In the end, Team Seven was the group name decided on, and the documents were submitted.
Simon observed the other students in Class A while the students who had decided on a group were exchanging talks in a relaxed mood.
Simon's group was the 7th group, meaning that 28 students had already formed a group. The competition among the remaining students was fierce and bloody.
Now, there were only a few students who were moving individually. The students mostly gathered the rest of the group members after forming 2-3 people.
"Wouldn't it be better if we just merged? You're two, and we're two so—"
"Two of you are Poison aspirants. Why do we have to join a dogshit group?"
"Woah, they're terrible. What the hell is that combination of two Jet-Blacks?"
If you made a group with your friends or close people, this was a problem.
They got to know each other quickly because they had the same field of interest or major they wanted to pursue, but it was bad to stick together with the same major aspirants in a group class.
The Beginner Dark Magic class evaluated a whopping eight subjects.
When having different majors for all four members of the group wouldn't be enough, it was a huge loss if they had overlapping majors. Those who still couldn't make a group usually had that problem.
"I'll save only one person from your group."
A blonde female student walked up with an arrogant expression on her face and raised her finger. She had already found two members.
"Get lost!"
"If you hadn't taken Lucy, we'd already be a four!"
A female student stepped forward as the other group members growled displeased faces.
"L-Leader?"
"I'm sorry, everyone."
She said it even without looking back.
"I'm an aspirant of Hemomancy. It's fine, right, since it doesn't overlap?"
"Welcome! You're quick-witted after all. Assistant teacher! We'll submit!"
The leader, who made the group herself, left and became the fourth person in the other group.
The remaining students trembled with anger, feeling the sense of betrayal.
'...That's cruel.'
This was what happened during the student protection period.
Simon seemed to vaguely understand why only three hundred could survive out of a thousand.
"There's no time to worry about others, Simon."
Said Rick.
"If we don't move forward relentlessly, we too will be eliminated. And elimination in Kizen means farewell."
"I don't even find them that pitiful."
Meilyn put her fingers together and blew on them.
"Lack of effort, lack of preparation, and lack of skills. It's been four days since they came to Kizen, and what have they been doing? If their grades were lacking, they could've tried looking for other ways to find groups."
Rick and Meilyn seemed used to this kind of atmosphere.
Finally, the 30 minutes that Jane said had passed.
A total of eight people remained. They feuded in groups of 2, 3, and 3, and in the end, no one was able to complete the group.
"For those students who haven't decided on a group, please come forward."
Jane randomly created two groups.
Group 15: Jet-Black, Jet-Black, Poison, Combat Magic
Group 16: Jet-Black, Jet-Black, Jet-Black, Combat Magic.
There were relatively many Mechanics of Jet-Black aspirants because, as it was a compulsory subject, other aspirants also had relatively high grades in Jet-Black.
Because of this, the demand for Mechanics of Jet-Black students in the market plummeted, and they ended up remaining till the end.
The students who had been called to the platform sank their heads with hardened expressions, and some students who had formed a group already sneered at them.
"Woah, three Jet-Blacks on Group 16? Is that for real?"
"Pfft, I don't think I'll see them next week."
"They'll be doomed if there's even one problem about Curses."
At the sounds of other students sneering, the 15th and 16th groups became even more depressed and hunched their shoulders.
After choosing the leaders, Jane looked at them and said in a quiet voice,
"Are you frustrated?"
The students nodded slightly. Some even shed small tears.
"There's no rule that your end will still be off because your start was slightly off. Remember this frustration now and try harder. Even if you're Jet-Black aspirants, divide yourselves up and study other subjects to raise your average grade. Then you'll see the light."
The students nodded their heads with a desperate faces.
"Then I'll make a major announcement first. Next week, after the student protection period ends, we plan to conduct a 'group performance assessment' in the first class of Beginner Dark Magic next week."
Hushed exclamations could be heard from around the room.
The performance assessment was a test that was directly reflected in grades. This was the real deal.
"Then I'll explain the contents of the performance assessment."
When she gave the signal, her assistant triggered the mana projector. A picture of a certain large monster appeared in front of the students, projected with light.
"This is…!"
It was a monster that even Simon knew.
A Cyclops.
A medium-sized one-eyed monster with monstrous power. It was a monster that lived mainly in the mountains of the western part of the continent and reigned as king there.
"Yes, your next opponent will be the Cyclops."
The students' mouths opened wide.
Aren't we skipping too much?
"I'll explain the rules. You and your groupmates must enter the underground dungeon in Kizen and work together to defeat the Cyclops."
Sounds of relief could be heard at the fact that at least they're going in with the group members.
"But only one student will directly encounter Cyclops. The other three can stand in a set position to support your groupmate or weaken the monster. You aren't allowed to attack directly with dark magic."
Clamor.
The three in the set position couldn't use offensive dark magic. Then it couldn't be said that it was completely a 4:1.
Jane continued her explanation.
"You're obviously allowed to use disruptive skills such as Exhaust, Bind, and Blind. Therefore, we'll allow the injuries of monsters out of that kind of judgment. Bleeding of Hemomancy and Poisoning of Poisonous Alchemy are also allowed. Of course, attacks by summons are allowed too."
"However, you aren't allowed to use 'direct offensive magic' such as Smite of Combat magic or Blood Arrow of Hemomancy. You'll know the exact standard when you receive the handouts distributed by the assistant teachers after class."
The students nodded with serious faces.
"The one student will wear powerful defensive magic under the participation of Kizen's safety guard. The grading criteria are the success or failure of the Cyclops hunting, hunting speed, stability, teamwork, creativity, and the perfection of dark magic used."
She continued after looking around the students, who went silent.
"You're going to have to push your skills to the limit this week to face the Cyclops. Instead of taking class carelessly, make it your own and use it for the performance assessment. That's all. Any questions?"
Countless hands rose from all over the place. Jane pointed at the student in front of her first.
"I'm Jamie Victoria! W-We aren't dealing with a real Cyclops, right? I heard that Kizen also has a virtual battle simulation system, so with that—!"
"It's a fresh, living Cyclops just caught from the western part of the continent."
Coldly asserted Jane.
"You'll have to sign a life waiver before you take the performance assessment."
With that statement, Jamie's face darkened rapidly.
"Still, it's probably weaker than a Cyclops you'd meet in the wild because of the curse and potion treatment for capturing. Next question."
"I'm Scott Snyder! You mentioned that the hunting of the Cyclops is also a criteria for grading, but what happens if we can't hunt them?"
"Failure to Hunt is the lowest score independent of the other criteria. If there are other failed groups, you'll compete with them based on criteria to determine the ranking."
A deep silence dropped in the classroom.
"There are three cases in which the 'Failure to Hunt' judgment is made. First, when an entering member becomes incapable of combat. Second, a professor or safety guard judges that combat is no longer possible. Third, if at least one of the group members raises their hand and declares that you're giving up the test. Next question."
The students raised their hands in succession and asked questions. Jane answered all of them smoothly.
In fact, the parts that the students were curious about were mostly similar, so after five more questions, all of the other students' raised hands were down.
"I believe that Class A has two more Beginner Dark Magic classes left this week. Each group will have time to present their Cyclops hunting strategy in the first class. As Jamie said earlier, in the second class, we'll have time to adjust and tune our sense of action through a virtual battle with a Cyclops. And the third class will be the real fight."
The words 'real fight' created a tense atmosphere in the classroom. Jane looked at her wristwatch.
"For the rest of the time, you'll be able to discuss the Cyclops hunting strategy with your members. First of all, decide the group member to battle the Cyclops and prepare a way that draws 100% of the strength of the other three support members. I'll be here if you have any questions."
Jane sat down on the chair as she had finished speaking. The assistants clapped their hands.
"Now, students, please begin!"
As if waiting for it, clamors broke loose from everywhere. Rick and Meilyn also leaned towards the table with their eyes shining.
"...As expected from Professor Jane, A real fight with a monster as soon as the protection period is over? So intense."
Said Rick. Meilyn had a twinkle in her eyes too.
"I like it though. My heart is just racing! Now I'm starting to feel like I'm in Kizen."
Simon looked around once and said,
"Let's also make a plan already. Is there anyone who wants to be the participant?"
Meilyn raised her hand. Rick, who was sitting next to her, cried out as he got hit, but her eyes were shining like she didn't notice.
"Me! I'll do it!"
"Are you confident?"
"I'm the strongest one here. Of course I should be the one to do it."
Rick stroked his cheek and glanced at Meilyn,
"Hey, hey! This isn't something that you can decide that simply. You have to approach it strategically! In my opinion, this performance assessment is so advantageous to the team with Combat Magic aspirants. It's as if they're trying to support Combat Magic."
"I agree too."
Camibarez quietly agreed with Rick's statement.
"The attacks of Cyclopes are heavy, making it difficult to block it with defensive dark magic, and it also consumes a lot of jet-black. Dodging would be best."
Simon slightly turned his head to look at how other groups were doing.
Like they had the same thoughts, he could see the Combat Magic aspirants, who struggled to find a group, confidently bringing out their opinions. Most of the groups with Combat Magic aspirants seemed to make them the entering member.
"Nope. I beg to differ."
Meilyn returned to her calm face again and folded her arms.
"Did you forget it already? Only the entering member can attack the Cyclops directly. What are the methods of attack for the Combat Magic aspirants right now? Beating them randomly with Jet-Black reinforced fists? How can you use that to hunt the thick-skinned Cyclops?"
"Ah...!"
"Yeah, that is a problem."
As Camibarez and Simon agreed, Meilyn smirked and leaned back on her chair.
"Then do you have a means of hunting the Cyclops, Meilyn?"
"Of course, Cami."
She smiled confidently and spread her palms out.
A magic circle was drawn on the palm of her hand before black flames blazed and rose up. Camibarez exclaimed,
"Dark Flare of jet-black elemental magic! Is this enough?"
"Amazing! Being able to use this magic already...!"
Rick was displeased with Meilyn acting arrogantly, but he had to acknowledge the Dark Flare.
"Then, I'll explain my plan."
Meilyn stopped the Black Flame and said while leaning forward,
"I'll burn the Cyclops with Dark Flare, and the three of you just go with cursing! If you guys keep stacking the exhaust curse to slow the Cyclops, I can cleanly burn it to ashes!"
Rick crossed his arms and clicked his tongue.
"With that plan, you'll be able to shine, but we're completely useless, aren't we? You, who's in charge of Curses, is set as the person entering, and you want us to only use curses like a machine behind you?"
"Then what could be a better plan than this? Tell me."
Rick was speechless because he couldn't think of one right away, but he twisted the direction and attacked.
"To begin with, that plan's prerequisite is that you can cast Dark Flare while dodging the Cyclops' attacks. Can you really dodge it?"
"Why couldn't I dodge it?"
"From what I saw, your physical strength was pretty damn poor. When we were running in Combat Magic, you were on the very end while huffing and puffing, and Professor Hong Feng had to help you because you couldn't even jump over the valley properly."
This time, Meilyn blushed.
"T-That's true, but...! No! Shouldn't you, who is in charge of the cursing, make sure to not let there be a chance of me being attacked in the first place? If I get beaten, your curses are just bad!"
"Curses aren't our specialty to begin with!"
As Meilyn and Rick were fighting like cats and dogs, Camibarez, who was caught in the middle, moved her head as she was flustered.
Bam!
The two flinched and turned their heads.
Simon, who hit the desk with his hand, had a serious expression on his face.
"Then let's do it this way."