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"What do you all think of this year's applicants? they kinda look weak compared to previous years."
"Yeah, but I see some faces I recognize."
"Most members of the top ten families are participating as well!"
"They changed the examination this year? This is going to be interesting!"
There were a lot of thoughts on this year's exams. A lot of eyes were on the applicants as well. Whether in viewing centers or at home, even in the academy, the whole Aetherion had their eyes on the entrance exam.
Though Moonlight Army Academy was only a GMA(General Military Academy), it was still considered one of the strongest among the GMA's, with students as strong as those in the HCCA's(High Class Combat Academies)
Due to that, a lot of eyes were usually on the entrance exams, in hopes of scouting out talented individuals, so that when they do graduate, they could join their respective families.
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The students meanwhile, not knowing the attention they had garnered, gathered in the large hall. Their eyes fixed on the glowing machine in the center of the room.
Sergeant Harrison then began explaining the rules of the strength test. Each student would have to go up the stage and punch the machine with all their might. The stronger the power behind the punch, the brighter the glow of the machine will be.
"The machine will measure your strength, each test will be testing your capabilities and the result will determine your starting rank in the academy." He said as he pulled out a cigarette, "Though this ranking doesn't matter when it comes to you graduating, it serves as a hierarchy between the stronger students." The sergeant added coldly as he lit the cigarette and placed it in his mouth.
Before he could continue, an applicant raised his hand, and Harrison signalled with his hand permitting him to speak.
"Are we permitted to use our Specialties for this exam?"
Harrison nodded his head, "That is a good question. While this exam is mainly focused on your physical capabilities, your specialties each play a special role in those physical aspects. We would also love to see the strength of each specialty, so yes. You are permitted to use your specialties."
Excited murmurs began echoing in the crowd. With this information, many who thought they didn't have a chance, suddenly had a boost in their confidence.
"Well!" Harrison stated, silencing the applicants, " now that we are done with the explanations, let the first exam begin!" He waved, signalling the start of the exam.
One by one, the students stepped forward, each with their own unique specialty. Some had elemental specialties ranging from water to wind manipulation. Others had physical abilities, like muscle control, super strength or speed.
A few though had mysterious specialties that seemed to defy logic.
"Holy shit! Isn't that Elara Scarlet." One of the applicants suddenly exclaimed as a tall busty girl with long red hair and piercing red eyes walked towards the machine. Her figure had curves in all the right places and her confident stride commanded attention.
The hall became more noisy with her sudden entrance.
"When you say Scarlet family, do you mean THAT Scarlet family?"
"Which other Scarlet family is recognized in Aetherion? Of course it is the Scarlet family, the one that is part of the top ten!"
'Hmmm! Now I see why she got so much attention!' Aria nodded his head in satisfaction upon hearing the applicants gossip. But now, what he really wanted to see, was how strong she was. How would he fare against her if they ever fought. Those were the thoughts that kept popping up.
The girl in question, slowly cut her palm with her nail, and the blood that came out began glowing as it immediately engulfed her fist. She then twisted her waist slightly, before throwing a quick punch on the machines center. A crimson light engulfed the room, making the applicants go crazy with excitement.
"That was crazy! That's the brightest I've seen throughout today!"
Elara smiled to herself, perhaps happy with the result, as she turned and headed down the stage. Before she could even join the applicants though, another figure walked up the stage.
His black hair seemed to match the darkness of the hall as he walked towards the machine. As he walked past Elara, a smile crept onto his face. The temperature in the room started to increase.
His once black hair changed into a bright orange color. His eyes glowed intensely as his arm engulfed in flames. His arm whipped forward, like a bullet, before hitting the machine. The flames on his arm scattered in the surface of the machine causing it to glow a bright orange color, matching Elara's.
Aria squinted his eyes slightly. More big names kept popping up. It wasn't as if he was worried about how he would fare, he was worried about how the other exams were going to be, and if they would face off at all.
"Shit! That was the Pyrox family ability right?"
"Yeah! All the big names keep popping up on by one! I don't expect the Pyrox family to be in our mist though."
After the flame user walked down the stage though. Every other applicant seemed hesitant to do theirs. Maybe they were anxious, and thought they wouldn't match the two who had displayed their raw strength
"Will you fools hurry up and get this over with!" Harrison's voice suddenly boomed out. "I didn't tell you this before, but there is a timer! Those of you who don't participate before the timer runs out will have failed the exam. Is that Clear!"
Immediately he finished speaking, a loud boom resonated in the hall, and a soft ethereal light engulfed the room. All heads turned to the machine, to find a quiet looking guy with short golden hair standing in front of the machine.
He shook his fist slightly, before walking down the stage as quietly as he went up. No one had even noticed when he climbed on the stage, until they heard the sound.
"Sigh! And now another one has popped up!" An applicant whispered
"Did you just say sigh.... As a word?" His neighbor looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Did any of you notice when he got up there?"
The applicants beside him all nodded their heads.
The exams soon continued, this time the applicants were more confident and hurried after hearing about the timer. Some students struggled to make any impact at all, their punches barely registering on the machine.
Others seemed to effortlessly brighten the room. Though not on the level as the three who were the most noticeable, it was still worth something.
'I guess it's time I go up there!" Aria sighed, as he slowly made his way towards the stage. It was time for him to partake in the strength test.
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