As expected, Raiden Mei lost to Fu Hua.
But unlike Kiana, who had been flustered the entire time, Raiden Mei was calm and had solid fundamentals, so she performed quite well and received a favorable evaluation.
In the end, she was officially promoted from reserve to C-rank Valkyrie.
This assessment was the first official examination for the new students.
Those who performed well would be promoted from reserve to full Valkyrie status and assigned a rank based on their performance.
Those who did poorly would remain on reserves and have to wait for next semester’s assessment.
By the end of the day, about half of the students had earned promotions.
Though most were only promoted to D-rank, the benefits were several times greater than what reserves received, so they were all cheering with joy.
The top performers were undoubtedly Fu Hua and Angel.
Both had excellent grades across all subjects, were promoted to B-rank on their first try, and were identified by the instructors as seeds who would soon be eligible for A-rank.
Moreover, compared to Fu Hua, who had training experience before enrollment, Angel was considered to have even greater potential, having only enrolled two months ago and missed most of her combat classes.
It was also worth noting that Bronya was different from most students.
Her talents leaned toward machinery, firearms, and professional hacking, so she wasn’t assessed on the training ground but in the virtual training room.
It wasn’t until they met up in the evening that everyone learned she had received a C-rank Valkyrie rating.
Raiden Mei at C-rank, Bronya at C-rank, and Angel at B-rank.
The results would be submitted to headquarters for filing.
After that, they would officially be on the path of Schicksal Valkyries.
“Waaaaah…”
A certain white-haired slacker clung to Raiden Mei and cried all the way home.
“Even Mei passed, and Bronya and Angel too.
Why am I the only one who failed?
And I have to retake the theory exam I failed!
I don’t want to!
Waaaaah!”
Angel licked the ice cream Himeko had just rewarded her with, listening to Kiana’s tearful lament.
Suddenly, as if she’d thought of something, she looked at Kiana with determined eyes.
“Don’t worry.
I’ll help you!”
Angel patted Kiana’s shoulder with a solemn expression, as if she had taken on a mission of utmost importance.
Kiana tilted her head in confusion, then continued clinging to Raiden Mei and crying.
…
That night, while Kiana lay sprawled on the sofa with a round, full belly, Angel came pattering down the stairs in her pink fluffy slippers, holding a tightly formatted study schedule.
“What’s that?”
“Kiana’s schedule for the next week.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry.
I’ll make sure you pass your first retake exam this weekend.”
Angel handed the schedule to Kiana, planted her little hands on her hips, and puffed out her chest with pride.
Kiana sat up and looked at the schedule.
“Wake up at 5 AM, morning reading at 6, first subject at 8…
and it goes until 7 PM!?
Are you crazy?”
“It’s just my usual daily schedule.
You’ll get used to it after a little adjustment.
Don’t worry.
I’ve already compiled the key points for both theory and practical exams.
I’ll be with you the whole time to make sure you pass the first retake and can enjoy the break with us!”
Angel pulled out a stack of materials about 20 centimeters thick from behind her back and gazed at Kiana with determined, confident eyes.
You’re the protagonist, the hope of humanity.
Get it together!
Kiana stared at the schedule, her pale, delicate little hand trembling slightly.
Then she flopped back down, rolled her eyes, and said:
“I’m not doing it!
We finally get a month off.
I want to sleep in every day!”
Clang!
Angel grabbed one of Kiana’s braids with one hand and held scissors in the other, their sharp, icy gleam reflecting in the light.
“Himeko said she’d take us all out once you pass the retake.
If you fail your first retake and delay my trip with Himeko, I’ll shave your head bald.”
Angel said in a flat, emotionless voice, her expression blank.
Admiring Himeko’s outfits, eating with Himeko, and shopping with Himeko.
Such important and wonderful things couldn’t be delayed because of Kiana’s retake failure.
That was the main reason Angel had suddenly become so motivated.
Kiana twitched on the sofa, staring at her captured braid and breaking out in a cold sweat under Angel’s cold, humorless gaze.
“Yo…
Mei!
Mei, save me!”
Kiana called out for help to Raiden Mei, who had just walked out of the kitchen after doing the dishes.
Raiden Mei untied her apron, thought for a moment, then closed her clear, beautiful violet eyes with a resigned sigh.
“Kiana, I agree with Angel this time.
You’ve been way too lazy.
Use this chance to catch up on what you’ve missed.”
“Nooo!!!”
…
The next day, 5 AM.
Angel tried the doorknob to Kiana’s room.
It wouldn’t turn.
Bang!
Angel punched straight through the doorknob and lock, pushing the door open.
Kiana was still fast asleep, sprawled out like a starfish on the bed.
The blanket was in the corner, the pillow was on the floor, her smooth, bare shoulder peeked out from her pajama collar, and there was a wet patch of drool on the bedsheet.
“Kiana…”
Angel patted Kiana’s cheek.
No response.
“Kiana.”
Angel nudged Kiana’s body.
Kiana smacked her lips sleepily.
“Kiana!”
Angel sat down on Kiana’s lower back with a blank expression and bent her legs backward.
Crack!
“WAAAH!!!”
Kiana writhed and twitched on the bed like a worm for a moment, then looked at Angel with a haggard expression.
Angel looked back with an innocent, cute expression and said softly:
“Time to get up, Kiana.
Today’s schedule is about to start.”
“You’re a demon…
Ah, sorry, I’m up, I’m up!”
Kiana quickly changed her tune when Angel grabbed her hair as if to cut it.
She jumped out of bed in one swift motion.
Angel watched Kiana go into the bathroom to wash up, then pulled open the curtains and looked out at the still-dark sky with a sigh.
Himeko’s bed was warm and fragrant, yet Angel had bravely left it for the sake of friendship.
What a noble sentiment!
Angel was moved by her own kindness for a moment, then clenched her fist at the dark sky with an innocent expression.
“Angel, fight!”
…
One misty morning, after her usual 20-kilometer warm-up run, Fu Hua stretched her joints, a hint of worry on her delicate, pretty face.
She hadn’t been able to practice her martial arts properly for several days.
She remembered the first morning after the assessment.
Fu Hua had assumed most students would be sleeping in, and had actually been looking forward to having the training ground to herself.
Then she saw Angel leading a staggering Kiana in circles around the track.
As they ran, one of them recited something while the other shouted random phrases.
Upon closer listening, they turned out to be science formulas and key points from the humanities.
Fu Hua quickly understood that Angel was helping Kiana prepare for the retake.
To help a classmate so early on a holiday morning.
She really is a good kid.
Fu Hua smiled quietly and waved back at Angel when she greeted her.
But on the second day, the scene was Angel pushing Kiana from behind.
On the third day, Angel was running ahead holding a chain, with Kiana collared and trailing behind.
On the fourth day, Angel chased Kiana with scissors, and Kiana ran for her life.
On the fifth day, the scissors had been replaced with a submachine gun, and Kiana was running even faster.
Under these repeated scenes, Fu Hua could no longer focus on her training.
More than martial arts, the morning training of these two was clearly more attention-grabbing.
“A good kid, huh…”
“Did I jump to that conclusion too early?”
On the sixth day, Fu Hua watched as Angel drove a pickup truck from somewhere unknown, chasing Kiana.
Amid the roar of the engine and Kiana’s bloodcurdling screams, Fu Hua stared blankly and began to doubt her earlier assessment.