The sun rose, dispersing the darkness of the night, heralding a new day. But this day was special, for it was the day of entering the Heart Academy, a day that many children and ordinary people dreamed of to change their destiny and reach high ranks.
However, the path was not easy; out of a thousand people, only ten would qualify, after passing a series of tests. The first test was to demonstrate their fundamentals in weapon use, followed by a written test. These tests might seem simple at first glance, but in reality, they were extremely difficult; knowledge was dominated by the nobles and their skills. Even if one trained with a sword for years, the absence of a mentor could lead to fatal mistakes in stances and movements. Therefore, only the talented, capable of identifying and correcting their own mistakes, would succeed.
The city of Heart that morning was pulsing with life like never before; the fear once sown by Ares during his shadow massacres had vanished, replaced by a noise reflecting hope and anticipation. Vendors shouted at the top of their lungs, promoting their colorful goods, while the aroma of various foods—from fresh bread to roasted meat and pungent spices—spread through the air, mingling with the smoke of torches and the sounds of hammers from workshops.
Mercenaries walked forward with confident steps, their sharp faces revealing that they had fought dozens of battles, while soldiers were spread through alleys and squares to organize the crowds and maintain order.
The flowing crowd of young men and women was a mesmerizing sight; excited faces and eyes sparkling with ambition, clean and tidy clothes emitting the scent of soap and fresh fabrics. Hesitant laughter and whispers mixed with fear and curiosity, hearts beating like war drums, announcing the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.
Among this crowd was a young man with gray hair and purple eyes, a small vertical scar at the corner of his mouth adding a mysterious aura to his features. He wore a white shirt that revealed his toned muscles, black trousers, and polished leather shoes. He walked calmly, one hand in his pocket, his steps balanced like someone who cared little for the chaos around him. This was Ares.
He muttered to himself:
"Hah… the same scenes from my previous life…"
He remembered that in his previous life, when he first entered, he had the same expression filled with expectation and hope.
He continued muttering to himself as he moved forward:
"They haven't changed… but I am no longer as I was."
Crowds of youth from Heart City and various parts of the Solar Empire and human kingdoms poured in. As for the non-human Alliance states—the elves, dwarves, and demi-humans—the best representatives from their lands had been selected and sent along with the noble children. Naturally, those of royal blood were not sent, though next year, the elven princess would personally come.
When everyone entered the academy courtyard, the scene was enchanting; tall trees scattered at the edges, flowerbeds spreading their fragrance into the air, while a stone fountain sparkled under the sunlight. Birds perched on branches, chirping soft tunes that seemed to welcome the newcomers.
Then the students were distributed into wide halls; the main hall could accommodate a hundred students at once. Its high walls held glowing torches, and the polished white marble floor reflected the light. Wooden desks were arranged neatly, and the smell of fresh paper and ink filled the place, giving those who entered a feeling of awe mixed with excitement.
The exam proctor entered quickly, his steps heavy and confident, his voice deep and clear:
"Quiet!"
It was clear that he was a knight, at least a four-star one. His voice filled the hall without any megaphone; he spoke naturally. Everyone fell silent, their eyes fixed on him.
The proctor was a tall man, imposing in presence, wearing a dark robe decorated with fine golden lines that shimmered under the torchlight. His face concealed many expressions but exuded strength and authority.
He continued:
"First: I will not say kind words, because at least fifty of you will be eliminated. Second: Cheating is forbidden; anyone caught will lose their chance."
His face remained calm while the students' faces turned pale and angry at the indifferent manner of the proctor. He raised a signal to his assistant to distribute the test papers.
When Ares took the test paper and read its contents, he slightly raised his lips:
"Same as before…"
---
Heart Academy – Written Entrance Exam
Batch: New Applicants
Time Allowed: 2 hours
Full Marks: 100 points
Instructions:
1. Answer all questions with clear and concise responses where needed, and detailed explanations where requested.
2. Demonstrate a deep understanding of history, strategies, races, philosophy, and combat.
Questions
Question 1 – History (10 points)
Briefly explain how the "Dark Heart" war ended a hundred years ago, and what role the Solar Empire played in it?
Question 2 – Military Strategies (10 points)
If you found yourself as the leader of a small group trapped in a narrow valley against a larger army, which plan would you adopt to minimize losses and achieve victory? Explain your answer.
Question 3 – Races and Alliances (10 points)
Elves are known for their natural magic skills, and dwarves for their craftsmanship. Explain how an army could benefit from this synergy in battle.
Question 4 – Combat Physics (10 points)
Why is it preferable to strike an armored opponent with a sword from bottom to top? Explain with a practical example.
Question 5 – Military History (10 points)
Who was the first leader to unify the human kingdoms, and what was his distinctive weapon?
Question 6 – Philosophy (10 points)
"Power without wisdom is a path to ruin." Discuss this saying briefly, providing a historical or legendary example.
Question 7 – Ethics and Power (10 points)
In your opinion, which is more dangerous for a nation: a powerful sorcerer without moral discipline, or a weak but just leader? Explain your answer.
Question 8 – Free Combat (10 points)
How would you defeat a physically stronger opponent in a direct confrontation without using magic? Provide at least one practical example.
Question 9 – Endurance and Discipline (10 points)
Write a brief description of how you would manage your energy in a fight lasting a full hour, considering food, breathing, and body movement.
Question 10 – Advanced Tactics (10 points)
You face a fully armored opponent, wielding a heavy sword with armor covering him from head to toe. In the battlefield, you only have your regular sword and a small shield, and no additional weapons or tools are allowed.
What is the most precise strategy to defeat him with minimal effort?
No one had started writing when the proctor spoke quietly.
"Where does the first test begin?"
But no one rushed; the young men and women sat on their polished wooden benches, some breathing rapidly while their faces flushed with fear and anticipation. Their fingers trembled slightly as they held their pens, the air in the hall filled with the scent of fresh paper and ink, and the warmth of the torches reflected a faint light on their faces full of anxiety and excitement.
Some glanced around, trying to read their peers' expressions, while others whispered confused words, exchanging questions or seeking reassurance. Ares sat calmly, his breathing steady, his eyes moving quickly across the lines, following the exam's details with a critical gaze. He knew every answer, and every question he read was accompanied by the sound of the pen and the spreading scent of ink.
One child pressed his lips tightly, tense at the thought of being eliminated, while another young man sat slightly reclined, trying to calm his nerves through logical thinking, yet his palms were sweaty. Some children raised their heads to glance at the exam proctor, but his calm features and total control made any attempt at cheating impossible, and the silence in the hall weighed heavily on the atmosphere.
Some fidgeted, shaking their legs under the table or taking deep breaths to ease tension, while others began writing very cautiously, each pen stroke producing a faint sound mingling with the rapid heartbeat. Various scents—the children's perfume, cold sweat, and the coffee some had drunk to wake themselves—blended with the smell of ink and paper, creating a feeling that the entire hall was on the verge of exploding between focus and dread.
In a corner, a small child accidentally dropped his paper, freezing the sounds for a few seconds before picking it up quickly, while the exam proctor watched the situation with sharp eyes. He gave no reaction, but the children's sense of strict surveillance made every breath pause for a moment, as if a mere glance from him could end any student's chance.
Ares continued writing his answers smoothly, his fingers moving gracefully across the paper, a faint smile barely visible reflecting his absolute confidence. Every answer was correct and detailed. Everyone noticed that Ares was fast in writing his responses; some thought he was showing off, while others realized he possessed essential knowledge.
Ares' answers to the exam were as follows:
Question 1: The "Dark Heart" war ended due to the strategic siege of the Night Clan's capital, and the Solar Empire's role was to unite the human armies and provide strategic plans and trained knights.
Question 2: Use the terrain to control passages, deploy troops in gradual layers for safe retreat, exploit surprises and traps to confuse the enemy, then coordinate attacks on the flanks.
Question 3: Utilize elves in scouting and long-range magical attacks, and dwarves in providing equipment, armor, and enhanced weapons for a balanced army.
Question 4: Striking from bottom to top targets armor gaps at joints and the neck. Example: hitting the enemy's arm or knee joint to break their balance.
Question 5: Emperor Eldiran, the unifier of the human kingdoms, wielded the dual-axe "Sun of War" as his distinctive weapon.
Question 6: Power without wisdom leads to ruin; example: King Drafos, who used his army recklessly, causing the downfall of his kingdom. Wisdom determines when and how power should be used.
Question 7: The most dangerous to a nation is a powerful sorcerer without ethics, because their immense power can destroy the nation quickly, while a weak but just leader's shortcomings can be compensated through planning and alliances.
Question 8: Exploit speed and the opponent's weak points such as joints and legs; example: push an armored warrior toward a wall and strike the knee to break balance and gain control of the fight.
Question 9: Manage energy by dividing the fight into short periods, maintain regular breathing, use economical movements to avoid fatigue, eat high-energy food, drink water, and focus on precise strikes for maximum efficiency.
Question 10: Exhaust the opponent by moving quickly around him, exploit rotation gaps and raise your sword, attack legs and shoulders, step back before a counterattack, and deliver a decisive strike to a joint or knee to bring him down.
With every answer, the expressions of the youth changed; some raised their eyebrows and opened their mouths in astonishment, while others felt a mix of fear and respect. The exam proctor observed every movement, his eyes scanning the students and their papers, but he silently noted that no one approached Ares' level, as if the entire hall had paused for a moment witnessing unparalleled genius.
Ares finished writing the last answer, raised his head calmly, his purple eyes scanning all the surrounding students, who felt as though a monster was looking directly into their souls. A few young men and women shivered, which the proctor noticed, raising his evaluation of Ares.
Ares raised his hand and spoke:
"I'm done, may I leave?"
The proctor nodded, and Ares submitted his paper and exited, while the students who had thought he was showing off felt fear from his gaze and buried their heads in their papers.
Ares placed the exam paper on the proctor's desk, and as he was about to leave, he felt someone watching him from behind. When he turned, he saw twins, a boy and a girl, almost identical with their striking fiery red hair and orange eyes, staring at him.
Ares smiled slightly and left.
The twins looked at each other, and the fear in their eyes shifted slightly to admiration.
"Monster."
"Monster."
This word described Ares. They all possessed a strange ability called "Creature Projection Sight."
And Ares' projection was a demon with four grotesque faces and eight arms, each holding a weapon, with blood-red skin, surrounded by a sea of blood and corpses.
They described him as a demon, but he was Ashura, the war ruler, in Ares' previous life.
Even the proctor's projection was not frightening—it was a three-eyed eagle, a normal sight compared to the terrifying Ares.
The twins raised Ares' status in their minds, as their fear slightly turned to admiration. Their minds worked strangely. The proctor noticed this movement but did not know that the twins had elevated Ares' status more than he did because he was unaware of their ability.
The proctor approached Ares' paper and read it; his pupils widened. At first, he thought Ares was exaggerating in writing, but now his opinion changed, because every answer was complete.
"Genius."
Ares walked down the corridor, hands in his pockets, his footsteps clear.
"I didn't expect the twins to approach so quickly."
They were two of the true sword prodigies, with the strange ability of "Living Creature Projection Sight."
Ares looked from the corridor to the courtyard in front of the academy.
"The phoenix egg must be there by now, on the academy tree."
Ares muttered to himself, recalling his previous life, when he saw his classmate with a phoenix, and how she found an egg. He still found it illogical: a noble phoenix living in the spirit world and one of its rulers comes here to lay its egg in Heart Academy, leaving it in the human world.
It was as strange as hearing that a red dragon distributes its treasures.
---
Arc Two in Heart Academy
In this arc, the area will expand further, and more characters will appear.
I hope you enjoy it .