Chapter 28: Duel to enter

"Welcome to the Academy aspiring students" He started off.

"My name is Adolfo Emberfall your test examiner"

His husky baritone voice sounded very pleasant to the ears as he continued speaking.

"The moment you all entered the first room means the entrance exam has already begun. I am certain that some of you have noticed that"

He said while his thin round glasses reflected the light on the ceiling.

"For this stage of the exam, you are all tasked to fight amongst yourselves and through each match we will decide the winner, the results shall be added to your score, which will be revealed at the end of the exam"

Whispers began to fill the vast room however Apollo's eyes and ears were glued to something.

[Notification Alert!

The space and time around the amphitheatre has shifted!

A time acceleration spell has been cast

Creator is advised to be cautious!]

This made Apollo happy and immediately began studying the spell through Jeremiah.

And so while he basked himself in the mysterious magic of time the stage began to be covered with a barrier to protect those who will watch.

Spells from different elements were cast however the boy's attention remained on the magic surrounding the amphitheater. Time magic was a complicated branch of void magic and Apollo hadn't perfected his skills in terms of it.

However, his euphoria ended when one of the names he read inside the files was called.

"Next Niko Fernandez and Samuel Lucas" the examiner called and Apollo immediately regained his focus in front.

[Stats

Name:Niko Fernandez

Status: Nervous

Occupation: Paladin of the Goddes of time

Rank: Apprentice

Level: 10

Strength: 36

Agility: 30

Dexterity: 37

Endurance: 36

Stamina: 37

Intelligence: 37

Mana: 37

Ki: 30

Mana regeneration: 5 per minute

Ki regeneration: 3 per minute

Vitality: 100

Skill/ABILITIES

Keeper's warcraft blade(Rank A) {Passive} - A type of swordsmanship that showcases the power gifted by the time goddess.

Time sword (Rank A){Active} - A gift bestowed by the time goddess to the protector of her chosen child.

Ability to cut through someone's time, resulting in a decrease in their life span.

Keeper of the time saint (Rank A) {Active} - A shield that can accelerate or slow the time and space of any physical or spiritual attacks.]

"Not bad however" he looked at his opponent who was at level 16 and couldn't help but shake his head.

"The gap between their attributes is too wide"

"SWOOSH!"

Wind suddenly hustled and Apollo was surprised. In terms of attributes, Niko would lose but in terms of experience and skills.

"BOOM!"

Another fireball landed on the ground and Niko successfully read his opponent's attacks.

"Skill and ability wise this guy is far above"

Samuel became irritated with his constant failure to hit his opponent. His attacks started to be fiery and aggressive making it readable but dangerous.

Soon with the barrage of spells, Niko's movements began to flatter signifying his weakening stamina. He tried to approach but the rain of fire spells prevented him from getting closer. Niko regulated his breathing trying to maximize his limited energy.

Apollo closes his eyes knowing what comes next and soon the sound of someone falling can be heard. A fireball slipped through Niko's defense and directly smashed itself on his chest.

The boy clenched his teeth he was so close to the range of his wooden sword just one swing and he could win but a fireball hit him before he could even strike.

"Winner Samuel!" the examiner's voice rang however the victor, Samuel wasn't quite satisfied with his victory. He wasn't satisfied that he almost got defeated by an individual way weaker than him. To quench the humiliation he suddenly dashed forward to the injured Niko using an artifact he was forbidden to use.

A staff wielding a level 5 spell was taken out, it glows crimson signifying that the spell was a fire element. If Niko were to get hit by this, his body would be scorched completely.

Apollo felt pity towards Samuel his image quite resemblance his brother.

"How foolish" Before the spell could even be released a force suddenly flung Samuel out of the stage, sending the boy to the back of the seats.

"The match already ended so I suggest you stop" Adolfo merely said as he raked his pure black hair. His sudden movement made his shoulder-length hair messy.

"I hate unruly kids" he mumbled then he flicked his finger making Samuel's body appear on the stage again.

"Someone get this thing out of here," he said loudly as if Samuel was a mere trash he needed to throw.

Hurriedly the Academy staff rush forward taking the poor boy out of the stage.

"Niko was it?..you may go to the next door" Adolfo said urging the boy to enter the door.

Happily, the boy nodded but before he entered the door he took one last glance towards a certain someone among the crowd of people, a girl to be exact.

His subtle glance was caught by Apollo and curiously he looked at the direction he was looking at.

"Another one from the list"

In the sea of people, a petite girl with purple hair and sapphire eyes can be seen watching the match nervously.

[Stats

Name: Agnes Von Elysium

Status: Nervous

Occupation: Saint of the Goddes of time

Rank: Apprentice

Level: 9

Strength: 20

Agility: 26

Dexterity: 37

Endurance: 18

Stamina: 19

Intelligence: 34

Mana: 34

Ki: 27

Mana regeneration: 3 per minute

Ki regeneration: 2 per minute

Vitality: 100

Skill/ABILITIES

Magic Nova (Rank???) {Passive}- A hereditary trait of the Elysium household.

•Can hold a vast amount of mana

•Turn ki into mana

•A massive amount of mana sealed and only accessible once reach adulthood

Mind of a Witch (Rank D) {Passive} - Knowledge about spells and magic.

[Authority of the goddess of time (Rank??) {Active}] -Locked! Practitioner rank is required!-

Time manipulator (Rank???) {Active} - Partially accessible due to the favorability of the goddess time. Ability to manipulate the time in a short period of time.]

Apollo doesn't know whether to laugh or cry with their stats. It was amazing at the same time disappointing, Apollo suddenly felt that he should help them cultivate their skills and abilities.

[Is that a genuine feeling or do you just want to study them]

Jeremiah said when he heard Apollo's thoughts.

"Both I guess....hoo...." He breathed, and for a moment all sorts of plans popped into his head, he even thought of giving them a doomsday as a means of protection.

"Calm down those are the only two, you have to wait for the thirteen more students," he said to himself.

Unknowingly he began to think of the things he should do to help his future classmate but a voice destroyed all his daydreaming.

"Apollo Lionheart and Edmond Williams!"

Apollo snapped out of his thoughts and went to the stage where he saw a boy who strangely resembled someone

"Williams?... I see"

Apollo smiled softly as he realized who the boy was.

"It's Edgar's younger brother"

"You two may start now"

With Adolfo's neutral voice announcing the start of the match. Edmond immediately lunges forward, Apollo frowns when he sees how his opponent's sword changes direction executing a strike from below.

It was very fast considering his stats, which means that his mastery of the technique was better than his brother's.

The wooden sword in his hand reaches Apollo's stomach however it stops midway.

"CLAP!"

Apollo put his hand together and produced a sharp percussive noise, a crisp sound can be heard along with the sound of a falling body.

"THUD!"

Edmond's body falls head first on the stage, the sound of it made everyone surprise.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know I only saw someone fall"

Different theories were laid out since they couldn't believe someone could be defeated with just a mere clap.

"Match ends victor Apollo!" The examiner announced, he then beckoned the boy to go through the door.

"That was a superb spell young Lionheart" he added before letting him go.

Apollo just nodded however as he walked passed the professor he caught a glimpse of blood dripping from his ears. It wasn't really noticeable due to the examiner's hair but since Apollo was close to him he was able to notice it.

"It seems like I overdid it" the boy had thought as he walked through the door.

At first, Apollo wanted to show off some of his prized lightning spells but as the match started he felt it was unnecessary.

"What he received is enough I suppose"

Passing through the door a place similar to a maze appeared before him.

"Kill as many golems as you can, each rank of golem corresponds to the points allotted to them"

Then the screen shows different types of golem however a type of golem attracted his attention.

"A mechanical golem" Apollo smirked as he saw a familiar creation of the tower mages.

A body made of metal while the structure was highly similar to a normal stone golem.

"You may first sit here until the other examinees arrive"

Gladly Apollo nodded his head and went into the waiting area