After eleven days of fighting, deadly encounters at every corner, explosions caused by dungeons of different ranks, and entering areas devoid of certain types of energy due to the ever-changing environment on Jigua Island, eighty first-year students, from across the three classes: Ordinary, Elite, and Legends, were eliminated.
This happened for several reasons, the most important of which were the poisoning and serious injuries they suffered, in addition to the attacks that would have directly led to their death.
These were the most prominent reasons for participants' exclusion from the exam.
However, the results were very satisfactory for the academy, as the number of successful students was so large compared to previous years, that many regions within the five continents dubbed this generation the "Golden Generation."
However, the last three quarters of the last day on Jigua Island were free of any fighting, and relatively quiet. After the students in the third quarter of the first day fled to the center of the island, due to its stable terrain and lack of toxic areas that lacked energy, they found a safer place to settle.
During this time, the students formed teams and fought several organized battles against waves of monsters, continuing to fight when the balance was in their favor, and escaping when necessary.
The first-year students were careful and did not do anything rash, which resulted in the number of eliminated students being very low.
This is what made them well-deserved of the title of the Golden Generation.
They were an elite, after all, and it made sense for them to act like an elite, to think rationally rather than act recklessly in order to achieve fame.
Meanwhile, the students were resting in the center of the island, away from the constantly changing outer and inner areas, leading those who entered them to dangerous places.
In addition, relationships between students belonging to the three classes have developed over the past days.
The psychological barriers and prejudices had been completely removed from the minds of the Elite Class and Legends Class students, and they were treating each other friendly.
During the battles against the monsters leaking from the dungeons, all the students demonstrated their exceptional abilities and skills.
This impressed the nobles and young gentlemen belonging to powerful clans and sects, with the skills of the students in general, and with the abilities of the ordinary class students in particular.
Meanwhile, young nobles and gentlemen proved why they deserved the title of elite; They recognized the skills of common students without any discomfort or complex, emphasizing that talent did not necessarily come from blood and lineage.
The true elite is the one that recognizes its weakness and the talent and capabilities of its competitors, and always strives to reach higher levels.
However, what prompted them to acknowledge others' abilities was not just talk, but the continuous clashes against monsters since the beginning of the midterm exam.
Therefore, it could be said that the relations between the first-year students had improved extremely greatly, and the integration of the Elite Class students with the Legends Class students was an essential factor in facilitating cooperation between them.
The presence of Armin and Tom, who are considered among the strongest first-year students, despite their origins being from the common people and not having any supporter, encouraged the students of common origins in the elite and regular classes to demonstrate their abilities and skills.
They no longer feared the gazes of the people of the five continents, and were more willing to surpass some of the high-powered noble students, both in terms of martial skill and abilities and in terms of survival methods.
"amazing! We completed the midterm, and showed our skills to the world! Didn't I tell you we could do it?
One of the elite class students' tone was full of enthusiasm, as he clenched his hand tightly.
The same was true of his enthusiastic companion, for both had suffered greatly during this period.
Therefore, their excessive enthusiasm, and even some of the students dancing out of happiness, was justified.
"Yes, we've had a bumpy ride. "The only thing left to do is return to Versalkin Academy and have a long rest."
One of the students closed his eyes in annoyance while listening to his lazy friend's words, then punched him in the face, while sweat appeared on his forehead from the intensity of anger.
"any! vertical! How dare you, you son of a bitch, hit me? "I will kill you!"
The student spoke angrily, while holding his head.
His friend became increasingly angry, and he began to breathe rapidly, while a red glow appeared in his eyes.
"You, you lazy bastard!" Why spoil these moments with your endless laziness? "I will kill you!"
He said this while kicking his friend harmlessly.
"Well, well! I'm sorry, I won't repeat it. I promise, trust me! That's a promise, that's a promise! Just stop!"
He said this while covering his head with his arms, trying to protect his face and hide his laughter.
But his friend revealed his trick, and kicked him hard, causing him to rush several meters and fall on his face.
Then he looked at him angrily, biting his lips as if threatening him with severe torture.
His friend got up from the ground, wiped the dirt from his face, then rushed towards him very quickly, delivering a punch to his friend's stomach.
"How dare you kick me? Do you want to die that much?!
His tone was sharp as he dug his fist into his comrade's stomach and threw him back several meters.
The other looked at him in disbelief, as if his gaze was saying: "Is this what you do to me, my friend?" Are you betraying me and betraying me?!"
However, his friend did not care, but continued to beat him.
"Yes, you dirty dog! How do you think I won't take revenge on you?!
After several minutes passed, the two sat next to a nearby tree, while slight smiles appeared on their faces.
As if nothing had happened minutes ago, they had been friends for a long time and were used to this kind of joke.
"We succeeded in the end, my dear friend Seok."
Soo Ho's tone was calm, as he placed his hand on his stomach due to the punch he received from Seok earlier.
Seok picked two fruits from the tree next to him. They looked a bit like peaches,
But their taste was not sweet, but rather very sour.
Then he gave his friend one of them, and took the other without saying anything.
He was so happy that he didn't care about the sour taste of the fruit.
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time; The moment he passed the midterm exam and made the world see his talent and abilities, which would make him the focus of attention of many people.
Thus, some of them may invest a lot of money and resources in him, so that he can use them to support his family.
Despite his laziness, he did everything in his power to eradicate the poverty that his family was suffering from.
He stayed up nights so that he could join the elite class, so that he could develop more quickly and obtain a high status in the future.
Anyone who joins the elite class, even if only for one year, is accepted anywhere they go.
Mercenary guilds and sect leaders would flock to him from all sides, even without him showing himself to the world, so what about now, after he showed everyone that he possessed an amazing talent?
"You're right, Su Ho. We succeeded, and secured our future and the future of our two families. We will go from commoners to high-ranking figures. It is true that we will not become as terrifying on a global level as the sons of the grand duchies or the sons of powerful sects and clans, but our lives will be dignified and much easier.
Seok closed his eyes, trying to get some rest, while he spoke in his heart with sadness and longing:
"Mom, dad, and little sister... I miss you so much. I haven't seen you for over seven whole months. How are you all? Are you okay?
After these thoughts occurred to him, he fell into a deep sleep, after creating a protective dome around them, completely hiding them from detection by anyone, regardless of his means.
However, anyone several levels stronger than him would be able to uncover the dome quite easily, if he focused precisely on where the mana was concentrated.
Seok's ability was to create domes that completely isolated those inside from the outside, allowing them to get some rest after great fatigue and hardship.
---
Meanwhile, Lucy and Beatrice were wandering through a forest near the Origin Tree, only twelve kilometers away from it.
Beatrice's features were calm as she walked around with Lucy, who seemed lost in thought.
"Damn, damn it! Where is he? Why haven't I met him in the past few days? Yuta Caseral, where are you now?!
"Wait a minute... I did not meet Jia during this period, although I, Yuta, Beatrice, and our companions remained in the center of the island to avoid poisoning. This means that it will be in the center of the island as well..."
"Are they on a romantic date on the island? They look alike, they are a perfect couple!"
Lucy was talking to herself anxiously and nervously, while biting her thumbnail.
Beatrice continued to look at her indifferently, before she created a magic spell above her head, causing water to pour down on her like a fountain that came out of a runic portal that she had formed.
Lucy's face showed signs of astonishment due to the cold water. She raised her shoulders up and took a quick breath, as if she was drowning and trying to inhale as much air as possible.
She remained like this for several seconds, before she regained consciousness and looked at Beatrice, who was staring at her with mysterious eyes.
"Lucy, get a hold of yourself!" We are not in a position to indulge in our romantic thoughts. We are in a place where death lurks around every corner, and higher-ranking monsters are waiting for any moment of weakness to kill us. "So, focus, and when we come back, confess to him and end this matter."
Lucy spread her fingers, and the water immediately dissipated, as if it had never existed, while she looked at Beatrice in annoyance.
"You're lucky because you're the only girl Yuta doesn't give a cold shoulder to. I saw him carrying you to your room when you slept in random places, so that you could regain your depleted energy."
Lucy spoke annoyed as she pulled out a leaf that was stuck in her hair.
However, Beatrice's facial features did not change; She remained calm, which made Lucy even more annoyed by her indifference.
But Lucy's indifferent gaze did not last long, as it became sharp, and an aura began to emanate from her body.
At that moment, Beatrice suddenly spread her fingers, and a dome appeared out of nowhere.
Lucy's face showed surprise at Beatrice's creation of the dome.
However, within milliseconds, Lucy's features returned to calm, and she drew her sword, as the world outside the dome had stopped moving.
In addition, she sensed a suspicious killing intent, which was not coming from the monsters that were hovering in the air.
"There are those who manipulated time and stopped it. "We have to devise a plan to uncover that person's identity and defeat him."
Beatrice nodded in agreement as she fired several high-level magic spells, gathering huge amounts of energy.
Suddenly, a powerful explosion occurred that wiped out the entire area, which reached an area of five square kilometers.
Boom!
Boom!
The forest turned into a barren land, devoid of any plants or crops, and there was almost no living creature left in it.
As for those who survived, they were none other than Lucy and Beatrice, along with twenty-six people who were wearing black clothes and white masks, with an image of a black scorpion raising its pincers in the middle in an attack position.
Dust engulfed the place and rose several meters into the air, obscuring the view and hiding everything happening inside from the outside.
"Something's wrong. "What we are facing is not a monster, but a human being."
Beatrice's tone of voice was calm as she looked at the spot where the explosion had occurred.
Lucy and Beatrice's features were filled with confusion, after they discovered the presence of followers of the Scorpion Organization inside an area belonging to the Versalkin Academy, which is considered one of the superpowers and the greatest academies in the human field.
It is also one of the four greatest academies in the five worlds: the world of humans, gods, demons, and dragons.
Therefore, it was natural for them to show signs of shock, bewilderment and confusion.
Even the Demon Lords and Rulers of the Underworld did not dare attack the students of Vrsalkin Academy.
How could ordinary humans dare to make the academy their enemy?
The Scorpion Organization was extremely dangerous, its history spanning one thousand two hundred and sixty years, allowing it to insert its soldiers everywhere within the ordinary world, as well as in other ordinary worlds.
Therefore, it was not impossible for her to penetrate the internal system of Versalkin Academy, nor was it surprising that she had the audacity to attack the academy's students in front of the eyes of the people of the five continents.
"How are you, Lady Lucie Cathali, daughter of the Magic Master Belgord Cathali, and Lady Béatrice Aswassen, granddaughter of the former Magic Emperor Boswell Aswassen?"
The leader of the group of twenty-five people spoke respectfully, while looking at them from behind his mask.
Lucy and Beatrice's looks were filled with astonishment. They exchanged looks without relaxing their fists, as if they were saying to each other: "Who is this idiot?" What the hell does he want?
Hidden signs of annoyance appeared behind the commander's mask, and he pulled his sword from its sheath, while releasing a dark green aura mixed with his own killing intent.
"It was an honor to meet you, but the time has come for you to die."
Then he raised his voice and issued his orders:
"Soldiers, attack the two students, Lucy Kathali and Beatrice Azwassen!" Don't let either of them get out alive! The creator of the Scorpion Organization, Venerable Heaven Breaker, has returned and has issued an order to kill everyone inside the island without exception!"
The group leader's words echoed throughout Jigua Island without exception, sending the students and teachers into a state of shock and panic.
The same thing applied to the residents of the five continents, as the faces of many of them turned black, as some of their children were taking the exam on the island.
This sent many mothers, brothers and relatives into a state of panic.
Some were crying, some were praying, while others fainted.
Among them was a little girl, about six years old, wearing worn-out clothes that were torn in some places.
The girl headed towards her mother, who was crying bitterly, hitting her thighs at times and holding her head at other times. She was overwhelmed by despair and tears that did not stop flowing, while she was hugging a torn and dirty rabbit doll.
"Mom, Brother Seok will come back, right? My brother won't die, will he?... I won't see him again, right? "Mom, answer my question... I love my brother very much."
"I don't want to lose him!" He is the only person we have left after our father died several months ago due to monsters."
The little girl's tone was composed at first, but she could not hold back the tears, which flowed abundantly from her eyes, as she hugged her mother.
The mother could not answer her daughter's questions, because she did not know what to say to her.
However, the mother held herself together, wiped away her tears, and then gently patted her baby, Yi Rim, on the head, trying to comfort her and give her some hope, even if it was false hope. Maybe her son will come back, maybe not.
"Don't worry, your brother Seok can create domes, and the professors of Vrselkin Academy have admitted that his ability to create domes is absolutely amazing, and that the world has never seen this type of dome before."
"So, he will be fine until the academy comes to help its students who are inside the island."
"You saw his skills with your own eyes during the few moments we watched him valiantly fight monsters and create domes to defend and heal his comrades. "And his friend Su Ho is with him, so they will help each other and survive together."
Ye Rim nodded tiredly, her eyelashes starting to get heavier little by little, until she fell asleep in her mother's arms.
The mother's features were full of anxiety, longing, and sadness, while she muttered in a voice filled with false hope:
"My son, please come back to me safe and sound. I don't want you to have a luxurious and easy life, I just want you to come back to me alive. This alone is enough for me to live like a queen among my children."