"GRAAAAAAAARGH!"
The Cyclops' roar tore through the forest like a thunderclap, shaking leaves loose from the trees and making the ground tremble beneath its massive feet.
The moment its single eye locked onto Cindy—
It charged.
Ignoring trees.
Ignoring rocks.
Ignoring anything in its path.
It bulldozed forward with terrifying force.
Watching from the waiting room, several students unconsciously held their breath.
But Cindy—
Instead of fear—
She smiled.
She spun her scythe once in her hand, the blade carving a smooth arc through the air.
"Come on!!"
The Cyclops swung its enormous club downward with brutal strength—
BAAANG!
A deep metallic impact exploded through the forest.
The club had struck something hard—
Something immovable.
Before it could even reach Cindy.
Standing in front of her like twin black walls—
Knox's two Death Knights had already stepped in.
Their massive shields absorbed the blow perfectly. The shockwave rippled outward, but neither knight moved an inch.
"Now," Knox said calmly from behind, "push it. Counter it."
Inside the dark visors of the Death Knights, a blue light flared to life.
Without hesitation, both knights drove their shields forward in unison.
A perfectly synchronized shield bash.
The Cyclops' club was forced upward, its stance destabilized as its upper body lurched backward.
Its balance broke.
That single second—
Was enough.
Cindy vanished from her original position.
She moved like a ghost, slipping into the blind spots of the staggering monster. Her scythe flashed repeatedly, carving shallow but precise wounds across the Cyclops' torso and arms.
Metal sang through flesh.
"Hehe, thanks to Knox's guidance, I can use my scythe way better than before!"
"Good job, Cindy. Now lure it back so our black magic can reach it effectively," Knox instructed, still sounding completely composed.
"Okay!"
Instead of retreating directly, Cindy darted around the Cyclops in erratic, unpredictable arcs—like an annoying swarm of insects that refused to be ignored.
The Cyclops roared in frustration, twisting its massive body to track her movements.
Meanwhile, the two Death Knights stepped backward deliberately, opening a clear path toward the support line—Knox, Claudia, and Merida.
Cindy suddenly made a sharp U-turn, dashing behind the Cyclops.
The monster stopped, turning its head awkwardly to follow her movement.
That momentary pause—
Combined with the sluggishness from earlier hits—
Created a fatal delay.
The Cyclops did not realize—
It had already stepped onto a prepared trap.
"Venom Swamp." Claudia's voice rang out coolly.
A dark green magic circle expanded beneath the Cyclops' feet.
The ground liquefied instantly, transforming into a toxic marsh that sucked at its legs.
The distracted monster lost its footing again and crashed into the swamp with a heavy splash.
Venom began eating at its skin.
Then—
"Phantasus Original: Sleep."
Merida's voice followed, quiet but clear.
A pale curse spread over the Cyclops' massive body.
Already struggling in venom and pain, its movements slowed.
Its eyelid drooped. Its roaring weakened.
Then—
It collapsed.
As the Cyclops lay half-submerged in venom, the shallow wounds Cindy had inflicted became perfect entry points. Poison seeped in more easily now.
Then, while the Cyclops' movement was sealed within the venom swamp and slowed by lingering curses, Knox made his move.
He raised both hands calmly.
Two magic circles bloomed into existence—one above each palm. They rotated slowly, emitting a controlled, steady glow rather than an explosive surge of mana.
The circles pulsed.
A faint radiance spread outward and wrapped around Claudia, Cindy, and Merida.
Their bodies shimmered briefly.
Each of them felt it instantly—
A surge of strength. Sharper focus. Faster circulation of mana.
Their spells felt lighter in their hands. Their reactions felt cleaner.
Claudia's eyes narrowed slightly as she sensed the difference. Without wasting the opening, she continued throwing concentrated poison vials while reinforcing the venom swamp's density, her casting speed noticeably smoother.
Cindy felt it most clearly.
Her grip tightened around her scythe.
The weight felt lighter. The flow of spiritual energy responded more eagerly.
The empowered Cindy did not hesitate.
"Go! Soul Spear!"
A concentrated spear of spiritual energy shot forward and pierced into the sleeping monster.
Under normal circumstances, the Cyclops' thick hide would have resisted such a direct strike from Cindy's comparatively lower raw attack power.
But with Knox's enhancement amplifying her output—
The spear penetrated deeper than before, tearing through muscle and aggravating the previously opened wounds.
It did not kill the Cyclops.
But the damage was significantly greater.
And that—
Was enough to push the battle into its next phase.
The monster's massive body began to stir.
"Hm?" Claudia narrowed her eyes.
"Hah? It's up already?!" Cindy exclaimed.
"No. Not yet," Knox observed calmly. "Judging by its movements, it's still half-asleep. Let's add more."
"I'll prepare the second one. Give me some time," Merida said quietly.
"Then I'll start preparing a bleeding spell," Claudia added.
As both girls began channeling again, the Cyclops forced itself upright with a furious roar.
But before it could fully stand—
"Drop it down."
Knox's voice carried lightly through the battlefield.
The two Death Knights moved instantly.
They repositioned at the Cyclops' front, shields angled low.
When the disoriented monster attempted to charge toward the support team, it failed to notice that the knights had lowered their shields at just the right height.
Its massive foot collided against reinforced steel.
The impact disrupted its stride.
Like a giant tripping over stone—
The Cyclops pitched forward and crashed back into the venom swamp.
"Alright, ready to go!" Claudia called out.
"Same here, charging complete!" Cindy responded.
"Me too," Merida added.
"Fire your attacks in this order," Knox instructed smoothly. "Claudia, Merida, then Cindy."
"Alright!"
"Okay!"
"Yes."
"Now."
Claudia released her bleeding spell.
The wounds across the Cyclops' body erupted, blood flowing violently from every slash Cindy had carved earlier.
Merida followed with another sleep curse.
The pain and blood loss overwhelmed the struggling monster.
Its massive body trembled—
Then collapsed again into the swamp.
"Finisher!"
Cindy raised her scythe.
[Cindy Vivace Original – Soul Ballista]
Spiritual energy condensed behind her, forming the shape of a colossal ballista constructed entirely of shimmering spirits.
The massive projectile launched.
It struck directly into the Cyclops's eye.
Then—
It exploded. The forest trembled.
And when the smoke cleared—
Nothing remained but scorched remains sinking into venom.
[Simulation Success]
Time Elapsed: 3 minutes 30 seconds
Damage Inflicted: 100%
Barrier Gauge: 100%
Overall Rating: A
For a second—
Silence.
Then—
The waiting room erupted.
Cheers exploded from every direction. Even the assistant professors stood and applauded openly.
Jane did not clap.
But she smiled. A small, unmistakable smile.
The kind that carried pride.
"Got it!" Cindy shouted, clenching her fists.
"We did it!" said Claudia.
"Mm." Merida nodded quietly, though a faint smile curved her lips.
"Good job, everyone," Knox said.
—Congratulations, Group 8.
As the simulation screen dissolved and the forest faded back into the sterile training chamber, Jane's voice filled the space once more.
But this time—
It carried weight.
"First," she began evenly, "I highly commend the fact that each member of the group faithfully fulfilled their responsibilities and successfully implemented a strategy that made you look like veteran necromancers."
The compliment was warm.
For a brief second, Group 8 simply stood there, processing it.
Then—
They exchanged glances. Small smiles formed.
Cindy grinned and lightly bumped Knox's shoulder before raising her hand. Knox smirked and returned the high five without hesitation.
But Jane was not finished.
"Second," she continued, her tone calm but unmistakably approving, "normally, students attempting the simulation for the first time move sluggishly, stiffly, or require time to adapt. However, you moved like trained and disciplined necromancers. Frankly, you did not resemble first-year students at all."
That statement made the waiting room stir.
Cindy's smile widened immediately, barely containing her excitement.
Claudia's eyes lit with restrained pride.
Merida's usual sleepiness had completely disappeared, replaced with a quiet but unmistakable satisfaction.
And Knox—
Knox smiled with steady confidence, though even he had not expected praise of this degree.
Then Jane's gaze shifted.
It landed on Knox.
"Looks like someone trained you all very well."
Naturally, the students watching should have turned their admiration toward Knox at that line.
But something far rarer happened.
A smile. A visible smile.
Not the faint, almost imperceptible curve from earlier.
This one could be clearly seen.
Subtle. But undeniable.
Jane smiled.
For a split second, the entire room felt as though reality had glitched.
Even the assistant professors blinked, wondering if their eyes were playing tricks on them.
Did Vice-Chancellor Jane just… smile like that?
But just as quickly as it appeared—
The smile faded.
Her expression returned to its usual composed sharpness.
"Lastly," she continued, "what makes this group unique is not only the teamwork, but the originality each member has already begun to demonstrate."
She raised one finger.
"First, Cindy. That magic you used just now—it is your original spell, correct?"
Cindy straightened instinctively. "Yes, Professor!"
"Good. It is uncommon for a first-year student at this stage to already possess an original magic. Continue refining it."
Then Jane shifted her attention.
"Second, Claudia. Compared to your teammates, your approach may appear the most 'standard.' However, in truth, it was the most stable and strategically layered. Simultaneously applying offensive pressure and battlefield control through poison and terrain manipulation is not easy. It was well executed."
Claudia bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Professor."
"Third, Merida."
Merida's posture straightened.
"As expected of Phantasus's original magic. Even as the younger sister, your Sleep curse is remarkably strong. Furthermore… I sense a deviation from the base formula. A unique improvement is forming."
Merida blinked slightly.
"Continue developing it."
"Yes."
Then—
Jane looked at Knox.
The room grew quiet again.
"Lastly, Knox."
Even Knox stood a little straighter.
"First. A first-year using a Death Knight is something I have never witnessed. Using two simultaneously, with such stable control, is even more unprecedented. I do not believe there will be many students like you in the future."
A murmur rippled faintly through the watching students.
"Second. While maintaining control over your summons, you simultaneously issued tactical commands and provided support buffs to your team. You did not merely participate. You stood like a pillar."
There was a brief pause.
Jane's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Even I find it difficult to choose proper words of praise."
That—
Was heavier than applause.
Then she concluded calmly,
"To summarize. Good work, Group 8. That is all."
For a heartbeat, none of them moved.
The praise had been overwhelming.
Even Knox had not expected this much.
Then—
"Yes! Thank you, Professor!"
All four responded clearly and in unison.
Their voices rang out firmly.
The waiting room erupted once more in applause.
This time—
It was not just excitement. It was acknowledgment.
Group 8 had just drawn a clear line across Class A.
And everyone had seen it.