Chapter 55: Chapter 55 : End of the Entrance exam (7) final

All across the world, people watched with excitement. On every screen—from the smallest village pubs to royal viewing halls in gleaming skyscrapers—the same scene unfolded.

“Ladies and gentlemen, what an electrifying showdown we have!” the commentator roared. “On the left, the fiery genius Alden von Crestvale! To the right, the radiant sword of light, Ethan Williams! And in the center—who is this silver-haired candidate keeping up with the legends themselves?!”

The crowd went wild.

Across the battle-scarred arena, blades clashed and elements flared. Alex’s blade sparkled with lightning, each step charged with electric arcs, as he matched the rhythm of the prodigies step for step.

—

Far away, in a dark room lit only by a massive screen, ten figures cloaked in shadow observed the feed with unnerving stillness. The symbol of a broken crown flickered on the wall behind them.

“Who is that silver-haired kid?” a deep voice asked.

“Name’s Alex Dragonheart,” another replied. “A nobody. A commoner who came out of nowhere.”

“An unknown variable then,” a third voice said, sharp and cold.

“Yes,” a woman agreed. “Commoners are ripe with desires. If we play our cards right, we could mold him. Use him.”

The man at the head of the table leaned forward, his face hidden behind a silver mask.

“Keep an eye on him. Gather intel. And when the time is right… offer him a deal.”

“And if he refuses?” someone asked.

“Then kill him.”

The room fell silent in consensus.

—

On the island, the battle exploded into high gear. Ethan radiated divine brilliance, activating his Light Resonance and illuminating the battlefield. Alden’s flames flared to life as he entered Fire Resonance, and Alex’s body surged with vibrant arcs—Lightning Resonance at full blast.

The ground shattered.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three figures blurred and collided like comets, trading blows with unrelenting speed—a flurry of fists, steel, elemental surges, and their sword arts.

Ethan ducked under a slash and countered with a light-blade swipe.

Alden intercepted Alex’s flank with a fire-infused kick.

Ethan’s light flared.

Alden’s flames surged.

Alex’s lightning arced around his body, crackling with raw energy.

A gust of wind pushed out from the trio as they lunged at each other again.

Alex’s aura sparked violently. Lightning crackled across his skin.

『 Lightning Resonance 』

The blue bolts surged through his sword.

’Astral Void Rend Sword Art…’

『 First Form! (✦ Void Step ✦) 』

CRACK!

He vanished in a flicker of electric light—

—and reappeared between Ethan and Alden.

“Let’s begin.”

『 Second Form! (✦ Phantom Rend ✦) 』

His blade danced like lightning, leaving afterimages that zipped around both opponents. The clones struck in tandem.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed.

『 Dawnbreaker Judgement – Second Form! (✦ Prismatic Guard ✦) 』

Blades of condensed light, empowered by his Light Resonance, rotated around him—each matching a different elemental hue. They spun and countered Alex’s strikes, exploding on impact.

BOOM!

One afterimage burst in a flash of fire.

Another in blinding ice.

The third got through—

Clang! Ethan parried just in time, sparks flying.

Then—

『 Sovereign Blade – First Form! (✦ Radiant Dusk ✦) 』

Alden’s Fire Resonance flared as his sword slashed through the air, sending a wave of golden flames at both of them.

Alex dodged left.

Ethan vaulted over the arc mid-air.

『 First Move! (✦ Radiant Edge ✦) 』

His blade ignited with light.

Then—

FOOM! It morphed into a lance of fire.

He hurled it at Alden.

『 Second Form! (✦ Moonlight Pierce ✦) 』

Alden’s eyes glowed.

He met the fire-lance with a piercing thrust of his sword, enhanced with a burning aura. The two collided mid-air—

KA-CRACK!

Flame burst in all directions.

Alex didn’t miss the opportunity.

『 Third Form! (✦ Celestial Flow ✦) 』

With a fluid spin, he bypassed the flames and glided toward Alden—his movement like flowing water yet charged with voltage.

He slashed upward—

『 Dawnbreaker Judgement – Third Move! (✦ Mirage Step ✦) 』

Ethan vanished, becoming a blur of light.

Behind you.

Ethan reappeared, blade poised.

『 Fourth Move! (✦ Severing Ray ✦) 』

A beam of pure light-energy, now condensed into a Thunder Cannon, blasted out.

Alex used—

『 Void Step! 』

He dodged it barely, reappearing behind Alden—

—but Alden had sensed him.

『 Third Form! (✦ Stellar Waltz ✦) 』

His blade twirled in a graceful rhythm, radiating intense heat. Sparks of flame scattered as the sword danced in circular arcs, pushing Alex back.

“Fine. Let’s try THIS.”

『 Fourth Form! (✦ Bladestorm Mirage ✦) 』

Alex roared, lightning exploding from him.

His blade split into a storm of afterimages, striking in every direction.

ZRRRT! ZRRRT! ZRRRT!

Ethan and Alden blocked and dodged, but some strikes grazed them.

Alden leapt up—

『 Sovereign Blade – Fourth Form! (✦ Emberfall Requiem ✦) 』

A fiery whirlwind engulfed him as he spun mid-air, sword glowing.

He crashed into the arena with a massive explosion, sending everyone flying.

BOOM!!

Smoke rose. The platform cracked.

The crowd gasped.

Alex stood, panting, lightning crackling from his shoulders.

Ethan emerged from the smoke, coat burned at the edges, lips curled into a grin.

Alden wiped blood from his mouth, fire dancing around him.

The three stared at each other, hearts pounding.

Bruised. Burned. Smiling.

Blood dripped from Alex’s shoulder, but he stood firm.

Yet slowly as the fight goes no, he began to falter.

’They’re good… too good.

I knew it. They’ve been trained since they were kids. Every step they take, every move—it’s polished and refined.

And me? Four months… that’s all I had.’

His breathing grew ragged. Stamina waning.

Still, he fought.

Just a little more… he thought, eyes flickering to the other side of the battlefield, where humans and vampires clashed.

He was waiting for something.

—

Elsewhere on the battlefield, chaos reigned.

Lilith’s fury descended upon Seraphina and Charlotte like a tempest. Seraphina’s icy shields clashed with Lilith’s abyssal fire, while Charlotte weaved spells and controlling the gravity around them.

“You’ll pay for interfering!” Lilith screeched.

Lilith Noctis Bloodrose, Vampire Princess, danced across the field with elegance and carnage. Blood-forged blades floated around her like petals in a storm.

“Blood Art – Crimson Bloom.”

A swirl of blades launched forward, slicing through a group of human candidates who barely had time to scream. Lilith twirled mid-air, laughing as blood mist shimmered in her wake.

“We will see.” Charlotte Evans Avaloria, her white hair glowing under the simulated sky, raised a hand calmly.

“Gravity Zone.”

A sudden gravitational pull yanked the blood blades downward, crashing them into the dirt. Lilith raised an eyebrow.

BOOM.

A rain of crystal spears fell between them.

“Frozen Hymn.”

Seraphina Starlight landed gracefully beside Charlotte, her pale blue cloak dusted with frost.

They moved.

Lilith vanished and reappeared in a blur, striking at Charlotte with blood-tipped claws.

Charlotte bent space around her, redirecting each strike. Seraphina summoned icy barriers, her crystalline lances crashing into Lilith from behind.

The vampire princess hissed and twirled, blocking with her blades—one grazing Seraphina’s cheek.

BOOM! A shockwave burst outward as all three clashed in the center—blood, ice, and warped gravity colliding in a storm of elemental fury.

Nearby, vampire and human candidates clashed brutally.

One vampire ripped through a lightning user, only to be pierced by a holy lance.

A human tech-mage unleashed a mana cannon—only for it to be turned to red mist by a blood curse.

Screams, spells, and steel filled the air.

Then—

Suddenly, the sky shimmered.

A golden glyph pulsed above the battlefield, and a mechanical voice boomed across the arena—calm, yet filled with pressure.

[ Attention all examinees: Remaining candidates – 2,100. ]

Lilith, breathing hard, glanced at Charlotte and Seraphina. A small grin tugged at her lips.

Their duel paused—but not ended.

The battlefield still roared with blood and ambition.

Vampires and humans engaged in a savage skirmish nearby—magic beams, weaponry, and blood mixing into chaos.

—

A deafening chime echoed across the skies.

[ Attention all examinees: Remaining candidates – 2,100. ]

Alex’s eyes gleamed.

“Finally.”

He turned toward Ethan and Alden with a smile so wide it sent a shiver down their backs.

“What are you planning now, you bastard?” Alden asked.

“And wipe that creepy grin off your face—you’re losing, remember?” Ethan added.

“I’m just happy to see you both so full of energy,” Alex replied cheerfully.

Both took an instinctive step back, shielding their chests.

“You bastards, it’s not like that!” Alex snapped.

The trio clashed again—grinning like madmen, slashing and dodging.

Then suddenly… Alex stopped.

The world slowed.

“I’m happy, really… but it’s time to end this.”

He pulled out a silver-etched talisman.

Ethan and Alden paused.

“While I disappeared earlier, I planted the same explosives I used to awaken the monster. On both the vampire and human factions. This talisman will trigger them.

I estimate over a hundred eliminations. That’s why I waited…”

Their eyes widened.

“Once I tear this—boom. At least 100 candidates go bye-bye. Which means the exam will be over.

You’ve got ten seconds to warn Charlotte and Seraphina. I know you guys are good friends with them. And I’m a gentleman, so I’m telling you now. Go.”

Alex smiled—innocently.

Ethan and Alden’s brains short-circuited.

Then suddenly—

“SERA!” Ethan screamed.

“CHAR!!” Alden bellowed.

They blasted off in same directions.

“See you both in 30 seconds!” Alex called. “Don’t miss me too much!”

As ethan and Alden started running towards Charlotte and seraphina.

Lilith’s attention shifted too alex.

Alex eyes also darted to Lilith, who, for some reason, was also staring at him. Their gazes met and she saw the talisman.

Alex muttered something under his breath, and Lilith’s eyes widened in shock—she understood it.

It was something like: “Defend yourself if you can, princess.”

She immediately formed a barrier, glaring daggers at him.

Alex tore the talisman.

Boom.

The ground shook with coordinated explosions. Smoke, debris, and bodies flew. Screams echoed.

Dozens of candidates were vaporized instantly, turning into light particles.

Dust clouded the entire battlefield.

Then—

An announcement echoed in the sky:

[Attention all examinees: The top 2000 candidates are confirmed. The Entrance Exam is over. All surviving candidates will now be teleported back to Zenith Academy.]

A stunned silence.

And then… relief.

From one million, down to 2000.

The survivors blinked, catching their breath, as teleportation lights wrapped around their bodies.

They had done it.

They were in.

Meanwhile, Alex looked toward the sky—tired but smiling.

And then—he vanished in a flash of silver light.

—

A/N:

The Entrance Exam went on longer than planned, so I decided to end it here. I apologise if some of you did not find it satisfying but we have to move the story forward. Thanks for sticking through the chaos! Next stop: Zenith Academy.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep