NoveLight ™
It seems the written evaluations have wrapped up without any major issues.
Though the difficulty was higher than usual, compared to the standard guides and previous exams, I did stumble a bit. Still, it wasn't a complete disaster where my scores would be in the gutter.
Just about right.
Nothing stellar, but I managed to answer the questions related to what I’d studied.
In other words, I couldn’t solve what I hadn’t learned, but for the topics I did cover, I answered confidently.
I think I managed to avoid scraping the bottom. There's a small glimmer of hope.
So, after the conclusion of the second day of the written exams...
Starting from the third day, the practical exams were divided by specialization.
Combat, Magic, Support, Crafting.
Practical evaluations are grouped by specialization.
Since I'm a special admission student without a set specialization or rank, I was assigned to Combat Practical, the area I’ve been learning under my mentor.
However, the Combat Practical has its own quirks.
Since the one-on-one combat-focused tournament begins the following day, most students reserve their strength for that, and the professors generally understand this.
The theme of this Combat Practical was dungeon strategy.
We were thrown into a Class 4 dungeon with a group of students, and scores were determined based on how quickly each cadet reached the assigned destination.
The dungeon environment, embedded traps, and the types and numbers of monsters varied.
And with multiple cadets heading towards the same location, there were opportunities to encounter others.
Part of the evaluation was on how well you managed those encounters on the way to your destination.
Sure, I could’ve brute-forced my way through the traps and monsters in a straight line, but I doubt that would have earned me a good score.
The intention was probably to gauge survival skills and decision-making if someone were stranded in a dungeon alone.
Recalling memories of the Shipnaha Incident left me feeling a bit strange.
Nonetheless, the practical exam was completed.
The schedule spanned from the third day to the morning of the fourth day.
Especially for Combat Practical students, thrown into a dungeon, the expectation was to reach the destination within the allotted time: roughly 36 hours.
And...
"...Cadet Lee Hayul, arrival time: 21 minutes and 13 seconds."
I arrived at the destination quickly and scored nearly full marks.
An easy victory, to put it plainly.
The assistant’s expression was quite entertaining when I arrived; they seemed rather impressed.
While they appeared surprised, I had half-expected this outcome once I was briefed on the practical.
After all, there was no reason for me to get lost.
For most people, the hardest part of exploring a dungeon isn’t the combat but the navigation.
Even for a Class 4 dungeon—the lowest level—the interior is vast, almost overwhelmingly so.
Of course, a superhuman cadet could cross it quickly, but with the inherent risks, that would be reckless.
But I could afford to be reckless.
I could observe everything in the dungeon, every trap and monster from start to finish.
The power of Observation.
Though my proficiency with it is low, it’s still a power granted by the Tower of Observation.
Even a Class 4 dungeon can’t outmaneuver or obscure itself from me.
I identified all the traps, categorized them, and measured the monster types and numbers, along with their strengths and weaknesses.
Mapped out the shortest, safest route to the destination.
With ongoing recalibration, I could control for any unforeseen variables.
All of that was done in less than three minutes after entering the dungeon.
From there, it was smooth sailing.
I pushed forward, following the mental map I’d drawn out.
No encounters with traps or monsters; no threats whatsoever.
I took a path where I wouldn’t run into any of those hazards.
“Phew…”
Barely thirty minutes after the practical exam began, I was already breathing fresh air outside.
It felt like a casual stroll.
After taking a gulp of water, I mentally reviewed the remaining schedule.
‘Now all that’s left is the tournament.’
It's the morning of the third day. The tournament preliminaries will begin in the afternoon of the fourth day.
Of course, the tournament is the main event.
So now, all that’s left is to prepare for the tournament in the meantime.
I have more time than most, so I should make the most of it.
Plus, I have a reliable ally.
After sorting out my thoughts, I tapped on my hologram display.
[Contacts: Mentor]
▶Me: I just finished the practical exam, Mentor.
▶Me: May I come by now?
▶Me: (Puppy eyes emoji)
A response arrived swiftly.
...
...
...
Back at the Tower of Growth.
I’d sharpened my senses to compensate for my impaired vision and disrupted spatial awareness.
I used my hearing and touch to catch every subtle change around me, creating a mental map to navigate the environment.
I updated that map continuously as I fought.
It was similar to echolocation.
Now that I think about it, that skill might qualify as a unique ability in itself.
Looking back, I do recall an ability like that, though it wasn’t fully developed.
Either way...
Echolocation, realized through my heightened senses, had been relegated to the back burner since my spatial perception recovered, and I awakened my powers of Observation and Spatial Manipulation.
It wasn’t useless, but it was undeniably inferior to the powers of Observation and Space.
That said, I wouldn’t call it completely useless either.
After all, I learned the hard way once when my spatial perception let me down.
If I hadn’t honed my senses in time, I might’ve been caught off guard and taken out by the barrage of attacks from the cadets.
And that was just an exam within the Tower of Growth.
In real life, it wouldn’t have been a mere disqualification but a lethal mistake.
And there's no guarantee that kind of failure won’t happen again.
My spatial perception and powers of Observation may now cover a wide range, enough to counter and even pressurize opponents.
But even these powers aren’t foolproof.
They’re not truly mine; they’re borrowed from an external entity.
There's always a risk of losing them.
Since realizing that, I’d felt a need to invest in echolocation and other such skills.
"Awww..."
And now, here I am, cheeks pinched by my mentor as she playfully squeezed my face.
Echolocation... well, it's part of the sensory training.
The sparring match with Aiden was a milestone for me.
The match at the start of the semester had been a close call, with my victory hanging by a thread, luck, and circumstances.
If Aiden hadn’t underestimated me or had put in his full effort from the start, I might have lost.
I haven’t sparred with Aiden since then.
What about now?
Maybe I’m overconfident, but I think I can handle it.
But one can never be sure without testing oneself. Aiden might have had the same thought process and still lost.
This match with Aiden will be an evaluation of sorts.
An assessment of how much I’ve grown since the semester began.
And for that reason, this training is essential.
[Happiness]
...It’s training.
...
...
The sensation against my palm was incredibly delightful.
Atra resisted a sudden impulse as she gently pressed her palms together around my cheeks.
Squeezing slightly, my lips were pushed out as my cheeks were squished, the sunlight highlighting their softness.
She could feel the moisture on my lips faintly as they brushed against her fingertips.
"......"
This time, she grasped my cheeks firmly, making my lips retract and filling her hand with the plush softness of my face.
It was like touching a baby’s delicate skin—soft and warm.
Even after all the time spent together, Atra could never get used to my scent.
Suppressing the impulse that surged within her, she released my cheeks.
Then, she continued to stroke and squeeze, kneading my cheeks.
She hadn’t indulged this much even when she’d been caring for me in the healing room.
It might seem like she was just playing with my cheeks, but there was a purpose to it.
Despite her repeated handling, I showed no sign of pain and only leaned into her touch, as if urging her to continue.
Like a puppy snuggling against its owner’s hand.
...This wasn’t a case of Atra pushing me around. I was willingly engaging in sensory training.
Atra took her eyes off my adorable face with great difficulty and glanced at the necklace around my neck.
[Happiness] [Love it] [Warmth] [Soft] [Contentment] [Cozy] [Affection] [Cared for] [Protected]
The necklace kept repeating the same sentiments as if it were malfunctioning.
Usually, I would blush and shut it off right away, but I seemed too absorbed to notice and simply stayed nestled in Atra's hands.
Lately, Atra had noticed significant changes in my behavior.
It wasn’t just that I’d become more affectionate, but there was a fundamental shift in my demeanor.
Where I used to speak stiffly, with polite phrases like ‘Thank you,’ ‘Understood,’ and kept a noticeable distance, I now said things like ‘Thanks,’ ‘Really?’ ‘Love it,’ ‘Can I come by?’ and ‘Pet me, please.’
Now, even as she blatantly touched my cheeks, I remained still, leaning into her hand without any sign of discomfort.
Not just during training—any unexpected touch would elicit a similar reaction.
Even when I tilted my head with a puzzled expression, I would cautiously offer my cheek.
As a mentor, she knew she shouldn’t have these thoughts, but she felt that even if she touched somewhere inappropriate, I would just be startled and not resist...
[Love Mentor] [Touch me more] [Like your hand]
"Ahem..."
Atra cleared her throat, shaking off those inappropriate thoughts.
Still, what could she do? I was in training.
And I could feel my senses sharpening as she held my cheeks.
Knowing this, she didn’t want to go back on her word after accepting my request.
Muttering an excuse to herself, she took hold of my cheeks once more.
...
...
[Player Adjustment System: Affinity] Lee Hayul → Atra Clyde ●●●●●●●●○○ (82▷83/100) “Mentor” “Anticipation” “Security” “Yearning for Affection”
[The conditions to break the ‘Curse of Silence’ have not been met] [The conditions to break the ‘Curse of Loneliness’ have not been met]
...
[Player Adjustment System: Attributes] ▶ Titles “Special Admission Student” “Young Hero of Shipnaha” ... “Master of ??’s Tower” ... “Clingy” ... “Puppy”
▶ Stats ...
▶ Unique Abilities “Versatile Talent” “Magic Affinity” ...
▶ Powers “Power of Observation” “Power of Space” ...