Daily Rewards! Transmigrating into a novel as a side-character!

With the examination explained in full detail, we gathered our belongings and followed Professor Sylvia out of the classroom. The usual casual chatter among students was notably absent - everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts about the high stakes we now faced.

The walk took us through sections of the academy I'd never seen before, past restricted corridors and heavily warded doorways that suggested we were entering areas normally off-limits to students.

Soon we arrived at our destination, and the sight was genuinely impressive. The examination area was an incredibly massive open space that stretched beyond what I could easily see, surrounded by towering fences reinforced with magical barriers. Guards were stationed at regular intervals along the perimeter, and I could immediately sense that many of them were Transcendent-rank awakeners.

Most striking of all was the Commander-rank guard standing near the main entrance, his arms crossed as he surveyed the arriving students with the casual confidence of someone who could single-handedly eliminate everyone present if necessary. His very presence emphasized just how seriously the academy took these examinations.

This area was clearly not available to students under normal circumstances - accessible only during special examination periods when proper supervision could be maintained.

Other classes began arriving alongside us, their instructors leading groups of students who looked just as tense and focused as we did. In total, I counted five classes that would be participating in this examination, meaning roughly one hundred and fifty students would be competing for the same prize.

My eyes briefly met with Kyle's group as they approached. He nodded at me with his confident smile, followed by similar acknowledgments from his companions, including Seraphina. I returned their courtesy with a polite nod before deliberately turning my attention elsewhere.

"Hey, what do you think the examination is about?" Elen asked quietly, moving closer so our conversation wouldn't be overheard. "Hunting beasts?"

I shook my head definitively. "It can't be that simple. If it were just about hunting beasts, the Elite classes would have an overwhelming advantage due to our higher average strength. The other classes would have essentially no chance of winning."

"That makes sense," Elen agreed, her mind immediately grasping the logic. "There must be some kind of equalizing factor or different objective that gives everyone a fair shot."

I wasn't drawing from any knowledge of the novel for this assessment. This examination had never occurred in the original timeline, at least not that I could recall. My existence had obviously created ripple effects that were altering events, which wasn't exactly surprising news at this point.

While examinations in this location had been mentioned in the novel, I doubted the format would be identical to what had been described. The academy seemed to be adapting their testing methods, possibly in response to the changing dynamics among the student body.

I was going to find out the truth soon enough, so I wasn't particularly concerned about speculating further. Whatever challenge awaited us, I was confident in my ability to adapt and succeed.

After everyone had arrived and the five classes were assembled in formation, I noticed that none of our instructors stepped forward to address us. Instead, the domineering, middle-aged guard at the Commander level moved to the centre of the gathering, his presence immediately commanding absolute attention from every student present.

His cold eyes swept across the entire crowd with the calculating gaze of someone who had seen countless students come and go over the years. When he spoke, his voice carried the authority of absolute power.

"I will make this brief," he began, his tone brooking no argument. "First of all, I welcome you to my backyard. I've been guarding this place for longer than any of you have been alive, and I know more about it than you ever will. So, anything I say must be taken seriously - otherwise you will die, and you will have nobody to blame but yourself."

The casual way he mentioned death sent a chill through the assembled students. This wasn't hyperbole or intimidation tactics - this was a simple statement of fact.

"Your families might try to complain or raise issues if something happens to you," he continued with obvious disdain, "but it will lead to nothing but disappointment. The academy's liability ends the moment you enter these testing grounds, so don't make me go through that headache of dealing with grieving relatives who should have taught their children to listen to their instructors better."

Several students moved uncomfortably at his blunt assessment, but no one dared to speak or object.

"Now for the examination itself," the Commander said, his voice taking on a more business-like tone. "It follows this format: You will have the ability to enter two different environments. All other areas will be marked by guards and magical barriers that will prevent you from venturing too deep into the more dangerous sections of this preserve. Your mission is to accumulate Crest Marks by completing various objectives within these designated zones."

He gestured toward two distinct sections of the massive enclosed area behind him.

"The environments available to you are as follows. The first is the Dense Forest section," he announced, pointing toward a heavily wooded area. "This area is ambush-heavy, which means dangerous Elite-rank predators will be lurking throughout. You should exercise extreme caution when entering that place, as you could be ambushed at any moment from within the dense tree cover."

I could see several students already looking nervous at the description.

"Inside the Dense Forest, your mission is to locate and kill white donkeys. These creatures have been specifically prepared for this examination - we have hidden Crest Marks inside their bodies. This means you will need to not only hunt them successfully but also dissect their corpses to retrieve the marks. Each white donkey contains between one and three Crest Marks, depending on the specimen. Before you ask, killing any other type of monster will not count towards your Crest Marks but simply ensure your survival."