The Cyclops Hunt
In the end, they settled on Team Seven as their group name and submitted the paperwork.
While the students who had finished forming their groups chatted in a relaxed atmosphere, Simon was quietly observing the rest of Class A.
His group was Team Seven — which meant twenty-eight students had managed to form teams so far. The competition among those left behind had gone from fierce to downright vicious.
Barely anyone was still working alone now; the remaining stragglers had banded together in twos and threes and were scrambling to recruit their final members.
"Why don't you just merge with us? Two and two, perfect match..."
"You two are the only Toxicology majors in your group. Why on earth would we join a dumpster-fire team like that?"
"Wow, look at them. Seriously ruthless. Jet-Black, Jet-Black, and Jet-Black? What kind of combination is that supposed to be?"
That was the problem with forming groups out of friendships and connections. They'd grown close quickly because they shared the same interests and target majors — but when everyone in a group wanted the same specialty, it backfired badly.
Basic Dark Magic evaluated no fewer than eight subjects.
Even with all four members pursuing different majors, it wasn't enough. Any overlap meant a direct loss in scoring power, and most of the students still scrambling to complete their groups were stuck for exactly that reason.
"I'll take exactly one of you. Consider it charity."
A blonde girl stepped forward and snapped her fingers with a haughty expression. Her own group of three was already complete.
"Get lost!"
"If you hadn't stolen Lucy, we'd have been a full four by now!"
As the abandoned students growled with bitter faces, one girl stepped forward from among them.
"G-Group leader?"
"Sorry, girls."
She said it without even looking back.
"I'm going for Blood Flow. Doesn't overlap with yours, right?"
"Welcome aboard! See, that's why you're the smart one! TA, we're registering our group!"
The group leader — the very person who had built the team in the first place — deserted, and another group of four was complete. The students left behind trembled with rage and betrayal.
...Brutal.
This was what happened during the Student Protection Period.
Why only three hundred out of a thousand survived? Simon was beginning to get a vague sense of it.
"Don't waste time worrying about them, Simon," Dick said. "If we don't claw our way forward, we'll be the ones left behind. And getting weeded out at Kizen means goodbye."
"I don't feel sorry for them at all, honestly."
Meilin tapped her fingertips together and gave a little huff of air. "Lack of effort, lack of preparation, lack of skill. Four days into Kizen — what have they even been doing? If their grades weren't enough, they could've found a group a hundred other ways."
Dick and Meilin both seemed well accustomed to this kind of atmosphere.
The thirty minutes Jane had allotted finally ran out.
Eight students remained. They had splintered into factions of two, three, and three, each blaming the others — and in the end, not a single one of them had completed a group.
"Students who haven't formed a group, please come forward."
Jane divided them into two teams at her own discretion.
Team Fifteen: Jet-Black, Jet-Black, Toxicology, Magic Combat.
Team Sixteen: Jet-Black, Jet-Black, Jet-Black, Magic Combat.
The reason so many aspiring Jet-Black Mechanics were left over was simple: since Jet-Black Mechanics was a required subject, every other major's students had comparatively strong grades in it. That caused demand for Jet-Black aspirants to plummet on the "market," leaving them stranded until the very end.
The students summoned to the podium bowed their heads deep, their faces stiff, while a few of the ones who'd secured their own groups let out quiet snickers.
"Wow, three Jet-Blacks on Team Sixteen? Is that real?"
"Kukuku. I give them until next week before they vanish."
"If even one curse question shows up, they're wiped out."
Under the murmured jeers, Teams Fifteen and Sixteen only sank further into dejection, shoulders curling inward.
Jane, who had assigned their leaders herself, studied them and spoke in a low voice.
"Angry?"
The students gave small nods. A few were blinking back tears.
"A rocky start doesn't mean you're doomed to stumble until the very end. Remember this anger you're feeling right now, and work twice as viciously. Even if Jet-Black is your major, divide up the other subjects among yourselves and drag every one of them above average. Do that, and you'll see the light."
The students nodded, their expressions twisted with fierce resolve.
Teams Fifteen and Sixteen returned to their seats, and Jane stepped forward.
"Now, first, a major announcement. The first Basic Dark Magic class of next week — when the Student Protection Period ends — will be our group performance assessment."
Muffled gasps rippled through the room.
A performance assessment meant an exam that counted directly toward their grades. Now was when things truly began.
"Let me explain the assessment."
At her signal, the TAs activated the mana projector, and an image of a massive monster bloomed into light before the students.
"That's...!"
Even Simon recognized it.
A Cyclops.
A one-eyed, medium-grade monster with staggering physical power. It dwelled mainly in the western mountain range of the continent, reigning as the undisputed king of the peaks.
"Yes. Your next opponent will be the Cyclops."
Jaws dropped across the classroom.
Isn't this skipping way too far ahead?
"Here are the rules. You and your group members will enter the underground dungeon beneath Kizen, and together, you must bring down the Cyclops."
Relieved murmurs broke out here and there — at least they'd be going in with their teammates.
"However, only one member of your group will face the Cyclops directly. The other three will take the set positions, where they can support your combatant or weaken the monster. Direct offensive dark magic is prohibited for them."
Murmur murmur murmur.
The three in the set positions couldn't use attack spells. So it wasn't truly a four-on-one after all.
Jane continued her explanation.
"Disabling techniques like Exhaust, Bind, and Blind are, of course, permitted. I'll allow attacks up to the level of inflicting minor wounds on the monster. Bleeding from Blood Flow and poisoning from Toxicology are permitted as well. Naturally, attacks by your summons are also allowed."
"However, spells the necromancer directly casts as attacks — such as Magic Combat's Smite, or Blood Flow's Blood Arrow — cannot be used. For the exact criteria, refer to the handout the TAs will distribute after today's class."
The students nodded with grave faces.
"The participating member will enter wearing powerful defensive dark magic, with Kizen safety officers standing by. Grading criteria are as follows: whether the hunt succeeds, how quickly, how safely it's carried out, your team's teamwork and creativity, and the polish of the dark magic you deploy."
She swept her gaze across the now-silent room.
"To stand against a Cyclops, you'll need to push your abilities to their absolute limits over the coming week. Don't gloss over a single class — master everything you learn and put it to use in the assessment. That's all. Questions?"
A forest of hands shot up across the room. Jane called on the students nearest the front first.
"Jamie Victoria! C-Could it be that we're really facing an actual Cyclops? I heard Kizen has a virtual combat simulation system, so couldn't we use that—!"
"It is a live, breathing Cyclops, freshly captured from the continent's western range."
Jane cut her off coldly.
"Before the assessment, each of you will be required to sign a waiver relinquishing your right to claim damages for loss of life."
Jamie's face drained of color.
"That said, thanks to the binding curse and drug sedation applied for containment, it will be weaker than a Cyclops encountered in the wild. Next question."
"Scott Snyder here! You said whether or not we successfully hunt the Cyclops is part of the grading — what happens if we can't kill it?"
"A failed hunt receives the lowest possible score, independent of all other criteria. If multiple groups fail, they'll be ranked against one another on the remaining grading elements."
A heavy silence settled over the lecture hall.
"A hunt is judged a failure under three conditions. First, if your combatant becomes unable to fight. Second, if a professor or safety officer determines that combat can no longer continue. And third, if even one of you raises a hand and declares forfeiture of the test. Next question."
The students fired off question after question, hand after hand, and Jane answered each one without a moment's hesitation. Their curiosities overlapped so much that after five more questions, the raised hands had all come down.
"I understand Class A has two more Basic Dark Magic sessions this week. In the first, each team will present its Cyclops hunting strategy. In the second, as Miss Jamie mentioned earlier, we'll run virtual combat simulations against the Cyclops to sharpen your combat instincts. And the third session, next week, is the real thing."
At the words the real thing, a taut tension coiled through the lecture hall. Jane glanced at her wristwatch.
"For the remainder of our time, discuss hunting strategies within your teams. Start by choosing your combatant, then build your plan around drawing one hundred percent out of your three support members. I'll be here if you have questions."
Having said her piece, Jane dropped heavily into her chair. The TAs stepped up and clapped their hands.
"Alright, students! Begin!"
As if they'd only been waiting for the signal, a roar of chatter erupted from every direction. Dick and Meilin's eyes lit up as they leaned over the table.
"...That's Professor Jane for you. The protection period ends and boom — a real monster fight? That's absolutely brutal."
Dick said. Meilin's eyes sparkled too.
"I love it, though! My heart's pounding! Finally feels like we've actually arrived at Kizen."
Simon glanced around the room, then spoke up. "Let's get planning, fast. Anyone want to be the one going in?"
Meilin's hand shot straight up — and the whip of her arm cracked across Dick's face where he sat beside her. He yelped in pain, but she didn't seem to notice at all, her eyes shining.
"Me! I'll do it!"
"You're sure?"
"I'm the strongest one here. Obviously it should be me."
Dick rubbed his cheek and shot her a glare. "Hey, hey! It's not something you decide that simply. You have to think strategically! The way I see it, this assessment is practically a Magic Combat showcase — teams with Magic Combat majors have the clear advantage."
"I think so too," Camibarez said quietly, agreeing with Dick. "A Cyclops's attacks are so heavy that blocking them with defensive dark magic is difficult and burns through enormous amounts of Jet-Black. Dodging is the best option."
Simon turned his head slightly to check on the other teams.
They seemed to have reached the same conclusion — the Magic Combat aspirants who'd struggled so hard to find groups were now confidently holding forth, and most teams lucky enough to have one looked set to field them as their combatant.
"Nope. My take's a little different."
Meilin's expression turned calm again as she crossed her arms. "Forgot already? Only the combatant can directly attack the Cyclops. So what offensive tools do the Magic Combat majors actually have right now? Punching it wildly with Jet-Black-reinforced fists? How exactly is that supposed to bring down a monster with hide that thick?"
"Ah...!"
"That's a real problem, actually."
When Camibarez and Simon agreed, Meilin gave a satisfied hmph and leaned back in her chair with a smirk.
"So you have a way of actually killing it, Meilin?"
"Of course I do, Cami."
She smiled with total confidence and spread her palm. A magic circle bloomed across it, and dark flames rose flickering above. Camibarez gasped.
"Dark Flare — an elemental Jet-Black spell. Good enough for you?"
"That's incredible! You can already cast...!"
Dick was perpetually annoyed by Meilin's showing off, but Dark Flare earned his genuine respect.
"Then let me lay out my plan."
Extinguishing the black flame, Meilin leaned her upper body across the table. "I'll face the Cyclops and burn it down with Dark Flare. You three go all-in on curses! Keep stacking Exhaust stacks to slow the Cyclops down, and I'll reduce it to a neat little pile of ash!"
Dick crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. "That plan makes you the star and leaves us completely out in the cold. You — the curse specialist — get the starting spot, and we just sit behind you firing curses like machines?"
"Fine, then what's better than my plan? Go ahead, say it."
Dick couldn't come up with anything on the spot, so he attacked from a different angle instead. "That whole strategy rests on the premise that you can dodge the Cyclops's attacks while casting Dark Flare. Can you actually pull that off?"
"What's there for me to fail to dodge?"
"Word is your stamina's pretty pitiful. You're always wheezing at the very back during running drills in Magic Combat, and you botched the ravine jump so badly Professor Hong Peng had to come rescue you."
This time it was Meilin's face that flared scarlet.
"Th-That may be true, but...! No, wait! You're the curse squad — shouldn't you be making sure I never get hit in the first place? If I take a hit, that means your curses are garbage!"
"Curses aren't even our specialty to begin with!"
As Meilin and Dick snarled at each other, Camibarez, caught between them, twisted her head back and forth, utterly at a loss.
Bang!
Both of them flinched and whipped their heads around.
Simon had slammed his palm down on the desk, his expression dead serious.
"Then here's what we'll do."