At long st, Julia’s exhaustiry exam came to an end. She left the room, apanied by Ellen. On the way out, they ran into members from the other team.

  “My, he sure looks scary.” Ellen whispered while pointing at Aron. He gred in their dire and strode toward them.

  I had a feeling this’ll happen. My, what a pain. Ellen sighed and braced herself. Aron ordered her to not bully the rookie and she pletely failed that mission.

  She inally po stay put like a good girl, avoiding the rookie during the early game. Then, Trever decided it was smart to degee into a trash tier feeder and everythio hell. She had no choice but to gank the rookie at that point, to keep the game at least remotely banced.

  That’s when she learned what a delicious prey that rookie was. From there on, she couldn’t stop herself anymore. She had to bully that adorable rookie with everything she had! Holy, she got carried away and deserved to be scolded...

  “H-Heya, what’s up?” Ellen forced a smile as Aron approached. Oh my, he looks terrifying. Aron was normally a stoid rational guy, but origgered - he became a demon. There’s no telling what he gonna do. Scary.

  “I know what you wanna say, but- eek!?” Ellen quivered and protected her face. Aron raised his hand! He was gonna to hit her! He’s mad!

  SLAP! A loud sound resouhroughout the hallway. But, it wasn’t Ellen who received a sp across the face, it was Trever.

  “Y-You...!” Trever staggered back while caressing his red cheek. “It hurts, dammit!”

  “I’m disappointed in you.” Aron said, his sharp eyes looked like they could stab somebody to death. “What’s with that miserable performance? I thought I told you to take it seriously.”

  “Tch, what’s the big deal?” Trever averted his eyes, “It’s just an exam, o make such a huge damn deal outta it.”

  “Just an exam? I see, then you’re saying in a real match you’d hold yourself together? Is that it?” Aron’s face twisted. “Don’t bullshit me! It’s because this is ‘just an exam’ that I expected you to do your job! I didn’t put you on that team so you feed the rookies!” He ractically yelling, none of his usual ess resent.

  Trever was shaken aaliated with his own dose of anger. “Well, excuse me that I couldn’t beat a freaking miracle rookie! I tried my best and he owned me! What else do you want from me!? Leave me alone, man!”

  “You gave up! He killed you ond you decided to throw the game! Just because you lost one fight doesn’t mean your oppo is stronger. You’re supposed to be a petitive pyer, so act like one!” Aron grabbed Trever’s colr and shook him.

  “Fuck off!” Trever pushed Aron away and walked off with wide strides.

  “Where do you think yoing?”

  “Home.”

  “You know we have more exams today, right?”

  “I don’t give a shit. Deal with that yourself, captain.” Trever stomped dowairs, vanishing from view.

  “That idiot...” Aron sighed and stared at the ceiling.

  “Ah, err...” Julia twitched, trying to find the right moment to get the hell outta this suffog atmosphere. The awkwardness level of this se was over 9000. None of that drama had anything to do with her, so she wao pretend she wasn’t even there. She was just air, nothing to see here.

  “My, you ended up seeing a really nasty lovers’ quarrel.” Ellen put a hand on Julia’s shoulder and winked. “Don’t worry, our club isn’t usually like that.”

  “Sure...” Julia didn’t care, she just wao get the heck outta here. Really, just that. Please, somebody, just say it was fine for her to leave already!

  While Aron was heartbroken over his lover’s inpetehis was the best time for Ellen to sneak in an apology. “I’m also sorry, Ronron. I know you wanted me to stay out of the rookie’s way, but I ended up bullying him a little~”

  “It’s alright.” Aron sighed with a tired expression, which made him look like he aged twenty years. “You had no choice, sidering Trever threw the game. Though, I have to say you focused the rookie more than necessary.”

  “Teehee, my bad~” Ellen stuck out her tongue. “He was just so cute I couldn’t resist teasing him~ I hope he’s alright.”

  “Yes, he seems fine. He was a bit shaken at first, but he didn’t crumble under pressure.”

  “My, what a promising little brat.”

  “All in all, it robably a good experience for him. He needed an enemy who could show him his limits.”

  “Always gd to help~” Ellen saluted with a wink. “Anyway, what we gonna do about the rest of the exams? Doesn’t look like Trever is ing back.”

  “So it seems.” Aron sighed deeply, as if the whole world colpsed on him. First, Howard called in siext, Trever ragequit. Sigh, orouble after another. “I rather not postpohe exams, the deadline for submitting club applications isn’t that far off. Sigh, I need some time to figure this out. Dan, you please tell the examio wait a little before the match? Tell them ologize for the invenience.”

  “Roger.” Dan nodded a out to the waiting room.

  “sidering our numbers, we’ll have to do something like 4v4.” Aron sighed for the millionth time. “Or maybe 3v3, that’s a more pame mode.”

  “My, sounds terrible.” Ellen twisted her lips.

  Cssmaecially had 4v4 and 3v3 casual modes, but they weren’t the meat of the game. They were pyed on different maps, had differeas (if at all) and sometimes even had unusual rules and objectives. Despite teically being part of the same game, the knowledge and skills required there were a world apart from the 5v5 mode.

  Therefore, testing rookies on these modes was unfair and uninformative. There was also the option of hosting a 4v4 mat the usual 5v5 map, to retain at least some level of familiarity with the petitive mode. Aron seemed to like that optio, but it’s still awkward for ary exam. If only they had one more pyer to fill in for Trever... oh, wait. The perfect rept was right there!

  “I have a great idea~” Ellen smiled pyfully and ed herself around Julia. “How about we let lil’ July here fill in for Trever? If memory serves, we aren’t testing any more Mid Laoday. We keep Gilly as Support a July py against Danny in Mid for the rest of the matches.”

  “Eh? What?” Julia excimed and tried shaking off Ellen’s arm. “Wait a sed, I haven’t agree- agh!” She was silenced! Ellen’s arm ed itself around Julia’s neck like a snake, choking her! It was a murder attempt! In pin sight!

  “Be quiet, girl. I’m doing this for your sake.” Ellen whispered in a cold anding tohen turo Aron with a warm smile. “What do you say? She’s totally up to it~”

  “Is she really?” Aron raised an eyebrow. “Anyway, you seriously suggest to ask an outsider to help us with the examination? And a rookie to boot?”

  “Yeah, why not? You saw her skill, she’s a det pyer. She even gave Danny a run for his money in the ne. I know he’s not maining Mid, but that’s still impressive.”

  “Yes, she did well against him. That is, if I ignore how she spent too mu warding and how she failed to push despite her ne advantage.”

  “My, you’re so nitpicky. That’s why girls don’t like you~”

  “As if I care.” Aron shrugged.

  “Always so serious~ Give her a break, the girl was just a little tense during the exam. Maybe she’s not up to your super duper high standard, but she’s an obedient and calcuted pyer, just the way you like your soldiers, cap.”

  “Calcuted? I remember her rampaging all over the pce for half the game.”

  “Agh.” Julia gritted her teeth and lowered her face. Gah, remembering how she pyed back there was so embarrassing! She spouted lots of nonsense like “Die! Die!” a all gung-ho like some battle maniaeone, please make me disappear! Like, right now!

  She tried wiggling her way out of Ellen’s arms, to no avail. There’s no escape, Ellen was gonna force her into this nonsense and she had no say iter. What bullshit was this even?

  “Oh, yeah. About that rampaging stuff.” Ellen took a moment to choose her words. “Weeeell, that was just a little hiccup, ho. I pushed some buttons and that’s what happeeehee~” She winked and stuck out her tongue.

  “Don’t you ‘teehee’ me.” Aron frowned. “You’re saying it’s your fault? You ruined her ces of delivering a good impression?”

  “Weeeeell, you say sht, July?” Ellen ed herself even tighter around Julia, signaling the girl to py along.

  “Yeah, that’s right. She’s the absolute worst.” Julia nodded. It looked like she ying along, but she wasn’t really. It was all true, everything was Ellen’s fault. Julia kept her aggressive side buried deep down for all this time, but Ellen forced it out of her. Yeah, Ellen was the absolute worst!

  “Great, that’s yet another problem dropped on my shoulders. Thank you, Ellen..” Aron sighed yet again, his lungs were going to run out air at this rate.

  “Sorry, sorry.” Ellen joined her hands in apology. “So, that’s why I’m saying: we should let her py some more. That way, we get to see more of her skill and judge her better. We’ll be killing two birds with oone~”

  “Giving her more than one ce isly fair for the other rookies. Then again, ruining her one ce isly fair for her either. Alright, fine.” Aron gave up. Problems came crashing down on him like an avanche, he no longer had the strength tue against suboptimal solution. Anything that worked and could be put to use right aele.

  “You’re alright with this?” Aron asked Julia.

  “No, I-”

  “Listen, you not gonna make it if you give up this ce.” Ellen whispered. “As you see, Aro hold a high opinion of yht now.”

  “O-Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll help out.” Julia found herself nodding, pying along with this nonsense. Wait, the heck was she doing!? She just wao get bae and take a shower! Both she and Aron got pletely ed around Ellen’s finger!

  “Alright, I’ll need some time to adjust the lineups... again.” Aron sighed as he left to review his precious notes. He spent the whole m deg the teams for the exam, but now he had to redo everything from scratch. Sigh.

  “Phew.” Ellen sighed in relief. “My, that was a tough oo get through.”

  “Just what the hell did you sign me up for?” Julia grumped. “I don’t wanna do this shit, I wanna go home.”

  “Hey July, are you ing?” Lars waved to her from the other side of the hallway.

  “O-Oh! Y-You waited for me all this time?” Julia was moved.

  “Yeah, of course. Let’s tell Yuel how we did, I bet dude fell asleep in the waiting room by now, haha.”

  “Sure, ing.” Julia nodded and ran toward him. These guys and their stupid exam could be damned, she wao get outta here and spend some time with-

  “Hello!” Ellen waltzed in, blog Julia’s escape path. “Larsy, right?”

  “It’s Lars, actually.” Lars made a face. “You’re Athena?”

  “Bingo~ Good game.” Ellen smiled impishly and stretched her hand.

  “Yeah... good game. You gave me a lot of trouble, haha.” Lars forced a smile and shook her hand. She preteo be friendly, but her “good game” sounded more like “easy game” to him.

  “You’re quite talented, I hope you pass”

  “No problem, I’m sure I gonna pa- geh!” Lars flinched as nails dug into his flesh. Gah, that damn chick! She’s pig a fight!? “H-Haha, I heard you py Carry oeam? Once I get into the club, I’mma take your spot for sure.” He paid her ba kind by g his hand.

  “Ah! You brute!” Ellen pulled her hand out before her slender fingers were crushed. Seriously, what a rascal. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, brat. I shut you down, fair and square, in that st fight.”

  “Hah! Let’s see you pull that again. e at me, yo!” They gred at each other, then both smirked. He hated her sneaky pystyle and she hated his brute strength, they were each other’s bane. But, that’s precisely why they grew to respect each other’s talents.

  “So, you ing, July?” Lars asked again.

  “Oh, yeah. I’m-“

  “Actu~ally.” Ellen ed herself around Julia like a snake. “July here said she’d stay to help us with the other exams. You saw the soap opera that just happened here, right? We’re now short on one person, so July volunteered to fill in for him. What a good girl, isn’t she?”

  “Oh, really? Cool. It gonna take long?”

  “Hmm, about two hours? There are four more exams.”

  “Welp, guess me and Yuel gonna head home then.” Lars scratched his head. “Good luck out there. Beat all these uys to show them who’s da best, yo.”

  “Ah, wait! I’m also going- geh!”

  “Go ahead, I’ll take good care of her~” Ellen leaned on Julia with all her weight. My, July is such a handful. And to think I’m doing it all for her sake. If only I could find a good motivator for her... oh, wait. My, ain’t I just evil? Teehee~

  “Say, Larsy.” Ellen wore a foxy smile. “Do you remember that oime July killed you in match?”

  “A-ah! Wah! Gah!” Julia trembled like a rocket about to unch off. Oh god, don’t remind him of that! I was totally bonkers back then! He gonna hate me for life! Please, somebody! Just erase me!

  “Yeah, of course I remember.” Lars nodded and turo Julia. “That was sick, yo! When did you get so good at fighting? You totally owned me there, haha! We should fight 1v1 sometimes, Yuel really sucks at that stuff.”

  “Ah... eh... err, of course...” Julia etrified. Lars wasn’t angry at all. Rather, he praised her? He even said she surpassed Yuel in something! Oh god!

  “The poor souls she gonna py against in the exams have no idea what’s ing, heehee.” Ellen added to the hype.

  “Damn straight.” Lars grinned. “I’d totally spectate these matches just to see July wreck them.”

  “Spectating is against the rules, but it’s the feeling that ts.” Ellen smiled meaningfully. Good boy, now July has o run. My, sometimes I’m just horrible~

  “Welp, I’m off!” Lars announced. “Good luck, break a leg and stuff, haha!” He disappeared from the hallway. That finally released Julia from her petrification.

  “I’ll do it.” Julia stated, her eyes burning with determination. “I’ll help you with these stupid exams and outdo all these other shitheads.”

  “Good girl, that’s the spirit.” Ellen smiled from ear to ear and caressed Julia’s hair. Everythi acc to pn~

  With newfouermination, Julia sticked around for the rest of the exams. It didn’t take her long to start regretting her hasty decision, she was totally baited into this crap. Ellen was the devil firmed.

  Acc to Ellen, Julia had to earn some extra points with Aron if she wao pass her own exam, so she sucked it up a w. She wao get into the club together with Lars, but she also just wao keep pying this stupid game and keep improving, until she could leave idiots like Yuel in the dust.

  Two days ter, all the matches of the final round were over and it was time to decide who passed. All members of the Cssmancers club gathered for the meeting, even though most decisions were going to be handled by Howard and Aron anyway, they were the vice-captain and captain. Ellen, Trever, Gilbert and Dahere to share their opinions as sedary examiners, but their role mostly sisted of nodding or shaking their heads to whatever Howard and Aron had to say.

  “Alright, I’ll start with the easy ones.” Howard announced as he went over the list of didates. “First we got Yuel, the Druid we tested on the first day. Heh, I suppose those who were there don’t really need a reminder, right?”

  ”Oh man, that guy was THE shit.” Trever nodded. “10/10 would accept into club again.”

  “Well then, I don’t think there’s anything to discuss here?” Howard sed everybody in the room, they were all silent. “Alrighty then, moving o we have Lars, he pyed Trickshooter on the sed day. I wasn’t present that day, but Aron and Gilbert evaluated him highly and you know how hard it is make them sing praises. Looks like another closed case to me.”

  “No way.” Ellen pouted. “He’s just a brute who doesn’t know his pce, we should totally fail him.”

  “Are you being serious?” Aron made a face.

  “, just kidding~” Ellen winked. “I fought him the most that match. I attest he’s not plete trash, unlike a certain other meical brute we already got in the club.”

  “Give it a rest, Elly.” Howard ordered. “I remember you came to y shoulder because of that rookie’s skill, saying how the unfair the world is and all sorts of crap.”

  “I wonder who actually cried on whose shoulder in the end~” Ellen pyfully stuck out her tongue. Nobody else in the room had any idea what these two were talking about, so they just stayed quiet.

  “Anyway, that’s two.” Howard returo the list. “As for the third spot, things aren’t quite as clear cut. Me and Aron discussed the options for a while and decided on Jaiden, the guy who pyed Lancer ohird day.”

  “Say what?” Ellen asked. “My, Wardy is such a scatterhead~ That’s not how you read that ’s pronounced Ju-li-a.”

  “She’s the one on the list.” Howard said. “I know you think the world of her, but I ’t vouch for her since I wasn’t there during her exam. So, I left this oo Aron. It was a close oween Jaiden and Julia, but he said Jaiden’s pystyle is more airtight. Julia’s is apparently ‘all over the pce’, as he put it.”

  “My, Ronron is such a bully.” Ellen puffed her cheeks.

  “I just put things as they are.” Aron said. “She appears skilled and experienced enough, but you surely agree her pystyle is a mess.”

  “May I remind you how she domihe ne during the early game? And how she scored lots of kills during the mid game? She did all that with her ‘messy pystyle’. Just imagine how strong she’ll bee once she polishes it.”

  “Hey now.” Dan intervened. “She only dominated Mid during the first game, because she knew how to ter Beastmaster with Pyromahat didn’t happen again.”

  “And who do you think ered you into pig Beastmaster in the first pce? She purposely bahe harder Mid csses, to force you into pig something she ter. Not to mention that she gave you enough trouble even in ter games.”

  “Yeah, she’s not bad, that’s true.” Dan nodded. “I actually gave her a high score, but she’s not perfect. I also think Jaiden is overall a better pyer.”

  “You guys just don’t get it.” Ellen sighed and shook her head. “My, how evil you all are. The girl volunteered to help us with the exams and that’s how you reward her?”

  “Sure, ‘volunteered’.” Aron sneered. “You forced it on her. Sigh, I had a feeling you’d use that as a bargaining chip. I regret to inform you, but lending a hand got nothing to do with passing the exam. She gained valuable experience from pying with petitive pyers, we’re even.”

  “Boo, heartless scum.”

  “That’s called being fair.”

  “, Wardy.” Ellen turo Howard with puppy dog eyes. “You have the final say in this, right? you just let the girl pass? Pretty please? You watched the repys, you know what she do.”

  “That’s not how this works, Elly.” Howard said. “I analyzed the repys, but it’s not the same as being present during the match. From what I tell, she got the skill and everything, but there were also many holes in her pys.”

  “Did you analyze all the games? She pyed better in the ones. I pushed her buttons too mu the first game, that’s why she looked bad. , just let her pass~ You know you want too~ You even praised her defense during the early game, remember? I know she has some faults right now, but don’t you agree she looks very promising? Fet what she cks right now, think about what she bee in a year with more experience”

  “You’re not going to let go, are you?”

  “Nah ah.”

  “Give me a break, woman.” Howard sighed. He khe bottomless depths of Ellen’s persisteter than anybody, what a pain. “How about this: we’ll host a voting. If Julia gets at least 5 votes, we’ll take her over Jaiden. Is that alright?” He turo Aron.

  “Do as you wish.” Aron shrugged. “She’s going to be your responsibility year, I’m not going to stop you.”

  “Alrighty then.” Howard addressed everybody in the room, including those who spent the whole meeting fiddling with their phones and paying zero attention. “Those who think we should choose Julia over Jaiden, raise a hand.”

  “Oh! Me! Aoo!” Ellen raised both arms.

  “That’s one.”

  “I guess it’s fine.” Gilbert raised his hand. “She pyed a pretty ving Blitz Pyromancer, I liked it.”

  “Alright, that’s two. Anybody else?”

  ion. Some exged gnces, others scratched their heads.

  “My, you really gonhis ce slip by?” Ellen addressed the indecisive bunch. “You don’t want another cute girl in the club? She doesn’t have a boyfriend by the way.”

  “Alright, that’s four votes now... You’re a real snake, huh.” Howard smiled wryly.

  “Teehee~” Ellen smiled ily. “Then it’s settled, right? Because obviously you gonhe fifth vote.”

  “Nah, I’m abstaining.” Howard decred. “If I vote, it’s like giving you two votes. That’s not fair.”

  “My, you’re so cold, darling. Aren’t you supposed to support me and everything?”

  “I already went out of my way te this voting. Sorry Elly, but I ’t py favorites here. This is an important decision and I’m letting the club decide.”

  “Hmph, meanie.” Ellen puffed her cheeks and pouted.

  “I’ll give you one more ce to persuade somebody. If you ’t, then it’s game over.”

  “Aren’t you a doll, darling.” Ellen made a fad sed the room. What were her options? Howard already decred he wasn’t gonna help, that big bad meanie. Aron and Dan were out of question, they were set on pig Jaiden and she had no idea how to sway them. Sam didn’t even pay attention, he was absorbed in his pho’s unlikely he’d go against Aron’s decision, so it was a lost cause.

  The only o was... that guy. She didn’t like it, but that’s the only option she had left. Things were about to get ugly for real..

  “My, I’m impressed you haven’t voted yet.” Ellen addressed Trever. “Weren’t you aiming to bee a professional skirt chaser?”

  “I... I’m not gonna vote just because she’s a chick.” Trever averted his eyes. Just recalling that dreadful match made him feel sick. Besides, didn’t that chick have a boyfriend? At least, he had the impression she was into that Trickshooter rookie.

  “Then don’t vote because she’s a girl, vote because she pyed well.” Ellen said.

  “I was kinda out of it during the match, so I don’t remember how she pyed, haha...”

  “The me remind you.” Ellen insisted. “Remember how you were killed by the Trickshooter and fell into a slump like a crybaby?”

  “Ugh.”

  “Well, guess what? Julia also got killed by him, but she didn’t throw the game. She pulled herself together like a responsible pyer a on a killing spree, she even killed that Trickshooter once. Pretty impressive, don‘t you agree?”

  “Yeah, I guess...”

  “You ‘guess’? I’m saying this girl is a thousand times better than trash like you. Not to mention that you’re responsible for ruining her exam, since your feediroyed the band turned matto 4v5. The least you do is help her pass-“

  “Enough already.” Aron interrupted. “What Trever did or didn’t has nothing to do with Julia’s skill. You’re exerting the vote out of him.”

  “Tch, always quick to defend your boyfriend.” Ellen clicked her tongue. “Why don’t you two just marry already?”

  “Enough, Elly.” Howard said.

  “Okay, okay. I got it, jeez.” Ellen made a face. “It’s just, if you ask me, I don’t think it’s fair to reject July when she’s clearly better than one of our current members. Why do we evehat tra- I mean, that guy in our club? He lost his spot on the first string and he ’t even properly help with rookie exams. So, we just kick him out and wele both July and Jaidy into the club, don’t you think?”

  “You really like running your mouth.” Aro her with a terrifying expression.

  “A-Ahaha, I just-“

  “You’re implying we should kick out a senior? Just who do you think you are? Trever has been a member way lohan you and he’s always willing to tribute, unlike somebody who refused to participate in the exams because she’s zy.”

  “B-But I helped in the end, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, because there was no other choid I begged you death. Maybe I should kick you out instead? Want to take a hit for your favorite rookie?”

  “Sorry, my bad. I got carried away.” Ellen joined her hands in apology. She miscalcuted, getting on Aron’s bad side was a huge mistake. She failed, or so she thought. “Oh my?”

  Trever’s hand... it was raised. He voted for Julia.

  “You don’t have to do this.” Aron said. “She’s trying to make you feel guilty.”

  “Nah, it’s cool, bro.” Trever waved his hand. “I know I messed up in that match, but that’s not the point. I just remembered how desperately that chick fought, even though...” He took a deep breath. “Even though I dragged the team down, she didn’t give up. Chick had one heck of a fighting spirit, it was something else.”

  Trever waet everything about that dreadful match, burying it at the deepest depths of his mind. However, Ellen’s words made him recall one importaail: while he was busy sulking about his shitty performahe girl sitting beside him poured her everything into the match. He remembered hearing lots of “shit!” and “die!”, but that’s besides the point. The point was that, no matter hh the match became, she never gave up, she kept fighting her best till the very end.

  “That’s why I think she deserves it.” Trever smiled wryly. “That unyielding fighting spirit makes her a petitive pyer, at least that’s what I think. Besides, she’s a chick. I’ve been saying fes we need mirls in the club, haha.”

  “My, I see you say good stuff sometimes.” Ellen nodded in approval and turo Howard. “That’s five, right? Here you go, bully.”

  “Alright, it’s decided then.” Hout down the list. “Along with Taison and Gregory, who passed the first rounds, the three who passed the final round are: Yuel, Lars and Julia.”

  With that, the meeting came to an end. After lots of hard work: Yuel, Lars and Julia finally made it into the club. They took oep closer toward Cssmancers’ petitive se.