A growl erupted through the monster's clenched fangs, ready to plunge into the throat of its target at any given moment. Another feast dazzled before its eyes, or so it imagined as a cerulean glow reflected on its retina. There was no pain as the tip of the blade pierced its gray-furred head. It just dispersed into a bunch of particles before vanishing completely.

Connor grinned as he twisted around, hoping to cut another creature with the momentum he had gathered. This one was different from the previous one. It had no eyes, but fangs protruded from its mouth as droll rolled down its bony neck. The runes on the blade given by his father shone even brighter.

He was delighted with his present. Connor had used a wide variety of weapons during his training, but none could compare to how that particular sword felt in his grip.

"His performance's better than usual," said Reyna, who was admiring the show behind the observatory window with me.

She pursed her lips. I could tell she was paying a lot of attention just by the way she leaned on the desk as if she wanted to be closer to the actual battle.

"Are you certain he isn't using any mana to enhance his body, too?"

Albeit grudgingly, I agreed that Connor could use the blade he acquired from his father. It would have been a shame to let such a splendid weapon rust, I understood that part as well. But improving his movements with mana was off the table.

"Don't worry, he isn't..." Reyna dismissed the possibility he might be cheating. "Perhaps Connor's just eager to try out his new weapon. Or maybe he's giving in a lot more than usual because you're here, Gray. It could also be a mix of the two."

If Reyna said her brother isn't using any mana, then he isn't. Nobody would be happier than her to declare him the loser of this contest.

"Are you afraid?" Reyna asked, tilting her head slightly toward me. Those coral eyes drew me in, giving the impression she could see right through everything.

"Afraid I might lose?"

"Yeah."

"Not really."

If I felt anything, it would be envy. Not toward Connor in particular, but toward every hunter in this world. Envious of their ability to bend mana at will. Just why couldn't I have been born as one of them?

"Pay attention," she snapped me away from my thoughts. "There are only a few seconds left."

Serval monsters approached Connor, each more hideous than the other, but he didn't seem too concerned. He took a deep breath and stomped his foot into the ground, clenching his fingers against the handle tighter. A monster pounced, its claws reaching for his face. He swept his blade, chopping through its body.

But it wasn't over yet.

As if to tease Connor, a goblin screeched and revealed its long tongue. He let go of the sword's handle with his left hand, then spun it with his right and lifted it into a parry.

"Show off," I muttered as he dealt with the rest.

As long as the weapon makes contact with the monster, you got a point. Because they were simply holograms, the amount of power you had to use in your swings was irrelevant. There was no need to put in too much effort unless you are hunting them down to increase your score.

Of course, just because you couldn't get hurt didn't mean you shouldn't try your hardest. Each monster moved to its full potential. Ambushes from blind spots were often the cause of others failing the practical exam. Rushing ahead into a group of monsters will leave you vulnerable to their attacks, which was bound to you disqualified.

Oh, and I just remembered that physically hitting the hologram will not earn you any points either. It would simply pass through the monster, disqualifying you as it's considered a mistake. If they scratched your body in a vital area, such as your neck or torso, once again, you're disqualified. Only the attacks carried out by using the weapons you were provided counted. They probably contained a fragment of a mana core (like a battery) to operate.

As long as there was some mana pumped into the runes, Connor could still amass points, despite using an artifact.

The purpose of the practical exam isn't to obtain as many points as possible, but to show that you have the self-control to make sound decisions while also being under pressure from both, external and internal factors. Those were my thoughts on the matter.

When you combine those uptight rules with the emotions you feel during the exam, you have a test as challenging as the written one.

Thankfully, none of the above happened to Connor.

A ring echoed across the laboratory, announcing that his time had come to an end. I looked at the monitor, curious to see how many points he got. The displayed number was 11.

My original score was 10, by the way. Connor surpassed me by a single point... just a single damned point.

Reyna gave me a sidelong glance, not saying anything that was going running through her mind. Nothing she could have said would have mattered anyways. It was already too late to back down.

"Did you see that?!" yelled Connor as he kicked the door open. Despite sweat streaming down his forehead, he didn't appear to be exhausted. "This sword is incredible! No, I am incredible!"

"I'm not sure how I should answer..." I muttered.

I may come across as a petty loser, but what was the appropriate answer to say to the one that has shattered your record?

"Umm, I don't know." He shrugged his shoulders. "How about you tell me just how amazing I am?"

I shuddered at the thought. I would never, ever say something as cheesy as that out loud.