"And what about the Exam?" Aron questioned, changing the subject.
"I did some studying." Ryan said, raising his voice. "On the so-called exam of the greatest university in the world." He tossed a folder onto the table in front of him. "I imagine you will offer me some support."
"Of course." Aron then said calmly. "After all, I never said we would play fair. We are a mafia, not some shit military outfit or bourgeois club." He cleared his throat before continuing:
"From here on out, this information is classified. After all, this exam is not the kind designed for you to pass, they want you to fail, no matter what." He then paused, grabbing some papers. "First and foremost, the special admission exam is divided into two main stages: the general aptitude stage and the cultural aptitude stage."
"You call them stages... I imagine each one includes multiple tests." Ryan followed the cues in Aron's voice.
"Precisely." Aron then continued. "The first stage consists of five tests: the first, a general exam covering all common academic content of high school education. The second, a foreign language exam, of your choosing, at a fluent level. The third, a practical exam on technical knowledge, also of your choosing..." Ryan suddenly cleared his throat.
"What is a practical exam on technical knowledge?" He questioned, to which Aron promptly replied.
"You do not need a college degree to learn how to code, or to become an electrician, or even a mechanic. Technical knowledge sits above high school but below a university degree. That is what they will require of you." Ryan felt enlightened and quickly let him continue.
"The fourth and fifth tests are simple physical and mental aptitude tests. They will assess whether your body is healthy and at a satisfactory level. Certainly, they will test how many digits of Pi you can memorize, as well as checking the maximum weight you can lift. But without a doubt, the worst test will be the endurance one, where they will measure how long you can swim or run without stopping, at progressively higher speeds."
Aron then cleared his throat and added: "The first stage could be called the individualist stage. Here everything depends on you." Aron then shifted his tone to something more imposing. "The second stage, however, will pit you directly against other people. And this time there are only three tests."
Aron took a deep breath before saying: "Choose an elite game, Ryan, and a sport. The more popular the choice, the higher your final score." Ryan sighed, throwing himself back against the couch.
"I am going to have to compete against someone, aren't I." Ryan said with a headache.
"You are. Against a Grandmaster or equivalent. Your opponent's title will vary depending on the sport or game, of course. But regardless, they will be a dominant professional in their respective field. Whom you will have to defeat."
"Okay." Ryan said, shielding his eyes from the light. "And the last one must be an interview."
"You are no country bumpkin, that is the easy part." Aron said in a heavy tone. "What matters is surviving what comes before it. Needless to say, I will cheat as much as I possibly can in your favor, which will not amount to much since they have a solid security team and very thick vaults. Either way, you need a strategy, since it is impossible to fulfill all these requirements honestly."
Aron then straightened his posture and said soberly: "This exam, Ryan, just so we are perfectly clear, was never designed for anyone to ever pass." Aron laughed softly. "When the founders created the special exam, they sent a message to all of humanity. They said that the only thing that separates mankind is the dedication and effort of each person on their own journey toward enlightenment and that we must all be enlightened to contribute to the glorious human evolution."
Aron put a smile on his face. "Since then, the special admission exam has allowed anyone dedicated enough to become part of the apex of society, without even needing to pay the steep fees or present noble credentials or otherwise. The exam itself is proof that you are noble and worthy, an Enlightened, and this title comes with numerous benefits."
He then continued: "That same year thousands upon thousands attempted the exam, but only one girl passed. Needless to say, she made headlines in every newspaper. But even more than that, she became almost a mystical figure in people's minds. She was an Enlightened One in the flesh... Since then, every few years someone passes and becomes news."
"If you are telling me all of this." Ryan said suddenly. "It is because it is a lie." Aron broke into a wild laugh.
"You're too smart, that's not even funny." Aron said smilling. "That girl, the first one to pass the exam, was a princess. That was common knowledge, of course... but not everything was known." Aron laughed then said even more:
"All the others who passed the exam in the years that followed were royalty, without a single exception. We investigated and it was not difficult to find out. They officially passed the exam, but in truth... they never took a single test. They were approved immediately. After all, they are of royal blood. We, as a society, aspire to be like them! Kings are the Enlightened Ones! Their children carry the blood of the Enlightened and are therefore Enlightened themselves! How could they possibly fail what we aspire to become?!"
Ryan held back a laugh. "So that whole story about effort and dedication is just another lie. No one has ever passed the exam. Except for royalty, who are immediatetly approved."
"Exactly!" Aron shouted. "No amount of effort or dedication will ever get you through that exam. But it serves as a provocation. It serves to say that no one will ever be enough, that royalty is the superior version of all of us, while everyone else is inferior to them. They made all of that just to say that we must accept royalty as our superiors."
Ryan swallowed hard. "It doesn't mean, that what we are doing... is basically a form of blasphemy, then?"
"In a way, yes." Aron said. "We are going to slap them across the face, even if that is not our main objective."
"Would it not be easier to prepare for the general exam." Ryan questioned. "At least it would be less... bold."
"It would indeed." Aron agreed. "But it would also not draw the kind of attention I am looking for. You would be special outside the University, but inside it, just another student. We are going to make use of all the attention you will create by doing the special exam."
"..." Ryan listened in silence, to which Aron then said:
"We also know other things." His voice turned cautious. "We know the hidden schedules of certain people, and having you inside there as soon as possible is in our interest. I cannot say much about it yet... But we also want to take part in a certain tug of war..."
"What do you mean by that?!" Ryan asked, alarmed.
Aron breathed deeply and swallowed before continuing, ignoring Ryan: "I recommend you choose dueling as your sport test. It has been a rising sport. For some reason, society has been taking a liking to high-contact sports lately. Defeating a duel will earn you considerable merit. Likewise, 5D Chess has been of great interest to high society."
He then lowered his head: "I will send all available information before the day of the test. Beyond that, I wish you luck, Ryan. This time around you are going to need it."
Ryan clicked his tongue. "I will find a way through this, one way or another..." He then paused before speaking coldly. "Just make sure they do not go back on their word when I pass every single one of those impossible tests, even if I am an inferior being."
Aron nodded. "Leave that to me."
With nothing more to say.
They hung up.