"The acceptance exam?" Asked Shin.

"I'll tell you more about it as we travel, let's finish eating first."

After everyone finished eating, Kasogi made a circle around the grill with some white powder again, the same way he had done to the loot collected when they defeated the large tree.

The grill and other things then shrunk down and Kasogi kept the belonging back in his bag.

"Let's continue our journey."

***

"You want me to kill 5 little black saplings?" Asked Azura.

"Exactly they aren't that strong, and it should be perfect training for you to experience combat with ray"

What even are little black trees. Thought Azura worried and confused about this new task.

***

The five of them resumed their journey to the capital. With Kasogi at front followed by Flaine, Lapis and Shin then finally Lyra.

"So now hear me well dear student, the acceptance exam is a exam that makes you eligible to participate in the official entrance exam conducted at the capital." Explained Lapis as she was walking beside Shin.

"This exam basically tests if you have to aptitude to use ray, and your basic knowledge of Ray. The acceptance exam is held every year at a random time of that year. While the entrance exam to the academy are held every 5 years."

Shin was listening quietly as he walked alongside Lapis.

"The acceptance exam is held at almost every average sized town, so we're heading to the nearest town which is Alnong. There is about a week left for the exam, and we should reach the town in under 2 days."

"You said the exam tests my aptitude and basic knowledge on Ray, but what do you mean by those things?" Asked Shin.

"Well the aptitude part is how talented you are in manipulating ray, so it should be a breeze for you to pass on that... But the basic knowledge part is a little concerning."

There were hint of worry on Lapis's tone at the end of her sentence.

Shin caught that and said, "How basic exactly is the 'basic knowledge'."

"Well... When considering how infinitely broad ray is, that's basic knowledge. But people spend years just studying that basic knowledge to pass the test ."

Oh dear student, please don't get discouraged hearing that, I will somehow make you pass the test, even if just barely. We're the thoughts Lapis had on her mind as she told Shin about the exam.

"Do you have the content that I need to study for the exam?"

"Yes, yes ofcourse I do. But before that I'll explain some things you need to know before you study the books, so listen well." Lapis was glad that Shin wasn't discouraged. Her explanation on basics of ray began.

"They both seem to be getting along well." Said Kasogi to Flaine. "Tch, why do I care." Came a reply from the latter.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Kasogi sighed, "Why are you mad at Shin? He helped us before, even if we could have killed the tree on our own, we came out of it without any injuries with his help. That's more than enough reason to let him travel with us."

"Even if I didn't want him to travel with us, not like I'm trying to kick him out our party now. And for some reason big sis has made him her student and is taking care of him dearly."

Flaine started getting angrier. "I just hate the way he casually said that he copied the ray that father taught me. It was his life's work."

"So that's it, don't get too worked up over it. Not like he knew"

"Whatever..." Said Flaine with a pouting face.

Kasogi lightly chuckled and put his hand on Flaine's shoulder, though he was shorter than her, so he had to raise him arm slightly.

"You should focus on the acceptance exam. It's finally your time to get into the academy."

"Yeah, I know."

"And you even have a companion with you for the exam." Said Kasogi chuckling as he pointed towards Shin.

"Don't call him my companion." Said Flaine clearly displeased. "Even if he's participating with me, I don't want to associate him with me. Not like there is a chance for him to pass anyway."

***

It was afternoon, the sun was just an hour away from setting. A girl was climbing up a small hill while holding some shriveled up twigs. She was panting, and covered in sweat as she made her way to a woman wearing a pointed hat.

"I'm done teacher, here are the corpses of 5 little black saplings."

"You got the corpses huh, not bad girl. Let's go back to your inn, the sun's about to set."

"Yes, I understand!" Said Azura in a cheerful voice.

Christina and Azura started heading back to the town in a slightly fast pace.

The aptitude exam shouldn't be hard for her to pass, the basic knowledge test will be troublesome. Thought Christina, while Azura oblivious to the acceptance exam was internally happy.

That was extremely fun, I can't believe fighting using ray is this fun. If things go this smooth it shouldn't be too long until I meet you again Shin.

[Master Azura, I suggest you absorb the corpses of the little black saplings.] The voice was only inside Azura's mind.

[Absorb them? What does that do?] Replied Azura to her skill 'Helpful'.

[By absorbing them, you can boost the power of your attack when you use the ray of the same kind.]

[Wait really! So since the little black trees wield grass type ray. When I use grass type ray, the power of my attack will be boosted?]

[Yes it will, but only for the ray of the same star level as the entity you absorb.]

[I see, what star level were the little trees? They shouldn't be more than 1 star considering I was able to defeat them.]

[Yes that's true, they are 1 star level entities. So after absorbing them, one of your attack using a 1 star ray with grass speciality will be boosted. With the little black trees, your boost should be about 5%.]

[5% huh, that's actually quite huge considering they were only 1 star level monsters. Even though I won't be absorbing them.]

[?]

[It's because of master Christina, she has the corpses. She said she'll collect the corpses and of monsters I kill, and use it to buy me gear over time. And I don't have any excuse either which I can use to ask her for the corpses. Revealing you to others is not a good idea, since you're a skill from the goddess. Also I don't even know how to use a grass Ray, so it won't be that useful anyway.]

As she was talking with her skill, they had just reached the town's gate. Which was guarded by 2 people in armor, they had bushy beard with both of them having fat and muscular physique.

Azura along with Christina passed through the gate back into the town. Curious about the two man, Azura asked Christina.

“Are the gates open throughout the night?"

"Of course not." Came a swift reply from Christina. "As the night falls the amount of monsters increases, just two guards won't be able to handle the monsters. So the gates are closed after the sun set."

Azura nodded, and they made their way back to the inn without taking much. At the door of the inn Christina said, "I'll be here tomorrow morning an hour or so after sunrise so be ready, got it girl?"

Azura nodded with a "Yes mam." And Christina went on her way through the streets.

Azura made her way inside the inn and saw the place was quite crowded with tables being full of 3-4 people eating their food and chatting away. All of them being human unlike Norn.

Azura saw the stairs at the right corner of the room which lead to a corridor with doors on left and right side of it. There were 3 rooms on each side of the corridor.

The corridor was made with wooden flooring of low quality wood with the walls being made of something similar to concrete. The doors were all made of of slightly dark coloured wood.

"Which one was is again." She muttered as she tried to remember the room in which Mira and Norn were staying. It was even harder to find them since the rooms did not have any numbers or anything else to differ them.

After a minute or so she vaguely remembered that Christina led her outside through the last room from right.

"I hope it's the correct room." She went to the said door and opened it.