Neries's upcoming exam was reportedly split into two parts: written and practical.
Peewee assured them that the written portion wouldn't be an issue for Neries; the real challenge lay in the practical application. For the practical exam, Neries would need to pair up with a student of her choice to face off against mock targets provided by the academy.
The examiner would evaluate her effectiveness in her support role and her overall contribution to the battle. The proctor in charge was Uno, a man known for being strict yet deeply devoted to his students' growth. Yugo doubted she would fail barring some absolute disaster, but that didn't mean there was a shred of room for complacency.
Determined to prepare her as thoroughly as possible, Yugo and the group headed straight to the training grounds to begin Neries's special training.
(Notably, Ryuga sat this session out, fearing his presence might rattle Neries after the whole door-smashing incident.)
"Neries! I need a buff!"
"Right!"
Responding to Verda’s thunderous shout, Neries cast her enhancement magic on him. Infused with magic power, Verda’s strength surged as he slammed his fists into a line of waiting Arachlaws.
"Ugyaaaaaaaah!"
"Alright! How’s that for power?!" Verda shouted vigorously, watching the Arachlaws scream and vanish into thin air.
Yugo, who had been observing the progress from the sidelines, clapped his hands to get their attention. "Nice work, everyone. Let’s take five."
At Yugo's word, the group filed out of the training area. Verda, who had delivered the finishing blow, came out first, followed by Neries. Yugo stopped Misery and Marcos as they followed and asked for their honest feedback.
"Good work, you two. How did it feel working with her out there?"
"Not bad," Marcos replied. "The variety and potency of her enhancement magic are quite impressive."
"I agree," Misery added. "She is certainly as capable as one would expect of someone hand-picked by a Hero Candidate like Cyan-san."
Despite the "special training" label, Yugo had kept the first day light—a simple warm-up to help Neries shake off the rust. He had paired her with Marcos, Misery, and Verda against summoned Arachlaws to test different dynamics. This lineup hadn't been chosen at random; he had selected specialists in defense, speed, and raw power.
Yugo had watched the battles alongside Peewee to evaluate Neries’s performance. At first glance, nothing seemed wrong, but he suspected that might only be because the Arachlaws were weak Magic Armor Beasts. Believing that some issues are only visible from the thick of the fight, he listened closely as the two warriors transitioned from praise to their concerns.
"However, if I were to be nitpicky, her judgment seems tentative," Marcos noted. "It might be more accurate to say she’s become far too passive."
"I felt the same," Misery agreed. "She rarely takes initiative without a direct order. If anything felt off, it was that."
"Hmm, I see..." Yugo murmured.
Thinking back, even when Verda was about to deliver his final attack, Neries had only cast her buff after he yelled for it. Looking back over the earlier bouts, Yugo realized there had been many moments where she simply stood by, waiting for a command. Peewee chimed in as she joined the group.
"That's somewhat unavoidable. For a buffer, the more tools you have in your kit, the more you have to process."
"That's true," Yugo said. "By the way, how did she handle things when she was part of Cyan-san’s party?"
"Cyan called all the shots," Peewee explained. "For all his faults, his tactical judgment was solid; he could identify an enemy's weakness in a heartbeat and issue orders immediately."
"So, as expected of a Hero Candidate, he possessed a decent degree of command ability," Yugo surmised.
It was exactly as Peewee said—a support mage had a lot to juggle. Should they prioritize offense or defense? Should they conserve magic with a single-target buff or bolster the entire party? The more versatile the caster, the more complex the role. While Neries was with Cyan, she had outsourced those decisions to her leader. Now, that past reliance was coming back to haunt her.
When to cast, what to cast, and on whom? Neries, having spent so long under Cyan's thumb, was completely unaccustomed to deciding for herself. Yugo didn't think her old dynamic was necessarily "wrong"—it was a valid tactical choice—but it wouldn't work for the task at hand.
"This exam is going to be a test of Neries's individual performance," Yugo said. "She has to think and move on her own, or this won't help her build any real confidence."
"I agree," Marcos said. "But what's the plan? Do you have a way to fix this?"
If she just followed orders, she might pass the test, but she wouldn't grow. Yugo wanted her to be a warrior who could read the flow of battle and act on her own intuition.
Nodding confidently, Yugo looked at his friends and then at Neries before answering. "I’ve got a way. I’ll need everyone’s help, but let’s switch things up for this afternoon’s session!"