Chapter 57 - 20

The 15 minutes given to break is up. The manual book given by the academy vibrated and rang indicating that the place for the third exam was available. Ziel immediately headed to the room. There were already many prospective students gathered, but they couldn't enter because the door to the room was still closed. What distinguishes the room in front and the previous 2 rooms is the room in front of them has a large door made of mithril.

(Welcome prospective students. The practice exam which is the final exam will begin. Look at your number in your manual book)

Christof's voice was heard welcoming the prospective students. But the person himself is nowhere to be found.

(This exam will test your best skills, you will fight with yourself inside. What kind of battle will take place inside? It will all depend on you. Presume you are someone who focuses on being a supporter, then you will fight from the point of view that you are a supporter in there.. If you fight with weapons, you can imagine the weapons you are usually using there. The weapon will be formed based on what you think. To pass, you only have to win or survive for 15 minutes. The time scale inside the exam room is 10:1 with the time outside. 15 people will enter at once each turn. With this, the test begins!)

After Christof explained it, the door to the exam room finally opened. But all that was visible inside was complete darkness.

(From number 1 to number 15, you guys please enter)

After Christof spoke the first 15 people immediately entered the room. They disappeared into the darkness and the door of the room closed. Ziel, who was waiting, felt someone's gaze again. He also felt it when he rushed out of the second exam room. He knew who was giving that gaze, but he didn't know the reason because he didn't remember doing anything suspicious. Because of that, he just ignored it like usual.

Suddenly the door of the exam room opened and the 15 people who entered earlier came out breathlessly and looking overwhelmed like they had had a tough fight. Their test only took 1.5 minutes outside. But the truth is 15 minutes inside.

15 other people immediately entered the room, that's how they take turns doing the exam. When Princess Reina had her turn, and she came out not long after entering the exam room. The prospective students were astonished and amazed that she came out with a triumphant face and very steady breathing. It's as the battle she had inside was easy.

Not long after that Ziel's turn arrived, he entered the room with 14 other participants. Once inside, the previously dark room turned bright like a night illuminated by a moon and stars. Currently, Ziel is standing alone in what looks like a colosseum.

Tap...tap...tap...

From the darkness of the colosseum came footsteps approaching him. Little by little the figure became more visible. He is a boy of Ziel's age with short black hair and black eyes that always looks bored. The person in front of him is similar to Ziel. No, rather 'he' is the other him.

(You will fight yourself, win or survive until time runs out. Then the test begins!)

Christof's voice signaled that Ziel's battle with 'himself' had begun. A pitch-black colored sword formed in Ziel's right hand. It was 'zetta' he had used against Ashil and Asbil. And the weapon used by 'his clone' is... Zetta clone. The same sword that he uses.

Both of them disappeared at the same time from where they were. And reappeared in the middle of the Colosseum. They simultaneously slashed the swords in their hands. And the clash that occurred from their slash caused a shockwave to reach the corner of the colosseum. Ziel and 'his clone' punched with their free hands at the same time, the moment their fists met, cracks formed under their feet. After that, they retreated and returned to where they came from.

When they keep their distance from each other. Ziel then charged forward to attack the clone, he did a kick towards the clone's head. But his clone also does the same thing as Ziel. Their kicks clashed in the air. But their fight didn't stop there. They continued to slash their swords at an incredible speed. Slice after slash formed on Ziel and his clone's clothes due to the air blades of their sword slashes.

What Ziel was doing wasn't trying to win, but guiding 'his clone' to do countermeasures whether it's defending or attacking as Ziel wants. That's why to be it counterattack or defensive moves is something that Ziel has predicted without having to hurt each other. For the slash marks on his clothes, it was because he had miscalculated the amount of power he had used. His goal was to make the fight last until the test time was up.

***

In a certain room inside the red tower. Christof and Kalya were standing looking at the screen in front of them. The image on the screen was a black-haired boy holding a pitch-black sword that even absorbed light while clashing swords with 'his clone'.

"What is the meaning of this? Shouldn't a clone of a participant naturally attack to harm the opponent? Why do they look like they are practicing swordsmanship? This is very strange." Christof was confused to see what was happening on the screen.

"The clone is not the problem, the problem is the participant." Kalya who is always silent while supervising the exam is currently speaking normally. Her eyes kept looking at Ziel's fight on the screen.

"What do you mean?" Christof doesn't understand what Kalya is saying. He then saw her asking for an explanation. But Kalya's eyes remained glued to the battle on the screen.

"He guides his clone to counterattack according to his will. So the move his clone made was as he predicted, he didn't predict, but rather he arranged what kind of attacks the clone had to do to withstand the attacks he did. In other words, the clone just follows his beat." Kalya answered Christof without taking her eyes off the screen.

"What!? How is that possible, wasn't this system created by a Sage with the knowledge of a demigod? How could he manage such a thing!?" Christof was shocked and unconsciously shouted at Kayla.

"I don't know..." Kayla answered briefly.

***

Kayla recalled what happened during the second exam. At that time it was Ziel's turn to measure his strength. At first, Kalya just ignored him, but she was reminded by a voice from inside her mind.

(Dangerous! Very, very dangerous!!)

Kalya was shocked to suddenly hear a voice from her mind, it's not that she doesn't know who's talking. But since that creature never spoke frantically like that.

(What's wrong Silphy? Why are you suddenly panic like that?)

She asked the creature that is called Silphy.

The creature who spoke in Kayla's mind was named Silphy, she was a wind spirit. The contracted spirit of Kalya. One of the special things about elves is that besides they are born with large mana and are suitable to be mages. They also have powers apart from mana and aura, that is spiritism. And when they reached a certain stage of spiritism, the elves could contract a spirit that suited them. And the spirit will live in their bodies. The spirit that Kalya contracted was the spirit of the wind. Because the magic she can use is mostly wind elements.

(He is very dangerous Kalya! That boy shouldn't exist in this world!)

Hearing what Silphy said, Kalya's body trembled. She never even spoke like that even if they met a Saint or a Sage. In other words, the boy in front of her had power above that.

(What...are you sure Silphy?)

Kalya asked haltingly, she is still shaken by what Silphy has said. Her originally flat expression now turned gloomy.

(I'm pretty sure, but I don't feel any malice from him. So you don't have to show any hostility. Stay calm, don't let him know you're aware of his existence. Otherwise, this academy will be in danger)

Silphy reminds Kalya. The spirit within the body of the person who contracted it would not be detected even by a true god.

(Okay)

Kalya answered briefly and returned to her flat face. When it was Lilith's turn, Silphy shouted again.

(That girl is dangerous too! Although not as dangerous as the previous man. You have to be careful with that girl)

Silphy reminded her again.

(What!? There are two such people here!? What exactly are their goals!?)

Kalya was worried about what would happen at this academy in the future.

(Different from the previous man. That girl seems to have evil intentions here. First, you should always keep an eye on her)

Apart from being able to sense the power of a person's existence, Silphy could also sense that person's intentions.

(I understand)

She answered curtly and her face turned gloomy again.

***

That's what happened during the second test. But Kalya hasn't told anyone yet. She was currently watching the person fighting on the screen. Suddenly she trembled because the eyes of Ziel who was fighting met her eyes. He is like looking at Kalya.

(What!? Is this just my feeling!?)

Kalya screams in shock in her mind.

(No, he saw you)

Silphy's answer made Kalya drip sweat from her forehead.

***

After 15 minutes passed, Ziel's exam was finished. Then Ziel sent out from that room. He immediately looked for a place to rest while waiting for the exam to finish.

After waiting for a few hours Ziel finally finished the test. Christof and Kalya appeared out of thin air in front of the prospective students.

"The third exam ends here. An announcement of whether you pass or not, and which class you will be placed in will be announced tomorrow. You just have to see if your name is listed on the information board that will be posted later. So, good luck." After saying that Christof and Kalya disappeared from the place. Ziel realized that before they disappeared, Kayla had stared at him.

Ziel immediately left the place after the third test was declared over and headed to the silver tower to pick up Clara. It didn't take long for Ziel to get to the silver tower. There he saw Clara standing in front of the tower, but she was not alone. She was currently chatting with a beautiful girl at her age who had shiny black hair. That girl is Princess Iris.