Chapter 53: Entry Exams and Extraordinary Awakenings
The examination hall buzzed with nervous energy. A crowd of nearly 1,000 hopefuls filled the massive white chamber of the Academy's East Wing, each one clutching either a recommendation letter or, more often, nothing but hope and delusion.
The Academy instructors—sharp-eyed women dressed in black military uniforms—looked ready to weed out the unworthy. At the far end of the room stood a massive gate that would scan and assess each student's age, potential, and number of awakened abilities.
"Only ages 15 to 18 allowed! Anyone caught faking their age will be disqualified!" barked Instructor Qian, glaring across the sea of hopefuls.
Still, a nervous boy with baby-smooth cheeks and a short frame whispered to his friend, "I told them I'm 15, but I'm actually 12… I even shaved my nonexistent beard."
Another girl behind him rolled her eyes. "I told them I'm 16, but I'm 22. If anyone asks, I just age well!"
Several students tried to look mature—one had even drawn on a mustache with eyeliner, which was already smudging in the heat. Another student brought a fake ID printed with "Certified 17-Year-Old" in Comic Sans font.
The instructors weren't impressed.
"Next batch, Numbers 783 to 809, step forward!" Instructor Qian shouted.
That was Yue and her gang, along with the other Sujin kids.
Unlike the others, these 27 kids walked forward with calm confidence. They had traveled from a small, forgotten village, but each one glowed with a subtle aura of strength. Even the instructors raised an eyebrow.
As each child stepped into the glowing archway, the system voice rang through the hall.
> "Candidate 783: Lin Yue. Age confirmed: 15. Awakened Abilities: Flight, Strength, Speed. Classification: Tier A – Rare Talent."
A holographic "A" shimmered above her head, glowing brightly.
> "Candidate 784: Mei Qui. Age confirmed: 15. Awakened Abilities: Healing, Speed, Invisibility. Classification: Tier A – Rare Talent."
> "Candidate 785: Shu Fen. Age confirmed: 15. Abilities: Mind Control, Flight, Water. Tier A."
> "Candidate 786: Tao Lin. Strength, Agility, Earth. Tier A."
And so it went, one after another, the entire Sujin squad of 27 registering three awakened abilities each. Their A-rank status caused a ripple of murmurs through the room. Even the instructors looked at each other.
"These… are all from one village?"
"How is that even possible?"
Meanwhile, back in the waiting area, a boy was crying. "I heard a voice in my dream! Why didn't I awaken anything?"
Another girl was hugging a box of crystals. "I ate these for two weeks! They said they'd make me psychic!"
A boy tried to impress the instructors by yelling, "FLY!" and jumping off a bench… only to fall flat on his face.
In the end, only 300 out of 1000 students passed, with most having one or two abilities. The Sujin group stood out as the only ones with full A-tier classification, and rumors of a hidden village of elites quickly spread through the academy.
As Yue stood by her gang, smiling softly, she felt a shift in the air. Eyes turned toward her—not with disdain, but curiosity. The system inside her purred softly.
Ding. Quest: Pass the Academy Entry Exam — Completed
Reward: +5 Stat Points | One Random Stat Unlocked: Charm
Yue blinked as the golden screen popped up before her eyes, visible only to her.
[Host Stats]
Strength: 400
Health: 100
Agility: –
Charm: 50 (New)
Beauty: –
Intelligence: 100
Speed: 300
Stamina: –
Awakened Powers: [Click to Open]
A small sparkle pulsed beside the newly added Charm stat, making her lips twitch in surprise.
"Charm? That better not mean I'm going to attract weirdos..." she muttered under her breath.
Her eyes narrowed at the [Click to Open] next to "Awakened Powers"—the real mystery was still locked away, and she knew this was just the beginning.
> Ding. Quest: Surpass the Expectations. Bonus Rewards Pending.