WHOOSH!! X2
The dimensional fabric tore open above the academy grounds, spitting out its contents with violent force.
Austin and Rose were thrown out of the gateway, their bodies following the brutal laws of gravity. They slammed onto the hard earth, skidding through the dust—a humiliating exit for two of the school's top elites.
Hayatobi and all the students gathered on the school grounds turned their heads to the two. A heavy silence descended. A deep frown appeared on Hayatobi's face as he stared down at Rose. The silver-haired mage, usually the picture of elegance, bit her lip and lowered her gaze, unable to meet the Elder's disappointed stare.
"Lord Hayatobi!"
Austin scrambled to his feet, His face was flushed red, filled with the indignation of a warrior denied a fair fight.
"How can I expect to defeat an enemy who is immune to physical attack! Did you forget I have a warrior bloodline?!" He yelled, his voice cracking with frustration. He had been pitted against a spectral entity that phased through every sword strike, a counter-matchup designed to make him powerless.
The air around the Elder seemed to drop in temperature.
"Know who you're speaking to, Boy," Hayatobi said coldly, snapping his head to Austin. The sheer pressure of his gaze felt like a physical weight.
Austin's bravado shattered instantly. He realized he was shouting at one of the pillars of the dragon empire.
Austin moved back in fear, his hands trembling. "I... I am sorry, Lord Hayatobi, but the settings."
"Take it as you see it!!" Hayatobi's voice boomed, interrupting the excuse. He gestured to the gateway, addressing the entire student body.
"The core region isn't built for you or anyone of you to Pass! That's why if you can step into the core region, all your points will be tripled. If you win, your triple amount will be multiplied by ten! In so many centuries, only a handful of people have cleared the core region!"
"...?!!"
The revelation struck the students like a physical blow. The Core wasn't a test of strength; it was a simulation of the unfair reality of the world outside the walls.
"Wait? We were meant to... Lose?" Austin asked in shock, the fight draining out of him.
Rose slowly dusted the dust on her clothes. She stood aside, her gaze downcast. Her mind raced, analyzing her failure. She had planned to at least deal a great deal of damage, calculating her spirit energy usage perfectly, but she couldn't even reduce the opponent's health to half before being overwhelmed. The gap between expectation and reality was a bitter pill to swallow.
"Yes!" Hayatobi answered Austin's question without hesitation. He turned to the massive holographic screen floating above the podium.
"Only two students remains... Hitachi and Mirabella!"
Hearing the names, chaos instantly broke out amongst the gathered students. The whispers grew into a dull roar.
"This? Is Mirabella that powerful?" one student gasped.
"I am also shocked. I thought only Hitachi can clear the core region, but it seems she can also do it," the second whispered, eyes wide.
"Look, Austin, Rose and Aurelia all lost. They are also amongst the invincible five, but it seems these two are the most strongest."
"Phew, thank goodness these two are students of our academy. If they were enemies..."
Hayatobi looked over his shoulder at the students, listening to their awe. He exhaled, his expression softening slightly.
"I know you all have a lot of questions, I will answer everything after this test," He said.
At that exact moment, the gateway rippled.
Hitachi walked out of the gateway. He didn't fall; he stepped out as if exiting a convenience store. His hands were deep in his pockets, his expression flat, betraying absolutely nothing of the hell he had just walked through.
"Hitachi is out!"
Someone yelled in disbelief. They watched as Hitachi moved back to his previous spot, isolating himself from the crowd. He stood quietly, not uttering a word, his presence alone silencing those nearby.
Just in cue, the gateway glowed again, pulsing with crimson energy.
Mirabella walked out. She smoothed her hair, looking equally unbothered. She moved her gaze around the crowd, analyzing their reactions before exhaling a small breath.
'I will surely get more than 100,000 points,' she thought confidently.
Hayatobi stared at the students who now stood before him and the other elders. The test was concluded. The separation of the wheat from the chaff was complete.
"Ok everyone, this is the end of today test! Now..." He said with a small smile, clapping his hands to draw focus. "The teams you got placed with. From now onwards, they are your team, permanently!"
The announcement caused an uproar.
"What?!"
"Really?!"
"Why?! My teams are filled with weak fighters!!"
"Yes!! I am so lucky!!"
Instantly, the students yelled, the crowd fracturing into camps of despair and elation. In this world, your team was your lifeline. If their teams were strong, they'd be able to complete S-Rank missions, farm rare monster cards, and gain resources. But if the team's strength was low, they were looking at a future of mediocrity and danger.
"No but!! If you have a mission which requires a team! This is your only team! Of course, we elders can pair you up with other teams, but you can't! Get that!" Hayatobi yelled, his voice reverberating all over the academy ground, brooking no argument.
The Students looked at one another, resigned. They nodded, accepting the new settings. They had to make do with the cards they were dealt.
Hayatobi nodded at their agreement, and turned to the five elites standing apart from the herd.
"Five of you won't need a team. They will only slow you down," He said bluntly. It was a harsh truth, but necessary.
He turned around to the screen, which began to flicker with data streams.
"Ok everyone, let's see your points! Your team will be listed with numbers! Check your Galaxy bracelets to see your team's number."
BEEP!
Carl looked at his galaxy bracelet, the holographic interface projecting a crisp blue light. He saw the number ten.
"Out of 49 teams, excluding the invincible five, we are team 10," He said, looking at his team. A sense of pride swelled in his chest.
"Not bad," Gabby said with a smile.
The screen refreshed. The first rank appeared.
[Teams:]
[Team 1: Hitachi Azul]
[Outer Region: 5,000 points.
Inner Region: 2,000 points.
Core Region: 7,000 X 3 = 21,000.
Damage Dealt: 600,000 (Converted: 60,000 points).
Mission Accomplishment: 50,000 points.
Total Points: 131,000 X 10 (Victory Multiplier) = 1,310,000.
Total Points Gained: 1,310,000 points.]
The moment everyone saw the first team, they were all stunned. Having a thousand points was considered a passing grade. Having ten thousand was excellent. And now... they were seeing one million. Just one person made one million points!! It was a score that defied the logic of the scoring system.
They turned their heads to the next team that appeared on the screen, expecting something similar.
But everyone froze in complete horror. Even Hitachi, for the first time, widened his eyes slightly, dumbfounded.
[Team 2: Mirabella Sunny]
[Outer Region: 5,000 points.
Inner Region: 3,000 points.
Core Region: 8,000 X 3 = 24,000.
Damage Dealt: 10,000,000 (Converted: 1,000,000 points).
Mission Accomplishment: 50,000 points.
Total Points: 1,074,000 X 10 (Victory Multiplier) = 10,740,000.
Total Points Gained: 10,740,000 points.]
".....?!!!!!"
The silence was deafening. Ten million damage points? That wasn't just killing the boss. That was obliterating it from existence a hundred times over.