Chapter 66: Time Flies in the Blink of an Eye

Time had flown by refreshingly fast. And just like that, the day of the final exams had arrived.

For practical exams like this, gym uniforms were mandatory instead of school uniforms, so I was dressed in mine as well.

"Kalen... then."

"Yes, I'll do my utmost to hold them off."

He bowed his head politely and headed off to the long line of students waiting.

The central district of Salenium Academy that early morning was packed with students all in gym uniforms.

"Alright! Stay in line! One by one, take this necklace, we'll verify your identity, and you can enter! Yes, Butter family ring. Poca family chip student... Wait, chip student, you're first-year defense team—why are you in the attack team line?"

In front of the glowing blue warp portal. The ones bustling about busily under the blazing sun were, of course, not professors. They weren't in school uniforms either. But their outfits were similar to the students'. I knew exactly who they were.

"Next, verification. Second-year, attack team... Ah."

"You've worked hard."

At my words, he blinked behind his glasses for a moment before shaking his head.

"Not at all. Isn't this the life you saved once before, Lord Adrian? I've already been repaid—what more could I ask for?"

Melwood Elion. Yes, they were all... graduate students.

"This necklace is your life. If it breaks, you're out immediately. You already know that, right?"

He handed me a necklace from the basket with practiced motions. I nodded, and Melwood smiled faintly.

"Go show them all what you've got."

"I was planning to anyway."

I threw myself into the round glow, my vision blurring. When my feet hit solid ground and the light faded, what appeared was a vast wasteland, swirling sandwinds, and rising heat haze.

"Hm."

The expansive wasteland felt astonishingly familiar. Of course it did—this was the place I'd seen countless times in the original story's 'final exam' arc.

A white tent with a fluttering red flag emblazoned with a sword, even warhorses neighing. This was the camp where the 'attack team'—us—would stay for the next three days.

Two more people emerged from the warp portal behind me.

"You're here."

"Yes, it's hot."

"Yeah, it is."

Relbrian stood there as usual with her sword at her side, but her long green hair was tied back tightly, fully exposing her long ears. Next to her, arms crossed, was Reina von Wolfgang with her long black hair in a ponytail.

"That must be our camp. Is that big building in the center the command tent?"

"A complete wasteland... I feel no blessings of nature. How can there be not a single blade of grass or tree...?"

As Reina, Relbrian, and I exchanged impressions, from the side came...

"Urghwaaaah."

"...Adrian, we came together like you said, but why is the Vladir princess like that?"

"Because this is a wasteland, and the sunlight is intense."

"Ah, right. She's from the north, and half-vampire."

Born in the cold north. And half-vampire to boot. Even with her 'blood armament arts', the reason Prana Dirpensiv Bladir couldn't claim true top-tier status was exactly this environment.

"Grrraaah...."

"Lady Vladir, if it's too much, you don't have to force words out."

"Ughhh...."

She was somewhat fine in the mornings, but from midday until just before evening, she suffered a self-inflicted 'light dizziness' debuff. Accuracy dropped, command compliance fell. And since it was summer, movement speed reduction and dehydration debuffs cycled rapidly, rendering her huge frame utterly useless despite its size.

But in exchange for those daytime penalties, from dusk through late night and into dawn, her vigor surged with buffs stacking wildly, making her insanely powerful.

"Hm, then our attacks should focus on night raids. In pure combat strength, Lady Vladir is the strongest among us."

"Conversely, their attacks will come during the day."

"Exactly."

The four of us walked into the dusty camp.

Quite a few had already settled in, so we exchanged greetings, parted ways with Relbrian, and entered the command tent. My role as staff officer had been announced the day before, and no one objected, so things proceeded smoothly. Not that anyone would dare object, honestly.

But I could still sense lingering suspicion in their gazes, so I needed to prove myself properly in this final exam. If Reina and I led the attack team to total victory, my reputation would flip completely.

Entering the command tent with Reina, we found people already seated.

"Alright, is everyone here?"

The round table where the unit leaders from the arbitrarily numbered units 1 through 10 sat—these were the ones selected the day before midterms. Reina naturally took the center seat, and I sat beside her.

"No need for introductions, right?"

Magic division runner-up Reina, plus ranks 4, 6, 7, and 9. Knight division top student Prana, plus ranks 3, 5, 9, and 12. The units below them were appropriately mixed with knights and mages based on grades.

Of course, since this was just an academy exam, non-combat camp areas strictly separated men and women, with different sleeping quarters.

"...As you all know, the exam has already begun."

Everyone focused at Reina's words.

"Our goal is to seize and destroy that damn castle within three days."

All nodded.

"For that, we need a strategy. Does anyone have ideas?"

Silence fell briefly.

"I-I have one."

"Speak, Donal."

Donal Dramac, knight division rank 12 with short brown hair, glanced at the map and said,

"How about we form an infiltration team to strike from inside the castle? Attack from within."

"Meaningless."

I answered, and Donal frowned.

"...Any reason?"

"Do they look like idiots who wouldn't anticipate one infiltration team? And you're talking about throwing our already short-staffed forces into a strategy that guarantees sacrifices."

Donal Dramac, knight division rank 12. Excellent strength and stamina in the top 10, but ultimately a third-tier character. His combat AI for strategy and tactics was abysmal.

"Tch...."

Unable to counter, the hamburger—for lack of a better term—shut up. Others proposed strategies, but...

"Don't talk nonsense."

"No logic there."

"A greenhorn's fantasy without real combat experience."

I shot ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠them all down. They were all garbage opinions not worth voicing.

At ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠least...

"A frontal assault seems solid to me."

"Good idea, but losses would be huge. They have defensive golems just like we have warhorses. Mages to intercept from the walls. Rash charges would just shatter us."

"Hm...."

Surprisingly, Lady Vladir wasn't hurling insults like 'traitor' or 'I'd rather die than talk to you' as before. She engaged seriously without extra barbs.

"Then, Adri... Nngh, do you have a strategy in mind? You didn't just shoot down everyone else's without one, did you?"

Of course not.

"I do."

A very solid one, at that.

The unit leaders stared at me with wide eyes at my proposed strategy.

"......"

"If there's a better, more reliable plan than this, pass it to the leader. I'll review it, and if it's sound, we'll go with it. Sound good?"

"Fine by me. Then, meeting adjourned. No attacks possible until afternoon, so handle basics first. Units, carry out assigned duties like patrols and scouting. Dismissed."

And so, the others filed out of the tent, leaving just Reina and me.

"...Adrian, how did you come up with that?"

"Simple."

Because it was a method I'd exploited to death.

'Erhan' inevitably ends up on the attack team as the story progresses, so I knew which entry routes and tactics guaranteed success. The stage was the same; only the year had shifted from first to second.

Touching the 'castle' was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠always a fatal mistake. If they wanted to hole up inside, force them out.

The defense team's personnel were inferior to the attack team's overall, so luring them out into open confrontation made victory easy.

"Obvious when you think about it."

"But some people can't even think of the obvious."

Can't be helped.

"We'll handle that role."

"Right. Adrian, let's lead this final exam to total victory."

"Mm. This final exam will be ours alone."

"Hehe... I like the sound of that."

Total villain dialogue.

After chatting, I stepped out of the tent briefly. Knight division students tended to the neighing warhorses with familiarity. Over there, male students sparred shirtless with wooden swords; on the opposite side, female students in gym uniforms dueled similarly.

Though it was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a camp on a wasteland with no real lives at stake, it was a true battlefield where they pointed swords and spells at each other. Feeling that tension in my bones, I slipped behind the tent to a secluded spot and drew my dagger.

I tossed the dagger forward casually and spoke without turning.

"Come out."

And then.

Voices from the two shadows. Left was Shal, right was Pin... No, last time they tricked me once, but this time they came properly. When they shoulder-to-shoulder, the subtle 0.3-degree wrist angle difference marked Shal.

"Right one's Shal."

"Correct."

"Amazing."

They emerged from the shadows, returned the dagger, and I pocketed it.

"So, Adrian."

"Why'd you call us?"

"Using the Dagger of Affection."

"Must need us, right?"

Obviously. I told them,

"Relay internal defense team intel."

"That's... sorry, can't."

"We're third-years, got our own exams. Interfering with second-years' is trouble."

Knew it, you shady bastards. That's why I prepared something.

"Succeed the mission, and I'll take you."

"Where?"

"No ordinary trades for us."

"Black Auction."

"Huh?"

"Eh!"

Their eyes lit up.

"R-Really?"

"Lies are bad."

"Dead serious. The black market you crave, the city of darkness. I'll take you there. Who knows—maybe that 'thing' you're after is sleeping in the underground auctions."

Griner assassins were born killers, reliant on gear due to their traits. They chased it relentlessly.

"You, Adrian."

"Can get the 'dagger' we're after?"

"Insanely expensive, and we couldn't even verify the real thing."

"That dagger set exists. I can get it if you want."

Of course it did—I'd acquired it multiple times.

The Griners huddled, then extended hands in unison.

"Exams like this."

"Can't judge us anyway. Contract sealed."

They nodded, promising useful info, then vanished into shadows.

"Hm, whoever the enemy defense leader is, they're in for pity."

Whatever they did, I'd strip them bare to the bone.