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CHAPTER 193
~Valerie's POV~
The sun was already high when we gathered at the academy's largest training field. The air buzzed with tension, competition, and the weight of what was ahead—Assessment Test One.
Students from every senior-year guild were spread across the field like a shifting sea of uniforms and nerves. The instructors paced at the front of the line, their clipboards out, expressions unreadable.
Today wasn't just a regular test.
It was our first formal assessment in preparation for the Alpha Games. A test of strength, control, tactics, and teamwork.
And even though the announcement said "team-based," everyone knew only individual excellence mattered in the end. Four students would be awarded top placement—two from each side during team matches.
"All students to the great hall for theory testing. You have one hour," Professor Lyndal announced, her voice amplified across the grounds.
Chairs scraped. Feet shuffled, and we moved.