Written exam

A repetitive beeping sound woke me up, and I reflexively stopped my smart watch alarm. The current time is 6:30. The written exams will start in exactly 2 hours. I start some light stretching and then move all the furniture in my room into a random spot. I closed my eyes and started running.

After leaving the library yesterday, I wanted to explore the streets outside the academy but soon realized that, because of my G+ stamina, I couldn't walk after less than 1 hour. I had to force every single muscle in my legs to be able to reach my apartment.

That's why I have decided to start training as soon as possible. What I'm doing right now is a special training program that focuses on three different abilities at the same time. I'm using my perception to locate every obstacle around me, then using my agility to avoid everything as acrobatically as possible. Lastly, I'm pushing my body's stamina to the limit by running continuously without stopping. If someone were looking at me right now, they would think that I was preparing a new circus show. But I didn't have any other choice. The academy training room will only be open starting this Friday, and I didn't want to waste a single day.

After what seemed like an eternity, I stopped and drank some water that I had already prepared. I looked at the time on my watch and was disappointed to see it was only 6:58. 'Damn, I couldn't even run for 30 minutes straight."

Without wasting time, I sat cross-legged on the floor and started to circulate my mana in a specific way. Yesterday, I found a special mana training in one of the books I read. The goal was to move a large quantity of your mana to a specific part of your body without releasing it as quickly as possible. It's mainly used as bait when you're fighting someone. Well, with my G+ strength, I will gladly welcome any kind of trick I could use to defend myself. After half an hour, I stopped and went to take a deserving bath.

***

It was 8:23 when I arrived at the academy. I immediately went to my assigned class and found the desk where my number was written. I received a message from the academy a few minutes ago with that information. After sitting comfortably, I started observing the candidates around me. Everyone was silent and nervous. I couldn't remember any of them, so my guess was that they were either useless extras or just failed the exams.

Soon, an assistant instructor entered the classroom with a box. Everyone silently observed him as he removed several papers from it. After a while, he chanted a spell, and all the papers started to levitate. Each paper stops above every desk of every student.

"You have exactly 3 hours to answer a total of 100 questions. There are several magical devices around you, so if they catch you cheating, your papers will be immediately burned, and you will be knocked out and then escorted outside. No bathroom breaks will be allowed. You cannot leave even if you finish before the allocated time. You may begin."

As soon as he told us to begin, all the papers fell down on each desk, and a pen appeared next to them. I took the pen and started to answer each question one by one.

After around an hour, I completed 95% of the exams. Only five questions were left. Those questions were at a level that only the most knowledgeable researchers in the alliance could answer. Those questions were here to prevent anyone from having a perfect score.

The entrance exams were divided into two parts: the written exam and the physical exam. In order to take the physical exams, one had to pass the written exam with a minimum score of 50. This means that if there is someone with S-grade potential on all his abilities except intelligence and he fails the written exam, nobody will ever get to know him. That's how important the written exam is here. What use is being strong if you are stupid? If you aren't smart enough to take responsibility for your own strength, it's better not to have it.

Now, there's a special outcome for the written exam. If a candidate receives a perfect score, they will be allowed to skip the physical exam and be directly admitted to the academy. That is why the Academy creates five questions every year that are impossible to answer.

Unfortunately for them, I'm someone who makes the impossible possible. For the remaining time, I carefully answered each of those five questions, providing as many details as possible and making sure they wouldn't find any excuse not to give me my full marks.

"Times up." The assistant instructor shouted, and the pens of all the candidates immediately disappeared. Every exam paper flew directly into the box in front of the class.

"The results will be available after 5 hours. Each score and rank will be sent directly to your smart watches. Those who failed should leave immediately, and those who passed will be given further instructions for their physical exams."

After the assistant instructor left the classroom, everyone around me started to discuss the previous exam. Not interested in talking with those useless extras, I left the classroom too with a bag containing my theory. My destination was the Alliance Research Building.

As you could guess by the name, they are a group of researchers composed of all the races of the alliance. Their goal is to combine the knowledge and invention of each race to create something even more amazing. Their main building was located inside the academy, since half of them also work as assistant instructors.

It wasn't difficult to locate the Alliance Research Building. It was the only building in the academy with a futuristic design. I was starting to admire its gravity-defying structure until I caught sight of a commotion inside.

As I walked through the open entrance, I could see a dwarf boy arguing with an elf man. The dwarf boy was wearing the academy white uniform with yellow stripes around its corners. The yellow stripes meant that he was a fourth-year. The elf man, to my surprise, was someone I immediately recognized. With short green hair, large circular glasses that were too big for his face, and a left elf ear cut in half, this individual was Allan Shepard, the same individual whose research I stole from his future self.

"I will be back again before the academy starts; I hope all my equipment will be ready by then." The dwarf boy said this before leaving. It was obvious that he was annoyed that a lot of people started gathering around him.

Allan Shepard also started going back inside the building, but I wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste.

"Excuse me, by any chance are you Allan Shepard, the author of the mana circulation theory advance level book?"

Allan gave me a doubtful look. "Yes, that's me. But how do you know about my book? Judging by your appearance, I can guess that you are a candidate for the entrance exams. What are you even doing here?"

"My name is Alex Fawn. You're right, I am a candidate for the entrance exams, and I just completed my written exam a few minutes ago. I was able to read your book yesterday in the library, and it helped me complete my theory. I'm here right now to submit that same theory for approval."

The doubt on Allan's face immediately turned into surprise and curiosity. "Interesting, someone who hasn't been admitted into the academy yet is able to understand one of my research and is already submitting a theory. Unfortunately, I'm really busy right now, or else I would have invited you to my office and listened to your presentation. Go to the reception and ask if there are any other researchers who are free right now. By the way, what exactly is the name of your theory? I will try to check it when I am free later."

"Thank you, Mr.Shepard. It's alright; I understand that someone like you always has a busy schedule. I will look for another researcher at the reception."

Then, with a proud smile, I divulge the most important information as loudly as possible. "My theory is a method that will allow anyone to supply an unlimited amount of mana to their weapon."

The entrance became completely silent. Allan Shepard was looking at me with his mouth completely open. Everyone who heard me started observing me, still processing the information they just heard.

'Now that I have everyone's attention, let the show begin."