“Well, this whole thing is great and all, but how did I do on the test?” I asked the headmaster.
Sighing and crossing his arms, he looked at me with an exasperated expression.
“Unsurprisingly, you have earned a perfect score on the magic affinity portion of the exam. Your potential is not only of the highest quality, but it is also unprecedented. Normally, I would bring in another device to measure how strong your affinity with your attributes were, but having two attributes throws its reliability into question. The orb had your attributes shine even brighter than my own, so it will have to do. In any case, please follow me to the next testing area.”
***
“Unbelievable…” the headmaster said, his eyebrows twitching.
The physical fitness test went about as Azoth had expected, judging by the content smile on her face.
The headmaster sighed and took a clipboard as he listed my scores.
“Vitality fitness test, perfect score.”
I glanced at the heaving academy trainer who was being consoled by Azoth and had all sorts of weapons bent and broken around him, as well as the just as numerous bent shields on the other side of the room.
“Strength fitness test, perfect score.”
I turned towards the bent sledgehammer and the broken ‘high striker’ tool, the torn rope attached to the largest block of steel -which was dragged enough to leave marks on the floor-, and the large weights I had toyed with in my hands.
“Dexterity fitness test, perfect score.”
My eyes went to the frayed jump rope, the climbing wall I scaled multiple times within the time limit, and the cracks on the wall from when I crashed into it which was over ten meters ahead from the sand pit that was supposed to break my fall.
I gave the headmaster the most innocent look I had, which made his smile even more strained.
“What’s our next test, headmaster?”
Azoth had just arrived to hear the headmaster’s answer.
“Your next test is the combat test. This test is your last one and is different from the other tests. While you were tested on the quality of your magic and physical abilities and potential respectively, the combat test is not meant to test your combat capabilities. That is what you are meant to learn in the academy. Instead, we will be testing your mental capabilities and how suitable you are to adventuring and combat as a whole. After all, the other tests don’t mean anything if you are simply going to freeze in fear when faced with a terrifying monster, so in some senses this is the most important one.” The headmaster explained.
“Now please follow the receptionist; I will go to earn you a combatant powerful enough to serve as your opponent.”
The same receptionist that received us at the entrance to the academy arrived took the headmaster’s place as he left.
“Please follow me. I will take you to the combat arena.” She said curtly, and then walked to another door without waiting to see if we followed her.
I quickly jogged behind her, as Azoth quietly followed.
“You seem upset, Mrs…?”
“Kema. You may call me Ms. Kema. To answer your question, I am quite unhappy with you.”
“Is it because of the letter of recommendation that we are asking for? I am sorry if that upset you; it wasn’t my intention.” I asked, hoping that my sincerity got through.
Ms. Kema looked at me for a bit before sighing.
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“I understand you weren’t trying to antagonize me or the academy, but your actions show that you do not think much of us. With the talent you have and the status your guardian seems to have, it’s not surprising that you might think that this academy has nothing to offer you. That said, it doesn’t mean I have to be happy about you thinking of our academy as a mere steppingstone.”
“Anyways, here we are. Please take a seat at a corner near the arena. The headmaster will arrive with your opponent shortly.” Ms. Kema said, as she went to a strange pedestal with a bunch of magic symbols on it.
Turning away from her, I took in the rest of the room. There was a large, circular arena that could fit nearly 50 men laying on the floor, head to toe, in a row. The floor of the arena was made of several square tiles, with round cuts on the exterior tiles to fit the arena’s circular shape. There were numerous chairs for spectators, and the room itself was completely devoid of any windows, preventing any natural light from entering. Instead, the room was lit up with a number of magical apparatuses attached to the ceiling, which was even taller than the room was wide.
Silently taking in the sight, it wasn’t long before the door behind us swung open, revealing a man in a strange outfit. Excited, I called out to him.
“Hey! Are you my opponent for the next match?” I grinned, giddy with excitement.
After all, it’s been a while since I fought anyone.
“No, examinee, I am not your opponent. I am the referee for the match between you and your test conductor.”
“Then who am I going to face?” I asked.
“You will be facing me.” A familiar voice behind the referee boomed.
The referee turned around, revealing the headmaster behind him who was dressed in light leather armor and wearing a short sword and a buckler.
“Wait, my opponent is the headmaster?!” I asked, my jaw dropped.
Judging by the nearby objecting voice, I wasn’t the only one who was shocked.
“Headmaster! Why are you lowering yourself to fight a mere-“
“Settle down, Kema. This ‘mere’ student possesses greater strength than even an experienced adventurer. The purpose of the test is to see how the examinee will respond to a threat that is more powerful than themselves, and I am the only one the academy can spare who can fulfill that purpose. Now please, take your station at the arena’s controls so that we may begin.”
The receptionist grumbled as she went back to the pedestal, and the referee stood beside her. Azoth took a chair and sat down to watch the coming fight. The referee then began to speak.
“This fight will end when one of you is incapacitated, is dealt a fatal blow, is more heavily wounded when the time runs out, or submits. The time limit is five minutes. You must not move or strike at your opponent before the bell that signifies the beginning of the battle rings. You must not attack your opponent once the battle is declared to be over. Do you have any questions?”
I turned towards the referee.
“Fatal blows are allowed?! I thought this was just a test!” I exclaimed in shock.
It was, however, the headmaster who answered me.
“The arena has a number of enchantments on it, with some of it being controlled by Kema. Among them are enchantments that reduce pain to a tenth of what you would normally experience, a simulation to any wounds the combatants receive, and even the ability to simulate a different environment, among others. This means we can fight to our heart’s content without worrying about harming each other, although it will still hurt. Do you wish to back down?”
A ferocious grin found its way to my face.
“The one who should be afraid is you, old man. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you think you’re stronger than I am then you’re in for a world of pain!”
The headmaster chuckled, then a predatory glint shined from his eyes as he stared me down.
“True, you wield more physical power than I ever had. However, you will come to learn that there are plenty of ways to get around a physically superior foe, youngster.”
As sparks flew between my eyes and the headmaster’s, Kema’s voice rang out.
“Please step on the arena opposing each other!”
As we moved to our respective slots, the headmaster spoke once more.
“Please select the grasslands location for the fight. I don’t want to deal with any gimmicks of more complex arenas.”
When the headmaster finished speaking, a black light rose from the edges of the arena, converging in the center of the ceiling, forming a dome over our heads. Lights began to flicker, like stars in the night sky, which then began to accelerate rapidly behind me, across the dome. The shooting stars made for a beautiful sight, and behind the headmaster was a blue sphere covered in white mist, which rapidly grew into view. Before I knew it, it covered all of our sight, as we descended from the heavens to a plain of grass as far as the eye can see. As soon as we reached the ground, the walls of the dome expanded beyond the horizon.
“Woooooooooow! That was so cool!” I exclaimed to the headmaster, who smiled at me.
“Indeed, the arena’s battle simulation magic amazes me every time I see it. It’s a wonder how the gods managed to make these devices and to distribute them to academies and arenas across the continent.”
Then, the referee’s voice boomed from the sky.
“Combatants, prepare yourselves!”
I braced myself, my leg’s muscles tightening like a spring. I was ready to launch towards the headmaster like an Abyssal Bat out of the third layer. The headmaster prepared himself as well, taking a battle stance with his buckler forward and his short sword pointed at me.
“The fight starts in 5…4…3…2…1…. BEGIN!” The referee’s voice reached a crescendo as the sound of a bell rang out, signalling the beginning of the fight.