Entrance Exam (4)

Instructor Williams looked around the room filled with holograms displaying the progress of the examinees but his attention was locked on one individual who seemed to be breezing through the entrance exam effortlessly.

"Noah Winslow," he muttered under his breath

There was no denying Noah's innate talent. Williams was initially skeptical of the rumours circulating about his abilities, but Williams now found himself in awe as Noah breezed through the exam with ease.

"What an extraordinary talent,"

As an instructor teaching the fourth-year students at Nexus, Williams had witnessed his fair share of gifted individuals over the years. Yet, Noah's prowess surpassed anything he had seen before, truly a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

But then he looked at another screen "The hell? What is that kid doing?" Williams muttered while observing the scene with pure disbelief written all over his face.

His furrowed brows betrayed his growing frustration as he kept observing an examinee skillfully dodging the jackals without even drawing his sword. Instead, the weapon remained sheathed on his side while the examinee nonchalantly kept one of his hands tucked in his pocket. 

What was this? Some sort of playground? All he had to do was draw his sword but he didn't even do that!

"How stupid," Williams muttered while shaking his head "Well at least I know who's not passing this year's entrance exam"

Just as he was about to move on, a flicker of movement on the screen caught his eye.

To his surprise, a slight crimson glow enveloped the examinee's hand, followed by a swift motion which resulted in the virtual jackal's head being split into half causing it to disintegrate into pixels.

"What in the actual hell was that?" Williams muttered 

Collecting himself, he made a mental note to revisit the footage later when he was going to watch it with his colleagues and the principal for further review. Considering it was live he couldn't just rewind it. 

If he wanted to revisit what happened he had to do that after the exam. 

***

Looking at the jackles that were turning into pixels I let out a sigh. 

While I hadn't wasted a lot of my mana it did take me quite a while to form an actual slash. At first, I wanted to create a bullet but the downside was that it didn't go as fast or even have the same force of impact as a bullet. 

However, despite that, I had to get the aim just right otherwise the opponent would easily be able to dodge due to it sensing the mana. 

As I continued to walk I did run into a few monsters but I still had that internal clock ticking down. 

'2 minutes'

Once my internal clock hit zero blue bolts of lightning quickly surrounded me before I was able to dash around the maze. I already knew the directions so I wasn't worried about getting lost. 

-Bzzzt

Sliding out of the maze I quickly looked around to see other participants waiting outside all looking at someone and that someone to no one's surprise was Noah Winslow himself. 

Walking to the side, I quickly looked around, taking off my AR vision. As I did that I was able to see what the actual "Maze" actually looked like. 

The strange runes that I had seen before were the walls. The runes were something that cancelled the magic spells which were cast. This allowed the people to cast spells without hurting others. 

The walls themselves didn't really have a maze inside them but thanks to that I was able to see the people trying to find a way out. Some were even using their swords to slash at the air which was an entertaining sight. However, I also noticed different people using spells and holding long staffs. 

But, another thing I noticed was the cameras.

Those cameras were used to observe the examinees and an instructor was watching us assessing our performance. 

'I wonder what the instructor thought of my performance'

I then remembered something.

'Right Noah's here'

If he was here most of the instructors would focus on him cause you know, big talent and all that. However, if they were to focus on me they'd only see me killing goblins in a flash, practicing how to do a special slash, and…no that's pretty much it apart from me going lightning fast which I could just explain was my gift in the interview segment which allowed me to see through the walls allowing me to know where to go. 

'Besides, this gives me a chance'

A chance to enter the academy.

Of course, that means I have to grasp this chance to enter the academy. Although my talent would probably give me an automatic admission.

"Alright Examinees who have completed this part of the exam, please follow me," looking at the young man I noticed many other youths starting to follow him to so I got up. 

Stretching I looked around at the examinees to see if there were any other familiar faces but alas I didn't see any other people I recognized other than the white lotus guild members. 

Sighing I noticed we then made it into another room where three combat dummies were standing. However, they were different from the ones I knew of. 

The dummies had runes all over their body and in their hands was a magical staff with blue crystals imbedded in them. 

"Your next challenge is to evade or obstruct each spell cast at you" With a casual gesture, the young man directed our attention towards the dummies, each adorned with runes that started intermittently glow in specific patterns before fading away. However, the dummies' azure eyes glowed, indicating that in fact they were on.

"Alright Exammees numbers 189, 190, 191 please stand in front of a dummy," 

Three other youths stepped toward the dummies taking their stances. I observed one guy who was wielding a spear. 

He wasn't someone I knew in the novel or otherwise but I was still interested in what the other youths in this generation could do. 

*SNAP*

The examiner snapped his fingers causing some of the runes that were written on the dummies to start glowing. 

Then giant bright orange fireballs appeared around the dummy before launching at the youth. However, as they did a yellow glow appeared on the tip of the spear he was holding. As the fireballs got closer and closer the youth simply stepped side to side dodging the fireballs. 

After the fireballs reached around 5 meters they quickly dissipated. This was due to the runes that were on the floor. Like in the maze, there were runes on the floor. 

These runes were dispel runes.

Runes themselves were something that was still being studied, however, in the current age runes were used for artifacts and other military things 

But despite their many uses they weren't really used all that frequently. The main reason for this was that they took a lot of time to add to weapons and other places. If even one rune was wrong then they would have to restart. 

Runes were hard to understand and only a few had an actual grasp on runes. 

However, to me, it didn't matter due to my gift. 

Dodging another set of fireballs I then noticed the runes on the dummy light up in a different pattern before it waved its staff. As it did I could make out light green hues shaped in the form of a blade. 

Then the green blades headed toward the youth however, he seemed prepared. The youth bashed his spear on the ground creating a light golden barrier in front of him.

*Bam*

*Bam*

When the first blade made contact with the barrier it trembled, however, once the second wind blade made contact the barrier shattered along with the wind blade. But just as the blades of wind disappeared the runes on the dummy's body disappeared before they glowed again in a different pattern. 

As they did balls of water appeared around the dummy before they started to shape into spears then freezing over and turning into ice. The dummy swung the staff causing the spears of ice to be launched toward the youth. 

But using his spear the youth swung his spear destroying one of the ice spears. Using the other end of the spear he blocked it however, the last one was something the youth couldn't dodge. 

The ice spear came so close to his neck however, just as it was about to pierce him he was forced back. After landing on the other of the lines the runes light up before the spell turned into water and splashed the youth. 

"Examnee 190 please stand with the other examinees," the young man said plainly

Looking at the other examinees I noticed that they were also struggling with the ice spears. However, I noticed that there was an examinee with a sword. 

I didn't really recognize him however, the way she moved was impeccable. But even with that skill, I knew she wouldn't really get a high rank if her talent was high. 

And judging her appearance she didn't seem to be someone I recognized from the novel, side character or otherwise. 

I then turned my attention to Noah and the rest of the examinees before I turned my gaze to the camera. 

'Maybe I should display a little of what I can do'

But right now wasn't the time. 

I just had to wait.