Chapter 39: Academy Examination (2)
The examiner’s face was one of authority as he addressed the fifty kids.
"Every group gets a unique test. For you, it’s a duel tournament. You’ll face off in pairs, one against one. The winner advances to the next round. I’ll be judging each fight, and the two weakest winners will duel for the twenty-fourth spot to keep the numbers even. Understood?"
The kids nodded, some with clenched jaws while others shifted uneasily.
"The rules are simple and canon No magic, not even a flicker. No killing or crippling your opponent. I’ll stop any nonsense before it goes too far. You can use any weapon you like, but no enchantments. I’m inspecting every single one before we start."
Adrian’s breath hitched for a moment. ’No magic?’ His gun wasn’t enchanted — it channeled mana through a mechanical crystal matrix, only emitting when activated. Still, a sliver of doubt gnawed at him.
’Will it pass as a regular weapon?’ He steadied himself, trusting the gun’s design. It was his ace, and he’d make it work. The examiner pointed to the forming line. "One at a time, show me your weapon. Move!"
The kids lined up, clutching their gear — swords, spears, axes, and a few bows.
Adrian reached into his bag and pulled out the Mana Gun.
The gun’s strange look drew some whispers from around him, but Adrian kept the gun powered off. ’Let them think it’s just a strange club,’ he thought.
One by one, the kids presented their weapons to be tested for magic, and each of them received a parchment with a number, signed by the examiner.
It soon got to Adrian’s turn, and he stepped forward, holding the gun held casually. The examiner’s eyes narrowed as he looked at him.