Chapter 83: Unexplained Was Not Fraudulent
Chapter 83: Unexplained Was Not Fraudulent
Jin’s answer did not erase Kade’s suspicion.
It also gave the instructor no clear reason to push harder.
Kade stayed silent for a moment. Then he selected several sections from the records and rotated the screen toward Jin.
"Explain this absorption curve."
Jin did.
Glitch’s nutrient intake had climbed past what ordinary post-training hunger would account for. His body had been preparing to turn stored development into physical growth.
"How is that different from normal hunger after heavy training?"
"Depth and duration," Jin said. "Training replaces what the body already spent. A breakthrough pulls from the whole system while rebuilding it."
Kade shifted to another entry. "Why did you pace the feed with water?"
"High absorption doesn’t mean his stomach can safely take unlimited food at once. If I let him gorge, he’d make himself sick before his body could process it."
From the platform, Glitch opened one eye and sent a firm objection through the bond.
This was slander.
Kade moved on to the recovery data.
"Why prohibit strenuous activity now?"
"His rank has stabilized, but his body hasn’t fully adjusted around it. If he pushes too soon, he could strain himself internally or destabilize the advancement."
Jin pointed to the readings that would warn of either problem, then showed the ones confirming that Glitch’s recovery remained clean.
His answers did not come from formal study.
Jin knew one beast with obsessive accuracy, and most of what he understood had grown out from there.
That difference mattered. Put an unfamiliar beast in front of him, and Jin would need time to study it before giving the same kind of answer. With Glitch, he understood what every change in appetite, body heat, weight, and energy circulation meant.
He had learned because mistakes once consumed food his family could barely afford.
Kade watched him quietly.
"Your file lists a C-Rank support talent. Data Appraisal and Device Link."
"Yes."
"Then either your Appraisal is unusually precise for its rank, or you pay more attention to your beast than most Tamers pay to anything."
"Those two things can both be true."
One corner of Kade’s mouth shifted.
He looked back at the scan.
"The speed is still unexplained. But there is no sign of stimulants, forced advancement, or physical injury."
His gaze returned to Jin.
"Unexplained is not fraudulent."
The screen updated.
[Independent Verification: Complete]
[Registered Combat Level Updated: 3-Star]
[Medical Restriction: No Strenuous Activity Until Cleared]
[Assessment Status: Active]
"Young beasts can surprise us," Kade continued. "Especially during first contracts. I’ve seen development patterns stranger than this. I’ve also seen people take shortcuts that a scan failed to reveal on the first day."
His voice remained even.
"I am not accusing you. I do not have evidence for an accusation. But from now on, I’ll be watching his progress closely."
"Understood."
Jin had avoided getting caught.
He had not avoided attention.
That was dangerous, but it could still be managed. Kade could only watch Glitch’s public development. He could not see the dungeon catalogue hidden behind Jin’s phone.
As long as Jin controlled what Meridian witnessed, and left enough space between one impossible change and the next, scrutiny did not have to become discovery.
"His recovery period isn’t over," Jin said. "Can the physical part of the assessment wait until he’s cleared?"
"It can. Testing him like this would be irresponsible."
Kade paused.
"The seven-day period will continue, though. Today still counts as day one."
The assessment was not limited to direct combat. Medical condition, tactical judgment, command ability, and physical performance all affected the final decision.
Jin could handle the nonphysical portions today.
What he lost was a full day in which Glitch might otherwise have shown what he could do.
More importantly, Jin could not recover that time by forcing Glitch back into action early. The Engine had recommended twenty-four hours of rest, and Meridian’s scan agreed.
One lost day cost less than damaging an advancement they had spent weeks earning.
Harsh.
Still fair.
"At least 3-Star gives him a better chance after he’s cleared," Jin said.
"It does," Kade replied. "But the program’s standard remains the same."
He updated Glitch’s file.
[Registered Partner: Iron-Quality Grey Rock Lizard — 3-Star]
[Performance Record: Updated]
"Yesterday, a remarkable showing from a 2-Star beast might have demonstrated exceptional development. Now, if he performs like an ordinary 3-Star, that earns you nothing extra."
Jin understood.
Glitch’s new strength truly improved their chances. But Meridian would no longer be impressed just because an Iron-quality beast exceeded the expectations attached to yesterday’s record.
"You did the right thing by reporting the breakthrough," Kade said. "If you had hidden it, the assessment would have found it, and the consequences would have been worse. Honesty keeps you eligible. It does not pass the assessment for you."
"I didn’t think it would."
"Since your beast cannot complete physical testing today, you’ll begin with a section that does not require him."
Kade guided Jin to a terminal and loaded a tactical-analysis screening.
The test presented recorded combat situations using incomplete beast information, hazardous terrain, limited supplies, and strict time limits. Students had to issue orders, choose escape routes, or identify the most dangerous factor in each scenario.
"It does not replace physical performance," Kade said. "A perfect tactical result will not rescue a beast that cannot function in a fight. But it contributes to your score, and you can complete it while he recovers."
He pointed toward a padded medical mat along the wall.
"He sleeps. You think."
Jin carried Glitch over and placed him on the mat.
The lizard turned in one circle, dropped down, and fell asleep before he could object to the bedding.
Jin sat at the terminal.
The pressure behind his eyes reminded him that Glitch was not the only one still recovering. Soul fatigue made even basic concentration take effort.
Whatever advantage this test offered, Jin would have to earn it through a headache and four hours of bad sleep.
Kade remained behind him. Close enough to watch, but not close enough to interfere.
This was not simply a written exam.
The instructor would notice how long Jin hesitated, what details caught his attention first, and whether his choices matched the competence he had shown while discussing Glitch’s condition.
The opening scenario appeared.
[Assessment Day One: Tactical Analysis]
[Scenario Difficulty: Regular Combat Program]
[Available Beast: Iron Quality — 3-Star]
[Enemy Threat: Bronze Quality — 4-Star]
[Objective: Survive for Ten Minutes]
[Direct Victory: Not Required]
Jin examined the terrain map.
A weaker beast.
A stronger enemy.
Survive.
Meridian was not asking whether the 3-Star beast could defeat the 4-Star opponent.
It wanted to know whether the Tamer could keep his partner alive against something stronger. How he used the terrain. How he managed limited resources. How he bought time and refused fights that did not need to happen.
That was almost exactly what Jin had spent the past two months learning.
Four hours of sleep.
A soul-fatigue headache.
Glitch medically forbidden from fighting.
And Meridian’s first question was how Jin would survive an opponent stronger than himself.
For the first time that morning, he nearly smiled.
At least he understood this kind of problem.