Vol.01: Ch.30: The Dean's Address - A Test of Proficiency

Darell and his friends were sitting together in the dining hall.

They were enjoying their breakfast.

The dining hall was filled with first-year students.

Everybody was preparing themselves for the day ahead.

The Academy had wisely designed separate dorms and dining halls for students of each year.

This was done to prevent conflict and bullying among the students.

However, there were always a few individuals who thought they were above this rule.

They were truly daring.

They tried to intimidate and bully their juniors.

However, their 'daring' actions didn't go unnoticed by the Instructors.

The Instructors quickly caught these fools.

These students were taken away from the campus for a few days.

And, when they returned, they didn't have a sliver of their previous confidence.

The other students who saw them were horrified.

Horrified because they had blank expressions and empty eyes.

Seeing them like this, a rumor spread through the academy.

This rumor greatly exaggerated the harsh punishments these students had to face due to their actions.

Due to this rumor, the bullying lessened to some extent.

Anyway, amidst the chatter of the dining hall, a commanding voice echoed through it.

Every student present in the hall turned to voice.

They saw Instructor Lin standing at the entrance.

His eyes swept through every student and he ordered, "Finish your meals quickly! An important assembly is going to be held in the next 15 minutes! I want to see each one of you in the assembly hall!"

He then, turned around and exited the dining hall.

The students looked at each other, surprised by the sudden assembly.

But, they didn't dare to be late.

So, they hurriedly ate their breakfast and one by one, they left the dining hall.

Darell and his friends had already ate their breakfast.

So, they didn't have to hurry.

They waited for a few minutes till the rush at the exit of the hall lessened.

Then, they got up from their seats and left the hall.

Their destination was the grand assembly hall.

The grand assembly hall was located in the southern part of the academy,

It was the largest hall within its premises

It was capable of accommodating the entirety of the students.

Darell and his friends chatted with each other as they walked toward the assembly hall.

Even though it had been some time as a student of the academy, they had never stepped inside the hall.

They eagerly wanted to see how it looked.

The path to the hall was through the buildings in which magic classes were held for second-year students.

Outside one of these buildings, a few second-year students were standing together and laughing.

"Oh! Oh! Look at that one! His belly is jiggling just like the jelly we ate this morning!", one of them said while pointing at a student.

"Hahaha! How would he fuck? He can't even see his dick!!", another one laughed and said.

The poor first-year student who was the target of their mockery had tears in his eyes which he hastily wiped while walking quickly, away from them.

"Look at that girl! She got a pancake ass!"

"Look at her! She's as flat as a washboard!"

"Look at him! He's..."

They insulted whomever they found unpleasant and laughed.

Darell and his friends ignored the idiots and contiued walking forward.

Darell had always activated his skill Sense because he didn't know when somebody might attack him.

Suddenly, he felt someone's killing intent on him due to the skill.

He quickly spun around and looked around him.

However, he didn't find anybody suspicious and reluctantly turned around and joined his friends.

Unbeknownst to him, a mysterious figure observed them from a distance and thought, 'Fuck! This kid almost caught me! I have to be more careful next time!'

This figure, then, quietly walked away.

A few minutes later, Darell and his friends arrived at the assembly hall.

And, they were immediately mesmerized by the breathtaking sight.

The hall was nestled amidst meticulously manicured lawns and towering trees, elevated on a raised platform accessible via a series of grand stairs.

At each corner of the hall, stood statues depicting a valiant figure astride a phoenix, wielding a sword—a representation of the legendary king who had commanded the extermination of the attacking beasts in the town of Lont.

The hall itself exuded grandeur and magnificence.

Its vibrant color scheme, blending shades of blue and gold, enhanced its regal aura.

Adorning the rooftop were flags bearing the emblem of the Kingdom of Gavaria and the Varona Royal Academy.

For several minutes, Darell and his friends stood motionless, enthralled by the hall's splendor.

They found themselves surrounded by fellow students, all equally captivated by the majestic structure.

Their reverie was abruptly interrupted by an instructor's booming voice, urging them to hasten inside the hall.

Entering through the imposing doors, Darell and his friends were greeted by an awe-inspiring expanse.

The hall, designed to accommodate thousands of students and instructors, sprawled magnificently before them.

A raised platform adorned with a myriad of vibrant colors stood at the front, while rows of chairs lined the hall's spacious floor.

Seating themselves in the available chairs, Darell and his friends directed their attention toward the platform, where the instructors stood.

After a few minutes, all the first-year students had assembled in the hall.

Nervous whispers filled the hall as they engaged in conversations, speculating on the purpose of their gathering.

Darell's eyes wandered across the walls, adorned with intricate runes and inscriptions.

Embedded within were countless beast cores, gleaming with mana.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the hall when the Dean made his entrance, accompanied by a retinue of instructors.

His gaze briefly swept over Darell, prompting a frown to crease on the young student's forehead.

He continued to observe the Dean intently.

Ascending the platform, the Dean cleared his throat before addressing the gathered students.

Instructor Lin utilized his Sound ability to amplify the Dean's voice, ensuring that his words reached every corner of the hall.

"Good morning, everyone! I'm sure many of you are curious about the purpose of this assembly. Fear not, there is no cause for alarm.

As is customary every year, a test will be conducted to assess your progress. The primary objective of this test is to demonstrate proficiency in a rank 01 and rank 02 skill. Failure to do so will result in a failed assessment.

However, let me assure you that this will not impact your overall annual evaluation, provided you perform well in the upcoming dungeon test scheduled in the following weeks.

I wish you all the best of luck in this upcoming test."

With his speech concluded, the Dean stepped down from the platform.

After the Dean's speech, the instructors proceeded to provide the students with the details of the upcoming test.

Instructions were given, guidelines explained, and expectations outlined.

Once the briefing concluded, the students were escorted out of the assembly hall.

Darell headed towards the library, seeking a quiet space for further study.

Meanwhile, Lilith and the rest of his group made their way to their designated classroom, eager to prepare for the impending test.

When Darell stepped into the library, his attention was drawn to the silver-haired girl who seemed engrossed in selecting books from the shelves.

He tried to catch a glimpse of the book titles, but the girl swiftly concealed them from his view.

Disappointed by his inability to discern the books' contents, Darell shook his head and proceeded to choose a few volumes of his own.

Then, he sat down in one of the chairs and began reading.

Engrossed in his reading, he remained unaware that the silver-haired girl's true intention was to observe him.

"I will uncover the truth, sooner or later.", she quietly murmured, her gaze fixed on Darell.

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