A New Day at the Academy

The next morning, I woke up and made my way to class. As I entered the room, I was introduced to our teacher, Alfredo, a retired soldier and an A-class veteran. He explained that he would be our teacher from that day forward, and since it was our first day at the academy, he would give us an overview of how things worked before dismissing the class.

Alfredo spoke about the academy's purpose, which was to cultivate individuals who could contribute to the betterment of our country. He emphasized that the academy offered exceptional education and presented various paths for us to explore, such as magic, swordsmanship, finance, and more. He then proceeded to show us a map of our continent.

However, he mentioned that the system had undergone some changes in the past decade due to ongoing negotiations with the neighboring Aurorin Kingdom. Although a peace pact was in place, the option of war remained open, especially since the two kingdoms were in close proximity and couldn't entirely rely on their allies. This resulted in a more rigorous testing process for us, the students.

Alfredo proceeded to explain the system to us. He mentioned that after spending a certain amount of time at the academy, we would face unique tests, not the typical exams. These tests would simulate real-life situations and tasks, evaluating our application of the skills we had learned. Each test would progressively increase in difficulty, and at the end of the year, students would be ranked based on their test scores. The top-ranked student would be recognized as the strongest, while the weakest would remain at a disadvantage.

With the class coming to an end, we all headed to our respective rooms. Initially, all students were given the same accommodations. However, after the first test, those who scored the highest were granted special privileges that were inaccessible to others. The nature of these privileges was unknown to me, but I had a strong feeling they held significant value.

Four months later, the day of our first exam arrived. It was a regular day, with Alfredo teaching us as usual. However, towards the end of the class, he requested everyone to remain in their seats as he had an important announcement to make.

"1 month has passed since our first meeting," he began. "During this time, I have observed each of your abilities and potentials. Now, it is time for your first exam. Listen attentively, and please refrain from speaking, as I will not repeat myself. Your task will be to guard the wedding of a middle-class noble. I will select one of you to be the leader, responsible for giving orders. Keep in mind that anything can happen."

And just like that, our first test commenced