33
"WOOOH!"
"WE ARE NOW OFFICIAL STUDENTS!"
"HAIL THE ACADEMIA!"
Enthusiastic students threw their arms in the air, tossing endless praise to Academia. However, not everyone was thrilled with the unknowns. Not everyone was a risk-taker.
Reluctant, a myriad of students were terrified to death. They didn't want to suffer the same fate as Krok.
They didn't want to be turned into an item.
"What should we do now?"
"There is no escape... We can just keep fighting"
"I wanna go home, Mom"
Representatives of Planet Earth were ambiguous, torn between fear and euphoria. The extraordinary power enticed them but they equally feared for their lives.
No one wanted to die...
Anastasia clenched her fist as she glanced at her teammates. Among them, Alab was inscrutable.
'Is he fearing death too?', Anastasia couldn't peer through his deadpan expression.
The voice of Empre reverberated once more.
"Now, let me deliberate on the rules in Academia. Firstly, murder is prohibited. Once discovered, a corresponding punishment will be given. Second, you will be enrolled to your respective classes though you are not obliged to attend but I highly recommend that you attend each class. You will learn a thing or two, I assure you that.", Empre paused as he waved his withered staff in the air.
A black mist escaped his body and then it pervaded the air. A system notice resounded after.
[Ding! Your knowledge assessment score has been tallied!]
[Score: 76 / 100]
'So I guess it right, this Academia... It doesn't know that skills can be upgraded', Alab pondered.
During their knowledge assessment, Alab recalled withdrawing all his uncertain answers. That gave him 75 questions that he was confident of and the last 100th question that he was skeptical about.
[Question 100: Can skills be upgraded? Y/N]
Alab answered NO.
Seeing that he got 76 out of 100 correct points, Alab verified his speculation.
'If even Academia is oblivious of this fact, does it means that only I can upgrade my skills?', Alab contemplated.
Still, another mystery was left unsolved. Alab couldn't see any reason for Academia to place the supposed easy question on the last 100th spot. Alab mulled that it could be a bonus question.
Without anything to back up his hypothesis, Alab decided to not loiter on this matter anymore. He then shifted his eyes to the successive system notice.
[The ranking is being updated...]
[Ding! Your new rank is 959!]
[You have been assigned to Copper Class!]
Alab just nodded his head upon seeing the announcement. He had already expected the downfall in his ranking. However, this downfall in rank was not in vain because, after all, he was able to validate his speculation concerning the upgrade of skill.
"Alab, are you okay?", Anastasia glanced at Alab upon seeing the updated ranking. He was back to square one, ranking bottom once more.
Unlike him, Girth ranked 889 which was rather decent than his previous ranks.
"Keke!", Girth sneered.
"I am good", Alab uttered.
'Better than ever'
Now that he knew that he was the only one that could upgrade skills, Alab had no reason to feel terrible. Truth be told, he was brimming with energy.
The Empre's voice calmed down the boisterous crowd.
"You must have seen your assigned class by now. There are 5 sections in this class arrangement. Students who ranked 1st to 10 will be designated to Adamantium Class. As for other sections, just look at your screens or whatever.", Empre shrugged his shoulder as he began to get bored of the lengthy deliberations.
He stood for a moment more before his knees quivered and he fell limped to the ground. He was just too old...
Luke and Hazel who were behind him dash to assist him. They seemed to realize that he couldn't stand for a second more as Luke vanished from the spot along with Empre.
Hazel, who remained to proceed with deliberations, opened her snowy lips.
"ARGHH! Look through your screen, low lives!", Hazel scorned as the exact moment she peered through the crowd, her cream eyes met the lecherous gaze of Girth.
Girth cunningly made an impression on her. She never saw a gaze as lecherous as his, not to mention his nerve to stretch his middle finger toward Hazel. Girth's impudence irked Hazel.
"ARGHH! I HATE THIS JOB!", Hazel blurted out.
"KEKE!", Girth sneered as he then looked through his screen where the class arrangements were flashing.
[Absolute: N/A
Vibranium: N/A
Adamantium Class: Rank 1-10
Platinum Class: Rank 11-50
Gold Class: Rank 51-100
Silver Class: Rank 101-400
Copper Class: Rank 401-959]
"As you can see, there are two other classes that are not available at the moment. They are special classes and of course, only the qualified can enroll in such classes. Low Lives could just dream forever!", Hazel jeered to Girth.
Girth, however, was unfazed.
"KEKEKEKE!"
"ARGH! As for your teaching quarters, Copper Low Lives will be staying in the outer core. Silver and Gold will be in the middle while Platinum will stay in the inner core. Lastly, for the Adamantium Class, you are granted the right to study in the Magistrate Castle and will be taught by the best of the best professors in Academia, or the Board Members even.", Hazel paused as she rolled her eyes to Girth and then turned to the other students.
Girth chuckled at her gestures. He found joy in annoying Hazel. "KEKE!"
After a short while, Hazel concluded her deliberations.
"Lastly, you will be given a house base on your ranking. Those teams with bottom rankers on their team are bound to doom, you will be given barracks that were shabbier than last time. Teams with otherwise will be allotted a decent tavern and even a Manor for those with lower teammate ranking within the top 100.", Hazel uttered as she then looked toward Girth.
"A month from now, the second examination will take place. Only 800 students will be retained by Academia. Those who ranked 800 and below will be punished and I guess there is no need to tell what the punishment would be, right?", Anastasia smirked at Girth, licking her snowy lips. She couldn't wait to see what kind of item will Girth turned into...