The rise of the unorthodox

A few days later, at the Base 99 Military Teachers' Faculty Office, the staff gathered for a brief meeting. The teachers sat around a large wooden table, each sipping their drinks and discussing the assessment results. The students had no idea how seriously the teachers took this. To the students, it was just another training exercise to stay sharp. To the teachers, it was a scouting mission—looking for potential and weaknesses to exploit for the upcoming competition.

With the internal base contest approaching, the teachers needed to know who was strong and who was weak. This knowledge would help them focus their efforts on the areas that needed improvement before the squads went head-to-head.

"So, how did the training with the kids go? Any promising students?" Mr. Sayo asked, flashing his usual carefree smile as he leaned back in his chair.

Madame Evergreen, sitting at the head of the table, sipped her tea while rocking gently in her chair, her legs casually resting on the tabletop. "They're not all bad. We've got a lot of strong darlings this year. If I had to pick the strongest, I'd say Devin Page, Daniel Black, and Mathew Grace."

"Really?" Mr. Sayo grinned wider. "Two of them are my underlings, I guess they've been learning from the best."

Madame Evergreen took another sip of tea before continuing. "Those three aren't the only ones with potential. There are about five more students with strong abilities. However, I must give credit to Mathew Grace. His ability seems to take on multiple forms, and he's mastered various sub-abilities. He replicated Devin Page's sub-ability in mere seconds. That's some serious firepower."

Mr. Sayo let out a low whistle. "Isn't that your kid, Grace?"

Madame Evergreen nodded with a proud, albeit faint, smile. "Yes, he is. His training is paying off."

At this point, Mrs. Grace, a tall and muscular woman with the physique of a seasoned warrior, chimed in. She resembled her son, Mathew, though she appeared slightly more feminine. "Well, he's certainly learned well from his father."

Madame Evergreen's tone turned sharp. "Go talk to your son. He could have killed his opponent. He lacks control. I see he takes after his deadbeat father."

Mrs. Grace's face twisted in anger. She abruptly stood up, drawing her sword with a swift motion and pointing it toward Madame Evergreen. "You better keep my child and husband out of your mouth, or else I'll kill you myself."

Madame Evergreen didn't flinch. Instead, she laughed loudly, her voice echoing through the room. "You dare point a sword at me? The weapons master? We both know if it came down to a fight, I'd win—even without my abilities or weapons. So sit down, shut up, and let's finish this meeting, you wench."

Mrs. Grace's anger simmered, but she knew Madame Evergreen wasn't just talking bravado. She was well aware of the vast gap in their power levels. Madame Evergreen had defeated monsters with nothing more than a flick of her wrist—she was no match for her.

Mrs. Grace finally sat down, begrudgingly swallowing her pride.

Madame Evergreen let the silence stretch for a moment before continuing, unphased. "Now, as for the students who are average, well, there's not much to expect from them. But if you're the squad leader for Delight Homer, I recommend you train her diligently. Her ability is unique and versatile. She needs to stay within the army—no private agencies for her. Do everything you can to keep her grounded. She could go far if trained properly."

Madame Evergreen took another long sip of tea, giving the teachers space to absorb her words. There was a brief pause, and no one spoke up, so she pressed on.

"As for the weaklings, well, there's no saving them. I don't think there's any miracle that will get these darlings ready in time. Let me list a few…" Madame Evergreen flipped through her papers. "Beatrix Quartz. Honestly, I thought she was a promising young lady… but she was thrown around during that match."

Mr. Sayo frowned, furrowing his brow. "Are you sure? Beatrix is my student. She's not the strongest, but I don't think she would get thrown around like that."

Madame Evergreen's expression hardened. "I'll tell you this—she lost that match on purpose. I commend her for that strategy. She cleverly hid her cards from the crowd. She's playing the long game. She has the upper hand, for all I care. Still, it doesn't change the fact that she performed poorly."

Mr. Sayo nodded slowly, clearly understanding her point. "I thought as much. I've been watching her closely. She has a good strategy, but she lacks strength."

"Exactly," Madame Evergreen continued, eyes scanning the room. "The contest is only a week or two away. Make sure they train hard, or they'll just have to wait the full three years before they can try again."

She paused, tapping her fingers against the table before retrieving another set of papers. "Sergeant Freddin has sent me the itinerary for the contest."

"Really? Do share with us, Evergreen," one of the other teachers piped up.

"Alright," Madame Evergreen said, adjusting herself in her chair. "It's going to be a test of wit, battle capability, and the ability to take down monsters quickly. For the wit test, they'll be solving a puzzle. I don't know what kind, so don't ask me about it. For the battle test, they'll be fighting each other—that's expected. The toughest part will be the monster-fighting. They'll need to kill 40 intermediate-class monsters in 4 hours. That's going to be the most grueling part."

The room fell into a heavy silence, everyone processing the implications of that challenge.

Madame Evergreen continued, "The squad with the highest cumulative student points will be allowed to participate in the contest against other military bases. There will be exceptions for students who were held back by their team."

Mr. Sayo laughed loudly. "Well, that seems fair. Can't wait to see how this plays out."

The teachers continued discussing the contest and their strategies. As the meeting wound down, everyone began to file out of the room. Madame Evergreen and Mrs. Grace happened to walk out at the same time.

Before Mrs. Grace could leave, Madame Evergreen stopped her. "If you ever speak to me like that again, trust me, you will regret it. Nasty wench," she spat, her tone dripping with venom.

Madame Evergreen walked away with a laugh, leaving Mrs. Grace standing there, trembling with barely controlled fury. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood. She bit down hard on her lip, the taste of iron flooding her mouth.

She had no idea when Madame Evergreen would give her a moment's peace. Ever since that incident, Evergreen had made her life miserable. Mrs. Grace was growing sick of it. If only she had the power to kill Madame Evergreen, she would do it in a heartbeat.

But for now, she could only wait. And when the time came, she would make sure there would be no mercy.