This damn Cradle held the practical exam before the written exam.
Why was the order like this?
Was it because if you died during the practical, you didn’t even deserve to take the written?
Well, that would be more convenient, I suppose.
If you took the written exam and then died during the practical, that would just be a waste of time!
“Ah… I really hate this.”
I felt like crying.
Why wouldn’t the world just leave me alone?
Maybe I was paying the price for coasting through the past year.
“Johan, we’re ready on our end.”
“…Don’t any of you have complaints about the plan I came up with?”
“Nope!”
“Right….”
If there had at least been some disagreements, I could’ve used that as an excuse to step down from the team leader position. But no such luck.
Why did these people I barely even knew trust me this much?
Why were they so willing to follow my strategy without question?
Had I ever shown them any reason to trust me?
I didn’t know…
Still, since they said they would follow my lead, I had to give it my best.
If I were the only one failing, I wouldn’t care. But this was a team match. Besides, wasn’t this exactly the kind of normal, everyday life I’d been hoping for? I might as well give it my all.
“Alright then, I guess there’s no need for a separate briefing?”
“Of course not. If we can’t even memorize that much, what are we good for?”
“That’s true.”
The key to this exam was “what kind of strategy you used”.
The abilities of each team member were well-balanced, and their areas of expertise had been thoughtfully divided.
The important thing wasn’t taking down the enemy but rather destroying the enemy’s base and breaking their flag.
That meant how far you progressed with your own base, where the enemy base was located, and how you attacked it…. all of that would be part of the evaluation.
It was practically a mock war.
“Huh, is there really a team that can use all these materials?”
I clicked my tongue as I looked over the materials we’d been given in advance for base construction.
With this much, the five of us could probably build not just a base, but a full-blown fortress.
I supposed there really were teams who would go with that strategy, solidify a perfect defense, and slowly wear down the opponent before launching a slow assault.
The key would be how much you focused on offense versus defense.
“When exactly did they say the exam starts?”
“They said it starts at exactly ten. Be careful. We’re not even allowed to touch the materials before then.”
Each team consisted of five members.
How should those five be divided?
First, we’d need a scout to navigate this vast forest and locate the enemy base.
Second, we’d need infantry to attack the base once it was found.
Third, we’d need defenders to hold off attacks on our own base.
Fourth, we’d need engineers to build a solid base.
And lastly, of course, there had to be a commander to coordinate all those roles.
Surprisingly enough, I was the one acting as that commander now.
So, how we used these five people and what roles we assigned them would be the key. Most likely, we’d have to stay flexible…
“Johan.”
“Ah, right. It’s about to start, huh?”
Our plan was incredibly simple.
“Alright, everyone ready?”
For now, we had four scouts.
And we had four infantry as well.
That meant I would be the only one acting as engineer, defender, and commander.
The core of this strategy was overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers.
It was a match to break the opponent’s flag.
If their base wasn’t fully built, the attacking side always had the advantage.
This was the strategy I came up with after a long time of consideration…well, about ten minutes, really.
“The four-drone operation begins.”
***
The key to this exam was the balance between offense and defense.
But what if there was no base to defend in the first place?
What if we sent everyone to attack and crushed the enemy’s base before they could even finish building it?
Of course, because of the rules, constructing a base was mandatory.
You had to plant your flag within the first ten minutes after the exam started.
Of course…
“Ungh, this spot will do.”
A base didn’t necessarily have to serve the actual function of a base.
I stacked up some nearby rocks to make a “base”.
Wow, one good kick and this thing would collapse.
“Yaaawn…”
Now, all I could do was wait for the victory call to reach me.
What mattered was time. How quickly we could find the enemy’s base.
Of course, this tactic had a major flaw.
And that was the existence of enemy scouts.
Most likely, the enemy would send at least one scout early on to locate our base.
Even if they ran into our scouts who were moving in a group, it wouldn’t be a problem.
We’d show them the power of overwhelming numbers.
But if the scouts didn’t run into each other…
“Hey, I found it! Huh? You’re alone? Where did the others go?”
That also meant the enemy scout would inevitably reach me.
Hmm, maybe they were a bit faster than I expected?
I spoke to the scout, who was rolling his eyes at me.
“Your base will be getting destroyed.”
“Oh! I see!”
Startled by my words, he tried to turn around, but soon stopped and faced me again.
Guess he wasn’t that dumb.
“But if we just take you down right here, that means we win, doesn’t it?”
“Well, yeah, that could happen.”
Besides, the fact that my fighting power was trash was pretty well known, so it was only natural that taking me out would be faster.
However…
“If you can take me down, that is.”
I drew my sword.
The longsword, as it began to emerge from its sheath, was already wrapped in a faint blue aura.
By the time it was fully drawn, that blue aura completely enveloped the entire blade.
“That’s…”
“I’ve been leveling up too, you know.”
I used to be unable to fully coat my blade with aura.
It would flicker like an unstable flame.
Because of that, I used to rely on illusion magic to find openings, rather than enhancing my sword’s strength with aura.
But now, things are different.
“You’ve… really been working hard.”
“Of course I have.”
Now I’ve got gear on my side.
What, did you seriously think I found time to master aura through training? If I had that kind of time, I would’ve been in bed already.
This was Emily’s invention.
There was a special mechanism in the scabbard and crossguard that automatically coated the blade with aura when the sword was drawn.
Of course, just using something made by Ex Machina was dangerous in itself.
So if anyone started suspecting a connection, things would get pretty annoying.
I had Emily make items that wouldn’t raise suspicion.
After all, her specialty was magic engineering.
More specifically, battery technology capable of storing an individual’s mana.
Even the aura I was emitting at that moment was being drawn from a battery charged with my own mana, so there was no reason for anyone to be suspicious.
“Whew…”
I gripped my sword and took a stance. Since I didn’t need to focus on generating the aura myself, I could devote that concentration elsewhere. It made things a lot more manageable.
Above all, the biggest advantage was that I could cast magic at the same time.
“If you knew how busy I’ve been running around, you’d be shocked.”
“Sounds like it’ll be a fun story. Tell me later. For now…”
Whooooosh!
Fierce aura erupted from my opponent’s sword.
“Let’s focus on the test first.”
“Tch…”
So much for stalling with a bit of small talk. Guess that wasn’t going to work.
At a glance, my opponent clearly looked stronger than me. Why were even these no-name students on such a high level?
The average level in the Cradle was no joke.
“Hup!”
Creaaaak!
I blocked my opponent’s sword as he charged at me. I could barely even see it.
In that instant, I felt the weight of it.
Was this the same weight the Cradle students felt during sparring?
It felt like I might lose my grip on my sword at any moment.
However, it probably meant that the opponent was generating aura while also circulating mana through his body to withstand that level of power.
Thank goodness I had Emily’s invention with me. If I hadn’t, that last attack might’ve knocked me out immediately.
“Oh, not bad, Johan.”
“Thanks…! But I don’t remember your name, so I have no idea who you are!”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“What a nice personality you have…!”
Bang!
I managed to push the opponent back once.
More accurately, he let himself be pushed back to match my strength.
Keeping our swords locked together wasn’t a good idea. The aura on my blade was powered by a magic engineering tech battery, which was essentially a consumable. So the more I fought, the more it drained.
To coat the blade with aura again, I’d have to sheath and draw it once more.
There was no time for that.
“Guess I’ll speed things up a bit.”
In a flash,
The opponent closed the distance again. I had clearly just pushed him back, but he regained his stance faster than I did.
How was that even possible?
“Not so fast…!”
Still, I could see the sword’s trajectory.
Barely—but enough to respond.
However…
Thud!
Was this where our difference in combat experience showed? Mid-swing, he spun his body and landed a kick straight into my abdomen.
Even with protective gear, the shock rattled me from the inside.
“Guh!”
It felt like I was about to throw up what I’d eaten for breakfast, but I managed to hold it in.
If I showed any sign of weakness here, I’d lose my head next time.
Not that he’d actually decapitate me, but against a student from the Cradle where everyone’s skills were already above average it was hard to believe my protective gear would do its job properly.
Of course, since he was way more skilled than I was, he’d probably stop before things got too dangerous…
“Get… lost!”
Cradle students know when to hold back?
Yeah, right. Spare me the crap.
There’s no way I could endure what they consider “holding back.”
These guys bleed all over and still hold casual conversations like it’s nothing.
I’ll never forget the grudge I hold from being slashed across the chest during the placement exam….only to have it dismissed as a minor injury and lose my bed to someone else.
“Nice grit!”
The guy smiled like he was genuinely enjoying this. Even though I was coming at him with everything I had.
These bastards really do enjoy this stuff.
“But this is still an exam. Sorry, Johan. Let’s wrap it up here.”
Whoosh!
He’s coming.
This time too, I could see the sword’s trajectory.
But I had to be wary of other moves as well.
I couldn’t afford to fall for the same trick again and again.
A kick? A punch?
Maybe a shoulder slam or a headbutt?
I kept my eyes wide open, calculating how to block whatever came next.
But this time, the sword came in straightforwardly.
Tap.
There was no impact.
That fact alone threw me off.
This guy… did he just match my strength perfectly? But why?
The answer came fast.
Tzzzt!
His sword glided smoothly, and before I knew it, his crossguard locked onto mine.
Whip!
With a light twist, the crossguard caught my sword and sent it flying into the air.
He disarmed me.
A truly masterful technique.
I was dumbfounded. It made no sense, even when I saw it with my own eyes.
“…There’s this much of a gap between us?”
And I wasn’t even focusing on maintaining aura on my blade.
What was truly astonishing was that someone with this level of skill was considered an underachiever in Class F.
The Cradle’s standards were just ridiculously high.
“Sorry, Johan.”
His sword slipped smoothly under my chin.
Thankfully, the aura had already faded from the blade.
I raised both hands in surrender, admitting defeat without resistance.
It wasn’t like we were fighting to the death. It was just an exam.
“…I’ve surrendered, so I hope you won’t go overboard.”
“Don’t worry.”
He gave me a kind smile and pulled out a rope from his waistband.
Getting restrained was definitely better than being knocked out in the name of subduing me.
It would also help buy time, and he probably knew that too. But still, he really did seem like a genuinely nice guy.
“Here we go. Not too tight, is it?”
“No, this feels about right.”
And just like that, I was bound.
Not only were my arms and legs tied, he even went so far as to secure me to a nearby tree.
Honestly, just tying my arms would’ve been enough to keep me from doing anything. He sure is cautious.
Or maybe he thought I’d pull some kind of trick?
Well, thanks to that, I bought even more time.
“Wow… Did you seriously set this up as a real fortress?”
“Practical, isn’t it?”
“More like completely shameless, don’t you think?”
He looked impressed after seeing the fortress I had built.
Seemed like he was taken aback by the innovative and minimalist design.
“Maybe the strategy itself wasn’t bad. If only this weren’t a mock battle, that is.”
That was fair.
It did stray a little from the intended purpose of the exam.
To be honest, the fortress I made didn’t serve any of the functions a real fort should.
It’d probably collapse if he gave it a light kick.
And sure enough, he scratched his cheek awkwardly before giving it a casual kick.
The loosely stacked stones came tumbling down, and the flag toppled over.
But then…
“Huh?”
The moment the pile of stones collapsed, the flag that had been planted there vanished without a trace.
Yes, I had clearly said it—
I had built a fortress so weak it would crumble with just a light kick.
But then, was there really any need to fight near such a fortress? It was obvious the flag would be the only target. Even the aftermath of a nearby fight could easily topple it.
I had also mentioned that, unless I was directly forming sword aura myself, I could still use magic while fighting.
“Sorry, but that’s not the real one.”
And my specialty was illusion magic.
I hid the flag in a place where it couldn’t be seen from the beginning.
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