บท 23: Group Battle-I

The group battle assessment is finally starting. The students were randomly teleported to the designated area of the event. It was through the coordinated mastery of teleportation and auxiliary devices, that the teachers were able to perform this feat.

Mass teleportation isn't really a mutant ability, but more of an application of various abilities through combined efforts. It's called a 'Formation Skill', a relatively recent innovation of the academy that Merrick the magician, the master of teleportation, spearheaded.

The students are sent to a controlled forest, a marginalized zone that the academy specifically provided for activities like this. Here, in the 'Enclosed Forests', are monsters that proliferate the world ranging from goblins, and trolls to ogres… Though they are considered the most common among monsters, that doesn't diminish the innate savageness of these monsters.

One of the reasons mutant-kind thrived in this world is because of the monsters that infested this world. Thanks to these monstrosities, the masses easily accepted the necessity of the Hero Society and the numerous members that functions behind it.

The origins of these monsters range from bacteria, alien lifeforms, and mutated animals. For example, the goblins are said to be born from bacterial mutation, after years of cumulative evolution, they finally took a humanoid appearance.

Goblins are the most frequent monsters that infest the lands, and these controlled forests dedicated to beginners don't lack them. It's a perfect area to conduct a group battle.

Youths of different ages filled the forests. Armin Kelon, the principal, watched them scatter through his telepathic powers.

It was subtle, but it can be observed that nearly transparent eyes roamed the Enclosed Forests. The principal is a telepath that can increase his sensory organs' detection abilities to unimaginable levels through psychic waves. He can summon illusory eyes that act as CCTV cameras.

In the lounge area where most VIPs gather, the principal summoned a magical screen where the teachers, visitors, and journalists can watch.

The principal sat comfortably on a large sofa as he watches in anticipation. He munches on a box of popcorn on his lap as he enlarges the virtual theater in front of him. Some affluent individuals sat in their own circles as they make bets on who will get the highest score in this assessment, while professional journalists focus on their jobs.

With a bar of its own, and attendants to wait… an inviting atmosphere was formed in the lounge. The principal conjured more screens for the guests to watch. He is like a kid watching his favorite Sunday cartoon show.

Luxury is everywhere in this modestly large barkeep, except for the old principal giggling like a creepy perv, everything looked quite normal. Though, he is ruining the mood the academy staff worked hard to create, no one is really complaining.

Armin, the principal, just cannot help himself but be excited. This year, they have truly good seeds.

"Let the preliminary examination, Group Battle begin!" Projecting an illusory mouth across the Enclosed Forests, the Principal's words signaled for the start of the exam's second part.

…

Alfir found himself in the middle of a prairie. The grass is green, the breeze is cool, and the sky is clear. Several students are idly standing like idiots in this rather peaceful scenery. Not Alfir though.

Lying on his back, Alfir watched the clear blue skies and the cloud casually pass above him. The grass is a little bit prickly but he can manage.

"Points, should I take this seriously or… hmmm… this is a dilemma, I think, it will be fine as long as I remain low profile. Still, I am going to need those points. My goal after all is admission to the protagonist's class."

The students were already briefed on the rules of the exams beforehand, thus they already have an idea of how to tackle the exams. Those that know their stuff, have already formed groups, while those who are gutsy enough, are already implementing their schemes.

Every monster in the area is only worth a point regardless of difficulty. Trolls, ogres, and goblins are only worth one point per head. The rules of the game are pretty simple… The one with the most points wins… meaning… the more monsters you kill, the higher points you get.

Since every monster in the area is only worth one point, it is common sense for the participants to target the goblins to maximize gain.

Alfir decisively and covertly lies in the prairie, waiting… and expecting—

'1... 2... 3...' Alfir counted in his mind. 'And~ kaboom!' As expected, it happened. The culling of competitors, a too-logical strategy that a certain pink-haired girl employed…

Mutant abilities activated left and right. Alfir watched the abilities' fireworks pass over him as he lies down. There were flames, winds, rocks, arrows, and all sorts of projectiles.

"Who!?"

"Shit, I thought we formed a group?"

"Fucking backstabber!!"

"Argh! I am shot!!"

Amidst the chaos, Alfir caught a glimpse of the woman responsible for the rumormongering— that the best way to gather points is to annihilate competitors in the group battle.

This is the chaotic strategy of Zia Zaratul, a unique psychic villain of the novel.

The strategy is subtle and would greatly put Alfir at an advantage, however, it's too tiresome for his liking. It's not that Alfir is a goody-two-shoes who dislikes chaos. The strategy will obviously have disadvantages too. For example, the number of 'mobs' will decrease, resulting in a crowd that would potentially harm his 'existence' as a mob.

If the opportunity presents itself, Alfir would stop this mayhem. But… He has better things to do. For one, play dead.

"Kyaah!~"

"Shit, why the friendly fire!?"

"Hit 'em hard! Let's reduce competition to get a higher score."

"I am with you, take that!"

Alfir's near invisibility sealed his wait-and-see strategy's success.

The shouting and cursing are intense. Alfir in his comfiest is reflecting on how he should tackle this group battle. The individual assessment decides what class you are in. Meanwhile, the latter assessments decide 'where' you stand. Specifically, the rankings.

To Alfir's crude vocabulary, this group battle is a PVE and the tournament-like combat assessment after this is a PVP. The thing is, no one in PVE can really stop someone PKing. The gamer slang aside, it's a fact that the Group Battle takes a 'group' for it to succeed.

Honestly, there would be exceptions to this. The main cast of the novel would certainly do these exams in their own unique ways.

With a game-like mindset, Alfir waited patiently. Alfir's [Mind over Body] is truly miraculous, once he thought of hiding, he immediately received a stealth buff. Even now, Alfir can hardly understand his mutation. Labeling it as 'Mind over Body' might be just temporary.

"My mutation's attributes involve influence, mind, thought, and character… I don't know if there is more, but I think, I can find out more about it. This group battle is a good place for me to experiment."

In this group battle, no blood was spilled, thanks to the principal's omnipresent abilities. Well, actually… there are some blood spilled but no one died.

With the combination of the targeted teleportation of the school staff and the principal's OmniVision, they are able to safely extract the students deemed eliminated in the group battle— people that weren't able to adapt, counter-attack, and reacted poorly.

For some time, Alfir traversed a considerable distance from the 'battlefield'. By crawling and worming his way to the thick periphery of the forests, Alfir easily reached a safe zone.