Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Chapter 353: Practical Exam

The last week soon came to an end, and today was the final exam—the practical portion of the Awakener's Training class.

We were all gathered at the Mission Hall, the large space buzzing with low murmurs and the occasional nervous laugh. The tension in the air was thick, but for me, it was a familiar, almost comforting feeling.

Instructor Ardent stood at the front of the room, her sharp gaze sweeping over all of us. She always had this calm yet commanding presence, a mix of authority and wisdom that kept us all on edge. Today, she seemed more serious than usual, though there was a hint of something else behind her stern expression—a flicker of amusement.

"Alright, settle down," she called, her voice cutting through the noise.

The hall fell silent immediately, all eyes on her.

"This is it—the practical part of the 'Awakener's Training' exam," she began, pacing slowly as she spoke. "You've all passed the theoretical part, but now comes the real test. Out in the field, theory means nothing if you can't put it into practice. Your task today is simple: you will form teams and select a mission from the list I've prepared.

These missions will test your ability to apply everything you've learned this semester—your knowledge, your control, your endurance, your quick thinking, and most importantly, your teamwork."

She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. Some of the students behind us shifted uncomfortably, exchanging glances. I remained still, focused on her.

"There are two difficulty levels to choose from," she continued. "Medium and Hard. Those of you who want to play it safe can choose a medium-difficulty mission. But," she added, her eyes narrowing slightly, "those of you aiming for higher points and a better rank can choose a hard mission."

I couldn't help but smile to myself as I listened to her. Medium and Hard, huh?

The truth was, there was no such thing as two difficulty levels. She was testing us—seeing who would take the risk, who would rise to the challenge, and who would play it safe. I'd seen through her little game the moment she mentioned it. Or in fact, I knew it from the novel.

The hard missions were real, yes, but there was no difference between them and medium missions. Well, except for the main cast's mission and mission, my team is about to choose.

Still, her words about getting more points for the 'hard' missions were true. She wasn't entirely lying—just bending the truth to see who had the courage to go all out.

I glanced around the room, wondering how many of my classmates had picked up on the subtle deception. Aurelius, standing a few feet away, had a knowing look on his face though he probably didn't get it and thinking about picking the hardest mission.

"Now," Instructor Ardent continued, her voice growing sharper, "before we begin, a word of warning."

The room tensed again as her tone grew more severe.

"Anyone caught breaking the rules will face immediate disqualification. That includes unauthorized use of external help, abandoning your team, or leaving the mission area without permission. And trust me," she added, a dangerous edge to her voice, "the punishment will be far worse than just failing this exam."

A few students audibly gulped, while others stood rigid, nodding along in understanding. I held back a chuckle. She always knew how to keep everyone on their toes.

Instructor Ardent glanced at a clipboard in her hand. "Now, form your teams. You'll have five minutes. Once your team is ready, come forward and select your mission from the board. The exam begins the moment you leave this hall. Good luck."

With that, she stepped aside, allowing the students to start forming their groups. The room erupted in a flurry of movement as people rushed to find their teammates.

Meanwhile, I, Aurelius, and Emeric had already formed our teams.

Aria, Ardel, Kairen, and Lila gathered around me. And just like we planned last week, we just waited till others finished their teams and chose a mission.

The instructor warned us there were limited hard missions, particularly looking at our side. But we didn't move to choose a mission and just observed.

However, the other teams started to panic over 'hard' missions.

On the other side of the room, I noticed Aurelius and Emeric were already heading toward the mission board, confident as always. Their team—practically the "main cast" in this story—looked ready to tackle anything.

After a few moments of discussion, Aurelius tapped one of the missions. I caught a glimpse of the mission's description: Conquer the Silver Tier Black Swamp Ruin.

Not an easy task, but for Aurelius and his team, it was perfect. They thrived in combat situations like this. A well-rounded team with enough firepower and strategy to handle a Silver Tier Ruin without any loss. It made sense that they'd go for something so combat-oriented.

And it was the same as the one in the novel.

As soon as Aurelius's team took their mission, other groups started to move more frantically, realizing the 'hard' missions were limited. Some teams scrambled to secure one before they all disappeared, while others hesitated, clearly unsure of whether they were up to the challenge.

Despite Instructor Ardent's warning about limited hard missions, we didn't budge. Instead, we observed. The other teams were too busy panicking over the thought of losing out on 'hard' missions, completely falling into the trap she'd set. Some of them probably didn't even realize it was more about how they handled themselves than which mission they chose.

Minutes passed, and one by one, teams began leaving the hall, heading off to their respective missions. Soon, the room started to empty, leaving only a handful of students behind.

Finally, only two missions and one team remained in the hall.

"Well," Aria said with a raised eyebrow, "I guess it's time."

We approached the mission board, where the last two missions were left. One labeled Hard, the other Medium.

And there seems to be a big reason why no one chose either of them...