Chapter 36: End of the Assessment

Mysterious Realm, Dusk Valley.

On a solitary stone rests a youth, whose body is covered in blood. This youth is tall, dark, and bulky, but his appearance doesn't quite meet the standard of being considered handsome. Despite his exhaustion, his eyes still radiate an unwavering fighting spirit.

This youth goes by the name Tigrem, and since meeting Gabriel, he has dedicated himself to honing his skills with his trusted axe. Tigrem's repeated usage of his skill has led to it being raised in level by two times, and he has maximized another skill using the skill points he has earned.

While on his journey, Tigrem has accumulated a substantial number of white-tier equipment. Surprisingly, among his loot, he found a higher-ranked green item.

.....

[Name: Apprentice Heavy Boots]

[Item Type: Feet]

[Defense: 35]

[Grade: Green]

[Description: Everyone wishes they were as cool as the person wearing these boots.

Additional Attributes:

+15STR

+5INT

+10% Defense

Special Effect: +100HP regen per second]

[Durability: 200/200]

....

Upon checking the status of the equipment, Tigram quickly equipped it and immediately felt the impact of its HP regen effect. This particular effect appeared to offset the side effect of his talent, which had been previously unmanageable. With the equipment's effect, Tigram's HP was regenerating at a remarkable rate of 100 points per second, completely negating the -1% HP loss per second that came with his talent.

Feeling more confident than ever, Tigram proceeded to unleash his talent, which he could now activate for a longer duration. He went on a rampage, slaughtering every monster he came across in the Valley.

In addition to his victory, Tigram also managed to loot a skill book that appeared to be compatible with him. He obtained this skill book by killing a 1★-Bronze Ogre, which proved to be a valuable addition to his collection.

.....

[Name: Skill Book]

[Type: Tome of skill]

[Grade: White]

[Skill (Battle Rage): While in an enraged state, your attacks will be intensified by 20%, causing greater damage to your enemies. Additionally, you will be able to bypass 10% of the defense of the enemy unit, making it easier to defeat them.

Duration: 60 seconds

Mana Cost: 100

Cooldown: 20 seconds

Class: Berserk Type]

....

Having this skill increases further his chances of killing 1★-Bronze stage enemy. He is already considering going beyond 1★-Bronze but discarded his plan in the meantime.

Tigram continued on his farming throughout the entire duration of the assessment until it ended, unfortunately, he still could not surpass Gabriels point.

.....

[Second Place: Tigram Gray

No. of Kills = 101 - Iron ★, 15 - Iron ★★, 5 - Iron ★★★, 3 -Iron ★★★★, 5-Iron ★★★★★★★★★★,1-Bronze ★ (shared), 85 - Bronze ★

Points = 87,580

Class: Berserk- Type, Barbarian]

....,.

Seeing the gap in points, although Tigram was disappointed, he just sits down on a stone and closes his eyes.

Seconds later he was engulfed with light and exited the Mysterious Realm.

...

Mysterious Realm, Reef Tide.

SPLASH!

SHIIIIINGG!!

SPPLAAASHH!

[Prompt! You have killed Murloc! Gain exp 2400!]

[Prompt! You obtain exp orb (15,000)!]

A furious youth, his face contorted with anger, screamed in frustration. "Why am I so slow?" he shouted, his voice ringing out across the quiet forest. "The assessment is ending soon, and I, Dave Blake, haven't even reached level 10 yet!"

Gasping for breath, he let out a string of curses. "Damn it all," he muttered, his pride wounded. Dave had always been an arrogant fellow, and he disdained the use of items like exp orbs, thinking them beneath him. However, he had recently come into possession of three of them, two of which he had just looted from slain beasts right now.

Despite his reservations, he knew that he couldn't afford to waste any more time. As the son of the richest man in the city, he was all too aware of the rewards that awaited those who reached level 10 on the assessment - a piece of generous equipment, of their choice, from the empire.

And he had his eye on a sword.

Frustrated and desperate, he took out one of the exp orbs and prepared to use it. "F*ck!" he swore, knowing full well that he was betraying his principles. But he couldn't let his chance slip away.

[Prompt! Do you want to use exp orb (10,000), N/Y?]

He hesitated again for a little while, then, he clicked yes.

[Congratulations! You level up, +1 level]

[Prompt! You obtain 5 stats points]

[Prompt! You obtain 1 skill point]

He opened his status window and distributed his points.

...

[Name: Dave Blake]

[Class: Squire]

[Level: 10, Iron Late Level]

[Health Point: 2,000/2,000]

[Mana: 800/1200]

[Experience: 101,527/100,000]

[Defense: 152(+15)]

[Physical Attack: 135(+100) – 145(+150)]

[Attributes: STR: 43(+9), AGI: 22(+2), DEX: 6, INT: 3, VIT: 11(+5)]

[Skills: 

Triple Slash Level 10

Parry Level 3]

[Tome skill:

Lightning Blade]

[Talent: Infinity Edge (O)]

[Equipment: Battle Sword, Breast Plate, Greaves, Steel Gauntlet

Equipment Effect:

+300 HP

+30% increase in PATK per attack

+15 Defense]

He closed his status window and planned on opening his Ranking points next.

[Third Place: Dave Blake

No. of Kills = 109- Iron ★, 11 - Iron ★★, 5 - Iron ★★★, 5 - Iron ★★★★, 2 - Iron ★★★★★, 70-Iron ★★★★★★★★★★, 50 - Bronze ★

Points = 87,560

Class: Warrior - Type, Swordsman]

....

Dave stared at his window screen in disbelief as he saw his assessment ranking. Despite all his hard work and effort, he was still in third place. His heart sank and his pride took a huge hit again. His emotions right now were starting to get chaotic.

As he stood there, frozen and unsure of what to do next, he suddenly felt a strange sensation. It was as if he was being enveloped by a bright light that was transporting him to another realm. In an instant, he found himself standing outside the mysterious realm, completely disoriented.

...

School Grounds.

As the Realm's entrance glowed with an intense light, many students emerged from it, one by one.

WOOOOSH!

WOOOOSH!

WOOOOSH!

WOOOOSH!

Each student's face was revealed as the light faded, and it was evident that almost all of them had participated in the assessment. Although not everyone was successful, the number of failed students was minimal.

As they stepped out of the dungeon, the students lined up according to their classes. Gabriel scanned his classmates and felt proud of their achievements. Out of the 17 students who entered the second round, all of them came out bearing good results. However, their physical appearance suggested that they had endured a lot of hardship and challenges inside the dungeon.

After a few minutes, Mr. Hanz arrived, looking pleased but worried at the same time. He greeted his students with a smile, trying to lift their spirits. "I'm very proud of all of you! This time, all of you came out of the assessment, and your bodies are all intact!" he joked, but his expression quickly turned serious.

"It can only be said that while the title of Orion brought the highest honour, it was also accompanied by endless dangers!" Mr. Hanz cautioned. "I want all of you to be more careful in the future, for your life is more important than the fleeting fame of becoming an Orion. As your teacher for the past nine years, I know you all too well."

Mr. Hanz paused for a moment, his eyes scanning each student's face. "Always remember, you have to survive to fight!" he reminded them before turning his back and facing the stage, waiting for the principal to arrive.

....

After a few minutes

As the students eagerly waited in front of a majestic stage, the principal appeared on stage. He stood tall and confident as he faced the crowd and began his speech, congratulating the students on passing the assessment and expressing his pride in all of them as their principal.

He spoke highly of their strong will, courage, and ability to turn the impossible into possible, time and time again. He reminded them that they had all proven themselves to be worthy of being an Orion.

The principal then proceeded to deliver a long, inspirational speech that left the students feeling motivated and empowered. He emphasized the importance of faith, which he defined as the belief in something that cannot be seen or proven, and how it can be a source of strength and courage to help them overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

He also talked about the importance of truth, which he defined as the reality of things, as opposed to what we believe or imagine. He explained that it is a shield that can protect us from deception and illusion and that they should not believe something until it is proven true. He then raised his right hand and opened his two fingers to show it to the students in front.

The principal went on to talk about the significance of knowledge, which he defined as the understanding of things gained through experience or study. He explained that it is an armor that can help us make wise decisions and defend ourselves against those who would seek to harm us. He encouraged the students to never stop learning, as every day brings new opportunities to gain knowledge and expand their understanding of the world. He reminded them that knowledge is power, and the more they know, the more successful they will become.

The principal paused for a while before continuing, emphasizing that there are no useless classes in this world, only useless people without sufficient knowledge. He stressed the importance of continuing to seek knowledge and striving to better ourselves because, in doing so, we will be unlocking our full potential.

The principal then concluded his speech by reminding the students that it's okay to be imperfect and that they should not be afraid to fail. He encouraged them to be true to themselves and live their lives to the fullest, focusing on being the best version of themselves rather than trying to be someone they are not. He reminded them that failure is a part of life, and we all make mistakes, but what's important is to learn from our mistakes and keep moving forward.

He acknowledged that during their 9-year stay in the academy, the students had shared laughter and tears, formed friendships, and made lasting memories. He reminded them that it's important to hold onto all the lessons and memories they acquire throughout life as they can be incredibly valuable when they least expect it. He encouraged them to cherish each experience and the knowledge gained from it, as they are a part of who they are and who they will become.

The principal concluded his speech by congratulating each and every one of the students on successfully passing the final examination required by the academy for graduation. He expressed his excitement and pride for their remarkable achievement, indicating that they had demonstrated that they were deserving of their place in this world.