Chapter 35: Priortize
Early in the morning, William could be seen walking toward the academy—without a bag.
He wore the academy’s official training gear: a crisp white shirt with loose sleeves and small buttons, paired with brown pants that allowed for easy movement. Simple, practical, and unrestrictive.
He rarely carried weapons, but for safety’s sake, a short dagger rested on his waist.
As he passed through the academy gates, his attention was immediately drawn to the left—where students had gathered for the morning drills.
And when he looked at them, his gaze was unintentionally drawn towards a particular girl.
A silver-haired girl standing amidst the crowd, her presence effortlessly drawing every eye.
Emma wore the same uniform, though it looked almost tailored to her—her white shirt neatly tucked, her brown pants fitting just right, accentuating her elegant figure. Her hair, tied in a ponytail, shimmered faintly in the morning sun, and the soft light made her pale skin seem almost translucent.
Because her hair was up, the gentle curve of her neck was fully revealed—graceful, delicate, almost impossible to ignore.
William’s gaze lingered a moment too long.
Sensing it, Emma turned. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting heartbeat, time slowed.
The crowd around them faded into a blur—his steps drawing them closer.
Emma could feel her pulse quickening. Each stride brought him nearer, and the rhythm of her heart grew restless.
Was it his disheveled hair? His quiet confidence? Or those deep eyes that seemed to pull her in without trying?
She didn’t know. All she knew was that, in that moment, William stood at the very center of her world.
"Quit ogling already." William’s smirk broke the spell as he came to stand beside her, arms crossed casually.
Emma narrowed her eyes, hiding her smile. "Who started it?"
He gave a light shrug. "I check out every girl I find attractive."
Emma chuckled softly. "That’s one way to say I look beautiful."
William didn’t deny it—just met her gaze with that same calm intensity.
He appreciated beauty when he saw it. And she looked undeniably beautiful.
Just then, the instructor— the same one who had overseen the class rearrangement— appeared before the gathered students.
In an instant, the chatter died. Everyone straightened into neat lines, William and Emma standing shoulder to shoulder.
Russel’s sharp eyes swept across the rows. She immediately noticed a familiar absence— a green-haired girl replaced by Delimore.
’Well, that was expected,’ she thought. ’He earned his spot fair and square.’
The instructor finally spoke in a commanding voice,
"Good morning, students. I hope you’re all prepared to demonstrate what it means to be a true warrior— someone who can survive in unexpected conditions and adapt to unfamiliar allies."
She motioned toward a man standing beside her. He stepped forward, holding a rolled canvas. With a practiced gesture, he unfurled it against the board behind them. A detailed map of an island came into view.
"This," she said, tapping the parchment, "is Harbaria Island. It belongs to the academy, and it will be your battlefield for this assessment."
A faint murmur spread among the students. William’s eyes narrowed as he studied the map. He recognized the name—Harbaria lay far beyond the training coast—but he’d never set foot there.
The instructor’s voice drew everyone back to focus.
"There will be eight teams in total, each assigned to one of the eight domes scattered across the island. Every dome presents a unique set of dangers—both natural and magical."
Her gaze swept across the group, lingering briefly on each student.
"Your task is simple: navigate carefully, locate all the *pinpoints*—the energy nodes that power each dome—and escape as quickly as you can."
A moment of silence followed before her voice hardened slightly.
"Remember, this assessment isn’t just about how many beasts you slay. It’s about survival—how well you adapt, cooperate, and endure. The faster you complete the objective, the higher your score."
Her eyes gleamed faintly under the morning sun.
"So steel your minds, not just your blades. On Harbaria, hesitation can cost you more than just points."
The students closely studied the map now, trying to figure out where the pinpoints could be located.
Russel clapped her hands and said, "Now, group up."
As she said, everyone started to move, gathering around according to their numbers.
William and Emma didn’t need to move as Kevin soon arrived by their side and stood between them.
Joseph and Natalie also arrived at their side not so long after
Natalie stole a glance at William and found him still looking at the map.
Meanwhile Joseph was openly glaring at the blond.
"So...should we prepare a strategy?" Natalie asked, breaking the tension.
Kevin nodded, "Yes, we should." Glancing around, he began, taking the role of leader as naturally as ever, "I and Joseph would handle the front. Natalie, as always, I leave the rear in your care."
The short haired girl gave a brief nod of confidence.
"Emma is our healer so she will move in the middle of the herd. She needs to be protected till the end at all costs." That last bit made Emma’s skin crawl, before she saw Kevin’s eyes turning toward William,
"William will..."
"I ain’t going to follow you guys." William interrupted, "We are not told to stick close and earn points. So, go your way and find the pinpoints as soon as possible."
Kevin gritted his teeth, just as he thought, this guy was unbearable.
However, before he could have said anything, Russel called out, "William,"
The blond one turned towards the instructor before he and the others heard her saying, "You are being removed from the First Team. Caleb is replacing you."
William frowned, "What?"
Russel shrugged, "Not my decision. And anyway, whichever team you fight from, you wouldn’t be familiar with them. And not like the difficulty level differs in this assessment."
While her argument sounded reasonable, William couldn’t understand, "Why do you need to change your mind so many times just to prioritize this guy here." he said while pointing toward Kevin.
Russel frowned, "What do you mean by that?"
William chuckled, "Neither of us is dumb enough to not understand what the Headmaster aims on doing by removing me from the team."
Russel growled but before she could have retaliated, a voice called out,
"You are mistaken about something here," everyone flinched as suddenly, a red haired man suddenly appeared beside Russel.
William narrowed his gaze at the insignia he wore on his chest.
A member of the Round Hall.
’Now...why is he here?’
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A/N:- Thanks for reading. Please add the book to your collection.