Chapter 52: The Survival Phase Begins

The examination hall buzzed with murmurs as candidates trickled in, eyes scanning the large board that displayed room assignments. Lia and Ron stopped in front of it, scanning quickly.

“Phew, we’re in the same room,” Lia exhaled in relief.

Ron smirked. “You’re quite happy to be stuck with me, huh?”

Lia’s cheeks turned slightly red, but she huffed, looking away. “You think too highly of yourself, mister.”

They both chuckled, walking side by side toward Room B.

Inside, the hall was massive, lined with exactly 100 desks, each spaced evenly apart. Just like the other nine rooms—labeled A to J—Room B was filled to capacity. Lia and Ron gave each other a small nod before heading to their respective assigned seats, which were unfortunately far apart.

Two instructors entered the room, dressed in long blue robes bearing the academy’s emblem. One of them stepped forward and spoke clearly:

“Candidates, you have exactly three hours. The test begins now.”

He gestured, and assistants began passing out sealed test papers.

“This examination contains 100 questions divided into five parts,” the instructor continued.

“Each part contains 20 questions from a specific subject:

World History

Basic Morals

General Knowledge

Basic Mathematics

Logical Reasoning.”

The moment the command was given—”Begin!”—a magical pulse spread across the room. Students began scribbling furiously, while others froze in place, already overwhelmed.

Several tried to peek at neighboring sheets—only to receive a sharp invisible slap that jerked their heads back. The enchantment monitoring cheating was ruthless.

Ron and Lia, however, showed no signs of pressure. Trained since birth, well-versed in politics, culture, and logic, the prince and princess breezed through the paper.

50 minutes later, Lia calmly raised her hand.

“Sir, I’m finished,” she said.

The entire room turned toward her, stunned. Most hadn’t even finished the first section, and here she was—done already?

A few scoffed quietly, muttering, “She probably filled in random answers…”

Ron, still writing, just smiled.

“She’s always been the smarter one between us,” he thought. “Well, can’t fall behind now.”

Five minutes later, he was nearing completion when a calm voice echoed from across the room.

“I’m done as well.”

Heads turned again. A boy with tawny brown hair and leaf-green eyes stood up, stretching. His expression was relaxed, confident.

Ron blinked. He didn’t recognize the boy—Arin Blake—but the name was noted now.

“Oh?” Ron mused with interest. “So that’s what competition outside the palace feels like. Aside from Lia, that is… Alright, let’s finish this properly.”

With a flick of his pen, he returned to his paper, focus unbroken.

Two minutes later, Ron exited the exam room, having finished his test. As he stepped out, he noticed a shift in the atmosphere—many candidates around were starting to lose hope. With three examinees already done, panic and uncertainty began spreading among the rest. A few even stared blankly at their papers, as if the answers had suddenly vanished from their minds.

Ron, meanwhile, calmly stepped outside, thinking to himself, “That was a decent exam.”

But before he could relax, a strange feeling prickled at the back of his mind.

He glanced around and saw six or seven students gathered nearby. From their aura alone, he could tell—they were strong.

“They’re not average… Interesting.”

But his thoughts were interrupted the moment he spotted Lia. She was standing silently, eyes closed, her posture calm and composed.

In front of her stood a tawny brown-haired guy, speaking to her with a casual tone.

Ron approached them, and the moment he got close, Lia opened her eyes, having sensed him.

Ron narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Your new friend?” he asked with a faint smirk.

Lia replied flatly, “A fellow candidate.”

The guy turned toward Ron and smiled. “Well, that’s one way to put it.”

Then, extending a hand, he added, “I’m Arin Blake. And you?”

Ron shook his hand. “Ron. Nice to meet you.”

But as their hands met, Ron immediately noticed the tightening grip.

Testing me, huh? he thought, and matched the force, not backing down.

Arin’s mind echoed the same sentiment. He’s just like me.

After a brief moment of tension, Arin released the handshake and said with a grin, “I hope both of you make it to the next phase.”

Ron gave a calm nod. “We will.”

Lia stayed quiet, eyes slightly narrowed as she watched Arin walk away.

Ron waited until he was out of earshot before muttering, “I don’t know why, but I don’t like that guy.”

Lia exhaled lightly, “Hmm. I feel weird around him too.”

Ron smirked, “Then you can just punch him if he annoys you too much.”

Lia let out a soft laugh.

.

.

.

The hour dragged on, nerves fraying as candidates waited for the results.

Some sat quietly in corners, heads bowed in anxious prayer. Others paced restlessly, trying to distract themselves from the inevitable. When the massive crystal screen in the plaza finally lit up, the crowd fell silent.

Then—names.

Lines of glowing text began appearing, ranked top to bottom. Cheers erupted. Cries followed.

Out of 1000, only 500 names remained.

Ron and Lia pushed through the gathering, eyes scanning the board.

“Number 5…,” Ron mumbled, blinking in disbelief.

“Number 3…” Lia whispered, a soft smirk forming. “I aced it again.”

Ron looked at her, then laughed. “You really don’t stop showing off, huh?”

“Only when it matters.”

“Still,” he said, glancing back, “look at number 1…”

They both read it aloud.

“Felrin Corvinus.”

A name neither of them recognized. And right below it—

“Lirael Elenros – Elven Princess.”

The murmurs around them confirmed it. Royalty.

“Looks like we’re up against good taletlnt,” Ron said.

Arin jogged up behind them, panting. “Seventh… I’m in!”

The plaza had become a chorus of joy and heartbreak. Friends hugged. Some stood frozen in shock. Others quietly walked away, faces drained.

The officials stepped forward. A booming voice echoed out.

“Congratulations to the top 500 candidates. Prepare yourselves. The third phase begins soon.”

The crowd quieted again. Ron clenched his fists.

Lia’s eyes gleamed. “Now… it gets real.”

—

Location: Vice Chairman’s Office

Zane sat lazily on the cushioned chair inside Lucen Merrith’s office, arms resting behind his head, eyes closed. The silence was dull. His superior senses—refined far beyond mortal limits—picked up the whispers of wind, the shifting of clouds, even the faint heartbeat of the academy itself. He could hear the voices of the world if he willed it.

But boredom had dulled his interest.

Until he caught a thread.

“The third phase is about to begin.”

Zane’s eyes snapped open, faint amusement flashing in their deep violet hue.

Just then, Lucen stepped in, straightening his fur-lined robe with a smirk. “It’s time. Let’s go.”

Zane stretched once and stood, grinning. “Finally. Let’s.”

The two ascended into the sky, rising above the academy with practiced ease, their coats fluttering in the wind. The clouds parted for them, as if afraid to obstruct their path.

Lucen flew slightly ahead. “You’ll finally be meeting your fellow instructors, Zane. Formally, this time.”

“Hm,” Zane replied with a soft grunt. “So, what’s this third test about? Survival?”

Before Lucen could speak, Zane continued, tone casual, “Let me guess—you randomly drop 500 students into some kind of forest or wild terrain, and they have to survive against monsters and each other, right?”

Lucen glanced back with a chuckle. “Right again. Though we’ve added some spice this time.”

“Oh?”

“We’ve cast a barrier domain over the entire region. It’ll shrink every hour—gradually compressing the area, forcing the candidates closer together. If they remain outside the barrier for too long, they’re disqualified. So not only do they need to survive… they have to keep moving, fighting, adapting.”

“Hmm…” Zane mused.

“The terrain is sectioned using advanced spatial artifacts crafted by a senior professor. It’s a ten-kilometer-by-ten-kilometer region with distinct zones—scorching desert, jagged rocky hills, frozen tundra, thick wet jungle, and more.”

Lucen pointed ahead. A floating island loomed in the distance—massive, shielded by a transparent dome of shifting energy. The landscape inside was divided like a chessboard of environments, hostile and brutal.

“Impressive,” Zane admitted, eyes gleaming. “For this world, anyway.”

Lucen smiled proudly. “It’s all being broadcast live, too. We set up viewing artifacts across the city. The main one’s inside the Colosseum—citizens can watch everything on a moving-picture screen, captured in real time through tracking arrays. It’ll be quite the event.”

Zane followed Lucen’s finger and saw the towering battle Colosseum far off, buzzing with excitement.

Zane blinked. A battle royale? Seriously? Isn’t this like that game…?

’Heh. This might be fun after all.’ Zane thought.

Zane and Lucen landed gracefully just outside the exam zone, where a grand stage had already been set. Faculty members stood at the front, while curious research students filled the observation tiers. A large projection crystal floated above, displaying the names and visuals of the candidates preparing to enter the third phase.

An instructor’s voice echoed from the screen, clear and commanding.

“You all have been given a badge and a ring. Your objective is simple: Survive. The exam will continue until either the barrier fully shrinks and vanishes… or only one of you remains inside.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

“Inside the zone are monsters. You may slay them to earn points. Your badge will record the number of monsters you’ve defeated. You may also steal the badges of other candidates to increase your own tally.”

A few gasps followed.

“The ring is your last safeguard. If you suffer a life-threatening wound, it will forcibly teleport you out. But once you’re out… you’re out. This is a survival trial. Remember—points can help you win prizes, but only survival determines victory. Do you all understand?”

A resounding, “Yes!” came from the candidates.

One by one, they stepped forward, touching the barrier. As their hands met the glowing surface, they shimmered and vanished into the test zone.

Zane stood calmly at the back, watching the others disappear. With a faint smile, he cracked his knuckles.

“Alright then,” he muttered, stepping forward.

“Let’s begin.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep