LACEY’S POV

Grimacing, I clutched my forearm in attempt to apply pressure as the gash on it throbbed.

I had gotten away but not without sustaining multiple injuries, the most prominent being a seeping wound near my shoulder.

I leaned onto the wall to support myself while walking.

Blood dripped through my fingers from my injury, making a trail of blood on the ground.

Even though this was a direct lead to me, I had no choice.

I couldn’t stop now and waste my energy on cleaning up the blood.

All my efforts to avoid detection was all pointless.

I excused myself to go bathroom before the frisk search.

The security sent a guard to accompany me, unsuspectingly, I planned to take her down and escape with the guise that I already participated in the pat down.

But I was too arrogant, the “guard” turned out to be a Xira student.

I bit my lips.

Did someone leak our plans?

Or was I just incompetent?

“Haah…”

I let out a sigh of exhaustion sweeping my hair back with one hand, the other clutching onto my shoulder in a desperate attempt to stop it from bleeding more.

If I am found now, then I have to turn myself in, I’m in no state to fight now.

Fortunately, a hand gripped my injured one and wrapped it around her neck.

Amber grumbled, “At least take care of yourself.” as she supported me up.

I smiled bitterly, as Amber closed her eyes and crossed her arms then reprimanded me for my current state.

She opened one eye to glance at me, “You know, even if you are a mess right now, what’s more important is that you completed the mission, in fact if it wasn’t for you I don’t think we would be leisurely talking like this.”.

I nodded, and felt warm internally at the praise, even though it wasn’t a direct one.

Even if my cover was blown, the important thing was, I already completed what I needed to.

My part is over, which was to plug the USB and our success was basically guaranteed.

It’s up to the others to finish their job now.

Lucas voiced from my earphones, “Good job sister, I’m overriding the system right now.”

***

ELIJAH’S POV

“How…?”

The leader of the opposing team collapsed onto his knees and mumbled.

“HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? You- you shouldn’t have been able to find me!”

Well, a part of what he said was true, we shouldn’t have been able to find him.

Because he was using cheat items banned from the test.

But…

I glanced at Kaida at the windowsill, in her pigeon form.

This is what the dragon was for, her existing herself was already impossible.

I crouched down to meet his eyes, determined to make his life worse.

I opened my mouth slowly as if about to say something very vile-

“Well, you’re right, I probably couldn’t have found you.”

“HOW THEN?”

I cocked the gun in my hand, then I answered softly so no one but the both of us could hear,

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“I guess you could say… a little birdie told me.”

BANG-

I shot him.

The bullet crumbled into dust and teleported him back to Xira, the gun, which we all received at the start of the test was given so when the opposing team gave up then the bullets had a built in teleportation spell.

Damn, Xira was rich…

As he was whisked away, I stood up once again and waved at him.

Once he was gone, it was no longer needed to keep up the act

FLOP.

“…did we do it?”

I asked weakly while panting on the floor.

I should really start training my mana levels huh?

“No…-”

My head snapped to his direction, incredulous.

“-you still have to get out of here while we have to kidnap our target.”

Said Julian, pinching his temple.

Ah.

“Hurry up and get going.”

He threw a potion at me and quickly turned around, walking away.

Geez.

I mean, at least he’s starting to warm up to me?

Asher smiled at me sympathetically before following him.

***

“Elijah? Elijahhhhhh? ELIJAH!”

Ah!

I stiffened before quickly springing up in a defensive stance, disoriented.

Or at least, I tried to, crying out in pain when my head hit the car roof.

What what?

Ah. Everything came flooding back.

Since I was out of mana, I decided to head back to the hired van.

Asher and Julian had run off to kidnap the target after I assured them I would be fine heading down the building myself.

Amber came back with Lacey and was currently nursing back to health at the back of the van.

After overriding the security system, Lucas decided to nap next to Lacey.

Kaida transformed back into her red panda form and was sleeping on my lap.

Stacy captured all of the other Xira students for extra marks, seeming to be very proud of herself even though the rest of us tired them out before she made her move.

Hmm, so Asher and Julian are back huh?

It looks like they succeeded after I drove the getaway vehicle here (and apparently passed out, snoring).

My eyes, which had been previously roaming on the others, shifted elsewhere, trying to find someone.

“Are you looking for the target?

He’s in the trunk”

said Lucas groggily, just haven woke up.

Eh? Isn’t the target a volunteer victim though-

***

Bored.

I was bored.

Like really bored.

Like extremely bored.

But who could blame me for being bored?

If you studied for five hours straight in total silence, wouldn’t you be bored?

If only Yeni was here, then I wouldn’t be bored.

Damn it, I’m so bored.

I can’t concentrate, I’m too bored.

Why are all of my sentences ending with ‘bored’?

BOREDDDD-

“Elijah we are all at least on page ninety-four while you’re on page fifty-eight, get a move on.”

“NOooOoOOOo-”

Asher sighed, “Elijah, this is for your own good, you were the one who suggested it.”

“YEaH~ But I reGReT iT~~!”

No, seriously, the sound of pages turning was really getting to me.

“Shut up.” Julian groaned, covering his ears,

Amber frowned, “Ever since you joined the group I find myself agreeing with Julian more.”

Stacy nodded, “Stop using that tone, you sound like Lucas if he was a gamer girl. Only someone with his face can pull it off and look cute anyways. That tone of voice is just wrong and disgusting when you use it.”

I was about to retort when an idea floated into my mind.

Keke- she doesn’t know what’s coming for her, she clearly shouldn’t have said that if she knew was best for her.

I jumped on the table.

Everyone widened their eyes in shock.

“HEY GET DOWN RIGHT NOW ELIJAH HORTON!”

Stacy quietly screamed and gripped my ankles, trying to pull me down.

Before she could fully tug on my weight, I couldn’t let the sacrifice of dignity be in vain. I was going to drag at least one of the others down with me.

“KYA~!”

A high pitched “girly” scream left my mouth.

“...”

Everyone in the library turned to us.

Staring at Stacy.

“Huhuhu~!”

“You-” she seethed between her teeth as she shook her clenched fist.

Heh. I smirked, full well knowing exactly why she was so mad. It was because when she pulled me down, I landed my butt onto the chair I was originally seated in, unlike Stacy who had to stand up in order to actually have a chance at pulling me down from the table.

It made it look as if Stacy was the one who let out the shrill noise.

CREAK- the bathroom door opened.

Lucas waved at us after drying his wet hands on a paper towel and fluidly threw it in a bin as he walked towards us.

He squeezed into his original spot between me and Stacy.

I wanted to pull another stunt but…

I could never bring myself to corrupt our precious Lucas.

So we went back to studying, surprisingly focusing a lot better after that.

Or so I thought.