Villain With The Strongest System - Chapter 207

Chapter 207: Written Exams
Soon after returning from the tier2 promotion test, it was time for Rocky to focus on the university final exams as he did not have a moment to spare to check out the new sword skill scrolls that he had received or remember the fact that his Strongest System had undergone an update.

With all his attention captured by the final exams, the only thing that Rocky focused on was getting the best grades and placing first in his class.

Having practically experienced how crucial the university’s teachings were for surviving as a climber within the tower, Rocky wanted to fully immerse himself in his life as a student and absorb every bit of knowledge that the professors considered important.

Rocky knew that after this test, as he finally graduated, he would essentially become a proper climber with no regular ‘base of operations’ to return to, and that the tower would become his base, with him living the life of a wanderer alongside his party members, with no sense of belonging or security.

Alongside him, Sophia, Erin, Buhara and every other student within the university prepared equally as hard for the final exams, as everyone seemed to be wanting to do their best and try and place first.

While just graduating from a university like the university for nourishment of young talents was a big achievement on its own, since major climber guilds immediately adopted any graduate from such a reputed university with a hefty starting salary, there was an additional benefit for the top3 graduates, where the university gave them a hefty sum of money as a reward for excelling in the course.

In addition to the system rewards, Rocky also wanted the university rewards that promised a hefty sum of Tower Gold to the valedictorian, as once he left the university campus, he wanted to buy a proper set of gear for himself and especially buy a pair of reliable swords, which would undoubtedly cost big money to purchase.

Hence while he was confident in excelling in the combat courses such as practical combat and swordsmanship, he also focused on trying to ace the theoretical subjects which were going to have written exams.

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The first written exam that Rocky had to undertake for his university finals was for the subject ‘Monster Anatomy and Their Weakness’

In this subject, the first few questions that Rocky faced were pretty straightforward, asking for the identification and classification of various monsters.

With his perfect memory, Rocky recalled entire pages off their class notes and could easily answer this section of the test. However, as Rocky progressed through the exam, the questions grew more and more complex, probing deeper into the intricacies of monster anatomy and strategic vulnerabilities.

One of the salient questions within the test was about the Fusion Chimera, a formidable beast known for its amalgamation of different animal parts, making it a versatile and deadly opponent.

The question asked for a detailed analysis of the Fusion Chimera’s weaknesses and effective strategies for combating it.

Technically, there was no right answer to this question, as their professor himself had said that there was no precise strategy to deal with a Chimera since every single Chimera was unique and different, however, since this particular Chimera was a fusion of a snake, Komodo dragon, archaic spider and giant bee, Rocky used his imagination and wrote the answer that he felt was best.

He wrote about the necessity of targeting the Chimera’s reptilian head first, which was responsible for its deadly poison attacks and how by neutralizing this head, climbers could significantly reduce the Chimera’s lethality.

He also noted the vulnerability of the Chimera’s mismatched joints, where the different animal parts fused together, suggesting that these points were structurally weaker and could be exploited to immobilize the beast.

While these answers were not 100% proven, it demonstrated Rocky’s critical thinking, and that he had understood the core of the monster’s weaknesses subject, which was to identify the monster’s weakness and form an attack strategy based on it.

Another challenging question in the test focused on the Hydra, a creature renowned for its regenerative abilities and multiple heads.

The question required an explanation of the most effective methods to counteract the Hydra’s regenerative properties, however, nothing was taught to the students regarding how to face a Hydra as it was not a beast that was found below the floor 60 of the tower of ascension that often.

However, drawing from both his theoretical knowledge and practical experience, Rocky elaborated a new and creative strategy on how to counter a hydra, as in this answer he put his strategic thinking on full display.

Rocky didn’t just rely on textbook answers and instead infused his responses with insights gained from personal encounters, adding layers of practical advice and innovative strategies, which distinguished his paper from the rest who were only relying on bookish knowledge.

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The second exam that Rocky had to give was for the subject of ‘Power Dynamics Within The Tower’, with this exam being notoriously the hardest of them all.

There were hundreds of important factions to remember within the tower and the relationship of these factions amongst each other was extremely gray.

Those that could be labeled as a clear ‘Ally’ or ‘Enemy’ were few, as every faction had an ally, a few dozen enemies and a few dozen factions that they shared a Gray Relationship with.

This made the power dynamics paper a rhetorical paper more than a theoretical paper as the absolute answers within the test were far and few, while the rest were open to interpretation.

The most important question within the paper was regarding the four time periods within which gods could be distinguished into and the relationship of gods from the same time period amongst each other.

While Rocky did answer this question to the best of his abilities, he did not feel 100% confident that it would fetch him the maximum marks, as if there were one paper where Rocky felt that he might not score the maximum points in the class, it had to be for the subject of power dynamics.

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The third and final written test that Rocky had to appear for was for the subject of Battleground Strategies and Leadership.

The questions in this subject were designed to test not only theoretical knowledge but also the practical application of battlefield strategies.

In this test, Rocky found himself facing a variety of scenarios, each requiring a deep understanding of troop management, terrain utilization, and the psychology of both his own forces and his enemies.

The first set of questions focused on popular battle formations. Rocky was asked to detail the strengths and weaknesses of formations such as the phalanx, the wedge, and the double envelopment.

He had to explain under which circumstances each formation would be most effective and how to maximize their potential on different types of terrain. For instance, he described how a phalanx formation is highly effective in narrow passes where its defensive strength could be fully utilized, but vulnerable on open fields where flanking maneuvers could compromise its integrity.

One hypothetical scenario presented to Rocky was as follows: “You are commanding an army of 500 infantry and 200 archers. Your forces are positioned on a hilly terrain facing an enemy force of 800 cavalry. Develop a strategy to counter the enemy’s numerical and mobility advantage.”

Rocky’s response showcased his strategic thinking. He suggested utilizing the hilly terrain to his advantage by positioning his archers on the high ground to maximize their range and effectiveness.

He further proposed forming a defensive line with the infantry at the base of the hills, using natural choke points to funnel the enemy cavalry into narrower fronts where their numbers would be less advantageous.

Not only that, but he also emphasized the importance of maintaining flexibility within his ranks, ready to adapt to the enemy’s movements, giving a complete and comprehensive answer to the question.

The final part of the exam delved into the psychological aspects of leadership on the battlefield.

Rocky was asked to describe methods of maintaining troop morale under dire conditions and strategies to exploit the morale of enemy forces.

For this, he wrote about the importance of clear communication, inspiring speeches, and the strategic use of reserves to bolster faltering lines at critical moments.

He also touched on the use of misinformation and psychological warfare to demoralize enemy troops, citing historical examples where such tactics had turned the tide of battle.

Throughout the exam, Rocky’s answers reflected not only his knowledge of battlefield tactics but also his ability to apply these strategies creatively and adaptively to various situations. His responses demonstrated a keen understanding of the intricacies of leadership and strategy, showcasing why he deserved to get marks befitting a top student at the university.

With the written exams behind him, Rocky could now shift his focus to the final practical exams, ready to demonstrate his combat prowess and tactical acumen in battle-related scenarios, a field he was confident in excelling.