One of the major’s aides stood between us and was counting down to the start of the fight. I took the opportunity to appraise the major.
Appraisal Denied.
…Well, it was worth a shot anyway.
“Fight!”
The moment the major’s aid announced the beginning of the fight, I transformed from a mundane human into Ati’s [Supersonic Thunderclap] and took flight while Nuhem waded through the mud and water towards the major. Using my [Draconic Vision], I kept an eye on her as I circled overhead to watch for any mana signatures.
True to my expectations, the major began releasing mana from her core and activated a spell. Instead of an outside effect, however, the mana rushed into her body and began circulating through it.
When Nuhem got within twenty meters of the major, he activated a skill.
“[Shield Ram]!”
Nuhem was launched towards the major shield-first and rapidly closed the distance, tearing the muddy water and vegetation alike. The major leaped above in an attempt to dodge.
“Not so fast!” I yelled, casting [Destined Collision] on the two of them.
Nuhem’s meteoric dash began curving upwards as Major Amset was yanked mid-air towards him. The sudden force had thrown her posture all over the place as she hurtled towards Nuhem.
Still, the major was chosen to lead the teams for a reason.
Right before the two collided, one of the major’s arms reached out to the edge of the shield and grabbed it by the edge. In a shocking display of endurance and strength, she used that point of leverage to apply the obscene force needed to rapidly lift herself over Nuhem and place her feet on his back.
Then, she pulled.
All of the momentum that Nuhem had was used by the major to throw him back to the swamp, causing a massive explosion of mud and water.
Still, having a number’s advantage meant that one of us could act while the other kept her occupied. Already, I was rushing towards her with an [Orb of Devouring] in hand.
The major noticed me and summoned a gale of wind around her body, allowing her to float freely in the air and take a martial stance to prepare for my arrival. I tossed the orb towards her, hoping she would try to redirect or block it with her magic.
She must’ve noticed something was off, as she dodged the orb rapidly. Fortunately, that outcome suited me as well. Now that I was upon her, I swung my staff at her, now that she was almost in melee range.
The major scoffed as she reached out with her hand to do the same thing that she did with Nuhem, but I was one step ahead of her.
The swing of my staff was a feint to distract from what I was really doing: casting [Mana Commandeering] to disrupt her body enhancement magic. The arcane mana core atop my staff glowed, and the major’s eyes widened in surprise.
Instantly, her body shuddered, as I warred with her in an attempt to control her mana. The split second before we crashed into each other was not enough time to seize control of mana within her body, where she had an innate advantage, but it was enough to spread her attention and defenses thin, just as mom had taught me. And now, it was time for the clincher!
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Right as I was about to collide with Major Amset, I activated [Almighty Push], sending the major crashing down in just as terrible a crash as Nuhem’s was. Before the flying debris even reached the ground, the paladin was already upon her, his mana-infused spear going straight for her heart.
“[Thrusting Smite]!”
When the tip of the spear was mere millimeters away from the major’s armor, a massive explosion of wind erupted from the major’s prone body. While it wasn’t enough to stop the spear, it redirected it towards her arm, leaving only a flesh wound.
The rest of the wind slammed into Nuhem’s body and shield, and to his credit, maintained his posture as he was pushed back, his feet dragging lines across the mud before the swamp’s water rushed in to cover it once again.
The major was already on her feet and about to lunge back at Nuhem, only to suddenly stop.
“This fight is over.” She said, dispelling the remainder of her spells.
Nuhem and I shared confused looks before standing by. I landed next to Nuhem and returned to the form of a mundane human as the major approached us, clapping with a genuine smile on her face.
“I had intended to fight you two for a little longer, but I broke my own rules by casting that spell. You’ve pushed me far enough that I instinctively used my magic to take back some space, well done.”
Nuhem gave a short bow to the major.
“Soooo, does that mean we pass this part of the exam?” I asked.
“Normally, I would wait until after everyone is done before releasing the results, but yes, you did pass with flying colours. That said, I expect you to keep quiet about your success until the results for the other examinees are revealed. Are we clear?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Nuhem gave a hearty salute with a wide smile on his face.
When I nodded as well, the major shooed us away so the next team could enter and take the test. I caught Durreg and Nico’s eyes and gave them a nod while Nuhem and I took an empty corner to talk about the fight without being overheard.
“Well, that went better than expected.” Nuhem said.
“I agree, but there’s something bothering me about all this. During the assembly, she had no qualms trying to pressure me, but at the end of the spar she congratulated us sincerely. I don’t get what she’s trying to do.”
“Maybe her earlier provocation wasn’t personal? It’s also possible that your performance in the arena may have changed her mind over you.”
Hmm…
As I tried to make sense of it all, the pieces suddenly clicked in my head.
“I think I have an idea. I know it might sound far-fetched but hear me out anyway.” I whispered excitedly.
Nuhem raised an eyebrow but gestured for me to continue.
“I think all of this was her way of evaluating us. The first test was her putting the spotlight on me during the assembly as a way of testing everyone’s character, judging by how they reacted to what was going on.” I said, raising a finger.
“The second test, when she had us stand for an hour, was to test our ability to follow instructions even if we don’t understand the reasoning behind it. With the sheer boredom and the impression of no oversight, we’d be tempted to just laze around.” I raised a second finger.
“The third test is a test of our teamwork, where our combat abilities matter less than our ability to communicate and work as a team, which is why they didn’t attack us. They wanted us to freely show what we can come up with on the spot, and that would also allow for utility talents to shine. It doesn’t matter how strong you are if you can’t work with others – this is a team tournament after all.”
Nuhem listened intently and nodded along as I spoke.
“That makes a lot of sense to me. Still, don’t you think this might all be just speculation? We might be creating patterns and conclusions that fit the evidence instead of deriving them from it.”
I shrugged.
“That could be true, and even if I was right, there might be more to it. But if there’s anything I’ve realized for sure about the major, it’s that she’s a very deliberate individual. She even said she wanted to fight us a little longer before accidentally breaking her rules. That means she probably already intended to pass us before the fight had ended, which would support that she was evaluating our teamwork rather than our combat strength.”
The two of us continued chatting after that, and before long, everyone was finally done with this part of the test.
“Candidates, gather around! My aides and I have made our decision, and we’ve decided on which candidates we want for each team. Step forward when your name is called; that means you’ve been selected for your respective team!”
We all stood in front of the major, eager to hear if we’d made the team. Nearly 15 noble team candidates and 20 commoner team candidates remained, and only six of each will qualify.
“First, the commoners’ team! Candidate Netos Saho, step forward!”
Candidate after candidate stepped forward, but Nuhem’s name wasn’t called yet. I started to get nervous. What if my guess was wrong, and the major was thinking of things differently than I thought? Unaware of my nervousness for my new friend, the major continued speak regardless.
“And last but not least, the candidate I assign to be the captain of the commoners’ team: candidate Nuhem Serapis, step forward!”