I Regress if the Villainess Dies! Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Joint Training Assessment

Xian, wearing the academy’s white-and-gold training uniform, stood at the forefront, with Carmillia and some of his classmates nowhere to be seen. Currently, they were attending the Physical Joint Training class of Aura and Mana fundamentals, which is scheduled once a week. The Royal Class, Elite Class, and Common Class simultaneously attended on its first day to undergo a one-time physical assessment of stamina, strength, and endurance, a regular event that takes place before the actual class. "Tsk. They really expect us to train with the lower sections?" A blond noble clicked his tongue as he eyed the students behind him, those from the Elite Class. "The academy certainly has an odd sense of humor." "Look at them." One of the boys wrinkled his nose. "I can almost smell the fields from here," another said without lowering his voice. "Elite Class..." another scoffed. "A prettier name for slightly talented commoners." Behind them, Xian could almost feel the glares of the Common Class, while the Elite Class fared better, merely gritting their teeth. Still, it didn’t hide their clenched fists and the veins bulging from their necks. Apart from the three loudmouths, there were familiar faces Xian expected to see. Fahna stood among the Royal Class, Adrian and Kyrin blended into the Elite Class, while Castreyja was probably among the brown uniforms of the Common Class. There was also one little runt he deliberately avoided making eye contact with, yet she continued staring at him with bright, curious eyes. Just then, one man entered the premises with company. “Hm...” A square-bearded man with matching square-rimmed glasses faced the rows of students standing upright inside a large dome. Its floor showed signs of wear and tear yet bore no cracks whatsoever. Behind him stood ten other men with stern expressions in matching uniforms, each wearing a low-crowned black service cap with a short black visor and the academy's crest neatly set above the brim. “Hoo, most of the top ten rookies are Martial Class, eh?” George inwardly muttered, fiddling with the students' information in his hand. Earlier, during the entrance exam, he had been the instructor assigned to record the top ten finishers of the maze, truly a job that suited him well. Rows of students stood before him as he swept his indifferent and somewhat lazy gaze across the faces he recognized, including those of students filled with questions. “Name's George. You can call me instructor, professor, or even pal... if you can take a couple of punches from me without fainting.” The students looked at one another, unsure whether to take it as a joke or a genuine warning. "Ehh, right now we're here to gauge y'alls' physical ability first." George lazily scratched the side of his beard, his eyes wandering over the two hundred freshmen before him. "The goal of this assessment is to determine how advanced the training can be. If everyone's results exceed expectations... or even if just one of ya does..." He shrugged. "Maybe we can skip ahead and start learning Aura." A ripple of excitement spread through the students. "That said," George added before anyone could celebrate, "you lot still have to train your bodies first. None of you little chicks are capable enough to use it yet." Then George lowered the booklet and met the students' eyes. A faint glint flashed behind his square-rimmed glasses. He looked at the neatly lined-up students; even their formation reflected the students' hierarchy. “As expected of an academy, everyone is already in place. We only have three hours, so let's start the assessment right away.” George pointed to his left. “Now run.” Not a single student moved. George frowned for a brief moment before an understanding, "Oh..." escaped his lips. “Ah, right. This'll affect your grades and your academy ranking.” “The more laps ya make, the higher your placement. The top ten earn additional merits, while the bottom twenty receive deductions.” George turned around as he walk