783 Test 1 (2/2)
”Got it! Be there in a moment.” Once he was slightly more awake, he quickly got out of bed and drew the curtains with a whoosh. The sun was already out outside, and he could vaguely see the entire Blackboard Academy -- several buildings shaped like black boards -- through the many trees.
”I remember Instructor Hamm mentioned that the simulation test today officially checks how we practically control the Mech's regenerative abilities. If all goes well, I should be able to participate in the class ranking competition.” Garen recalled the information he got from before.
The bell rang again, and he walked over to open the door. Aier dashed in like a bullet.
”Hurry up! If we don't go early, there will be a line until lunch. More than half the school is taking the simulation test at the seventh arena today.” Aier's hair was plaited, his originally brown hair almost exceeding his chin, just like a girl. It was slightly better and neater than when he would randomly put some braids in his hair, Garen still did not know how he did that.
”What's up with your hair?” Garen glanced at him. He walked to the washroom and began to wash up.
”My older sister did it for me, don't blame me…” Aier said in frustration, yanking at his plait, his expression helpless. ”Hurry up, why don't you, I bet the instructors are already at the arena. Students from other schools and going through the test over at our school, they've taken up most of the arena, so it's seriously nervous in there.”
”Got it.” Garen smiled, and hurried up.
After cleaning up quickly, the two of them took their stationary and rushed towards the seventh arena.
There were in fact a lot more students between the buildings suddenly. Other than their own white uniforms with blue stripes, there were also pure red uniforms and black-and-white ones. Evidently, the students from the other schools had arrived.
They reached the arena quickly, but there were already many people lined up around the door. Aier dragged Garen in through the side door, where Instructor Hamm and the others were already waiting.
Mina was there too, as well as a few other students who were also taking the test. One of the boys had white hair and a cold expression, giving off a very distant vibe.
”Just in time.” Hamm smiled as he walked towards them. ”How is it? How are you healing?”
”Very well,” Garen nodded and replied politely, smiling. This Instructor Hamm had taken money out of his own wallet to pay the surgery fees, he truly was a good guy.
Hamm nodded. ”There are five people taking the test today, the first in ranking is Fervale, no one's arguing that, and the second place has been decided as well. Third place is between you and Cole. So on one hand we're testing how well you're recovering today, but we're also deciding who's coming in third.”
”My injuries might not be fully recovered yet…” Garen looked somewhat troubled, he did not really want to join any class ranking competition, he'd rather use this time to study how he should be training himself.
”You'd be representing the class in a competition for all the students in the entire year, everyone in the top ten will be awarded at least ten thousand Universal Units,” Aier reminded him quietly.
”Although I'm not fully recovered yet, but for the sake of the class's honor, I will do my best!” Garen said loudly, thumping his chest.
Beside him, Aier held his face and turned away.
I really need money right now, I'm totally broke.
Garen was completely honest with himself, and did not blush or intend to change his mind at all. Instead, he stood next to Instructor Hamm with a calm expression, shoulder-to-shoulder with the white-haired young man, Fervale.
Thankfully only he could hear Aier's voice, so the students did not look at him strangely.
Instructor Hamm patted Garen's shoulder hard, looking comforted.
”I wasn't wrong about you! Good luck!”
”Mm!”
To Garen, this was merely a trifling matter. Back when he was in the Secret Technique World, he already had no qualms in the bullying the weak from a position of strength, remember how Duskdune Shura was chased away by him?
They waited with Instructor Hamm beside the arena for a while, and soon enough a protective barrier rose around the arena soundlessly.
”Fervale, you go first.” Hamm looked at the white-haired boy.
”No problem.” Fervale had no expression at all, he looked very reliable. He walked towards the arena entrance on the right, there was a grey warehouse attached to the back of a black board building.
Not long after he went in, there was the buzz of an engine from the arena.
A pure white humanoid Mech walked out of the warehouse entrance. It was six feet tall, and had sharp scythes on its arms like a mantis. It looked slightly similar to the dual-blade Mech Garen had fought, but it did not have the blue flame propeller on its back.
'Let the first round of the simulation tests, begin,' a sweet robotic female voice spoke.
After two crisp whooshing sounds, the white Mech's two scythes abruptly sliced towards both sides, and the entire machine began to dash forward. The blades swept back and forth, waving left and right, slicing through the air crisply.
It looked more like a living person than a Mech, when it raised its dual blades and used those blade techniques, it looked unnaturally alive.
”Fervale's Mech is overall rated at Upper Level 1, he's achieved the Level 1 standard in most of his subjects, and has a very balanced skillset.” Instructor Hamm nodded, satisfied. ”Add that to his own close combat training, which makes him more mobile and slightly faster than others, and that means trouble for his opponent once he gets close.
The students around him could not help but nod upon hearing that.
The blonde girl in second place, Sara, spoke as well.
”None of us have any objections to Fervale being first place considering his techniques, this test is just a formality. If nothing unexpected happens to Nonosiva, the three of us will be representing our class.”
The others had no objections either. There were more than fifty people in the class, and the first three had been tried and tested against them all, most of the classmates had fought the top three before.
Compared to the top three, it would be considered impressive for the others to have one or two subjects at Level 1, after all they had only been studying for one year. All subjects at the Level 1 standard was already the minimum requirement for graduation, it was about the same as a practical entry-level Mech pilot, the only difference being actual experience.
To normal students, this was the difference between heaven and earth.