After the pull-up test and the short break, it was time for the third and final round of the physical fitness exam—the endurance test. The instructors gathered the students and began explaining the rules of the race.

Instructor Charles stepped forward and addressed the group.

"As you all know, the third test is designed to assess your endurance. The race will take place between two horizontal lines—one here at the starting point and another 500 meters away. Your task is simple: run back and forth between these two lines as many times as possible within 30 minutes. The student who touches the line the most will be ranked first and awarded 60 points, the second will receive 59 points, and so on, with the last-place student receiving just one point. Each instructor will be responsible for supervising six students."

As he spoke, he gestured toward the lines drawn on the ground. Once he finished the announcement, he stepped back.

The students lined up at the starting position while the instructors took their places, holding pens and paper to record results. Then, Instructor Oliver signaled the start of the race and began the countdown.

This time, no one started with an explosive burst of speed. Everyone paced themselves, knowing they had to endure the full 30 minutes.

As time passed, exhaustion set in. Students were gasping for breath, sweat dripping from their faces. Ryan, too, was starting to tire. As he ran, his mind wandered. By the end of this exam, at least five students will be dead... He felt a pang of guilt but knew he was powerless to change anything. This damn world... He looked around at the other students—young faces, too exhausted to continue, yet forcing themselves to keep running. They were fighting not just to pass an exam, but to survive.

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By the halfway mark, the difference between the physically strong and the weaker students became evident. Ryan remained in the lower-middle ranks, just as he had in the push-up and pull-up tests. The elite students were far ahead, running laps around the others. Even the instructors had started taking notice of their exceptional performance.

Bill, despite his questionable intelligence, was proving that his body was well-built for endurance. Meanwhile, Finn was struggling to keep up.

As the final minutes passed, Instructor Oliver signaled for the race to stop. The instructors stepped back and stopped recording the scores.

Then, Instructor Thane addressed the exhausted students.

"The first round of exams is now complete. You may go freshen up, take a bath, and eat breakfast. The next exam will begin at 8:30 sharp."

With that, the instructors left the training ground.

The students, too tired to move, lay on the ground like lifeless bodies. After a while, they began leaving one by one or in small groups, heading to the dormitory to clean up.

Breakfast was eaten in complete silence. The atmosphere was tense—everyone was too exhausted to talk. Among those who had performed the worst, fear was evident on their faces. Desperation was beginning to set in.

Soon, it was time for the second part of the exam—the cultural test. The students arrived at the classroom on time, where the instructors were already waiting.

Instructor Rus stood in the center of the room alongside Instructor Oliver and addressed the students.

"Everyone, take your seats. The second test, the cultural exam, is about to begin. There are question papers and blank answer sheets at your desks. Once the timer starts, pick up your papers and begin writing. No talking, no looking at others' work. Any violation of the rules will result in immediate failure for this round. No excuses will be accepted. The test duration is one hour. Am I clear? Good. Take your places."

As soon as he finished speaking, the students hurried to their seats. Instructor Oliver then announced the beginning of the exam.

The moment the timer started, students picked up their test papers and began reading the questions. Ryan took his as well, noticing that his name was already written in the top-right corner. He slowly scanned through the questions.

Most of them were related to the history of the Viscount family, the fiefdom, and a few about the country. For Ryan, it was relatively easy—thanks to his enhanced memory, adult self-control, and modern learning habits. But for most of the others, this test was even more difficult than the physical one.

Their tense expressions said it all. They had spent most of their time training for combat and physical skills, neglecting cultural and academic studies. Even the elite students seemed to struggle. Seeing this, the instructors looked visibly displeased.

As time passed, students scribbled furiously, their stress evident in every movement.

Finally, Instructor Oliver announced the end of the exam.