As the survival exam officially began, Norman calmly took the lead through the forest path. The dense greenery, chirping mana birds, and occasional rustling in the bushes didn't faze him at all. It was like a second home.
"I think we should go that way," Norman said confidently, pointing to a less-trodden trail winding between thick ferns.
Ellie, without questioning, nodded. "Alright. I trust your judgment."
Thanks to his mana compass talent, Norman could subtly sense the fluctuations of mana nearby—an advantage he had no plans to reveal. He kept his movements natural and casual, making it look like intuition instead of skill.
Within the first minute, they stumbled upon their first encounter—two peak first-tier rat-type mana beasts, each the size of a soccer ball. Sparks danced across their fur, crackling in the air around them. They radiated faint electric energy.
"Looks like we've found some lightning types," Ellie noted.
"Shall we take one each?" Norman offered.
"Let's."
Ellie made short work of her target with a sharp, precise blow. Her movements were fluid and efficient—definitely second-tier level. Meanwhile, Norman purposefully acted slower, fumbling with his stance, barely dodging the rat's electric charge. He flailed a bit, then staggered as if overwhelmed. Just when it seemed the rat would leap onto his face, Ellie stepped in and helped him finish off his opponent.
"Piiiieeek!" the rat mana beast squealed as it collapsed.
Norman sighed dramatically. "Whew… that was close."
Since Ellie and possibly other exam observers were nearby, Norman didn't collect the points himself, continuing to play the role of a helpless mid-tier mana apprentice. They had agreed to split the mana crystals they collected at the end anyway. In this survival test, all mana crystals belonged fully to the students—a rare case where no hunting company took a cut. It was meant to encourage growth among young mana users.
"Ah, so this is what it feels like to be carried," Norman joked, dusting himself off.
Ellie smirked knowingly. "Right away, Your Highness. Would you like me to carry you on a litter too?"
Both of them chuckled. The forest didn't feel so intimidating with this lighthearted atmosphere between them. Despite the joking, Norman appreciated the temporary bond. They were still young, and after university started, things would change—more responsibilities, less time. But for now, this was enough.
Norman made a quiet decision long ago. He'd let Ellie see a glimpse of his real strength—not all of it, but enough. She had already suspected something, and in his past life, she had been one of the few people who never forgot about him. Even when he becomes shut in after getting crippled, she'd sent him messages for years, even if he never replied.
"Let's take this path next," Norman said, adjusting his course slightly to follow a faint trace of mana.
Soon, they came across another pair of mana beasts. This time, it was a mid-tier and a peak-tier first-tier boar mana beast. They stomped heavily through the underbrush, tusks bared and snorting with irritation.
"Looks like physical types," Norman said, observing the lack of elemental mana flow around them.
As Ellie stepped forward confidently to engage, the boars suddenly let out a psychic wave of mental intrusion. Ellie stumbled slightly, blinking in surprise.
"What the—mental types?!"
Instead of an intense battle, the scene turned bizarrely comedic. The boars charged clumsily, snorting wildly. One of them tripped on a tree root, rolled twice, and slammed into its companion. Their psychic attack had barely affected Ellie, but the sheer absurdity of their unexpected mental abilities caught her off guard.
"Okay… I did not see that coming," Ellie muttered as she effortlessly retaliated.
With a wave of her hand, shards of sleet formed and launched at the boars. One was impaled by ice; the other froze mid-charge and slid across the forest floor like a statue on a frozen lake.
Norman stepped forward dramatically, voice theatrical. "Stand back, Ellie. Time for my hero moment."
He drew his dagger and, with exaggerated effort, slashed the frozen boar's neck. The beast crumbled like brittle glass.
"Phew, tough work," he said sarcastically, sheathing his weapon.
Ellie raised an eyebrow. "You really sold that scene."
"Years of helplessness training," Norman replied with a wink.
As they continued their hunt, Norman subtly slowed their pace. He didn't want to attract too much attention by rising too quickly in the ranks.
---
Back at the observation tent, Principal Jones and several faculty members watched data streams coming in from the students' bracelets.
"Sir, the top two right now are Ellie and… Norman?" Mr. Graye said, glancing at the projected rankings.
Vice Principal Tom frowned. "This isn't right. Ellie's obviously carrying him. Everyone knows Norman isn't second-tier. He shouldn't be getting the same points."
Principal Jones leaned back in his chair. "We made the rules clear. Teaming up is allowed. If Ellie chooses to help him, that's part of the test. Survival isn't only about fighting solo—it's about choices and cooperation."
"But it's unfair to the others—"
"Tom," the principal interrupted calmly, "Norman's talent grade is an F. Even if he aces this test, most mana universities care more about innate potential. If anything, this is helping balance the scales a little."
Tom crossed his arms, unconvinced.
"I reviewed his application myself," Jones added. "He wants to join a mana university, not an academic one. Let the boy have this. Even a mediocre university can make a difference if he gets stronger."
"…Fine," Tom muttered reluctantly.
---
Meanwhile, in the forest, Ellie observed Norman closely. His ability to lead them to mana beasts so efficiently was starting to feel too precise to be luck.
'He can definitely track mana…' she thought, but said nothing aloud. She knew better than to push. If he wanted to share his secret, he would.
Norman, walking ahead, whispered to himself with a quiet smile, "This test should be smooth sailing…"