Midterm Evaluations Announced
In the afternoon joint training session, Ludenberg Lavante and Ashytara Solenute stood in the training grounds, gazing at Professor Hainkel Hereis. The students from all ranks did the same. Everyone wore tense expressions, their eyes fixed solely on the professor's face.
"I'll now announce the midterm evaluation schedule and assessment criteria. The evaluations will span six days. Two days for theory exams, and four days for practical exams."
Professor Hainkel continued with the details on the practical evaluations.
"What I'll explain now is how the practical evaluations will be conducted."
The practical evaluations would proceed as follows:
1. Base occupation and defense battles
2. One-on-one duels
The base occupation battle was exactly as it sounded: occupying a base, held in the old school building of Solemnute Adem. A Lanur illusion core would be placed at the central point of the old building, and based on that core and the sacred law formations spread throughout the structure, illusion erosion bodies—familiar from previous classes—would appear. Clearing them out and destroying the illusion core would complete the base occupation. Scores would be determined by contributions toward destroying the core, with teams of twenty forming ten groups in total, evaluated one after another.
The entire process would be recorded in real-time by Setra priests, and professors would review those records to assign grades. While the illusion erosion bodies were the same as those encountered in class, there was one fundamental difference: being hit by them during the midterm would cause excruciating pain, potentially rendering a student combat-ineffective in an instant. Falling into combat-ineffective status meant immediate disqualification and ejection from the exam grounds.
Thus, the goal was to block and avoid erosion body attacks, steadily secure the base, and reach the central core. The base defense battle would begin immediately after successfully completing the occupation by destroying the illusion core. At that moment, the sacred law formation would reverse, summoning more illusion erosion bodies, which participants had to defend against.
It seemed simple at first glance, but since it followed the physically taxing occupation battle, the defense phase carried inherently higher difficulty. Given the time required for occupation and defense, the ten groups would rotate over two full days. The remaining two days would be dedicated to one-on-one duels, conducted just like the skill verification duels at enrollment.
"That's how the practical evaluations will proceed. And I'll explain the scoring system as well."
Scoring for the base occupation and defense battles worked like this:
1. More erosion bodies defeated yielded higher scores.
2. Greater proficiency in handling erosion bodies earned more points.
Bonus: Directly destroying the illusion core granted extra points for occupation.
Bonus: Perfectly succeeding in defense granted extra points.
Penalty: Harming fellow students during occupation or defense resulted in deductions.
For one-on-one duels, scores depended on swordsmanship refinement and proficiency with divine power. It was a straightforward system.
"That's all regarding the evaluations for now. Any questions?"
"You mentioned forming teams earlier—when will the team assignments be revealed?"
"Team assignments will be announced on the day of the exam."
"You said Setra sacred laws will record the evaluations. Does that mean other students can view the content?"
"Of course not. Real-time recording is solely to ensure fair grading. While one team is being evaluated, all others wait in designated areas. You're free to strategize in advance about how your team will move, of course."
"Very well, no more questions. Teams will be formed as fairly as possible, accounting for skill variances within each rank. Remember, while practicals are group efforts, scores are based on individual performance."
"Yes, sir!"
"Now, let's begin today's training. With evaluations approaching, I'll push you harder than ever. Everyone, don your armor."
The students equipped their armor and followed Professor Hainkel's instructions. Ludenberg and Ashytara did the same, diving into the session proper.
The training was brutally intense. Despite the escalated difficulty far beyond previous sessions, not a single student voiced complaints. The recent Solemnute raid had shown them their own powerlessness, so their eyes shone brightly even amid the grueling exercises.
The professors sensed the incident had ignited a fire in the students' hearts. They took quiet satisfaction in their growth but urged them on without showing it. The road ahead was still long.
The harsh training dragged on until students began collapsing to the ground. Those who fell looked toward Ludenberg, who swung his sword with unwavering poise. Even with his superior skills surpassing all others, he never grew arrogant, constantly honing himself to achieve feats beyond any student's reach.
Perhaps inspired by that sight, the students slapped their weary legs and rose again. To achieve their goals, to forge themselves ahead, they gripped their swords and pressed on.
As training ended, evening had arrived. Exhausted, the students dragged themselves back to their dorms. Ludenberg and Ashytara were no different.
"Training under Duke Leonard really paid off. Today's session wasn't that bad."
"Right?"
"Now I get it. How you had such insane stamina from the start of the semester. With training like that, it's no wonder."
"Right?"
"Hey, Rud. What're you planning after dinner?"
"Theory study. Especially saint law studies—there's a lot I don't know, so I need to chip away at it whenever I can."
"Fair enough. Let's study together! You know erosion studies inside out, and I handle saint laws, so we can help each other."
"Sure."
The two headed straight to their dorms, washed up, changed into casual clothes, met at the cafeteria for dinner, and proceeded to the Wisdom Pavilion. Nowhere beat it for studying together.
The Wisdom Pavilion, visited after quite some time, was no longer quiet. Students prepping for evaluations packed the place. Still, seats weren't impossible to find, so they quickly claimed one, opened their books, and began theory review.
Ludenberg quizzed Ashytara mainly on theology and saint law topics, while she asked him about erosion studies. As experts in their respective fields, they studied efficiently. Unknown areas would be clarified by asking professors and sharing notes.
* * *
Time flew by. Everyone poured their focus into midterm prep, concentrating fiercely in classes. During lectures, they stayed attentive; some even actively questioned professors on uncertainties. Even those who'd slacked off before now lunged at the chance evaluations offered.
In Irina Jericho's theology class—where most usually dozed off—students fought sleep. They controlled drooping eyes or nudged neighbors for wake-up calls. Spirits frayed, dark circles bloomed under eyes as they strained to keep up.
Training intensity skyrocketed too. Joint sessions now permitted divine power use, but difficulty soared accordingly. No more simple armored runs or imperial sword forms; now they wore metal bracelets and anklets heavier than their body weight while repeating prior drills. Professors began seriously critiquing personal sword styles, turning joint training into hellish spectacles.
Rank-specific sessions ramped up illusion erosion body numbers several-fold, simulating multi-enemy swarms like the raid. Innocence-rank students teetered on collapse. Having faced real erosion bodies, professors deemed mild pain insufficient, so they amped it up via Daphnen's masterful sacred law formations. The vivid agony, despite no real injury, eroded their mental fortitude like true wounds.
Of course, none of this fazed Ludenberg or Ashytara. They'd endured worse in the Solemnute raid and Duke Leonard's near-death training afterward.
Ludenberg threw himself into midterm prep alongside Ashytara. In theology, he relentlessly pondered incomprehensible doctrines, consulting professors when stumped. Erosion studies were similar. Well-versed as he was, he couldn't dismiss Professor Calvin Giod's scholarly edifice.
He cross-referenced his field experience with the professor's knowledge, probing overlooked details or baffling phenomena he'd witnessed.
"So, erosion body mutations lack any consistent pattern? I recall some from the Eastern Erosion Zone changing in identical ways."
"Because Lavante knights defend the East. Erosion bodies vary, but knights' methods don't. If they adapt to Lavante styles, similar patterns emerge—albeit more evolved."
"I see. Thank you."
Professor Calvin seemed to appreciate Ludenberg's earnestness and humility, answering each question in exhaustive detail with examples.