Chapter 17 : End of the yearly tests

After straining themselves, most students couldn't help but slowly walk away and give up as the heat was to much for them to bear.

The only ones who could stay were Hektor and 3 others students. One of them was a young but strong girl, who hadn't talked much since the beginning of the tests day.

The other two were boys who had big build which were typical of blacksmith. Probably sons and daughter of blacksmith.

Teacher Buldwock was quite surprised and happy that he had so much young trainees who were serious about Blacksmithing this year.

"Good now that we have the true test takers separated from the false ones, we can began. You'll try to understand this blueprint and create the weapon according to the instructions. You'll be given 3 set of materials and will have to at least produce one weapon for it to be wonsidered a success. Any questions ?" Teacher Buldwock asked. Seeing nobody responding, he gave the signal and reminded everyone that they only had five hours for them to create their weapons.

Hektor soon found a place where he could forge without the disturbance of others. He first checked his tools and, satisfied began to look at the blueprint. I was just the blueprint of a pair of shorts swords. It gaves the measures, the dimensions and the materials needed for the creation of this weapon.

The materials were just 3 piece of steels and some piece of wood in order to create a handle for the weapons later on.

After seeing that he had no other tests he intended to take after this one, Hektor decided to finish the blacksmithing test faster than planned.

Hektor first reminded himself of what forging meant for him and the basic forging process.

{Thermal Traitment} was composed of two differents phase that Hektor knew by heart by now.

The first part of the process was the {Quenching phase}. It consisted in heating the steel at a certain temperature and to cool it down abruptly by plunging the metal in water, oil, saltbath, etc... this process produced a sturdy but brittle steel.

The second part of the process is the {Tempering Phase}. The {Tempering phase} is the process of eliminiting this brittleness present after the first heating. To do it, you'll have to reheat the metal at an inferior temperature than the first heating and the temperature required for the {Tempering phase} is different for each type of metal. The phase gives a more durable product and allow the forger to adjust the hardness wished for of the steel.

The last part of the process of {Thermal Traitment} was the {Annealing Phase}. It was more of an additional phase than an actual required one and Hektor didn't plan on using it for now. It helped soften the steel and eliminate the internals tensions and contraints.

Hektor decided to work on the three set of materials at the same time. He was tired of these tests and wanted to go sleep by now. He placed the metal on the anvil and just heated it enough to hammer it and gives it the form of a short sword. Remember that only one piece of steel could be transformed in a single short sword thus making the test passing grade a 66,6%. They had to succeed in creating two short swords from three pieces of steel.

After giving it the required form and making sure everything was up to his standard. Hektor Heated it again. While the first weapon was heating, Hektor began to hammer the second piece of steel which had been heating during his hammering. Hektor was switching between the two pieces of steel as easily as it was for him to breath while walking.

He soon began the {Quenching phase} for the two pieces of steel and reheated the short swords before immersing them inside cold water. The {Tempering phase} was also extremely easy. Evrything was smoothly done and in two short hours the short swords had been basicly created. Given, that all this heating cooling down was a relativly slow process, Hektor began to carve the pieces of wood given to him as materials. Hektor created classic handles and just assembled everything and breathed a sigh of relief.

What Hektor loved about forging and blacksmithing was that during the whole process, he could finally feel free from all the burdens he had. All his rage towards being set up, all his powerlessness, all his anger towards the nobles who thoughts themselves better than anyone else, all his anger for those who tried to make him marry other against his own will. Everything could be forgotten while forging. There was only the heat, the steel and the constant ryhtm of the hammer striking the hot steel.

Truth be told, he had really needed something like that. Two hours just relaxing.

After his sigh of relief. he turned around and gave his two creation to the flabbergasted Mr Buldwock. Hektor didn't wait any longer and exited the forge.

Seeing that nobody was there, he soon deduced that the others students should have gone to their other tests. He just wished for Arianne to succeed as she was his only friend and just departed in direction of his room.

*****

Already the second day of the week began and already all first year students knew of Hektor. Well they only knew of Nobody or Maximus, but they still knew that there was a ridiculously strong 14 years old boy who was able to take down a Trainee Beast without using his Aura. In addition, he wasn't only strong but was also extremely clever and skilled. He had finished his tests before everyone else. Every tests he had passed had been a succes and he had done them in a smooth and quick way.

It was tuesday and the new courses would only start the next week. In prevision of that, the Academy had given homeworks for all students who hadn't succeed in all their tests and a week off for the others. Arianne and Hektor had, of course aced them. But they weren't the only one. The two boys and the strong girl from the blacksmithing test had also succed in all their tests.

The name of the two boys were Roy and Bolton Castro. They were commoners, sons of a blacksmith in Vellum City. They succeed in the admission test thanks to their talents. Hektor and the boys got well along each other and soon vowed to take care of each other in the grade above. There was no way for them to let seniors mess with them. What about seniority ? F*ck that, capabilities were what mattered in this world and no one less skilled than them got to tell them what to do.

That's one of the reasons why they liked Hektor. Even though, he was clearly more skilled than them and they acknowledged it, he didn't just show off. Even though it wasn't hatefull, if the person bragged and looked at other disdainfully, it wouldn't give a good impression.

Fortunately, Hektor wasn't like that and just gave them some pointers based on what they told him of their work. Soon, the topic was really animated and after seeing that Hektor wasn't as difficult to appraoch as it seemed, the brothers decided to let their gard down and become friend with Hektor.

Contrary to the brothers Castro, the strong lady's name was Abigail Johnson. Also a commoner, she was extremely cold and didn't plan on having any bussiness with other. Seeing that there was no way of communicate with her, Hektor just gave up and didn't try anymore.

Arianne, after the long day she had had monday, spend the tuesday sleeping as Hektor did by the way.

From now on, Hektor would have different courses from before. Before the 5 compulsory courses were History of the Empire, Weapon's Handling, Church discipline's, Polindro and Horse-riding. Now Hektor had only the Horse-riding course which hadn't chaged at all. After all he still sucked with horses. Weapon's Handling test had been a succes and Hektor could choose between the two options : stop at this levelfro this year and focus on other courses or skip a grade and continue the training. Of course, Hektor didn't plan on slacking off thus choosing the second option.

The 6 other optionals courses were Bestiary, Depecing, Survivalism, Tactical Warfare, Scouting and Blacksmithing.

Hektor had already managed the yearly tests for the Tactical Warfare, Bestiary and Blacksmithing. Bestiary had been done during the practical and written tests. The written test had been easy as Hektor already knew some beasts and their weaknesses thanks to the long days spend in the Library of the Valerius Familly. The practical test had been done unconsiously. Hektor in his trance had focused all his attention on the beasts and had unknowingly aimed for the weaks spots of the beasts.

Hektor decided to skip grades for all course beside Bestiary. Even though it was extremely important for the future. Hektor didn't have unllimited time in a day. He had to choose something to focus on.

Knowing that Beasts corpses provided lots of usable materials and ingredients, Hektor decided to choose Depecing as his new course.

He would skip a year in Tactical Warfare, Blacksmith and Weapon's Handling but would began his real training in the two courses Depecing and Horse-riding the next week.