Beasts.

D tier Beasts.

And not just one or two, or some couple of them, but numbering over a dozen, approaching right towards their location, prompting Novus to turn serious as he knows how much of a threat such beasts are to him right now.

’If only I had some more time...’ he thought to himself as he watched another batch of the semi-transparent, floating screens appear right in front of him, showing his growth from not stopping himself from absorbing the Evolution Crystal all this time.

[You absorbed Evolution Energy. Refinement of the body will continue until the source of the energy runs out.]

[Your talent: True Immortal Blood is being refined. +0.0005% progress, +0.5 maximum Immortal Energy.]

[Your physique has grown. +1 strength, +1 agility, +1 vitality.]

[You sense all sorts of energy more clearly than before. +1 arcane.]

[Your body and soul seem to grow closer. +1 harmony.]

It has been over half a day since the exam began, the sun already beginning to fall beyond the horizon, making the inside of the magic barrier’s dome all the darker if not for the luminescent moss lighting up the woods, and during this time, he had accumulated quite a bit of stats from unceasingly absorbing Evolution Crystal.

As much as he absorbed, however, it is hardly, if even enough, for the two of them to escape away from their current encirclement, as despite his already terrifying rate of growth, he still has yet to truly reach a D Tier’s level.

[Novus Helion van Argenta]

[Combat Rating: E Tier Mage (Assessment Ongoing)]

[Talent: True Immortal Blood (EX-Rank Growth-type Innate Talent)]

[Current Evolution Domain Location: Verdant Expanse: Verdant Forest (1.5-star danger level)]

[Immortal Energy: 1030/1080]

[Strength: 680]

[Agility: 680]

[Vitality: 680]

[Arcane: 680]

[Harmony: 680]

[True Immortal Blood (EX-Rank Growth-type Innate Talent)]

[Growth Progress: 1.585% (98.47% before Talent Rank Up)]

[Mastery: Entry-level (69.18%)]

Closing those screens, he manifested yet another E Tier Evolution Crystal for him to absorb, all while focusing on finding a way for him and Medea to escape, a chance that will allow them to regroup and recuperate, all while he also accumulates strength for himself.

While he plans on getting out of this encirclement, Medea seems to think of another completely different thing, her hands trembling as she watches their opponent, seemingly aware of the beasts approaching their battlefield, as if she knows full well what they are going to do here.

"Beast Control Magic..." as she watches all the D Tier form a circle with them in the middle, Medea mutters to herself as she gnashes her teeth, her eyes, once merely filled with clean sharpness, gradually being stained by anger and something more, something deeper and dangerous.

Hatred.

"Hm? You know of it, Student Medea? Quite surprising~" there is a faint surprise amidst her clearly mocking tone as she smirked at the blade-wielding student, her dismissive, proud tone as she walks forward showing just how confident she had gained from having a whole lot of reinforcement now watching her back.

With the words landing in her ears, Medea merely stares with her eyes gradually being clouded, her mind solely focusing on the opponent, no, the enemy in front of her, as she disregards everything in sight.

She would’ve exploded, utilizing her Blade Enchantment Magic to reinforce her body and her blade so that she could cut through the mocking figure ahead of her.

’Even if I fall here...’ she even thought to herself as she prepared to exchange her life for the mage in front of them.

She bent her knees, shifting one of her feet forward as she relaxed not only her shoulders but the entirety of her blade-wielding arm.

Despite that, her grasp of the blade is tight, tighter than she has ever been in her entire life.

Mana began dancing around the swordswoman, the clear intent to cut turning into a sharp edge of pressure around her, as if she began embodying the blade through herself.

One blade, unrivaled.

That is the epithet that she acquired after completely dominating her entire year level and even the levels above hers in terms of her pure combat prowess, yet right now, this unrivaled blade seems to be willing to sacrifice her own edge just so that she can take down the opponent the moment that she realizes said opponent is using a Unique Magic that can control the beasts.

"...dea..." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"...edea..."

"Medea."

Before she could commit to her decision, however, a voice called her out from her entranced state, a thud resounding across her skull as a palm hit her right on the top of her head, making her squeal a bit in surprise as she directed her attention towards the perpetrator of such ’crime’.

"Finally woke up?" looking at her with a serious gaze, Novus asked as his hand twitched from hitting her, wounds from small, but deep cuts causing blood to ooze down his forearm, completely disregarding the pain as the curiosity of how this lady managed to do such thing, turning the air around her sharp, piqued his attention far more than the pain he is feeling does.

"Why did you—" finally snapping back into consciousness, she couldn’t help but ask with a slightly alarmed, impatient tone from the mixture of the damage she unintentionally inflicted on him, along with his sudden intervention in what she wanted to do.

"Because it will only hurt you, Medea." He said, gaze still on the questioning senior, but his senses still spread across the battlefield, prepared for anything that their opponent would throw in their direction.

"...I don’t know what kind of grievance you have with her, to the point that you forget it, but a single distraction is detrimental in battle, especially ones like this, so keep your head clean of any distracting thoughts."

As Novus voiced his thoughts, Medea couldn’t help but feel a bit shaken, revealing a helpless smile as she replied, her tone now slightly returning to the mischievous and playful one she always used to have.

"I can’t believe there will be a time when a junior will be giving me lessons about battle~" she said with a faint smile, not leaving her face as she stared at the young man who just nodded at her before he stood beside her.

"Glad that you understand." he added as he eyed the beasts around them, a small but nevertheless violent smile appearing on his face as he announced his intent to everyone on the battlefield.

"I’ll leave the mage to you, Senior Medea; I’ll take care of the beasts," he announced with confidence, making the lady beside him giggle as she replied in kind, her tone now softer than before as she teased.

"You’re too greedy, Junior Novus, also, where’s your bravado disrespectfully calling me Medea multiple times?"

She asked as she covered her giggling mouth with her free hand, all while her blade-wielding hand firmly held her armament, her grasp still tight, no longer from anger and hate but rather from the determination to triumph over the dreading challenge looming over the two of them.

"Are you young people done~?" acting magnanimous as she watches the two interact, Venica asked with a tinge of impatience in her ever-so-mocking voice, waving her stave as she began casting yet another set of spells, all while ordering the beasts to attack at the same time.