Soon after eating, the exams started. As it turned out, the unlimited pizza must have been some sort of test too, as a saddening number of people simply ate too much and were thrown off their game.
Soon, Hawk-man, who was actually named Mr.Henrys, started to announce the rules of the exam. Everyone would be broken into groups of 4, 3 fighters and a crafter.
The Crafter would be expected to make as much gear or assisting items as they could in a 3 hour period, to then be distributed among the 3 fighters. The 3 fighters then had to figure out a strategy to fulfill the qualifications set upon the start of the test.
The Crafter would be judged based on how well their items and gear hold up and work, meanwhile the fighters would each be judged based on both team coordination and independent skill.
Unrelated to the primary exam, there was also a secondary exam for the lesser school, a written exam. This part of the school, however, excluded any Ranker-based classes.
As Lance walked around, aimlessly searching For 2 Fighters for his team, Iris silently followed, planning what to create for the upcoming exam.
Lance, among the crowd, spotted two people that did not appear to be in groups. The first was a conventionally pretty asian-appearing girl with a rather colorful cloak, a person Lance didn't recognize. The second person was someone Lance DID know, the Arabian guy from earlier.
Lance walked up to the two as they spoke.
The girl talked first, making a sad expression as she bowed.
“I'm sorry, but two speed Based Rankers wouldn't probably make for a balanced team. You should look for someone with either good Defense or a good Support if you want to ensure you'll pass.”
Hasib looked slightly annoyed.
“I'm telling you, i'm not *just* speed based. Also, in case you can't already tell, most of the teams have already organized. We don't have many choices here…”
Suddenly, the girl looked up, spotting Lance and Iris. Hasib noticed her looking off at the distance and saw them as well.
Hasib grunted.
“Hmm, looks like a Crafter and someone who doesn't know how to make his Path clear.”
Lance frowned. “What do you mean?”
Hasib pointed to a cloth he had wrapped around his left arm, Yellow in color. He then pointed to the yet unnamed girl, who had a Red bandana around her neck.
As Lance looked around, he spotted cloths, necklaces, scarves, bandanas, even hats in a few specific colors. Iris, too, wore an identifying colored necklace, Purple.
“Red for Warrior, Blue for Mystic, Yellow for Cultivation, and Purple for Crafting. You live in a cave or were you just ignorant?”
Iris spoke up.
“He just didn't know any better. As his master, I shall-”
Lance tried to shhh the girl but the damage and confusion was already done.
The asian girl looked much more confused and uncomfortable now, and Hasib was laughing uncontrollably.
“M-Master!?! Really? In this day and age???”
Lance sighed.
“Crafting Master. She's going to teach me crafting.”
Iris spoke again, arms crossed. “What other kinds of masters are there? Are you sure you aren't the ones with issues here?”
Hasib stopped laughing, wiping tears From his eyes.
“Ah, that was a good laugh. Now then,”
Hasib pointed to Lance.
“What's your Path? Or rather, what can you do in a fight”
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Lance smirked.
“I'm a Mystic with good Distance Control and Range. My highest Ranked Skill is A Rank.”
Out of the group, Iris looked silently pleased, the nameless girl looked surprised, and Hasib looked slightly annoyed.
“Really? Another person with a speed or range focus? We needed a tank!”
The nameless girl spoke up next.
“Actually, in hindsight, this is good team synergy.”
Hasib looked at the girl like she was insane.
“Woman, are you nuts? We have two speedsters and a ranger. We have no supports and no tanks, and we don't even know what we are fighting.”
The girl frowned.
“My name is Quyen Tien Le, not ‘woman’. And if you had anything behind your eyes, you'd have heard he said he has distance control in some form. That means he can probably move us out of danger even if we can't ourselves.
If anything, it's better than having one tank to cover for two glass canons like us.”
Hasib crossed his arms.
“I'm a defensive Agility Cultivator. I've been trying to explain this the whole time, but you kept ignoring me.”
Quyen sighed.
“Oh.”
Hasib spoke again.
“Feel like an idiot now, brain?”
Quyen brushed her black hair from her eyes.
“You're very annoying. I wish I wasn't forced to team with someone like you.”
“Likewise, Lady.”
as Lance watched the duo bicker, he and Iris both sighed.
Lance muttered under his breath.
“Please let me get through this exam!”
…
Soon, the exam begun, and Iris was lead off to begin crafting for Team #58, as the 4 were called now.
3 hours passed, and Iris returned, carrying a satchel with 3 items inside.
The 3 items were very diverse, clearly showing Iris wasn't a joker when it came to crafting things. The first was a collapsible spear, clearly intended for Lance. Lance had already meantioned his Spear Skill, and although he stated specifically that it was his weakest skill, Iris seemed to think otherwise.
The spear came with the enchantment of a Cultivation based Skill, Black Cat's Claw. This skill was an odd one, boosting your firepower every time something bad happened to you, in proportion.
Considering that usually crafters’ imprint skills they themselves have more often than other skills, Lance wondered if the skill itself was one of Iris’
The other two items were pills, each with a different effect.
The first pill would increase agility but make you more hurt by damage received, called the Rabbit's Foot Pill.
The other one was called Hell's Inferno, and this one was taken away by the instructor, stated as being “too dangerous for E Rank usage.”
To compensate for the lost item, the staff granted Lance’s team a standard health potion, created by the warrior path.
Lance was hopeful for Iris to pass, but he couldn't focus on his new friend right now, as he had to pass for himself.
…
Lance, Hasib, and Quyen found themselves at the entrance of the dungeon, but they were caught off guard by something.
Lance was the first to speak.
“D Rank? Isn't that a bit…”
The instructor, a lady named Mrs.Shelly, spoke up with a raspy voice.
“Do not fear, for you only have to beat one monster. I shall ensure you only have one opponent, and you must make it reach our standard of being beaten.”
The gate of Light opened as the Instructor pushed the team of 3 inside.
“Onward!”
Inside the dungeon was a muggy swamp, with chirping insects and nasty Smells galore.
Quyen looked absolutely horrified. In response, Hasib spoked her.
“Afraid of mud, Mulan?”
Quyen, annoyed but still scared spoke.
“No, you idiot! This is a Troll Swamp!”
“Correct.” The instructor said in her raspy voice as both Lance and Hasib went silent in fear.
Trolls were an infamous monster type, one of the kinds you never want to face. Why? Because they despite being dumb as bricks and slow as snails had skin as hard as iron and regeneration.
Quietly, the 3 marched through the swamp as water and mud splashed arlund them, the instructor remaining completely clean. Finally, Mrs.Shelly held up a hand and got everyone to stop.
She pointed to a silhouette in the trees.
“This Troll will suffice. Bring it to regenerate once and you will pass. There is also a secret prize for students who go above and beyond.”
Shelly stopped before speaking again.
“I will only step in if truly needed. Feel free to plan, but if the troll gets away, you will fail.”
Shelly vanished. Finally, Lance spoke up.
“Alright, we’re in a swamp. That means we aren't in our optimal environment for this, since both of you focus on speed.”
Quyen nodded with a sigh.
“My class is the Rogue class, level 62. Based on my stat spread, i'm meant for speed and offense, and i can't risk taking hits. My Skills are a Backstab skill, a damage multiplier for sharp weapons, and a skill for firearms that's unrelated to my Path.”
Lance pondered this.
“Did you bring a gun for your skill?”
Quyen smiled.
“Yeah actually, i have a six-shooter pistol with 6 bullets extra, it's my backup weapon.”
Hasib groaned.
“Guns? In a dungeon? I didn't know they even had skills for firearms!”
Lance looked to Hasib. “The Paths may not have much as far as gun skills, but there are some neutral skills for them.”
Lance grinned.
“I have a plan!”
…
As Konstantina Karmine watched the ongoing tests, she sighed. This year didn't seem to have many solid talents, save for a few golden eggs mixed in with the rotten ones.
Watching one group in particular, a boy ordered his teammate, a girl, to open fire on a Troll. Firing a gun roughly 6 times, the Troll seemed to stumble for a moment in surprise.
Karmine chuckled. Bringing a gun to the exams was always amusing, as often such students didn't realize that was already accounted for. These exams were thought out well in advance, and parlor tricks like guns never did much but piss off the focus of the exams.
The troll stood back up, no vitals having been hit, and not even really bleeding Much. It looked back at its opponents with newfound anger. Karmine closed her eyes and sipped some tea, knowing that if these students escaped with no broken bones, they would still likely fail.
…
“Shit!” Hasib shouted as he ran, dodging to the left. A massive arm slammed into the ground, making it rumble and sending mud cascading down the hill to its other side.
Hasib punched the troll full force with some sort of energy attack, but it left little effect. In response, he simply kept running, or rather hobbling through the mud as fast as he could.
The Troll, still refusing to regenerate, had tiny holes peppering Its already ugly torso and face. Due to its sheer size however, it simply continued charging.
Lance, trying to quickly think, observed his environment.
There was mud everywhere, water, and plants, making navigating and especially running difficult. To make the best of the team's skills, they needed a hard terrain, perhaps a hill out of the mud.
It seemed Lance's teammate had already realized this however, as Quyen shouted out.
“There's a tall hill between the trees, follow me!”
Hasib, struggling to escape the angry Troll, followed Quyen’s voice and scrambled up the hill.
Lance, quick as he could, ran for the hill, winding up behind the troll, who hadn't noticed him.
Hasib was struggling to outspeed the Troll, and had all of its focus at the moment. Lance saw an opportunity to free his teammate from the agro and took it.
Quyen shouted from the other side.
“Don't attack Lance, Hasib is fine! Use your distance skill to join us!”
Hasib cried out.
“I'm definitely not fine! You clearly are just heartless!”
Lance, determined, spoke.
“I got your back Hasib!”
Quyen shouted. “Stop! You won't be able to get away if it doesn't work!”
Quickly, Lance pulled out his spear, activating his shitty F Rank spear skill and lunged for the troll’s back. From what Lance could recall from the dungeon manual, Trolls were mostly immune to energy attacks, making Lance's Fireballs mostly useless and not worth trying.
As such, he needed to rely on his spear for this fight, since obviously this thing had to have some sort of weakness.
Lance struck at the back of the Troll, and it stopped, a crack forming on its back shell.
A second later, it turned around, unphased and even more pissed.
Lance spoke his mind, looking down.
“Well shit.”
The Troll stomped down on Lance, who wasn't quick enough to move away. He completely forgot his distance manipulation skill in the moment.
“Lance!” Quyen shouted In horror.
Lance felt the world go dark as he passed out.