The Exam [2]

Chapter 27: The practical exam

Entering the locker room, Ryan changed his school uniform to a dark gray body suit.

Wearing it made movement easier, and his body felt lighter. It was rather comfortable.

Jacob looked excitedly around. This would be the first time he entered a virtual reality.

This world's technology wasn't any better than his own world's; he just couldn't afford it back in his own.

According to the novel, the test would take place in a human settlement where they would be fighting villain robots.

Moving toward the last test location, the practical exam location in the engineering department, a place rarely frequented by people due the reclusive nature of its head. Ryan looked sideways at Jacob and smiled, really wanting to shrug his shoulders at the childish expression adorning Jacob's face.

'I wish I could be as enthusiastic as you.'

The academy grounds, which covered half of the island in a 10-kilometer radius, were divided into five departments, multiple training halls, and buildings.

The departments were divided into five sections: the Awakener Department for radiation users, the Magic Department for mana users, the Research Department for non-fighting abilities or magicians, Engineering for anyone interested, and the Martial Arts Department for fight enthusiasts.

Training halls were divided into seven zones: S, A, B, C, D, E, and F. All the zones were designated for practical training, rooms that could change their structure based on the situation, halls for challenges and regular training, etc.

Their rankings were based on the material and the damage they could withstand.

Dorm buildings were divided between students and professors by gender and year.

The main building for lectures and studying attached to a library.

The professors' building was a no-student area, housing the professors' offices. It was comprised of 4 floors: 1st-year, 2nd-year, and 3rd-year professors, and the 4th topmost floor for the headmaster's office.

And just beyond was a stadium-like infrastructure.

"Everyone, please look over here," the engineering professor smiled and said, trying to hide her nervousness. "Great, it looks like everyone is present."

"Cough... Since this most likely isn't the first time you'll be entering a virtual world, you will be taking your final exam in these virtual reality capsules."

People nodded, as virtual reality capsules were common technology in this world.

"I will now explain the rules of the exam," she said. "Please listen carefully."

"First, the test ranking will be based on your performance, including the number of enemies you defeat and your contribution to saving civilian passersby. Extra points will be awarded for the latter."

"Second: If you die in the virtual world, you will automatically fail, regardless of your performance." 

"Third and last: all sixty students here need to work together to pass the exam safely." She smiled widely, her smile appearing rather forced.

Jacob's smile faltered.

"You will be given an hour to discuss your plan. But first, each class must choose a representative."

In a monitoring room behind her, two professors sat. Their job was to evaluate the students' performance.

"The sudden change in the exam caught me off guard, to be honest," Professor Lucas said, adjusting his glasses.

"Not only that, but the dismissal of all third-year students and sending them to the Union at the beginning of the semester is rather iffy," Ania massaged her shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks to that, we 3rd-year professors had so much time to spend on the first year."

"Yeah, the seer didn't tell us anything; not even Alfred knew what was going on."

"Do you think something bad will happen soon?"

"I don't know, probably."

"Haaaa~~~"

"Do you think they are going to pass the exam?"

"I highly doubt it; all students lack fighting experience."

"Maybe the top three can."

"Yes, if they sacrifice the rest of the students, that is. Don't forget they appear strong, but their titles are merely given through appearance."

Lucas nodded at her words.

"There is also that student from A3 class; he's promising."

"You mean Ash. He's indeed good." Lucas nodded in approval.

"What do you think of this student... hmm, Jacob?"

"The one that entered using the connection... he wouldn't make it," he said, shaking his head.

"He's too weak, not to mention he still can't use his elemental magic."

"Hah." On the other side, Jacob already knew the moment the professor started talking that the exam wouldn't be the same as in the novel. He was no longer surprised.

The students looked at each other as class A1, class A2, and class A3 huddled together to discuss who would be the representative.

"I think Damion should be our representative," one girl said.

Another student also said, "Yes, I agree."

Everybody nodded, and Damion easily became the class representative. He had changed a lot lately; he became a lot more unapproachable but seemed to have lost his arrogance, so his first bad impression gradually changed.

"Class A1's representative is Damion, Class A2's representative is Elsa, and Class A3's representative is Ash." Looking around and seeing that the preparation was ready, she clapped her hands twice and said, "That's very good. Now it's time to start the exam. Please enter your designated capsule.

You will find the number of the capsule on your shirts."

After entering capsule 12 and lying comfortably, Ryan turned his focus toward the ritualistic surroundings and pondered detailed questions that puzzled him. The inside seemed to be driving away the radiation from within. The capsule closed, and everything went dark.

[Student information: check.]

[Data status: check.]

[Genetic: check.]

[Loading time: 37%... 52%... 89%... 91%... 99%.]

[Information loaded. Ryan Cassier. Confirmed.]

[Alright! The simulation is ready.]

[In 3... 2... 1]

[Remember, the objective of this exam is to survive.] The professor's voice sounded beside his ear.

-Click!

[Best of luck!]

-Shuaa

The hologram displays gradually disappeared, and the darkness illuminated by white light returned to Ryan's world, mixed with outlined colors.

Boom!

Standing atop a castle wall made of large bricks, 60 first-year students looked around. They turned their focus toward the ritualistic magic in the air, which puzzled them.

Kaboom!

"What the hell is this?" A pile of bricks exploded and fell down the street.

The once-magnificent city now lies in ruins. Smoke rose from fires all over the place, and buildings crumbled and collapsed.

Screams resounded from people inside the walls, all mourning their impending demise.

The remaining soldiers moaned in pain as they covered themselves with bandages and medicinal herbs. The only ones still mobile were pushing the bloody corpses of their former comrades out of the castle and to the ground. Their faces were dull and filled with despair.

Their suits had unknowingly transformed, yet everyone was too stunned to notice.

Looking up at the horizon, the students became panic-stricken. Their faces went blank as they stared stiffly at over a thousand skeletons standing a kilometer away.

An NPC-like soldier hurriedly fell to one knee and looked up at Damion, Elsa, and Ash, representatives of classes A1, A2, and A3, respectively.

"What should we do now?"

"Huh?" Ash made a dumb sound. "Do about what?"

"Report, Sergeant." Elsa pushed him aside.

"Yes, Milady. Exactly 5 days ago, the duchy was attacked by surprise."

The sergeant continued, "Our enemy is a necromancer with over 20,000 skeleton soldiers. The fortress's defense wall has collapsed. 90% of our forces have fallen, and half of the city's residents have died. All that's left is inside the duke's castle."

"Thanks to the sacrifices of the honorary Duke's army and his grace, the city Lord, who died in battle, cut the enemy's army by more than half."

"Please protect the civilians. My lords, my brother... my brother..." The sergeant's voice choked, and he broke down crying. "My brother died trying to evacuate the city, but we are completely surrounded from all sides."

"What are the numbers of the remaining forces?" Damion asked.

"The remaining allies are 103 soldiers, including the injured ones." He closed his eyes. "The remaining enemy skeletons are 8,500."

Ba-Bam!

Lina's trembling voice could be heard: "We have to fight all those?"

"No, you only need to hold them back until the reinforcements from the capital arrive." The soldier wiped his face with his bloody hand, making it messier. He spoke as it was easy but it was anything but that.

"When will they arrive?" Damion's face turned dark.

"Tomorrow at dawn. As long as we manage to hold them back... to hold on."

"When will they arrive? How much time do we have to survive?"

The sergeant answered, "That will be six hours from now. Their attack will resume after one hour."

Damion's bright sea-blue eyes flashed under his shiny blond hair. His handsome, muscular body was clearly visible even under his leather armor. "Why aren't they attacking now?"

"Answering your question, Commander, it's because he's eating."

"Eating?"

"Yes, the necromancer is consuming the mana of the dead."

"Can't we just sneak attack? If we kill him, all the skeletons will fall," Lisa said.

"Easier said than done. Don't you see those five giant skeletons? They're all at least C rank." Astin yawned bored; he could annihilate them all with a flick of his finger but it would be more fun to see his classmate struggle.

"Can't Elsa use her invisibility to get closer?" A guy from A2 asked.

"Then what next? Ha." Kevin said irritably. "Her power is invisibility, not super strength."

"Haha... Sorry." The guy laughed awkwardly, his legs on the verge of giving out.

"Attempts at sneak attacks are useless. The moment you get close enough, they will attack you." The sergeant crushed their last hope.

Soon, the vibrations settled down, and the explosions ceased. The place fell deathly quiet.

The skeletons stood still, gazing silently at them. Those empty gazes sent shivers down their spines.

Even though they all knew this wasn't real,

'How are we supposed to survive against that?'