Chapter 40
HEL SCANS
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“Leciel Hyashin, 1 point.”
She already knew she wouldn’t do well.
She was good at objectification of herself.
To score high on this assignment, understanding the relative laws of each demon, tactics based on terrain features, and understanding of her other party members were required.
All of these were lacking in her.
‘…Still, I didn’t expect to get such a dismal score.’
Well, it didn’t matter much.
She didn’t have any lingering feelings about grades.
The reason she had diligently participated in classes so far was one.
In case her grandmother looked back at her… she wanted to show a slightly better side of herself.
Now that the probability of that happening had become slim, Leciel’s overall motivation for learning was at an all-time low.
‘It’s a shame I can’t go to the exhibition, but there’s nothing I can do.’
With that thought, Leciel raised her stiff neck.
The buzzing classroom… next, the eyes of the Hero caught her attention.
She looked into indifferent ashy eyes.
‘Huh?’
Suddenly, her heart sank without her realising it.
After blinking in surprise for a moment, Leciel soon realised the reason.
‘Disappointment… is it?’
The ‘expectation’ that had always been visible in the eyes of the Hero throughout the past lessons seemed a bit faint.
Dry eyes that overlapped with those of her grandmother.
Eyes without any expectation or interest.
‘No.’
Just before the Hero’s gaze shifted away.
Leciel spoke almost involuntarily.
“Well, the next turn….”
“I just can’t comprehend receiving 1 point.”
And immediately regretted it.
‘What was that….’
As mentioned earlier, Leciel is adept at self-objectification.
Therefore, she could look at her own actions objectively.
She disliked losing expectations, so she behaved rebelliously.
What kind of impulsive behaviour was that?
‘Ah… really.’
Leciel found herself disliking herself a bit more.
* * *
“Back to the previous setting.”
As the trigger resounded, Simulacrum began to shine.
The flat floor turned into a squishy swamp.
Dark green vines hung on the ashy walls.
And….
Kraaaaaaa-!
In the midst of it all,
A monster with a shape that seemed like a mix of a crocodile and a human was created.
Overall, it resembled a crocodile, but the legs seemed to be a mix of human and crocodile.
The actual size was approximately 6-7 meters.
A high-level demon, ‘Germic.’
Even though it was reduced to a fraction of its size, the disgust was immense.
Hiss-!
At the same time, only the dolls that Leciel had organised into a party remained in the box.
“Well then.”
The Hero stood with a calm expression.
Originally, he didn’t plan to give a demonstration himself, but seeing Leciel struggling to survive changed his mind.
“I guess, you all will understand better if I show you an example.”
The children gulped nervously.
Just now.
Leciel was annihilated in less than 5 minutes.
So, there was a clear difference in power between the demons and dolls.
As the demons and dolls slowly started to move, cautious whispers followed.
“Well… the party formation is the same. Just the commander changes, will the results be that different?”
“Yeah, even if it’s the professor, what’s different… huh?”
It didn’t take long for confusion to appear in the eyes that were watching.
It was after the Hero gave various instructions.
“No, what’s wrong?”
“This isn’t quite right.”
The children chattered.
Even if most of them weren’t deeply knowledgeable about tactics, it seemed like there was a problem with the Hero’s arrangement.
The empty center of the party.
Sparse, sprawling wings.
Rear units playing separately.
Somehow, it looked poorly coordinated.
In contrast to Germic charging at the party with a formidable force, it looked more precarious.
Evergreen involuntarily closed her eyes.
‘Oh, no! Where… where is my doll going!’
Evergreen’s expression turned into a frown as she saw her doll half-submerged in the swamp.
Cuculli was also in a state of surprise.
Her doll was boldly taking the forefront and charging towards the demons.
“Wow, impressive! Little Cuculli!”
Doubtful glances were cast at Simulacrum and the Hero.
Those glances all changed at once, right after the confrontation between Germic and Cuculli.
“Cuculli, full-speed sprint to the right.”
Cuculli’s doll narrowly turned its direction in front of Germic’s nose.
It was a close call.
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The creature’s mouth fiercely tore through the air.
Kuuuuung-!
The one who missed the target rolled on the ground.
However, the creature quickly regained balance with a sturdy tail and turned to chase the doll.
The distance narrowed in an instant.
“Oh, caught!”
“No way!!”
The children screamed.
The sinking ground.
Even with Cuculli’s excellent physical abilities, it was an impossible task to outrun the demon in such a swamp.
The unexpected command from the Hero came at that moment.
“Cuculli, grab the vines and move onto the trees. Keep the direction the same.”
…Wow, there was such a method.
Quiet admirations echoed.
Simple but the most efficient method in the current situation.
“Main team, get ready and stick close. Cuculli, intercept the left front leg with ice magic every 30 seconds.”
A bluish light shot from the doll’s hand in the air, hitting Germic’s front leg.
The creature’s speed gradually slowed.
“Main team, prepare! We’re about to meet!”
In the main team, including Gerald, five children were spread out like a fortress.
It was when Cuculli passed through the central ambush they had set up.
“Now! Focus on the left front leg, strike, and retreat! Give just enough force to keep it following Cuculli!”
The dolls swiftly moved according to the command.
After that, it was a repetition.
Cuculli, with her good stamina and nimble body, deprived Germic of its mobility, lured it, and in that opening, Gerald and the others accumulated hits.
The Hero skillfully spun Cuculli in the same spot.
Thanks to that, the main team could easily keep up with the demon.
“Oh….”
The children sighed in admiration.
“A bait in the swamp. I never thought of that.”
“Well, Cuculli is fast.”
“That’s why the formation seemed strange.”
“But why hasn’t anyone died? There were so many dangerous situations.”
The seemingly miraculous survival of everyone was tactically expected.
Understanding the characteristics of the battlefield, and being aware of the strengths and weaknesses of both the opponent and allies – under such conditions, if the party could move smoothly like a single organic entity, individual damage could only be minimised.
The Hero wanted to demonstrate such coordination.
‘…Shall we finish this now?’
The ashy eyes quickly scanned the situation.
Germic was getting closer to the planned position.
The shallowest part of the swamp.
It was right after its left foot touched that spot.
“Now, Cuculli! Freeze the swamp! Full power!”
Chrrrrrr!
The part touched by the creature’s leg rapidly froze.
The doll Cuculli, giving its all, fell backward.
Germic, accumulating damage on its left leg, momentarily slipped and wobbled.
Kieeek-!
Seemingly surprised, the creature twisted its body. The Hero continued to give orders without a break.
“All the members of the main team, charge Germic with full force!”
“Clash weapons and scream to create chaos!”
The creature’s tail, which was wriggling to regain balance, shot up into the sky.
Perfect.
The Hero chuckled.
“Now, Luke!”
Silently following, Luke’s doll threw a chain and tied up the tail.
A swift, freezing chain.
As Luke pulled with all his strength and jumped backward, the bulky body turned half a circle, exposing the vulnerable belly.
The chronic weakness of the crocodile-shaped demon.
Evergreen’s doll, hidden in the swamp, was already standing alert.
A sharply bent bowstring.
The magical power gathered at the arrowhead from the beginning of the battle was released, creating a strong current, and the arrow pierced Germic’s fragile abdomen.
Kwaaaang-!
The incapacitated creature was battered, and the simulation ended.
“Reset.”
…Simulacrum returned to its original state.
The children stared blankly at the Hero.
It was like a script played out perfectly.
“Wow….”
“This is insane.”
“Didn’t Leciel get wiped out in just 5 minutes?”
The battlefield.
The demons to be subjugated.
The party members.
Everything was the same, but the results were so contrasting. They truly felt the necessity of tactics.
The Hero shifted his gaze to Leciel.
“I think we might not have fully utilized the characteristics of the battlefield and the weaknesses of the demons yet. However…”
“…”
“We need to understand each other to some extent.”
There was enough time for the children to understand each other.
They had trained together in the same training ground for over a month, and they always practiced and sparred together.
But…
“Do you think there was an understanding of your teammates’ motivations in your maneuvers before?”
“No.”
That was the reason the Hero gave Leciel a score of 1.
She fundamentally lacked interest in others.
Consequently, she knows nothing about her teammates’ weapon skills, their characteristics, strengths, or weaknesses.
“That won’t do.”
Even if they don’t become close friends personally, at the very least, they need to know how their teammates fight.
At least as much as the combat styles and characteristics.
“Because they’ll be your comrades fighting alongside you in the future.”
The Hero wanted to convey this to her.
“I believe you’ll do better next time.”
“…What?”
Leciel lifted her head with a rare, slightly puzzled expression.
“After my example, you’ll do better. There might be deductions due to the retake. Still, you should be able to score higher than 1.”
“…Thank you.”
It’s what they call fairness.
Her classmates all got to watch his demonstration and get hints before taking the exam.
Deepening understanding of Leciel:
Understanding Level: 2/100 -> 3/100
As expected, Leciel’s comprehension level has increased
I smiled slightly.
“Well then, the next…”
The next students were called one by one.
He had to hold the grading sheets in his hands for four hours.
Before the expectant eyes of the children, he slowly opened his mouth.
“The person I’m thinking of taking to the outing this weekend is…”
HEL SCANS
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