When Wittmann finished his explanation, the two squads assembled at their designated staging areas. The entire forest had not been designated as the testing ground; instead, an elliptical boundary had been drawn, with each squad assigned to one of its two focal points.
Ten candidates had been gathered in Squad One: Numbers 1, 5, 9, 13, 19, 24, 31, 38, 43, and 56. Aside from me, everyone was a student from the preparatory school, so they all seemed familiar with one another.
There was still some time left before the exam began. Wittmann hadn't said anything specific, but his intention was unquestionably for us to formulate a strategy in the interim. We sat down in a circle and opened discussions.
"First things first: shouldn't we pick a commander to lead us?"
Hermann threw the suggestion out the moment we sat. A commander was essential for any coordinated operation, so I had no objections. The real issue was deciding who would take up the mantle.
"I'll do it."
"No way, you couldn't pull it off. I'll take charge."
The other candidates chimed in, raising their hands in rapid succession. It was only natural. Simply stepping up as the squad's leader would likely earn extra points.
"Come on, hold on, everyone. I have a suggestion..."
Hermann stepped in to settle the group down. Squabbling over who got to lead wouldn't do us any favors. Even if we'd been told that whoever retrieved the flag first would pass... we still needed to demonstrate our willingness to cooperate as a squad.
"Bauer, would you take charge as our strategist?"
"Huh? Me?"
"Everyone recognizes your ability. Besides, you're not from the preparatory school, so... I think you'll actually be able to command us more objectively."
I thought he was joking, but Hermann was dead serious. To be fair, he made a valid point. If Hermann were commander, for instance, giving impartial orders to peers he'd known for years would be an uphill battle. Of course, I didn't know what kind of magic everyone used... but our mana capacity was standardized by the magic stones anyway.
"All right. I'll do it."
When I agreed, the others nodded in silence. They seemed convinced, which took a weight off my chest. Even so... I had never led a unit of mages before.
"We're counting on you, Bauer."
"Thanks."
All nine pairs of eyes turned toward me at once. How could I guide this squad to victory? First and foremost, I needed to get a clear grasp of our situation.
"To start, our squad's goal is for someone among us to locate the flag. We'll need to thoroughly sweep this vast area while remaining prepared for skirmishes with Squad Two."
Sweeping my right hand through the air, an elliptical map materialized before us—an exact replica of the forest's terrain. It seemed to be an unfamiliar sight to the candidates other than Hermann, drawing quiet murmurs of awe from the group.
"This is our current position, and over here is Squad Two. The flag is hidden somewhere within this ellipse."
"And then, Bauer?"
"This forest is fairly extensive. If we want to find the flag, we'll need to divide the area into sectors and search methodically."
The real challenge lay in the execution. Setting myself aside, the others couldn't hold a precise mental map. Even if we split up, we wouldn't be able to move efficiently without careful coordination.
"So here's what I propose: I'll remain here to direct our movements, while the rest of you scatter to search for the flag."
"What!?"
"Are you sure about that?"
"I can track everyone's position with detection magic. I'll relay orders via communication magic, so all you have to do is move according to my instructions."
Moreover, having everyone search individually avoided any accusations of favoritism. Everyone would search desperately for the flag for their own sake, which in turn would benefit the entire squad. Getting blinded by the promise that "finding the flag means passing" and turning on each other was the worst possible outcome.
"But Bauer, that means you won't be able to look for the flag yourself."
"Unlike the rest of you, I'm not suited for close combat. If I go out searching, there's a high risk I'll run into someone from Squad Two."
"Still..."
"It's fine. What do you all think? Any objections?"
Looking at it calmly, only one person could walk away with the flag. It was far more practical to demonstrate my value to the squad and secure one of the remaining nine passing slots. Assessing my own strengths and weaknesses, I knew I would only be a liability on the front lines.
"...Bauer. There's just one thing I'm worried about."
"What's that?"
"If we do this, all ten of us will be acting independently. It might work for finding the flag, but... won't we lose the chance to show the 'teamwork' Examiner Wittmann mentioned?"
"Ah, I see your point..."
Hermann's concern was justified. Put plainly, this plan boiled down to "one person giving orders while nine others search for themselves." Calling that teamwork would be a stretch. However, as long as we could demonstrate a clear purpose behind moving separately, it shouldn't be an issue.
"Don't worry. In fact, I want everyone to spread out even more as you move."
"What do you mean?"
"Did any of you play with these as kids?"
Extending my right hand, I used compression magic to conjure a dandelion. Rather than its yellow flower form, it had already bloomed into a mature, fluffy seed head.
"Huh...? What about it?"
"Fluff? What are you bringing that out for...?"
The others tilted their heads in bewilderment. Producing seeded dandelions one after another, I handed them out across the circle.
"I want all of you to use this fluff to scatter 'seeds.'"
With that, I laid out the squad's orders.
The fateful fourth exam was about to begin—