Mr. Monji stood before the class, his typically stern but amenable face wearing an unusually serene expression. ‘That's not an ominous sign at all.’ Ishi thought, his face beginning to pale. The students, already filled with nervous energy, exchanged even more uneasy glances. The anticipation in the room was palpable, and the air seemed to grow heavier each passing second with the silence permeating the room.

"Good morning, class," Mr. Monji began, his voice calm and almost gentle, which only heightened the sense of impending doom. "Today, as you know, is your mid-term assessment. This exam will be unlike anything you've ever experienced before. You will be tested on your combat skills, teamwork, strategic thinking, and survival skills. However, there’s a twist."

A murmur of whispers spread through the room. Ishi glanced at Percy, who was perched attentively on his shoulder, eyes wide with curiosity and a little fear. The peaceful expression on Mr. Monji’s face was nothing if not unsettling, and it made the announcement all the more ominous.

"You will be competing against each other," Mr. Monji continued, his calm demeanour unwavering. "The one who comes out on top will receive the highest score and be allowed to accompany me on a mission outside the village.” At this both Ishi and Percy’s ears perked up, along with the rest of the class as they held onto his every word. “While the rest will be ranked accordingly. This means alliances may be forged, but you will fundamentally have to rely on your own skill. Friendships will be tested, and trust will be challenged. Only the strongest and most cunning will succeed. The person who comes in last will be taken out of this class."

The room erupted into a chorus of shocked gasps and hurried whispers. Ishi felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. ‘This is going to be a nightmare,’ he thought, casting a worried glance at Senpei and Ivy. They, too, looked equally distressed.

Sensei Monji raised a hand, motioning for silence, his serene expression never faltering. "The tasks you will perform today are designed to push you and your Pokémon to your limits. You will face obstacle courses, shuriken and ninja trick assessment battles, endurance tests, and Pokemon battles, oh and your survival training is gonna be…” He tapered off, clearly not feeling the need to finish his sentence. "Each task will be gruelling, and you must rely on both your skills and your bond with your Pokémon to succeed."

A collective groan filled the room. The tasks sounded like pure torture, and the competitive element only added to the stress. Ishi could only see the emotion of dread on his classmates' faces, and he knew they were all thinking the same thing, ‘Today was going to be hell.’

"Remember," Sensei Monji said, his voice cutting through the muttering, "this assessment is designed to prepare you for the real world. As ninjas, you must be ready to face any challenge, often without warning and always with the possibility of hardship. And as pokemon trainers this will be a true test of your abilities and your character."

The students fell into a despondent silence. Ishi felt like a dark cloud had descended upon the classroom, and the spirits of his classmates seemed to further visibly deflate. Even Percy, usually full of boldness and energy, seemed to sense the gravity of the situation and simply let out a small, concerned croak.

"Do your best," Sensei Monji concluded, his peaceful expression still in place. "And remember, the strongest bonds are often forged in the heat of adversity."

With that, Sensei Monji turned and gestured for the students to follow him to the training grounds, where they would have their first part of their mid-terms. The class moved sluggishly, their earlier excitement seemingly a fleeting dream at this point now replaced with a heavy sense of dread. And Ishi also felt like he was marching to his doom, and he could see his same despair reflected in the eyes of his friends and classmates.

As they walked, the murmurs continued. "This is insane," one student whispered. "How are we supposed to compete against each other like this, there are different levels of ability in this class? My parents are gonna be so disappointed if I'm demoted from the advanced class!" another muttered, but still loud enough for all to hear. But Mr. Monji ignored the mutterings, his focus solely on leading them to the battlefield where their trials awaited.

Ishi took several deep breaths and tried to steady his nerves, he also continued to circulate his aura until he began to control and master his emotions. ‘We’ve trained hard for this,’ he reminded himself. ‘We can get through it, Percy.’ He glanced at his partner, who gave him a determined but still shaky nod. Despite the daunting challenge ahead, he felt a flicker of resolve ignite within him. They had come too far to give up now.

Confirmed. Quest Created:

Sensei Monji Has Prepared Heavily For Your Mid-Terms! Compete All Tests And Exams To The Best Of Your Ability And Earn The Place At His Side For Your First Expedition Out Of The Village.

Rewards: + 2 Levels, Mini-Map

Accept: Y/N

‘Accept!’ He thought, resolving himself.

***

The dense foliage of the forest battlefield enveloped the students as they gathered in their respective teams. The rustling of leaves and the occasional call of a wild Pokémon added to the sense of anticipation that hung in the air. Sensei Monji's stern gaze swept over the assembled ninjas, his presence commanding their attention.

*Team A (Ishi's Team)*

- Ishi: Center Mid Position

- Ryota: Defence

- Kenta: Offence

- Raion: Defence

- Ayame: Offence

*Team B (Opposing Team)*

- Senpei: Offence

- Ivy: Center Mid Position

- Shigeru: Defence

- Haruka: Offence

- Midori: Offence

"Listen up," Sensei Monji began, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "This part of your mid-term assessment is a test of your tactical skills, your ability to work as a team, and your resourcefulness in combat. The objective is simple: capture the opposing team's flag while defending your own. If someone from the opposing team delivers you the flag, they also pass along with the opposing team. However, if you fail to defend your flag or capture theirs, you will be marked accordingly."

Ishi's mind raced as he processed the rules. ‘So basically everyone is my enemy... Great.’ He glanced over at Senpei and Ivy, who were assigned to the opposing team. ‘And Sensei put me on the opposing team of Senpei and Ivy, he's really not making it easy for me. I suppose I could always just steal my own flag and hand deliver it to them... No, that's not the right way, even if it would certainly be the easiest.’ He clenched his fists and nodded with determination. ‘I'm not going to be known for betraying my team, I'm winning this the right way!’

Sensei Monji handed out shuriken supplies to each student, along with a few sets of ropes that were to be tied around the immobilised opponents limbs rendering them ‘Unable To Continue’. The cold, metallic, and rubber mix of the weapons in his hands sent a thrill through him. The students quickly divided into their teams, and Ishi found himself looking over his group, noting the absence of the stuck-up brat, Midori. ‘Heh, good luck wrangling her in, guys.’ He mused with a small smirk, finding a silver lining in the situation.

The team huddled together under the dense canopy of trees, the morning light filtering through the leaves in dappled patterns. The forest was eerily quiet with only the sounds of rustling leaves and distant Pokémon calls from all of their partners cheering them on, adding a slight tension to the air. Ishi glanced around at his teammates, noting their expressions of determination and focus, but also a little apprehension.

‘The dense forest battlefield provided ample cover for ambushes and strategic manoeuvring.’ He thought as he formulated a working plan and strategy in his head before speaking. "Alright, listen up," Ishi began, his voice steady. "Ryota, you and Raion are on defence. We need to protect our flag at all costs."

Ryota nodded, his hand briefly flicking to the shuriken he had lined up in the pouch at his side. "Got it. We'll hold the line."

"Kenta, Ayame, you two are on offence or in other words the vanguard," he continued after noting both of their reactions and not finding anything suspicious. Turning to his other teammates. "Use the foliage and terrain to your advantage. Ayame, you are better at hand to hand combat so rely on Kenta to support you from behind."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Ayame gave a confident smile. "I'm ready, I can hear fletchling cheering for me so there’s no way I can’t do my best. We'll find a path through."

Kenta, gave a rather curt nod. "We'll get that flag." And offered nothing further.

"And I'll be in the centre," Ishi said, a determined glint in his eye. "I'll move between offence and defence as needed. I’ll do my best to cover and support you all” ‘My aura sense should give us an edge in tracking movements.’ He thought to himself as he positioned himself as a sort of overwatch of the groups.

"Sounds like a plan," Raion said, his Litleo growling in agreement. "Let's do this."

"Alrighty I'll get to the centre mid position," he announced to his team. “Versatility, baby!" He grinned, earning a few nods of approval.

With a shout of "Begin!" from Sensei Monji, the forest battlefield exploded into motion. Ishi felt the rush of adrenaline as he tapped into his Sub-Class’s ability, sensing the relative positions of his classmates. This was his secret weapon, his advantage in the chaotic environment this exam was bound to become.

The ground soft under his feet and the scent of pine in the air. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting shifting shadows that played tricks on his vision. He felt the presence of his classmates around him, each heartbeat and movement creating a web of awareness in his mind.

His senses quickly picked up on the frontal style clash between the vanguard of both teams, though unfortunately it seemed his own team was at a slight disadvantage as Kenta was being forced into close combat. His, now heightened, aura sense allowed him to feel the presence of both his allies and enemies, giving him an edge. The clash of the vanguards resonated through the forest, and his instincts kicked in, among them he sensed Senpei attempting to stealthily slip past into their territory. ‘Not on my watch,’ he thought, executing a flawless 'Ninja Flicker Step', the forest seemed to blur around him, only for him to appear near Senpei, aiming for his blindspot.

The dense forest battlefield provided ample cover for ambushes and strategic manoeuvring. Ishi’s heightened aura sense allowed him to feel the presence of both his allies and enemies, giving him an edge. The clash of the vanguards resonated through the forest, and Ishi’s instincts kicked in when he sensed Senpei attempting to bypass their defences.

But somehow Senpei's instincts kicked in, and he was able to twist his upper body and throw some shurikens towards Ishi. Senpei’s quick reaction with shuriken showcased his growing skill. Senpei, not missing a beat, called, "You won't catch me that easily, Ishi."

In response, Ishi countered with his own shuriken, both sets of weapons clashing mid-air, some falling harmlessly to the ground and others ricocheting off towards the two of them. The battle was intense, the forest a backdrop to their clash of skills.The dull thud and metallic clang of clashing shuriken seemed to multiply as they echoed through the trees. In the confusion, Ishi used his 'Ninja Body Switch' with one of the fallen shuriken behind Senpei, surprising Senpei and gaining the advantage allowing him to pin him to the ground. Even as Senpei struggled, grunting in the effort.

"Got you," Ishi whispered, preparing to immobilise his friend completely with rope he was provided at the beginning of the exercise. But before he could finish his task, his senses picked up Ivy, who was approaching with her own 'Ninja Flicker Step'. And in a burst of motion Ivy appeared at their location, then almost seamlessly unleashed her 'Ninja Dust Storm', blinding Ishi and following this up by throwing shuriken at his last known location. The swirling dust mixed with the natural green of the forest, creating an eerie, obscured battlefield.

"Got you now, Ishi," Ivy called out, her voice filled with determination and glee.

‘Nice try, Ivy,’ Ishi thought in response, having sensed her presence and intentions a few moments before she was able to spring her trap. He had quickly leaped into the air, following what his intuition had told him, avoiding most of the aftereffects of the dust storm and Ivy's follow up shuriken. Which accidentally ended up striking Senpei as he had used the ambush to escape his, not quite done up, bindings. ‘Ooo, that's gonna sting a little,’ he thought as the unintended consequence unfolded in front of him. Ivy's eyes widened in shock, but before she could react, Ishi used a condensed 'Ninja Wind Rush' to blow away the dust and strike Ivy, knocking her off balance. He was then able to quickly capitalise on this by getting in close and executing a judo style flip over his shoulder.

Standing over his, about to be, immobilised friends, he grinned. "Better luck next time, guys.” he sang in a cheery voice, which was only met with groans and muttering that he was glad he couldn’t really make out all that well. ‘They were probably both complimenting me on how cool I am.’ he thought, dismissing any other possibility. “You both seriously nearly had me with that sneak attack just now though." He was about to eliminate them when he sensed something annoying. His vanguard teammates had been defeated, and he needed to quickly intercept the advancing opposing team members.

“Welp duty calls I spose,” he said, and with a cheeky wave at Senpei and Ivy, he used 'Ninja Leaf Shroud' enabling the surrounding foliage to conceal his presence, allowing him to blend into the trees above the enemies approaching his flag. The two ninjas who had defeated his vanguard were fatigued from their battle. So using this to his advantage he was able to execute a perfect sneak attack, rendering them unable to continue. ‘Haa… a shame I wasn’t able to get the other two, but this still leaves my team with an advantage.’ he thought as he mulled over the events that had taken place only moments earlier.

‘Man it sounds like Perseus liked that combo I just used on Haruka and Midori a little too much with how much he’s cheering. Though I have to admit, it was extremely satisfying knocking Midori off her high horse a little.’ he thought with a chuckle and glance towards his joyful partner who was not so subtly rubbing his victory in Midori's Zubats face.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he fell back to his group to regroup. They needed a new plan. ‘This is going to be a little harder than I thought, I can’t be everywhere at once.’ he mused, already preparing himself for whatever challenges awaited them.

Breathing heavily, Ishi returned to his now two men down team. The forest battlefield, with its dense foliage and natural obstacles, had provided a challenging yet exhilarating environment for the capture the flag assessment. As he regrouped with his teammates, the gravity of the situation weighed on him. They needed a new strategy, and they needed it fast.

The forest battlefield was a living, breathing entity that had both aided and challenged the young ninjas. Every rustle of leaves, every whisper of the wind, was a potential threat or opportunity. Ishi’s determination and strategic thinking, combined with his unique abilities, seemed like they would be crucial in overcoming the next trial ahead that looked likely to be a lot more challenging. As the assessment continued, the spirit of competition would be tested to their limits.

***

The air was thick with tension as both teams retreated to regroup. The rustling of leaves and the occasional chirping of distant Pokémon served as the only background noise in the dense forest battlefield. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as the remaining members of each team gathered to formulate their next moves.

***

Team A:

Ishi wiped the sweat from his brow, taking a deep couple breath to steady his nerves. His team huddled close, their expressions a mix of determination and exhaustion. Ryota and Raion looked ready to defend their flag with their lives, while Kenta and Ayame appeared eager to push forward.

"Alright, team," Ishi began, his voice calm but firm. "Our vanguards have been taken out, but that doesn't mean we're out of this fight. Ryota or Raion, I want one of you to fortify our defences. Make sure no one gets past you. The other will join me in trying to capture their flag."

Ryota nodded, standing vigilant beside the flag. "Understood. I’ll hold the line."

Raion let out a small growl, indicating his readiness. "No one will stop us two if we work together, I was getting bored back here in defence." Raion affirmed.

"Kenta, Ayame," He continued "They were taken down before I could help. I have a feeling Shigeru came up from defence and helped to overwhelm them, then fell back to defend. So we are going to need to hit them hard and fast. Use the terrain to your advantage, and don't let them see you coming."

Raion nodded firmly in agreement. "We'll have to scout ahead and find a path through their defences," he voiced with a confident smile.

The flag’s pole seemed to be gleaming in the dappled sunlight, as if agreeing with his words. "We'll get that flag," Ishi stated firmly.

"I'll support both offence and defence as much as I can, just like last time, only this time I’ll be aiming for more of an offensive position so keep that in mind Ryota.” And after receiving determined nods from the pair he concluded “Stay sharp, everyone." and they all moved towards their respective goals.

***

Team B:

On the other side of the battlefield, Senpei and Ivy were nursing their injuries but remained resolute. Shigeru formed a loose triangle with them, their faces reflecting the same mix of determination and weariness. ‘Damn it! Haruka and Midori, how incompetent can you be, I literally gave you a win on a silver platter and you were eliminated from the assessment so quickly after I left to come back and defend.’ he thought to himself whilst clenching his jaw in annoyance and struggling to quell his anger. ‘I need that spot with Sensei Monji to leave the village, I need to get stronger!’

Not noticing the inner conflict of his teammate Senpei rubbed his bruised arm, wincing slightly. "Alright, you guys. We've lost our vanguard, but we're not out yet. Ivy and I are still in this fight."

Ivy nodded, a small but tight bandage wrapped around her arm. "We need to take advantage of their weakened state. Shigeru, Senpei, this time you two focus on stealing their flag. I will go on the defensive."

Shigeru stared intently at her, at first not offering any inclination to have heard her at all. Until abruptly he spoke "We'll hold them off," he said and quickly spun on his heel and began wandering off in the direction of the opposing team's flag.

"We'll make sure they don't get through," Senpei added, a frown on his face as he watched Shigeru move away.

"Shigeru," Ivy called out in a rather haughty tone. "You can’t do this alone, not one versus three. And especially if one of those three is Ishi. Wait for Senpei and keep your guard up."

Shigeru scoffed, but stopped and turned back around to face the two of them. "Fine, but don't slow me down," he replied, his tone dismissive.

Senpei shot Shigeru a warning look before addressing the team again. "We need to be quick and precise. Let's show them what we're made of."

With their basic plan in place, the clearly dysfunctional team readied themselves for the next phase of the assessment.

***

From the sidelines, Sensei Monji watched the proceedings with a keen eye. He took meticulous notes on each student's performance, noting their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies. His expression was unreadable, but his mind was evaluating every detail.

As the eliminated vanguards rested and watched from the sidelines, Sensei Monji approached them. "Rest up, you did well," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Learn from this experience and come back stronger."

The students nodded, grateful for the encouragement. Sensei Monji's presence was a reminder that this assessment was not just about winning, but about growth and learning.

The forest battlefield was once again filled with the sounds of rustling leaves and the determined footsteps of young ninjas. Both teams moved out to execute their plans, ready to give their all in the final stretch of the assessment.

‘Both teams moving out, the tension high and the stakes even higher.’ Sensei Monji thought, with a small chuckle. Continuing to observe, his eyes sharp and his notes thorough. The young ninjas were about to face their next challenge, but they all seemed like they were ready. The battle for the flags was far from over, and each student was determined to prove their worth.

As the students disappeared into the forest, leaving behind a sense of anticipation not just from the students that had been eliminated but also from a teacher who was extremely eager to see the conclusion of this first exam. The Pokemon spectators, for a change, seemed to hold their breath in a collective silence as their young ninja partners prepared to face off once more.