Chapter 9
The Academy's testing hall buzzed with the nervous energy of hundreds of young Aethel. Jinn stood beside Kael, observing the hopeful faces of Commoners and Upper Class individuals as they approached the various stations of the Awakening Crucible. The faint hum he'd felt earlier persisted, a subtle vibration in the air, hinting at the vast, latent power waiting to be unleashed.
"The Crucible is split into two main phases," Kael explained, his sapphire eyes scanning the crowd. "First, a Written Examination – mostly a test of historical knowledge and understanding of our realms, the Aethel hierarchy, and the known Bloodlines. Basic stuff, but surprisingly tricky for some." He gestured towards a section of the hall where long tables were set up, already filling with students.
"Then comes the Survival Instinct Challenge," Kael continued, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "That's the real test. Participants are grouped into teams of three, then sent into simulated environments to track and 'eliminate' rare monsters. Each monster has a point value based on its danger and rarity. The goal is to reach a designated finish line with the highest points."
Jinn nodded, his mind already piecing together how his own burgeoning abilities might fare in such a challenge. "Are there any specific instructors for these tests?"
"Oh, absolutely," Kael replied, pointing out figures moving amongst the crowd. "For the written exam, you'll mainly see Professor Arkon, a stern old Aethel with an encyclopedic knowledge of history. But the Survival Challenge is led by Instructor Valerius – no relation, mind you, but a legendary warrior. He's a Terra Bloodline user, one of the most powerful. He's the one overseeing the monster simulations."
As they spoke, a small group pushed through the crowd, radiating an air of arrogant entitlement. There were three of them, and their leader, a boy with impeccably styled blond hair and eyes the color of cold steel, sneered at anyone who didn't immediately part for him. He moved with a practiced swagger, his two companions, a boy and a girl, trailing slightly behind him like loyal hounds.
"Ugh, speak of the devil," Kael muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. "That's Lord Theron, from one of the Royal families. He thinks his blood makes him untouchable."
Jinn noticed something off about Theron and his group. Despite their regal bearing, there wasn't the palpable aura of raw power that seemed to hum around Kael and Lyra.
"They're Royalties, but they don't seem… particularly powerful," Jinn observed, echoing Lyra's earlier explanations about power manifestation.
Kael snorted softly. "That's the funny thing about bloodlines, even Royal ones. While Royalty are almost guaranteed an ability, it doesn't mean it'll be a strong, pure manifestation of their ancestral power. Theron's family is known for an Aether Bloodline—pure energy manipulation. But he only managed to awaken a weak form of energy manipulation, mostly just static shocks and minor pushes. His companions are similar; they have very minor, almost negligible abilities."
"They still think they're better than everyone else, though," Kael added, watching Theron bump into a nervous-looking Commoner, offering no apology. "They'll probably still get decent scores on the physical challenge, just based on their superior physical conditioning as Aethel, but they won't be top-tier for actual power."
A booming voice from the central platform signaled the start of the Written Examination. "Alright, Aethel! Take your seats! You have one hour!"
The hall transformed into a scene of focused scribbling. Jinn watched, a strange mix of curiosity and detachment. He knew he was already beyond this initial test; his "awakening" had been far more dramatic than anything these students would experience here. Lyra's words echoed in his mind: "This isn't a game… You're still just a kid from Earth, running on luck." He had much more to learn.
Hours later, the written exam concluded, and the hall began to reconfigure for the Survival Instinct Challenge. Holographic maps of diverse terrains flickered to life across large screens, displaying various "monster zones" and point allocations. Jinn noted the names of some of the legendary creatures: Stone Golems (low points), Wind Hounds (medium), Shadow Stalkers (high), and even Miniature Krakens (very high points, likely for those who awaken truly rare powers).
A large digital board flashed, assigning teams. Jinn scanned it, feeling a jolt when he saw his own name.
Group 37:
* Jinn Alaric
* Ren Tachibana (Upper Class)
* Sora Maeda (Commoner)
Jinn's brow furrowed. He was paired with two people he didn't know. A sense of nervous anticipation mingled with a rare flicker of excitement. This was it. His first real test in this new world, with new allies. Whether they would be friends or simply teammates, he couldn't say. But the game, it seemed, was truly on.