Isekai Journey Of The Magic Archer

[Eon's POV: ]

Much like the midterms, everyone was separated during the end term exams as well.

'With many teachers and teaching staff present in various locations throughout the academy from where one was sent to their personal test zones, the students were all separated by the subject that they had the paper of.'

The student council members were going to have a little different test, but the process in which we were transferred to the test locations was the same as the others.

We simply had to gather around where we were supposed to gather and then from there, we were supposed to go to the test areas.

The process was the same for us, so we reached our location as well and were sent to the test locations.

'I have an understanding of nature paper while Rein has the understanding of Mana peper.' Explore more stories at empire

Most of us have different papers with some having the common paper and some having the other subjects that were unique to them.

There were some that didn't have any paper today but they were going to have a paper in the days that the rest of us have a holiday.

Ultimately, everyone will have a last paper together, which this time will be economy and currency once again.

'Though, unlike the previous paper, I don't think we will have a simple test to write about simple answers.'

The test this time might be something pretty different and since it's an end term paper, we all might also have to give it separately.

'Last time, the first time President and Cradle's batch had this paper, they all had to write a detailed report on the currency or money management system of any non fiction or fictional place.'

It was a simple test but many people still cursed it. Critically, it was not an easy thing to check since the answers for this vague question was going to vary greatly from person to person.

The ones who had to check these papers also had to allocate much longer for each paper and then with sir Quesnel's final check, the marks everyone got for each kind of answer was pretty distinct from the other's.

It was funny how President got full marks with only a three page answer while Cradle didn't even come close to his marks even after giving the most detailed report out of any student, a report that many specialists now use as a reference while understanding the currency and money of various cultures.

[You will receive questions one by one. You must answer the question in six minutes or less or else the question will be registered unattempted.]

I don't know about what others were going through right now, but I'm in a calm meadow right now.

There is greenery around me, with a cool breeze blowing from three sides, a distinct scent present in the air. It's a good place, calming as well.

'This screen before me that seems to be intimidating for some reason is also not going away, so it might just be the start button of the test as well.'

There aren't any instructions, but my paper is about nature, and the magic screen is red, so there is definitely some kind of connection between these things.

And even if we put that aside, there is something about this whole place that seems a little out of place.

"Do I just start? How do I even start actually? Oh, is this a theory test or will some kind of monster jump out from the bushes?"

There were many possibilities so I was already on guard just in case. There might be some kind of threat around me… the unresponsive green screen was the biggest indicator of something dangerous.

Plus it was saying I will get six minutes to answer each question and if I miss that time, my answer will be considered invalid.

It was quite strange, and there definitely seemed to be something about this that would be far from simple…

I knew there was going to be some kind of catch so I was waiting in my place.

I need to take care of the things that are around me first, so before starting anything, I confirmed a few things.

[{ *No master, this place does seem like an artificial space, it's not an illusion." }]

Lucy also confirmed that this place wasn't as complicated.

It was simply made with simple artificial reality tech and was limited by all sides.

The test was not about fighting, or even if it was about it, I don't think there will be any way for them to create things that we cannot fight yet… well, unless the teachers or the headmaster come to fight us themselves, we would be fine.

'But considering how I have the understanding nature paper right now, I don't think this is about fighting or answering theory questions.'

There is something more to this paper, but, I'll only find out what it is actually about when I start it.

[{ *You should just start it, master. We don't know if your time is being counted in the total time allowed to you.* }]

She was right… there was no time to waste. And since no one was answering me either, I simply looked back at the green status window before me.

"Alright…"

It only told me that I had six minutes for each question, there was no other information, there was also no other hidden information about anything.

This was simply a screen and after the test begins, something will happen.

"Let's start this test."

-Ooooooooong!

As I had thought, as soon as I said to start the test, the screen vanished, and in its place, a small rabbit appeared before me.

[Demonstrate various techniques to kill this creature. Priorities the most natural ways. Remember, you cannot use any skills or items.]

The rabbit was alive… and no. It wasn't an artificial creature. It was a real beast, a real rabbit.

And they wanted me to kill it…

"Is this for real?"

This is fucked up.

Why do I have to kill the creature when it doesn't even have anything to do with the nature and understanding of nature?!

[{ *Master. It is a valid question.* }]

Lucy knew I didn't like this question, and both of us could see the timer that was now present on the green screen.

This timer was the first thing, and then the rabbit was the other. Ine was distracting me, and the creature was innocent so it was being attracted to me, it was also showing affection to me… and they wanted me to kill it.

That too, in a natural manner?

"Can I skip the question?"

[Skipping a question will result in a ten marks deduction.]

On one side of the screen, a 0/100 appeared.

And, right below it, there was this [(-10)/100?] that made me anxious.

"What kind of deduction is this…?"

The negative marking was used very rarely and that only happened with the student council members.

'Since the council members are a secretive group, no one really knows who is in the council excluding a few people like us.'

Our names come on the final rankings, but the way we obtain those scores is different so when there's negative markings involved, someone's overall score could very well fall below the lowest possible point.

"Muuu?"

Skipping questions wasn't an option. I don't want to get a lesser score than Rein. And a negative marking was not good anyway…

There was only one thing left. And, I did not want to do this.

"I apologise."

Sadly, there is no other way out of this situation when we think about the nature that we know, when we think about the most fundamental meaning of nature, about what the truth of nature represents, and how a natural death is so important in it.

-Ooooooooong!

Bringing out some Solnova, I cast a spell on the innocent, adorable looking creature.

It was a simple spell. And, it was also effective.

"Haaa…"

The natural energy overwhelmed the being, but it wasn't suffocating. Since it was Solnova, it was a lighter form of energy than what these beings are used to.

It did not suffer when exposed to this energy, however…

[5:21]

[5:01]

[3:00]

[1:02]

As time passed, it simply became calmer. And calmer… and increasingly calmer until most of its being was overwhelmed by the unique form of energy.

"May the almighty mother embrace you with open arms and give you a prosperous house in the eternal afterlife."

Energy saturation.

A natural phenomenon that is seen in an environment that becomes filled with a different kind of energy than the one that it was previously dominated by.

Each year, this phenomenon causes thousands of deaths.

It happens naturally because of the changing environment or because of some extraneous factors, but mainly, it is a way of nature to remind the world how… death was still a natural occurrence.

[0:12]

[Ding]

[Create a representation of Natural disaster without using elemental magic.]

The death of the creature was unfair. It shouldn't have died like this. It was simply a being that didn't even have enough Mana to be classified as a (Red) rank creature.

It was a simple bunny, and it could have been a good pet in any normal household.

But now, it is gone.

I killed it… I didn't have to but I still did.

And I don't like it either, but…

[{ *A natural disaster?* }]

This is a test.

I know that much.

So, I'll trust that the ones who have created these questions have a reason to put such questions in My paper.

'The headmaster especially, should better be prepared.'

He knows I'll want answers, but, if he was thinking I'll just ask him or something, then he was mistaken.

This time at least… he'll have to give an explanation, at the very least, an answer…