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"Who is that?"
"Oh, him! Just an outskirt rat, not worth watching at all."
Aria ignored the hateful comments as he walked towards the stage. Their thoughts didn't matter, what mattered was how his grade would be at the end of the exam.
His blue eyes glowed sharply, his gaze felt cold, yet strangely attractive. His chiseled features stood out, showing through his tattered clothes. The girls around him all had a tint of red on their cheeks. The only turn off was how dirty he was.
'I think I'll only need 10% for this!' he pondered to himself as his gaze remained on the machine.
"Hey!" One of the applicants suddenly exclaimed. "How about you stop wasting all of our time, and go ahead and show us how weak you are like the stupid outskirt rat you are!"
Aria didn't reply, he didn't have to. What he had to do, was prove this idiot wrong. A terrifying crimson aura suddenly burst forth, the air around him seemed to become heavier. Applicants close to the stage began to sweat from the intense pressure.
The audience watching through the cameras, suddenly carried excited expressions at the sudden twist. None of them had ever expected so eone from the outskirts to have this much power.
"Ohh! What's this?" A figure whispered to himself as he watched the holographic display. "Things just keep getting more interesting."
Back in the hall, Aria breathed out, his chest weaving inward as he twisted and whipped his arm forward with great speed and precision, striking the machine dead at its center. A loud sound echoed through the halls, followed by a burst of crimson light that engulfed the entire room.
"Damn, this guy is really goin all out." The flame user from before whispered to himself with an awkward smile plastered on his face.
Harrison's eyes narrowed, his gaze lingering on Aria's short energy out burst, before quickly looking away. 'That energy— it's strangely familiar!'
Aria meanwhile, without a care in the world about the applicants reaction walked down the stage, and back to his spot among the applicants. At the back.
Though there were still murmurs about him, a least some had a bit of respect, while others ridiculed him out of jealousy. He didn't care though, and just closed his eyes, ignoring the attention he had garnered.
As the exam ended, the students focus shot back to Harrison as he walked towards the machine.
"Now that the exam is over, it's time to see the result!" He stated blowing out a ring of smoke, before placing the cigarette away. "The scores are based on how much your hits affected the machine. The brighter the glow was, the higher the score."
The sergeant then placed his thumb on a separate side of the machine, and one by one, the students names where displayed, with their grades.
The students who failed to make an impact had darkened expression as they watched their low scores be displayed to the whole hall— worst, the whole Aetherion.
Elara's score shone brightly, carrying a score of 95 out of a 100. She had a proud smile on her face, as though she had expected those result.
The next person's result to be shown was the flame user, who's name was brightly displayed, Nathaniel Pyrox. He carried a score of 97 out of a 100. He released a playful smile on seeing it, making Elara grit her teeth.
Next was the mysterious boy who had appeared out of nowhere on the stage without anyone noticing. He had a score of 91. Based on the name displayed, it was clear his first name was Lirien.
The results kept coming up one by one, until finally, Aria's name shone on the machine. Most applicants had already expected him to get a high score, but their mouths were left agape from the seen in front of them.
Under his name, the space for his score— was blank. The Sergeant's eyes narrowed. He tried accessing it again, but it still showed the same thing.
He turned to look at Aria, "Hmmmm! Your strength was impressive kid. But we can't access your score. We will have to leave it blank for now."
"Hah! I knew that was all just a light show!" The applicants who had ridiculed Aria before exclaimed. "There was no way that sort of power came from an outskirt rat like you!"
Aria, who was standing at the corner, not even bothered by what the sergeant said, opened his eyes, his gaze landed on the applicants, making him to shiver slightly.
"Wh—who do you think you are yo stare at me like that! Do you know who my father is?" The applicants said with visible sweat running down his face. Aria, seemingly u bothered closed his eyes once more and went back to his solidary meditation making the applicant grit his teeth.
'Who does this guy think he is! Does he know who he is messing with. No matter, in the coming exams, I will find a way to put you back in your place!' the applicants thought to himself, his face going red from anger as his gaze lingered on Aria.
Aria meanwhile couldn't give a damn about what the stupid noble thought. It didn't matter who his father was in the academy, what mattered was one's personal strength. The applicant didn't look like much in that regard. 'Not worth my time!'
The rest of the applicants carried excited expressions at the feud going on. Who didn't like drama after all. It was fun to see that a beef had already started this early in the exams.
Some though agreed with the arrogant applicant and sided with him. They felt it was necessary that the nobles would always be above those in the outskirts. Aria— needed to be put in his place, to serve as an example to others.
"Ok! That's enough!" Harrison's voice echoed, overbearing and mighty as ever. "The second exam will begin immediately. Let me see, who dares to talk after the exam is over."
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