Chapter 8: Results

Chapter 8: Results

Am I seeing things right? In a blink, a vast swarm of bees appeared before my eyes. Counting them seemed an impossible feat—it was in the thousands. The sheer magnitude of it all was unbelievable.

In a matter of moments, they vanished. But who could've dispatched such a multitude of bees within a mere half-second? It couldn't be him. Someone at the bottom of the academy's hierarchy couldn't pull off something like this. It just wasn't plausible. I strained my eyes, desperately trying to make sense of the situation, but darkness enveloped my vision.

As the haze lifted, I turned to witness Rel already positioned in front of the Hornsby, his voice slicing through the air.

"See ya, you fucker..."

An explosion rocked the forest, sending shockwaves through the air. The Hornsby disintegrated in the aftermath, obliterated by the force of the blast. Glancing at my teammates, I noticed they were sprawled out, exhausted. However, they managed to rise, shaking off the weariness that momentarily overtook them.

Beep! Beep!

[Congratulations! You've subjugated the Hornsby hybrid archetype! you will be transported shortly...]

"Wow, that was close. Thanks to Lyra, we were all saved," Danny chimed in.

Wait, did Danny not realize what he had just accomplished? Didn't he catch even a glimpse of what he just did?

"Thanks, Lyra. You saved us back there. Looks like Rel has been knocked out cold; we should make sure he gets treated afterwards," Pedro added.

Hold on a second. What are they talking about? Rel was the hero here. Sure, his stamina seemed to take a hit, but it should be him getting all the praise.

Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted.

"Sorry, what are you tal—"

Before I could finish my sentence, beams of light distorted around us, and suddenly, we were back in the IDS Team room.

"Congrats on subjugating the monster, Team 4! There are complementary healing items if you've sustained any damage. Also, help your teammate up," Kolek pointed to Rel knocked out cold.

As we helped Rel up, who was unconscious, Kolek looked at him, pulling out his watch.

"Can we get a medical officer here to transport an unconscious student?" A faint "Roger" was heard, and shortly after, the medical officers took Rel away to the medical facility.

Glancing at the holographic board, the results of our time run were displayed.

[Team times and contribution rankings]

1st Place

[Team 3 time: 13 minutes 40 seconds]

[Contribution]

Valencia Freya: 35%

Noah Davies: 30%

Alice Elizabeth: 25%

Bazz Wong: 10%

2nd Place

[Team 2 time: 13 minutes 49 seconds]

[Contribution]

Louise De Villerion 45%

Jae Yoona: 28%

Miya Takeo: 25%

Dean: 2%

3rd Place

[Team 1 time: 13 Minutes 56 seconds]

[Contribution]

Jan Ates 65%

Camila Diana: 25%

Rana: 5%

Nick: 5%

4th Place

[Team 4 time: 24 minutes 32 seconds]

[Contribution]

Lyra Anett: 70%

Danny: 15%

Pedro: 13%

Rel: 2%

What the... isn't the contribution rate wrong? It must have been an error. But the time wasn't bad either; the top 4 out of 14 groups is good." As the holographic displays showcased our team's ranking, I couldn't shake off the sense of being misunderstood. The victory felt bittersweet with the misattributed credit. Was Rel's true strength overlooked? I couldn't dismiss the nagging doubt, but the time constraints prevented me from dwelling on it for long. Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

"Wowwww, Lyra, I knew you had it in you. It seems you were the anchor of the team, as expected of the successor for the Guild of Visionaries Syndicate."

Valencia's praise did little to ease the lingering uncertainty.

"Your team cleared the monster with ease, Val. It's unbelievable; you guys were so quick."

"Well, if it wasn't for Brazz knuckles, we would've been 6 minutes quicker if he had just followed my instructions."

Valencia probably was right; she had a strong sense of intuition that wouldn't ever wrong her in any type of situation.

"What monster did you guys go up against?"

Camilla had arrived to chime into our conversation. She looked like the monster didn't even graze her.

"My team went up against a hornet and bee hybrid. He was so tough!" I said, talking in my normal voice.

"We went up against a 4-headed Red Ogre; He immediately got wiped since everyone wanted to be the first to kill him, I wasted no time. Like grahhhh. And chomp chomp, we destroyed him because I destroyed all 4 of his heads."

Valencia explained it like a child when says things like this, but she's not stupid either. But it was plausible enough.

"Ah, our group fought this magician goblin witch that tried to zap us into mini versions of our own. But I was supporting Jan with all my amplification buffs, and we made quick use since the other two of our teammates got caught in the spell and after the fight, I reverted them back luckily."

Yeah, well, I guess being the only mage in our grade came with benefits like that. I wonder if he's okay.

***

Argh, my eyes throbbed with discomfort. Did I forget to wear my glasses again?

The room enveloped me in pitch darkness. I gradually realized I hadn't even opened my eyes yet, and when I finally did, a bright light welcomed me.

"Oh, you're awake, Rel."

Beside me stood a nurse in a crisp white uniform, diligently observing my condition. I recognized this as the medical facility in the academy.

"How long was I out for?"

I asked, squinting through the soreness in my eyes. The nurse appeared almost a blur without my glasses.

1. The Tool Assistant modification to the story has put more danger aimed at the main characters. I recall the tool changing apart the main plots of the storyline.

2. Even if I encounter one of the main villains, there's no guarantee that I'll walk out alive since I'd need special attributes to kill them.

3. I know everything about this novel... well, almost everything. There are also events I can change if something were to happen, but I can't interfere with the more important events, also known as canon events, things that were meant to happen.

Haah, shit, this is really bad for my health. Maybe I should just go for a walk outside.

***

[Pinnacle Training Facility (North Side)]

{Louise POV}

Calmness, the cornerstone of success. To sacrifice composure is to sacrifice success. Obsession, the potent force of inner desire, defines my very essence.

I cracked open my eyes, only to be greeted by the holographic version of the guy I despise the most. Calling him a rival would be too generous; he's more like a straight-up enemy. The hologram looked so much like him, it was tempting to imagine tearing him apart, piece by piece. But I had to keep those urges in check, and aim for 'understanding'.

RAH

[!!!]

The clash echoed through the holographic training room, each swing of my polearm axe accompanied by sounds of clashes, swishes, and impacts that filled the virtual arena. I aimed precisely for the holographic representation of Jan, my despised enemy. Each strike pushed him back, but he kept coming back stronger.

"Come on, Jan! Show me what you've got!" I called out, my voice filled with a mix of challenge and eagerness.

The holographic Jan moved with an uncanny resemblance to the real one, dodging, parrying, and countering with fluidity. It was like fighting a ghost, but I wasn't one to back down. I pressed on, each swing carrying the weight of my desire to surpass my virtual opponent. In the midst of the clash, my mind was focused.

I analyzed Jan's movements, looking for patterns, and adapted my own tactics. The holographic Jan, programmed to mimic the real Jan's combat style, responded with a diverse set of attacks, keeping me on my toes.

As the battle unfolded, the room simulated the tension of a real fight, each move calculated and executed with precision. My determination radiated as I pushed myself to match the holographic Jan blow for blow. The onomatopoeic sounds of clashes and impacts intensified with each strike.

My attacks became more strategic, aiming not just to hit but to disrupt Jan's rhythm. I aimed for openings, testing the limits of the holographic opponent. The simulated Jan, however, proved to be a challenging adversary, countering with a mix of speed and technique. The holographic Jan lunged forward, and I skillfully sidestepped, retaliating with a swift counterattack.

The polearm axe sliced through the air, leaving a trail of virtual afterimages. It was a dance of blades, a test of skill and reflexes.

"Holograms or not, you won't hold me back, Jan!" I declared, my determination unwavering. The battle raged on, each clash bringing me closer to understanding and mastering the intricacies of Jan's fighting style. The holographic Jan, though just a projection, mirrored the real Jan's prowess, pushing me to my limits.

As the virtual dust settled, I stood there, catching my breath. The holographic Jan vanished, leaving the training room silent once more. My face reflected a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. The training session had been intense, a step toward unlocking my true potential.

"Hmph, if that's all he has in his arsenal, then he's in big trouble when he goes against me in the future academy tournaments."

As I exited the training facility, I met eye-to-eye with Valencia.

"So you're still obsessed with your little crush?" She smirked, hinting that she heard everything I was saying.

"Shut up, like you're the one to talk. I was just trying to get the full immersion of my training." I couldn't look at her eye to eye because, God knows, the sheer pure beauty she has.

"Ohhhh, I get it, I get it! So you've been wanting to ask him out for ages." She stroked her chin as if she were some mind-reading genius.

"Are you stupid?" My face contorted in discomfort hearing such vile words.

"I'm joking, Louise, relaxxx," she said, holding her hands up and looking in the other direction.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Ah, well, I was looking for Lyra, so I thought she would be around here, but I guess not."

"Why don't you just text her then?"

"It's no fun when the seeker knows where everyone hides."

"As you can see, I'm not Lyra."

"It appears so..." She paused for a moment to look at the notification she got from her watch, "Well, looks like I've overextended my stay! Goodbye."

"Wai-" But before I could say anything, she disappeared without a trace. Damn... haah, there's no point in cursing at her. I completely forgot to ask her if she was going to enter the compulsory event. Well, I can always save it for conversation tomorrow.

***

[Visonary Guild's film room]

{Lyra POV}

There was no way he pulled all of that off... Could he be an SS agent? That could be possible showing that his strength was off the charts but how could a mere teenager make out to be one in the first place? in that fight, If he had been a second late we would've been sent back to the IDS Station.

How could someone with this much power go under the radar of this academy? He had to be hiding something, His speed and agility were off the charts and for his precision, he was a surefire talent for the sharpshooting role for guilds. He could be used at our guild as well hmmm. I'd need to dig for background information on him but It would be easier for me to ask him myself I need to fully confirm what he's capable of as I will be the sole successor to our guild's future he could also be a future piece.

With footage I've retrieved back from the Academy I couldn't help but wonder how he pulled 10 to 20 thousand shots off with a single trigger, he's an interesting one.

_____

Achoo! wuh is someone talking about me?

_____

Ding!

<Val.Freya: 9:36 pm> Lyraa you want to study with me and Camila tmrw >:3

<Ly4ra: 9:38 pm> Sure!! You wanna meet in the cafe before we head off to the library :D?

<Val.Freya: 9:39 pm> YEESESESES I want to try a new drink there.

<Ly4ra: 9:40 pm> okayyy I'll see you two tmrww!

Valencia's in a good mood I wonder what happened today maybe it was because she placed first over everyone in the class...

***

[Wednesday 9:10 am]

{Rel POV}

Ugh, these classes are a real drag. What was I even thinking when I wrote the first arc? No wonder readers said the classes were hot garbage.

"Alright, everyone, brace yourselves for today's thrilling theory lesson and quiz. We'll be diving deep into the captivating world of defensive strategies," Kolek announced,

As Kolek delved into the intricacies of defensive-based theory, I halfheartedly tried to engage with the material. It had a glimmer of interest, but my attention wavered. The real challenge came from Lyra, a persistent member of the Guild of Visionaries Syndicate, who kept shooting glares my way.

Lyra's stares felt like unspoken questions, probing for something I wasn't willing to reveal. I kept my focus on Kolek, trying to absorb the defensive strategies he was laying out. The air in the classroom crackled with underlying tension, a silent dialogue between Lyra and me she just wouldn't stop pestering me.

She glanced at her watch, then at me, and back down again.

Ding!

<Ly4ra: 9:31 am> What abilities did you use to pull off that incredible power yesterday :D?

<Rel: 9:32> not telling...

Eh?

I could hear a small surprised voice, undoubtedly Lyra's. As she looked back at me, she pouted, and I returned my attention to Kolek's lesson. Shortly afterwards, he handed out a test.

"Alright, this is the quiz for today's test. Ensure you attempt every question, as I hate people who leave blank answers. Once you're finished, you're all good to leave," Kolek announced as papers fluttered onto each desk.

Observing the expressions on our characters' faces, they seemed ready to throw in the towel.

I glanced at the paper, slightly puzzled by its complexity. Then, an idea struck me—I could use the system to secure perfect marks for this quiz.

Heh.

Though nobody could see it, a smirk crept across my face as the system assisted me in concocting the answers. I breezed through the 25 multiple-choice questions and 5 short answers in 10 minutes, handed the paper to Kolek and exited the room.

Everyone stared at me for a solid second, perhaps assuming I'd given up. Kolek, after glancing at the paper, looked up at me.

"You're good to go, Rel."

I knew the system window was invisible to others, and each time I asked the system in my head, it provided the answers without requiring any points. It seemed this was a privilege exclusive to me.