After Group 8 left the area, they decided to have dinner together and headed to a cozy café.
Once they settled in, the atmosphere gradually became more relaxed. Without saying it out loud, everyone seemed to agree to avoid bringing up what had happened with Bred earlier, as if leaving it behind for now was the best choice.
Instead, the conversation shifted naturally toward their upcoming survival test.
They talked about strategies, possible scenarios, and how they should prepare themselves once they arrived on the island. Ideas were exchanged back and forth, sometimes serious, sometimes mixed with light comments, slowly restoring the group's usual rhythm.
Time passed without them realizing it.
After finishing their dinner, they left the café and returned to their respective dorms, each carrying their own thoughts about what lay ahead.
***
Midterms ended, and a new week began.
"Today, I have an important announcement."
Professor Jane, the homeroom teacher of Class A, looked around at the students.
By now, everyone had grown familiar with this kind of opening, and they immediately braced themselves, waiting for what would come next.
Jane received an official document from her assistant and began reading it aloud.
"Alright, in two days, you will undergo the island survival evaluation."
It was finally officially announced at Kizen.
Island Survival.
Also known as the island survival evaluation, a large-scale program involving all first-years.
The classroom erupted into murmurs as if a bomb had gone off, voices overlapping with excitement and tension.
However, because of Knox's information, Group 8 only exchanged knowing smiles.
Cindy even thought to herself, How exhilarating! This feeling of having an external brain like Knox is amazing! It's like having another brain that can talk and walk! she thought while grinning like a fool.
But even if Cindy had a brain that could talk and walk, rather than a brain, it was probably more like Paimon or an Aranara. It could walk and talk, sure, but could it think? Heh.
Meanwhile, Knox, Claudia, and Merida looked at Cindy, who was grinning like that, as if they were looking at a mental patient.
Knox leaned slightly toward Claudia and whispered, "Hey, Clara, did Cindy eat something wrong this morning?"
Claudia blinked once and whispered back, "I don't know..."
Merida then joined in quietly and added, "I mean... the original Cindy is already like this, so... doesn't she look normal like this?"
Hearing that, Knox and Claudia could only stay silent.
Then, they stopped their whisper. If not, they would be called "the whisperer."
If Cyno in Teyvat could hear this cold joke, he would give a thumbs up and say, "A master!"
"One per person, please!"
The assistants moved quickly between the rows, handing out guidebooks one by one without missing anyone.
"I'll give a brief explanation."
Jane opened her own copy, and the students followed along, flipping theirs open almost in sync.
"In two days, all 961 surviving first-years, from Class A to Class N, will be teleported to the island."
She picked up a piece of chalk and drew a large circle on the board, then marked the center with a triangle and scattered small dots along the edges.
"You'll be deployed at random points along the island's perimeter. The main objective is simple. Survive for four days."
The class quieted down, their expressions turning more focused.
"Of course, just staying alive won't be enough to evaluate your abilities. That's why this test uses a point system. Your final grade and ranking will depend on how many points you earn."
She added several X marks across the drawn island.
"Points are mainly earned by hunting monsters found across the island. They range from Grade 1 to Grade 4, and depending on the type, each one can give you anywhere from 1 point to over 20."
Jamie Victoria raised her hand confidently.
"I assume you're about to ask how those points are recorded, Jamie Victoria."
Jamie froze for a second before lowering her hand, her face turning red as a few students chuckled.
"We'll be using this."
Jane held up a bracelet shaped like a monster's mouth.
"This bio-artifact is called a 'Tongue Pad'. When you bring it close to a monster that has stopped breathing—"
Slap!
A long tongue suddenly shot out, licked across a prepared dummy, then snapped back into place, causing several students to flinch.
"It absorbs the magical power from the corpse and converts it into a numeric value. Within ten seconds, your score will be displayed."
She turned the bracelet slightly so everyone could see the updated number.
"So yes, hunting isn't optional. It's necessary. Especially if you want to eat."
That line alone made a few students stiffen.
Jane continued, explaining that the Tongue Pad could also transfer stored points to others, which immediately hinted at both cooperation and betrayal.
"Now, about combat. Fighting between Kizen students is allowed. If you reduce someone's barrier gauge to zero, they'll be treated as dead and transported to a safe zone. At that point, all the mana stored in their Tongue Pad will be released as a condensed core."
The room went quiet.
Everyone understood what that meant without needing further explanation.
"And one more thing."
Jane tapped the center of the island drawing.
"There's a mansion at the very center, built by Kizen. It cannot be destroyed, no matter what you try. Inside that building is the only safe zone on the island where combat is strictly prohibited. If you manage to enter it even once—"
She paused briefly, letting the suspense build.
"—you'll receive 200 points at the end of the evaluation."
The class immediately broke into loud chatter.
"You may start at the edges, but reaching the center should be your ultimate goal. Whether you step into that mansion or not will make a huge difference in your final results."
Group 8 listened quietly and gave a small nod. A guaranteed 200 points alone could already secure a decent ranking.
"That's the overall structure."
Just as Jane finished summarizing, Knox slightly lifted his hand, as if about to ask something.
However, before he could even speak, Jane's gaze immediately shifted toward him.
As someone who had already known Knox for quite some time, she naturally had a good idea of the kind of question he was about to ask.
"Knox Aznable, if your question is about why the design of this pad is like this, then you better change your question."
The classroom fell silent for a brief moment.
Knox's hand, which had already been halfway raised, immediately lowered again.
Then, he let out a small whistle and casually looked around, as if he had never intended to ask anything in the first place, his expression completely innocent.
She did not linger on it and continued without pause.
Jane set the chalk down and scanned the room.
"This test will evaluate how well you adapt to unfamiliar environments, how you fight, how you make decisions, and how you handle unexpected situations. The rules themselves are simple, but how you use them will determine your outcome. Study the guidebook carefully over the next two days."
"Yes!"
"Now then, for the rest of the period…"
Jane glanced at her watch.
Several students perked up immediately, expecting free time.
"We'll continue with a lecture from an external instructor."