The next day in our homeroom class, Vivian called for our attention for an announcement. 

"Listen carefully class. The academy will conduct a rush dive test next week"

Several gasp could be heard from the students, who wasn't aware of the regular curriculum of the academy.

Which was understandable because only the elites could extract important information on the academy.

For those on the lower end of the spectrum, it would be a miracle if they knew about the test since the academy is strict about the confidentiality of it's curriculum.

"This week will be an adjustment period for you which means that the free time that is allotted will be used for preparation for the test" Vivian continued.

"You could choose to train, study the available information on the lower layers, strategize with your party and even prepare necessary items that will ensure your safety and survival" she added.

Vivian then approached the door and as she opened it, she left a final statement.

"You are all excused on all your other classes as of now hence class is dismissed" 

After she left the room, the whole classroom began to become filled with noise and chatter.

Most of it came from the students who had no idea of what to do, seeking spme advice from their friends.

Compared to those people, the main cast already had something in mind beforehand.

Brian and his two lackeys already left the classroom without saying a word, it was obvious that they had already had a plan for this week.

Sophia and her fellow female beastmen followed her out of the classroom, clearly heading to the grand library.

For people like her who put information above any power, getting a sense of what to expect from the 2nd layer down will undoubtedly give her an edge.

'When did she have a fanclub?...' I thought, catching the looks on the faces of her followers that seemed borderline obsessed.

As for the elf that has been giving me a gaze that seem to bore through me, I have a feeling that she's plannning to kill me rather than to prepare in acing the test.

I took a quick glance at her, my brows furrowed as she swiftly turned her head away from me.

She then turned to leave, not giving me another nasty look.

Although her behavior was still  unpleasant and it seems like she had held a grudge from last time. 

However it was a relief to see that she didn't refuse to wear the earings as I caught the crescent shaped accessory on her pointy ears.

'Seems like she's a person of her word...if she wasn't that rude towards me, she wouldn't be that bad of a person in retrospect. Changing her attitude is up to Jun' I reminded myself.

Speaking of the protagonist, he was groaning like a dead person beside me. His head was rubbing hard on his desk as a heavy atmosphere surrounded him.

'What the hell happened to this guy over the weekend?' I thought, feeling a little creeped out by his behavior.

Although I kept my thoughts to myself, my other seatmate didn't hold back at all.

"Whoah! what's up with you Jun?....you seem a little creepy like that.." Alice said without stuttering while also giving Jun a wry look from her seat.

"Guhh!" he clutched his chest as if he had taken damage.

"...Ease it up with the mental attacks would you" I reprimanded her.

"But look at him! he looks like a dead corpse" she added.

"....He will be if you don't stop.." I said, actually feeling sympathy for the protagonist for the first time.

Jun then turned his attention to us as he showed a face at the depths of despair.

"R-Ray....please let me live..." he pleaded.

I sat there unsure of what Jun meant as he looked at me with pleading eyes.

"What?"

"...Ray what did you do?" Alice asked while giving me an accusatory look.

'...You were with me yesterday, you fool. What is this guy on about anyway?' I thought confused.

While we were discussing such things, Lily and Emily approached the three of us.

Jun then quickly snapped out of his sorry state as if it was an illusion. Sitting straight, sweat started to form from his face as he tried to avoid looking at someone's eyes.

More specifically, Lily was giving Jun her trademark absolute zero look.

Lily sighed as she explained why he was acting like this.

"Jun just give him the appraisal, it's not going to magically disappear even if you prayed all day" she stated as a matter of fact.

Being reprimanded by Lily, Jun relented. Even when he was very reluctant, Jun showed the appraisal data from his vrace. It showed-

====

Gratis, Sword of Liberation

-A sword that unlocks the chains covering an individuals soul

-Unappraisable

-Unappraisable

Item Grade: Unknown

Item Price: Unappraisable

====

Looks of surprise and intrique came over Emily and Alice as they read through the sword's description.

I already knew what the sword could do and it seems the appraissal could not uncover all of it's ability.

The thing that caught my attention was the item price, it was unknown. In this world, this means that the item is either already broken or has a higher grade than normal.

Which means that Jun has to at least find someone with the class [Sage] to get that sword properly appraised.

Even if he did somehow find that kind of person which is rather difficult, the price of high grade items is beyond the wallets of even elites.

After realizing that fact, the girls gave Jun a look of pity. They didn't even give him a word of solace.

"R-Ray can you let it slide please" he begged.

I stared him right in the eyes while I gave a brief smile.

"Better work harder then, right Jun?" I said without even blinking.

After hearing my reply, it was all a blur for the protagonist as Lily dragged him to train together. 

All of us aside from Emily just pretended to ignore Jun's plight.

"Don't you feel sorry for the guy?" Alice asked as if she didn't murder his psyche earlier.

"....." I ignored her stupid question since business should not be dealt with emotions of pity whatsoever.

"..Hey Ray...Ummm" Emily called out to me suddenly as she sat at Jun's seat.

"Hmm?"

"..Like the professor said, next week there's a rush dive test right...so I was thinking that maybe you would want to..." she bit her lips as she struggled to speak.

"...Join our...party.." she mumbled as she looked from left to right.

"....."

'...Join their party huh...'

I sat there while pondering on the benefits in joining their party for this test. 

I never had thought about joining their party in the first place since it was to my distaste and I knew that trouble always followed them wherever they go.

If as much as possible I didn't want to be shackled by their pace and the responsibility of playing a team role.

I simply did not want to be in someone's else's group and that's just from a personal standpoint.

It doesn't take into account the huge disadvantage of limiting my actions.

However for this crisis that's going to happen, it could be the best course of action to counter those assassins while everyone else is there.

I can't afford to underestimate them but-

"....I'll think about it, we still have a whole week before us anyway" I said in a solemn tone.

"Ah....right.." she said, crestfallen.

Alice just gave me a dissapproving look as she shook her head from side to side.

"To reject Emily like that, you fiend! Have you no heart?" she pointed right at me.

"R-rejected...please choose your words better Alice.. and he did not reject me!.." Emily argued.

"Enough about that, ...let's go. We still have training to do" she added as she scolded Alice.

I sighed as I stood up from my seat, I quickly left the classroom while ignoring the two girls arguing behind me.

The matter of joining their party could wait, this week I need to break through and master [Reload Belt] before Delan finishes my item.

A focused look was plastered on my face as I headed towards the obstacle course in the combat facility.

-----

"We really have some interesting first years don't we"

Garret said as he looked over the combat facility that was free to use for the whole week for the first years to use as they like.

It was filled to the brim with first years practicing wholeheartedly. 

It was a great sight to see since Garret himself loved to see students grow in real time.

"I think it's too early don't you think. We should be more cautious now that the Order is starting to become active again"

Beside Garret was a mature beauty whose appearance could make heads turn like some magic spell.

Even Garret had to remind himself repeatedly that he was married to reel in his lust from showing. 

For a proud warrior like him, one of his fears would be the wrath of his wife and trying to pursue Vivian is like some maniac enacting a suicide charge.

"There's nothing we can do about that, even the top brass from the Alliance can't recklessly confront those cultist" he said with a slight bitter tone.

"In my opinion, letting these students face the cruelty of the labyrinth themselves will make them much stronger than ever"

Garret smirked as he looked towards a certain group of people, the ones who have a first hand experience in a life and death situation.

"Just look at those kids, they're growing at a rate that not even the headmaster even expected"

Vivian then also turned her attention towards those students. 

The saint was as ever consistent with her mana control and Vivian also noticed that she particularly focused on internalizing her mana.

Internalizing mana was a method for strengthening skills that reinforced melee strikes and in general made one's weapon stronger.

As for the girl that gives Vivian a headache from time to time, she was controling a huge amount of red mana in her plams that it actually formed a floating sphere.

Vivian also didn't forget the prodigy who was training as if possessed, his movements was much more refined than what she had previously seen before.

"Seems like that Silvious boy got agitated by me and those kids" Garret laughed.

She ignored his annoying laugh as she observed the problem child and the Cross family's eldest daughter training together.

More than a training, it was akin to torture. The duelist was only able to parry her thrust coming from every direction. His opponent was very relentless but one could also say that the dual wielder was very fast to adapt to her strikes.

It even baffled the two professors that it was the same kid that they were seeing making those moves, in addition to the fact that he was actually a dual weilder which was a rare style to adapt for sword users.

"That kid gives me an eerie feeling, it's like looking at some bottomless well...though that's just my instincts telling me nonsense" Garret assessed.

Although Vivian didn't say anything, she inwardly agreed to what Garret had said.

"However that guy catches my attention the most, he even made that elf girl take her spirit training seriously" he added as he gave a brief glance towards an elf who was surrounded by several green transparent orbs.

Vivian could not agree more as she looked at a pink haired youth alone on the obstacle course.

He was on it's third stage which combined a moving terrain with projectiles.

His focus was commendable as she noted that his evasion has increased from last time. Moreover, he was practicing another weird style as he switched his gun from one hand to another, keeping up with his revolving belt alternately.

With such moves, he shot down all the projectiles that came his way.

"....You might be right about their growth but I will still be looking for those bastards if they ever show their faces in the labyrinth" she said begrudingly, her eyes held a fire that could burn someone to ash as she left the place.

Garret turned silent as he watched over the students alone.

"...I shouldn't talk with that woman anymore, my marriage is in fucking danger at this rate..." he mumbled as he tried to calm down his son.