Grayson looked at the heavy, leather-bound book in my hands and let out a short, stressed laugh. "You're seriously fighting with a bibliography, Viv? That's peak Psychology major energy, but we can do better."
"It's surprisingly effective," I defended, though I handed it over. "But I wouldn't mind a little more... structural integrity."
Grayson led us to his workbench. His hands moved with terrifying speed, fueled by the same "Level Up" energy Nicholas had. He grabbed a strip of industrial-grade serrated steel and a handful of heavy-duty zinc bolts.
"I can't make it lighter," Grayson muttered, his screwdriver blurred by speed, "but I can make it bite."
He bolted the serrated steel plates to the edges of the book cover, turning the "Logic Slab" into a jagged, heavy cleaver. He then wrapped the spine in grip tape so it wouldn't slip if it got covered in... well, "data."
[ITEM UPGRADED!]
[EQUIPMENT: THE REINFORCED THESIS (SHARP/BLUNT)]
Bonus: +15% Bleed Damage.
Special: "Weight of Knowledge" – Each hit has a chance to Stun enemies Level 3 and below.
As I took the book back, feeling the dangerous new weight, the air in the basement suddenly vibrated. This time, the blue windows didn't just appear for one of us. A massive, golden-bordered screen expanded in the center of the workshop for everyone to see.
[NOTIFICATION: FULL PARTY DETECTED]
[CRITERIA MET: 4/12 MEMBERS]
[LEGAL STATUS: REGISTERED SURVIVOR SQUAD]
[ATTENTION: THE REGIONAL RANKINGS ARE NOW ACTIVE.]
[CURRENT RANK: #48 (CAMPUS ZONE)]
"Rankings?" Nicholas looked at the screen, his eyes wide. "You mean there are forty-seven other groups doing better than us?"
"Or they just started earlier," I said, my eyes scanning the data. "The System is turning survival into a competition. It's a classic social pressure tactic to force us to move faster."
Current Party Status: The Graduating Class
| Vivienne | Behavioral Analyst | 1 | The Reinforced Thesis (Serrated) |
| Neveah | Novice Healer | 1 | Bandages |
| Nicholas | Slugger | 2 | Aluminum Bat |
| Grayson | Combat Engineer | 2 | The "Whirlwind" Buffer |
Party Buff: [Academic Solidarity] – When standing within 5 feet of each other, the party gains +10% Defense against mental fear effects.
Grayson shouldered his power-cord reel and grabbed the handle of his "Whirlwind" buffer. "If we're on a leaderboard now, we're targets. We need to get to that clinic before another group loots the supplies."
I nodded, gripping the new, cold steel edges of my book. "Nicholas, you and Grayson take the front. Neveah and I will guard the rear. Let's show the System what a Psychology major does to a curve."
"Wait," I said, holding up a hand before we stepped out of the workshop. I pointed at the golden screen floating in the air.
Under our rank, there was a placeholder where a name should be. It currently just read: [VIVIENNE'S TEAM (TEMP)].
"We're on a leaderboard now," I said. "If people see us coming, or if the System is tracking our progress, 'Vivienne's Team' sounds like a study group for a mid-term. It doesn't exactly scream 'don't mess with us.'"
Nicholas swung his bat, testing the weight. "How about The Home Run Kings?"
"I'm not a 'King,' Nick," Neveah pointed out, adjusting her medical bag. "And Grayson doesn't play baseball."
Grayson looked at his whirring floor buffer. "The Machine Shop? The Gear-Heads?"
I shook my head, my mind going back to the reason we were all here in the first place. We were supposed to be wearing gowns and throwing caps. We were supposed to be starting our lives, not fighting for them.
"We're the ones who were supposed to finish today," I said, looking at our mismatched weapons and graduation gear. "The System thinks this is our final exam? Fine. Let's name ourselves after the one thing we're all here to do."
"What's that?" Nicholas asked.
"Graduate," I replied. "But since we're doing it through a portal and a horde of monsters, let's make it official."
I reached out and tapped the floating screen, typing in the new name.
[PARTY NAME UPDATED: THE ALUMNI]
"I like it," Neveah said with a small, brave smile. "It sounds like we already won."
"It sounds like we survived the four-year grind," Grayson added, checking the bolts on his buffer. "Now we just have to survive the afternoon."
[NOTIFICATION: PARTY NAME 'THE ALUMNI' REGISTERED]
[RANK: #48 — REGIONAL CAMPUS ZONE]
"The Alumni it is," I said, feeling a surge of pride that wasn't just a System buff. "Now, let's go get those supplies. Grayson, Nicholas—clear a path."
The basement door groaned as Grayson kicked it open. The roar of the "Whirlwind" buffer filled the stairwell as we began our ascent to the first-floor lobby.