Chapter 466 – Evaluating Position
The prestigious information agent Hitler witnessed a stronger agent being dragged to the treatment room, fainted due to Professor Weird’s experimental paper.
“Tsk tsk. This is why perception matters more than skill.”
The Gift Academy taught him the harsh truth that there are so many people better than him in the world.
This was the unfortunate end of an agent who believed he could match the professor’s tune with his own abilities.
“I’ll give you support. For the next lecture exam, infiltrate and monitor Oknodie closely.”
“That’s difficult.”
Hitler didn’t easily accept the instructions from the mid-level executive of the Thief Guild.
“The lecture ‘Picnic Healing’ that Oknodie is taking in the afternoon is notoriously known for being a minefield even back when I attended the academy.”
“That’s why we need to get in. The foundation could approach Oknodie when we least expect it, and there’s no better opportunity than a dangerous lecture like this.”
“Getting caught in the whims of a professor will send both a third-year dropout and a fourth-year graduate flying like a fly.”
Hitler displayed a displeased expression. The mid-level executive pushed harder.
“Are you scared?”
“…”
“If you’re scared of a mere first-year exam, speak up. I’ll let you go right now. There won’t be any repercussions. It’s the guild’s upper management’s mistake for expecting too much from a dropout.”
The magical word “scared” would make any man feel flustered!
Hitler refused to back down.
“I said it’s difficult, not impossible.”
This was a bad turn of events.
He had fallen into this trap.
By the time he regretted it, it was already too late.
After finishing preparations with all sorts of protective equipment, he found himself at a crossroads.
Should he sneak in or pose as official support like in the previous lecture?
“I must choose the latter.”
Professor Weird might act crazy, but he wouldn’t do anything to kill someone.
On the other hand, Professor Demonika, who taught ‘Picnic Healing,’ had a reputation that was downright vicious.
The student killer, Demonika.
How could such a title stick to a professor?
It was ironic to participate in a lecture he hadn’t even attended as a student, but he forced himself to muster courage, remembering the hefty compensation.
No matter how dangerous the first-year lecture was, he wasn’t a third-year dropout after all.
“If someone dies, it’ll be the first-year, not the third-year.”
It was the students taking the exam, not the instructors.
Gathering his courage, Hitler approached Professor Demonika’s office.
“I would like to volunteer as an exam instructor.”
“For my class? Are you out of your mind? Have you taken drugs?”
“I don’t have enough points.”
Professor Demonika looked at him as if he were a bizarre specimen, akin to a monkey at the zoo.
“Grab your support gear and head to the exam venue. The other instructors will inform you of your tasks.”
Receiving the support gear, Hitler was genuinely relieved he hadn’t attempted to sneak in.
Noise-canceling equipment.
This was not a common support item; it was a high-end tool to block various auditory attacks.
“Another foolish fool blinded by points has just joined. To volunteer for the toughest exam of this midterm, you must be desperate for points.”
“What kind of exam is so intimidating?”
“Haven’t you heard the rumors? Professor Demonika has invited that infamous Blood Band to serve as the exam opponents. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were aimed at third-year students.”
The Blood Band!
While most bands play for the audience’s enjoyment, the Blood Band plays for their own.
Playing a good song is the same.
But the outcomes are truly the opposite.
While regular bands receive applause, the Blood Band evokes screams and wails from the audience.
“♪”
“♩”
Hitler felt a chill seeing the members of the Blood Band adorned with white hoods and thick cloaks, carrying what seemed like spare strings or musical instruments.
“New instructor, I see.”
One eerie member of that chilling band greeted Hitler.
With a long-necked Eastern lyre slung over one shoulder, the member showed an aura that screamed “stay away.”
“Nice to meet you.”
After exchanging formal greetings, Hitler tried to escape, only to feel an inexplicable fear from the member’s lingering gaze as they smiled at him.
“All instructors gather here.”
The Chief Instructor called all the frightened instructors to one place.
“Students won’t know about the upcoming exam, but instructors must. I’m only saying this once, so ensure you memorize the details I’m about to relay.”
““Yes!!””
“The name of the class you’re instructing is ‘Picnic Healing.’ The Blood Band will do their utmost to attack and disrupt the picnic.”
“…”
What kind of crazy band attacks picnic-goers?
It was ridiculous, but the Chief Instructor earnestly laid out the warnings.
“The goal for the first-year students is simple. They need to follow the designated course with calm faces, lay down their mats, and consume all the food provided in their lunchboxes. During this process, their pace must neither be too fast nor too slow.”
“They must engage in conversations on five different topics during the meal and then take a ten-minute nap. After the nap, they will enjoy tea for twenty minutes, feeling the breeze, and then pack up their mats before standing up.”
“Finally, they will take a turn around the tree to enjoy the color and scent of the cherry blossoms before moving slowly to the finish line. Any student who shows discomfort or fails to follow the rules during this process will be penalized with deductions by their respective instructors. Refer to the grading sheet for detailed information.”
…Those first-year students are incredibly unfortunate.
From experience, Hitler realized that the difficulty of this exam wasn’t much different from the ones he faced as a third-year.
Any exam that can be passed while enjoying normalcy must inevitably include the non-normal.
“Also, instructors must pretend to be passersby enjoying a picnic to avoid creating any tension for the students. Failure to do so will result in a deduction from the compensation you receive.”
“Lastly, if any student seems to have to forfeit or can no longer continue with the exam, they are to activate the protective capsules, be taken under a protective shield, and immediately sent to the treatment center.”
“That’s all. Anyone with questions, raise your hand.”
One oblivious instructor raised their hand.
“What do we do if the Blood Band doesn’t follow the regulations?”
“Just pray they don’t.”
“There won’t be any punishment?”
“All you can do is pray.”
The Chief Instructor was serious.
An instructor displeased with this asked with a frown.
“Then why are we even here…?”
“To grade.”
“…”
Instead of asking a foolish question like a simple-minded instructor that would anger the Chief Instructor, Hitler kept his mouth shut and moved his eyes diligently.
The player with the harp and the one holding a violin now seemed like a collective of mad serial killers.
“Let’s begin the exam. Everyone proceed to your positions.”
The students clustered like they were working on a group project. Each group had two instructors assigned.
Five students and two instructors.
With forty students in attendance, only sixteen instructors were assigned.
Having this many instructors was truly a bad omen.
It was evidence that the lecture was that dangerous.
Hitler made sure to have his noise-canceling device ready to wear at any moment.
“Have the band members finished their preparations?”
“The tuning is complete. Let’s go.”
Professor Demonika held a flag at the starting line.
“Remember, you’ve entered the ‘Picnic Healing’ lecture. No matter what situation you find yourselves in, you must never forget ‘Picnic’ and ‘Healing.’ Any harm that comes from failing to comply will fall upon you.”
“…”
“Focus on the picnic. Don’t lose track of the order. Don’t misunderstand looks and emotional states. Unwavering calmness only comes through patience.”
The picnic commenced.
Various groups began to move from different starting lines.
And the performance of the Blood Band began.
Creeeek
Creeeek
With a horrific sound akin to nails on a chalkboard!
Both students and instructors froze momentarily.
Turning around would mean point deductions.
Thus, the Blood Band was deliberately trying to make them look back.
“I see now why the noise-canceling device was provided.”
Hitler instantly donned the protective gear he had hung on his ear.
Seeing the faces of the students gradually writhing in pain confirmed he had made the right choice.
“Have these students been subjected to torture disguised as lectures every week? Their patience is quite impressive.”
In his group were Oknodie, a VIP target, and the aristocratic fools.
As they laid out their mat and unpacked their lunches, their faces struggled to maintain a smile while bracing against the torment of the noise.
Watching them with a detached demeanor, Hitler realized a horrifying fact.
– They must engage in conversations on five topics during the meal, and then take a ten-minute nap.
Each person would need to discuss five different topics once.
How on earth could they discern conversations with their ears plugged…?
“Oh dear.”
The protective gear had been provided.
It just couldn’t be used while grading.
Mirror
Wing Cutter
Generating a mirror and using an irregularly shaped blade to shoot it long-distance and slice vertically from the top down.
While pretending to fix his face in the perfectly flat mirror, he turned back and saw the Chief Instructor staring intently at him with a grading sheet in one hand.
The Chief Instructor was grading the grading instructors.
