The Garmr’s body dropped onto the grass with a ‘plop’. Everyone was silent. After a few seconds, the examiner’s voice rang throughout the silent room.
“The practical exam has ended.”
After another moment of silence, the entire room erupted in cheer.
Realizing what he did, rather than feeling proud, Lucas felt a sense of relief. Not because he defeated the Garmr, but because he didn’t draw too much attention to himself and another person had taken the spotlight.
Meanwhile in the control room.
The younger examiner spoke, “He’s quite good isn’t he?”
“He’s still lacking in experience.”, the middle-aged examiner replied.
The snake-like examiner only sighed in boredom, “Boring.”
The examinees were given no break, moving to the final exam immediately.
They were led out of the hall and back outside to the training grounds where they started.
Lucas’ examination group was the last to arrive.
The training grounds had a strange atmosphere and everyone was completely silent, with a serious look on each of their faces. They stood in uniform rows so neatly that it was hard to believe that this was the rowdy group from earlier.
Lucas took his place in the uniform rows.
It was unsure how long they would continue to stand that way. The air was stifling and the slight breeze brought forth dust particles from the ground.
Click, clack, click, clack.
The sound of boots clicking in a uniform sequence against the floor could be heard distantly in the distance. The training grounds were so quiet that this sound could easily be heard. The sound originated from behind the steel doors of Yijun Academy, which imminently got closer and closer.
Creeeaakk
Lucas inhaled sharply. The final examiner had arrived.
Clad in a military uniform that was stark black in contrast with their white hair, it was as if the person was living in a black-and-white world. The hair was as white as the first snowflakes of winter-like the world’s finest weaver had weaved it, running down their back like silk draping one’s body. Their shoulders were square and stood proud, and each step rang with certainty. The only thing odd about this examiner was that they wore a mask that covered their entire face except for the eyes. The mask was the same color as their hair, blending perfectly in.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The examiner stood at the front of the field, gazing at the examinees.
***
The new recruits were…disappointing.
Their formation was unorganized and disorderly and they couldn’t even remain silent for a short while. Idle chatter could be heard here and there throughout the field.
Ares felt immense disappointment.
“Hey is that the final examiner?”
“That uniform looks cool I want to wear one.”
“When is this going to finish my legs hurt.”
“It’s so hot out here hurry this up.”
Such people did not have the right to be here.
“Recruits 67, 68, 142, and 143 may leave,” Ares barked.
The crowd was sent into silence.
“H-hey what do you mean by that?”
“What I mean is, you can leave,” Ares glared at the recruit.
“You can’t just tell us to leave like that!”
“Yeah! The exam hasn’t even started!”
Ares only responded coldly.
“You’ve made three mistakes already. The first is assuming the exam hadn’t started. The exam started the moment you set foot on the academy grounds. The second is how you failed to stand at attention, and talked out of turn in the presence of a superior. The third and final mistake is disobedience. You’ve failed to follow orders, that’s more than enough to have you expelled. Here at Yijun Academy, we do not tolerate disobedience. I am being merciful by allowing you to leave unscathed. Leave.”
The recruit grew red from embarrassment.
“Y-you! Do you know who I am? I can have you expelled!”
Ares responded even more coldly this time.
“Take him out.”
Two examiners appeared and dragged him off the training grounds as he cursed outrageous things at Ares.
Ares then turned to the other three examinees.
“Will you have to be dragged out as well?”
They turned pale and ran out before any examiner was allowed to drag them out.
Sigh, if only everyone was that smart.
Ares turned to look back at the remaining recruits.
Expressions of fear and unease were evident on their faces.
Ares paid it no mind and continued talking.
“For the physical exam, run 30 laps around the field.”
The recruits looked at each other in confusion.
Ares raised an eyebrow.
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
Their answer was harmonized by their mutual fear.
“No sir!”
Rumble rumble
The examinees began their run around the training grounds, their footsteps thundering against the ground from the footsteps of 1500 recruits. They ran messily, to say the least.
It was unfortunate to see how the quality of new recruits decreased every year.
In the past, 20 laps were the standard exercise for all soldiers, and that wasn’t including the other training that came after. 30 laps here would be a light workout, but the recruits already look tired.
‘I’ll just have to train them harder.’
‘Now’s about time…’
The rumbling slowly quieted. Some participants had already reached their limits and stopped running.
“Eliminated. Get out.”
Those people were only the minority. The majority ran till they could no longer run. Failing meant death in the chaos of starvation and war. It had not passed 30 minutes but the pace of the group had already decreased.
It was quite pitiful seeing them struggle so hard to keep running.
By the 10th lap, the difference in physique had made itself apparent. The distance between the strong and weak was widening.
By the 20th lap, the weaker ones had fainted from exhaustion. The other recruits had no choice but to run over them and continue.
It was just a simple running exercise, yet only 4 recruits were able to do it.
Ares no longer wanted to look at them.
All the recruits were exhausted from the running, there was no point in continuing this exam.