OLD-WORLD EXTRA

With the last 'kill,' the simulation ended.

The students' augmented suits lifted their hold over their bodies and they could finally move again.

But none of them moved, breathing roughly as they stared up at the bunker's grim ceiling.

It was to be expected as they had just experienced 'death' for the first time-something Emir had gotten used to when he was five.

So, as he was 'familiar' with this feeling, he knew they could handle it.

Ignoring their pain, he had the stats appear on their HUDS.

{WIN: Emir...} {LOSE: Students...}

{Leader Board:}

{Rank 1. Elijah Oliver:

Time: 2:11. Skill: E+. Instinct: E+. Intellect: D+.}

{Rank 2. Sofia Alexander

Time: 1:35. Skill: B+. Instinct: D+. Intellect: C+.}

{Rank 3. Aria Goldleaf

Time: 0:48. Skill: E+. Instinct: E+. Intellect: E+.}

{Rank 3. Max Blackwood

Time: 2:11. Skill: E+. Instinct: E+. Intellect: E+.}

{Rank 4. Xavier Jr:

Time: 1:31. Skill: E+. Instinct: E+. Intellect: D+.} {Rank 5. Arthur:

Time: 1:51. Skill: E+. Instinct: E+. Intellect: E+.}

{Rank 6. Ava Nguyen:

Time: 0:48. Skill: E+. Instinct: E+. Intellect: E+.}

{Rank 7.....}

{Rank 8.....}

{Rank 77. Quinn Mercer:

Time: 1:31. Skill: E+. Instinct: E+. Intellect: D+.}

There was no doubt... With the exception of Sofia, all the students had failed.

The leaderboard before them highlighted their inefficiencies and hesitation.

They knew they had performed poorly, but E grade? That was a failure far beneath the Elite name their class bore.

Their faces couldn't help but show a mix of awe and frustration.

Compared to them, Emir was something else entirely.

His large size didn't decrease or negatively affect his movement speed at all; his gun and knife almost blurred in motion.

And that didn't affect his accuracy either, every step calculated.

They almost felt that it was unfair to exist in the same time and place as him.

His strength overshadowed everything they had.

But he didn't give them time to wallow in their woes.

Going back to the starting point, he announced:

"We'll begin the second round in a minute."

Though his words weren't loud, everyone heard him clearly, not just due to the silence hanging over the simulated slums but also because of the Aether behind each syllable.

"Yes Sir!"

The students responded immediately, screaming their lungs out and forcing their exhausted bodies up, rushing towards him.

Some were quick to follow his instructions because they were afraid of a penalty, while others wanted to have a second chance.

They needed to prove themselves.

In less than twenty seconds, every student had arrived, scrambling to form uniform ranks.

'They've got that down at least.'

Smirking at that sight, he tapped his neck twice.

"First buff... An omnipotent spotter. You can see through walls."

He then suddenly flinched and closed his eyes.

"My first debuff... Disorientation."

Like a drunk Emma off her twentieth bottle, he snapped his head towards them and said: "My people? In a row. Ordered. Disciplined. Behaving predictably. You guys? Scattered. In disarray. Scrambling aimlessly. Desperate for a leader to impose structure. Pathetic." Every student, without exception, lowered their heads at those words.

They couldn't deny anything he said. Not even Arthur and Quinn.

It was true, they had failed completely.

"But... That's why I'm here. To teach you how not to be pathetic."

Raising their heads, their eyes met his shades, and their faces slowly began to show determination.

'There's hope for them... They all might just survive the first major disaster-or maybe not. High chance it gets forwarded like everything else.'

Emir's smirk turned into a smile.

"Good. Prepare now... The minute's almost over."

Turning around, he began to walk deeper into the slums, his body eventually swallowed by frёewebnoѵēl.com

shadows.

***

Elijah looked around him.

Most of the students grouped up, discussing strategies, knowing that they had to adapt quickly if they wanted to stand a chance.

The harsh reality of their situation settled in; though they had expected it, they had been utterly outclassed in the first round, making them feel worthless.

Their professor was a force of nature, and they needed to figure out a way to level the playing field, using their new "buff" to the best of their ability.

"Alright, listen up!"

Elijah called out, trying to gather everyone's attention.

"We need a solid plan this time. Splitting up didn't work. We need to coordinate and use our numbers to our advantage."

He glanced at the leaderboard again, the sight of his name at the top doing little to boost his

morale.

Sofia did much better than him, and if he kept this up, she would take his position in no time. Either way, being the second-best among the worst wasn't an accolade he cared for. Not with actual stakes present.

Emir hadn't promised them a reward, but they knew the best of them would gain something

out of this.

"So?"

His gaze turned to Sofia, the 'named,' and the others he recognized as some of the better performers in the first round.

Surprisingly, no one argued when he took command, not even Max.

"...We need to set traps—many minor and one major. Create choke points and force him into predictable movements where he can no longer dodge our bullets."

Sofia was the first to suggest something; her analytical mind already piecing together a

strategy.

"Exactly..."

Elijah agreed.

"Using the buff to its fullest must be our priority. We can also have a few of us act as decoys.

Draw him out, make him think we're absolutely in over our heads. Then we ambush him."

Max looked at him with a disgruntled face.

"And which pitful bastard's going to be the bait?"

Pointing at a few of his classmates, Elijah commanded without hesitation:

"You three do it."

Flinching from being called, they looked at him with obvious trepidation on their somewhat

familiar faces.

While Elijah hadn't interacted with them before, he knew that they were Max's goons.

It was the only reason he picked them-to spite Max.

The young master wasn't so dumb not to pick up on that, so, ignoring the three, he walked to

the nearest wall and leaned his back on it.