As the exam concluded, only one team had failed completely—Team 2, the sole group that hadn't even managed to leave the first event.
The scoring system was straightforward: First place earned 10 points, second through fourth received 5, fifth place got 3, and sixth place took 1 point.
The final rankings were as follows:
- Team 3 (17 points)
- Team 1 (14 points)
- Team 6 (13 points)
- Team 9 (12 points)
- Team 4 (9 points)
- Team 5 (7 points)
When Arthur regrouped with his teammates, Sonic Burst suddenly appeared behind him, his voice a low whisper in Arthur's ear.
"Random question—what the hell did you do to that kid? Because if he's actually dead, you're getting arrested."
Arthur blinked. Oh, right. He'd completely forgotten about the speedster was still trapped in his illusion. Immediately he deactivated his power.
The speedster's eyes snapped open—but he wasn't the same. His body was rigid, his expression hollow, as if his will had been completely shattered.
Sonic Burst and Team 2 rushed to check on him.
"Honeyyyy~" Gwin's voice sang out as she appeared behind Arthur, wrapping her arms around him in a tight squeeze.
Miles let out a relieved sigh as he joined them, "Thank God it's over. And we come first even."
The team exchanged high-fives, basking in their victory. Around them, the other examinees chattered—some celebrating their success, others grumbling over low scores. The atmosphere was tense but not hostile.
Until it was.
A sharp slap echoed through the room.
Silence fell.
Arthur turned slowly to see Louis, a member of Team 2, glaring at him, her hand still raised.
"You call yourself a hero?" she spat, "What you did wasn't heroic—it just proved why everyone still sees you as the Demon Child. None of you are fit to be heroes!"
Her tirade cut off abruptly when she met Arthur and Gwin's twin death glares.
Before things could escalate, Sonic Burst stepped between them.
"Alright, break it up," he said firmly, "First off, miss, you're completely in the wrong. Arthur wasn't the only one who used his powers for personal gain. Every single person here exploited their abilities to disadvantage others—just in subtler ways. For example, Jackie use powers to make the water unusable for short period of time. Yet you are not complaining about that."
Louis opened her mouth to argue, but Sonic Burst didn't let her interrupt.
"Complaining because his ability was more effective than yours is pointless. If I recall, your power is invisibility—great for some tests, but not this one. Better luck next year."
Louis clenched her fists but said nothing. With a final scowl, she turned and stormed off.
Sonic Burst addressed the remaining teams.
"You've got two days to rest. After that—the next event begins. And this time… it's a rescue mission."