"Enlistment test"

'A heartseer?' Theo was confused.

Heartseers could channel their voice into others' heads or even read their thoughts. It seemed like the seer was an extremely skillful person to transmit messages directly into people's minds on such a large scale.

The students were fed a meal, and as they ate, they began to feel their energy levels returning. Theo overheard one of the other students complaining about the use of sedatives instead of blindfolds.

"I don't understand why they had to drug us," the student grumbled. "Blindfolds would have been sufficient."

"I'm not sure," another student replied. "But I suppose they must have had their reasons."

"I understand that they were being cautious," the first student added. "But seriously, the amount of sedative they gave us could probably knock out a horse."

The second student couldn't help but chuckle at this remark. "Yeah," he said. "You're probably right about that."

The two hours flew by, and the instructors soon led them to the testing site. Upon arrival, they were introduced to a sergeant.

"Good morning, students," he began in a stern voice. "My name is Sergeant Henry, and I will be overseeing your exams."

Without wasting any time, he went straight to the point, "There are three tests that you will be taking. The first exam is a physical test, which has two parts: a fitness test and a combat test."

Acknowledging that not everyone may excel in physical activities, he quickly added, "If you prefer to display your academic prowess, we have a separate test available. Please follow Sergeant Clause if you wish to take this examination."

Theo had decided to take the physical assessment, confident in his physical abilities despite being a good student.

As Sergeant Henry addressed the group once again, "Your score will be based on your performance in both categories," the sergeant said, his tone firm and no-nonsense.

The sergeant then proceeded to explain the fitness test in detail, emphasizing the need to complete 50 squats, push-ups, 10 pull-ups, and a two-mile run within a specified time limit. Theo felt a sense of determination wash over him. Failure was not an option.

"To ensure a level playing field, we'll be providing you with 'Psionyx' suppressing pills," the sergeant continued. "They'll only be temporary and will wear off after a couple of hours."

The memory of the sedative-laced drinks on the bus was still fresh in their minds, so some of the students hesitated before finally taking the pill.

The moment the test began, Theo was thrown into the heat of the moment. Adrenaline kicked in, and he started.

We had a tight timeline of fifteen minutes for pull-ups, push-ups, and squats, followed by another thirty minutes for the marathon. The officers handed them bracelets to wear that automatically kept track of their time and would be evaluated and sent to the database for review.

Theo knew that this test would be a breeze for him, but he decided to hold back. Theo aimed for a middle rank, so as not to draw too much attention to himself. He completed his set of pull-ups, push-ups, and squats in twelve minutes, feeling confident and energized.

The next part of the test was the marathon, and he fell into a comfortable pace, not pushing himself too hard. Theo completed it in twenty-five minutes. However, as he looked around, he noticed that not everyone was finding the test as easy as he was.

"I can't feel my legs anymore!" exclaimed one of the boys, "I really should have taken working out more seriously back in high school." Heavy breathing and the sight of some students already starting to lag filled the air.

After the run, they were given an hour to catch their breath and recuperate. Theo looked at the results and found that he had ranked in the top 150.

With the physical test behind them, the real challenge now loomed ahead: the mock battles.

During the break, Theo took a moment to survey the field and take a closer look at his competition. He was impressed by the number of strong-looking individuals who had made it this far.

Just as he was getting ready, Sergeant Henry stepped forward to make an announcement.

"Attention all students! I have some important news to share with you. The ranking of the first half of the test has been declared, and the top 150 students have been given an unconditional advantage."

There was a collective murmur among the students as they all tried to process this information.

"What does he mean by an unconditional advantage?" I heard someone whisper beside me.

Sergeant Henry continued, "These students have the option to choose their opponent in the mock battles during one round and even forfeit the match at any given point for one round without facing any penalty. Consider yourselves to be in a safe zone."

"What the hell?"

"How is that even fair?"

This announcement was met with protests and cries of injustice.

Sergeant Henry's tone took on a more resolute edge. "Every one of you had an equal opportunity to compete in this exam. The 150 students who scored highest did so through their perseverance and hard work. There's no room for grumbling or doubting the impartiality of the process. If you have any concerns, you can bring them to me personally, and I will address them."

The room grew quiet as the sergeant's unwavering stare locked onto the students, and the tense atmosphere was palpable. Even though Theo recognized the injustice of the situation, he refrained from protesting since I had also made it to the top 150.