Student Evaluation

For the first lesson, every student were to gather in the auditorium. Having arrived there, Yune realized just how many people there were in the school. The auditorium looked more like a grandiose theater with thousands of seats, almost all occupied with students.

"There are a lot of students, right?" Alvin said with a grin on his face as he saw Yune's expression. "Luckily we arrived a little early and got a seat pretty close to the front."

Eventually, with no more students entering the auditorium, an old man wearing a suit entered the podium and stood before a lectern. The rowdy auditorium quickly quieted down as they saw the old man.

With the entire auditorium having become quiet, the man began to speak.

"Hello students, I am the headmaster of the national mark academy, Dalton Murray. As most of you know, this is an academy for people who have received a mark and the powers that come with that. You students, ages fourteen to eighteen, have come here from all over the nation, for one purpose, to learn and to become stronger to prepare for the future that awaits us. Seeing you guys here as the next generation, gathered in front of me, I once again receive hope for humanity."

The headmaster took a brief pause before continuing his speech in a more serious tone.

"Today marks the first day of the academy. With over five thousand students here this year, there won't be enough recourses to teach every single one of you to the best of our abilities."

As the headmaster made this statement, the auditorium became rowdy by the confused whispers of students, but soon quieted down when the headmaster continued his speech.

"That being said, this academy favors competency and strength over everything. Therefore this academy has set up a ranking system. Today, your value will be tested and your rank will be determined. The higher rank you are, the more recourses that will be available to you whilst at the academy. So, I wish you luck in your evaluation, and I hope you enjoy your stay at the academy."

Having dropped this truth bomb, the auditorium became more noisier than it had ever been, everyone being confused and in an uproar because of this sudden news.

Having concluded his speech the headmaster left the auditorium, not paying any attention to the students' questions at all. At the same time numerous people, who Yune could only presume were teachers, entered the auditorium.

These teachers quickly quieted down the auditorium, and soon after, each teacher instructed fifty students and swiftly left the auditorium.

Alvin and Yune, having sat next to each other, were in the same group under a female teacher, who took them into a dome shaped building.

Once inside, the teacher started explaining what was happening. "You, fifty students, have arrived in one of the testing facilities where your combat effectiveness will be tested."

Standing next to a machine with a glass ball on top of it, the female teacher continued her short explanation. "This device here is your first test. Simply put your hand on it and pour as much mana into it as possible. That's all."

Pointing at one of the students, she instructed him to come forward to start the test. The student seemed to know what to do. As he placed his hand on the glass ball, it started to glow a light blue color shortly after.

"23 points. Next student!" The female teacher said after looking down at the tablet she was holding.

Seeing this, Yune became a little worried. "How can we put our mana in there? Does it automatically go there?" Asked Yune, looking at Alvin.

As Yune asked this question, Alvin's expression became a little more serious. "No, you have to guide your mana to the glass ball."

For the past two days Alvin had tried his best to give Yune as much information on marks as possible, but he had not even started to teach him how to use his mana or mark yet as he thought it wouldn't be necessary at the start of school.

In a slight panic, Alvin started giving Yune a quick crash course on mana usage, despite knowing there wasn't nearly enough time to teach Yune. "Yune, when you got your mark, did you feel something change in your body?

Yune quickly thought back at the moment he received the mark. "I think there was a warm feeling in my chest when I got the mark."

"Yes, that's it!" Alvin said excitedly as he got a little more hope for Yune. "That warmth in your chest is your mana. Your mark indicates the origin point of your mana and from there you can spread the mana through your body."

Hearing how it worked, Yune wanted to try and spread the mana, which felt like a faint warmth, but at that exact time he got called to the front by the female teacher.

Looking around, the only students that had yet to take the test were Alvin and him.

'Oh no, I am not ready yet.' Yune thought as a slight nervous expression started forming on his face.

At that moment, Yune felt a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I will go miss." Alvin said as he stepped in front of Yune.

Walking towards the machine, Alvin looked back at Yune. "I will stall for as long as I can." He whispered to Yune with a smile on his face.

Taking this opportunity to the fullest, Yune immediately started to concentrate on the warm feeling in his chest. With the only thought in his mind being 'Move! Move to my arm!', and immediately, the warmth on his chest began to spread through his body.

Yune became excited over this result. 'Yes this is it!' But soon after, his excitement vanished as he felt the warmth from his chest just randomly scattering in different directions instead of to his arm, not having even the slightest bit of control over it.

In the next full minute that Alvin had managed to stall for time, Yune's efforts didn't manage to reflect in his results as still hadn't managed to get control over the scattered mana one bit.

"78 points, next student!" The teacher yelled, snapping Yune out of thought.

As he walked towards the machine with his head down, still trying to get control over his mana, Alvin tapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, just try your best."

Hearing this made Yune feel a little better, his mind clearing up a bit before putting his hand on the machine.

With a few seconds having gone by, Yune had his eyes closed trying to concentrate in an effort to control his mana, but still to no avail.

"Okay, whenever you are ready." The teacher said after nothing had seemed to have happened after thirty seconds.

With every second going by, Yune felt a little more hopeless. But then, a sudden warmth began to approach his shoulder. Yune still had zero control over his mana, but he could feel a small clump of mana randomly approaching his shoulder.

This clump of mana having reached his shoulder, Yune's body started acting like a funnel, the warmth of the clump of mana now slowly making its way down Yune's arm until it finally reached his hand, where the mana suddenly seemed to disappear.

Opening his eyes, Yune could see the clear glass ball now emitting a faint purple glow. With hope in his eyes, Yune looked at the teacher, who had a confused look on her face as she looked down on her tablet. "15 points, that concludes the first test."

Hearing that he scored points on this test, Yune looked at Alvin who had a relieved smile on his face. Yune himself also couldn't help but let out a little smile.

After the first test was completed, they moved on to do three more tests. First a speed test, then a strength test and lastly a test where you had to dodge projectiles.

Luckily for Yune, the use of one's power wasn't required, but unfortunately for Yune, the other students did use their powers. With the other students using their powers, and with Yune's frail constitution, he ended up getting the lowest scores out of the group of fifty students he was in.

"Don't worry about your scores. You managed to show that you have mana in the first test, so they won't kick you out." Alvin said in an attempt to cheer up Yune.

Till this point Yune hadn't even thought about the possibility of him having to leave the academy, so Alvin's attempt to cheer him up didn't help. But Alvin didn't need to cheer Yune up as he wasn't even feeling bad.

Yes, he did feel a little worried when the teacher suddenly said that he needed to use mana, which he had no clue how to use, but after that Yune had completely calmed down. To begin with, he didn't have aspirations to get a high ranking.

For Yune it was more than enough to able to attend this academy, which provides him with a roof above his head and as much food as he wants. Everything else came as a bonus.

After telling Alvin that he was okay with these scores, Alvin's worried expression faded.

"Do you want to grab some food and go to the library?" Alvin asked as the only other scheduled activity that day was the ranking announcement, which was going to take place in the evening.

"Yes, I would love to." Yune responded, who looked delighted with this proposition.