55. Rune Tortoise

The assessment group follows a routine of overnighting in towns, collecting monster notices each morning. In a town Jason previously passed through, a crowd of sick people gathers, and Vincent allows the constable’s office to become a clinic. As Jason heals the locals, villagers lay out a generous feast, and Humphrey’s enthusiasm draws even skeptical aristocrats to join, highlighting Jason’s rapport with common folk.

During the meal, Liana Stelline questions Humphrey about Jason’s personality. Humphrey acknowledges Jason’s abrasive edge but points to underlying generosity, contrasted with Jason’s harsh treatment of Thadwick. The scene underscores mixed candidate perceptions and the social optics of Jason’s healing.

That night at a cramped inn, Jason and Humphrey assess Jason’s cloth armor and his cloak’s limits—strong against cuts, weak versus stabs and blunt force. They discuss the next target, a bark lurker, and speculate that Rufus may have asked Instructor Trenslow to hold Jason to a higher standard. Humphrey urges Jason to go all out to earn a pass despite likely stringent expectations.

The next day, the group reaches a meticulously maintained turf farm. As a candidate engages a rune tortoise, Vincent explains its rune-etched shell and the tactic of baiting abilities during their cooldowns. The tortoise has already spent several runes, leaving the candidate, Mobley, burned and battered.

Vincent orders Mobley to stop, rejecting his plan to use silver spirit coins that would negate healing and set a bad precedent for risk. With three candidates yet to pass—Mobley, Jason, and a young woman—Vincent calls for a volunteer. After the woman declines, Jason steps forward and approaches the tortoise, ready to finish the fight and be measured against the higher bar set for him.