Chapter 69 - Sixty Nine
---
"So when is this test starting?"
Aaron shifted his weight, impatient.
"How do you expect me to know?"
Kai rolled his eyes.
"Guys, it would be better to focus on the professor than let your minds wander."
Jude said it with a smile, but his tone left no room for argument.
---
"Hello, students."
The professor on the podium raised one hand, commanding immediate silence.
"The tests will now begin. I would like to remind you all that Asterea is primarily a school for mages—so the first test will assess your magical aptitude. After this, both the qualified and unqualified will be tested for the other fields this academy offers."
The professor—a man with long black hair pulled tight against his scalp—spoke without inflection, his expression carved from stone.
"The test has begun."
A mana wave erupted from his position, rushing outward toward the students in a visible ripple of force.
"The students who were pushed back have one hour to walk past the barrier. If you fail to do so, you will need to focus on other fields."
His voice carried no sympathy.
---
’This looks like something out of TOG.’
{ Everything looks like a manga or anime you’ve seen. }
"You seem to have a lot of questions."
Nox’s voice drifted from beside Zeke, amused.
"I do. What’s the reason some of them are pushed back? And what’s with the time frame?"
Zeke scratched his chin, eyes narrowing as he watched the struggling students below.
"I know some weren’t pushed back because of talent and all—but what’s the talent range?"
"S-Rank and above. That’s the rank of natural talent or traits one must possess to have escaped the pushback."
"Natural talents?"
"Yes. Geniuses, as you would call them, either have traits that indicate mastery in a particular field—like your [Grand Archmage]—or just raw, unrefined natural talent."
Nox stroked his beard, settling into lecture mode.
"Traits are natural talents that have been stimulated and recognized by the Tower, which usually upgrades them before displaying them on one’s status sheet."
"Natural talents are the opposite. They exist. They function. But they do not appear on one’s status sheet until stimulated."
He paused, eyes gleaming.
"Take your trait [ Pride ], for example. From what I’ve studied about you—and from my vast knowledge—you must be the latter. You had a natural pride trait, then it was stimulated by an event, recognized by the Tower or your world system, and upgraded to the level of the Seven Deadly Sins."
"And for your [ Grand Archmage ] trait—that must have been received from a trait runestone."
"So Jude has an S-Rank or above magical talent."
Zeke stroked his beardless chin, nodding slowly.
"Worry not. Your other friends have magical aptitude as well."
Nox’s tone gentled slightly.
"The ones who have to pass through the barrier within the hour possess at least C-Rank talent. Anything lesser cannot pass through."
"And as for your other friends—it would be better they focus on other fields than magic. Preferably ability or combat."
"Hmm."
Zeke’s gaze locked on the barrier where Kai and Aaron stood, bodies tense against the invisible force.
---
"Congratulations to the students who passed the test. As for the others, you have the option of continuing to find a lesser field to fit in."
The stoic professor walked off without another word.
A blonde professor replaced him, shooting him a pointed look as they passed. Then he turned to the students, smile wide and warm.
"What he meant to say is—you can give up on the exams at any time. Or you can continue testing to see which field suits you. You can also branch into other fields, so despite passing this test, you may test your aptitude elsewhere. If you fail to find one to fit in—"
His smile didn’t waver.
"—you will have to leave the premises of Asterea Academy."
He clasped his hands together, radiating false cheer.
"Now, for the test of your innate ability—you will feel a soothing wave around you. If you pass, you will see a green circle appear beneath your feet."
"This was done so you would not need to expose the level of your innate abilities to your peers—unless you choose to do so. The pass rank, by the way, is C-Rank abilities."
He paused, eyes widening in mock surprise.
"Oops. My bad. It seems I have misspoken."
He clasped one hand over his mouth theatrically.
His eyes still smiled.
---
"I don’t like smiling people."
Jude’s voice was flat, final.
"Mm-mm."
The duo nodded in agreement.
---
"I don’t like that guy."
"Hohoho."
Nox laughed, stroking his beard with obvious delight.
"Beckett loves to stir the pot."
"I don’t like his name either."
Zeke muttered it like a curse.
Nox ignored him, continuing to stroke his beard, still laughing.
---
"I barely passed the other exams. Now I have barely passed this one."
Aaron groaned, shoulders sagging.
"A lot of people passed, compared to the mage aptitude test."
Kai’s observation was neutral, casual.
"I think the ’innate’ was added to give it majesty. This field focuses on abilities—innate or not. It’s the reason you see so many people. They need grunts to fill the lower class ranks anyway."
Jude’s tone was matter-of-fact, analytical.
"You know, you’ve been using your brain too much these days."
Kai nudged his shoulder, grinning.
"It seems the trial messed you up. I miss not-so-smart Jude."
Aaron tapped Jude’s shoulder in solidarity.
"Well, now you have to deal with handsome, talented, and smart Jude."
Jude’s smile was sharp, self-satisfied.
"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder."
Aaron’s response came quick.
"Well, behold, bitches."
Jude’s grin widened.
---
"Finally. The test for weaklings has ended. Now it’s the test for real men."
A muscular, heavily tattooed man stepped onto the platform—pitch-black voluminous hair falling over his head and partially obscuring his eyes. He wore an all-black ensemble: unbuttoned dress shirt, tailored trousers, long overcoat draped over his shoulders. A cigar smoldered between his fingers.
"Cool."
"Mm-mm."
---
"That guy’s cool."
Zeke leaned forward, eyes gleaming with interest.
"Elio Eziah. He’s the strongest professor in the academy—with the exception of me, of course."
"Enough with the self-praise."
Zeke snorted.
"He’s stronger than your vice?"
"Indeed. He’s a second-tier saint—but restricted to first-tier saint in this world."
"Dope. I’d want to be his friend. Not to fight him, though."
Zeke added the last part with a smile.
Nox looked at him with open skepticism.
---
"The combat class is not a place for weaklings. So if you do not have the resolve to die, you can forfeit the exam now."
Elio took a slow drag of his cigar, eyes scanning the crowd with predatory focus.
"Unlike other tests that catered to your unfairly—yet fairly—given talents, my test will measure your will. Your drive to survive. You will not be coasting on talent."
He exhaled smoke in a lazy stream.
"If you choose not to leave, you will either pass—or your family will be compensated in gold. And I have plenty of gold."
The pressure in the air increased.
Elio blew out another plume of smoke.
"Now that the weaklings have left, the rest of you are commended for your bravery and foolishness. You are to rise within the hour—or die trying."
An even greater pressure crashed down on the students, forcing them flat against the ground.
Some managed to stay on their knees, trembling.
Three remained standing.
"This kind of stings a little."
Kai scratched his cheek, tone conversational.
"Shut up and stop showing off."
Aaron smacked the back of his head.
"Let him show off. He won’t get more chances to brag about surviving a dragon."
Jude smiled, gaze locked on Elio.
---
"Hah."
Elio stared at the three brats chatting under his pressure and smiled. The urge to ramp it up itched at the edge of his control—but that would invalidate the exam for the others. The old man wouldn’t agree to that.
It seems I have the first members of the S-Rank class. I hope your end-of-session evaluations will surprise me as well.
---
"Look at my boys go."
"So. Dragons."
Nox stroked his beard, voice thoughtful.
"Stop listening in on people’s conversations, old man."
"Hoho. I wonder how you heard what they said as well."
"I didn’t. I read their lips. I have Knowledge of All Mundane Things."
Zeke grinned, smug.
"Does this mean they’ve passed their third trial?"
"Yes."
"That doesn’t make sense. Would they be going to the fourth floor now?"
"No. With the exception of special floors like the first and second—and the end-of-world floors like the tenth—you do not move floors in the actual sense."
"That doesn’t make any sense. It’s like it was made up right now."
"Why would it be made up? For you? Do you think you’re that special?"
"Yes. You called me a special child."
"No. I said you were specially intelligent—citing your lack of intelligence."
"Hah. I knew it. You called me an idiot."
"Idiot."
Nox muttered it under his breath, lips twitching.
---
"Congratulations on passing the tests and becoming students of this academy."
Beckett announced it with a smile, arms spread wide.
"Head to the buildings assigned to the field you major in. And for those with multiple fields, head to your major field’s building."
---
"We all know what field we’re majoring in, right?"
Aaron said, more a statement than a than a question.
"Of course. An easy S-Rank class status. But I’ll still have magic and ability fields as branches."
Jude’s tone was confident, assured.
"I’ll only have abilities as a branch."
Kai shrugged.
"Only geniuses would take multiple fields."
Aaron’s voice carried a note of resignation.
"I can understand not choosing magic—but what about your ability, [ Shadow Sovereign ]?"
"It’s not an application ability like yours. All I need to do is kill and gain soldiers. And as for my umbrakinesis—it’s too low-level to branch out. I can improve my use of it in combat."
Aaron grabbed their shoulders, meeting their eyes.
"I didn’t just pick combat because I’ve given up. It’s the most efficient path for me."
"But what about our trials? Does that mean we’ve passed?"
Kai’s question was genuine, curious.
"It seems so."
Aaron answered.
"So what’s going to happen?"
Kai pressed.
Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose, almost retorting—before Jude stepped in.
"We’ll ask the gang when we get home. There’s no need for unnecessary drama."
"Huff."
Aaron huffed, turning his back.
Jude and Kai looked at each other—then burst into laughter.
---
"How am I getting assigned my students?"
"Your student register is in your office—if you still know where your office is."
"I do."
Zeke grumbled.
"And how is it in my office already? It’s like you know who will pass."
"It’s my job. And prepare yourself—there’ll be a staff meeting in an hour. You’re not the only new professor. Be on your best behavior."
Nox’s figure shimmered out of existence.
"I’m always on my best behavior."
Zeke muttered it to the empty air.