Days filled with relentless and harsh training passed quickly.
It had been a month since the Hero Party started their training with Thirteen, and all of them had improved a lot since then.
Although they unanimously agreed that the thirteen-year-old's training regimen was inhumane and rather dubious, they had to admit that it was effective. They had improved by leaps and bounds, surpassing the gains they had in the training they received from their mentors a year ago.
Today, after breakfast, Thirteen gathered all of them in the training room.
Around this time, they would usually be undergoing individual training specially catered to their skills and abilities.
But now, they were all standing in attention as if greeting their commanding officer.
"It's been a month since you asked me to become your trainer. Within this month, I came to understand that the praises and comments given to you by the media, as well as your peers, were all over-exaggerated," Thirteen said.
"At most, all of you are just average. Heck, my eight-year-old sister even wiped the floor with your swordsman."
All the teenagers had nothing to say in return because they truly felt that their eyes had been opened to the truth during their stay in the Leventis Residence.
They had been praised as the strongest members of the young generation, but compared to the teenage boy standing in front of them, all of them looked like an average Wanderer.
"Still, even coals can become diamonds if I pressure them enough," Thirteen stated. "Even ordinary Wanderers can become strong if I train them enough. And today, I want to see the results of your training. Wear your Neuro-Links. We will have your final assessment test today."
"F-Final?" Derek stuttered. "Master, you're not going to train us anymore?"
"If you wish to remain, I can train you until the day of the Solstice," Thirteen replied. "But if you think you've had enough, you are free to go after you have completed your final assessment."
Derek nodded in understanding.
He didn't plan to stop his training until the very last minute, so he felt relieved when he heard that he could stay to continue his training.
The other members also have thoughts of their own, but for the time being, they put on their Neuro-Links, then lied on the yoga mat on the floor.
"Enter the room I'll tell you," Thirteen said. "Room number is 420. The password is 'Speedy likes monster girls'."
The group followed Thirteen's instructions, and half a minute later, they found themselves in an open plain.
The sun was about to set, and the clouds in the sky were tinged with the hues of purple and orange.
"I have voluntarily added the information about the weapons that I have given all of you in the GANDAM database. Don't worryâit is kept at the highest security level, and it won't be available to the public. Only you guys will be able to use it, so take it out of your inventory.
"Watch and learn," Diana replied. "If you live long enough, that is."
"Hahaha! Then how about we have a bet?" Derek asked. "The first one to die will call the survivor Master for a day."
"Sounds fun," Diana answered. "I'm in."
Erica giggled, finding this banter quite amusing.
Also, just like everyone else, she felt very relaxed for some reason.
In the past, she would immediately panic and tell everyone to run, but now, she didn't feel like doing that.
Instead, she raised her staff toward the sky and began to chant as the last ten seconds of the countdown timer flashed before her eyes.
"Darker than night, brighter than flame,
Unleash the inferno, no mercy, no shame.
From ash to ash, from dust to dust,
Ignite the skies, scorch the night.
Inferno's breath, heed my call,
Unleash the blaze, consume them all!"
"Erica's Meteor Rain!"
Countless fireballs descended from the sky, turning the plains into a hellish inferno.
The Minotaurs hit by the fireballs screamed in pain as their bodies combusted due to its might.
Derek whistled after seeing Erica's Meteor Rain devastate the monsters that were still running in their direction.
They knew that Erica had very devastating firepower, but this was the first time she had cast such a wide-area spell that literally turned the plain in front of them into a hellish landscape.
A warcry pierced through the flames, and soon, the Minotaurs who survived through the onslaught ran past it.
Thirteen smiled faintly as he looked at the dozen TV Screens showing the battle in different angles with high resolution.
"Go get them," Thirteen said as he looked at the start of the battle that would show him all the hard work he had done for the past month.