Within the intricate themes of romantic endeavors of heroines and the vast expanse of fantastical world-building setting that hidden gem game [Dragon's Heart] had to offer.
the tactical aspect were also unique, as there were interesting concepts were implemented.
Most players found themselves to undertake different results depending on how well performed with each previous mission.
As these results would completely changed the interaction with certain heroines whom been involved in said missions. Not to mention, you could actually gained either the special rewards or outcome that you always wanted to happened.
The primary obstacle lay in managing these missions is a delicate balance of utilizing certain skills between multiple characters within your party as effectiveness of a skill could inadvertently change the outcome of the entire battle.
Notably, bonus timer and victory conditions were also a key factors that were specifically aligned with these battle missions held a paramount significance.
For each battle was presented players with a pivotal results, offering four distinct battle results that would shape the outcome of these missions all throughout the game.
[ Accomplished - Complete - Clear - Pass ]
If a mission had been met a battle result of [ Accomplished ] was a cream of the crop, where players have met all of the victory conditions with a very good amount of time left. Achieving this rating bestowed those with the most of substantial EXP gains, Placing upon players with the best favorable outcomes.
For the battle results was [ Completed ], where those who have met at least most conditions of victory with a good amount of time left, would get more EXP gains with some favorable outcomes for those whom had achieved this rating.
Then, when players had only met either some victory conditions or the battle timer had ran out would achieved a battle result of [ Cleared ], gaining some EXP with at least favorable outcome.
However, if players had barely met the minimum requirement for victory would only grant them a [ Passed ] battle result. This isn't considered a "Game Over" but, couldn't gain any EXP from this mission including its outcome.
This kind of results and its outcomes made even the veteran gamer to realign their tactical objectives, utilizing skills that would greatly effected against their opponent and finished the mission with flying colors.
As someone who had finished every single mission of this hidden gem game, and as someone whomly wasted enough of its lifetime on replying all the mission, just trying to experiment with the outcomes and formulated my own guide of this vastly intricate world.
Would actually questioned of this outcome before me...
[ Holy Land Academy's Bulletin Tower ]
[ First Year's Evaluation Exam Rankings ]
[ First Place - Yumina Sumeragi - Knight Dept. ] [ No Class Was Assigned ]
[ Second Place - Luna Silverblade - Knight Dept. ] [ No Class Was Assigned ]
[ Third Place - Scarlett Rose - Mage Dept. ]
[ No Class Was Assigned ]
[ Fourth Place - ..... ]
[ Fifth Place - Sumia Flan - Knight Dept. ]
[ No Class Was Assigned ]
[ Sixth Place - Leonhardt Aincrad - Knight Dept. ] [ No Class Was Assigned ]
[ Seventh Place.... ]
[ Eight.... ]
[ Ninth.... ]
[ Tenth.... ]
[ Eleventh.... ]
[ Twelfth Place - Corrin Ashfallen - Knight Dept. ] [ No Class Was Assigned ]
....
.....
...
[ Twelfth Place... ]
[ No Class Was Assigned ]
What the hell....
As I looked up at the students' ranking on the tower, where my supposedly assigned class placement...
After wandering aimlessly through the sprawling and labyrinth-type layout of the campus towards the administration square for around like an eternity, but here I was, standing before the tower square and just witness this fucking anomaly.
The students' rankings were a completely wrecked, like most students whom been placed in top sixties hadn't assigned to any class placement.
It seemed the only person could do this sabotaged of class placement had been indeed that engimatic herione from yesterday.
However, being at twelfth placed in this rankings would only served me to stood out more in the spotlight.
With the way my performance ended during the beginning of the evaluation exam should completely assured that my standing somehow lowered.
Ever since the tumultuous first event was concluded five days ago, this dogshit system had suddenly been implemented with the same battle rating mechanics in the game.
Meaning that what happened at the end of the evaluation exam should've followed the predetermined outcome that I have been wholeheartedly wrote in the guide forums...
[ Dragon's Heart community post ]
[ Mission Walkthrough Guide ]
[ Mission 1 - 7a : The Evaluation Exam ]
[ Victory Condition: Leonhardt remains. ]
[ Defeat Condition: None. ]
[ Mission Passed: Just complete the evaluation exam without landing a single hit on the senior before the timer had ran out or Leonhardt defeated. ]
[ Outcome: Placed below 100th. Assigned in Class 1 - D]
[ Mission Cleared: Complete the exam with land at least a hit on the senior before the timer ran out. ]
[ Outcome: Placed below 50th. Assigned in Class 1 - C ]
[ Mission Completed: Complete the exam with land at least multiple hits on the senior before the timer had ran out. ]
[ Outcome: The senior's health is downed at 50% or below, assigned in Class 1 - B. Down at 20% below, assigned in Class 1 - A. Placing below 12th. ]
[ Mission Accomplished: Complete the exam with defeating a senior. ]
[ Outcome: Placing at 6th, making into the 12 knights of the holy land and assigned in Class 1 - S ]
[ Clearing bonus: 7500 crystalline, 450 exp. ]
[ Acquiring Item: Secret Book. ]
Despite the system being concluded that my yesterday's performance was [ Cleared. ], the outcome were vastly different from what the game was narrated. As someone like me placed among the twelve knights of the holy land, would be inevitably possible to encounter with him, the protagonist of this world.
Avoiding from the enigmatic heroine's interest list would be one thing for me to worry about, but now, I have stumbled upon a quite daunting task of dealing with the protagonist of this world...
From what I recall in the game, the protagonist's personality isn't only just a good nature type but also a very curious type. The more interesting a subject was, chances of him being curious and seeking out the truth were tremendously high.
Which is what happened during my sixth playthrough, when the protagonist stumble upon a rumor among the members of the student council about a underground organization lurking within the holy land, leading me unprepared for a secret quest of the New Wind Society.
I had to go such lengths abusing on countless save just for me to avoid those rumors. However, every time a new rumor popping out from nowhere, the protagonist tends to sniffing it like a mice seeking out a aromatic chesse.
Haah.... let's just hope that goody shoes protagonist won't try sniffing out those rumors about me.
As long as the protagonist stay in the main path that the game had predicted, I didn't have to worry of needing my intervention in the main scenario directly, and only focusing on improving my own strength as to preparing myself towards my true goal.
Though what I should worry about is for fact that I have probably stumbled upon a new plothole before me, this fucking floating screen.
[ Attend the Class ]
Right now, with how the way assigned class placement were still undetermined would mean there was something that delays its advancement to the next scenario.
Pondering the problem before me, I made my approached towards my certain friend of mine who also looking at their rankings. "Hey! Rein, How's your ranking?" I began, pretending to looked at his rankings.
"Quite good actually but anyway, it seems that certain someone had becoming the twelfth knight." Rein amused, his tone tinged with mixed of envy and delight.
"It's merely a fluke." I retorted.
"I only managed to land a single hit."
Rein regarded me with a knowing look, then a small sigh as he began. "Do you know that before you went against her, there's like no one, even her peers were failed to successfully land a hit, right?"
"Yes, I also heard about that." I nodded.
"Then you also heard about making a feat for yourself when hitting her with a critical hit like that? Based on how the battle was ended yesterday, I dare say that you've actually lured the cherry blossom on your bait." He declared.
What?!? A critical hit!
Despite suffered some beating to make an opening, even when using the strongest martial skill within my arsenal; only to grazed her arm.
That's why the dogshit system had concluded as [ Cleared ].
However, Rein insisted his statement, the information was came from the proctors's words themselves, he explained. "The proctor also confirming that you had struck a critical hit during the last attack, causing for the senior using her third level spell against you."
But still, this wasn't explained the anomaly I've currently facing. Is there something did I miss?
With a small sigh, I had to contend with the prospect of figuring out what kind of loophole, when I bump into someone, making a contact. "Ah, sorry..." I quickly apologized, amending for my abruptness, taking a step back.
As I glanced up at the ethereal figure before me, my words immediately caught between my throat the moment I recognized her.
As someone who finished the game, she was one of the heroines that is a must when you setting up your party.
Her pair of blue eyes were like a calming lake before the raging storm, her black hair gushing in the wind towards the east hailing her birthright, and an air of coldness, detaching herself from any form of emotion.
This girl's name is Yumina Sumeragi, the sword shaman.
"It's alright." She calmly responded, her blue eyes hinted a sense of curiosity as she pierced through me as if she was observing deep within mine.
With that, she readjust the strap of her luggage, take a quick bow and move ahead passed me, leaving me astonished briefly by the unexpected response coming from her.
If seems that this new loophole had greatly affected, even her story arc also affected as she was supposedly be entered among the first year's top class.
Of course, I'm also the same boat with her, being the twelfth knight and for a fact that a particular top class would only catered twelve students.
As some of the students noticed that they weren't affected by the undetermined class placement, once a thick crowd of students were slowly thinning up to what I assumed to be remaining sixty students.
With a sense of determination, she slowly approached towards a young man with striking black hair and bright golden eyes who stood in front of the remaining crowd.
I knew him immediately, the protagonist of this world, Leonhardt Aincrad.
Then a girl stood beside him was... Sumia Flan, his childhood friend who seemed her curiosity piqued mirroring Leon.
"Morning, you two..." Her voice disrupted my thoughts, and I noticed that Yumina was standing before them with her demeanor indecipherable.
"Ah... Morning, aren't you from the ship?"
"Yes..."
As Yumina and Leon exchange a few words, I turned my gazed at the stage in front of me, confusion gnawing.
"Is there any announcement?" I asked Rein, pointing my finger at the towering stage before us.
"I don't know... maybe it was related as to why our class placement hasn't announced yet." Rein speculated, his tone holding with a confusion.
So is this what delaying the advancement? I made my way towards the stage, as to confirming my suspicion to the loophole.
With how their rankings were already placed among the twelve knights, why are the school faculty hasn't announced their class placement?
What is going on?
Yumina suddenly stretched out her thin hand, a small bottle was offered to Leon.
Despite his bemusement by Yumina's unexpected offer, Leon still accepted her offering.
Sumia on other hand, was always perplexed by the atmosphere between her childhood friend and potential romantic rival.
Yumina hasn't make clear her true intentions, simply bow to Leon then left them as she disappeared through the crowd, leaving them both momentarily astonish.
Leon and Sumia exchange their thoughts as to what her motives, left unanswered.
As Leon glanced down in his hand, simply read a note sticking on the bottle, it's say "Thank you."
(That's quite interesting development we have here...)