Hours, nights, and days passed in the sea of time, and the written exam ended, leaving behind a disaster that shook the entire empire and five continents.
The number of successful students was small, while a large number of students were expelled. In the regular class, which consisted of eight classes, only 85 students out of 160 students succeeded, distributed over four full classes, while the number of students who would repeat the year and would not participate in the practical exam was 45 students. As for the students who will move on to the second year, the number has reached 30 new students, which means that only a full class and half a class will have the opportunity to prove themselves in the practical exam.
As for the elite class, which consisted of four classes of 80 students, 12 students were permanently expelled from the academy, while 35 students were forced to repeat the year and were prevented from participating in the practical exam. Thus, only 33 students remained who moved on to the second year and succeeded in qualifying to participate in the practical exam.
Among these were the sons of grand dukes, such as the Thahalie and De Moliard families, the heir to the Mount Hua Sect, Yuta and his companions, Beatrice, Tom, and Armin, who all obtained 100% thanks to their diligence in studying, and Yuta and his companions' knowledge of everything related to the exam.
As for the Mythology class, which consisted of only two classes, i.e. 40 students, three students were expelled from it, while five students were forced to repeat the year. As for the successful students, they numbered only 32 students, who moved on to the second year and were able to reserve their places in the next exam, in which they will demonstrate their abilities in front of the entire five continents.
However, the upcoming end-of-year exam was only for first-year students, because the second-year students would be taking their exam on the island of Nepheam located on the Eastern Continent, unlike the first-year students' exam which would be held on the Western Continent.
The number of successful students was very small; Only 95 students passed the written exam, so they will continue their studies next year, in addition to the students who will repeat the year. The total number of students who passed the exam reached 560 students.
---
At five o'clock in the morning, twenty professors gathered at the Master's Base, including five masters from each of the three classes: Ordinary, Elite, and Legends, as well as five of Versalkin Academy's top masters.
These professors possessed terrifying power, were considered elite in their fields, and were among the most skilled who taught first-year students. Among them were:
- Professor Usopra: Specialist in practical magic and spells, late Holy Ruler rank, and eight-star mage level according to the magic rankings.
-Professor Katherine: Specialist in magic and spell theory, high Holy Ruler rank, and nine-star wizard level according to magic rankings.
- Professor Yoshika Kyoto: Specialized in the history of magic and all kinds of kōno, with the rank of Late Higher Sacred Ruler, and the level of Warrior Emperor.
- Sensei Kaitoa Ishikawa: Specializes in training students in the use of sword arts and techniques, and is the instructor of an elite class, with the highest Supreme Sacred Ruler rank and Emperor Master level.
-Master Tao Xin Bi: Specialist in the history of Qi and alchemy, Late Holy Ruler rank, and Master level alchemist.
- Instructor Bao Xin Yi: Specializes in training students in the use of sword arts and techniques, and is the instructor of the Class of Legends, with the highest Supreme Sacred Ruler rank and Emperor Master level.
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The professors' looks were calm, but they bore some signs of dissatisfaction. The number of successful students was very small, as the total number of successful students did not exceed 560 students, even though this was only a midterm exam.
However, the exam was considered a filter for students; Because the end-of-year exam will depend on fights, while the midterm exam was just preparation for the final exam.
As for the written exam, it was a mental preparation for the students in preparation for the midterm exam, which will test their ability to survive monsters, and for the final exam, which will also test their ability to survive, but this time the danger will not be limited to monsters, but rather will include the students themselves and monsters masquerading as humans, including the ordinary elite, the rising elite, and monsters that have transcended the concept of the elite, as well as those with terrifying talents.
"The midterm exam will be held on Jigua Island. The number of successful students is very small, not even close to 600 students!"
Kristoff, the mythology class teacher, spoke with obvious disappointment as he looked at the rest of the teachers.
Tao Xin Bi scanned the hall, then let out a sigh of sadness at the failure of so many students.
The hall was filled with shouting and angry teachers, as they talked among themselves about the results of their students, but it turned into silence as soon as Tao Xin Bi took off his glasses.
Tao Xin Bi was one of the academy's top professors, making him one of the most respected and experienced professors inside and outside the academy.
Therefore, silence fell over the place as soon as he took off his glasses, as this movement was an indication of his dissatisfaction with the actions of his colleagues, which he saw as irresponsible and impolite.
Several minutes passed before Tao Xinpi spoke with the dignity and wisdom befitting a man over 600 years old.
"A small number of this year's students passed the written exam, if we compare their results with the results of students over the past two hundred years. However, those who succeed deserve their success, unlike in previous decades. Also, correcting students' answers in this year's written exam was more transparent than previous years."
"I was one of the people responsible for marking the students' answers, and the marking was completely fair. Therefore, what happened has happened, and we must focus on the midterm exam, the festival that will be held after it, and then the final exam that will be held on June 27."
"But..." Tao Po's tone carried a bit of complaining.
Yoshika Kyoto interrupted him in a sharp tone, saying:
"Whatever is done is done, and whoever does not succeed, it is his own fault; Because he didn't work hard enough. "We have to focus on the midterm exam, which starts at 8:30 a.m.."
"For now, we have to focus on what is in front of our eyes."
"You're right."
"I support Professor Yoshika Kyoto's words."
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"Why don't we talk about the content of the upcoming test?"
Kaitoa Ishikawa's tone was calm as he looked at the rest of the professors.
---
At 07:34 AM, the central court located in the central wing of Vrselkin Academy held 560 students.
The students were talking among themselves, their voices mixed with feelings of excitement, fear, awe, arrogance, laughter, and disbelief.
«You succeeded! I will be one of the sophomores. Thank God for that, really!"
"You are right, we succeeded, God willing. The written exam was very difficult."
Elsewhere, a number of elite class students gathered.
"I barely succeeded! I got 80%. "I would have repeated the year if luck had not been on my side."
"My father, Count Mark Alfred, would have been very angry if I had repeated the year."
The student let out a sigh of relief as he wiped the cold sweat on his forehead, and a slight smile appeared on his face as he looked at his friend.
"You're right. We barely succeeded. "She only passed me by 5%, and yet, I have a feeling that something bad will happen in the next test."
One of the students placed his hand on the shoulder of a worried young man named Jinhae.
"Don't worry, nothing bad will happen to us. Who would dare attack the students of Vrselkin Academy? Then the test will be held on an island guarded by the academy, where student tests have been conducted for centuries."
A slight smile appeared on Jinhai's face as he listened to his friend Ming Tao's words.
---
Nearby, Yuan Haodong and Suan Huyun were accompanied by two students from the Legends Class.
"We succeeded! We are among the 32 successful students, and we will be with Jia Gilford, the most beautiful student in the academy!"
"Yes, it's beautiful. If you weren't the daughter of the Magic Emperor Aster Guilford, I would have..."
"Julian, stop daydreaming! Even if she was not the daughter of Magic Emperor Aster Guilford, would she have the audacity to pick a feud with Yuta Caseral? It provides her with all the right conditions to increase her strength and comfort from the beginning of the year. "They seem to be dating, I saw them kissing a few days ago."
Surprised expressions appeared on their faces, as they turned their attention to Yuta, who was accompanied by Beatrice, Lucy Gray, Ruichi, Tom, and Armin, as they waited for the supervisors to arrive.
"Yes, this year the elite class has the strongest and most dangerous characters without a doubt."
---
On the other hand, Lucy was looking at Yuta from time to time, while she was unconsciously holding the shoulder of Beatrice, who was standing next to her.
"Should I confess to him or not?...I feel very embarrassed."
Lucy mumbled words filled with fear and anxiety to herself as she looked towards Yuta, who seemed unconcerned by her gaze directed at him.
An annoyed sigh escaped Beatrice's mouth, then she struck Lucy's foot with her foot.
«Aaaay! My leg! It hurts, it hurts so much!"
Lucy screamed in pain as she grabbed her leg and a tear slowly rolled down her cheek, making her appearance resemble an exaggerated theatrical scene.
Lucy turned her gaze to Beatrice, who completely ignored her.
"Mrs. Lucy, are you all right?"
Armin helped Lucy up, while speaking to her in a tone of mixed surprise and concern. The surprise was evident in the slight trembling of his hand as a result of her sudden scream.
"I'm fine, Armin. But someone deliberately hit my leg!"
Lucy's tone was full of anger and annoyance, while she tried to put on a slight smile to hide the rage filling her heart.
"H..."
Before Armin could say anything, Beatrice spoke in a tone tinged with annoyance at Lucy's actions.
«Hah! Are you upset with me because I hit your leg? I'm so sorry! I had to break it so that you would think a thousand times before making my shoulder a tool to relieve your stress!
"You grabbed my shoulder so hard that it turned blue due to blocking the blood flow to it. It is better to review your actions before criticizing the actions of others, Mrs. Lucy Kathali. If you want to confess to him, confess to him, and stop making me a sedative that relieves your anxiety and stress!"
Lucy's face turned red with embarrassment as she looked at Beatrice, then took several steps back.
"What nonsense are you saying? I confess to whom?!
Lucy's tone of voice was full of embarrassment and tension, as she tried to defend herself, but suddenly she felt like she collided with a man's chest, which was hard as rock, but at the same time warm and comforting.
She raised her head, and her face became even redder than before, after she realized the identity of the person whose chest she collided with, which was none other than Yuta.
"How are you, Sir Uta Caseral? "You look more attractive than usual today."
Lucy spoke with a nervousness that made her words a little unintelligible, so Yuta grabbed her shoulders, making her even more embarrassed than she already was.
Beatrice looked towards Yuta and Lucy, then created a ball of wind and threw it towards Lucy, knocking her towards Yuta again.
Lucy's head was pressed against Yuta's chest, but she quickly pulled away from him again.
"I'm sorry... no... I didn't... so sorry!"
Lucy stammered as she turned away from Yuta, who looked at her strangely.
"Okay, okay, that's okay. As long as it is not intentional."
Yuta headed towards Gray, Ruichi, Tom, Jian Yi, and Jia, who were at the front of the group with Armin, followed by Lucy and Beatrice.
---
As they were heading towards their companions, a girl came and hugged Yuta's arm, then moved her cheek towards his shoulder, and a beautiful smile appeared on her face.
«How are you, dear Yuta? You look very attractive today. "I really hope we can meet together in the next test in Jigua Island and spend the next three days together."
Yuta turned his gaze to Brevica,She looked like she wouldn't let go of his hand, and she had no intention of doing so.
Then he turned his gaze towards Lucy without her realizing it, and found signs of indignation and pent-up anger clear on her face, which made him draw a cold smile at the corner of his lips.
However, when he looked closely at Beatrice, he felt strange, as he noticed unclear feelings in her eyes, which aroused his curiosity.
"There is a trace of jealousy in her eyes... The plan is still going the way I want."
Yuta said to himself in a satisfied tone, then pushed Brevika's hand away from him.
As soon as they arrived, a sound similar to the sound of loudspeakers blared, and Yuta turned his attention towards the source of the sound, ignoring Brevica, who was almost tearing up in anger.
---
After several seconds, Academy Director Soliver's voice rang out. His tone was full of strength, dignity, and great wisdom as he looked at the students, and then his gaze stopped at Yuta Caseral as he spoke.
[It's the day you've been waiting for so long! On Monday, May 25, 675 AD, the first day of the midterm exam begins.
This year, 560 students passed the written exam. Among the regular class students, 30 new students passed, which is equivalent to two and a half semesters. As for the elite class, 33 new students passed, or a little more than two classes. As for the Mythology class, only 32 new students passed, led by student Jia Gilford, who received a full mark of 100%.]
[However, she is not the only student who received a perfect score; Students from the elite class had also obtained it, including sons of major families, such as De Moliard, Cathali, and McAteer, the heir to the Mount Hua Sect, the son of the former Magic Emperor Boswal, and Yuta Casseral, nicknamed Star of the Cold Sky, as well as Tom and Armin, who both descended from commoners. They all got full marks.]
[And that's not all, the newly joined students, Leon Inuyasha, Nicholas, Christian and Kazuhiro, also got full marks, even though they joined the academy recently. So, applaud these hardworking students!]
Applause... applause... applause...
The central square erupted with warm applause, however, some students' hearts were filled with jealousy, hatred, and envy; These students obtained full marks, and some of them had only recently joined the academy.
[Okay, okay, let's get back to the main topic. The midterm exam will be held on Jigua Island.]
[The midterm exam will be a three-day survival test inside Jigua Island. You have to survive waves of monsters, and the nature of the land that is constantly changing.]
[Everyone on the five continents will be watching you without exception, so you'd better live up to the expectations of Versalkin Academy and your families. This is not a request, but a command. My words are clear to everyone!]
Signs of tension and fear appeared on the faces of all the students. Some of them even fell from fear and were unable to get up easily.
Several seconds passed before the 560 students answered in one voice, mixed with feelings of enthusiasm, dread, anxiety, and tension.
"You are clear, Director Solliver!"
A smile appeared on Solliver's face after hearing the students' response, but it turned cold as soon as his gaze met Yuta Caseral's.
The manager pressed a button without saying anything else.
Several portals appeared, 560 in number, exactly equal to the number of students.
---
On the other hand, the students' features reflected extreme awe and anxiety, as more than 20 billion people were watching them, waiting for any mistake to attack them, the Versalkin Academy, and their families.
As for Gowther, Nicholas, Christian, Kazuhiro, Leon, Inuyasha, Yuta, Geya, Beatrice, and Tom, their features appeared calm and uninterested in the test, for several reasons.
The first is that they are able to transcend the limits of human logic and possess power that exceeds the ability of the human mind to comprehend. If they were able to defeat their enemies, how could they fail to survive on an island housing powerful monsters capable of destroying multiple universes?
As for their next enemies, there are those who can manipulate the narrative and erase entire fantasy worlds with complete ease.
As for Jeya, Gowther, and Beatrice, they were accustomed to such things, such as traveling to the forests and undertaking dangerous missions, especially Gowther, who was forced to constantly face danger during his assassination missions.
As for Tom, the memories of Alessandra and Zhao Li gave him amazing experience in various fields, including survival in dangerous places.
On the other hand, signs of worry were still written on Ruichi's face; The midterm wasn't just a three-day survival test, it was something much bigger.
The midterm and final exam were a test to assess merit, as he was the third son and legal heir of the de Moliard family. If he wins the war of succession, this will be evidence of his worthiness, as the de Moliard family does not recognize the son of the head of the family simply because he is his son, but rather he must be worthy of the position.
This meant that Grei could enter the Succession War if he wanted to, especially since they had only reached the rank of Late Saint a few days ago, and were almost identical in strength.
As for Gray, he was so excited to participate in the midterm exam that his aura would appear from time to time.
He turned his gaze to Ruichi, who was lost in thought.
"Ruichi, don't worry. Show your skills in the next test and impress them. No need to worry; Even your father, Duke Reinhardt, had not reached the level of a saint when he was our age, and yet, he was considered the greatest talent of his generation."
Gray was encouraging Ruichi while patting him on the back, then a malicious smile spread across his face.
"However, if you're afraid, that's okay. There's an alley nearby, go cry in it. And don't worry, since I'm your favorite cousin, I'll get you the most expensive baby pacifier in the empire!"
Ruichi's expression turned from worry to optimism, then to anger after hearing Gray's last words. He looked at him with a look filled with killing intent.
"Grey, I'll kill you! Did you understand?!"
He said this while holding Gray and shaking him vigorously, making them both laugh.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"Thank you, Grey. "Even though you're kind of goofy and annoying, you're a great person."
Ruichi's tone was full of comfort, unlike Gray, who showed signs of annoyance at Ruichi's words, but decided to ignore him; The director still had one last word to say before the students crossed the gates that would take them to random places inside Jigua Island, which has an area of 400,000 square kilometers.
---
Jigua Island was approximately 23,000 kilometers away from the western continent, and was characterized by a rainy, tropical character, which is why it was full of various dungeons.
However, only the dungeons with ranks C to X+ were open, and the rest of the dungeons had been invaded centuries ago to prevent unwanted incidents.
Director Soliver struck a spirit stone used to amplify sound with the tip of his index finger, then cleared his throat before speaking in a solemn tone.
[Ehm, Ehm... It's time for the midterm exam to start! It will begin on Monday morning, May 25, 675 AD, at 8:30 AM, and will end on Thursday, May 28, 675 AD, at 8:30 AM, meaning it will continue for three days.]
[Anyone who is about to die or sustain serious injuries will automatically be transferred to the Academy Hospital. So, there is no need to worry, as the doctors who will supervise you are among the most skilled and famous doctors on the five continents. Do your best to survive on Jigua Island, then head towards the gates regularly.]
The students headed towards the gates assigned to each of them, with steady steps mixed with awe, anxiety, and fear.
The stress of the gaze of more than 20 billion humans and other entities that have come into contact with humanity over the past centuries is enormous, as well as the potential for death if the transfer process goes wrong, or if someone dies before it is completed.
Additionally, dying ignominiously in front of billions of humans and millions of monsters and other entities that coexisted with humans would make things much worse.
"Three days will be enough to show my abilities and skills to the world."
Jian Yi spoke to himself as he recalled the training he had with Yuta over the past days, and how his father had been watching over him, along with the entire Mount Hua Sect and the people of Seonghai Province.
For this, he had to show the power of his clan to the world.
Jian Yi was not the only one carrying this burden; Rather, Gowther, Gray, Ruichi, Lucy, and Jia were carrying the same burden, because they came from major families in the Central Continent, and they were a source of pride for their families.
Their loss was not just a personal loss, but it was also a loss of the dignity of their families, especially since insulting major families is not a simple matter, but has serious consequences.
The students entered the gates assigned to them, while they were wiping the sweat that was pouring out abundantly due to the weight that settled on their shoulders.
Every movement was watched by billions of eyes; Missing, losing, or dying ignominiously were unacceptable, and they were only allowed to win or try.
As soon as they crossed the dimensional gates, a powerful light was emitted that made them involuntarily close their eyes, and they felt their bodies becoming as light as a feather, which increased the dread in their hearts.
---
As for Yuta, his gaze was calm as he crossed the wormhole that would transport him to Jijua Island.
However, unlike the rest of the students whose transfer locations were random, the destination to which Yuuta and his companions, as well as Jiya, would be taken, was predetermined; Yuta asked Solliver to arrange this, and the destination was in the middle of Jigua Island.
"Okay, let's get started. One day remains until the disaster of May 26, which will be a disaster that the entire five continents will never forget."
Yuta spoke to himself in a calm, cautious tone; What he will face is not an easy enemy at all, but one more dangerous than anything he has faced so far within this fantasy world.
A powerful light emitted once again, announcing his arrival at Jigua Island. Although the transfer process only took three seconds, the students felt like spending hours or even entire days.
Once they arrived, the students who had moved with Yuta, and belonged to other classes, began vomiting due to motion sickness caused by the teleportation.
Yuta ignored them, and turned his gaze towards the giant tree known as the Origin Tree, or Original Gu Tree, which occupied an area equivalent to the size of three football fields, while extending hundreds of kilometers into the sky.
"Gu...the Tree of Origin, preventing humans and all entities in this world from..."
There was a slight sarcasm in Yuta's tone, but he continued on his way without another glance at the tree, distracted by it.
---
Important note from the author: Explanation of sub-strength levels
In this world, there are basic ranks of Kuno levels, as well as sub-ranks of fighters, mana users, Go masters, and Go itself. There are also other sub-ranks within some of these ranks.
First: the levels of warriors and ki users
Warriors, Ki-users, and mage warriors are divided into seven levels:
1. Beginner.
2. Weapon master.
3. Expert.
4. Warrior.
5. Emperor.
6. Lord of Emperors.
7. Saint.
Second: Levels of magic
Wizards are ranked according to the number of stars, ranging from a one-star wizard to a nine-star wizard.
Magic Emperor Aster Guilford is considered the strongest to have achieved the rank of Magic Emperor, while Belgurd Kathalli ranks second as a Magic Master.
Third: Levels of alchemists
Alchemists have several ranks, and the higher an alchemist's rank, the higher his level of ability to use alchemy.
Alchemists are divided into eight ranks:
1. Beginner.
2. Student.
3. Teacher.
4. Sheikh.
5. Master of alchemy.
6. Expert.
7. Experienced expert.
8. Master.
Fourth: Ranks of hunters
Hunter ranks are awarded based on experience, strength, and achievements, as well as the amount of mana, ki, chi, and Primordial Sea, and the amount of Kuno contained within their axes.