Round 2: Begins

"Professor Rock, Madam has arrived!" Nova announced as she stepped into the room, her voice carrying a tone of urgency.

She gazed at the old man who had a satisfied face and was seated alone in the dimly lit room.

"She's just a little late to see him..." the old man mumbled, his smile fading into a melancholic expression.

"Hmm, late? What do you mean, Father?" A woman asked as she strode into the room with a commanding presence.

Aadya, a woman with an undeniably striking presence, entered the room gracefully.

Her long, flowing black hair, accented by a charming antenna-like strand, cascaded down her back like a silken waterfall. She wore red-framed glasses that highlighted her piercing green eyes, giving her a look of both intelligence and allure.

Her sleeveless, ribbed turtleneck sweater clung to her voluptuous curves, showcasing her generous breasts and bare shoulders with a tantalizing blend of elegance and sensuality.

The snug fit of her attire emphasized her hourglass figure, and she draped a white overcoat over her arm with a casual grace. Long black stockings clung to her shapely legs, enhancing the seductive allure of her every step. Every movement she made exuded confidence and mature charm, creating..... an irresistible MILF allure that captivated all who had the fortune to lay eyes on her.

"Yes, you are late, my dear... He just left," the old man said with a defeated expression.

Aadya sighed, a look of concern crossing her face, "Father, I don't know what happened, but let's see the Soulless person you're talking about. We need to address this immediately."

Meanwhile...

Eli grinned broadly, his excitement barely contained. The old man had promised him that if he could win his second round, he would personally take Eli as his disciple... even if the academy rejected him!

All he needed to do was give it his all, either to be chosen by the Academy or to be selected by the old man himself.

His current goal was clear: to secure a place within the prestigious Avalon Nexus Academia.

With a confident smile, Eli arrived at the stadium where the other participants were gathered, each one a bundle of nerves and anticipation.

Looking at the participants from different batches, Eli nodded in understanding. It was clear that they had mingled past participants for this final, crucial round.

Suddenly, three middle-aged individuals appeared before the participants, their presence commanding immediate attention.

The first one, Vito, stepped forward and began to speak,

"This is the final round, which will take place in three distinct blocks. First, you need to collect the keys that are scattered around the forest." As he spoke, Vito snapped his fingers, and a small red key materialized, hovering before everyone.

The second individual, Marco, continued, "Second, once you find the key, you will be teleported to a different location where you must answer three different questions before unlocking the door. These questions will test not only your knowledge but your problem-solving skills and composure under pressure."

The third person, Falcone, then took his turn, "Third, those who pass will engage in a one-on-one battle. In this battle, you need to demonstrate your skills. Winning is not the primary objective; showcasing your abilities and strategic thinking is what matters."

Hearing this, everyone had a shocked expression. They had been told it was just the second round, but now it was revealed that it was divided into three intense segments!

Seeing the participants' faces of reluctance and uncertainty, the trio nodded knowingly and said indifferently, "The exit is that way," as they pointed toward the massive doors at the end of the stadium.

Everyone's faces twitched in unison. There was no way they would give up now after working so hard to get here and even passing the gruelling first round.

"Come on, Children, if you cannot even manage this test, then you are not worthy to enter our academy!" Vito said with a stern face, his voice echoing through the arena.

Marco added, "No pain, no gain. This is your chance to prove your worth."

Falcone concluded, "Though it sounds tough, it is comparatively easier than in previous years. Consider yourselves fortunate."

Hearing this, the participants sighed collectively.

They knew that entering this academy was a monumental challenge, but they also knew that once inside, their lives would be transformed. As long as they managed to achieve the basic scores, their futures would be secure.

They nodded their heads with determined expressions, each one resolving to give their absolute best.

"Good!" the trio mumbled in unison before Vito snapped his fingers once more. A swirling, whitish-black portal appeared behind them, a gateway to the next phase of the competition. "Now, batch by batch, will enter the portal."

"Batch No.1," Vito called out, and the first group of participants stepped forward, their faces set with steely determination.

...

....

"Batch No.12"

When it was Batch No. 12's turn, Nova organized her group and called them to enter the portal.

"It seems even the Student Council President is working hard!" Vito remarked as he watched Nova's batch.

"Yeah, she really is talented in managing the department!" Marco nodded in agreement.

Just as Falcone was about to praise her, he frowned when he noticed a reddish-black-haired boy standing in line.

It wasn't that the boy's old-fashioned attire was particularly eye-catching.... although it did stand out a bit. More importantly, Falcone sensed, 'There was no mana.' He glanced at the others, who had also noticed this oddity.

"Young man, who are you?" Falcone asked. He wondered whether this young man mastered control of his mana.

Before Eli could answer, Nova interrupted, "He is Professor Rock's member."

Hearing that, the trio nodded in understanding.

'Member' was often a euphemism for 'Back Door,' implying that Professor Rock was using his privileges to help this boy, just as others did.

So, the trio didn't make a scene. After all, they were themselves privileged few who had accepted certain 'somethings.'

However, they couldn't help but wonder, 'Did Rock find a genius?'.

They thought Eli was controlling his mana so that his rank was hidden... however, it was far from the truth!!

Just as Eli was about to disappear inside the portal,

"Hmm?" Marie, who was standing among the participants, frowned as she recognized the familiar hair colour.

"Is something wrong?" asked Luna, a whitish-purple-haired girl.

"Nothing," Marie answered.

"Okay, ladies... Let's see each other in the third block!" Alexander said before entering the portal along with his batch.

"Yeah!"

"I will beat you!!" Luna and Marie answered with a smile, nodding to each other before going their separate ways with their own batches.

Soon, everyone entered the portal.

Meanwhile,

"Is it him, Father?" Aadya asked as she sat beside her father, looking at the monitor displaying live footage of the event.

Aadya's pearl-green eyes stared at the image of a reddish-black-haired man wearing old clothes.

"Yes," the old man nodded.

"He is quite handsome..." she mumbled, nodding as if ticking off a checkbox in her mind.

The old man snorted, saying, "Not as handsome as your father, though."

Aadya giggled before saying, "Of course, my father is the most handsome man in the world!!"

"Hahahaha...." The old man laughed heartily, his pride swelling.

Then the trio arrived at the monitoring scene and raised their eyebrows when they saw Rock there.

"What are you doing here, Rock?" Falcone asked.

"Well, I am here to see him," Rock answered, pointing at Eli on the screen.

"Hmm?" The trio frowned before nodding.

This second round could not be interfered with or even manipulated through a back door, as it was monitored by the Headmaster.

Those who gave a back door must do their best in this round!

"Come to think of it, why couldn't we sense his rank? Has he really mastered controlling his aura already?" Vito asked with an eager face.

If it was true, Vito believed Eli must be taken as a disciple before others could claim him... He even ready to face this old monster Rock who was famous for his mercilessness. He saw Eli as a potential genius.

The trio looked at Rock with curious gazes.

Hearing this, Aadya glanced at her father out of the corner of her eye.

Rock simply smirked before saying, "He is soulless; of course, you cannot sense anything from him!"

"Oh!!" The trio nodded in sudden understanding. "H-Huh?" Then, processing Rock's words again, their eyes widened in shock.

"SOULLESS???" Their collective scream echoed through the room.