Practical experience

Today, we're instructed to form groups of seven for a practical lesson, and these groups are apparently permanent for the rest of the year. No wonder Selene was so upset earlier. It was a close call, almost getting stuck with random teenagers.

Suddenly, a miniature portal materializes before everyone, and our weapons are displayed inside. Each of us retrieves our respective weapons: my spear, Selene with her metal whip, Elizabeth's daggers, Gregory's large axe and hammer, and Damien's impressive spiked mace. I'm curious about the weapons the twins have.

Tama steps forward and effortlessly lifts a massive greatsword from the portal. It's huge, the handle only slightly below his chest, yet he handles it with surprising ease. Lani, on the other hand, chooses a metal bow with sharp edges and a set of sharp-looking arrows. It's an interesting array of weapons for our group.

We have been teleported to a familiar forest, one of the secluded places maintained by the academy. It's the same place we were taken to during our entrance ceremony. Selene explains to me that this is a test to see how much we've grown and how many monsters we can defeat.

"It seems we'll earn merits based on the number of monsters we kill, and this will be a weekly event until the year ends," Selene concludes.

I clap my hands to draw everyone's attention to me, finding a nearby rock to sit on and pulling Selene into my lap.

"Now that we're up to speed, let's hear about everyone's abilities," I say, looking around at the group.

Elizabeth speaks first. "My main weapons are my twin daggers, but I'm also a beginner mage with dual wind and fire attributes."

Damien follows. "I use this girl as my weapon," he gestures towards Selene with a smirk, "but I aim to be a mage. My main elements are shadow, space, and lightning."

Tama,speaks next. "I'm a weapon user, specializing in the great sword. I'm at Standard tier 2 level."

Lani, the female twin, adds, "I'm an archer, but those who get close to me don't usually live to tell the tale."

I take a moment to explain Gregory's, Selene's, and my own abilities to the group, outlining our strengths and what we bring to the table.

*

We continue our trek through the forest, the dense foliage and occasional sounds of wildlife surrounding us. After what feels like hours of walking, Lani suddenly drops in front of us from a tree, her red eyes twinkling with excitement.

"There's a goblin campsite about 20 minutes away from here," she announces, her voice filled with anticipation.

"Well, finally! Let's go," I say eagerly. We've been wandering for what seems like ages with no sign of any action.

"Wait, hold on," Damien interjects, his voice filled with panic. "We're just first years. We can't possibly take on a whole goblin campsite. There's probably more than 30 goblins there, and the strongest members of our team are the guy with the large sword and our boss here. The rest of us are only beginner weapon users!"

Damien's words make sense, but where's the fun in doing something easy? I motion for Gregory to grab Damien and drag him along with us. I hear Damien muttering something about us being insane as Gregory pulls him along. I can't help but snicker at the thought.

As we make our way towards the goblin campsite, the tension in the group is palpable. We're all a mix of excitement and nerves, unsure of what we'll find but eager for the challenge ahead. Selene walks beside me, her whip coiled and ready, while Elizabeth and Tama keep a lookout for any signs of danger.

After what feels like an eternity, we finally reach the edge of the campsite. From our vantage point, we can see the crude huts and flickering firelight of the goblins. The sound of their guttural voices carries through the air, mixing with the crackling of the flames.

"Now what?" Selene whispers, her eyes scanning the campsite.

"Now, we strike," I reply with a grin, adrenaline coursing through my veins. "Let's show these goblins what we're made of."

With a nod from Selene and determined looks from the rest of the group, we prepare to launch our attack on the goblin campsite.

I rush in followed closely by the others. The goblins may be short and ugly, but they are surprisingly fast and cunning, making them formidable opponents. I quickly understand why Damien was worried earlier.

Glancing over at Damien, I see him effortlessly smashing one of the green creatures' heads open with his mace. I can't help but chuckle to myself before joining in on the chaotic battle.

Gregory, with his massive axe and hammer, is using his strength to his advantage, but the gory sight of his attacks makes me grateful for my spear, glad it's not that messy. I dodge a flurry of darts and stab at the goblins in front of me, feeling a surge of anger from being targeted.

Meanwhile, Lani is showcasing her incredible archery skills, her arrows finding precise headshots with each release. It's a mesmerizing sight to behold as she takes down goblins one after another.

Suddenly, Selene her back to me, and I hear her voice over the chaos of battle.

"Want to try out a move we've been working on?" she asks.

"Definitely," I respond eagerly.

We move together in perfect sync, our weapons intertwining as we unleash a devastating duo combo attack. With my spear and her metal whip, we become a whirlwind of destruction, taking down six goblins that had surrounded us.

The fight continues to rage on around us, with Elizabeth and Damien holding their ground valiantly. Lani, having run out of arrows, now wields her bow as a melee weapon, striking with surprising speed and accuracy.

As the battle wears on, fatigue sets in, but the thrill of combat keeps us going. It feels like an eternity before we're suddenly teleported back to the arena, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion as if on cue.

"Welcome back," one of the twins says, scanning the exhausted students on the floor, some still standing but equally drained.

"The group that came in first dealt with..." The twin trails off, looking down at an orb in disbelief. The rest of the sentence hangs in the air.

*

I grab the orb from my twin, wondering what has him so surprised. As I glance at the numbers displayed, my eyes widen in disbelief.

"53 goblins?!!" I exclaim, stunned by the high count. Who could have accomplished such a feat? Goblins may be weak individually, but this number is beyond what I expected from kids at their level.

I see the name "Nathaniel Shadowcrest" displayed on the orb, and it all makes sense. Of course, it's him. This year, every other first-year student has been overshadowed by him and that Selene girl.

I scan the crowd and there they are, covered in blood and gore, looking like they emerged from the goriest depths of hell. Shadowcrest sits there, the pink-haired girl leaning on his shoulder. They must have faced a grueling battle, and it's evident from their exhausted appearance. Still doesn't take away the fact they actually dealt with 53 goblins, 7 students?

I walk towards them, Shadowcrest meeting my gaze with his piercing blue eyes. There's something about his look that irks me, a sense of superiority or indifference, as if everyone except his lover is inconsequential.

"Congratulations, you got first place by a large margin. You all get 500 merits," I announce to them, expecting some excitement or gratitude. But there's no response, just a reflective "Thank you" from Nathaniel before he closes his eyes.

I can feel the veins on my forehead twitching with irritation. With a sigh, I move on to address the other students, but the nagging feeling of annoyance lingers.