Chapter 16

"Team members will be chosen fairly. Lower ranks will be paired up with higher ranks," Sir Jude announced with an authoritative tone, his voice echoing across the field. The students groaned as they were disappointed that they were not the ones choosing their team.

"The Grand High Mage, Saphiran, has developed a magical A.I. that determines who the students will be paired with in combat training classes. This ensures fairness and balance, so no one dares to tamper with it," Jude continued, his expression serious. He gestured toward the holographic board that displayed the team assignments.

The students who were complaining a while ago, immediately shut their mouths up. 

"You can see your teams in the holographic board. After checking, group with your teams immediately," Sir Jude said, dismissing any murmurs he hears.

My heart raced as I looked up at the screen, scanning for my name. The glimmer of hope surged through me at the thought of being partnered with Cypher. If I am grouped with him, then I have no problem being chased by monsters. 

But as I scanned the newly updated list, my hopes faded like a smoke signal in the wind.

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Team 1

Cypher Knoxx

Carol Brennan

Vito Nelson

Buck Cohen

Lisa Calloway

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.....

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Team 5 

Angela Forbes

Jordan Denise

Anita Morse

Gayle Garrett

Kyra Gabe

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...

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Team 7

Whitney Owen

Remillia Lockhart

Junichi Yano

Gregg Oneal

Jawn Green

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.....

Instead of seeing Cypher's name next to mine, I was partnered with…

"Whitney?" I muttered, feeling a palpable weight of disappointment settle in my stomach.

As I scanned the crowd, searching for her amid the mass of students, our eyes suddenly locked. I could see a flash of something—was it disdain?—in her gaze before it vanished, replaced by an expression I couldn't quite read. My heart raced as I prepared myself for an awkward encounter.

To my surprise, Whitney walked towards me, a genuine smile lighting up her face, her long hair fluttering gracefully with each confident step. "Hi there!" she said, her tone almost cheerful, contrasting sharply with the uneasy feelings churning within me.

"Uhm hel—" I stammered, caught off guard by her energy.

"Gregg," she interrupted, glancing over my shoulder as if I were merely a backdrop. Her gaze was fixed on the guy standing behind me, who had just stepped up.

"H-hello Whitney!" he replied, his tone slightly hesitant but eager.

"Weren't we on the same team before?" Whitney asked with a flirtatious smile, tilting her head slightly.

I couldn't help the irritation that bubbled up inside me. 'What a two-faced bitch—' I paused mid-thought, forcing myself to rein in the instinct to lash out.

No matter what, I had to remind myself that I didn't know her as well as I thought, and the animosity I felt came from my own insecurities. I created this image of her in the novel, and now I had to bear with the reality of it.

For a girl her age, she sure talked like an adult, unlike me who was the same age as her back in my world, I was an introvert and only have a few close friends. 

The way she engaged with Gregg felt almost rehearsed. I guessed she wanted to draw a clear line between being teammates and friends, not letting any personal feelings muddle their professional dynamic.

"You still remember that? Haha," Gregg stammered. His forehead glistened with cold sweat, and it was clear he was struggling to keep up with Whitney's composure.

I can sense that Gregg is already uneasy at her. Whitney was difficult to talk to, and it wasn't just because of her rich background or that unpredictable, almost chaotic energy she exuded. It was how effortlessly she could command a room, leaving others floundering in her wake. And then there was her 'relationship' with Edge, her childhood crush.

Although they were officially a couple—at least in Whitney's mind—rumors swirled among the students that it was more a one-sided crush on her part. Edge, known for his aloof demeanor and mysterious vibe, did little to dispel those theories. People whispered that he barely acknowledged Whitney outside of team activities, which, on one hand, reinforced her determination, but on the other, painted her as someone desperately clinging to a dream that seemed increasingly out of reach.

"Look! Junichi and Jawn are coming!" Whitney exclaimed, her attention momentarily diverted.

"Hello everyone," Junichi greeted as he ambled over, a familiar, forlorn expression on his face that made it seem like he was about to cry. Jawn followed closely behind, silently nodding at the group with his usual stoic demeanor.

Whitney's face shifted slightly at the sight of them, her disappointment barely masked. "That makes four of us. Who's the last one again?"

"I'm right here," I said while raising my hand. It was a bit ridiculous, really. I had been standing right next to them this whole time, and they didn't even notice me? Haist, the perks of being an introvert. I stepped in front of them, hoping to reclaim my space in this dynamic.

The four of them turned to look at me, their expressions shifting from surprise to curiosity.

"Ahhhm... You're -?" Junichi asked, his brow furrowing slightly as if trying to remember my face.

"Oh, you're the knifesman," Gregg pointed out, nodding as if he'd just uncovered some great truth about who I was.

Correction, it's a dagger, not a knife, but I didn't bother to correct him. Some talks were just not worth the effort.

"Let me introduce myself," I said, trying to assert myself more confidently than I felt. "My name's Remillia Lockhart."

A moment of silence stretched out among us, and I could feel their collective eyes boring into me. 

Before the awkwardness could grow any further, a commanding voice cut through the air.

"No time for chit chat!" Sir Jude yelled loudly, startling everyone. His tone was serious, and it caught our full attention. "The coordinates and information about the Monster have already been sent to your smart watches. Get going. Now!"

The atmosphere shifted instantly; excitement and urgency crackled in the air. This would be our first mission of the day. We were tasked with navigating to the designated location and eliminating the assigned monster. After the engagement, we would be ranked based on our speed and safety in completing the mission.

As the leader, Whitney immediately projected her smart watch. The screen flickered to life with the details of our assignment.

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Coordinates: 28° 59' 21" W

Monster: Quivixx (toad type monster)

Difficulty: Standard Rank Grade 4

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"Let's go now. Time's moving." Whitney said with seriousness.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Gasp! 

I was panting like a dog as we raced through the underbrush, my legs already protesting from the earlier exertion. I had barely managed to level up my stats, and the relentless pace was starting to take its toll. Just when I thought I could keep up, I stumbled over a gnarled root and went sprawling to the ground.

My teammates stopped and turned, their expressions a mix of concern and frustration.

"Hey! You alright?" I heard Junichi call out as my teammates stopped and turned to look back at me.

"Come on, let's not wait!" I grumbled, embarrassment flooding my cheeks. I was the only one lagging behind.

Junichi rushed over and handed me a bottle of water, his expression a mixture of concern and encouragement. "It's fine. We can still kill the monster," he assured me, his voice steady.

"He's right. We can do this," Gregg added, still focused on the mission but glancing back to make sure I was alright.

I nodded, taking a moment to drink deeply from the bottle. As I regained my composure, I glanced around.

Jawn was silently observing and further up, I spotted Whitney perched on a low branch, her eyes scanning the environment with a determined focus.

A few moments later, she sprang down from the branch with graceful agility and turned to face Junichi, Gregg, and Jawn.

"I'll handle the baby toads," she declared decisively, her voice leaving no room for debate. "While the three of you attack the main body. Let's go."

Both Junichi and Gregg nodded obediently, ready to spring into action, but Whitney didn't even spare me a glance. Her dismissal stung more than I expected, and resentment bubbled up inside me.

"What about me?" I thought bitterly, the urge to shout my frustrations bottled inside. "I'm part of this team too!"

Fueled by a mix of indignation and determination, I forced myself to stand, ignoring the fatigue that threatened to pull me under. I took a deep, steadying breath and gathered whatever stamina I had left, refusing to let this moment define me.

"I'm coming!" I called after them, pushing the weariness aside. It didn't matter that I was the slowest; I would prove my worth.