Chapter 20

The fifteen-minute break was quickly over. The prospective students' manual book vibrated and beeped. This shows that the place for the third exam is already available. Ziel immediately headed to that place. Many prospective students gathered but could not enter because the door was closed.

The room in front of them was different from the previous two. The final test room had a large door made of mithril, and the prospective students were confused when they saw the place.

(Welcome prospective students. The final test, the practical exam, will start now. Please see your number in your manual book)

Christof greeted the prospective students, and his voice echoed in the place, but they couldn't find his presence there.

(This exam will test your skills. You will be fighting against yourself in this test. What kind of battle will you have inside? It will all depend on your abilities. If you focus on being a supporter, you will fight from the supporter's perspective.

You can imagine the weapons you used to use against their opponents in the tests. The weapon that will be formed will be the same as you think. You must only win or hold out for fifteen minutes to pass this test. The time scale inside the exam room is 10:1 compared to the time outside. Fifteen people will go inside at each turn. Then, the exam begins!)

After Christof's explanation finished, the exam room door finally opened. But all they could see inside was complete darkness.

(For prospective students numbers 1 to 15, please enter the test room now)

After Christof spoke, the first fifteen people quickly entered the room. They disappeared into the darkness, and the door closed.

Ziel suddenly felt someone's gaze while waiting for his turn and was familiar with it. He also felt it when he came out of the second exam room. Ziel knew who was giving that look. But he was confused about why that person was watching him as he had no recollection of doing anything suspicious. Thus, Ziel pretended not to notice and ignored him as usual.

Suddenly the exam room door opened, and the fifteen people who had entered came out with pale faces. They were panting heavily and looked like they had experienced a hard battle. Their test only took a minute and a half outside but lasted fifteen minutes on the inside.

After that, the next fifteen people entered the room following Christof's instructions. The other prospective students would enter as they left, and so on, until they all took the test. When Princess Reina had her turn, she came out not long after entering the exam room. The prospective students were stunned as he came out with a triumphant smile and a steady breath. He didn't seem to have experienced any battle inside that place.

Not long after, Ziel's turn came. He entered the room with fourteen other participants. As soon as he entered the place, the dark room turned bright, like a night lit by the moon and stars. Ziel was currently standing alone in a place that looked like the Colosseum.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

From the darkness of the Colosseum came footsteps approaching him. Ziel narrowed his eyes, and the figure slowly came into view. He is a boy of Ziel's age with short black hair and black eyes. His face looks bored and lazy as if he doesn't care about anything around him. That person was similar to Ziel. No, to be more precise, his opponent was another Ziel.

(You will fight against clones of yourself. You must win or survive until time runs out to pass. Then the test begins!)

Christof's voice signaled that the test had begun. Ziel had to fight his clone in that battle. Then a pitch-black colored sword formed in Ziel's right hand. It was the 'Zetta' that he used against Ashil and Asbil. After that, the weapon used by his 'clone' was… a Zetta clone. His opponent used the same weapon as him.

Both of them disappeared at the same time from their positions. Then they reappeared in the middle of the Colosseum. Ziel and his opponent simultaneously swung the swords in their hands. The impact of their slashes created an intense shockwave and destroyed the area around the Colosseum.

Ziel and his 'copy' punched out their free hands simultaneously. The moment their fists met, a crater formed beneath their feet. Afterward, they kept their distance and returned to their positions.

After they returned to their positions, Ziel charged at his clone first. He threw a kick to the head of his opponent. But the clone also did the same as Ziel. Their kicks clashed in the air. Their clashes did not stop there. They slashed their swords with incredible speed. Slice after slash formed on Ziel and his clone's clothes because of the air blades from their slashes.

Ziel wasn't trying to win but lured his clone into defensive or offensive countermeasures. He wanted to make his opponent move according to his will. Therefore, be it counterattack or defensiveness from his clone was something that Ziel had predicted without hurting each other. The cut marks on his opponent's shirt were because he had miscalculated the amount of strength he had to use.

Ziel intends to make the battle last until the exam time is up. He chose the second way to pass the test because he didn't want to stand out and be the center of attention.

***

In a room inside the red tower, Christof and Kalya stood looking at the screen before them. The image on the screen showed the battle of a black-haired boy with a pitch-black sword against his 'clone'.

"What is the meaning of this? Shouldn't a clone of a participant naturally attack to harm the opponent? Why do they look like they are practicing swordsmanship? This is so strange." Christof was confused when he saw what was happening on the screen.

"The clone is not the problem. The problem is the participant." Kalya replied without even looking at him. Her eyes were glued to Ziel's battle on the screen.

"What do you mean?" Christof did not understand the meaning of Kalya's words. He looked at her for an explanation. But Kalya's eyes didn't move a bit from the battle because she was focused on watching Ziel's every move.

"He guides his clone to counterattack according to his will. So the movements of his clone were just as he had predicted. No, he wasn't predicting. He was controlling what kind of moves his opponent had to make to counter the attack he was carrying out. In other words, the clone follows his beat and moves like a puppet." Kalya answered Christof without taking her eyes off the screen.

"What!? How is that possible? Didn't a Sage create this system with the knowledge of a demigod? How could he control something like that!?" Christof was surprised after hearing Kalya's explanation.

"I don't know..." Kalya shook her head and answered briefly.

***

Kayla recalled what happened during the second exam. At that moment, Ziel had his turn and stepped up to the podium to test his strength. At first, Kalya ignored him, but a voice from inside her mind suddenly said to her.

(Dangerous! Very, very dangerous!!)

Kalya was shocked to hear a voice from her mind. It's not that she doesn't know who was talking, but since that creature never spoke frantically like that.

(What's wrong, Silphy? Why are you panicking?)

Kalya asked the being called Silphy in her mind.

The being that spoke to Kayla's mind was called Silphy. She is a contracted wind spirit from Kalya. Elves are a special race because they are born with large mana and are suitable to become mages. Moreover, they also possessed a power other than mana and aura, spiritism. Elves can contract spirits that suit them when they reach a certain spiritism stage. Then the spirit will live in their body. Kalya contracted a wind spirit because she can use mostly wind elemental magic.

(He is very dangerous, Kalya! That boy shouldn't exist in this world!)

Kalya's body trembled after hearing Silphy's words. He never spoke like that, even if they met a Saint or Sage. In other words, the boy before him had power above that.

(Are you sure, Silphy?)

Kalya said in disbelief. He still had doubts about what Silphy said. Then his face became solemn.

(I'm pretty sure! But I don't feel any malice from him. So you don't have to show any hostility. Stay calm, don't let him know you're aware of his existence. Otherwise, this academy will be in danger!)

Silphy reminds Kalya. The spirit within the contractor's body would not be detected even by a true god. Therefore, Ziel was oblivious to its existence.

(I understand)

Kalya answered briefly and returned to her flat face. When it was Lilith's turn, Silphy shouted again.

(That girl is dangerous too! Although not as dangerous as the boy before. You have to be careful with her)

Silphy reminded Kalya again.

(What!? There are two such people here!? What is their purpose in coming to the academy!?)

Kalya was worried about what would happen at the academy in the future.

(Unlike the boy, the girl seemed to have evil intentions here. For now, you just have to keep an eye on her and don't act recklessly)

Besides detecting someone's strength, Silphy could also sense that person's intentions.

(I understand)

Kalya replied, and her face turned gloomy.

***

That's what happened during the second test. But Kalya hasn't told anyone yet. He was currently watching Ziel's battle on the screen. But then he suddenly trembled as his eyes met Ziel's on the screen. Kalya felt that the person was looking directly at her.

(What!? Is this just my feeling!?)

Kalya is shocked and scared.

(No. He's looking at you from that screen)

Silphy's answer made Kalya shiver.

***

Fifteen minutes have passed, and the test for Ziel is over. Then he was sent out of the room. Ziel immediately looked for a place to rest while waiting for the third exam to finish.

After waiting for several hours, everyone finally finished the test. Christof and Kalya appeared in front of the prospective students.

"The third exam has ended. The results will be announced tomorrow. You can know whether you pass or not the three tests and are accepted as a student in the academy. In addition, those who pass will also know which class they will be placed in. You can see it on the information board that will be posted tomorrow. So good luck." Christof and Kalya disappeared from the place after saying that. Ziel noticed that before they disappeared, Kayla had glanced at him.

After the third test, Ziel quickly left the place and headed to the silver tower to pick up Clara. It didn't take long for him to reach his destination. Ziel saw Clara standing before the tower, but she wasn't alone. She was chatting with a beautiful girl her age, and Ziel had seen her before. That girl was Princess Iris.