Hush.Hush.
I don't know much time had passed after I began but it felt just like a moment to me.
Panting heavily I tried to get up as every part of my body felt sore. With my ability, I was able to dodge, 60% of the arrows but still I took some of the arrow's head-ons with my body to save some time.
'At least I am still in good condition to walk while some had to be admitted to the infirmary'.
I turned around to look at the display screen to see my score. It took me 8.5 minutes with a score of 87.
"Hahaha," I laughed slowly in joy as I beat the time I had set, by a margin.
I even rubbed my eyes a few times feeling I saw wrong or it was a dream.
I looked around to see some students have their mouths wide open seeing my score. After all who can believe a bottom feeder scoring more than average in the combat test.
I looked at Miss Ami who looked back at me giving me a gentle smile.
'I think I have outperformed myself.'
The part of success goes to my meticulous planning along with the flash step skill.
While others used their time using weapons to deflect the projectiles and fight the puppets which are just placed here to drag them down and consume time.
After all, this is a test of both agility and situation awareness and one had to have a good grasp of their situation on the battlefield.
Now it was Fredrick's turn. He was one of the eye-catching students that everyone was here to look for.
I don't want to see Fredrick's performance, I already know the outcome still I can't help but look for it after all it was quite different from reading.
Fredrick dominated the test as he crushed anything that came towards him.
This trial is quite advantageous for Fredrick. Using his bloodline ability he could slow down time and bypass the obstacles without any need to confront them and as a result, he cleared the trail in 4 minutes scoring a perfect score of 100.
Clearing the trial within five minutes will give a perfect score and Fredrick was first to do that breaking the record score of 99 scored by the present President of the student council.
Now we have only the last trial and we will be free.
"You can take 2 hours rest before the next test. Today everyone will access to the second floor of the cafeteria where you are free to eat as you like without having to pay. But only for today okay". Miss Ami announced before leaving.
I have been waiting for this. Eating to one's heart content without having to pay a single penny makes food more delicious.
Quickly picking the dishes and tasting them I went to look for Roan to ask how his test went.
Seeing Roan making his way I raised my hand signalling him to come here.
" Did you pass?".I don't know whether I should have asked him straight to the face or in a roundabout way as it can be a sensitive topic for him.
"Yes, I managed to clear the second trial in 15 minutes barely passing. With my score in written, I am out of danger even if I failed in the third test".
I breathed the air of relief as Roan's job was to help me pass through the written exam while my job was to increase his physical performance by guiding him so that he can pass the combat assessment.
The third trial was the hardest of all. Most of the students gonna fail. This will be the first time they took on multiple enemies of the same level with their power being suppressed to 1-Star after all the third test will be all about skills and techniques.
After eating I decided to meditate to clear my mind and replenish my mana. With the mana breath technique, I can recover my mana much quicker than others.
After two hours we assembled at the training grounds.
There are ten training rooms here. It seems ten students can take the test at a time.
Clap.Clap.
"Once you stepped into the room your rank will be suppressed to 1-Star. You will have to defeat 10 mechanical puppets of 1-Star rank. The puppets used here are different from the ones used in the previous test".
" The puppets before can only give a simple punch but the puppets used in this round have been programmed with basic hand to hand combat skills along with other fighting skills. Once you knock them down the green light appearing on them will become red indicating that they are dead. This round not only depends on how quickly you take them down but also on your fighting tactics, your skill in using a weapon, your way of dealing with them. The score will be given by the instructor after inspecting your performance. So also use your brain to deal with them along with the muscles. Before you enter, there will be a body check-up".
Miss Ami gave the instructions along with the precautions.
"All Clear".
" Thank you".
Clank.
Walking into the rooms, the door behind me closed with darkness before my eyes.
The lights on the edges of the wall were switched on. Surrounding me were 10 mechanical puppets in different stances that can also be used as training partners.
The puppets were programmed for sparing were controlled from a special technical room. Each of them has the same shape but were programmed to fight in different ways. They were made after analysing some of the instructor's moves.
The metals used in the mechanical puppets can survive a blow from a 5-Star warrior without a dent on it.
Their durability is way above the ones used in agility tests.
As soon as I entered by rank suppressed.
"Tsk I am feeling uncomfortable and my movements had become stiff. I should have broken through after this test" I muttered still I didn't complain as it will be worse for Frederick and others whose rank is above me.
"Even if I don't want to complain it feels quite
weird".
I felt like a prisoner inside. Our rank was suppressed for lower ranks, to give them a fair chance in tests, also making it easy for the instructor to judge our performance on the same level.
Originally it was used for indoor training but just for tests, it was modified to suppress our rank while the tests can be held.
Your test will begin with a countdown of 5.
Hearing the robotic voice I took out my sword positioning myself, swinging my sword a few times to warm up my body a little.
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
Begin.
All the mechanical puppets pounced on me without any mercy.
"Haa....Flash step".
I suddenly disappeared from the spot I was standing and appeared before one of the puppets.
Clank.....
The sound of metals rubbing at each other resounded across the empty room.
....
" Whoa look there" Parth pointed into one of the training rooms asking Fredrick and Rose to take a look.
Since Parth and Rose's evaluation was over they were accompanying Fredrick to watch over other students taking the test.
"It's Lucas's turn. How do you think will Lucas perform?".
"He should be good. He may not look but he has plenty of real-time battle experience for someone of his age".
"It's a pity he comes from a common background. If he had good backing with huge resources to spend on him he could have achieved more things".
" What do you think Rose".Parth looked at Ross enthusiastically to hear her opinion only to be let down.
Rose didn't comment on Lucas since she didn't know him very well except for the few times she saw him.
Still, he looked at Lucas's fight with interest. After all to catch Fredrick one must be outstanding.
......
With a large thud, a puppet fell on the floor as the light on its chest turned red.
The dummy moving towards Lucas seemed to daze with the sudden disappearance of Lucas.
Clank.Clank.
Without wasting taking the advantage of his increased speed along with his sword skills he took down three puppets in an instant.
"How..". Students seeing Lucas taking down the puppet in an instant were shocked to core after all Lucas ranked in the lasts but the power he is showing is way above the ranks.
Fredrick laughed seeing Lucas's performance honestly he expected him to improve but the improvement that Lucas showed was even above for a so-called prodigy like him.
Parth was even thinking about Lucas being already stronger than him while Rose looked at the room as usual with her cold expression but if one noticed her closely, one could see a slight frown on her face as the improvement that Lucas shown within a few months was comparable to few years of training for some with his low bloodline.
If Lucas kept on this type of growth, he maybe reaches level their level within half a year or a year unless they rise to 4-Star.
Oblivious to Lucas, his stature has risen in some of the students' views who used to look down on him due to bronze grade bloodline and poor talent in the past.
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