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None of them noticed that their healer had spent the entire night studying one of the world's greatest magical artifacts instead of sleeping.
The next morning, the group finished breakfast and left the cave once again.
Ash immediately noticed something was different.
The forest was much quieter than before.
There were no warning growls.
No loud footsteps.
No screeches echoing through the trees.
"They've stopped announcing their attacks," Ash said.
The others became alert.
Just as they entered a clearing, four magical beasts appeared from different directions.
A Shyf.
A Cingy.
A large wolf-like beast.
And a giant eagle circling high above them.
None of them made a sound.
They attacked immediately.
Ash smiled faintly.
"So the Scorpicore kept her promise."
"They're no longer holding back."
"Everyone, battle positions!"
This time, the team reacted without hesitation.
Ethan activated his prepared arrays.
Claire stepped forward with her estoc.
Serena and Nina moved behind her.
Ash, however, no longer held back either.
His fake chants and hand gestures continued for the sake of anyone watching, but behind that act, he silently cast multiple spells at once.
Earth walls rose to block the wolf's charge.
Compressed wind blades forced the eagle to gain altitude.
Water spears mixed with Lightning Magic drove the Cingy backward.
At the same time, Ash fought all four magical beasts almost by himself.
His teammates could barely keep up with the pace of the battle.
Whenever one of the beasts tried to break through, Ash immediately restrained it.
Stone pillars, gravity fields, darkness chains, and earth prisons appeared one after another.
Instead of finishing the trapped beasts himself, he shouted to his teammates.
"Now!"
"Use your strongest spells!"
The four immediately understood.
Serena released a powerful Fire spell.
Nina followed with Wind-enhanced Fire Magic.
Claire thrust her mana-covered estoc into the trapped beast.
Even Ethan joined in by strengthening the prison with another array.
The combined attacks struck the restrained magical beast at the same time.
Unable to dodge, it was sent flying before quickly retreating into the forest.
Ash repeated the same strategy throughout the day.
He fought the magical beasts head-on, forcing them into unfavorable positions.
Whenever he successfully restrained one, he left the finishing blow to his teammates.
In a way, they had become living spell storage rings.
Ash created the opportunity.
They simply released their strongest attacks at the right moment.
As battle after battle continued, the four students gradually became more confident.
Their spell timing improved.
Their teamwork became smoother.
Even their reactions grew faster than before.
By sunset, they had fought more magical beasts in a single day than they had during the previous two days combined.
Although every one of them was exhausted, they had also gained valuable experience.
Ash looked at the tired group and nodded slightly.
"Better."
"You're still far from good."
"But at least now..."
"You finally look like a team."
The four students smiled.
For the first time since the examination had begun, they felt that they had truly earned their victories instead of surviving only because Ash had rescued them.
High above the forest, several Professors quietly observed the battle through their monitoring spells.
Professor Trasque folded his arms as he watched Ash move across the battlefield.
"He really is something else."
Professor Binlow nodded.
"His combat awareness is exceptional."
"He doesn't just react to the beasts."
"He predicts them."
Another Professor added, "Did you notice how he never wastes mana?"
"Every spell has a purpose."
"There isn't a single unnecessary movement."
Professor Wanemyre watched in silence for a few moments before speaking.
"What impresses me the most isn't his magic."
"It's how he commands his team."
The others nodded.
Although Ash was doing most of the fighting himself, he wasn't ignoring his teammates.
Instead, he was constantly creating opportunities for them.
Whenever one of the magical beasts was restrained, Ash immediately called for the others to attack.
He knew exactly which teammate was in the best position.
He knew when Serena had enough time to cast.
He knew when Claire could safely move in.
He knew where Ethan's arrays would be most effective.
He even adjusted his own attacks so Nina could support the others more efficiently.
It was as though he could see the entire battlefield at once.
Professor Binlow smiled.
"He's using them perfectly."
"They're not just teammates."
"They're extensions of his battle plan."
Professor Trasque nodded in agreement.
"He's thinking several steps ahead."
"Every movement he makes forces the magical beasts into the position he wants."
"By the time they realize it, they're already trapped."
Headmaster Linjos had also been watching the battle from afar.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"He's fighting like a veteran commander."
"Not like a fourth-year student."
"He's controlling the flow of the battle while making sure his teammates gain experience."
"Most talented students would simply defeat the beasts themselves."
"But he's deliberately leaving the final attacks to his teammates."
Professor Wanemyre crossed his arms.
"He's teaching while fighting."
Linjos nodded.
"And that's much harder than simply winning."
Below them, Ash once again trapped another magical beast inside an Earth and Gravity prison.
"Serena!"
"Fire spell!"
"Ethan, reinforce the prison!"
"Claire, attack from the left!"
"Nina, support Claire!"
The four reacted immediately.
Unlike two days ago, there was no hesitation.
Their attacks landed almost perfectly together.
The trapped magical beast was forced to retreat with several injuries.
Professor Binlow chuckled.
"It really is like watching an experienced general lead his soldiers."
"Every order is simple."
"Every command is clear."
"And every member knows exactly what they need to do."
Linjos continued watching Ash with interest.
"He has natural leadership."
"You can't teach something like that in a classroom."
"You can only gain it through experience."
The Professors silently agreed as they continued observing the battle, curious to see just how much more the young healer had yet to reveal.
Time passed quickly.
Day after day, Ash and his team continued fighting magical beasts throughout the forest.
Under Ash's guidance, the four students steadily improved.
Their teamwork became smoother.
Their reactions became faster.
By the final day of the examination, they were no longer panicking whenever they encountered magical beasts.
Instead, they calmly took their positions and followed Ash's commands.
Although Ash still carried the hardest part of every battle, the others were finally able to contribute properly.