Chapter 59 - The Result [3]
It looks like I was exhausted more than I thought.
The continuous physical exertion and mental strain from clearing two entire dungeon floors had caught up to me all at once.
I didn’t wake up until the next day.
I lay motionless in bed for a few long moments, staring blankly up at the white ceiling of my dorm room as the morning sunlight poured through the window.
"Ugh... I want to sleep more."
I mumbled as I stood up and started fixing my bed and getting ready for the day.
I’ve already slept for hours, but instead of feeling refreshed, I still feel a bit tired.
My muscles still had a faint, dull ache lingering inside them, and my overall mana reserves felt like they were taking their time to fully top off.
But moving on, I had breakfast after fixing my bed, I took a bath, got dressed, and checked my phone for messages.
I walked over to my small kitchen counter, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and took a warm shower to wash away the leftover grime from the dungeon.
I pulled on a clean set of academy clothes, picked up my device off the table, and unlocked the screen to see what I had missed while sleeping.
I have a few messages from Ahri from yesterday, she was checking on me after the test. I replied to her and told her we did good, and that I’m feeling fine.
She had sent multiple texts asking if our party made it out safely and how the monster fights went on the lower floors.
I typed out a short, reassuring response to ease her worries, letting her know that our team performed exceptionally well without taking any bad injuries.
After sending those messages, I started recording important happenings that happened inside the dungeon.
The leveling up system that was still in effect like the game, and the change with my relationship with Cordelia.
I carefully noted how my baseline stats had increased after defeating the Hobgoblin Champion and Lizardman Warrior, confirming that the game mechanics of this world were still fully operational.
I also wrote down how Cordelia’s attitude toward me had softened significantly over the course of our joint battles and strategic planning.
I also took note of my new future goals, and some of the new skills I had in mind that I can experiment with Vael’s abilities.
And once that was all done and settled... I left the dorm to meet up with the others and look at the result of the test.
I closed my phone, and grabbed my keycard before stepping out into the hallway.
*****
When I got out of my dorm, Zion was just leaving his as well.
He was stepping out into the carpeted corridor, locking his door behind him while slinging a light bag over his shoulder.
"Good morning."
I called out as I walked up toward his doorway.
"Morning."
Zion turned around and offered a wide wave.
We greeted each other with a smile, then after that, the two of us started heading to the meet up area together. We walked side by side down the hallway, heading toward the main stairs that led down to the ground level of the residential building.
"I slept the rest of the day yesterday."
Zion said to me as we were walking.
He rubbed the back of his neck with a slight chuckle, admitting how completely knocked out he was the moment he hit his mattress.
This was understandable, after all—Zion forgot to bring his own tent, he just had a sleeping bag. I did let him rest in my tent one time when I was standing guard, but that was it.
He had been forced to tough it out on the bare ground for most of our stay inside the dungeon, with only a thin layer of fabric between him and the cold stone floor.
He slept on the ground with his sleeping bag the whole time. It must’ve been uncomfortable, making him unable to sleep well.
The damp air and freezing draft of the cavernous boss chamber certainly didn’t make for a comfortable night’s rest.
No wonder he slept really long when he finally got a proper place to rest. His body was likely compensating for two full days of poor sleep quality and constant muscle stiffness.
"Haha, that’s why don’t forget your tent next time."
I told him teasingly.
I gave him a light nudge with my elbow, poking fun at his lack of basic preparation before we entered a multi-day dungeon run.
"Ugh, I won’t... I don’t want to go through that again."
Zion replied with a slight frown, recalling his time in the dungeon.
He shook his head in regret, making a mental note to buy a high-grade portable shelter before our next outdoor field assignment.
... ... ...
We crossed the central green area of the academy grounds, enjoying the cool morning breeze as we made our way toward the commercial district.
... ... ...
The paved pathways were lined with tall trees, and several students were already walking around in small groups, chatting eagerly about the upcoming announcement.
... ... ...
The familiar storefront of the dining establishment came into view, its wide glass windows showing a busy interior filled with patrons.
The whole group decided to meet at the restaurant again, the one where we had our first meeting.
It was a convenient spot located right along the main road leading directly to the central square.
And once Zion and I got there—
We pushed open the double glass doors, stepping inside the air-conditioned dining hall to look for an available table.
"Hello!"
Cindy followed just moments later. She bounded through the door right behind us, waving her hand energetically as soon as she spotted us near the entrance.
The three of us joined up and found ourselves a place to sit on.
We claimed a comfortable booth near the side, sliding into the leather seats while waiting for the remaining two members.
And just as we were about to order—
The front door opened once more, letting in a gentle chime as two familiar figures walked inside together.
"Did you all rest well?"
Crystal asked as she walked up to our table.
"Hello, guys."
Cordelia greeted us right beside her, offering a polite bow of her head.
The two of them arrived together. They pulled up two extra chairs to the end of our booth and sat down gracefully.
The group was complete.
All five members of Group 18 were gathered around the table, ready to head over to the square once the time came.
But it was just [9:30 AM], the result will be displayed in the academy’s plaza exactly at [10:00 AM]. We still have half an hour.
The official evaluation tallies were set to go live across the central holographic arrays in thirty minutes.
So to pass time, we decided to eat and have small conversations.
We flagged down a staff member to place our morning orders, taking our time to relax and chat before the crowd gathered.
I already had breakfast, so I just bought a coffee and a chicken burger. Zion ordered a lot, he probably missed breakfast.
He got himself a massive plate loaded with eggs, sausages, toast, and a large juice box, clearly trying to make up for lost calories.
Crystal and Cordelia just bought tea and sandwiches for themselves, while Cindy ordered a salad and juice.
They preferred a much lighter morning meal, sipping their warm drinks while chatting about their sleep schedules from yesterday.
’There’s a lot of customers already at this time... I wonder if this place needs more help.’
I thought, looking around as I waited for my order.
The floor staff were practically running back and forth between tables, trying their best to handle the sudden influx of hungry students.
I’m thinking of applying for a part time job in this restaurant to earn some extra money I can use on myself. I will do that later after seeing the result of the test.
A little extra pocket money would go a long way in buying better gear maintenance kits and mana potions for personal training.
... ... ...
We finished up our light meals, taking slow sips of our drinks while discussing how the other parties might have handled the first floor.
... ... ...
Zion wiped his mouth with a napkin, looking thoroughly satisfied after clearing his massive plate down to the last crumb.
... ... ...
I checked my phone to see the time, noticing that the clock had just ticked over to twenty minutes past nine.
After passing time in the restaurant, we started heading to the academy’s plaza.
We cleared our table, paid for our respective orders, and stepped out into the bright morning sunlight together.
We encountered a lot of students, especially freshmen, heading in the same direction.
The main stone avenues were packed with large crowds of broad-shouldered martial arts students and robe-wearing mages all walking toward the center.
And when we got to our destination—it was packed with people!
The expansive open-air square was completely filled from edge to edge, with waves of anxious students whispering among themselves.
"Look at that crowd."
Zion mumbled seeing all the freshmen piling near the holographic announcement board. He craned his neck, looking at the dense sea of bodies standing shoulder-to-shoulder near the main display pedestals.
"We can just stay here, the hologram will be so big that we can see it here anyway."
Crystal suggested, and all of us agreed to her words. We don’t want to dive in that sea of people.
She pointed to a slightly elevated stone steps near the edge of the plaza, where we could easily look over the heads of the crowd.
I looked around for a bit... I can see some senior students, professors, and academy staffs.
Upperclassmen were leaning against the surrounding stone pillars with crossed arms, casually observing the nervous reactions of the new intake.
’They’re probably here to keep an eye on promising freshmen.’
I quickly realized that.
The various academy factions and clubs were likely scouting for fresh talent to recruit into their ranks early on.
Then finall, as the clock hit [10:00 AM]—TIIING!
The heavy chiming sound of the academy bell tower echoed across the vast courtyard, signaling the exact start of the broadcast.
FWOOSH~
A bluish, transparent hologram appeared in the middle of the plaza! Three of them!
Massive light projections shot straight up into the sky from the central pedestals, expanding into three giant rectangular screens for everyone to see.
The entire plaza fell completely silent for a brief second as hundreds of eyes scanned the glowing blue text line by line.
"..."
Everyone’s eyes quickly shifted to its content, and there—
=====
[Group Ranking]:
1. (Group 18):
- Cordelia Everwave
- Crystal Francine
- Cindy Blackthorne
- Zion Braveheart
- Vael Frostguard
2. (Group 25):
... ... ...
... ... ...
=====
I immediately saw our group listed at the very top of the ranking in the middle hologram.
Our party number and all five of our names were prominently displayed right under the number one slot in bright gold lettering.
"...!"
A big smile appeared on my face, I couldn’t hold it in!
Seeing our hard work and strategic floor clear recognized at the very top gave me a subtle wave of genuine satisfaction.
Then beside me—
"We did it!"
Zion shouted out, pumping his fist into the air with a massive, beaming grin.
"Sis is going to be happy to hear this!"
Cindy cheered, clapping her hands together as she bounced on her heels.
"We really got first place..."
Crystal muttered softly, her eyes wide with slight astonishment as she stared at our names.
"I can’t believe it as well."
Cordelia added, a warm smile on her face as well.
She let out a soft breath of relief, her calm eyes shining with genuine happiness at our collective achievement.
Hearing their comments, I shrugged my shoulders, then with my lips parting—
"I told you we’re going to be first place."
I confidently declared that. I was already expecting this result, but just seeing it with my own eyes is really diffirent.
"Ah...!"
Anyway, just then, Zion’s eyes widened a bit and pointed at the holograms again.
His jaw dropped slightly as his gaze wandered over to the adjacent projection screens floating right beside the main group list.
"Look at the other ranking, Vael!"
He told me. He tapped my shoulder repeatedly, pointing his finger toward the secondary floating screen display.
I wonder what got him kike that, so I looked at the second hologram.
I shifted my focus to the left side, reading down the list of names displayed under the specialized roster.
=====
[Z-Class Ranking]:
1. Thomas Lancaster
2. Lionel Walter
3. Eleanor Moonflower
4. Isolde Embervale
5. Viola Ironcrest
6. Henry Goldhand
7. Juliana Dreamweaver
8. Alfred Steelborn
9. Rosalind Rosemond
10. Edward Crownshield
=====
Listed on it were the students of the freshmen [Z-Class]. No group number or whatsoever.
The screen showed the individual standings of the elite elite squad, featuring the top talent of the entire incoming academic year.
They took the test too, but unlike the rest of us freshmen—they entered the dungeon individually, and they were allowed all the way to the third floor!
While standard parties were restricted to clearing the second floor, the elite class had been given special permission to dive much deeper on their own.
That was why their ranking is different from the rest, they’re on a whole other level!
Their evaluation criteria were based on solo survival, clear times, and deep-floor monster combat metrics.
"What? You got intimidated by the [Z-CLASS]?"
I teasingly asked Zion after seeing that.
I gave him a smirk, assuming he was feeling pressurized by the monstrous performance metrics of the top-tier students.
But he just frowned at me and shook his head.
He turned his head back to me, giving a fast shake of his head to correct my misunderstanding.
"Not that, the individual ranking!"
Then he exclaimed that. He pointed his hand firmly toward the third screen situated on the far right of the central pedestal array.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
I turned to the holograms again, and this time—I looked at the third one.
I blinked, shifting my eyes over to the final blue screen to see what had caught his attention so intensely.
=====
[Individual Ranking]:
1. Vael Frostguard
2. Cordelia Everwave
3. David Aodhan
4. Zion Braveheart
5. Crystal Francine
6. Marcus Lineman
7. Cindy Blackthorne
...
...
=====
And there, I saw my name again... It’s at the very top.
My name was sitting right at the number one position overall across all standard freshmen participants, surpassing every single student outside the special elite class.
"Huh...?"
I stared blankly at the glowing blue letters, completely stunned as my mind tried to process the unexpected individual placement.