Velra stopped pacing and pointed behind him.

Theo couldn’t help but think twice about the reference to a carriage. It worked but still sounded strange.

"This place will be your first practical training area. By the end of the week, I want to know whether you people are a real team or just a bunch of academy brats with strong beasts."

Theo had to admit the man knew how to speak, just like always. The pressure in the air only grew heavier with each sentence.

But Theo was used to it. The other students, except Rhevard, only looked at the situation as if thinking, ’What have they gotten themselves into?’

"Now listen to the rules carefully," Velra raised one finger.

"First, no one summons their beast unless I allow it."

That immediately drew surprised looks from all five students, especially Theo.

"Confused?" Velra asked with a grin. "Good. If your teamwork depends entirely on your beasts being out all the time, then your teamwork is pathetic. I want to see how you think first."

Theo agreed with that in his heart. It made perfect sense to him, though he wasn’t sure about the others.

"Second." Velra raised another finger. "You are not competing against another team today. You are competing against your own stupidity, which I know is hiding somewhere in that little brain of yours."

Some of the assistants in the back looked like they had heard this exact speech far too many times already.

"Third, you will be given one supply chest, one fake injured person, and one route map. Your task is to move through the marked course, avoid the hidden trouble along the way, keep your injured target safe, and bring both the chest and the target back to the endpoint."

Theo’s eyes sharpened.

’So we are starting with the Escort game first, huh? Not the Team Hunt. Or maybe this still counts as one?’ he wondered.

"The chest represents a protected item. The dummy represents either an injured teammate, a scholar, a noble, or a healer. If either one is lost, your score plummets."

Osric finally raised his hand.

"Professor, are we allowed to appoint our own leader?" he asked with a polite tone.

Velra’s eyes lit up.

"Excellent. That’s the first thing you should have asked." He pointed at him before sweeping his gaze across the group.

"Yes, you may choose your own leader before entering the course. But if I feel the chosen one is dragging the entire group down, I will take note of it."

The tension among the five shifted completely.

Until now, they had only been fellow candidates. But with the matter of a leader coming in, a hierarchy was bound to form between them.

Varelya stared ahead with a calm face, though Theo noticed the slight tightening of her jaw.

Rhevard looked as if he didn’t care.

Osric appeared thoughtful, yet still wore his casual smile.

Saevra merely glanced at the route boxes before looking over the others one by one.

"Fourth." Velra raised another finger. "The hidden dangers in the field will include ambushes, sound traps, false routes, and assistant beasts that will attack your formation if you grow careless. They are not here to kill you, but they will try to fail you."

Theo grinned inwardly.

That sounded a lot more fun than simple arena battles.

"And finally..." Velra’s grin widened further.

"If you waste too much time arguing, if you take too long choosing a leader, or if your formation collapses within just the first five minutes, I will send you all back and bring the lower-ranked students here tomorrow instead. Understood?"

"Yes, professor," the five answered, some together, some one after another.

Velra looked highly satisfied with their response.

"Good." He then kicked a long wooden box toward them.

The box slid across the ground and stopped right in front of Theo.

"Inside that are your route map, first-aid cloth, water pouch, and the academy token you are not allowed to lose."

Theo crouched down immediately and picked the box up.

The moment he did, he could already feel four gazes settle onto him.

"You have two minutes," Velra said before stepping back with his arms crossed.

"Choose your leader, decide your marching order, and start moving."

At that moment, Theo looked toward the others, only to find them all studying each other as well.

No one spoke for the first few seconds, though their attention repeatedly drifted toward the box in Theo’s hands.

Theo carefully observed each of their expressions, trying to read what they might be thinking.

Rhevard wore the same usual expression on his face. But for some reason, during their brief eye contact, Theo caught something strange in his eyes, something he couldn’t quite understand at the moment.

Osric still carried that smile on his face, as though he naturally stood above them all. Theo badly wanted to know how high his family’s status truly was. If he really was the son of a Duke, Theo wouldn’t be able to treat him as casually as he preferred.

Saevra maintained that nonchalant expression, and Theo could immediately tell she had no interest in leadership at all.

And lastly, there was the one girl whose eyes Theo understood the most.

The moment he locked eyes with the red-haired girl, not only her eyes but even her expression only spoke one thing: ’I am the leader, and you can do nothing about it.’

Theo felt certain about his theory, and a faint, confident smile spread across his face.

"Alright, everyone. Who here thinks they’re suited to be the leader?" Theo asked, despite already knowing what most of the answers would be.

No one raised a hand like they had in class, and the way Theo phrased it made Velra, the professor, grin wildly from the side.

"I am the best candidate... no, the only person here that is qualified to lead. Put the box back on the ground, and we will decide what each of us needs to do," one of the students said.

Theo’s smile widened further.

He had known this person would speak first.