Ten people stood still oraining ground. Some were anxious, some were calm, and some were serious. There was only one who was different from them. It was the silver-haired elven youth standing before everyone else.

  Of course, the people in front of Yuna were her thaudents. They had their ons out and ready, and their resolve steeled beforehand. It was finally time for their final test.

  There was only one person missing in the final assessment, it was Gee von Beldon who was still fined inside his own house, closely being monitored and was undergoing rehabilitation.

  'Mhm... I wonder what's for dinner...' ［Yuna］

  Even with the seriousness of the situation, Yuna only thought of dinner. Grey had previously agreed that they celebrate the final day like they did the first day. She was really looking forward to it.

  "Instructor, is everything alright?" ［Elise］

  Worriedly, Elise asked Yuna after seeing the tter being too silent for too long. Not just her, all of the css were wearing worried faces, adding up to the nervoushey were feeling.

  "Ah, I'm fine... Anyway, are you all ready for the test?" ［Yuna］

  """Yes!"""

  The students sang in unison as they answered Yuna's question. The nervoushey previously felt slowly died down along their yells and their hands now trembled ierminatioermination to win, that is.

  Seeing their resolved faces, Yuna couldn't help but pare them to how they were before. The students who were scared pale from her on the first day now truly looked like the knights they aspire to bee.

  "Alright, the's start with the css representative, Cadet Eine." ［Yuna］

  "Yes!" ［Eine］

  All eyes one her, Eine breathed out a short breath before standing up and walking up to Yuna. With her was the halberd Grey and Yuna had gifted her. Although it looked big pared to her build, it fitted her perfectly.

  The day befrey had already talked with Yuna how they would proceed with the final assessment. It was then that he decided that he was going to do a team battle. A test which will test out how much their cooperation is worth.

  Yuna wao do the same thing as Grey, but she also wao do something different. In the end, Yuled with an individual exam for the students to test out how they would fare in a 1 vs 1 battle.

  Following her decision and the fact that all of the students have almost reached middle of F-rank, the oppo selected to fight against the students were ogres, F-rank monsters which could crush bones with their bare hands.

  Of course, it wouldn't be a test if they were to fight mohey have fought against for three weeks straight. Yuna had strengthehem to be about 50% strohaudents.

  Yuna had already told the css that they will be fighting ogres, but she didn't tell them that she had strengthehem. It art of their test to gauge the oppo's strength and not uimate them.

  It only takes one a single go know that su arra would be greatly disadvantageous to the students, but Yuna had also told them how to deal with monsters and their weaknesses. In another perspective, one could say that it was a fair test.

  "Everyone, please stay a safe distance away from Cadet Eine." ［Yuna］

  Following Yuna's instru, all of the students stepped back from me and Eine. A few moments ter, it was only Ei in front of Yuna and the other students were more than a dozeers away.

  Rummmblleeee

  The ground shook subtly as the students went far enough. All of a sudden, fantic earthen walls rose up from the ground, enclosing Elise and Yuna, and leaving the other students outside.

  It was of course to prevent the students from spectating. After all, the test would be useless if they could just watch the previous partits and copy from them. It would just be unfair for the ones going first.

  Rummmblllleeeee

  The ground shook once again and roations slowly emerged from the ground, turning the o training ground into a jagged and rocky setting. It was Yuna's attempt at simuting a more natural enviro.

  her one of the students had fought in su enviro before. It was not just made to limit the students' movements, but also to test how well they adapt to the surroundings and how able they are in using it to their advantage.

  ??Summon: Ogre??

  All the preparatio, Eine prepared her stand brandished the Silver Sky Halberd, makiricity coil all over it. The oppo only watched it with empty eyes, waiting for Yuna's and.

  "Then... Start!" ［Yuna］

  Gruuwaaaaaa

  ??Fme Burst!?? ［Eine］

  With a quick wave of her palm, fmes quickly engulfed the inside field and immense heat vaporized the moisture in the air, but rather than an attack, Eine only fired the spell to distract her oppo.

  Receiving the attack, the ogre crossed his arms to protect its eyes, but the moment it let its guard down, Eine had already appeared in front of it, ready to nd an attack at a moment's notice.

  Gripping her spear tightly, Eine released a torrent of attacks towards the enemy's upper body, making blood sptter all over the pce as the ogre received a wound time after time.

  Gruuuwaaaaaaa

  Anger building inside of it, the rabbed Eine's spear with all its might, but the moment it was in its grasp, lightning coiled on it like a snake, making the ogre shriek in pain and agony.

  Taking the opportunity, Eine quickly backed off and hopped off from boulder to boulder until she was at the highest point. She used the mobility of her light body to escape the ogre who was not an expert in traversing rough terrain.

  Eihen switched into le attacks, trying to make the ogre drop its on by hitting its wrist with the ce she got. She rained down a barrage of lightning upon the rge target.

  ??Lightning Bolt!?? ??Lightning Bolt!?? ??Lightning Bolt!?? ［Eine］

  Again and again, Eine's relentless attacks pierced the ogre's skin with much precision and power, making the ogre's bloodlust increase over time as it received more wounds.

  Gurwaaaaakkkk

  The ogre tried to charge recklessly towards Eine, but by the time it had reached her previous position, Eine had long run away from there as she hopped from rock to rock, creating a of chase and run.

  To its rage, the ogre tried to pouowards Eine like a starving tiger, every time it had the ce. Eine simply stood on top of the boulders and with minimal movements, dodged its attack, making it crash towards the boulders behind.

  ??Thunderpierce!?? ［Eine］

  A loud boom resonated all over the field as Eine's halberd struck the ogre's chest. Not only did it leave a deep wound, it also bsted it away into another boulder like a helpless rag doll.

  Eihehe ce the ogre was still down and ran away, using a little help from earth magic to create more boulders to serve as footing and to gain a higher ground to attack from.

  Crassshhhh

  The ogre tried to follow Eine, but little did it know, one of the boulders Eine made was much weaker thahers. While it could support Eine's weight, the same couldn't be said for the ogre. It magnifitly crashed once again.

  Guuurwaaakkkk

  Having gone berserk, the ogre threw its sword towards Eine in hopes of pinning her down. Too bad for it, Eine's reflexes were quiough to dodge the attack by a rge margin.

  The sword strue of the boulders with great power, causing cracks to appear in its viity and dust to cloud over it.

  Disregarding the fact that the sword missed, throwing the sword was the ogre's greatest and fatal mistake. With the way it is now, Eine no longer o be wary of the sword and could attack all she wanted.

  Not wasting any more time, Eine dashed towards the ogre with the io finish the battle evident in her eyes. She was fast as lightning as she approached the ogre with the io kill.

  Gruuuuwaaaaaaa

  Legs, ankles, wrists, shoulders, knees, Eiargeted the ogre's joints oer another, and with each strike, the ogre's mobility and strength diminished signifitly like a little fme fag a downpour.

  The o, with all its ability, tried to hit Eine again and again but it was all in vain. As time passed, it was just getting slower and weaker, and there was nothing it could do about it, but wait for its death.

  "Haap!" ［Eine］

  With a ssh of her spear, Eine severed the ogre's right arm and blood came gushing out of it like a fountain. The ogre tried to bellow in agony, but the moment it opes mouth...

  ??Lightning Spear!?? ［Eine］

  ... lightning crackled and thundered as it coiled over the spear from tip to bottom, and with a thrust from both of her hands, the spear pierced the ogre's chest skillfully, destroying its heart in the process.

  With its mouth opened in pain, the ogre's life vanished as abruptly as it started. Even ih, lightning still enveloped its body, turning its once green skin burnt bck as time passed.

  Not even having the ce to fall into the ground, the ogre vanished into thin air while its body was still pierced by Eine's spear. Soon enough, the only one who remained was the victor of the battle.

  "I decre Cadet Eine as victor of the battle!" ［Yuna］

  Along with Yun'a decration, Eine finally colpsed to the ground along with her spear, trying to grasp her breath from the exhaustiht about by the fast-paced and exhausting imatch.

  One of the walls slowly came down with Eine's victory. When the wall was down, all the students could see was Eine, who was colpsed on the ground, and Yuna. They didn't see any rough enviro of anything of the sort.

  While it would usually be a waste of mana to ftten the ground and raise the walls time after time, to Yuna who was an S-ranker, it didn't matter. She also had to repair the broken terrain anyway.

  It was also Yuna's iion to fuse the students ahem be pt by having a peek at what was ihe walls. And of course, to see whether they would still have the same resolve after seeing Eine, one of their stro, in such a state.

  "Eine, are you alright?!" ［Elise］

  Seeing her cousin colpsed on the ground. Elise quickly rushed to her aid as soon as Yuna lowered down one of the walls. She was obviously worried as she even dropped her sword just to get to her.

  Yuna had already casted healing magi her, but didn't cast anything which cured fatigue. It art of the test how the students would haheir mana, and as sequence for overusing it, she wahem to experiehe pains of rapid mana exhaustion.

  After all, if they were in a real battlefield, misuse of mana and suffering rapid mana exhaustion could lead to serious injuries ah as it gives the eime to attack them. She wahem to learn it by experieng it first hand.

  "Y... Yesh... Huff... Just a little... Huff… tired..." ［Eine］

  "Awh,,. Thank goodness..." ［Elise］

  "Anyway... Shouldn't you be w... Huff... about yourself...? Knowing Instructor, you'll... Huff... probably go up ..." ［Eine］

  "Well, let me assist you first. You still 't walk, you?" ［Elise］

  "Th-Thank you... That would be... Huff... much appreciated..." ［Eine］

  Whilst holding Eine's spear with her left hand, Elise lent her right shoulder to assist Eine in walking outside of the walls. She thely dropped off Eine by the bench outside.

  Of course, so that she won't tire herself too much, Yuna also lent an arm and helped in carrying Eine over the bench to rest. After all, she was teically the reason why Eine was in that state.

  "You did well, Eine. I'm really proud of you!" ［Yuna］

  "Well, all those training... was really worth it... Instructor..." ［Eine］

  "Pfft. What's with that formality? As soon as the exam is over, I'm no longer your instructor, you know?" ［Yuna］

  "Ah... Well then, thank you, Yuna." ［Eine］

  After Eine was dropped off by the nearby bench. Elise and Yuuro where the others were. During their return, Elise couldn't help but show signs of as he g Eine from time to time.

  Elise knew full well that Eine would have been able to take care of a single ogre without much trouble. It didn't take her and the others to figure out that the test was much harder thahought.

  "Alright, it's your turn, Cadet Elise. Are you ready?" ［Yuna］

  "Yes." ［Elise］

  "Remember, you'll also have to fight against an ogre like Cadet Eine. Please be careful and do your best!" ［Yuna］

  "Don't worry about me, Instructor. I'm your student, aren't I?" ［Elise］

  Elise decred proudly as she entered ihe walls, and with a nod from her, Yuna once again raised the walls and altered the terrain to bee rougher, in preparation for the ining battle.

  Seeing the ragged terrain before her, Elise finally uood why Eine was so tired despite fighting only a single ogre. After all, moving in sueven terrain required more effort and energy than ft surfaces.

  ??Summon: Ogre?? ［Yuna］

  Once again, mana swirled ihe walls and around the field. It then trated into one spot and took the form of a huge monster, dwarfing over any human i and size.

  "Ready... Fight!" ［Yuna］

  With the signal delivered to Elise's ears loud and clear, earth started rumbling as earthen pilrs started rising from the ground oer ahe cause was her than Elise herself.

  As the battlefield slowly turned into a forest of pilrs, the ogre hastily charged towards Elise as it swung its sword effortlessly, destroying all the pilrs on its path like a wreg ball.

  The moment it arrived at where Elise was, the ogre raised its sword with both of its arms, and with tremendous power, it destroyed the pilr into smithereens in a single powerful strike.

  Dust filled the battlefield as debris from the pilr flew in all dires, hitting other pilrs on its path and creating a dent on them.

  By the time the cloud of dust cleared up, there was no Elise to be seen behind the crushed pilr, nor were there any traces of her. In the eyes of the ogre, it was as if she vanished into thin air.

  But the reason was simple, it was because of the pilrs itself. Elise did not create the pilrs in order to defend herself, rather, it was made so that she easily move ihe battlefield which had been previously altered by Yuna.

  With the way the pilrs were positiohe ogre would have a hard time figuring out where Elise was, not to mention the fact that the pilrs were thiough to pletely hide Elise's slim figure.

  ??S Edge!?? ［Elise］

  A bde of mana flew from behind the ogre, hitting its hout much difficulty. The ogre tried to turn around as swiftly as it could, but by the time it did, another bde hit it from behind.

  Gruuuuuwaaaaaaa

  Nape, chest, calves… Wounds appeared oer another before the ogre noticed. Elise was traveling so quickly that by the time the ogre figured out where she was, she had already transferred locations.

  Pilrs crashed and bellows of ag throughout the battlefield as the one-sided battle between Elise and the ogre tinued. It was a teique Elise had incorporated from her battle with Eliza.

  ??Tidal Bde!?? ［Elise］

  The assault tinued for minutes upon minutes until Elise's mana was low enough that she couldn't maintain the pilrs anymore. Thankfully, the ogre was already covered in wounds ready to go down at any moment.

  Gruuuuwaaaaaa

  The ogre swung its sword left and right like a madman, obviously berserked with nothing else is mind but crushing Elise. It didn't matter what it came across, it just swung it mindlessly.

  And as the one on the receiving end, Elise parried the heavy blows with her own sword, nding blows herself whenever she had the ce to. It was as if they were trading blows with one another.

  The g sounds from the swords hitting each other, apanied by short bursts of wind reverberated throughout the battlefield as the battle between the seemingly delicate girl and the feroonster tinued.

  her of the two wao give in from their oppo. Their eyes were still burning brightly with passion. One was burning with the passion of a knight, while one was burning with a passion to destroy. They were two opposing forces.

  Gruuuuwaaaaaa

  With the io finish the match, the ripped the sword tightly with both of its hands and with all its might, it brandished the sword fiercely again and again and again, each force tais will to defeat the one before it.

  Elise had a hard time parrying all the attacks from the ogre, but in spite of that, she still persevered and endured all of its blows, not letting her resolve get broken from the barrage of blows raining towards her.

  A few moments ter, the ogre's blows slowed down drastically until it was too tired to even lift its own sword. It was already over for it. The moment it stopped, it was Elise's turn to strike.

  Not letting the opportunity slip past her fiips, Elise tightly gripped her sword with both of her hands, just like her oppo and started her ter-attack towards the ogre who was on the offensive.

  A multitude of sshes and thrusts pierced and sliced the ogre's thick skin and blood gushed out from it as wounds opened up oer ahe tide of the battle had pletely turned.

  "Hya!" ［Elise］

  A severed head flew towards the walls as Elise he final blow towards the ogre, making its head fly and its body fall to the ground with a loud thud, all ter vanishing into thin air.

  "I decre Cadet Elise as the victor of the battle!" ［Yuna］

  Just like before, the terrain fttened out and the walls came down with Yuna's decration. If there was anything different, it was that Elise did not colpse just like Eine did.

  "Good job, Elise!" ［Yuna］

  "Ah... Yuna... Huff... please help, I... Huff... I 't move my body anymore..." ［Elise］

  Elise pleaded as her sword dropped to the ground. It seemed like her body froze from all the exhaustion she suffered. She was basically a statue with how stiff her body became.

  "Ah, sorry... "Heal"!" ［Yuna］

  After Yuna casted recovery magi her body, Elise fell to the ground on her knees without aance. She then looked at her numbing arms and hands with them now trembling.

  "Do you want to join your cousihere?" ［Yuna］

  "Yuna... Please～!" ［Elise］

  Elise pleaded with an i fad almost teary eyes. It was the same face that Eliza made whenever she wanted something from either me rey, save for the tears, of course.

  "Mmm... I was just w, but Elise, you really are Liz's older sister, aren't you?" ［Yuna］

  "Hm? What's that... Huff... all of a sudden...?" ［Elise］

  "Ah, nothing... I was just mumbling to myself." ［Yuna］

  After Yuna delivered Elise to where her cousin was, the test tinued with the other students. Although some students received wounds, they were all minor ones and not life threatening. All of the students passed with flying colors!

  With the test over, Yuna dismissed all of the students for the day. She, Elise, and Eihen headed then headed to the cafeteria to eat some snacks. Even then, Yuna still had ohing on her mind...

  'Hehehe, I 't wait for dinner!' ［Yuna］

  CHAPTER 98 END