The entrance exam was simple in principle.
The students were transported into an artificial forest, populated with monsters. The most powerful among them reached super-rare level. There, the five hundred candidates had to fight, as best they could, to remain in the arena.
Hiding was not a viable option. A prolonged tactical retreat led to automatic elimination. In any case, the goal was not so much to "win" as to show oneself. The new students were like products on a market; they had to prove their worth, and then the factions would choose them, guaranteeing a better future.
A candidate was eliminated if they found themselves completely unable to fight, if they openly gave up, or if they faced an imminent danger they absolutely could not avoid.
...
*Point of view: Kara*
