Bad Luck

The test had been put on hold while Wilfred went to discuss the situation with the elders. As they waited, the students couldn't help but talk about Ray. It was the exact opposite of what he had hoped for. Instead of avoiding attention, he had become the center of it.

"You just like to steal my thunder, don't you?" Gary said, draping an arm around Ray's shoulder.

"This is not what I expected."

"First trouble with Lancy, now this. You just can't help yourself."

Wilfred returned, addressing the students. "It seems the mage has suffered from mana sickness. The student who was being tested at the time will still receive a score based on how long he lasted under the illusion. However, since the test was interrupted, his score will be lower. Luck is also a real factor in this world."

The students murmured amongst themselves.

"Does this mean he only placed second?"

"The red hair must be extremely unlucky. Looks like the curse might be true."

"Seems the divine being has destined him for a red sash."

The group began moving toward the next test, but Ray had a lingering question.

"What's mana sickness?" he asked Gary.

"I don't really know, but I know someone who will." Gary started hopping up in the crowd, waving toward Slyvia. "Slyvia! Get over here, I got a question!"

Slyvia joined them as they walked. She looked slightly annoyed.

"Why is it that every time you guys have a question, you come to me?"

"Well, we don't really know anyone here," Gary admitted. "Me and Ray kind of kept to ourselves in Renny Town. But what I do know is that you were always top of the class."

The truth was, Gary had plenty of opportunities to make friends back at Renny Town. But every time he was invited somewhere, he'd ask if he could bring Ray along. When they said no, he turned them down. Eventually, they stopped asking, leaving the two of them outsiders to the rest of the school.

"Fine," Slyvia sighed. "I guess you guys wouldn't know because it's more of a mage thing anyway. Mana sickness happens when a mage uses up all their mana. If they try to go past their limit, the mana rebounds inside their body, causing all sorts of strange symptoms."

It was a convenient excuse. Clever, even. The mage had cast illusion spells on 300 students, one after another. It was an excuse most of the students would accept without question.

Slyvia then turned to Gary, pointing a finger at him. "I won't lose to you."

Then, without waiting for a response, she walked off toward the next test site.

"Looks like someone's got a rival," Ray said to Gary.

Gary chuckled. "I only have one rival."

They arrived at the third test site, which was surprisingly empty. Standing alone on the platform was a Master Knight dressed in all black. He wore light equipment and carried four daggers around his waist. A scarf covered the lower half of his face, leaving only his sharp eyes visible.

"This test is called the Silent Knight," he announced. "Watch me carefully. I will only demonstrate once. Your task is to mimic my movements exactly."

The knight began moving in an almost surreal manner. Though the platform was completely flat, his footwork was nearly impossible to track. It was as if he were gliding from one point to another, his movements eerily fluid.

The students watched in stunned silence. Most could barely keep track of his steps, let alone imagine replicating them.

One by one, they attempted to mimic his technique, but no one succeeded. Even Gary and Slyvia struggled. The knight shook his head in disappointment at the lot of them. Ray gave it his best effort but quickly realized that controlling his body in such a precise way was not his strength.

By the end of the test, the knight seemed unimpressed by most—except for two students. One of them was Monk. Though he had fumbled through the other tests, it seemed he had finally found his calling.

The fourth test site was self-explanatory. In front of them was a small mock village, with archery targets scattered across it. Some were placed on rooftops, others hidden in windows, behind debris, or at moving angles.

A female knight stepped forward. She was tall and slender, with long silver hair. The male students erupted in cheers at her appearance, but she silenced them instantly by loosing an arrow that grazed one of their cheeks.

"This test is called the Eye of Accuracy," she explained. "Your goal is to hit as many targets as possible, as quickly as possible. The closer your shot is to the center, the more points you'll earn. You must decide whether speed or accuracy is more important."

Ray was excited for this test. With his Dragon Eyes skill, he would be able to see all the hidden targets with ease. Though he had never used a bow before, he didn't think it would be too difficult.

The test began. As expected, Ian, Slyvia, and Gary performed well. But they were all outmatched by a single student—Martha Woodlock. Something about the name struck a chord with Ray. Even her appearance seemed familiar. Dressed in all green, with long brown hair, she looked like someone he had seen before. But he couldn't quite place where.

Finally, it was his turn.

Ray approached the table and picked up a bow. He stepped onto the platform, standing over the large 'X' marked on the floor. Before the Master Knight could even give the signal, he activated Dragon Eyes, scanning the area. He quickly mapped out the best order to hit each target in a perfect sequence.

"Go!" she shouted.

Ray pulled an arrow from the quiver, placed it on the bowstring, and drew back with all his strength.

Snap.

A sharp sound echoed through the test site.

Ray looked down in shock. The bowstring had snapped, and the arrow had fallen to the floor.

He turned to the knight, uncertain of what to do next.

"Luck is also part of the test," she said simply.

Ray stepped off the platform, having hit zero targets.