The sun rose on Wenstin, painting the canals and domed rooftops with hues of gold. The city buzzed with anticipation as students from all over the continent made their way to the evaluation site. The venue, a sprawling amphitheater of ancient stone and shimmering mana crystals, was situated at the heart of the city.
It was packed.
Massive hordes of people swarmed the area—students in every color of uniform imaginable, professors barking last-minute advice, and spectators jostling to get the best view. Vendors lined the streets outside, selling everything from enchanted snacks to tiny pennants emblazoned with team crests.
Ned looked around in awe. "Wow, this is like a festival... but with the added risk of public humiliation."
Reena smirked. "Try not to trip and fall on your face, and you should be fine."
"I make no promises," Ned quipped.
As the crowd settled, a booming voice echoed through the amphitheater, silencing the chatter.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS, WELCOME TO THE GRAND EVALUATION!"
Ned craned his neck, searching for the source of the voice. High above the stage, a man stood on a floating platform, dressed in an absurdly flashy nobleman's outfit. His cape billowed dramatically, though there wasn't any wind, and his mustache curled upward like it had been styled by a wizard with too much free time.
"I AM YOUR HOST FOR THIS EVENT—HUGH JASS!"
Ned snorted, trying and failing to stifle a laugh. "Did he just say his name is Hugh Jass?"
Reena rolled her eyes. "Don't be childish."
"Childish? I'm sorry, but the man just introduced himself as 'Hugh Jass.' That's comedy gold!"
Hugh Jass continued, oblivious to the waves of laughter rippling through the audience. "NOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. WHO IS THIS DASHING, INTELLIGENT MAN BEFORE YOU? WELL, I'M NOT JUST A HOST—I'M ALSO A TWO-TIME EVALUATION CHAMPION, A PROFESSOR OF STRATEGIC COMBAT, AND A CERTIFIED CLOWN AT PARTIES."
Ned whispered to Reena, "I believe the last one. This guy probably juggles flaming swords at weddings."
Hugh Jass grinned as if he'd heard Ned. "NOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET ME REMIND YOU—THE EVALUATION ISN'T JUST ABOUT TESTING YOUR TALENTS. IT'S ABOUT ENTERTAINING OUR BELOVED AUDIENCE! SO, LET'S GIVE THEM A SHOW, SHALL WE?"
He twirled his mustache dramatically before continuing. "THE FIRST ROUND IS A CLASSIC: CAPTURE THE FLAG. BUT WITH A TWIST! THIS ISN'T YOUR BORING ONE-ON-ONE MATCH. OH NO. THIS IS ALL-OUT WAR!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"EVERY TEAM WILL FACE EVERY OTHER TEAM AT ONCE. TO QUALIFY, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS KEEP YOUR FLAG SAFE. BUT IF YOU WANT TO EARN EXTRA POINTS—AND TRUST ME, YOU DO—YOU'LL NEED TO CAPTURE OTHER FLAGS. THOSE POINTS COULD MAKE OR BREAK YOUR CHANCES IN FUTURE STAGES!"
Ned leaned toward Reena. "Capture the flag but make it chaos. I like it."
Hugh Jass wasn't done. "TEAMS WILL BE MADE UP OF FIVE MEMBERS EACH. TEAM LEADERS WILL BE CHOSEN RANDOMLY. THEY CAN PICK THEIR TEAMMATES, OR IF THEY'RE FEELING SPONTANEOUS, LET FATE DECIDE FOR THEM."
He raised his hands theatrically. "AND NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY—LET THE SELECTION BEGIN!"
He shot a beam of light into the sky, which split into dozens of smaller beams that rained down on the field.
One of the beams landed on Reena.
"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement. "I'm a team leader!"
"Congrats," Ned said with a grin. "Please don't mess this up."
Reena immediately turned to him. "Ned, obviously you're on my team."
Ned winked. "I knew you couldn't resist my charm."
"Shut up and start thinking of strategies," she said, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward.
Ned scanned the crowd. "Okay, let's not rely entirely on fate. See those two over there?" He pointed to Ambessa and Bonita, who were looking around, clearly unsure of where to go.
"Ambessa and Bonita?" Reena asked.
"Yeah. We already know them, and they're strong. Plus, I'm pretty sure Bonita's pineapple obsession won't come up during a battle."
Reena nodded. "Good call."
They waved over the Hercules siblings. Ambessa strode confidently toward them, while Bonita lumbered behind her, grinning like a kid who'd just been handed a lifetime supply of candy.
"Thank you for choosing us," Ambessa said with a smile.
"Me. Happy," Bonita added.
Reena hesitated. "We still need a fifth member, but I don't see anyone else I know. Should we leave it to random selection?"
"Why not?" Ned said. "It's like a blind date but with more potential for death."
Reena sighed but agreed.
---
Once the teams were finalized, Hugh Jass raised his arms, and a brilliant light enveloped the participants. When the light faded, Ned found himself standing on a massive stone pyramid floating in the middle of a vast, shimmering lake.
The pyramid was enormous, with steep steps leading up to a platform at the top where their team's flag fluttered in the breeze. Similar pyramids dotted the water in every direction, each occupied by a different team. Above each flag, a glowing number "1" hovered, likely indicating how many flags the team had captured.
Ned whistled. "This is... intense."
"Focus," Reena said. "We need to plan our defense."
Before they could begin strategizing, a new figure approached. She was strikingly fair, her white hair shimmering like moonlight. She wore a simple but elegant outfit that contrasted sharply with the flamboyant uniforms around her.
She smiled warmly. "Hello, everyone. My name is Lily Walker. I'll be in your care."
Ambessa nodded in approval. "You seem capable. Welcome to the team."
Ned gave a casual salute. "Welcome, Lily. Just so you know, if we win, I'm taking all the credit."
Lily laughed. "Noted. Let's just make sure we don't lose."
Bonita thumped his chest. "We. Win. Crush!"
Reena clapped her hands. "Okay, team. Let's get to work."
As they gathered to plan their strategy, Ned couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. The first round of the evaluation was about to begin, and it promised to be nothing short of chaotic.