Classroom of the Elite: Monster Academy

Vol. 1 Chapter 6.2 - Prelude

"Is there anything else?" Horikita inquired, her eyebrows arching upward, displaying an air of curiosity and readiness for further discussion.

"No, I think I'm fine now."

I settled on that response, feeling that it was sufficient for the moment. The intricate details of my dream didn't need to be laid bare for Horikita's understanding. It was enough to gain insight into her thoughts on the subject, and for now, that was all I required. At the very least, it showed me a path that I wish to traverse, and whatever destination lies at the end of that journey...it all rests upon her hands.

She crossed her arms, as if she were deliberating whether to delve into my personal matter or steer the conversation in a different direction.

After a drawn-out sigh, she chose to set aside the previous topic and transitioned to the other agenda she had in mind.

"There's only a few days left before the exam... our preparations are progressing properly, be it on training or studies, however..."

There was an underlying tension in her expression, a subtle furrowing of her brows that betrayed a certain level of concern.

"I still fail to see how it would be possible to have everyone pass the survival test."

"Do you remember what I told you?"

Nodding at my inquiry she answered. "'The longer you survive, the higher your score will be. If you can kill a soul beast, you will also get a point. Different soul beasts will give you a different number of points.' That is what Chabashira-sensei told us before we started. I see now why you wanted me to focus on that but knowing about it doesn't make things any easier."

What that instruction entails is very simple. The number of points awarded varies based on the type of soul beast encountered. Within the valley, only two species of soul beasts exist - the Ground-Fire Lizards and the Ground-Fire Scarlet Dragon. If the dragon's defeat wasn't a possibility, there would have been no need to phrase the instruction in such a manner. This implies that despite the considerable difference in our strengths, there must be a way to triumph over the dragon, securing a substantial point gain in the process.

Of course the point gain is nothing but an assumption, but I'm almost positive that it should be the correct answer or else this exam is a lost cause.

As I observed the senior-grade students, while their numbers appear diminished, it wasn't to the extent one would expect from consistent participation in an exam with such a high dropout rate for over three years. This suggests that there must exist a viable strategy to navigate through each of these challenges safely. This was also implied by Chabashira-sensei back then.

"Indeed the level difference is too high. The dragon is an opponent we cannot hope to defeat at our current level even with all of us working together. This is such a stark contrast with the fire lizards which are far too weak that even Sudou's flames could burn them despite their fire resistance," I told her.

"...Our approach needs to be centered around defeating multiple soul beasts while sustaining several evenly-sized groups. By doing so, we can evade the dragon's attention and extend our survival for as long as possible," she added.

Horikita must have contemplated various strategies to tackle this examination, and I had no doubt that she had explored these avenues thoroughly. However, given our class's present circumstances, elaborate tactics heavily reliant on teamwork didn't seem feasible. Thus, her choice leaned toward a direct and straightforward method.

"But what about the meteor shower? You mentioned that the dragon initiates a wide-scale attack when there are no large groups formed."

"That's right, that is why I want you to team up with me, Ayanokouji-kun. Me, you, Hirata-kun, Kushida-san, and Sudou-kun will form a large group and draw the attention of the dragon. If it's us then we should be able to survive for as long as possible."