Everyone seemed to be occupied with working on their new skills. It felt just like they were back at their own training quarters, just that now the area of training was more intimate.
Some would choose to learn their techniques in the succession rooms, and after some time, they would ask others to help them with their techniques; they would then head to the large, lit-up empty space and practice together there.
However, there were a few that still hadn't made a move, and one of these groups was the main disciples who were in the large, lit-up space but were towards the very back of the room, observing everything that was taking place.
"Ricktor, you don't think that this is all the assessment is going to be, do you?" Mada asked.
Ricktor turned around and smiled. "Do you see me jumping the gun like everyone else?" Ricktor replied. "I have nothing to learn, at least nothing from the Pagna library since all my skills are better compared to the others, but if I were you guys, I think it's best you conserve your energy."
They were simple words, but the other disciples had a feeling that Ricktor might have just figured this whole thing out, and it wasn't much longer until everyone else would have as well.
An entire day had passed, and the students continued to do as they did before. Only they weren't as positive as they were the first time; a few of them were starting to lose focus on the goal and task.
They couldn't quite put their finger on it, as they had been in these types of situations before, so they wondered what it was. And that was when three more days had passed without any incident happening, and that was the issue.
Three days had passed, and nothing had happened. A commotion was starting to brew up, and in the large, lit-up area that they had been using for training, someone was starting to make a scene, and all of the students had gathered due to the noise.
"Does no one find this strange?" one of the students asked, as he held one hand on his belly and licked his lips. "It's been three days already, and we haven't had any contact with the other teachers or from the academy, at all; it's as if they've just abandoned us down here."
"Don't be crazy!" one of the other students called out. "The main disciples are still with us as well; it's not as if just one or two of us have been sent here for punishment. It would be impossible that they forgot about us."
"Maybe something happened above?"
"In these three days, I highly doubt that."
"Crap, the guy does have a point, though; what are they doing? I'm starting to get seriously thirsty and hungry."
Due to many of their training methods with their clans and them being Pagna warriors, their bodies weren't like that of regular humans. If they could cultivate, it allowed them to get energy in a different way than that of food and circulate it around their body.
However, this was more of a thing that would buy time; they were still human in the end, unlike Divine beings, so they needed water and food to survive. Now that the third day had passed with no such thing, some of the students were starting to feel the effects.
They weren't in such a bad state now, but it was why they were asking questions because they were wondering just what was even going on.
"What if this is part of the assessment?" one of the female students said, her hands shaking above her lip. "It's not crazy, right? What if part of it is to see how we do with no food and water."
"And what benefit would that even have?" another called out. "With no food and water, we'll be unable to concentrate. It would be harder for us to even learn about the skills we picked up. Nothing good would come of it."
The arguing was continuing among the students, and it felt as if tensions were high, probably due to the fear that was settling in. Through it all, one of the students started to laugh.
"Hahahaha!" The student touched his white-colored eye patch, where the corner of it was soaked a little red from blood. It was one of the two second-year students that were with them.
"Wait, that's right; if they're second-year students, they would have gone through this assessment before, right? So maybe they know something; hey, tell us what this is!" one of the students complained.
It was strange in the first place that a couple of second-year students had even been picked to join the assessment with them, which wasn't the norm.
"We never did such a thing before," the second-year student said, and he started to walk over while looking over at Raze, who was just standing with his arms folded. "I just think that the situation we're in right now, it's the perfect opportunity for us to get rid of some people, don't you think."
It was in that moment, thanks to the comments from the second-year student, that Raze might have just figured out what this whole assessment was about. The uneasy feeling, the setup of the whole place, and why they had left them for several days without food and water.
The uneasiness didn't go away, but with others unable to figure out what was going on, students started to split off into groups, while some had left on their own, not wanting to be next to anyone.
There were those that had entered their succession room; training again, and Raze was one of these people. Some time had passed, perhaps another day, but it was hard for them to keep track of time since they were in the darkness all the time.
Those that were training in the small rooms would leave to allow themselves to stretch as they headed into another area, and as one of the students did this, he would pass the rows of rooms and spotted something on the ground.
"AGHHH! Quickly, quickly come help!" The student shouted.
A large commotion was occurring, and the students naturally had gathered at the large, lit-up area as well. It was the only place where they felt safe since they were able to see each other clearly.
As all of the students gathered, they soon saw a group of three, pulling something along, and into the center of the room, they soon moved away, and as they did, they could see a body, with their chest completely crushed. As for the body in question, the student had a white eye patch on his eye.
There were next to no mark's on his body apart from a large dent around the chest. There was no puncture but blood dripped from the student's mouth from his clothes.
"He's... he's dead," the student said. "There's no sign of Qi, no sign of breath or heart beat. There's no way of bringing him back."
Based on the condition of the student, it was clear he wasn't killed by a beast, and with only students around them it had to be one of them.
At the very back with the other disciples, Ricktor had a small smirk on his face. "It looks like someone has figured out what this assessment is really all about."