how they would respond to the cheers.

... but.

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Why isn't it over?"

Tudor, Sancho, Piggy, and Bianca's faces are colored with puzzlement.

Despite the end of the first-year-only Phase 1, the illusion of the anthill still hadn't faded.

Everyone looks back at the status window in confusion.

1. Don Quixote La Mancha Tudor

HP: 0/100

2. Sancho Panza Barataria

HP: 0/100

3. Usher Pou Bianca

HP: 0/100

4. Piggy

Piggie: 0/100

Everyone's HP remains the same. A power retirement signaling the end of the test.

Just then.

Rumbling, rumbling... ...

Behind the last of the ants, another huge swarm of ants began to swarm.

"What the hell!?"

"Why are they swarming again?"

"I thought we were done!"

"Open the door!"

Everyone panicked and banged on the magic wall behind them, but there was no response from the outside.

Instead, what flashed before their eyes was.

-Ting!

.

<Page 2 has begun

.

.

.

This time, it's not just worker ants.

They were swarming with giant-sized army ants.

They were enormous in size, and their entire bodies were coated with an exoskeleton like an iron shield.

" ...X that."

The blood began to drain from the faces of Tudor, Sancho, Piggy, and Bianca.