The cold morning air felt heavier over the battlefield, now that the fighting had finally ceased. Medical teams and engineers rushed between the injured cadets, treating those who had barely made it through. Meanwhile, the instructors still struggled to understand what had truly happened during the exam.
Vanessa stared at the collected combat data from various points across the battlefield. One anomaly was already shocking—the events surrounding Revand and Selene's team had defied all logic. But the other discovery only deepened the mystery.
"So, we have two major anomalies," Vanessa said, reviewing the data on her tablet. "First, Revand and Selene's team survived against a wave of Metavores that should have been impossible to handle. Second, there's another site filled with Metavore corpses—yet no signs of any cadets or instructors in the area."
Garret nodded, his expression tense. "And even stranger," he added, "the injuries on the Metavores found at the second site don't match standard human attacks—not from cadets, instructors, or even Aether Corps' regular weapons."
One of the investigation team's engineers approached, handing over an additional data tablet. "We found something interesting," he reported. "The wound patterns on some of the Metavores from the second site—most of them were inflicted by attacks that our sensors failed to detect. Some wounds are incredibly precise, as if someone knew their vital points perfectly. And... there are strange burn marks, the kind caused by high-energy weaponry. Weapons that were never used in this exam."
Vanessa's brows furrowed as she examined the data. "High-energy weapons? Those are only available to special Aether Corps units. No cadet or instructor here should have access to that kind of technology."
Garret exhaled, crossing his arms. "That means there's a possibility of an external third party interfering. But who? And why?" He looked at Vanessa seriously. "Do we have any visual recordings from the second site?"
The engineer hesitated. "Unfortunately, no. All surveillance drones in the area experienced interference and lost their signals before the incident. When we tried reconstructing the missing footage, all we got was static and distorted data—almost as if someone or something sabotaged our monitoring system."
Vanessa and Garret exchanged a concerned glance. This was getting more suspicious by the second.
If a third party was truly involved, then they possessed technology capable of disrupting Aether Corps surveillance systems.
"We can't ignore this," Vanessa said firmly. "We need to find out who—or what—is behind this. If there's an individual or group out there with this level of technology, they could pose a major threat."
Before they could continue their discussion, a voice crackled through their communication radios.
"The rescue team has located a cadet who was separated from the final battle. We've identified several individuals in weak condition, but none in critical danger. One of them is a cadet named Deren."
Vanessa's eyes narrowed. "Deren? He was part of the team at Revand and Selene's location, right? But he was found separately from them?"
Garret's frown deepened. "Is he in critical condition?"
"No," the voice over the radio replied. "He appears to have simply collapsed from exhaustion. But what's interesting is that he has no major injuries, and his armor is barely damaged. As if he avoided the most intense parts of the battle."
Vanessa's mind raced. "So... in the middle of all this chaos, there's one person who survived without taking much damage?"
Garret glanced at her. "We need to talk to him once he wakes up. He might have seen something before losing consciousness."
Vanessa nodded. "Agreed. We also need to prepare an official report for the academy leadership. Something much bigger happened in this exam."
They both turned to look at the battlefield, still littered with wreckage and Metavore corpses.
This was no longer just a simple cadet exam.
Deren's Perspective
Inside the medical tent, Deren already knew they were going to question him.
Yet, he couldn't help but smile slightly in his mind.
How should I answer their questions later?
For now, he continued pretending to be unconscious, enjoying a bit of extra rest while the instructors scrambled to piece together the mystery.
Interrogation Begins
Deren slowly opened his eyes.
The white ceiling of the medical tent greeted his vision, along with muffled voices of other injured cadets being treated nearby.
He was lying comfortably on a medical bed, surrounded by standard monitoring equipment.
Ah... this place is too comfortable. Maybe I should sleep a little longer...
But before he could indulge in his laziness, a deep, stern voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Deren, you're finally awake."
Deren tilted his head slightly, glancing to the side.
Standing beside his bed was Garret, his intense gaze locked onto him.
Vanessa was also present, holding a data tablet, her expression unreadable.
Deren blinked a few times, still pretending to be groggy.
"Euh... Am I dead?" he asked casually, still half-asleep.
Garret let out a low scoff. "Unfortunately, no. You're very much alive. But we need to talk to you."
Deren let out a long sigh.
Of course... in the end, I'm the one getting questioned again.
Vanessa wasted no time, immediately hitting him with the first question.
"We want to know how you were found with almost no injuries while the rest of your team was in critical condition. We also have testimony stating that you were thrown far by a Metavore attack. You should have sustained serious wounds."
Deren paused for a moment before answering. He needed to stay calm and not say anything suspicious.
"Well... to be honest, I don't really understand it myself," he said with a confused expression. "I remember getting hit by the explosion, and then everything went black. When I woke up, I was already far from the main battlefield. I tried to move, but my head was spinning, so I just lay there until I was found."
Garret narrowed his eyes. "So you didn't see anything after being thrown? You have no idea what happened on the battlefield afterward?"
Deren shook his head with an innocent look. "Not at all! Believe me, if I could have avoided all that, I would've run away much earlier. But I couldn't even move after getting flung away. I was just lucky to be alive."
Vanessa and Garret exchanged glances. The answer sounded reasonable, especially since many witnesses had indeed seen Deren get thrown out of the battlefield.
However, one thing still bothered them.
"But how is it possible that you didn't sustain any serious injuries?" Vanessa asked skeptically.
Deren shrugged. "Maybe I landed somewhere soft? Or maybe I'm just really lucky? I don't know. I just remember pain all over my body while flying through the air, then suddenly everything went dark. If I knew the answer, I'd have told you already!"
Garret let out a deep sigh. There were rare cases where someone survived a fatal attack purely by luck. But still, something about this felt too perfect.
Deren, sensing the tension in the air, quickly seized the opportunity to steer the conversation in a different direction.
He took a deep breath and said in a tired tone, "By the way... now that this is all over, can I leave the academy? Honestly, this is too dangerous for me. I'm not a fighter. I don't want to keep facing things like this. I just want a peaceful life... maybe open a small food stall or something quieter."
Garret nearly choked. "You want to leave Nova Academy?"
Deren nodded quickly. "Yes! I think this is the perfect time to submit my resignation. This is just too dangerous! I just want to live peacefully, sleep all day, and not have to worry about Metavores or deadly exams like this."
Vanessa stared at him as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Deren, you do realize that anyone who fails this exam won't be allowed to leave, right? They'll still have to stay in the camp and continue training until they become strong enough."
Deren paused for a moment. Oh? So if I fail... I don't get sent to the battlefield immediately?
His eyes sparkled slightly.
This could be the perfect chance to avoid getting involved further!
However, Vanessa continued, "Of course, cadets who fail are usually given additional duties as punishment, like cleaning up Metavore corpses and maintaining combat equipment."
Deren's face immediately tensed.
Ah, crap. I forgot about that part...
He really didn't want to do that kind of work. Every time he harvested Cores from Metavore corpses, he always left the bodies behind. Disposing of them? That was way too much effort!
But... after this incident, the cadets who failed might not even have to do the usual punishment tasks. With the large-scale destruction and the number of injured, cleaning up the battlefield would likely be handled by a specialized team instead.
Deren saw another sliver of hope.
"So... if I fail, I'll just stay here and keep training? I won't be sent straight to the front lines?" he asked, sounding oddly hopeful.
Garret nodded. "That's right. You'll remain in the camp until you're deemed capable enough to be transferred to the main forces."
Deren hid his smile.
Vanessa narrowed her eyes at him. "Why do you look happy?"
Deren quickly changed his expression to one of exhaustion. "Ah, no... I'm just relieved. I thought if I failed, I'd be sent straight to the front lines and die instantly. But if I can still stay here... well, that's better than facing Metavores head-on."
Garret let out a long sigh. "The final decision is still up to the academy command. Given this incident, they may change how they evaluate cadets. So don't get your hopes up yet. We'll make an official announcement in a few days."
Deren saw another chance.
If he could fail and stay here, then he could live a much more relaxed life.
"Alright," Deren said, stretching his arms lazily. "In that case, I'll wait for the announcement. Maybe this time, I can finally fail."
Vanessa just shook her head, while Garret stared at him with a complicated expression.
Deren's attitude was unusual, but they had no solid reason to suspect him further.
After they left the medical tent, Deren opened one eye and smiled slightly.
At least for now, I managed to get out of this mess... and maybe, just maybe, I can finally fail in peace.
After several days of recovery, Deren finally returned to his usual routine at Nova Academy's training camp. Even though his body had not sustained any serious injuries, he pretended to be slightly weak as he walked toward the dormitory.
Around the training grounds, other cadets who were still in the recovery phase sat around, some still discussing the incident that had happened during the last exam.
Deren stretched his body lazily and let out a wide yawn as Kael and Ryn approached him, their faces filled with curiosity.
"Yo, Deren!" Kael patted his shoulder. "You finally made it out of the medical tent! I thought you were going to stay there forever."
Ryn smirked. "Yeah, I thought you were enjoying the treatment more than you should."
Deren shrugged. "What can I say? I almost died, you know. After all that hard work avoiding combat successfully, I think I deserve a little vacation."
Kael laughed. "Don't joke around. We seriously thought you were badly injured after being flung so far. I even prepared a speech to honor your memory!"
Deren sighed, rubbing his forehead. Even in times like this, they're still dramatic.
As they walked toward the main training ground, Deren could feel it—several cadets were giving him curious and suspicious glances.
"Deren, something feels off..." Ryn whispered as he scanned the surroundings. "A lot of people are watching you."
Deren glanced around briefly. Sure enough, groups of cadets were whispering as they looked his way.
"Maybe it's because I still look amazing despite barely surviving a disaster," Deren said with a small smile.
Kael nudged him. "Or maybe they're wondering why you're the only one who came out almost unscathed while everyone else got beaten to a pulp."
Deren sighed internally. Right on point.
As they arrived at the main training ground, Instructors Vanessa and Garret were already standing before the cadets. Today was the evaluation briefing after the major exam, where they would receive new directives and potentially their initial rankings.
Vanessa began the briefing with a serious tone. "You have all undergone an exam that was far more difficult than what we initially planned. Due to the unexpected incidents, this evaluation will be handled differently."
Murmurs spread among the cadets. Deren kept a neutral expression, hoping that this would be his golden chance to 'fail' officially.
Garret continued, "We will reassess your results based on both individual and team performance. Some of you demonstrated exceptional courage and resilience, while others... still require a great deal of additional training."
Deren cheered internally. This is it! I'll be placed in the 'needs more training' category and get to stay behind without being sent to the battlefield!
However, the next sentence shattered his hopes.
"However, given the unforeseen circumstances, we cannot rely solely on exam results. We will evaluate your overall progress from the start of training up until now."** Vanessa's sharp gaze swept over the cadets. "In other words, no one will be immediately deemed a failure. Everyone will continue training until further evaluation is conducted."
Deren froze instantly. Wait... WHAT?!
Kael and Ryn exchanged looks and snickered at Deren's frustrated expression.
"You were hoping to fail, weren't you?" Kael whispered.
Deren could only let out a deep sigh. Why is fate always against me?
Vanessa continued, "You will all be assigned additional training before the final selection phase for the Aether Corps. Some of you may receive special tasks to improve your performance. Details will be announced tomorrow."
As the announcement ended, the cadets began dispersing into their respective groups, discussing the evaluation results.
Deren, on the other hand, felt like his world had collapsed.
"So basically," he muttered, "I still have to try? There's no way out?"
Ryn patted his shoulder. "At least you still get to stay here, right? You're not being thrown straight into the front lines."
Kael nodded, chuckling. "And hey, maybe you'll finally get a good ranking!"
Deren stared at them with a look of despair. They just don't understand how badly I want to avoid all of this...
As they walked back to the barracks, Deren started planning his next move. If he had to stay in the camp, then at the very least, he needed to find a way to avoid intense training.
Time to come up with a new strategy...
The Struggle Begins
Days passed, filled with exhausting additional training. The cadets were pushed to their limits, forced to improve before the final results were announced. From dawn till night, they underwent rigorous training in endurance, combat strategy, and weapons proficiency.
Deren, as planned, tried his best to perform terribly in every session.
During endurance training, he pretended to be easily exhausted and always lagged behind the others.During combat strategy simulations, he deliberately made reckless decisions, causing his team to lose.During shooting practice, he intentionally missed every shot, blaming it on "sweaty hands."
However...
It turned out to be much harder than he thought.
On one hand, many other cadets were giving their absolute best effort. They poured all their strength into ensuring they could pass and secure their initial rankings as official cadets. Kael and Ryn, though not as skilled as Selene or Revand, still trained diligently. They were even starting to show significant improvement.
"Oi, Deren!" Kael called out, collapsing next to him after finishing a grueling endurance run. "You don't look like someone who's trying hard."
Deren shrugged casually. "That's because I'm not."
Ryn narrowed his eyes. "You really want to fail, huh?"
Deren let out a long sigh. "To be honest, Ryn, if I pass, I'll just get thrown into more dangerous missions. But if I fail... I'll just stay in this camp and won't have to clean up Metavore corpses anymore. That's a pretty good deal for me."
Kael burst into laughter. "You're the only person I know who actually hopes to fail this exam. Everyone else is working their asses off to make sure they pass and get ranked."
"Yeah, that's because they want to be heroes or prove themselves," Deren replied, stretching his legs out lazily. "I, on the other hand, just want to live in peace without dying stupidly."
However, despite Deren's efforts to fail, there was one major problem—the instructors were starting to notice.
Under the Watchful Eyes of the Instructors
From a distance, Vanessa and Garret stood observing the training data on their tablets.
"Look at this," Vanessa said, pointing at the screen. "Deren's performance drop is unnatural. Before the big exam, he could complete all the tasks just fine. But now? Almost every additional training session has been a disaster for him."
Garret rubbed his chin. "He probably thinks he can deliberately fail and just stay in the camp without consequences."
Vanessa nodded. "If that's the case, then he's terribly mistaken."
The Moment of Truth
After several grueling days of sweat and exhaustion, the cadets finally gathered at the main training ground. Everyone looked tense yet excited, eagerly awaiting their evaluation results.
"Alright, cadets," Vanessa called out, standing before the formation. "After a series of additional training sessions, we have completed our assessments of your progress. Tomorrow morning, we will announce the final results and your initial rankings as official Nova Academy cadets."
Whispers spread among the cadets. Some looked nervous, while others were full of hope.
Deren, however, remained calm.
Finally, this will all be over, he thought. I did my best to perform terribly. I just have to wait for tomorrow's announcement, and I'll officially stay in the camp without being thrown into dangerous missions.
Kael enthusiastically patted his shoulder. "I can't wait to see our rankings tomorrow!"
Ryn nodded. "Me too. Hopefully, we at least get a decent position."
Deren smirked slightly. You guys can be excited all you want. I'll be enjoying my well-earned failure tomorrow.
However, unbeknownst to him, the instructors had other plans.
Garret smirked slightly as he reviewed the evaluation results. "Let's see if he'll still be smiling after tomorrow's announcement."
The Unexpected Outcome
The next morning, a bright sun rose over the Nova Academy training camp. The cadets stood tall in the main courtyard, their faces filled with anticipation and tension. Today was the day—the final evaluation results and official rankings would be revealed.
Deren stood amidst the crowd, looking far more relaxed than anyone else. He was certain his results had gone exactly according to plan.
I must have failed. That means I get to stay in the camp without doing anything dangerous... finally, I can relax!
At the front, Instructors Garret and Vanessa stood on the podium, holding the ranking results in their hands.
Vanessa began, "After a comprehensive evaluation based on both the exam and additional training, we will now announce your official rankings as Nova Academy cadets."
The entire training ground fell silent. Everyone held their breath, waiting to hear their names.
Garret took over. "For cadets who demonstrated exceptional potential but still require further evaluation before promotion to Rank B... Selene and Revand, you are given the rank of Talented Rank C. You will be eligible to take the advancement test to Rank B soon."
Selene remained composed, merely nodding, while Revand smirked in satisfaction. They had been the center of attention since the exam incident, and now they had an even bigger chance to rise in rank.
"Whoa, they're already close to Rank B?" Kael whispered to Deren. "They're way ahead of us."
"Hah... good for them," Deren replied flatly, more focused on waiting for his name to appear in the failure list.
Vanessa continued, "For Rank C, which signifies satisfactory performance and readiness for further training... all members of Selene and Revand's team have passed with this ranking."
Ryn clenched his fist in excitement. "Yes! We passed, Kael!"
Kael grinned. "At least we're not at the bottom! Our entire team made it to Rank C!"
One by one, names were called—and Deren grew even more confident.
His name still hadn't been mentioned, which could only mean one thing—he had failed! That meant he could stay in camp without getting involved in Academy field missions. His hopes were rising.
But then... his name was still not called.
Deren frowned slightly. Wait, why haven't they called my name yet?
Finally, Vanessa glanced at the last name on her list and announced in a firm voice, "And the final name... awarded the rank of Rank D... Deren."
Deren's world shattered.
His eyes widened. "What...?"
Kael and Ryn turned to him before bursting into laughter.
"Oh my god, Deren! I thought you were going to fail completely! But you still passed!" Kael clapped him on the back excitedly.
Deren, on the other hand, stood frozen in shock.
How?! I tried my absolute hardest to fail! I deliberately performed horribly in every extra training! I didn't even try in the last exam!
But fate had other plans. Instead of failing, he had been assigned Rank D—the lowest rank, but still counted as passing.
Vanessa concluded the announcement with a serious tone. "Cadets ranked D will undergo additional training and remain under further evaluation. However, they are still officially considered Nova Academy cadets. That means you are all now part of the Aether Corps. Congratulations."
Cheering erupted across the training ground as cadets celebrated their success. Meanwhile, Deren stood completely still, his mind blank.
It felt like a giant hole had opened in his soul. His dream of a peaceful life had been completely crushed.
Kael grinned and nudged him. "Hey, you don't look happy. You should be celebrating, Deren! You're officially a cadet!"
Deren let out a deep, suffering sigh, staring at the sky with a look of pure despair.
Why... why is this happening? Why can't I just fail?!
"At this rate, I'd rather have been put on the failure list! At least I could've stayed in camp without having to deal with anything outside," he muttered.
Ryn held back his laughter. "Haha! I guess even if you tried to fail on purpose, fate still pulled you into the Academy, Deren! You were meant for this."
Deren glared at him. "No, I was meant for naps, good food, and a peaceful life. This is an insult to my principles!"
Kael laughed even harder. "At least now you have a great story to tell—'How I Tried to Fail But Ended Up Passing Anyway' could be a bestseller!"
Deren covered his face with both hands. This was total defeat.
While the others celebrated their graduation, he could only sit in a corner, lamenting his fate. However, deep down, he felt that something far greater was unfolding.
It was as if fate itself was slapping him repeatedly, shattering all his plans to live a peaceful and carefree life.