Scene – Ground A, Aplika Academy

Announcer –
The next round will be a competition-type test.
You will need to run, dodge, fight, and when the time comes, run again…

Random Student – What kind of test is this?

Announcer –
You must enter the jungle and obtain a “YELLOW MITY CRYSTAL.”
But—BUT—this crystal is guarded by a high-rank monster.
You can obtain the crystal by:

• taking it without disturbing the monster,

• defeating the monster, or

• stealing it from another student.

That choice is up to you.

There are only 20 crystals in the jungle.
Those who bring a crystal back to the academy within 2 hours may proceed to the next test.

Random Student – Are you kidding me?!

Student 2 – We have to fight monsters?!

Tianzhu (thinking) –
This isn’t that difficult. I’ve already trained for situations like this.

Dana – Yeah, finally something real. This is exactly what I trained for all this time.

Tianzhu – ? Oh… Dana.

Dana – ? Tianzhu…

Tianzhu – Good, you passed the first test too.

Dana – Hmph! I’m intelligent, you know.

Tianzhu – I got 15 marks.

Dana – …A-anyway, that doesn’t matter right now!

Announcer –
You may begin.
Your time starts now.

Tianzhu – Let’s go.

Dana – Hm. (nods)

Jessy – Two hours, huh…
That’s not that hard. I just have to fight that monster… eww!
How ugly will that monster be?!

Purui (thinking) –
This time, I’ll definitely be in the top three, just like last time.

Madan – This time, I’ll be first!

Scene – All students rush toward the jungle, some running, some flying.

Jessy –
Where is that damn crystal?!
Hmm… Who’s there?!

Scene – A student steps out from behind a tree.

Punit – M-my name is Punit. I’m taking the test too, just like you.

Jessy – Oh… so you’re just some random trash.

Punit – !
Anyway, I have a plan. If we do this, I’m sure we’ll pass.

Jessy – ? What plan?

Punit –
It’s simple. One of us will distract the monster,
and the other will take the crystal.

Jessy – Huh? And what about me? How will I get a crystal?

Punit –
I’ll bring two crystals—one for me and one for you.
You just have to distract the monster.

Punit (thinking) –
Nice, nice. I didn’t even say she would distract the monster,
and she already agreed. What an idiot…

Jessy – But why me?

Punit –
Ah—b-because you’re beautiful!
No, no—because you’re the most beautiful girl in the whole world.
That monster will go crazy chasing your beauty and forget everything else!

Jessy – Hmph! That’s true…
Okay, I’ll do it.

Punit (thinking) –
What the hell…?!
That was way too easy. Seriously?!

Scene – Meanwhile, Tianzhu is watching them while invisible.

Tianzhu (thinking) –
This invisibility magic hides my presence and body completely.
Only sound can reveal me.
But wow… what a foolish girl.
He’s clearly trying to trick her.
Well, whatever. I don’t care.

Scene – Tianzhu moves away.
Purui is shown running slightly above the ground using magic.

Purui –
Where is that crystal?!
Where is it?! Come on, come on…!

Scene – Suddenly, she’s hit by something and falls to the ground.
She looks up and sees a huge dragon standing in front of her.

Dragon – Grrrr…

Purui – D-d-dragon?!
(trembling)

Scene – A voice is heard. It’s Tianzhu passing by.

Tianzhu – It’s just an illusion.

Purui – Huh?!
Who was that?!
Where did that voice come from? (whisper)
…Wait—illusion?!
Then… REMOVE!

Scene – The illusion disappears, and everything returns to normal.

Purui –
Phew… what if that dragon had been real?!
I need to be very careful in this jungle…

Tianzhu –
There aren’t many monsters in this jungle.
I haven’t seen even one yet.
This is my first time seeing a real monster, so I was excited,
but there’s nothing here so far… -_-

Scene – Dana is shown fighting two strange-looking monsters.

Dana – Damn! These monsters are strong!
If they came one at a time, I could defeat them easily,
but two at once…!

Scene – One monster attacks. Dana dodges and counterattacks.

Dana – Fire Blast!

Scene – The monster is hit and takes damage.
The second monster attacks immediately.
Dana dodges just in time and steps back.

Dana – Ahh… ahh… ahh…
Then—HOLY WATER BLAST!

Scene – Cyan-colored water appears and strikes one monster,
sending it crashing into a tree. The monster dies.

Dana – One down… one left!

Scene – The remaining monster suddenly disappears
and reappears right in front of Dana’s face, attacking with its claws.

Dana – Aghh!!!

Scene – A barrier protects Dana, but it breaks.

Dana – Oh!
Good thing I created this barrier beforehand!

Scene – The monster jumps again to attack,
but this time Dana moves aside.
The monster misses, and Dana counterattacks.

Dana – Holy Water Blast!

Scene – The second monster dies.

Dana –
Uff… finally!
And who knows how many monsters are still here?
If even low-rank monsters are this strong,
how powerful will a high-rank monster be…?!

Aahh… just thinking about it makes my body tremble.

Anyway… let’s move forward.