Chapter 21 - The physical test

"ATTENTION" a shout came from the front of the gymnasium, successfully catching everyone's attention. The source of the voice was Andra, who stood at the gate and used mana to amplify her voice.

After acknowledging that everyone was paying attention to her, Andra started to speak with a stern expression, "Now that everyone is paying attention, I will be explaining how the physical test will be conducted."

Bringing up her right hand she flicked one of her fingers opened and started to speak, "First up will be a speed test, where each one of you will have to run a 100-meter dash, and your sprint will be timed which allows us to figure out your average speed. We will also be using a few neat spells that will allow us to know your peak speed. Before anyone asks, the use of mana is absolutely prohibited."

"After the speed test will be the strength test, where you will be punching a machine that will be used to measure your punch force, again the use of mana is absolutely forbidden." she said as she flicked her second finger.

"And at last is the stamina test where you will be running around the track field as fast as possible for as long as possible, using mana is once again prohibited." she said as she bought out a third finger.

Done with her explanation she put her hand behind her back and asked everyone to follow her as she walked out of the gymnasium."Now since that is out of the way, applicants follow me and the other instructors to the field where these tests will take place."

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'Ughh I am not going to enjoy this, no matter how effective the breath of life, and elders breathing technique may be, I simply haven't trained my body to perform at the level that is expected here, nothing can really replace that, something's take time, and I have to deal with it.' I thought to myself as I stood in the field under the mid day sun.

"Now split off into 3 different groups, one for each course, the knight course applicants come form a line in front of me, the mage course applicants should form a line in front of Ryan over to my left and as for the normal course applicants please from a line in front of Dave." Andra said pulling me out of my thoughts as I walked over to one of the rows of students that had organized themselves under her.

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"Great, now that everyone has separated into groups I will explain the rules properly." Andra said after nodding, at the scene of the 2000 odd applicants that had organized themselves into groups.

With her hands behind her back Andra started to speak, "A. you will be called by your name and applicant number, and if you do not appear before your examiner under 30 seconds you will be disqualified."

"B. as soon as you finish the speed test you will move forward to the punching machine in front of you and punch at it with full force. The result will be displayed on the screen in front of you. Once those two tests are done you will be allowed to rest until the rest of your group finishes their test until their tests." she said as she pointed at the monitor that was a couple of meters from the track and the punching machine.

Once again putting her hands behind her back Andra started to speak, "C. you are to start running as soon as your instructor says GO.

D. attempting an early start will get you disqualified.

E. once the tests are over for everyone in your group you get a 10-minute break, after which you will start your stamina test where everyone will run together. During the stamina test attacking other applicants will get you disqualified, so do pay mind to that. Even hitting someone by mistake is punishable, as the academy does not need people that can't even run properly."

Right as she was about to end her explanation she snapped her fingers and started to speak, "Also in case anyone here is worried that the teacher may make an error in recording your performance, you have no reason to worry about that as the teachers are merely here to conduct the tests, your results are recorded by machines and magic, and all the data is sent directly to the instructor's tablet."

Done with her explanation she clapped her hands and wished everyone luck for the upcoming test, "Now that the explanations are over I wish all of you the best of luck, and hope that no mishaps occur during the rest of the test."

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Once the other 2 instructors had taken their groups to their designated areas Andra spoke to us, "Okay now as you can see we have 12 fields and 12 machines, with 4 being distributed for each group, now I want the approximate 800 of you to separate into 4 groups, the order does not matter as I will be calling upon you according to how my tablet here instructs me to do. Now chop chop, separate into roughly even 4 groups."

"YES MA'AM" everyone responded, and I separated away from the group that was going under Andra over to another teachers, as being in her group would obviously make me stand out more than I would like.

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With her voice amplified so that all of us could her her properly Andra spoke, "Great since we are all organized, the teachers inform of you will be helping me in conducting your tests, I will be calling out the first batch myself, and then we will each call you individually."

"now we can start with the test." she said as she clapped and called the first four students from her tablet.

"Armen Kazarian, applicant number-100902"

"Alexander Solonikm, applicant number 100127"

"Arlyne Brickman, applicant number 100697"

"Anton Lupo applicant number 100864"

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About 30 ish minutes had passed and quite a few students had already given the test, and while about two thirds of the applicants still remained the pace at which the applicants were doing the test slowly increased as they understood how to properly do the test from observing the other applicants.

Andra called out the next applicant on her list as she looked satisfied from the pace at which the test was being done, "Gerard lionheart, applicant number 100748"

"YES MA'AM" the prince responded as he swiftly moved forward to take the test.

"You know the drill by now right?" she asked him as she put her hands behind her back and looked at him.

With a nod the confident prince started to speak, "run from the starting line to finish line where the machine is, take a 15-second break and punch the machine 5 feet to the left of the finish line."

"Great, now take position and on my mark run." satisfied by his explanation, Andra nodded and asked the boy to take his position at the starting point of the track.

"Yes ma'am" Gerard responded and walked up to the white line and took his stance.

"3"

"Ufffffffffff" the prince breathed in air as he closed his eyes.

"2"

"Fhuuuuuuuuuuu" he let out the air slowly and opened his eyes.

"1"

"GO" Andra shouted and the boy ran.

The prince ran as fast as he possibly could, leaving some children in the crowd with a dropped jaw.

*beep beep beep* the machine beeped, showing that the boy had completed the test.

Slowing down after he crossed the machine the prince breathed roughly, "Huff huff huff huff"

After giving him a couple of seconds to breathe Andra spoke and asked him to go to the punching machine, "Good work now please move towards, the punching machine and attack it with your full force without using mana."

"Huff yes ma'am" the prince nodded and stretched his right hand a bit in preparation to punch.

"Fhuuuuuuuu" he breathed out before going for the punch.

*Swish* the sound of his hand piercing through the air could lightly be heard as,

*BANG* his punch landed on the padded machine creating a loud noise, catching the attention of students from other groups as well.

"Gerhard lionheart; speed test results are as follows - peak speed: 9.69 m/s, average speed: 9.067 m/s, time taken: 10.32 seconds; strength test result - 2165 SP"

(note - SP is short for strength points.)

"Nice" the prince said as he pulled his fist in excitement.

"Good job now return to your spot and rest until the rest are done with their tests." Andra said as she ignored his moment of excitement.

"Yes ma'am" Gerard said as he got a grip of himself and moved towards his spot to rest.

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About another half hour after Gerard's punch another storm was about to come as 3 of the most anticipated participants were called all together in three different groups.

"Jason Webb, applicant number 100849" Andra called, with a faint smile on her face.

"Julian Forester, applicant number 101571" called another instructor from the group directly adjacent to andra's.

"Leopold Cavendish, applicant number 100484" called the instructor furthest away from andra's left.

"Yes ma'am" Jason said as he walked forward.

"Yes sir" Julian replied as he walked towards the instructor.

"Yes sir" Leopold said as we walked up to the starting line.