THIRD PERSON'S POV
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"Round One: Strength Assessment. Please remove all magical amulets before proceeding. No moonstones, chains, potions, charms, or electronic devices allowed."
The masked guide spoke calmly as students approached one after another, the same announcement echoing throughout the field.
One by one, the members of Group 16 handed their moonstone amulets over to Lilian for safekeeping.
James cracked his knuckles excitedly.
"Oh, my favorite. The Impact Tower."
Nora blinked at him in confusion.
Richard smiled lightly at her expression.
"It's basically a high striker," he explained patiently. "The bell hammer game. But this version is modified for combat assessments. Physical strength matters during battle, so our individual scores get combined into one team score."
Nora nodded slowly as they were led toward the massive machine.
James eagerly stepped forward first.
"Three... two... one..."
BAM!
Nora flinched at the sheer force behind the strike.
The weight shot upward rapidly, stopping just short of the bell.
"98 points."
Nkechi cheered loudly and high-fived James as he returned with a smug grin.
Billy went next.
"70 points."
Sarah followed after him.
"60 points."
Sarah laughed awkwardly at her score.
"But sir, I've improved, right?"
The masked guide's eyes crinkled slightly behind the mask.
"Yes. Last time you barely reached forty."
He glanced down at his clipboard.
"Nkechi, please step forward."
Nkechi bounced excitedly on the spot while James massaged her shoulders dramatically.
"You've got this, champion!"
"Hell yeah!"
Nora couldn't help laughing at their antics.
Nkechi grabbed the hammer and immediately groaned.
"Why is this thing so heavy?!"
The others burst into laughter before immediately starting a chant.
"Champion! Champion! Champion!"
Nora found herself joining in.
Almost losing her balance, Nkechi finally swung the hammer down.
BAM!
"80 points."
"WHOA!"
The group erupted into applause as Nkechi danced around proudly.
Richard stepped forward next.
BAM!
"98 points."
Nora stared at her teammates in amazement.
"Wow... you guys are really strong."
One after another, they completed the test until finally—
"Nora Da Vinci."
Her stomach tightened instantly.
Taking a deep breath, she approached the machine nervously.
The hammer barely lifted.
"Come on, crybaby!" James shouted. "You can do it!"
Nora tightened her grip and tried again.
This time, she managed to swing properly.
BAM!
"65 points."
"Whoa! That's even higher than Sarah's!"
"Great job, Nora!"
Nora smiled shyly as they moved aside to wait for the next assessment.
"Team 5. Row 1, Column 4 to the left."
The mechanical voice echoed once more across the field.
"Hey, let's go watch the others!" Nkechi suggested excitedly.
The group immediately headed over to watch George's team.
By the time they arrived, a crowd had already gathered around Team 5's testing area.
Not surprising.
George's team attracted attention almost everywhere they went.
George rolled his shoulders as he stepped forward first.
Nearby students immediately started whispering excitedly.
"I'm sure they'll dominate again this year."
"Even their new teammate, Ivy, is insanely strong."
Lily and Fiona were already cheering loudly from the sidelines.
Surprisingly, Ivy joined in too, clearly infected by Lily's enthusiasm.
"Go, boss!"
"George! George! George!"
Students nearby quickly joined the chant.
What shocked everyone even more was Zoe joining in as well.
"Wow. The grannies are energetic today," Donald teased.
Both Ivy and Zoe glared at him before immediately returning to cheering.
"TEAM 5!" George shouted loudly.
"OH!" the group yelled back in unison.
Then—
BAM!
"100 points."
The crowd exploded into applause.
Nathan stepped forward next, his ears noticeably red from all the cheering. His muscles flexed slightly beneath his uniform as he gripped the hammer.
BAM!
"97 points."
"Go, Nathan!"
Nathan gave an awkward bow before quickly retreating to his team.
Albert lazily yawned as his name was called.
"Hit one hundred and I'll give you my shrink ray," Ivy offered teasingly.
Albert instantly perked up.
"Really?"
At her nod, he immediately rolled up his sleeves and grabbed the hammer seriously.
BAM!
"90 points."
Albert froze in disbelief.
"What?! No, let me try again!"
"Come on, bookworm." George laughed while dragging him away before he could argue with the machine itself.
Next was Zoe.
BAM!
"80 points."
Somehow, Lily had acquired pom-poms from absolutely nowhere and was now waving them enthusiastically alongside Ivy and Nkechi.
Fiona went next.
BAM!
"50 points."
"No! That machine is rigged!" Lily gasped dramatically. "My Fiona is stronger than that!"
The crowd burst into laughter as George quickly pulled Lily back before she could actually fight the machine.
The excitement only grew louder once Donald stepped forward.
He danced his way toward the machine, clearly enjoying every scream directed at him.
BAM!
"100 points."
The crowd immediately exploded.
"Donald, over here!"
"Please sign this!"
"He's so cool!"
Ivy rolled her eyes at the screaming girls but still cheered loudly as Lily stepped forward next.
Still fueled by rage on Fiona's behalf, Lily swung the hammer down with surprising force.
BAM!
"90 points."
"WHOA!"
"Lily! Lily! Lily!"
Ivy screamed the loudest out of everyone.
Lily practically bounced with happiness beside her before the guide called the next name.
"Ivy Da Vinci."
The field gradually quieted down.
Everyone stared curiously at the academy's rapidly rising new student.
"Come on, gorgeous!" Donald blew a horn dramatically beside the still-jumping Lily.
Ivy cracked her knuckles before grabbing the hammer.
"Damn... this thing's heavy."
She huffed softly, tying her hair up before adjusting her stance.
Then—
BAM!
"100 points."
The entire field erupted into chaos.
Donald and Albert led the loudest cheers while many girls nearby looked far too jealous to applaud properly.
Nora's smile froze slightly as she watched Ivy standing beneath all the praise and admiration.
But after a brief moment, she quietly fixed her expression again.