Path of the Extra

Ebonclimber – 20 points

Shardling Giant – 15 points

Void Scorpion – 5 points

Nightstrider Hawk – 5 points

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Points required to pass – 20 points

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Azriel and his teammates stared at the sudden list on their watches, confusion evident on their faces. Azriel zoomed in on the last line, using the touch screen feature.

Before they could make sense of it, a familiar voice blared from the speakers of their watches.

“Test, test! Can you all hear me? Great!” Solomon’s voice was as annoyingly chipper as ever. “As you’ve probably figured out, those are the points you can earn by killing the specific void creatures lurking in this death zone I so generously dumped you into.”

The group collectively froze, wide-eyed.

“No need to worry,” Solomon continued, clearly enjoying himself. “This death zone belongs to the academy, and the creatures here are at levels you cadets should be able to handle. Well, except for the Ebonclimber and Shardling Giant—maybe don’t get cocky with those two.”

There was a pause, as if he were savoring their growing dread.

“Now, you might be wondering, what’s the point of these points? Great question, me! I forgot to mention—we’re starting this class with a test! Get 20 points by the end of this session, and you pass. Fail, and… well, let’s just say passing this class is only going to get harder from here.”

The watches went silent for a moment before his voice returned, louder and sharper.

“Oh, one more thing! Anyone who does something remotely stupid and is going to get themselves killed? I’m not saving you. Good luck!”

The connection abruptly cut off, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. Azriel raised his eyes from his watch, his expression calm despite the chaos brewing around him.

His teammates, on the other hand, wore varying degrees of shock and unease. Lyra bit her lip nervously, Curtis avoided meeting anyone’s gaze, and Isolde’s hands trembled slightly, though she tried to hide it.

Celestina, however, remained serene, even amused. She glanced at Azriel, her eyes lingering for a moment longer than necessary before she turned to address the group.

“We should introduce ourselves properly before we start hunting,” she said, her voice confident but serious. “Let’s figure out what we’re all capable of so we can avoid unnecessary risks—and failure.”

Her words snapped the others out of their daze. Lyra, Isolde, and Curtis all nodded without hesitation.

The group sat down in a small circle on the forest floor. Azriel hesitated briefly before sighing inwardly and taking a spot between Celestina and Curtis.

The air felt awkward. Lyra and Curtis kept glancing nervously between Celestina and Azriel, while Isolde’s tense smile betrayed her unease.

Azriel didn’t blame them. It wasn’t every day you ended up on a team with two members of royalty.

“Cadet Isolde,” Celestina began, breaking the tension with a polite smile, “you’re from the Bennet clan, aren’t you?”

Unlike Azriel, who sat with a casual slouch, Celestina’s posture was perfect, her every movement exuding the grace of an heiress.

Isolde’s face reddened as she scratched her cheek nervously.

“Ah, yes, my clan is allied with the Crimson Clan, Your Highness…” Her gaze shifted to Azriel, clearly more intimidated by him. “Prince Azriel, it’s an honor to be on the same team as you. I’ll do my best not to tarnish my clan’s reputation—or yours.”

Azriel raised an eyebrow, surprised by her formality. Forcing a polite smile, he replied, “No need to worry about reputation here, Cadet Isolde. Let’s focus on passing this test.”

Isolde nodded rapidly, determination replacing her initial nervousness. She took a deep breath before speaking again.

“As I said, my name is Isolde Bennet. My main weapon is a spear, and I’m a Grade 3 Awakened—almost a Grade 2.”

Celestina raised an eyebrow slightly, impressed. She nodded approvingly before turning her gaze to Lyra.

Feeling the weight of everyone’s attention, Lyra stiffened.

“L-Lyra Hall. Sixteen years old, single! My main weapon is a bow, and I-I’m also a Grade 3 Awakened!”

Azriel’s lips twitched as he struggled to suppress a laugh. Her words had come out so fast, he barely caught them.

“Pfft! Lyra, that single part wasn’t necessary!” Isolde burst into laughter, unable to hold back.

“Isolde! That was a mistake—stop laughing!” Lyra’s face turned scarlet as she jumped on Isolde, clamping a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

Azriel looked away, biting his tongue to keep from laughing aloud.

Curtis, clearly wanting to avoid the chaos, raised his hand slightly.

“Curtis Loks. Grade 3 Awakened. I’m also an archer.”

His voice was quiet, and he still refused to meet Azriel’s gaze.

Azriel and Celestina both nodded in acknowledgment.

“My name is Celestina Frost,” she said next, her tone even and composed. “My main weapon is a longsword, and I’m a Grade 1 Awakened.”

The others froze, staring at her in awe. Their expressions practically screamed admiration, their eyes sparkling as if they were gazing at a goddess.

Finally, the attention shifted to Azriel. He sighed inwardly, his smile strained as he introduced himself.

“Azriel Crimson. Sixteen, also single. My main weapon is a katana, and I’m a Grade 1 Intermediate.”

For a moment, there was complete silence.

Then Lyra’s face flushed red again, and the others’ eyes widened in disbelief.

One collective thought echoed in their minds.

Having him is overkill!

*****

Lumine stared at his group in silence.

His fist clenched tightly behind his back, the nails digging into his palm as he forced himself to stay composed. The scene in front of him was almost laughable—if it weren’t so infuriating.

“Who do you think you are, huh? As if I’d ever take orders from some no-name like you!”

“My, how arrogant—especially for someone who didn’t even make the top 10.”

“M-maybe we should consider making Cadet Lumine the leader? He’s the strongest in our team…”

“Listen to another no-name? Are you insane? He obviously just got lucky. His ranking will plummet in the next exam.”

“Forget it. We’re doomed to fail this test anyway. There’s no point… Those two won’t listen to reason.”

Each word chipped away at his patience. Their bickering filled the air like static, grating against his nerves.

Lumine’s expression darkened with every passing second.

‘Ah… I really miss Yelena,’