The Vitality Test

In the office.

Paying the fee, registering, and filling out the application form were all quick and straightforward.

While no one was paying attention, Eric tried another experiment—he casually touched the other students' registration fees. As expected, his wealth value didn't increase. Eric had anticipated this outcome, so he wasn't disappointed.

Since there weren't many students, the registration process finished quickly. The homeroom teacher, Mr. Michael Wells, gathered the forms, then glanced at the eight students in front of him—these were Class 12-4's hopes for this year's Knight Academy exam.

Most of the students were already on Mr. Wells' radar—he had known they would apply. The only surprise was Eric. As Eric's teacher, Mr. Wells had attended parent-teacher conferences and was familiar with his family's financial situation. Still, every year, there were always students who wanted to take a shot at it. So while Eric's decision was unexpected, it wasn't entirely shocking.

After collecting his thoughts, Mr. Wells said, "Two days from now, on the 9th, William King from Columbus Knight University will be coming back to school to give you all some advice before the exam. You've probably already heard, but make sure you attend."

Everyone nodded. Having a senior share their experience was always helpful.

"At that time, the school will also provide the exact schedule for the Knight Academy exams and other important details. Be sure to review everything carefully," Mr. Wells continued. Although he was their homeroom teacher, mostly focused on liberal arts, he would occasionally mention the Knight Academy exams. However, the real preparation happened in specialized training classes, both in school and through external tutors.

Most of the other students had already attended such courses or hired tutors, except for Eric. Mr. Wells knew this well—if Eric had attended, his father would have mentioned it during the parent-teacher meetings.

Sighing slightly, Mr. Wells stood up, opened a drawer from his desk, and after a moment, placed a stack of thick books on the table. He turned to Eric and said, "Here's some material. The others have been attending training, so they already have this. Take a look and see if there's anything useful for you."

Eric was a bit surprised, but this was exactly what he needed right now. He quickly said, "Thank you, Mr. Wells!"

Mr. Wells didn't make a big deal out of it. Although the materials weren't cheap—buying them outside would cost a few hundred dollars—he didn't mind helping a student in need. Seeing Eric gather up all the books with enthusiasm, Mr. Wells couldn't help but smile. It looked like this kid really was unprepared. Some of the books were pretty basic; normally, there'd be no need to take all of them.

Though Mr. Wells didn't have high expectations for Eric, as his teacher, he hesitated for a moment before turning to Mark Wilson and saying, "Eric doesn't know as much about the Knight Academy exam as you all do, and he's not as familiar with the specialized material. It'll be tough for him to get through all these books in time. Mark, would you mind copying your notes on the professional exam for Eric?"

Compared to books, a student's personal notes were far more effective. They summarized key points and exam trends, all of which were essential. Mark was the top student in Class 12-4 and had the best chance of getting into Knight Academy. Borrowing his notes would save Eric a lot of time and effort.

Since notes were personal, even Mr. Wells couldn't force the issue—it had to be voluntary. Eric, already grateful for the books, quickly said, "That's okay, really, no need…"

But Mark smiled and cut him off. "It's fine. I can copy them for you. It's not a big deal. Honestly, whether it'll be helpful is another question."

Relieved, Eric thanked him profusely. Considering the huge stack of books he now had, borrowing Mark's notes would be a lifesaver—it would help him focus on the key exam areas instead of trying to read everything.

With that settled, the registration process was over. Mr. Wells sent the students back to class and returned to grading papers.

…

As they left the office, Mark turned to Eric. "I've got some of my notes at home. If you need them right away, you can come with me tonight. Otherwise, I'll bring them to school tomorrow."

Having already accepted his help, Eric didn't want to impose further. "I'll come by your place tonight. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it, we're classmates," Mark said with a friendly grin. "Let's be real—our chances of getting into Knight Academy from the general class are slim. We're not really competing against each other. But to be honest, don't bother with these books until after the physical exam. They'll just waste your time. Focus on the physical test first. The content of the professional exam doesn't change much year to year."

As Mark finished, Joe Johnson interjected, clearly frustrated. "Says you! Why do I find the professional exam and the written test so hard?"

Mark didn't bother responding. Opinions on the difficulty of the exams varied from person to person. Eric nodded in agreement—he was a novice, so listening to more experienced students was definitely helpful. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "So, where should I go to get my vitality tested?"

As a last-minute applicant, Eric didn't feel bad about his lack of knowledge. The others weren't surprised either. Joe quickly responded, "The only place in town with a vitality machine is the First People's Hospital. That thing's expensive, and since our town's not big, there aren't many people who use it, so there's no other option."

After Joe spoke, Jack chimed in, "Eric, if I were you, I wouldn't bother with the test. I'm not trying to discourage you, but it's too late to boost your vitality anyway. Plus, the test is ridiculously expensive—$5,000 for one checkup, no discounts. Since the physical exam is coming up soon, you might as well just wait for that."

"$5,000?" Eric was floored. That was practically highway robbery! Still, since it was the only machine in town, students prepping for Knight Academy paid the price to get an early sense of where they stood. Eric had wanted to get a clearer picture of his own condition, but after hearing the price, he quickly gave up on the idea.

Sensing Eric's hesitation, Mark suddenly smiled and said, "The hospital's machine is a large one—it gives a precise readout of your vitality fluctuations and peak levels. But for a first-time check, you don't need it to be that accurate. Since you're coming to my place tonight, you can try my family's small vitality tester. It's off by about five calories, but it'll give you a rough idea."

"No way, Mark! Your family owns one of those?" The others were shocked. While a small vitality tester wasn't as expensive as the hospital's, it was still a costly piece of equipment, especially one with only a five-calorie margin of error.

Mark shrugged casually. "It's second-hand, not too pricey. I check my vitality often, and going to the hospital costs too much and takes too long, so my dad bought a used one. I just use it to keep track."

For most students, precision was crucial, not a small fluctuation of a few calories. But for Eric, this kind of machine was perfect. He didn't need an exact number—he just wanted to know roughly how his 1.1 vitality score translated into calories.

Hearing Mark's offer, Eric smiled gratefully. "That'd be awesome! I don't even know how to thank you. When I get into Knight Academy, I'm taking you out for a huge meal!"

"Hahaha," Jack laughed loudly, teasing, "I'm afraid Mark might not live long enough to get that dinner."

"Shut up," Eric shot back confidently. "I'm definitely getting into Knight Academy. No doubt about it."

"Hahaha…"

The group laughed again, though it wasn't mocking—they just found Eric's confidence amusing. Among the eight students, even Mark wasn't sure he'd make it into Knight Academy.

After the laughter died down, Jack said to Mark, "When Eric comes over to test his vitality tonight, let us know the result tomorrow. It might not be exact, but after a few tests, we'll get a good sense of it."

The others were genuinely curious about Eric's vitality score, much like how students always wanted to know each other's exam results.

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