Chapter 22 - the physical test [2]

Once I was called I walked up to the starting line.

"Great now, since you are here, take your position so that we can get on with this." the instructor said.

"Yes sir" I nodded and put my hands on the ground, and stretched my left leg back.

Closing my eyes I took in a deep breath and waited for the countdown to start."Huuuuuuuuuu"

"3… 2…1…" he counted slowly.

"Fhuuuuuu" I let out the breath I had been holding as I slowly opened my eyes.

"GO" the instructor shouted, and I ran, as fast as I could.

*swish*

*beep beep beep* the machine beeped, as I crossed the 100-meter mark, after which I slowed down, and started to breathe.

"Huff huff fhuuuu"

"Good job, now go for the punching machine." the instructor said after waited a bit for me to catch my breath.

"Yes sir" I replied, and walked to the machine and let out a breath.

"Fhuuuuuuu"

"Whenever you are ready, you can punch" he said as he looked at me.

"Yes sir." I replied as I jumped up and down a bit to loosen my body.

"Fhuuu okay let's do this." I said as I shook my hands, before making a fist and…

*BANG*

"Julian forester's test results are - peak speed: 8.98 m/s, average speed: 8.59 m/s, time taken: 11.56 seconds; strength test result - 1879 SP" the instructor announced my result, and while I was a bit disappointed, I was also quite satisfied, since I hadn't really trained much I couldn't realistically expect more than what I got.

"Good job applicant you can return to your spot now, and rest until the stamina test starts." the instructor said asking me to return to the line.

"Yes sir." I responded as I glanced at the long lines of people that were just staring straight at me.

'Ugh why do I have a feeling that my academy life is about to be hectic.' I thought to myself as I looked at the other students who had just done their tests.

**********

Meanwhile, the other two applicants also got their results at approximately the same time as Julian.

"Jason Webb; your test results are as follows - peak speed: 9.71 m/s, average speed: 9.49 m/s, time taken: 10.54 seconds; strength test result - 2203 SP" Andra announced as she had a wide smile on her face.

"It is ok I guess" Jason remarked snarkily as he stretched out his neck

"Good job applicant now return to your spot until the rest of the applicants are done." Andra said ignoring the boy's snarky attitude.

"Yes ma'am" Jason said as he nodded and walked back into the crowd, with several people staring straight at him.

.

.

.

.

"Gerhard lionheart; speed test results are as follows - peak speed: 9.74 m/s, average speed: 9.55 m/s, time taken: 10.41 seconds; strength test result - 2198 SP" the instructor announced as he read the report on his tablet.

"Good enough" Leopold said as he nodded his head.

"You may return to your spot and wait for the other students to finish their tests after which the 3rd test will start." the instructor said as he looked away from the boy towards the crowd.

"Yes sir." Leopold replied and walked back to where he stood before he took the test.

******

Approximately 2 hours had passed, and it was approximately 3 o'clock, and all the students had just finished their tests, well at least in Andra's, and Dave's divisions, but the mage division that belonged to Ryan still had about a quarter applicants left that had yet to do their tests, as their tests generally took longer since the students were much slower than average, and the academy had already expected this as they wouldn't have a physical duel with teachers rather it would be a magical one, it didn't take a genius to know that they would perform like shit in a physical confrontation.

*CLAP*

With a loud clap that gathered everyone's attention Andra started to speak, "Gather, and form lines."

After everyone from her division had gathered and organized themselves, Andra nodded with a satisfied expression and spoke, "Good, now for the next 15 minutes you have a break. Use it however you want, but appear more than 1 minute after that bell rings, and you are out."

"DISPERSE" she shouted, and walked away from the applicants of her group.

"Yes ma'am" the applicants reacted belatedly after which they moved away from the gathering spot, some went to drink water, some went to freshen up, and some just decided to lay down on the grass.

*********

"Hahhhhhhhh that was exhausting" I said to myself as I sat down on the field to observe the mages attempt to run.

"Excuse me" an old sounding voice came from behind me disturbing my time of watching the mages run.

"Yes how may I help you?" I responded as I looked beck to see an old man in a blue suit, with a bald head, and a glorious beard (with a mouthwash obviously).

"What was with your performance?" he said as he sat down beside me, and put his cane to his side.

"Pardon?" I asked with a confused expression.

"I asked why was your performance so bad?" he repeated, as he looked forward towards the mage group.

Shaking my head I said, "I still don't get it, I feel like my performance was decent, also may ask who you are to ask me such questions?"

"Oh I am just an old man who was observing the test." he said as he laughed and looked at me.

While slightly puzzled I thought nothing of it and responded to his question I meant it wasn't really going to cost me anything, "Well sir, may I ask why you asked me that question earlier?"

After pondering for a while he looked at me and said, "As I observed your test I felt like you could have clearly performed better than you showed and which is why I asked you"

With a frown on my face I said, "I don't quite get what you mean, I tried my best so how could I have done better than what I already showed?"

"Your breathing it was way off rhythm, at least when you ran your breathing and body were out of sync, I thought you did that on purpose?" he replied to me, with a somewhat curious look.

I said to him with a surprised and confused expression, "No… I did not do that, but I appreciate the advice."

"Is that so well whatever, all the best for the next test." he said as he stroked his beard and got up.

"Was that all?" I asked him, as I handed him his oddly heavy cane.

"Yes, yes it was, Huhuhuhuhu" he said as he laughed and walked away from me.

"What an odd fellow" I said as I looked at his back walking into the school's main building.

*******

"I see he has absolute 0 real life experience fighting, huuhuhuhu this one will be fun, I will have to ask Micheal to give me this one, and the other two as well." the old man said as he slowly walked into the building laughing to himself.

"Sir director, what are you doing here, the principal has called for an urgent board meeting and has been calling you." Andra's voice came from behind him, to which he jerked back to reply to her.

"Oh I just forgot my phone in my office it seems.huhuhuhu" he replied as he laughed slowly and checked his pockets.

Facepalming herself Andra spoke, "Good lord director Vincent please don't forget to carry your phone with you."

"What do I do child, I think my age has gotten to huhuhuhu" the director replied as he turned away from her and started to walk deeper into the main building.

Shaking her head from frustration Andra said, "Ugh whatever, please go to the main meeting hall the principal has called for an urgent meeting."

"I got it when you said it the first time." the director replied as he disappeared into a gust of wind.

*SWOOSH*

"Damned insane geezer, aufff I don't have time for this." she said as she walked back out into the field.

*********

"Hey Julian who was that guy?" Gerard said as he sat down next to me.

"Not a clue man, he just called himself an old man, and I wasn't bothered enough to care." I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

"That so well whatever then." he replied.

Looking at him with a small smile I said, "By the way good job on the test"

"Yeah you too, but I subconsciously expected more from you after I saw the gold light coming out though." he replied with a small laugh.

"Hahahaha I guess that must be the common sentiment for most of those guys as well, I mean their stares make it kinda obvious." I replied as I laughed and looked at all the eyes that were staring right at us.

"Hahahaha" Gerard laughed awkwardly at best

"Well I guess I understand where you are coming from, if I had trained before coming here maybe my result would have been like young duke Cavendish's, but sadly that is not the case, the mana absorption affinity shows how fast one absorbs mana, nothing more, it has nothing really to do with how strong I am right now." I said as I looked at Leopold who was laying down on the grass, eating the sunlight.

"Well that is certainly true, but I still can't say I'm disappointed but oh well whatever." Gerard said to me and shook his head.

"By the way it seems like the mages are about to finish their tests soon, 2 groups seem to already be done with their students." I said diverting attention away from the awkward conversation.

Nodding at my words Gerard replied, "That does seem to be the case."