The entrance exam 1

The next day when everyone woke up, it was already evening.

"I am a little hungry." Said Leonel.

"Should we go out to eat something? I don't feel like staying inside?" Said Ivy.

"We can go out to eat, but we need to come back early. Tomorrow they start the exams yearly in the morning."

"Ah, right, it starts tomorrow. I just remembered." Said Leonel.

"I heard management thought of something special for this year." Said Aqua.

"I heard it too, there is a rumor, but nobody seems to know any specifics." Said Aries.

"The academy must have spread the rumors. They are definitely up to something again." Said Ivy with a bored look.

"They often do it?" Asked Dea.

"You have no idea. Usually, it means we are all screwed." Said Leonel.

"Ah, it's going to be something troublesome." Sighed Aqua.

"Yup." Nodded Aries.

"We are all screwed." Said Ivy.

Dea did not care much but was a little intrigued after seeing everyone's reactions.

'Ara, This school might be more fun than I thought.'

  That evening everyone ate together outside, but they did not play for too long as they knew they would have a tiring day tomorrow.

  Everyone got up early, and everyone except Shiloh and Caelum left for the academy. When they got there, they saw a sea of people, others were used to it, but Dea was still a bit surprised.

"This school is very popular." Said Dea.

"It's number one after all." Answered Aqua as they left for the second entrance for students.

  As they went into the academy, Dea heard different discussions around them and saw that lots of people were looking their way.

"Ahh, it's my first time seeing Princess Aqua, she is so beautiful." Said a girl.

"Not only is she beautiful, but she is also strong. I heard that she became one of the three candidates for the next ruler."

"My god, sir Leonel is so handsome." Said another girl, Dea could swear she saw hearts in her eyes.

"As expected from Leo country's general's son."

"Princess Ivy and Prince Aries are as heroic as always."

"I heard Princess Ivy's little sister is in this year's S class."

"Yeah, I heard that too." Said another guy.

"Look who is that beautiful girl with them?" Asked someone.

"That's crown princess Dea, Princess Ivy's little sister, I heard she is a pill master and even sold her pills in this year's "Golden Palace" auction."

"I heard she is a beast tamer." Said another person.

"That can't be real right, what is she, 14?"

"No, it's true. I heard sometime before the war, on her 14th birthday general from the Sagittarius country gifted her an almost extinct hellfire horse at the 5th stage. She was able to tame it right in from of everyone."

"Wow, And she is so beautiful." Said another girl.

"As expected from Princess Ivy's sister." 

More and more discussions went like this, and unknown to her, within an hour, the whole school knew about Dea.

***

  Entrance exams had 3 minor tests and 1 major test. 3 minor tests never changed, they were:

1st stage - Verification. The academy would not accept anyone who has not reached the orange stage.

2nd stage – Talent. The academy checked your talent for the power you possess. For example, two people might both have fire special power, but the first's talent might be 40% while the other's 60%. The minimum requirement was at least 60%. If one had two kinds of affinities, and one was 40% and the other 60%, they would still pass this test.

3rd stage – the stairs. This was the final minor test. There were 99 steps on the stairs, and to pass the test, you must pass the 42nd stair at least.

If after this there were still more than 100 people left, they would go through the last major test.

  Major tests changed every year, sometimes it was a group battle, sometimes 1vs1, but one thing never changed, it was always bloody.

"Ahh, I wonder what those old fogeys are planning now?" Said Ivy.

"Don't talk like that, someone might hear you." Said Aries.

"Right." Answered Ivy, but her expression was not changed at all.

Minor tests were done pretty fast, and in the end, 247 people were left.

  For the major test, all the current students were called to the hall together with 247 people. When everyone got there, the dean appeared. The dean was a woman in her 40ies. She had short blond hair and pink eyes and looked at everyone with warmth. 

But for some reason, Dea felt like her smile was fake.

"Congratulations to all of you for passing the first 3 tests, but as you know, the school only accepts 100 students and 12 S-class students every year. So, only 100 people out of 247 will be there after this test, lots of you might even lose your life, so if anyone wants to turn around, you may do so now."

  After a few minutes, no one moved, so the dean smiled and continued.

"Well then, let me explain the last test." At this moment, she was still smiling, but the air she was giving everyone there made this smile scary. 

  The last test was called "the hunt." In the hunt, there were the hunters, in this case, the already accepted 348 students, and there were the prey, the 247 people. They would be sent to the place called "the hunters' forest", and the test would only end after 147 people were eliminated. 

  In the forest, there were lots of different beasts and other creatures that could kill them.

"Each of you will get 2 stones. One can bring you back in case of an emergency if you crash them, but then you will be disqualified. 2nd stone is what represents you. You are unable to use the first stone without giving away the second stone or if it's taken from you, but in that case, again you will be disqualified. The academy students need to gather the stones, and the first 3 with the most stones will get special prices. You may now ask the questions."

"Can we make groups?"

"Yes, both the students and the candidates can make their own groups, but the number must not exceed 10 people in each group."

"Can the candidates also gather the stones?"

"Yes, just like the students, your stones will be counted, and if you are in the top 3, you will also be rewarded." Hearing this, lots of people were happy.

"Do students get 2nd type stone?"

"Yes, students get 5 2nd-type stones." Said the dean.

'So, in the end, everyone is just a prey huh? No, students are even more of a delicious prey since we have more stones' thought Dea to herself.

"Damn, this time they really screwed us over." Said Leonel.

"So bothersome." Even Aqua commented.

"Damn old fogeys." Said Ivy.

"You guys… they will hear." Said Aries flustered.

Dea just chuckled and did not say anything.

After everyone got the stones, they saw the teachers opening a portal.

"Since everyone is ready, you may go through the portal now. If you already have the group stay close so you will be teleported to the same place. Teleportation is random, and you might appear anywhere in the forest. Don't forget the hunt continues until only 100 of the candidates are left, if your stones are taken, you will be automatically teleported." After she finished speaking, all the students went through the portal.

"Happy hunting, my dearies." Said the dean with a creepy smile that sent shivers down every teachers back that saw it.