Chapter 69: Chapter 67: Lynch: Mentor~ Please Don’t! (Part 1)
...
The next morning marked the third day of the assessment.
The atmosphere in the assessment command tent was somber and oppressive.
After simmering overnight and being subjected to detailed questioning from their respective masters, the details of yesterday’s incident—where an ambush turned into a complete rout—had already spread among the masters.
Although the matter wasn’t publicly announced out of consideration for the academy’s reputation, the masters of each System were keeping their own score.
The masters from the Elemental System and the Warrior Series looked particularly displeased.
On one hand, they felt it was humiliating that their own students had gotten mixed up with the Holy Light System, ganging up on their opponents in a surprise attack only to be wiped out themselves.
On the other hand, they couldn’t help but feel that the Holy Light System students had been a bad influence, leading their own promising students astray.
For a time, they couldn’t help but harbor some complaints toward the Holy Light System masters, especially Lianna, who was always stirring things up.
Of course, they also felt that Amadis’s subsequent "methods" were a bit excessive.
As a result, several masters went to see the dean together in private, hoping to sound him out on the matter.
In the end, the Dean’s only response was, "The assessment continues."
And that was the end of it.
So, according to the rules, Catherine and the others were considered eliminated for using Shelter Scrolls, and their points were locked.
But the assessment as a whole continued as usual.
Inside the tent, Master Gwen, who was staring at the light screen, suddenly let out a soft cry of surprise.
"Hmm, these kids from the Undead System... their rankings are climbing rather quickly."
Hearing this, everyone turned to look at the light screen.
The Undead System apprentices, who had been nowhere to be seen on the junior division leaderboard, now had points that were skyrocketing as if propelled by a rocket.
That one kid, Maurice, had even shot up to third place in the junior division!
Looking further down, a startling twelve names from the Undead System had squeezed into the junior division’s top thirty, taking up nearly half the spots!
"Well, I’ll be damned..." the burly master from the Warrior Series said, clicking his tongue in amazement. "If I remember correctly, there are only twelve apprentices in this year’s Undead Major, right? Does this mean... all of them are in the top thirty?"
Even the Undead System’s own Master Cole and Harvey were stunned.
’No way...’
They knew Lynch had privately supplied his classmates with some "starter forces," but they never expected the results to be so dramatic. In just over two days, the kids had managed to collectively surge to such high ranks.
Only Master Annabella’s red lips curved into a slight smile.
’It looks like that boy Lynch is really going to give me one hell of a surprise.’
"Wait, there’s another powerhouse?" Master Gwen’s eyes widened in astonishment. "Leon Hollis just submitted his spoils, too. His points shot up, and now he’s second in the junior division and tenth on the overall leaderboard."
"Oh?" A master from the Holy Light System looked slightly relieved. "It seems Student Leon successfully broke out yesterday. He must have been spurred on by the shame of it all. He’s regrouped his people and is starting to push for more points. Finally... he’s saved some face for our Holy Light System."
Master Lianna’s tense expression also softened slightly.
’At least the Holy Light System has one student who’s trying to make us proud. If he can rally the others and catch up, maybe... a miracle could still happen.’
’It has to!’
She secretly clenched her fist.
****
But Lianna could have never imagined, not even in her wildest dreams...
...that Leon Hollis, the very student she had placed her hopes in to create a "miracle," was at this very moment in a dark, remote part of the forest, bowing and scraping before a sleazy Undead apprentice he wouldn’t have previously deigned to glance at, acting with the utmost caution.
"Brother Maurice," Leon said, forcing a sycophantic smile. "I did a pretty good job cooperating last night, didn’t I?"
"Good my ass!" Maurice’s chin was tilted high, his gaze disdainful. He was the very picture of a petty man drunk on sudden success. "Boss Lynch told you to be the mole, to lure some clueless ’cannon fodder’ over. But what the hell do you do? You trick my three sisters-in-law into coming here."
"If my sisters-in-law got so much as a scratch on them, or got scared, could you bear that responsibility? I’d flay you alive, and it still wouldn’t be enough to make up for it!"
Hearing this, Leon cursed inwardly.
’What damn sisters-in-law!’
’Every one of them, including Avril, is a noble lady from a prestigious family.’
’Especially Avril Grant! Her family’s status is much higher than the Hollis family’s. How could they possibly be involved with you sewer rats from the Undead System?’
But he didn’t dare let a trace of his displeasure show on his face. Instead, his smile grew even more fawning. "Yes, yes, you’re right to lecture me, Brother Maurice. It was my mistake. I was thoughtless, I was blind."
"Um, Brother Maurice, look... I might not have any merits, but I’ve at least put in the effort, right? How about you put in a good word with Boss Lynch and let me go? I’ll tear my scroll and quit the assessment right now. I promise I’ll get lost and never be an eyesore to Boss Lynch again!"
He just wanted to escape this nightmarish situation as quickly as possible.
Points, rankings, family expectations—none of it was more important than his own life and... dignity. Heaven knew what that madman Lynch would make him do next.
"That’s not happening," Maurice refused flatly, patting Leon’s shoulder with an air of world-weary authority. "Boss Lynch already gave his orders. You must last until the end of the assessment, and you have to ’perform well.’ Don’t worry, you’ll get your reward. We’ll get you a spot in the top five of the overall leaderboard. That’s a good enough showing for you, isn’t it?"
"Besides, you don’t want the Holy Light System to be completely disgraced, do you?"
"Boss Lynch said that when the time comes, that little conflict between you two will be completely wiped clean."
In truth, Maurice wasn’t sure what kind of leverage Boss Lynch had on this unlucky bastard, but when Boss Lynch gave an order, he just had to carry it out.
A shadow flickered in Leon’s eyes, but he quickly plastered a smile back on his face. "Fine. I’ll do whatever Boss Lynch says."
"That’s more like it!" Maurice nodded in satisfaction, waving him away as if shooing a fly. "Go on, get out of here. Be smart about it this time. See if you can lure some upperclassmen over... Hehe, now that would be a real thrill!"
"Yes... Brother Maurice. I’ll do my best." Leon lowered his head and quickly turned to leave.
****
The developments in the assessment over the next few days left the masters in the command tent increasingly baffled.
First, Lynch Blackwood—who had previously charged into the top three of the overall leaderboard like a dark horse, sparking all sorts of speculation—seemed to have suddenly hit a wall these past few days.
Although his points were still increasing slowly, the rate of growth was a world away from what it was before. His overall rank, far from rising, had actually fallen from third to fifth, and it even looked like it might continue to drop.
"It seems Master Lianna’s previous speculation might have had some truth to it," an Elemental System master said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "This Student Lynch was probably just incredibly lucky a few days ago and stumbled upon a huge opportunity. His actual strength is likely just mediocre."
Master Gwen nodded in agreement. "That’s probably it. Still, good luck is a part of strength, and he’s certainly made a name for himself this time."
However, what happened next was something the masters truly couldn’t comprehend.
That kid from the Undead System, Maurice, saw his points skyrocket over a short two or three days, forcefully breaking into the top three of the overall leaderboard.
He was second only to Lorenzo, the "Blade of the Gale," and the unrivaled Amadis, even surpassing Catherine, whose points were locked at just over four hundred.
And that wasn’t all.
Besides Maurice, two other previously unknown names from the Undead System’s senior years also emerged.
One was a male student named Calvin, who shot up to sixth on the overall leaderboard.
The other, a female student named Evelyn, was ranked ninth.
With that, a full five students from the Undead System had appeared in the top ten of the overall leaderboard, taking up a solid half of the spots.
This left all the masters dumbfounded, feeling that the situation was completely beyond their comprehension.
A few of the more neutral masters couldn’t help but start discussing it in low voices.
"Do you think the ’mysterious reinforcements’ who helped Amadis turn the tables on Catherine and her group wasn’t Lynch, but maybe Maurice, or even Calvin and Evelyn?"
"That makes sense. Lynch’s point growth has lost its momentum, so it was clearly a fluke. His real strength is limited."
"The timing of the point explosion for Maurice and the others was right after that incident. Maybe they worked together to help Amadis, and in return, he gave them a large share of the points from the spoils or led them to hunt some High Tier monsters."
"Right, right, that’s very possible."
"Tsk, tsk. The Undead System really has a gathering of elites this time."
Listening to these increasingly ridiculous speculations and discussions, Master Annabella, who was standing in the corner, felt the corner of her mouth twitch uncontrollably.
Of course, she knew exactly what her students were really like.
’That sleazy kid Maurice only managed to stand on his own two feet thanks to Lynch’s "charity." How could he possibly be a hero?’
’As for Calvin and Evelyn?’
’Those two are indeed a bit stronger than Maurice, but only just "a bit." They’re the type to just follow the steps and barely manage to graduate. There’s no way they’d have the strength or the guts to turn the tide in a critical moment like that.’
’The one who saved Amadis couldn’t have been anyone other than that kid Lynch, who loves to hide his true strength.’
In fact, Annabella suspected that the rise of all the Undead System students was inextricably linked to Lynch.
’He must have thought he was too conspicuous when he saved those people and was afraid of becoming a target. So he deliberately propped up a few "Undead geniuses" to make himself seem mediocre by comparison!’
Annabella was simultaneously amused, exasperated, and a little helpless.
’This kid... he’s truly a master of the art of laying low.’
’So young, too. I have no idea where he learned it from.’
Just then, Master Gwen suddenly came over, her face full of sincerity. "Master Annabella, I am truly impressed with you now!"
"I never would have thought that in just a few short months since your return from studying in the Realm of Death, not only has your own strength improved so dramatically, but your teaching ability is also this outstanding! You’ve managed to turn the declining Undead Major into such a vibrant program, producing one talent after another. It seems the Realm of Death truly has its own unique and advanced concepts for cultivating talent."
"Yes, yes!" The burly master from the Warrior Series also sidled up, his face full of envy. "After this assessment is over, I hope Master Annabella can let bygones be bygones and share some of her secrets and experience with us."
The other masters also cast curious glances her way.
Annabella: "..."
’What secrets could I possibly have?’
’If I really had to name one, the "secret" would be to first have a student named Lynch. Then, he’d take care of everything else.’
...
