The entrance exam III

As Arthur placed his hand on crystal, the crystal flickered at first. Then, in a sudden burst, it exploded with color, radiating a dazzling array of hues. It was as if the crystal couldn't decide which element to focus on, overwhelmed by Arthur's affinity for them all. The colors shifted and danced, blending and separating as if reflecting the chaos of elemental forces at play.

What truly captured everyone's attention, however, was the intensity of the glow. The crystal pulsed with a blinding light, so bright it nearly outshone the midday sun. It was an unmistakable sign of Arthur's incredible mana reserves. Even without knowing the intricacies of how these tests worked, it was clear to all of us that his mana quality was exceptional—far beyond that of any ordinary student. He was a prodigy, just as described in the novel.

The crowd erupted in hushed whispers. It was very rare—almost unheard of—to see such a display of raw talent. Arthur's expression didn't change, though. He remained composed, as if this level of attention was something he had long grown accustomed to. They would be even more shocked if he revealed that he can use holy energy.

Then came Jayden's turn. The prince of the Holy Empire stepped forward with an equally confident stride. His regal bearing and noble appearance made him stand out, but there was also a quiet, unspoken rivalry between him and Arthur that lingered in the air. As Jayden's hand touched the crystal, it once again began to glow—this time, in a softer but equally mesmerizing display.

Just like with Arthur, the crystal cycled through the elemental colors, though Jayden's seemed to settle more quickly, moving in a smoother, more controlled rhythm between the elements. The hues shifted seamlessly—all blending together harmoniously. Then came the white glow, indicating holy energy. The light was gentler than Arthur's but had an undeniable strength, almost like a steady flame that wouldn't be easily extinguished.

But something was missing. Despite his ability to channel holy energy, the crystal didn't respond to it with the same overwhelming brilliance it had with Arthur. There was a flicker, a hesitation. The glow of the crystal remained powerful but not as blindingly radiant. It was as though Jayden's mana had hit a wall when it came to wielding the full potential of holy energy—something I already knew from the novel. Even though he had an affinity for it, he couldn't tap into its true depths.

Still, the quality of his mana was undeniable. His elemental affinities, coupled with his large mana pool, earned him awed looks from the examiners and students alike. It was nearly unprecedented to see someone with control over all the elements, yet here were two such individuals in the same generation.

The crystal's glow dimmed, signaling the end of Jayden's test. The murmurs grew louder, the students around me whispering about how these two geniuses would shape the future of the world. I knew this moment marked the beginning of the rivalry between Arthur and Jayden that would carry through the story's events, and likely, their talents would divide the world into factions.

After Arthur and Jayden, the rest of the main cast began their tests. First up was Melissa Rothchild, the childhood friend of the protagonist. She had always been a pillar of support for him, especially during the tragic period after he lost his parents. Her loyalty and warmth made her an irreplaceable figure in his life, and it was no surprise that her affinity for fire was the first to be revealed.

As she placed her hand on the crystal, it glowed a vibrant red, the color of fire mana. The light was steady, a reflection of her control and deep connection to the element. But then, the crystal flickered again, shifting to a verdant green—nature magic. It wasn't as bright as her fire affinity, but it pulsed gently, revealing a secondary talent for manipulating life forces. Just as the onlookers thought her test was over, the crystal flickered one more time, a soft blue glow radiating from it—her affinity for ice magic. Three elemental affinities also quite rare, especially for someone who came from a merchant family that didn't boast the long lineage of mana users. The Rothchild family are famous in the empire as a family of merchants and are one of the richest families in the empire. Whispers broke out about her potential, but Melissa, always modest, stepped away quietly, her face calm and focused.

Next up was Elana Blackwood, a member of the renowned Duke family of the Holy Empire of Ingrius. Her family's name carried weight, and there was a sense of expectation hanging in the air. Elana had once been the fiancée of the antagonist, but after his mother's death, he broke off the engagement. Their complicated relations were a cause of lot of scandals in the royal family, although the prince never told anyone why he broke off the engagement. Some people thought he blamed the duke's family for his mother's demise. It was later revealed that it was all part of a big conspiracy. Although, he distanced himself, Elana always liked the prince ever since the were children.

As Elana touched the crystal, it immediately lit up with a soft, icy blue—her affinity for ice magic was well known. But then the colors began to change. A cool, clear blue followed, indicating her talent for water magic. The crystal then shifted again, this time to a deep, earthy brown, showing her connection to earth magic. Her triple affinity was impressive, but there was something sad in her expression. She stepped back, her posture graceful, but her eyes distant as though she were lost in memory and looked towards where the prince was a moment ago. It seems he left after his test.

A few other characters went through their tests, each of them showing potential but none quite matching the brilliance of Arthur or Jayden. Then it was Marcus Morningstar's turn.

I watched him closely, my eyes narrowing. Marcus was a dangerous man, not just because of his talent but because of his heart. In the novel, he was revealed to be a wicked schemer, a genius who had aligned himself with demonic humans to increase his power. His entire family was complicit, secretly involved in the slave trade within the Holy Empire. And now, here he was, about to show the world his abilities.

Marcus stepped forward with an air of arrogance, his dark eyes glinting with malice. As his hand touched the crystal, it flared up with four distinct colors—fire-red, wind-green, ice-blue, yellow-Lightning and earth-brown. The elements flickered brightly, one after the other, showing his mastery over multiple forms of magic. But then, something unusual happened.

The crystal's light began to shift, darkening until it turned a deep, sinister purple—the color of darkus mana, or as it was more commonly known, the 'darkus' element. The crowd's reaction was immediate. Darkus affinity was rare, but more than that, it was feared. The darkus element was a trademark of the league of arcana and organization that keeps the world in balance by managing the dark continent and hunting demonic humans. The purple glow pulsed dangerously, as if responding to Marcus' ambition and hunger for power. The examiners exchanged uneasy glances but remained silent.

I knew from the novel that Marcus was already working with demonic forces, a dark path that would eventually lead him to betray the kingdom.

As Marcus stepped back, a smug grin on his face, I couldn't help but feel the weight of the future that was unfolding. He wasn't as powerful as Arthur or Jayden, but his cunning and ruthlessness made him a formidable foe. The crystal had merely confirmed what I already knew—that Marcus Morningstar was a danger lurking in the shadows.

After Marcus, several other notable characters completed their tests. Each one had a unique set of talents, from advanced elemental affinities to rare mana capabilities. Some had powerful mana pools that would make them critical allies in the battles against the Demon Emperor. Their names would become known throughout the world, legendary figures who would stand alongside Arthur and Jayden in the fight to save humanity.

The world was shaping up just as it had in the novel, with heroes and villains beginning to reveal their potential. I couldn't help but wonder how I would fit into all of this, now that I was a part of this story. As for me, I didn't bother watching the rest of the students. In the novel, the other future heroes would show their potential soon enough, but none of them would come close to Arthur and Jayden's raw power.

I left the hall, letting the spectacle of Arthur and Jayden's mana tests sink in. Their results were as impressive as I had expected, but the real story hadn't begun yet. They still had no idea of the battles to come. The next test was going to be crucial test for me as it was one of the tests I was hoping I could get an above average grade.

The fourth stage was the mental test—perhaps the most unnerving part of the entire exam.