"Three, two, one… RUN!"
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning shot from Will's hand and exploded in the sky, acting as the starting signal for the contestants to sprint.
The students ran through a dense forest, constantly observing and judging the terrain. This test demanded both physical endurance and sharp reflexes.
From time to time, tree roots burst out from beneath the ground to block the students' paths, while rocks tumbled down from the mountainside.
However, these obstacles weren't meant to cause real injuries. Their purpose was simply to slow the students down as much as possible.
At the same time, they allowed the examiners to observe how each student reacted, solved problems, and made decisions under pressure.
Halfway through the course, the students reached a fast flowing river. They had to swim across it on their own, but the water was filled with hidden obstacles that made the crossing far more difficult.
And once they reached the other side, they had to carry a square stone block about one meter wide, weighing roughly seventy kilograms, all the way up a hill.
Throughout the entire test, everyone was restricted to a limited amount of mana. If someone exceeded that limit, the bracelet on their wrist would immediately notify the supervisors.
Three proctors hovered above the course, constantly observing everything to ensure no one cheated.
And with my physical condition, forget about winning.
I wasn't even sure I could reach the finish line.
My body was thin and weak. After only a few steps, I was already gasping for air.
Maybe I should really change my diet and exercise more.
"Huff… huff…"
"Wow, Ron, why are you running so slow? Don't you plan to pass the test?"
"Hah… shut up…"
Marcus walked beside me with a confident expression, not a single drop of sweat on his face. His steps were relaxed, like this was just an ordinary stroll. Both of his hands were tucked in his pockets as he mocked me.
"Ron, you should really start exercising. No wonder Emma dumped you."
After saying that, Marcus suddenly accelerated and ran past several other students with ease.
Tch. That muscle brained idiot really isn't any different from Lunas.
Marcus was one of the few characters I actually knew from Blue Light.
The reason was simple. He possessed extraordinary talent.
Level eleven.
His combat ability ranked among the very top in the inter academy tournament.
He was intelligent and resourceful, yet strangely isolated from everyone else.
The reason was simple.
He was slightly narcissistic, extremely arrogant, and ridiculously flirtatious.
No guy wanted to hang out with him, and every girl treated him like a walking playboy.
So when I first transferred here, he took advantage of the fact that I didn't know about the rumors and proactively befriended me.
Honestly, it was kind of pitiful.
Enough thinking about that white dog. I should focus on this river instead.
I tried to concentrate as much as possible.
Taking a deep breath, I ran forward, built up momentum, and dove into the water in what I believed was a perfectly professional posture.
…
Marcus sat alone on one of the square stone blocks, watching the students approaching from the distance.
He had already reached the stone area nearly five minutes ago.
And he was still in first place.
The only reason he waited for others to arrive was to make things a little more interesting.
What fun is there in winning too easily? Marcus thought.
For him, this wasn't an exam.
It was just another ordinary training session.
This level of training had been part of his routine since he was very young.
From afar, Marcus finally spotted the person he wanted to face.
The boy was running while gasping for breath, but Marcus knew he was still holding back.
A slender young man with jet black hair.
He had already overtaken several other students.
Kale.
Kale was known as the Black Flash of Blue Light, a nickname earned because his speed was greatly enhanced by his Gift.
Tch. Who came up with such a stupid nickname?
When Kale arrived and struggled to lift the heavy stone onto his back, Marcus casually picked up his own stone with one hand.
In terms of raw speed alone, Marcus could easily surpass Kale.
But Kale hadn't even activated his Gift yet.
That meant he still had a chance to overtake Marcus.
However, Marcus had already begun using his own Gift.
This was his trump card.
Kale understood that Marcus only wanted to play around. He always gave his opponents a chance, just like he had earlier when he deliberately stopped.
So this was a battle to see whether Kale could take advantage of that opportunity.
BOOM.
Almost at the exact same moment, the two of them burst forward and sprinted up the hill.
Space twisted.
At the center of the distortion, a jet black tentacle slowly emerged.
It was smooth and glistening.
The tentacle gradually transformed into a hand.
Then it began to move.
The way its fingers twitched made it look like someone controlling a puppet.
Kale's arms and legs turned pitch black. The life seemed to fade from his eyes, leaving him looking like a hollow puppet.
But his body became stronger and faster than ever.
As for Marcus, he simply smiled brightly.
Then he raised his finger and flicked it.
Snap.
…
"Huff… huff…"
"Ron, you're dead last on the ranking board. Fifty out of fifty. Hah."
Professor Will laughed cheerfully.
But to me, that smile looked like the grin of a demon.
"Ron Irus, I suggest you start praying that you don't end up in the forty to fifty bracket."
"Otherwise… you might receive a little surprise."
I lowered my head and answered obediently.
"Yes, professor."