♊︎ 𝘔𝘺 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢 - 𝘎𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪'𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 [𝘈𝘜] ♊︎

[Season 4] Ep. 1 - Exam Day Arrives!

After a grueling week of non-stop revision, the day of reckoning arrived: the written exams for the First Term Final Exam. The tension in the air was palpable, and I was no exception. Despite the invaluable insights gained from our group study sessions with Ema, Masako, Kaito, Shiro, Ren, Mari, Kazuo, and even Katsuro, the anxiety still weighed heavily on my shoulders.

As the clock ticked closer to the dreaded moment, Nocturn moved among us, distributing the exam papers with solemn instructions, the classroom enveloped in an eerie silence unlike any other. The ensuing three days felt like an eternity as, each day, we grappled with multi-page tests spanning every subject and concept we had encountered throughout the term.

Upon completing the final test on the third day, our study group reconvened at the dormitory to decompress and share our experiences.

- "What the heck... That was brutal. I've never faced anything like it... I'm pretty sure I tanked it," Shiro blurted out, his frustration palpable.

- "Why do you think that, Shiro?" Masako inquired, concern etched on her face.

- "Because half of those questions might as well have been in hieroglyphics! Even in Math, my strong suit, I barely had time to scratch the surface, thanks to the stress," Shiro lamented.

- "Don't sweat it, Shiro. I'm right there with you. The time pressure had me second-guessing myself, and I ended up rushing through answers only to realize my errors too late," Ema chimed in, offering solace.

- "I get it, Ema. I used to be the same during midterms. But thanks to Shockwave's breathing techniques, I managed to keep my cool. My stress-induced horns barely made an appearance," Masako added with a hint of pride.

- "Indeed, our internship teachings can be surprisingly applicable. Brain'On'Wheels made sure to dissect our patrol experiences in the evenings, turning them into theoretical discussions," Kazuo shared.

- "Sounds like a snooze fest. But hey, Kazuo, with your stellar grades, you're sitting pretty. As for me, if I managed to focus, it's all thanks to our study sessions. Although I admit, the temptation to cheat with my flying eyeballs was real," Ren joked, injecting some levity into the conversation.

- "On the flip side, it's the complete opposite for me... I was a bundle of nerves, and I'm positive I botched it," Mari confessed.

- "Why do you say that, Mari? Your grades speak for themselves," Ema reassured her.

- "I know, but when stress hits, I freeze up, wasting precious time and spiraling into further panic," Mari explained.

- "No need to fret, Mari. Being at the top of the class affords you some wiggle room. Unlike me, I'm in dire straits. Overthinking simple questions cost me valuable time, and my usual grades won't bail me out this time," Katsuro chimed in.

- "I'm in the same boat as you, Katsuro. I spent too much time paranoid about traps, even in the simplest questions. I swear, it's all Magma's influence!" Kaito added with a wry grin.

- "And what about you, Ken? You've been quiet. Did things go south for you too?" Masako prodded, noting my subdued demeanor throughout the conversation.

- "Well... I'm not sure... It's just... I feel like I took some shortcuts," I admitted tentatively.

- "What do you mean?" Katsuro inquired, ever wary of Nega's abilities.

- "In fact, as I can now communicate better with Nega in my mind, I took advantage of the quiet during the exams to discuss with him the answers to the questions I struggled with the most," I confessed.