Chapter 360: Want to Fight?

When Xia Liang walked out of the exam hall with her test report, she found that the atmosphere in the corridor had somehow become different compared to before she went in.

The good news was that her two temporary teammates from the assessment, Shan Dan and Juan Dan, were also waiting for her in the corridor, so Xia Liang had no reason to hesitate; she walked straight toward the two sisters and asked with a puzzled expression:

"Did something happen?"

"Ah, Senior Xiaojin, you're out."

Shan Dan, who had been playing on her phone, heard Xia Liang's voice, immediately looked up with a face full of "gossip-hungry" expression: "You don't know yet, do you? An S-rank evaluation has already come out for this session."

"You mean Soliflor?" Xia Liang tilted her head slightly, pronouncing a word that was still somewhat unfamiliar to her.

"Yes, and it was a pair of two, both of whom were seed candidates everyone already knew."

Shan Dan said with interest: "Guess who?"

"Who?" Xia Liang asked curiously as well.

Shan Dan didn't answer, only wearing a mysterious expression: "Guess first?"

"It's Senior Kapok and Senior Arrowroot."

Juan Dan, standing nearby, probably couldn't stand her sister holding back news from the internet, so she interjected somewhat helplessly. She averted her gaze, pretending not to see Shan Dan's dissatisfied expression: "Although the results haven't been officially announced yet, they both admitted to their S-rank test results themselves."

"I see, no wonder the atmosphere feels so strange."

Xia Liang glanced around the corridor somewhat subtly and lowered her voice slightly: "Hearing that someone got the highest score when the exam is only half over, it's indeed strange to feel that way."

Setting aside emotions like jealousy, envy, or inferiority, at least most people would still feel a subtle sense of urgency in their hearts after hearing such news.

"Hmph, only those with no skill would care if someone else scored better than them."

Shan Dan looked optimistic, obviously not having her confidence shaken by the so-called "S-rank": "At times like this, you should just be open-minded. If it's your score, no one can take it away; if it's not yours, even if others can't get it, it doesn't belong to you."

"Ah, sister suddenly said something very philosophical."

"What do you mean 'suddenly'? You silly little sister just doesn't understand the deep meaning in what I'm saying!"

By the way, Shan Dan and Juan Dan's tests had already finished long ago. As twins, their magic armor abilities were almost exactly the same in basic stats, except for some differences in orientation. So their scores were also exactly the same: C+.

As "single-piece magic armors," the sisters' fans could normally only reach the C- threshold under normal circumstances, since neither the form of their ability nor its power was outstanding—but the fact that the two could combine their attacks greatly raised their evaluation, pulling their score up to the upper limit for single-piece magic armors.

Regarding this score, Shan Dan seemed a bit dissatisfied at first, while Juan Dan felt somewhat flattered. However, after the two exchanged words with other examinees around them and found that the "C+" evaluation was at a medium-to-high level, they both felt at ease.

After all, the two sisters were only Bud-rank magical girls; their main purpose for taking the exam was to get the certification badge, and they didn't really expect to fight for first place, so a medium-to-high result was already quite good.

"So then, what was your result, Senior Xiaojin?"

After finishing gossiping about others, Shan Dan's enthusiasm for conversation remained high, and she immediately asked the question everyone in the corridor cared about: "Did you get a B? Or an A? Could it be S?"

Her voice was loud enough that the examinees around turned their gaze toward her; obviously, everyone cared quite a bit about Xia Liang's score.

Rather, before the rumor of the "S-rank" appeared, Xia Liang was already the most eye-catching examinee in this area—the first place in the first practical combat test, and although it was a somewhat controversial first place, she had long become a reference point for countless people.

"Ah, me? Aster." Xia Liang shrugged and naturally revealed her score.

【Ability Specification: Level 2】

【Scope of Effect: Wide】

【Application Fields: Broad, suitable for most situations beyond destructive effects】

【Development Potential: High】

【Stability: Medium】

【Comprehensive Evaluation: Aster】

This was the report she received for her own magic armor.

It could be said that, looking solely at the paper data, her magic armor already belonged to the top tier among her peers. The "Level 2" ability specification was also a standard value a Leaf-rank should have, truly a "five-ability all-rounder," so getting an A-rank seemed not strange.

As for the essence of Yinli, although fundamentally a single-piece magic armor, it could actively split into sub-units with identical functions during actual use, so it could also be judged as a "grouped" magic armor, making this A-rank even more reasonable.

The only flaw was Yinli's destructive capability. Although Xia Liang had now started learning to combine spell formulas with magic armor abilities, the destructive effect provided by the magic armor itself remained limited. This certainly wouldn't deduct points, but it also meant she didn't get bonus points, ultimately missing out on the conventional highest score of A+.

And all of this came from Yueji's analysis.

Yes, one of the two examiners in the exam hall Xia Liang entered was Yueji, the chief examiner of the dungeon assessment, who had extended an olive branch to Xia Liang afterward.

Even the most dull person would know there must be something fishy about this, let alone Xia Liang, who was never a dull child. So facing her suspicious gaze, Yueji's answer was quite frank:

"I have already confirmed with Lady Emerald; she said Lady Cornflower has no objections, and you don't seem to oppose it either, so I think the work of collecting your magic armor data today falls to no one but me... What? You ask why I can be here? This is Runore, and I am an administrator of the Research Institute; do I need a reason to come here?"

To this, Xia Liang had nothing to refute.

She would also think in her heart, wondering if she had "brute-forced" the other party's puzzle during her dungeon assessment, making the other party hold a grudge, or even have unrealistic filters regarding her magic armor, which led to the A-rank evaluation. But the other examiner didn't seem to think there was any problem with this score; the data entry was calm and peaceful, and the whole process seemed entirely natural, making people feel a bit plain.

In short, although she didn't feel much reality about it, Xia Liang was now an A-rank.

Since she had gotten this score, she felt there was no point in hiding it; her assessment order was relatively late, and according to the rules, the score announcement phase would come in a little while. So rather than hiding it here, it was better to act more openly.

Whether it was her illusion or not, after she spoke this result, the heavy atmosphere lingering around seemed to become a bit lighter.

Undoubtedly, there would be people who, after learning that Xia Liang's magic armor evaluation was A-rank, would think "An A-rank can still beat an S-rank to win the project first place, so magic armor evaluation isn't everything"; there would also be those who thought "So the first place in the previous assessment couldn't lock in an S-rank in the second assessment either; it seems this person isn't that monstrous." All sorts of thoughts swirled in the hearts of the surrounding examinees.

Admittedly, an A-rank was already a very excellent result, but compared to the overly dazzling halo of "first place," the A evaluation was not a result that could satisfy everyone.

Therefore, just a few minutes after Xia Liang publicly revealed her score, a magical girl who appeared very tall, with very dark skin and seemingly from the South African continent, came up to her.

— "Hey, you're the first place in the first practical combat, Senior Xiaojin, right? I'm Qingxiang."

This magical girl introduced herself immediately upon arrival, wearing a confident smile: "I got a B+, but I'm not satisfied with this score, so I want to find a powerful enough A-rank in the practical combat stage to prove myself. How about it, want to have a fight?"