Path of the Unmentioned: The Missing Piece-Chapter 72: The Quiz from Hell

The classroom buzzed with nervous energy as students shuffled into their seats.

Professor Veldrin stood at the front, his bony fingers steepled together.

Watching them with the predatory patience of a hawk circling its prey.

"Alright, settle down," he said, his voice cutting through the chatter like a blade.

"Today’s quiz will be one hour. Short and simple. If you paid even half-attention in my lectures, full marks should be trivial."

Kyle slumped into his chair near the back, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

The professor’s gaze lingered on him for a beat too long before sliding to Reo.

Who was currently trying (and failing) to balance his quill on his nose.

’Translation: You two are doomed.’

Verdin flicked his wrist.

A stack of papers leapt from his desk, caught in an invisible current of wind magic, and fluttered down to land perfectly before each student.

"Rules," Verdin continued, pacing between the rows.

"No talking. No peeking at your neighbor’s work. If I catch so much as a wandering eye, I will personally escort you from this room with a zero." He paused beside Kyle’s desk.

"Am I understood?"

A chorus of reluctant "Yes, Professors" echoed through the room.

Kyle looked down at his quiz.

Twenty questions.

Question 1: Using the Arcanith Convergence Theorem, derive the seventh-order mana oscillation formula under constrained elemental conditions (show all work).

His stomach dropped.

Short and simple my frostbitten ass.

A choked noise came from his left.

Reo had gone pale. His fingers twitching over the paper like it might bite him.

Luna, sitting two rows ahead, was already scribbling away.

Her white hair bouncing with each furious stroke of her quill.

’Typical.’

Kyle allowed himself a small smirk.

At least if he failed spectacularly. He wouldn’t be alone.

Reo looked ready to spontaneously combust.

A shadow fell across his desk.

"Mr. Valemont." Verdin’s voice was deceptively mild.

"Do share the joke with the class."

Kyle’s smirk vanished.

"No joke, Professor."

Verdin leaned down. His breath smelling faintly of mint and disappointment.

"Then perhaps you would care to explain why you are looking at Mr. Dustbane instead of your quiz?"

"I was, uh... checking if he needed another quill?" Kyle tried.

"Fascinating." Verdin straightened.

"Five points from Class A1 for lying to a professor."

Luna shot Kyle a glare over her shoulder that promised violence later.

Kyle exhaled through his nose and turned back to his paper.

Okay.

Maybe question two would be kinder.

Question 2: Calculate the exact mana expenditure required to maintain a Class III barrier spell while simultaneously—

Nope.

He flipped through the pages.

Question three was worse.

Four was incomprehensible.

Five might as well have been written in ancient elvish.

At the front of the room.

Verdin settled into his chair with the serene smile of a man who enjoyed watching children suffer.

Kyle glanced at Reo again.

His friend had given up entirely.

Now doodling what appeared to be a very detailed sketch of Verdin being eaten by a dragon.

A snort escaped before Kyle could stop it.

"Mr. Valemont." Verdin didn’t even look up from his book.

"Would you like to join Mr. Dustbane in detention this evening?"

"No, Professor."

"Then I suggest you focus."

Kyle grabbed his quill and stared at the first question until the letters blurred.

Okay.

He could do this.

Probably.

Maybe.

Somewhere in the room. a student whimpered.

———

[One Eternity later]

"Time!" Verdin’s voice cut through the haze of panic like a knife.

"Quills down. Pass your papers forward."

Kyle stared at his half-blank quiz.

He had managed to cobble together answers for maybe eight questions.

The rest were either hopelessly wrong or decorated with increasingly desperate doodles (including one of a stick-figure Kyle jumping out a window).

Reo’s paper.

He noted as it floated past, contained exactly three words:

"I tried. Sorry."

Luna’s, of course, was pristine.

She shot Kyle a smug look as she handed hers in.

As the last papers reached the front, Verdin waved a dismissive hand.

"Dismissed. Try not to embarrass yourselves too badly when the grades are posted."

The classroom emptied faster than a tavern during a health inspection.

Outside, Reo collapsed against the wall like a marionette with its strings cut.

"I’m changing my name and moving to the Southern Isles. Just coconuts and peace."

Luna patted his shoulder.

"There, there. At least you didn’t draw a dragon eating the professor."

Kyle groaned.

"He saw that?"

"Oh, he saw." Luna grinned.

"But don’t worry. I think he liked it. In a ’I’ll make your life hell later’ sort of way."

Reo muttered. "I’m dead. I’m so dead."

Kyle barely had time to open his mouth.

Before an arm like an iron bar locked around his neck in a chokehold that smelled suspiciously of sweat and cheap soap.

"There you are, you slippery bastard!" Cassian’s voice boomed directly into his ear at a volume better suited for announcing royal decrees.

"Three days! Three whole days without so much as a ’hey Cassian, I’m not dead!’ What gives?"

Kyle wheezed. Clawing at the muscular forearm crushing his windpipe.

"Can’t... talk... dying..."

Cassian loosened his grip just enough for Kyle to gulp air.

"Mana exhaustion," he croaked. "Had to rest. You know how it—"

"Yeah, yeah," Cassian interrupted.

Finally releasing him with a rough shake that rattled Kyle’s teeth.

"Next time try a better excuse. Like ’I was kidnapped by aliens’ or ’My big sis locked me in the broom closet again.’"

Behind Cassian, three figures approached through the post-quiz zombie horde of students.

Lyra Silverwind led the charge, her emerald-green ponytail bouncing with each irritated step.

The half-elf’s pointed ears were flattened against her skull, never a good sign.

"That" Lyra announced to no one in particular,

"was an act of academic violence. I am filing a formal complaint with the Dean."

Beside her. Sylvie Wavecrest adjusted her round glasses with trembling fingers.

"I-I think I converted barrier spell mana ratios into attack spell mana equivalents by mistake," she whispered.

Looking ready to melt into the floor. "Professor Verdin’s going to have me expelled..."

Reo threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Welcome to the club, Sylvie! Meetings are every Tuesday. We serve cookies and existential dread."

Sylvie made a small squeaking noise that might have been either gratitude or a cry for help.

Kyle’s attention snapped to the third figure lingering slightly apart from the group.

Cedric Valtieri stood with that infuriating golden-boy posture.

Spine straight, shoulders back, not a single hair out of place despite the quiz from hell.

His piercing blue eyes locked onto Kyle with unsettling focus.

"Hey Kyle."

Not a greeting.

A statement.

Like Cedric had been keeping tabs.

Kyle’s neck prickled.

"Uh. Hey?"

"We fought together in the VR exam." Cedric took a deliberate step forward.

The chatter around them dimmed as nearby students instinctively gave him space.

"Your lightning magic was... impressive."

Kyle resisted the urge to shuffle backward.

There was something unnerving about the way Cedric said ’impressive’.

Like a chef admiring a particularly plump chicken before slaughter.

"Thanks?" Kyle rubbed the back of his neck.

"You weren’t exactly slouching either."

Cassian snorted.

"Golden Boy here’s been pestering me daily about when you would show up again." He threw a mocking arm around Cedric’s shoulders.

Which the blonde tolerated with the patience of a saint.

"Kept asking, ’Cassian, when’s Kyle coming back? Cassian, do you think he would spar with me?’ Like some lovestruck—"

Cedric elbowed him in the ribs.

Hard.

"How about a friendly match?" Cedric’s voice remained perfectly calm even as Cassian wheezed beside him.

"No stakes. Just practice."

The hallway fell suspiciously quiet.

Kyle became acutely aware of multiple students pretending not to eavesdrop.

Luna materialized at his elbow, grinning like a shark.

"Do it. I’ll pay good money to watch Cedric wipe the floor with you."

Reo nodded solemnly.

"I’ll hold your funeral robe."

Kyle opened his mouth to refuse when Lyra’s eyes lit up with unholy glee.

"Oh this is perfect. I’ll sell tickets. ’Golden Boy vs. The Lightning Disaster.’ We’ll make a killing."

Even Sylvie peeked over her glasses with timid interest.

Kyle sighed.

The universe clearly hated him.

"Sure. Why not?"

Cedric’s lips curved in what might’ve been a smile on a less terrifying person.

"Tomorrow after classes. Training grounds."

As the group erupted into side conversations.

Luna already taking bets. Lyra brainstorming promotional slogans.

Kyle caught Cedric’s lingering gaze.

There was something calculating in those blue eyes. Something that made the hairs on Kyle’s arms stand up.

This wasn’t just a friendly spar.

But before Kyle could dwell on it.

Cassian slung an arm around both him and Cedric, nearly crushing them together.

"Alright lovebirds! Now that we have settled the death match, who’s up for stealing some pastries from the cafeteria?"

The tension shattered as Lyra whooped and Luna immediately began plotting diversion tactics.

Even Sylvie offered a tiny smile.

As the chaotic group moved down the hallway.

Kyle allowed himself a small, grudging smile.

Maybe nearly failing a quiz wasn’t the worst thing that could happen today.

———