Entrance Exam

[From this point forward, all of you will be receiving your entrance exam.]

Interrupting the explanation of the headmaster, was a petite girl, with long black hair and dark purple colored eyes. Holding onto a compound bow, she asked in a pretentious tone.

"I thought that no entrance exam would be given to the awakened students, isn't that right?"

[Hana, isn't it? Although I do understand your concern, this is a test to decide your school ranks, that will provide you with different benefits during your school year.]

Stepping up this time, was a young man with green hair and golden eyes.

"Is there really a need to test our strengths, shouldn't it be decided by our battling ranks?"

[Tarik. That is not exactly the case, your ranks decided how far you will reach, it does not dictate your exact fighting abilities as of this moment.]

And by following the trend, another person decided to question the headmaster. This time a soft voice spoke, but with elegance it asked.

"But isn't that unfair for us who do not possess a class focused on combat?"

Speaking was a young girl, she wore the same uniform as the others but in the end, she showed an aura of dignity compared to the rest. Her silver hair and eyes really stood out.

'Fair question, in an all-out battle, healers would be at a disadvantage.'

[Indeed but I never said, that you would be fighting alone...Allow me to explain. From this point forward, you will get into preselected pairs. The point system will be simple, just survive the longest. However, being in pairs doesn't mean that you will be rewarded with the same ranking. Do you see the badge that you have all received? That is a device that will activate once it senses an attack that would deal a fatal blow, which will immediately activate a barrier. If that barrier activates you will be eliminated, and even if your partner survives the longest, you will only receive the rank that you deserve.]

Jack looked around and found that many seemed okay with the rules, as even Arthur found them to be okay. However, among the Aspects in the room, many could tell, that this exam would lead to chaos. Especially that dainty little girl with the silver hair.

Jack could see that she wanted to speak but the headmaster disappeared in his stead a large board with names, ranks, and faces took his place.

Looking at the board, Jack couldn't help but think that it seemed unfair.

[Alicia Onjouji {S+} - Arthur Reiss {S}]

[Tarik Fornack {S+} - Johan Artes {A+}]

[Hana Ortega {S-} - Mark Horkes {A}]

[...]

[Jack Whitlock {A+] - Lei Retias {B+}]

Of everyone on the screen, only Jack found himself paired with someone that didn't belong to the A class or above. Not minding it in the end, Jack made his way towards a girl with light blue hair in a bob cut and blue eyes. She seemed timid, and shy which only got worst as she stared into Jack's lifeless eyes.

"I'm Jack, a frontline"

"Ah. I-I-I am Lei, a summoner"

Summoners are a class able to create beings to help in fighting, the most common classes that fall into this spectrum are, [Necromancers], [Shamans], [Druids], and more.

"If you don't mind, I would like you to be more specific."

"Ah, y-yeah, I am a necromancer."

Although it was engraved in the minds of many to keep their class hidden, it in fact didn't make much sense, considering that some classes had way too unique skills to just let it remain hidden.

And without even giving the students a clear cue, the room turned red, as the light coming from the hologram stated the words, [Fight]. Noticing the situation, Jack got a hold of Lei's arm, as he rushed to a corner.

*Boom

*Clank

The fight already started, as Jack was trying to reposition himself, in the open room. Having a wall behind your back was both an advantage and disadvantage but it didn't matter. As long, as Jack was able to keep his backline safe, that was what was crucial.

Looking around the room, Jack found it surprising, that the center of the room had around fifteen students all fighting amongst themselves, the other 8 students in the room, had already taken an appropriate space in the field.

'Did they forget, this test was about survival?'

'Arthur and that Alicia girl, seemed to have taken the corner I was just in, is she a healer or magician?'

'The other two S rankers seem to be a magician and archer, but seeing as how they both have someone protecting them, it seems they were paired with a frontline.'

Analyzing the situation was the best thing Jack could do at the moment, even if he had years of experience on the battlefield, it was still an unusual scene for him. Lei by Jack's side, took out a notebook from nowhere, opening it up, it started to shine purple, catching Jack's attention.

And being summoned through a magic circle, two skeletons appeared by her side.

"How long can you hold your summons?"

"Ah-h, no, it-t only takes magic to summon them, I don't lose mana, overtime."

Jack found it to be a useful ability, but seeing as how Lei's skeletons lacked armor and weapons, he handed both of them a sword and a spear.

The fight at the center of the room went uninterrupted for the most part, it was only when five people remained, that those outside started to interfere. The main two suspects were Hana and Tarik, who both started to shoot the remaining participants while they were distracted.

And it wasn't long until, only ten students including Jack and Lei, remained in the room.

The tension in the room rose, and it was only broken down by the sound of a notification. It was Jack's, opening it while not minding the stares of everybody around. He found a unique message that made him smile.

[Headmaster: Humble those S-ranked kids, will you?]

So with the tensions rising, Jack found himself in a predicament. 5 groups remained in the test, the three S ranker groups and Jack's, and another students group.

From what Jack could see, Arthur's group wasn't going to move. Meaning that the fight would be mainly done by four pairs.

But Jack noticed something interesting, there was a lot of tension between Hana and Tarik.

'They must have some sort of past.'

'I can use this.'

And while speaking loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear, Jack started to cause trouble, "From the situation at hand, five groups remain, but seeing as how the princess and his knight won't seem to join the fight, I propose a little solution before we fight."

Catching the attention of all in the room. Everybody's attention was focused on him. The first to respond was Tarik, who spoke proudly like a noble, "A proposal? I don't need to do such dealings with a weakling."

Jack not caring about the insult only found his arrogant nature to be pesky, "I wasn't talking to you"

Tarik flinched, "What?"

"I was referring to Ortega's and the other A ranker pair...We should all gang up on that bastard, shouldn't we?"

Hearing the outrageous proposal, Tarik found himself in shock, but the others seemed to be in deep thought.

"You are not going to accept such a stupid proposal, aren't you? If you are to fight me, like that, the other S rankers would come out on top"., He screamed in desperation.

It was an appropriate response, after all, the thought of what exactly would happen after the alliance would come to mind.

However, such a thing didn't work, as Tarik noticed that the three pairs facing against him in the room were reading a message they had just received.

With their determination finally at play, the three pairs turned to Tarik's corner as his frontline holding a sword, started to sweat puddles.

Lei's skeletons pushed forward, holding the left side of the flank, while the other A-rank group consisting of a mage and a sword man, also pushed forward through the center, whilst Hana's pair holding a hammer, walked to the right of the flank, leaving Hana behind to support the attack.

Not a single spell or attack had been fired but Tarik was already exhausted. He couldn't attack as at the moment he did, an arrow would come flying towards his head, now that his frontline was preoccupied.

And the other side didn't attack or fire a single spell, as they tried to save their resources for the after-fight.

Cutting the stalemate, was Jack who everybody could see running in a straight line, towards Tarik's corners, and as he did, he screamed, "Attack". With the signal finally being sent, the others moved forward, rushing towards Tarik.

And it was only a matter of seconds, before the sound of two barriers activating, filled the room.