I woke up the next morning feeling fully healed. Sleep is the best medicine.
I headed towards the exit of the inn almost immediately. I had somewhere to be, somewhere important.
While leaving, I didn't forget to tip the receptionist an extra bronze coin; it was a nice inn.
I slept in a warm and cozy bed and was served hot, delicious food. I had no complaints.
I walked towards the center of Liberta, that's where the magical academies reside, but it's a pretty far walk to Castor, as it's on the opposite side of me.
I ended up running there, and even then it took me the better part of an hour.
I passed by districts of houses and some academies on the way, but they didn't look nearly as intimidating as the building, or maybe a castle? In front of me right now.
It was especially hard to miss, with the swarm of people heading in and out of the building.
But the people heading out looked a lot more distraught than the people walking in.
Nudging my way through the crowd, I glanced up at the giant stone entrance I was passing under, engraved into the stone wall stated.
"CASTOR ACADEMY".
I'm finally here, I quickly realized I was standing in front of the entrance, smiling like a retard.
So I walked forward, once again swallowed by the crowd.
Walking in, I couldn't help but marvel at the sights of the buildings and people.
Everything was so modern and colourful, I saw a place to buy adventure gear, a market for souvenirs, and many more.
The most eye-catching was a giant fountain in the middle of the road where people were tossing coins in for good luck.
The amazing part about all of this is that this isn't even the main campus; the campus is kilometers behind the entrance buildings.
But the three tests they run are here. I quickly paid the fee of 55 silver coins at the booth near the fountain. I quietly thanked the old man for the money in my head.
I continued to walk and sightsee the campus, there was an interesting mix of people as you walk around, there were nobles, you could tell by the rich over-the-top clothing that seemed utterly ridiculous.
And then the commoners like me, they had simple clothes like I was wearing, and some commoners and nobles' parents were with them, to oversee them take the test or just wish them good luck.
There were also attendants of the nobles, and finally, you had the students, who, on the other hand, had unique uniforms.
I saw one guy walking by me, and I analyzed his outfit. he had a red blazer with a white collared shirt on the inside. On the blazer by the chest, there was a simple emblem of a phoenix that was engraved chasing its tail. He had black pants and black shoes.
Overall, he looked nice, but it's nothing I'd ever expect myself to wear. It looked too nice, like noble clothes, but less flamboyant.
But I knew I'd have to wear that outfit, or something like it, if I wanted to attend Castor, so I'd better prepare myself mentally to look like a noble jackass.
I continued to walk around for a bit, sightseeing, before making my way towards the testing site.
Upon arrival, I saw a long line with a stand at the front, there were two instructors with notepads beside the stand.
I waited in line patiently for twenty minutes before finally making it to the front.
Finally entering the colourful building, I walked into the building and looked straight at the instructor standing near the colourful stand with two handprints on it.
The instructor looked me up and down. He was a tall man with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. he had strict eyebrows and a tall nose.
He looked me up and down and spoke.
"I am Professor McKannan, I teach magical combat for first-year students, the test you will be taking is very simple, you'll place your hand on the stand and push mana into it, that's all you have to do."
I looked at him and nodded, but I couldn't help but ask a question before starting.
"What does it measure?"
The teacher replied right away. I guess he's gotten this question quite a few times.
"It measures your age and what rank you are in, as well as how far into that rank you are."
I nodded, but internally, I was shocked. They can get that information just from your mana?
That's so fascinating! I need to learn more about these magical devices when I enter the academy.
I put my hand on the stand and pushed my mana as hard as I could into it, shaking the platform a little bit.
Oh no, did I mess it up?
The professor cocked his eyebrows at me and said.
"Well, lookey here, you've got quite the mana relationship, mhm, very good. You must be dusk rank, sadly being a dusk rank mage doesn't mean much when you're over the age limit, unless you're applying to be a second year?"
I looked at him for a second, speechless.
How old do I look to these people?
"You should check the device, professor."
He looked like he was about to argue with me before he checked the stand, and then his eyes opened to a terrifying degree.
"S-Sixteen?! And a twilight mage nonetheless …"
He looked me up and down.
"Kids these days look older every year, old Marebore is feeding you kids something weird."
I was confused by the way he was talking, but before I could ask anything, he continued.
"The good news is your potential is high, the relationship you hold with mana is unique to itself, the reason I mistook you for a dusk mage was because of the presence of mana you have.
While still being in the twilight stage, it's very impressive. You don't even have to take the second or third test since anyone who gets full marks on any test instantly passes, because I'm giving you 5/5 stars, but you should nonetheless for ranking rewards."
Why does everybody think I'm above eighteen? I don't look that mature, do I? I still have room to grow after all.
I smiled at him.
"Thank you very much, sir. I won't let you down."
He waved his hand at me.
"Now go away, genius boy, I've got other people to test."
I have to say I like Genius Boy more than Rabid Wolf, it sounds a little more peaceful.
I walked out of the building and past the line of people, and went further behind the building into an open field with many targets showing.
This one is simple, but a lot of people still manage to fail it.
This time, instead of a stand, there were five targets set in a horizontal line. You just had to hit them and ideally destroy them in the best-case scenario with magic.
The instructor will grade you based on your performance and give you a rating out of five.
I waited my turn patiently, this one didn't take as long as the previous line.
The five-foot-four female instructor with green hair and green eyes looked at me for a second and then pointed at the targets.
"Hit them, doesn't matter how many tries. Just hit all the targets with any kind of ranged magic."
I know I shouldn't show off, but I learned a new trick while practicing, and I wanted to try it out.
Although it's not applicable in actual battle yet because I have to focus on using most of these spells, for this test, I should be able to time this so they hit simultaneously.
I split my mind in two and focused on each of my hands, I compressed the mana and willed fire to envelop one of my hands, while the other mana I guided freely and willed wind blades to be summoned.
I point my right hand at the farthest target to the right and my left hand to the farthest to the left, I shot two fire balls at the targets on the right side and two wind blades at the left most targets, the one in the middle I willed a pointed spike to rise from the ground and stab into the middle of the target.
Simultaneously, the wind, fire, and earth element attacks all hit their marks, with each target exploding into bits.
Finally done, I looked at the professor.
She wasn't looking at me, just at the targets, which are now decimated.
"How old are you?"
I replied in a polite tone.
"I'm sixteen years old, mam."
I saw the surprise flash across her eyes, but it quickly vanished.
"I very rarely give five stars in this test, there are three students who have received it this year, the princesses of the human and elven kingdoms, respectively, and the youngest prince of the elven kingdom.
You are now the fourth to receive five out of five stars. Congratulations, what's your name?"
"Sylas, no last name mam."
Her eyebrows rose in intrigue before she nodded and wrote something down in her booklet.
"Good luck on your final test, Sylas."
"Thank you, professor."
I briskly walked away. I now had 10/10 stars. I wonder if I can get an even fifteen, that would be pretty helpful for making some friends.
Not that that's my goal or anything, but scoring high never hurt anybody.
The final test was located at the Academy's colosseum. Yes, I know, they have a fucking colosseum, rich bastards.
It took me a bit to find the colosseum, but after walking for another twenty minutes or so, I found it, mostly because of how loud it was.
I made my way into the entrance and was greeted by the loud cheers of hundreds of students. I guess they like spectating the third event? I still don't know what it is exactly.
I walked through the gate before I found a line towards the front desk. After a short wait, he asked me some questions.
"You are here to take the third test, correct?"
I nodded.
"Name and age?"
"Sylas, I am sixteen years old."
The man smirked a bit.
"10/10 stars, eh? You have some good talent, kid!"
I smiled at him.
"Good luck out there, and don't worry about it. You'll forget about this embarrassment sooner rather than later, champ."
Embarrassment? What's he talking about.
"Well, wait till they announce your name on the voice amplifier, they'll announce your name and age, as well as your previous scores, fight like your life depends on it, kid, and don't hold back."
Fight? Who exactly am I fighting?
"Who am I fighting, sir?"
"You're fighting senior students, I know it sounds bad, but it gets worse, trust me. They decide who fights in the first years, while the professors rank the students based on how long they last, or very rarely, how they win. But considering you're fighting a rank up, that rarely happens. After all, it's a requirement to reach the dusk stage if you want to be a second year."
Shit, I'm fighting a senior student?
I freaked out for a second before realizing I don't have to win, just hold on long enough or impress the teachers.
I can do that.
I thanked the man at the counter before walking into the giant stadium, I took a seat and watched the senior students pummel the newbies for a full hour.
Eventually, my name was announced, and with it, some questioning voices appeared.
"Sylas, sixteen years old. He scored 5/5 on the first and second tests. Sylas, please make your way to the arena."
The arena buzzed a bit with voices.
"Did I hear that right? He got five stars on both tests. What kind of freak is he?"
More voices.
"Maybe he's a bastard of the Royal family?"
"Shut up, you dolt, the princess is right in front of you."
Despite these voices, I took my calm strides towards the arena, preparing myself mentally to fight my best.
POV ALICE RIVIDEN
"Sylas, sixteen years old. He scored 5/5 on the first and second tests. Sylas, please make your way to the arena."
I heard the voice amplifier roar, it was a little too loud for my taste.
Sylas, it was an odd name.
I don't think I've ever heard of a Sylas among the nobles in Rividen, perhaps he's a bastard, or even a commoner?
No, that seems even more outrageous. What kind of commoner scores 10/10 stars? I received 10/10 as well, but I'm royalty.
I watched as the man, appearing to be five ten, maybe five eleven at most, walked towards the arena.
He had striking black hair with a single piece of red running through it, and dark eyes to match, he had straight eyebrows that seemed like swords, and eerily white skin.
Matched with his muscles visible through his clothes and his scars littering his body, he had quite a striking figure.
He seemed to be in very good shape, perhaps he was a guard?
But he's too young.
The most intriguing part was the scars; his body seemed to be covered in scars, at least the spots of open skin were. His hands and forearms were littered with scars, as well as a big one that ran up the side of his neck.
Perhaps a mercenary.
He stood in the middle of the arena and unsheathed his sword, which was chipped to pieces, and even the handle seemed to be falling apart.
He's certainly not a noble, no noble would have those scars, let alone carry a broken blade.
The instructor spoke once again before an older student volunteered to fight him. he was an experienced second-year student, the middle of the pack in ranking.
The man who decided to fight him was an elf. He was of similar height, maybe a tad taller, with blonde hair and green eyes.
He stood tall and said in a loud voice.
"I don't care what rating you got on previous tests, you better brace yourself for the beating your about to receive."
Sylas just nodded, seemingly uninterested.
This only served to piss the elf off more.
The crowd instantly got loud, taunting both the elf and Sylas, trying to get a reaction out of somebody, but before they could say anything, the instructor waved his hand and said.
"You may commence."
The elf instantly used a chant to shoot a strong gust of wind right away at Sylas. Sylas seemed interested in that process and watched it unfold.
"Roaring winds with mighty gust, answer my call for in you I trust."
Sylas was smiling?
"How stupid."
I heard him mumble, even being at the edge of the arena with my ears enchanted with mana, I barely heard it.
The elf seemed inclined to believe the wind would throw him off since he instantly followed it with his sword in hand.
Sylas waved his hand to the side, and the gust rushed past him.
Shattering the wind, the elf summoned with his chant.
A series of "Ooo" and "Aaah" resounded in the crowd.
Nobody here missed what he just did, after all, we are all magus; it was the ease with which he did it that surprised everyone.
And the lack of chant.
He created his stream of wind that cut through the middle of the elf's spell in that split second.
It pushed the elf's mana to each side of him and dispersed it calmly, which was very impressive, to say the least.
Especially with the difference of twilight to dusk strength, the elf's spell was at least three times stronger than his, maybe more, and yet he countered perfectly.
Snapping out of my daze, I focused on the fight.
The elf was already upon Sylas, striking at him with his sword.
Sylas seemed prepared, he side-stepped the strike and swung his sword directly at the elf's side. It seemed like an easily blockable strike as it was telegraphed very noticeably, but as the elf attempted to adjust his footing, he suddenly lost his balance.
Sylas had manipulated the earth below his feet and causing him to lose his balance.
I wouldn't have done that.
I would've just beaten the elf with sword technique alone to show my superiority, it looks like he could've too.
Sylas stopped his sword just as it was about to strike and then lunged with his left fist directly at the elf's chin. He hit it cleanly, and the elf got knocked out instantly.
Cheers erupted from the crowd as everyone chanted his name.
"Sylas! Sylas! Sylas!"
The announcer spoke after about twenty seconds of cheers.
"Sylas, congratulations, you have received 15/15 stars, you are ranked first among the first years as of this moment."
First ranked, he seems like a tough nut to crack.
I thought this academy would be boring for the first couple of years, but at least somebody here will make this fun.
And then it was my turn.
Let's see if I can take first ranked.
"Miss Alice Rividen, age 16, also received 5/5 on each test. Please make your way towards the arena."
End of chapter 10