CHAPTER 45: MONTHLY RANKING TEST 3

The first Monthly Ranking Test was here.

Aegis stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her study group in the main courtyard. Miheyra twisted her copper braids nervously. Ellis was fidgeting with his glasses. Tam whispered something to Jona, who nodded while flexing his ink-stained fingers.

[And here we all are... about to get our asses evaluated. Beautiful.]

The courtyard buzzed with first-year students. Noble cliques huddled together, whispering strategies. Commoners clustered in defensive formations.

Everyone knew the stakes. Bottom ten percent meant expulsion. No exceptions.

[After this one, the percentage of students expelled goes down, so the pressure gradually decreases from here till the end of the first year. This is by far the most important Monthly Ranking Test. And, for sure, I’ll have better stats by the time the next one comes around. After this one, I can start taking things just a teensy, tiny bit easier.]

Across the courtyard, Liora stood with a group of scholarship students. Aegis caught her eye and nodded. Liora returned it with a small smile before turning back to her companions.

[At least she’s not avoiding me anymore.]

"Nervous, Mouse?" Scarlett bumped Aegis’s shoulder. "You look tense."

"Just mentally preparing." Aegis scanned the crowd. "Three tests in one day is going to be rough."

"Three?" Scarlett raised an eyebrow. "Most of us are only doing one, maybe two."

"Yeah, well." Aegis shrugged. "I’m an overachiever, remember?"

Movement near the noble section caught her attention. Princess Talia Stone stood with her usual entourage, black hair gleaming in the morning sun. Their eyes met.

Aegis winked.

Talia’s yellow eyes narrowed to slits. Her hands clenched at her sides, and one of her lackeys had to whisper something to calm her down.

[Too easy. She’s so fun to rile up.]

"ATTENTION!"

Commander Korvo’s voice cut through the chatter. He stood on a raised platform, flanked by other instructors. His scarred face swept over the assembled students.

"First test, Combat. Rules are simple. Paired duels. First touch wins. No lethal force. No permanent injuries." His milky eye gleamed. "Those participating, step forward."

About two-thirds of the students moved to the designated area. Aegis joined them, noting who else was competing. Most of the combat-focused students, obviously. Some nobles looking to show off. And...

[Oh shit. Talia’s competing too.]

The princess stood with perfect posture, radiating confidence. Of course she’d participate. In the game, she dominated all three tests.

"Pairs will be randomly assigned," Korvo continued. "There are numerous metrics by which you’ll be evaluated. The speed and efficiency with which you win, the effectiveness of your defense, the power behind your offense, etc. These factors determine your combat score for the monthly ranking."

Aegis’s mind raced through possibilities.

There were three options for who Aegis could be paired up with for this test, in the game. The first was Scarlett, the second was Talia, the third was Varyn. Each one played out differently.

Getting paired with Scarlett would be ideal, her friend would definitely help her put on a good show. But if she got paired with, say... Talia?

[She’d turn me into a commoner-kabob without hesitation. Then, she’d just shrug the kill off as an "accident" and, being the heiress to House Stone, no one would care. The community liked it. It was played up for laughs. I sure as shit wouldn’t be laughing, though.]

"First match!" Korvo bellowed. "Scarlett Lionheart versus Kanna Greaves!"

Aegis perked up. A slow smile spread across her face.

[Well... I’m not gonna get paired up with Scarlett, but this should still be fun to watch.]

Kanna Greaves stepped into the ring. Where Scarlett was all fiery energy and cocky grins, Kanna was pure stoic intensity. She had short grey hair framing a beautiful face set in permanent neutrality. Her yellow eyes assessed Scarlett with zero emotion, and her muscles rippled beneath her uniform as she drew her sword.

... And yes, her chest was just as impressive as Scarlett’s.

[The two bustiest, beefiest girls in first year, about to clash. The game devs knew exactly what they were doing when they came up with this scene.]

"Holy shit," Scarlett muttered, sizing up her opponent. She looked equally like she was sizing up another predator and like she’d just fallen in love. "Where’d she come from?"

The two warriors circled each other. Scarlett bounced on her feet, eager. Kanna remained still, watchful.

"Begin!"

Without any hesitation, they exploded into motion.

CLANG!

Their swords met with enough force to send sparks flying. Scarlett pressed forward, using her natural aggression. Kanna gave ground, deflecting each strike with minimal effort.

"She’s good," Lune observed beside Aegis. "Very efficient."

[Ah, good. My emotional support kuudere loli is here. I wonder what took her so long.]

"Yeah." Aegis watched the fight unfold exactly as she remembered. "Really good."

Scarlett unleashed a flurry of attacks.

Her blade sang through the air, each strike powerful enough to shatter stone. But Kanna moved like water, flowing around each attack. Not a single wasted movement.

"Scarlett is doing well," Lune remarked.

"Yeah, she is. But..."

[Three... two... one...]

Kanna shifted her weight. Scarlett overextended on a particularly vicious swing. In one smooth motion, Kanna stepped inside Scarlett’s guard and tapped her sword against the redhead’s ribs.

"Touch! Greaves wins!"

Scarlett stood frozen, blinking in shock. The crowd murmured appreciatively. Several noble girls whispered behind their hands, eyes locked on Kanna’s figure.

"Next match!"

As more pairs were called, Scarlett trudged over to Aegis’s group.

"Man, who the hell was that chick?" She ran a hand through her red hair. "She barely even tried!"

"Kanna Greaves," Aegis supplied. "Transfer student from the Northern Fortress Academy."

"How do you—never mind." Scarlett shook her head. "You and your weird knowledge. Damn, she was insanely skilled. And hot!"

Aegis snickered.

More matches passed. Noble faced noble, commoner faced commoner. Some fights ended in seconds. Others dragged on until Korvo had to call time.

Then—

"Aegis Starcaller versus Varyn Duskbane!"

[Of course.]

Varyn’s violet eyes gleamed with malice as they entered the ring. His black hair fell perfectly around his shoulders. Everything about him screamed ’scheming noble bastard.’

"Well, well." His voice dripped honey-coated poison. "The miraculous commoner. Ready to show us more of your... talents?"

"Always." Aegis was handed a sword. "Question is, are you ready for mine?"

His eye twitched. Good. He was already annoyed.

Aegis knew damn well how this scene played out. She knew how to handle Varyn here.

"Begin!"

Varyn moved first. His rapier sliced through the air toward Aegis’s shoulder. She saw it coming a mile away but didn’t move.

The blade stopped an inch from her uniform.

Varyn grinned. He’d pulled the strike at the last second, having a clear shot, but refusing to take it.

[Good. Just like the game,] Aegis held back a sigh of relief. [He doesn’t want to just beat me. Not yet. He wants to humiliate me first.]

"Hm?" Aegis tilted her head. "Was that supposed to be an attack?"

Varyn’s jaw clenched. He struck again, aiming for her other shoulder. Again, he pulled back at the last moment.

Aegis yawned.

"Sorry, late night." She examined her nails. "Are we starting soon, or...?"

"You little—" Varyn’s composure cracked. He launched a series of strikes, each one stopping just short of contact.

Varyn cared just as much about winning this as he did about humiliating her, especially after what happened at the gala and the total chewing out he probably received for his actions.

He wanted her to flinch. To beg. To show fear.

Aegis gave him nothing.

She stood there, bored expression firmly in place, as his blade whistled past her face. When he aimed for her legs, she didn’t even glance down. When he feinted toward her throat, she checked her nails again.

"Is that really it?" Aegis sighed dramatically. "I thought House Duskbane was supposed to be scary."

Varyn’s face flushed red. His next strike came faster, angrier. This time he didn’t pull back quite as much. The blade passed close enough to flutter her hair.

[Now, it’s actually starting. In a bit, he’ll actually go for the win.]

Aegis had to amp up the pressure.

"My grandmother moves faster than you," Aegis continued. "And she’s been dead for five decades."

"SHUT UP!"

Varyn lunged forward with a genuine attack. No games this time. Just fury.

Aegis moved.

Instantly, she started trading blows with him.

"Huh!?" He let out a surprised gasp.

Aegis wasn’t that fast yet. Nor was she that strong. But, as Aegis put everything she could into these swings and slashes, she caught him off guard.

All those hours with Scarlett, all of Korvo’s corrections, crystallized into a single sequence.

She stepped inside his reach. He, the objectively better swordsman at this point in Aegis’s school year, managed to deflect her blows. But, the pressure was what mattered, and he was crumbling beneath it.

[More, more.] Aegis told herself. She was already close to getting winded, but just a little more was all she needed.

"H-How dare you even-?"

[Now!]

With one more burst, Aegis sidestepped.

[Fight like yourself, right? Fight like a rat.]

She allowed Varyn’s sword to go by her, not bothering to stop or deflect it. And, with a slick little hop, she ended up right in front of him, nose-to-nose, with her sword an inch off his neck.

She tapped it against him.

"Touch," she whispered. "I win."

The courtyard went silent.

"Touch! Starcaller wins!"

Varyn stood frozen, violet eyes wide with shock. A commoner had just beaten him. Not through luck, skill, or trickery, but mostly through pure psychological warfare.

[Thank you, Commander Korvo.]

Aegis sheathed her daggers and walked away. Behind her, Varyn’s hands shook with rage.

"Holy shit!" Scarlett grabbed Aegis in a crushing hug. "That was brilliant! You just stood there while he—"

"Made himself look like an idiot?" Aegis grinned. "Yeah, that was the plan."

More matches followed. Talia absolutely destroyed her opponent in under ten seconds, easily earning the highest score out of anyone. Aegis figured she’d done enough to be placed in the top twenty percent. Not amazing, but more than enough to avoid expulsion.

[One test down. Two to go.]