The SSS-rank Guide Doesn't Need Saving novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Failing Successfully During Practical Test

She directed her ability so that it was barely there.

It looked like the flickering light of a dying candle. People didn’t know that it took a lot more effort to manage it from completely going out of her control and bursting out than actually directing it to leak a tiny drop.

Let’s get this done quickly, she thought.

Sweat was already visible on her forehead, breath ragged. It really looked like she was struggling to use her guiding ability.

Finally, a small sphere of light the size of a bead appeared. Aisha’s eyes revealed some joy in them. Though her heart couldn’t help but curse because the size of the light might be smaller than average, its color was brighter.

Fortunately, no one seemed to notice it.

The light floated in the air, wobbling a bit before it touched the sample’s surface. Her classmates watched on with bated breath, silently cheering for this guide who produced such a tiny light to succeed.

And under their focused gazes, the light faded before it could do more than graze the miasma inside.

"Haaa...."

She let her hand drop, feigning exhaustion, and looked up at Zeke with an expression carefully arranged to seem apologetic.

"That’s as much as I can manage."

The two of them stared at each other. Then, without waiting for him to analyze or announce the result of her demonstration, Aisha walked toward her seat.

A beat of silence passed.

Then disappointment spread throughout the room the moment she sat down. Aisha expected them to speak about her performance with ridicule and disdain. Yet what she heard was nothing like that.

"Aw, that’s it?"

"Well, she did her best for a D-rank."

"That light is so little. Looks like the Sparkflies my pet chased around last night!"

Vesper twisted around in his seat and gave her a thumbs-up. "Hey, it’s fine! Nobody expects much from Class 7-D, anyway. At least you tried."

Sabel rolled her eyes at him but didn’t argue. "He’s right. Don’t let it get to you."

"Thank you," Aisha said politely while smiling at them.

Sabel leaned toward Kane once Aisha sat down, keeping her voice low. "See what I told you? You’re just being too suspicious. She’s just a D-rank."

Kane didn’t answer right away. He was still staring at Aisha’s profile, brows drawn together, replaying the scene from the cafeteria in his head. He’d been so sure of what he saw that day, the way Vesper had calmed down under Aisha’s single touch.

But now, watching her fumble through something this simple, he didn’t know if he had just been too wary of her.

Maybe he really had imagined it.

He said nothing more and turned his attention back to the front of the room.

Their new instructor hadn’t said a word after Aisha demonstrated in front of the class. After a short while, he lifted his head and started to call the next students to demonstrate as if nothing had happened.

It took half an hour for the other students to perform the test. A few barely passed, while most of them failed and went back to their seats without saying a word.

"Sabel."

Sabel walked up with more confidence than the other students in her class. For a D-rank sentinel, her performance was far more excellent than that of the other students.

The miasma was pushed back, and she disintegrated half of it with a burst of raw psychic power. But the moment the other half of it started to fight back, Sabel realized her strength had already drained.

But it was too late. The miasma started to mend itself quickly and reformed to attack her.

Zeke stepped in and sealed it before it could touch her. While keeping it contained, he said, "When fighting against a corrupted monster, learn how to control your psychic energy. You have to guess how much you have to tap your power and use it against an appropriate opponent. Too much is problematic. Too little is dangerous. You must use the right amount and save enough to escape a deadly attack."

Zeke commented a bit more on her performance before telling her to go back.

Vesper went next, eager to demonstrate the power of an A-rank sentinel as he started to use his psychic energy.

His psychic power was perfect for a melee fight. He formed his hand into a blade-like shape before lifting it above his head.

Then, he struck down.

But he overestimated himself.

He channeled far more force than necessary for his strike, and the entire sample detonated in a small cloud of dust, sending several nearby students leaning back and ducking for cover. The miasma inside it quickly spread into web-like links about to feed on these poor students.

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